VanFulpen’s Mock Draft 2.0

With the Jay Cutler trade now done, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signing Byron Leftwich here is the latest Mock Draft:

1. Lions: QB Matt Stafford, Georgia
Lions want a franchise quarterback and get one with Stafford. Now they hope he isn’t the next Joey Harrington.

2. Rams: OT Jason Smith, Baylor
They cut Orlando Pace and now they have a replacement with Smith.

3. Chiefs: OT Eugene Monroe, Virginia
This gives the Chiefs bookend tackles as the reunite Monroe with Brandon Albert.

4. Seahawks: LB Aaron Curry, Wake Forest
Curry is possible the best player in the draft and he'll replace Julian Peterson.

5. Browns: WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
The Browns are looking to trade Braylon Edwards to the New York Giants and Crabtree would be the perfect replacement.

6. Bengals: OT Andre Smith, Alabama
The Bengals need help in the offensive line and Smith gives that to them.

7. Raiders: WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland
Al Davis loves speed and Heyward-Bey was the fastest wide receiver at the NFL Scouting Combine.

8. Jacksonville: DT B.J. Raji, Boston College
Raji gives the Jaguars a player to team with John Henderson on the inside of the defensive line.

9. Packers: OLB Brian Orakpo, Texas
Orakpo teams up with Aaron Kampman to give the Packers two great outside pass rushers.

10. 49ers: OT Michael Oher, Ole Miss
The 49ers could go with quarterback Mark Sanchez here as well.

11. Bills: OLB Everette Brown, Florida State
Brown gives the Bills the pass rusher they are looking for.

12. Broncos: QB Mark Sanchez, USC
Sanchez is the replacement for quarterback Jay Cutler now in Chicago.

13. Redskins: DE Robert Ayers, Tennessee
The Redskins cut Jason Taylor and use their first round pick to replace him.

14. Saints: CB Vontae Davis, Illinois
The Saints cut Mike McKenzie, Davis will take his place.

15. Texans: LB Clay Matthews, USC
Matthews' name is huge in Houston with his uncle Bruce now part of the organization and the Texans are looking to upgrade the linebacker core.

16. Chargers: LB Brian Cushing, USC
Cushing is a perfect fit for the 3-4 scheme, with the potential to play inside or outside.

17. Jets: WR Jeremy Maclin, Missouri
Maclin is a replacement for Laveranues Coles who is now with the Bengals.

18. Broncos: OLB Aaron Maybin, Penn State
Maybin helps them in their switch to the 3-4 defense.

19. Buccaneers: QB Josh Freeman, Kansas State
Yes the Buc’s signed Leftwich, but Freeman is their quarterback of the future.

20. Lions: LB Rey Maualuga, USC
Maualuga starts from day one in the middle for the Lions.

21. Eagles: RB Chris Wells, Ohio State
Wells is the big back that the Eagles lack.

22. Vikings: WR Percy Harvin, Florida
Harvin play-making skills will go perfect with Adrian Peterson.

23. Patriots: CB Darius Butler, Connecticut
Patriots need help in the secondary and Butler might turn out to be the best one.

24. Falcons: TE Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma State
Pettigrew would give Matt Ryan a big target, but they might not draft him if they can pull the trade off for Tony Gonzalez.

25. Dolphins: CB Malcolm Jenkins, OSU
Jenkins is the kind of big physical cornerback that the Dolphins like.

26. Ravens: OLB James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
Laurinaitis starts from day one next to Ray Lewis, and when Lewis is done takes over for him.

27. Colts: DT Evander Hood, Missouri
Hood is a perfect fit for the Tampa Two defense the Colts run.

28. Eagles: OT Eben Britton, Arizona
Britton give the Eagles help on the offensive line.

29. Giants: RB Donald Brown, UConn
This pick could be the Browns if they make the trade for Braylon Edwards.

30. Titans: DT Peria Jerry, Mississippi
The Titans start to try to replace Albert Haynesworth.

31. Cardinals: RB Knowshon Moreno, Georgia
Moreno in, Edge out in Arizona.

32. Steelers: DE Tyson Jackson, LSU
The best defense in the league gets better with Jackson.

Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media, College Press Box

Top Questions Heading Into The Draft

Written by Justin Van Fulpen

There are many questions that still need to be answered heading into the 2009 NFL Draft here are just a few.

1. What will the Detroit Lions do at number one?

Many people believe that the Lions will draft quarterback Matthew Stafford from Georgia and other think that offensive tackle Jason Smith of Baylor. The interesting thing that no one has brought up is that both Stafford and Smith are represented by the same agency CAA. So when the rumor came up that the Lions where talking to Smith's agent, no one ever said that this was also Stafford's agency as well, so it is not like the Lions can play Stafford against Smith. The Lions have a personal workout with Stafford on March 31st, they have also schedule to spend more time with quarterback Mark Sanchez of USC at his Pro Day on April 1st. The Lions are not sold on one guy, so nothing has changed since the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. The Lions like five guys, Stafford, Sanchez, Smith, offensive tackle Eugene Monroe of Virginia, and linebacker Aaron Curry of Wake Forest. So what will the Lions do at number one, still no one knows.

2. Where does Michael Crabtree go?

Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree was everyone's number one overall prospect going into the NFL Combine in Indianapolis and then it was discovered that he had a stress fracture in his foot. The biggest question on Crabtree was his straight line speed, so he then came out and said he would run the 40 before he had surgery on his foot. When it was all said and done he decided to have the surgery and not run the 40. The question is now where does he end up going in the upcoming NFL Draft. Many thought that he would go number four overall to Seattle, but the Seahawks signed TJ Houshmanzada as a free-agent. He should go between number six and number 10 overall. My guess would be the Oakland Raiders at number seven to pair him up with third year quarterback Jamarcus Russell.

3. Who is the number one overall running back in this year’s class?

Talking with different scouts from different teams you get a lot of different opinions on who teams believe is this year’s number one overall running back. Some teams have Ohio State’s Chris Well number one while other have Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno number one and a few teams have UConn’s Donald Brown as their number one overall running back. It looks as if all three will be first round picks and Pittsburgh’s LeSean McCoy will be a high second round pick. I think you will see Chris Well as the running back that gets drafted first out of all the running backs.

