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Thomas is the cream at tackle
 | Injuries are a bit of a concern, but otherwise Thomas is
the best tackle prospect in years.
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OFFENSIVE TACKLES
Potential First-Round Picks:
Three.
Overall Depth: Thomas may be the
best tackle to come along in years, but after him it's a bit of a mixed bag.
There is much debate about who No.2 is, which underscores the major drop-off
after Big Joe at the top...
1. Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin
Injuries are a bit of a concern, but otherwise Thomas is
the best tackle prospect in years.
2.
Joe Staley, OT, Central Michigan
Staley
is a converted tight end with elite athleticism. Needs to work on his drive
blocking.
3. Levi Brown, OT, Penn State
A snail-slow 40 time at the Indy Combine hurt him, but
he's still an elite lineman prospect.
4. Ryan Harris, OT, Notre Dame
His long arms and quickness make Harris a top pass-protection
prospect. A bit of a project.
5. Tony Ugoh, OT, Arkansas
Few prospects at any position have Ugoh's rare combination of
quickness an brute power.
6. James
Marten, OT, Boston College
Marten has a
high-upside frame and a feisty demeanor. Versatile, but also a bit of a
project.
7. Allen Barbre, OT,
Missouri Southern State
A small-school
beast, Barbre is a supreme athlete and one of the top sleepers in the
draft.
8. Gabe Hall, OT, Texas
Tech
A bit undersized and a late
bloomer, Hall is a very athletic tackle. High-risk, high
reward?
9. Doug Free, OT, Northern
Illinois
Blessed with excellent size and
superb mobility, Free is still fairly raw but has good
upside.
10. Brandon Frye, OT,
Virginia Tech
Frye is a great athlete
for a tackle, but lack of experience and raw skills make him a
project.
GUARDS/CENTERS
Potential First-Round Picks:
Three or four.
Overall Depth: Kalil has
really improved his draft stock in recent months, and there are some very solid