4. How many wide receivers will be drafted in the first round?

After last year where there wasn’t any first round wide receivers. This year I think you can see at most seven, but it looks like their will be four that will be drafted in the first round for sure. Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech, Jeremy Maclin of Missouri, Percy Harvin of Florida, and Darrius Heyward-Bey of Maryland will all go in the first round. You could also see Hakeem Nicks of North Carolina, Kenny Britt of Rutgers and Brian Robiskie of Ohio State all get drafted in the first round as well.

As we get closer to the NFL Draft we will be looking at more of the questions for this years draft.

Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media, OSU Athletics

Q&A: Mike Leach, Head Coach, Texas Tech

Last season, did you ever want to pull a “Network” and open the window and say, “Hey, what about us?” when it came to all the hype of Oklahoma and Texas vying to play Florida in the National Championship?

Leach: We had as much of a claim to play Florida as anyone else. I look at it this way—the rules were set up before the season started and so there’s really nothing to be done about that. I think a good tie breaker would be graduation rate. I think that when you have a tie like that, I think a good blending of athletics and academics would be fantastic. Of course our graduation rate is 79 percent, Texas’ is 50 percent, and Oklahoma’s is 40 percent so we would have gone to the big game and that would have suited me tremendously. I think it would be wise if that change took place immediately, but I don’t look for that to happen. The thing is, ultimately, you had three great teams who really had good years and I think all of them deserved a lot of distinction and things like that. But I think all three had really great seasons.

Do you get into the NCAA Basketball Tournament or are you too busy preparing for spring football to really get involved?

Leach: I guess a little of both. Of course Pat Knight does a great job and we have a young team and they are fighting through some hard times and building up right now, but I thought they did a great job of coaching so I've always rooted for them to win. Right now I'm pretty well focused on spring football I guess, that’s really the priority, it’s the second most exciting part of the year and I’m really thrilled about that.

Speaking of Pat Knight, Bobby Knight was the former basketball coach there. While he was there, did you get a chance to talk to him or learn anything from him? As a coach are you always trying to learn from other coaches, regardless of the sport?

Leach: Well, Bobby Knight is a huge presence in athletics without question. He is the most successful and has the most wins of any basketball coach and I think that speaks for itself. The thing with coach Knight is, he is a great observer of people and his experiences and things like that. Just listening to him talk is fascinating. Don’t worry about the direction the conversation is going to go, just get him talking on a subject, hold on and listen, and it’s all worthwhile. Every time I ever had the opportunity to listen to him talk, I thought it was fascinating. He’s been out of town more than he’s been in town so I haven’t had the opportunity to do any of that lately, but he’s a fascinating individual.

Is it fair to call Graham Harrell a “system quarterback” considering that other quarterbacks that have come from Texas Tech have not been great NFL quarterbacks? And do you think any of those quarterbacks should be mentioned when talking about Graham Harrell?

Leach: Well, Kingsbury hasn’t done much except play every season at some different level of professional football since he left (Texas Tech). Sonny Cumbie was the franchise guy of LA’s Arena team. I think the other thing about it, in regards to quarterbacks, is that there’s only 30-some teams who are going to have a starting quarterback, so the notion that they’re not successful I think is false. Anybody that uses the word “system” right off the top, you know you’re talking to a bad football coach. Because anybody who says anything like that doesn’t understand the point of coaching. Anybody who calls plays has a system, so I assume their team calls plays, if they don’t they probably ought to start. I can’t think of any team that doesn’t call plays, so right there you have a system. This system quarterback stuff, all the guy is doing is acknowledging that he’s not a very good football coach because his quarterback doesn’t have the success that maybe (Cody) Hodges does or Graham Harrell or whoever; they want to call him a system quarterback and actually what they’re saying is they’re a bad football coach. The other thing that amazes me about it is in the NFL, most of the quarterbacks are playing in an offense that's similar to ours. They spread out, they throw it most of the time, and they operate from the shotgun, which is similar to what we do. So that immediately fits with the NFL model better than most of the quarterbacks from other systems. My favorite cop-out is those coaches that say, “Well, I don’t know if he can take a snap or drop back”. First of all, he’s (Harrell) done plenty of that. Second of all, how big of an insecurity that is as a coach, to feel like you don’t have the ability to teach somebody to take a snap and step backwards three, five, seven steps. We’re talking about a coach who is 30-50 years old dealing with a skill he can do himself and yet he doesn’t think he can teach it to a world class athlete?

So you’re saying you can’t be a college professor and say you can’t teach elementary school?

Leach: I would think. Send me a pile of nine-year olds and I'll have them taking drops and taking snaps from under center and I'll get it done in a couple of hours.

Your point of being in the shotgun formation seems to be trickling down to the NFL more and more. Even looking at the Patriots putting up record setting numbers, they were in shotgun more often than not.

Leach: Well Peyton Manning, how often is he under center? How about Denver? How about Seattle? How about Green Bay? How about Philadelphia? You can go on and on. It’s a bunch of foolishness. It's people afraid to think for themselves is what it is, and so what they do is they sit around and parrot what’s been infused in their head. I think just by definition, if you’re going to coach something you’re required to think, you’re required to teach. I think that failure to do that, how can you possibly call yourself a very good coach or a very good organization if you can't understand things that fundamental?

Another one of your players, Michael Crabtree is being scrutinized and you’re hearing things like, “He isn’t fast enough” or “He isn’t as tall as we thought”. Is that more foolishness to you?

Leach: Of course it's foolishness. The leading receiver in the NFL last year was Wes Welker, who came from our quote/unquote system. Two years in a row he’s led the league in receiving. He runs around a 4.8 and just had a happy experience at the Pro Bowl. And the fact that Michael Crabtree is only five or six inches taller and faster that means somehow he’s magically going to be a failure? I guess I’m not buying that either. And if our system is so flawed, you tell me how it is that simultaneously, for two years in a row, we had the leading receiver in the NFL and the leading receiver in college football.

Louis Vasquez, a guard, is starting to make a name for himself. Talk about him playing with those wide splits and do you think that will help him go into the next level?

Leach: Well, I think he’s got great technique, he’s real strong and he led the Combine in bench press. The thing is, he’s a great pass protector and that’s what’s required in the NFL. So yeah, I think he’ll do very well.

What are your thoughts on Brandon Williams' potential as a pass rusher at the next level?

Leach: Well we wish him the very best even though I think it was a mistake for him to leave early. I think he had more work to do and he could have improved his viability, but I think he’s a good player and has a lot of skills and I think if he continues to improve, he has the opportunity to do well.

Do your players normally come to you when they are in the process of deciding to leave early for the Draft or stay in college, or is that usually something they discuss with their agent or their family?

Leach: It varies a great deal. We never advised Brandon to leave and we stand behind that. As a matter of fact, I think the longer a guy stays the better off he is because I think that your chance of making the team is higher the more experience you have. A long story short, I think with rare exception you’re better off staying in school and then, certainly, the education aspect of school factors in there as well.

Would that apply to somebody like a Crabtree, who could be a potential top ten pick, or is he in fact that rare exception?

Leach: I think he’s somewhere around there. There’s personal choice in the matter too because everybody is going to be pressuring the kids and they have to decide which route they want to go and which way they want their life to proceed. Do they want to improve their chance of sticking in the NFL by staying put, or are they ready to roll the dice? The other thing is, with rare exception, players like the achievement of going to the NFL; they like the money in the NFL. Most of them cherish their college memories a little more than their NFL memories because the NFL has a business quality to it. So if you’re good enough, you’re going to eventually get to the NFL, so I don’t think there’s any real hurry. Sometimes the parents get stuff in their head and jump to silly conclusions and sometimes that’s aided by agents or friends or relatives or whoever, and I just think that people need to try to be smart and think first about the player that’s involved. There’s a certain amount of people out there that are thinking about themselves before the guy that’s doing the playing; all they want is the golden eggs, they don’t care about the goose.

Crabtree seemed to do such a great job at fighting to come back to the football and not letting the defender get through him to get to the ball. Is that something that was coached or is it just a natural instinct that he has?

Leach: I think all the above. Crabtree is one of the most competitive people I have ever dealt with. He believes he can get the ball and wants the ball virtually every play and we teach and encourage those types of things. The amazing knack that Crabtree had was continuing to finish plays and when they appeared to be over, making something happen.

What can you tell us about Taylor Potts, the expected successor to Graham Harrell? Is this his job to lose and how important is this spring for him being that he doesn’t have that much experience?

Leach: Well he’s got a little more than you think, he’s thrown a lot of balls. When he went in against Oklahoma State, he went 12-for-12 and had some very impressive throws and threw for over 100 yards in that stint. So I think he’s really good, I think he just needs to continue to improve like everybody. I think it’s important that he goes out and has a good spring, but I have a lot of confidence in him, too.

So does he have to earn the job in the spring?

Leach: You always have to earn the job and we will compare him with the others and obviously the guy that’s the best is going to start, but when we left the fall, he was ahead.

As far as recruiting, do you look for quarterbacks who run a similar offense you guys run at Tech or do you just go out and try and get the best football players you can get, regardless?

Leach: Well, I can’t talk about any commitments, but when it comes to recruiting quarterbacks in general, we look for guys who have some experience throwing the football.

Photo Credit: Texas Tech Athletics

On The Clock: Jacksonville Jaguars

Record: 5-11, 4th In the AFC South
General Manager: Gene Smith, Head Coach: Jack Del Rio (7th Year), Offensive Coordinator: Dirk Koetter (3rd Year), Defensive Coordinator: Mel Tucker (1st Year)

Offense Rankings: No. 20 Overall, No. 24 Scoring, No. 15 Passing, No. 18 Rushing
Defense Rankings: No. 17 Overall, No. 21 Scoring, No. 24 Passing, No. 13 Rushing

Last Five Years: 45-35; Last Playoff Appearance: 2007; Last Playoff Victory: 2007 (31-29 Over the Pittsburgh Steelers)

2008 Draft: (1-8) DE Derrick Harvey, (2-52) WR Quentin Groves, (5-155) LB Thomas Williams, (5-159) CB Trae Williams, (7-213) RB Chauncey Washington

Top Picks Last Five Years:
2008 – (1-8) DE Derrick Harvey, Florida
2007 – (1-21) S Reggie Nelson, Florida
2006 – (1-28) TE Marcedes Lewis, UCLA
2005 – (1-21) WR Matt Jones, Arkansas
2004 – (1-9) WR Reggie Williams

Booms: WR Ernest Wilford (4th Round 2004), K Josh Scobee (5th Round 2004), LB Bobby McCray (7th Round 2004), S Gerald Sensabaugh (5th Round 2005), S Reggie Nelson (1st Round 2007), RB Maurice Jones Drew (2nd Round 2006), LB Justin Durant (2nd Round 2007)

Busts: WR Reggie Williams (1st Round 2004), LB Jorge Cordova (3rd Round 2004), WR Matt Jones (1st Round 2005), OT Khalif Barnes (2nd Round 2005), WR Mike Walker (3rd Round 2007), Trae Williams (5th Round 2008)

Additions:
SS Sean Considine (Free Agent)
OT Tra Thomas (Free Agent)

Subtractions:
OT Khalif Barnes (FA-Oakland)
CB Drayton Florence (Released)
LB Mike Peterson (FA-Atlanta)
WR Jerry Porter (Released)
SS Gerald Sensabaugh (FA-Dallas)
DE Paul Spicer (Released)
RB Fred Taylor (Released)

Keepers:
C Brad Meester
CB Scott Starks
DE James Wyche

2009 Picks:
Round 1, Selection 8
Round 2, Selection 7
Round 3, Selection 8
Round 4, Selection 7
Round 5, Selection 8
Round 6, Selection 7

Team Needs – Players of Interest (Day One):
1. Wide Receiver: Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech; Jeremy Maclin, Missouri; Darrius Hayward-Bey, Maryland; Kenny Britt, Rutgers; Brian Robiskie, Ohio St.; Hakeem Nicks, UNC
2. Defensive Tackle: B.J. Raji, Boston College; Ron Brace, Boston College; Jarron Gilbert, San Jose St.; Sen’Derrick Marks, Auburn
3. Offensive Guard: Duke Robinson, Oklahoma
4. Cornerback: Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State; Jairus Byrd, Oregon; D.J. Moore, Vanderbilt; Darius Butler, UConn; Sean Smith, Utah
5. Offensive Tackle: Eben Britton, Arizona; William Beatty, UConn; Jamon Meredith, South Carolina
6. Safety: Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State; Louis Delmas, Western Michigan

Photo Credit: College Press Box (Missouri), SEC Sports Media

Pro Day Rewind: Week Four

A very busy week has passed us and there was a tremendous amount of news and notes to sift through, so I’ve taken the liberty of boiling it down for your perusal once again. We’ll of course hit the louder points (Andre Smith, Pat White) but there was also a lot of noise made by players in a more positive light.
Let’s take a look at the week that was.

Alabama: While the press has mostly been talking about Andre Smith’s divisive Pro Day, he wasn’t the only one working out who made an impression. For example, take safety Rashad Johnson. The 5'11, 200-pound former walk-on continued to generate heat after his solid Scouting Combine workout with some excellent positional drills. Johnson kept his general workout numbers from the Combine but that didn’t stop scouts from leaving with his name on their tongues.

Also making their mark were quarterback John Parker Wilson and center Antoine Caldwell, both of whom stayed with their Combine numbers while running positional drills. Wilson showed some good touch and strength in his throws while Caldwell really shined in his drills. Two tight ends of note also worked out, doing both workout and positional drills. Travis McCall was slower in his 40 and shorter in his vert than Nick Walker, but was faster in both the shuttle and three-cone drills by about three-tenths of a second in both, and lifted 20 bench press reps to Walker’s 14.

Smith continues to add to the concern in some corners that he lacks the attitude and work ethic necessary to excel in the NFL. On one hand, he had lackluster numbers in many of the workout drills—slow 40 times, an unimpressive 19 lifts in the bench press, and mediocre shuttle and cone times. He took his shirt off and looked physically overweight, not cut at all, and flabby. On the other hand, reports are he did very well in positional drills and some teams–most notably the San Francisco 49rs who pick tenth–reportedly came away impressed.

Smith will likely need to prove himself yet again in individual workouts over the next few weeks.

Boston College: The Boston College Eagles welcomed representatives from 15 NFL teams to Alumni Field last week, and the folks who showed up got another look at why B. J. Raji is the top defensive tackle in the 2009 Draft and one of the marquee defensive linemen overall. Raji stood on his Combine numbers but looked agile and deadly in his positional drills, gliding across the turf with a smoothness which belied his 6’ 2”, 337-pound frame.

Fellow defensive tackle Ron Brace also had a good workout, running the 40 again and improving his time from the 5.4 he ran in Indy to something in the 5.0 to 5.2 range. While not as athletic and nimble as Raji, Brace also did well in positional drills and should fetch a spot somewhere in the second round. Both tackles looked very good and shouldn’t last past the first day of the Draft.

Thirty-six other players attended the Pro Day, including linebacker Brian Toal. Toal had missed his whole senior year of play due to a broken leg and was happy to be able to show off for scouts, since the lack of playing time limits their ability to watch him on film. He did everything scouts asked of him, including offensive and special teams work, along with defensive drills. Toal’s biggest question marks may come from teams who are worried about his injury-plagued career at BC, but Toal functioned at 100 percent and certainly made it known that he was willing to do whatever it takes.

Ohio State: Multiple players from the Ohio State Buckeyes were looking to set their draft status right. Chris Wells, James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins all had questions post-Combine, while wide receiver Brian Robiskie was looking to prove that his Combine performance was no fluke. Twenty-nine teams came by to watch the workout, so the pressure was certainly on for all involved.

OSU’s track is known for being very fast, so much so that scouts have said that one needs to add anywhere from .07 to .1 of a second to times. Still, Wells’ 4.34 and 4.46 were an improvement over his combine times. Of course, one of the biggest knocks against Wells has been durability, but he looked in fine shape and has clearly been working very hard to not only shave off seconds of his 40 time, but make sure he is sharp in all aspects of his game.

Unfortunately, the same improvements were not evident in some of the other Buckeye athletes. Jenkins ran a 4.46 and a 4.53, which left both observers and Jenkins feeling as if he is likely to convert to safety at the pro level. On a positive note, Jenkins seemed to accept this and appears to be willing to make the switch in order to make a team.

Laurinaitis also lacked a vast improvement in his 40 time, running a 4.68 and a 4.78. Laurinaitis has battled questions this off-season about whether he had topped out during his early college career, with people pointing to his mediocre senior year. There seem to be some splits amongst analysts as to whether the former Buckeye linebacker can achieve what was originally expected of him at the pro level. Unfortunately, he was unable to answer those questions on this day.

Robiskie ran a 4.47 in his 40 and performed well enough throughout the day to continue intriguing scouts, solidifying his position as a potential second round pick.

Oregon: Almost two dozen teams (as well as six coaches) were represented at and around Autzen Stadium as former Duck players turned out for their chance to make an impression.

Several players stood out from the crowd. Safety Patrick Chung was impressive in position drills, though he let his Combine numbers stand for everything else. DE/LB prospect Nick Reed, who was not invited to the Combine, gave people second thoughts about that omission. His workout drills stacked up very favorably next to some of the numbers others at his position put up at the Scouting Combine. His 40 times (one with the wind, one against) would have ranked him fourth among the defensive linemen and sixth among linebackers. His 4.28 short shuttle would have been second best and his 6.96 three cone would have placed him third in the defensive line group (Stats thanks to GoDucks.com). While workout numbers aren’t everything, these were certainly worth noting and scouts came away impressed. Reed is open to a transition to linebacker, and other college defensive linemen have made the change successfully.

Other players who stood out were running back Jeremiah Johnson—who improved on his Combine 40 times with a 4.57 and a 4.61—and wide receiver Jaison Williams, who blew his Combine numbers away with a 4.47 in the 40 (4.63 at the Combine), a 6.94 three cone (7.37 at the Combine), and improved his vertical by an inch, bringing it to 36.5. Williams’ problem, however, has been his inconsistency and while he looked fine in drills, he will need to prove he can be relied upon if he is to make it in the NFL.

Maryland: Along with 50 scouts at Maryland’s Pro Day were quite a few receiver coaches, all there to see what former Terrapin wide out Darrius Heyward-Bey could do in position drills. Heyward-Bey performed admirably, looking smooth and confident running his drills. Heyward-Bey chose to let his outstanding Combine numbers stand.

Auburn: Every NFL team was present for Auburn’s Pro Day, and while there was a big barbecue afterwards, I’m pretty sure they were there for the players. Cornerback Jerraud Powers looked very good in positional drills and ran 4.43 and 4.45 40s, which vastly improved his time from the Combine. Defensive lineman Sen’Derrick Marks did well in his position drills and added several drills he didn’t do in the Combine, such as the bench press (16 reps) shuttle and three cone.

West Virginia: The biggest draw here was, of course, Pat White, whose coach announced he would not be running wide receiver drills prior to the workout. White had said he would be doing pass routes early, then wide out drills upon request. However, many scouts left after he threw and there appears to be confusion as to whether he was really available, but nobody asked if he was really interested in those drills. White once again looked sharp throwing the ball and stood on his results from the Scouting Combine for his running and weight drills.

Some other Pro Days worth noting:

Fresno State: As reported early last week, quarterback prospect Tom Brandstater did not work out for scouts due to a torn lat muscle. He has set up a private workout on April 11th. Meanwhile, tight end Bear Pascoe improved on all his Scouting Combine numbers and continued to look good to scouts.

Oklahoma State: Tight end Brandon Pettigrew had to tell everyone he couldn’t work out, but also let the scouts know his agent would set up a time in a few weeks to make up for it. Aside from that, high winds made it nearly impossible for players to do positional drills and all other drills were done indoors on a rubber track. Defensive back Jacob Lacey was the standout of those who did drills, his highlights included a 4.50 and 4.45 in the 40 and a 41-inch vertical jump.

Arizona: The marquee player here was of course Eben Britton, who drew eight offensive line coaches among the crowd of 50 scouts. Britton continued to look good in position drills and looks to be a first day–maybe a first round–selection. Also standing out was quarterback Willie Tuitama. Tuitama, who was not invited to the Combine, reportedly threw the ball very well in positional drills and could be an intriguing late-round pick or street free agent. A Wildcat who really opened new eyes to his ability was safety Nate Ness, who ran a 4.46 and a 4.49 in the 40, had a 36-inch vertical jump and certainly made scouts take a look at him after being somewhat unknown outside of Tucson prior to this Pro Day.


Kansas State: Quarterback Josh Freeman attracted a bunch of quarterback coaches to the March 14th Pro Day, including ones from Tampa Bay, Detroit, Minnesota, St. Louis and Seattle. Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will be on hand Monday with a board to diagram plays and new Head Coach Rex Ryan and GM Mike Tannenbaum will be on hand for a private workout Tuesday, while Jacksonville QB Coach Mike Shula will come by on March 23. Freeman looked accurate and on point during positional drills and it’s clear he is drawing interest from many teams.

Oregon State: Cornerback Keenan Lewis came to Corvalis 17 pounds lighter than he weighed in Indianapolis. Apparently, prior to the Combine, Lewis was taking Creatine to increase his weight. While his 40 time remained the same, Lewis improved his vertical by five inches (to 38.5), his broad jump by seven inches (to 10'10"), ran a 4.42 in the short shuttle and a 6.89 in the three cone, both of which he chose not to do in Indianapolis.

Purdue: Twenty-three teams were represented, including Seahawks D-line coach Dan Quinn. Quinn was definitely here to get another look at defensive tackle Alex Magee, who kept his bench press numbers from Indy, but re-ran everything else, dropping his 40 time to 4.82 and 4.85, his shuttle to 4.42 and performing well in positional drills. Quarterback Curtis Painter showed off his arm in positional drills, but still looks to be a project at the next level.

Northwestern: While there were several players to watch here, most intriguing was the presence of linebacker coaches from the Eagles and Bucs who came to see Western Illinois' Jason Williams, who had worked out at W. Illinois’ Pro Day on a wooden gym floor. On a decent surface, Williams turned in sharp 40 times of 4.49 and 4.44. Of the Northwestern players there, wide receiver and special teams player Eric Peterman stood out with his 4.48 and 4.50 40 times and a nice 31 inch vertical.

Abilene Christian: The story here continues to be wide receiver Johnny Knox, who drew a trio of receivers coaches. In all, 15 teams showed up and were not disappointed. Knox not only has incredible speed, but can catch the ball and looked rock solid in his position drills.

Texas Tech: Michael Crabtree was, of course, sidelined because of his recent foot surgery. Quarterback Graham Harrell, once a Heisman hopeful, continues to slide on draft boards. While he did run a 4.95 in the 40, Harrell had some issues in his position drill and struggled with some of his throws. On a sad note, offensive tackle Rylan Reed was having a great Pro Day (41 bench reps!) when he injured his knee on his first 40 run. Reed had to be taken to a hospital and the NFL Draft Bible join many others in wishing him a speedy recovery.

Nebraska-Omaha: Twenty teams came to the Pro Day and were treated to an outstanding effort by tight end Zach Miller. Miller ran a 4.53 and a 4.54 in the 40, had a 37.0 vertical, a 10 foot 4 inch broad jump and just crushed his positional drills despite a torn tendon in his hand. He certainly left scouts talking.
Last week's Pro Days could fill 50 pages, and the same is true of this week's. Here are just a few of the Pro Days and athletes worth noting in the coming week.

LSU kicks things off on Monday as several players will vie for the scouts’ attention. Tyson Jackson is one of the top defensive ends in the draft and could lock a first round slot up with a solid performance. Meanwhile, wide receiver Demetrius Byrd will try to move up draft boards and show that his hands and route running are not the problems some think they are.

On Tuesday, Cal-Poly puts on its Pro Day and of course Ramses Barden, the big Division II stud, will attempt to keep his status heating up and show he knows how to use that towering height.

Pittsburgh has their Pro Day and everyone wants to see if LeSean McCoy can respond to Chris Wells’ performance last week and hold off UConn’s Donald Brown for the third running back spot. Linebacker Scott McKillop has told the NFL Draft Bible that he will likely stand on most of his Combine numbers and do only the positional drills.

In North Carolina, Hakeem Nicks is a guy to watch, but fellow wide receivers Brooks Foster and Brandon Tate can also make a move on scouts’ note sheets with good position drill workouts.

On Wednesday, I’m hoping to see Zack Follett and Alex Mack with my own eyes at California’s Pro Day in Berkley. Follett plays like a beast and I am really looking forward to watching his position drills to see if he can match the aggressiveness he plays with on the field. Mack has shown me pretty much all he has to on film as well, but I’m anxious to see what he does in person. Position drills are very telling as are scout reactions just after a player participates.

Meanwhile, Florida Gator wide receiver Percy Harvin will work out in the hopes that he could overtake guys like Jeremy Maclin and Darrius Heyward-Bey for the number two receiver slot. It’s possible that whomever ends up number two could go first as there is a chance Michael Crabtree will fall a little to the Raiders, who are known to avoid receivers lacking in 40 times.

Penn State had several players run well at the Combine, but aside from Derrick Williams, none of them is sure to be drafted. So while Williams is likely to go late round two, guys like Deon Butler and Jordan Norwood will need to kill their drills to prove there is more to them than pure speed. Defensive end Aaron Maybin has something to prove and a faster timed speed would help and Maurice Evans has some work to do as well.

On Thursday, Georgia hosts its Pro Day and scouts will be there in full force to see several potential top draft picks. Matthew Stafford didn’t work out at the Combine so his position drill will make him the biggest person of interest for most team officials. Stafford won’t easily drop in most people’s estimations. Running back Knowshon Moreno has been going back and forth with Chris Wells in many analysts’ rankings and after Wells burned up a fast track, scouts will want to see how Moreno responds.

Missouri hosts its second Pro Day as well and will feature some offensive studs themselves. Quarterback Chase Daniel has to overcome questions about his height as well as concern about his working out of the spread so frequently. Receiver Jeremy Maclin has shot to the top ranks of the wide receivers and is another wide out who could jump ahead of Crabtree if the situation is right on draft day. A solid workout would bolster his case that with Crabtree hurt, it’s safer to go another way. Tight end Chase Coffman could help his cause with some speed and some solid positional drills.

Finally, on Friday, we have another Pro Day I hope to see with my own eyes—San Jose State. Players like defensive end Jarron Gilbert and cornerbacks Coye Francies and Christopher Owens aren’t as well known as their counterparts at the bigger schools, but they may make just as much of an impact. It will be intriguing to see which teams make the trip out to San Jose and who gets the most attention.

Of course, that’s not nearly everything...not even close. Each week will bring many more players to our attention and every Monday at the Pro Day Rewind, we’ll make sure you know who made the biggest impact during the previous week and what might be the next name on your lips by week’s end.

Photo Credit: Collegiate Images, SEC Sports Media, College Press Box (Boston College, Maryland, Oklahoma St., Kansas St., Texas Tech, Penn St.), WVU Sports Communication, Purdue University Sports Information, Mizzou Media Relations

Pro Day Rewind

By ANDREW GARDA

As we head toward the end of the 2009 NFL Combine, we do so knowing that many of these players will be getting another chance to shock and awe the scouts at their individual school’s Pro Days. An athlete might have struggled in Indianapolis but could recover his momentum with a second look. On the other hand, a guy can just as easily fritter away all the buzz he gathered at the Combine by not being ready at his Pro Day.

Over the course of the next six weeks, this column will follow the ups, downs, and occasional sideways movement of the NFL Draft Class of 2009.

Now you may be asking yourself is it time for a Pro Day Rewind Column when the Combine isn’t even finished?

Well, not every future NFL star is working out in Indianapolis. Every year, athletes who weren’t present at the Combine end up in the NFL anyway, some to eventual fantastic effect. For examples, please see Welker, Wes and Parker, Willie from 2004.

And of course, there are some players every year who choose not to compete in Indy. Whether it's because of an injury or a concern about losing momentum, these players leave scouts wanting and needing more.

Today’s column is focused on the players who are not performing during the Combine, for whatever reason. For these athletes, their Pro Days are even more vital.

1. WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech (INJURED): During his medical examination, the seventh ranked player on the NFLDB Big Board was diagnosed with a small stress fracture in his foot. The news put the kibosh on any plans Crabtree had to work out in some capacity at the Combine and sent scouts scrambling for their notebooks as they tried to determine what, if any, impact this might have on his value.

Crabtree has announced he will delay the surgery until after his Pro Day, which is scheduled for March 26th, and work out on that day. Opinions range widely on whether this could cause more injury and whether he needs to run at all. Clearly he feels the need to perform and that the benefits outweigh the risk. March 26th will be a huge day for the Texas Tech receiver and worth watching. Some teams will downgrade him over the injury and a poor showing, or further injury, could really hurt his draft stock.

2. OT Andre Smith, Alabama (PERSONAL CHOICE): Nobody hurt themselves more this weekend than the big tackle from the Crimson Tide. First, Smith stood up and explained to the assembled media and scouts that he would not be participating in the Combine because he was not in proper shape. That candor might have actually won him points had he not gone missing Saturday morning. While there seems to be some confusion about the complete chain of events, he ended up heading to Atlanta to train and nobody seemed to know about it.

Smith, sixth on the NFLDB Big Board heading into Indianapolis, already had some red flags prior to this weekend. He was suspended for Alabama’s Bowl game for reasons he wouldn’t quite clarify and there had been some reports that he was out of shape, confirmed perhaps by his decision not to work out in Indianapolis. Leaving the Combine, even if it was to work out, was a poor choice and Smith may have been given some very bad advice.

He will need to be on point for Alabama’s Pro Day which is just two and a half weeks away, on March 11th. He won’t easily slide from the first round, but another bad day from Smith will certainly push him down the draft ladder and cost him a lot of money. Teams who have already begun to be concerned by his choices may write him off entirely.

3. QB Matthew Stafford, Georgia (PERSONAL CHOICE): As the top ranked quarterback on most analyst’s boards, Stafford didn’t have much to gain by doing much more than cheerleading on Sunday. However, as one of the knocks against him by some evaluators is occasional sloppiness and lazy fundamental execution, not working out isn’t really putting that doubt to rest.

Still, if you’re the top Bulldog, why not do your work on March 19th in the most comfortable setting possible with familiar receivers and your teammates and coaches looking on? Stafford may lose some of the lead he has now before then, but if he has a sharp day, he will solidify his standing.

4. TE Ryan Purvis, Boston College (NOT INVITED): Purvis, the tenth ranked tight end on NFLDB’s tight end rankings, may have suffered from a down senior year but in 2007, he was a safety net for 2008 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Matt Ryan (not to be confused with Overall Rookie of the Year, Joe Flacco.).

While Purvis is a sure-handed receiver and made strides as a blocker this past season, there are questions about his speed, ability to get separation and upside. Purvis may not be a finished product and he’ll need to show the scouts some shine on Boston College’s Pro Days, March 12th and 13th.

5. LB Frantz Joseph, Florida Atlantic (NOT INVITED): This physical linebacker will actually get an early chance to impress as his Pro Day falls on February 26th. Joseph had a productive career and can make plays, but lacks top end speed and ideal size. He’ll need to come out hard on Thursday and prove that he can hang with the big boys. Joseph has to make a lasting impression on scouts, since it will have to serve him until April and hopefully convince teams to bring him in for a private workout between now and then.

We’ll be back next Monday with a look at the few Pro Days taking place this week and a preview of what to watch for in the coming month.

On Location: WR Notes From Indy - II

WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech:
Training: Michael Johnson Performance
Teams Met With: Lions, Seahawks, Texans, Rams, Saints

WR Darius Heyward-Bey, Maryland:
Teams Met With: Eagles, Titans, Niners

WR Kenny Britt, Rutgers:
Workout: Will work out.
Training: API
Teams Met With: Panthers and half a dozen others
Pro Day: March 23

WR Derrick Williams, Penn State:
Workout: Will work out
Teams Met With: Colts, Cowboys

WR Louis Murphy, Florida:
Workout: Will work out.
Has spoken with Cardinals, Panthers and Cowboys.

WR Ramses Barden, Cal Poly
Workout: Will work out.

WR Aaron Kelly, Clemson:
Workout: Will work out
Training: XPE
Pro Day: March 24

WR Brian Hartline, Ohio State:
Workout: Will work out.
Training: At Ohio St.
Pro Day: March 13

WR Mike Thomas, Arizona:
Workout: Will not bench.

WR Austin Collie, BYU:
Workout: Will work out.
Teams Met With: Colts, Rams, Browns, Cowboys, Falcons, Dolphins, Redskins, Chiefs, Rams
Pro Day: March 11.

WR Jarrett Dillard, Rice:
Workout: Will work out.
Teams Met With: Jags, Redskins, Packers, Browns, Bengals, Titans

WR Marko Mitchell, Nevada:
Workout: Will not bench
Pro Day: March 25

WR Brooks Foster, UNC:
Workout: Will not run.
Pro Day: March 17

WR Taurus Johnson, South Florida:
Workout: Will work out.
Teams Met With: Lions, Browns, Dolphins, Texans, Jags, Steelers

WR Percy Harvin, Florida:
Workout: Will be doing all drills at the combine, but will not run any routes until Pro Day.

WR Quan Cosby, Texas:
Workout: Will be doing all everything but the vertical at the combine.

As reported by Justin VanFulpen

On Location: Their Personalities – In A Word

By John Sears

A day of interviews for quarterbacks, receivers and running backs. Judging solely on their interview at the combine, here is my one word analysis of their current status:

Wide Receivers:
Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech: Happy-go-lucky
Deon Butler, WR, Penn State: Determined
Darius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland: Ready
Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri: Self-assured
Derrick Williams, WR, Penn State: Relaxed
Jordan Norwood, WR, Penn State: Realistic

Running Backs:
Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia: Humble
Chris “Beanie” Wells, RB, Ohio State: Nervous
P.J. Hill, RB, Wisconsin: Mature
Ian Johnson, RB, Boise State: Chip-on-the-shoulder (out to prove himself)
Javon Ringer, RB, Michigan State: Competitor
LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh: Brave

Quarterbacks:
Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia: Polished
Chase Daniel, QB, Missouri: Under-valued
Graham Harrell, QB, Texas Tech: Honest
Mark Sanchez, QB, USC: Confident

Stay tuned for more on location from the NFL combine.

Decision Time: WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech

By KENNY FRANEK

Why Crabtree made the right decision to come out:

1. A "sure" bet:Crabtree had the best hands in all of college football. In his two years as a starter at Texas Tech, he amassed an astounding 231 receptions for 3,127 yards and 41 touchdowns. That’s an average of over 115 receptions, 1,563 yards, and 20 touchdowns per season. Those scary stats alone tell you to go to the NFL while you have had minor injuries (mainly a sprained right ankle this year) and you are at the top of your game.

2. Nothing left to prove: Crabtree has already won numerous awards. These include: unanimous 2007 and 2008 First-Team All-America honors; 2007 and 2008 Biletnikoff Award winner, which is given to the nation’s best wide receiver (in 2007 he was the first freshman and Big 12 player to win the award); and he also won the Paul Warfield Trophy. On top of that, he set Big 12 and NCAA freshman records by leading the nation with 134 catches for 1,962 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2007. The only possible thing left to do in college for Crabtree would be to win a national championship. That would not be likely if he chose to stay for two key reasons: Graham Harrell will no longer be there, instead he will be playing on Sundays; and teams like Florida, USC, and Texas will likely be the front runners yet again next year (especially with the announced return of Tim Tebow at Florida).

3. Bigger is better: Not only will Crabtree's spectacular set of hands be admired by many NFL teams, his size will as well. Listed as 6'3" and 214 lbs. Crabtree has the size all quarterbacks in the league covet. Many of the elite wideouts in the NFL stand taller than 6'2", including Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson, and Calvin Johnson to name a few. Although he will not do his physical testing at the Combine, he will do it during his pro day in Dallas. He has great speed for a wideout his size which makes him even more appealing to NFL scouts. Even if his 40 time is not "astonishing", his size, route running ability, and hands will no doubt make him the first receiver taken in the 2009 draft.

Franek's Take: Even though Crabtree is just a red-shirt sophomore his decision to depart was a no-brainer. No one was more of slam dunk to leave early for the NFL.

Photo Credit: Texas Tech Athletics/Norvelle Kennedy

Red Raider Duo & Nate Davis Bolt

As expected, Michael Crabtree made it official – he will be playing on Sundays and not Saturdays in 2009. The former Red Raider had two years of eligibility remaining, but the red-shirt sophomore had little to nothing to prove at the college level after winning a pair of Biletnikoff Awards as a freshman and a sophomore. Crab, as he is known in Lubbock, caught 134 passes for 1,962 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2007 and 97 balls for 1,165 yards and 19 scores this past season, when he was slowed down by injury. In a far more surprising move, also leaving Lubbock is junior defensive end Brandon Williams, who was selected to the All-Big 12 First Team after leading the conference with his 13 sacks.

Coming out of the MAC, Ball St. quarterback Nate Davis announced today that he too has decided to forgo his final season of college football and enter the 2009 Draft. The junior signal caller threw for 3,591 yards and 26 touchdowns (eight interceptions), while completing 64.3 percent of his passes – a significant increase from the 56.4 percent he completed in his sophomore campaign. With a mediocre senior crop of quarterbacks, expect Davis to battle with fellow early entry Josh Freeman (Kansas St.) for position behind yet another junior Matthew Stafford - the consensus top quarterback prospect – unless of course Oklahoma sophomore Sam Bradford decides to leave school for the NFL.

Photo Credit: College Press Box (Texas Tech University)

Cotton Bowl: #8 Texas Tech vs. #20 Ole Miss

By J.J. PESAVENTO

Dallas, TX * January 2, 2009 *2:00PM * FOX

In Texas Tech and Ole Miss, you have two teams who experienced very different fortunes in 2008. Texas Tech was among the best teams in the country the entire season and the Red Raiders were making a case for a shot at the national title until Oklahoma pummeled them in week eleven. Ole Miss was 3-4 at one point then ran off five straight wins to get into the Cotton Bowl.

When the Red Raiders have the Ball

Look for an aerial assault by the Red Raiders led by quarterback Graham Harrell with the primary target being Biletnikoff Award winner Michael Crabtree. Crabtree is far from the sole weapon in the Tech arsenal. Detron Lewis, Eric Morris and Tramain Swindall all had over 500 yards receiving and combined for 13 touchdowns for the Red Raiders. For the Ole Miss defense, it starts with pressure up front from Greg Hardy and All-American Peria Jerry. The Rebels led the SEC with 37 sacks in 2008 and getting to Harrell is key to disrupting the high-powered Tech offense. Obviously, Tech does not run the ball a great deal but when they do, it will be either Baron Batch or Shannon Woods toting the rock. But the going won't be easy against an Ole Miss defense led by Jamarca Sanford and Kendrick Lewis that ranks sixth in the nation against the run.

When the Rebels have the Ball

One player to keep an eye on is wide receiver Dexter McCluster, who does it all for the Rebels. McCluster rushed for 558 yards with five touchdowns and hauled in 38 passes for 542 yards with one score this season. Cordera Eason is the primary back for Ole Miss but McCluster and Brandon Bolden also fit into the mix. The backs will be running behind an offensive line led by All-American tackle Michael Oher. Tech isn't all that bad against the run led by Brandon Williams, McKinner Dixon and Brian Duncan. Quarterback Jevan Snead has had a solid season throwing for 23 touchdowns and rushing for three. When he looks to pass, in addition to McCluster, he'll look for Mike Wallace and Shay Hodge, who combined for 14 touchdowns in 2008. Again, Dixon and McKinner will be the players on defense bringing the heat up front with Darcel McBath, who tied for the Big 12 lead in picks (6) and Dan Charbonnet, who had five interceptions in the secondary.

Final Analysis

It goes without saying that the Ole Miss defense will be under fire the entire game and how they handle the pressure will have the biggest impact on the outcome. The Rebels are aggressive and not letting Harrell have the time to pick them apart is paramount. If Texas Tech plays the way they have most of the season, the Rebels cannot stay with them. And the Rebels will also have to put together some offense of their own to keep Harrell on the sidelines where he cannot hurt them. While the Tech defense doesn't rank all that well defending the pass, that can be misleading since most teams were forced into strictly passing after falling behind the Red Raiders. Still, we think Tech just has too much firepower and will outlast the Rebels.

CFI Prediction: Texas Tech 37, Ole Miss 24

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-1, 7-1)
Pass-Graham Harrell (4,747 yards, 41 TDs)
Run--Baron Batch (742 yards, 7 TDs)
Catch--Michael Crabtree (93-1,135 yards, 18 TDs)

Ole Miss Rebels (8-4,5-3)
Pass--Jevan Snead (2,470 yards, 23 TDs)
Run--Cordera Eason (35-644 yards, 3 TDs)
Catch--Mike Wallace (704 yards, 6 TDs)


Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media, College Press Box, Texas Tech Athletics

NLS All-American Team

The Next Level Scouting, Inc. College Football All-American team is annually created by the scouts and talent evaluators employed throughout the season that coordinate by region and then nationally the company's final NFL Draft rankings and grades.

Taken into consideration were each players stats, importance to his college team and finally his current NFL Draft grade, so as much as this is an All-American team it is also a look at the "Best-of-the Best" in terms of potential for playing at the next level, regardless of the draft year. Thus, there are several underclassmen included.

Selections are listed in order which would compare to being 1st, 2nd & 3rd team by position.

Quarterback:
Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
Matthew Stafford, Georgia
Mark Sanchez, USC

Running Back:
LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh
Donald Brown, Connecticut

Knowshon Moreno, Georgia
Shonn Greene, Iowa

Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech
Glen Coffee, Alabama

Fullback:
Gartrell Johnson, Colorado State
Richie Brockel, Boise State
Cody Johnson, Texas


Wide Receiver:
Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
Julio Jones, Alabama

Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State
Jeremy Maclin, Missouri

Kenny Britt, Rutgers
Percy Harvin, Florida

Tight End:
Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma
Robert Gronkowski, Arizona
Richard Quinn, North Carolina

Offensive Tackle:
Andre Smith, Alabama
Russell Okung, Oklahoma State

Eugene Monroe, Virginia
Jason Smith, Baylor

Michael Oher, Mississippi
Eben Britton, Arizona

Offensive Guard:
Andy Levitre, Oregon State
Herman Johnson, LSU

Duke Robinson, Oklahoma
Sergio Render, Virginia Tech

Michael Johnson, Alabama
Greg Isdaner, West Virginia

Center:
Alex Mack, California
A.Q. Shipley, Penn State
John Estes, Hawaii

Defensive End:
Brian Orakpo, Texas
Aaron Maybin, Penn State

Larry English, Northern Illinois
Everette Brown, Florida State

Corey Wootton, Northwestern
Paul Kruger, Utah

Defensive Tackle:
Peria Jerry, Mississippi
Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma

B.J. Raji, Boston College
Terrence Cody, Alabama

Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska
Arthur Jones, Syracuse


Inside Linebacker:
Brandon Spikes, Florida
Rolando McClain, Alabama
James Laurinaitis, Ohio State

Outside Linebacker:
Aaron Curry, Wake Forest
Mark Herzlich, Boston College

Sean Witherspoon, Missouri
Brian Cushing, USC

Perry Riley, LSU
Travis Lewis, Oklahoma

Cornerback:
Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State
Sean Smith, Utah

D.J. Moore, Vanderbilt
Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest

Jairus Byrd, Oregon
Syd'Quan Thompson, California

Safety:
Rashad Johnson, Alabama
Taylor Mays, USC

Eric Berry, Tennessee
Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech

Louis Delmas, Western Michigan
Sean Baker, Ball State

Kicker:
Louie Sakoda, Utah
Matt Bosher, Miami (FL)
Josh Arauco, Arkansas State


Punter:
Zoltan Mesko, Michigan
Kevin Huber, Cincinnati
Bryan Anger, California

ALL-PURPOSE:
Noel Devine, West Virginia (RB/RT)
A.J. Jefferson, Fresno State (DB/RT)
Antonio Brown, Central Michigan (WR/RT)

Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media, College Press Box, Penn St. University, Oklahoma University, Texas Tech Athletics, WVU Sports Communication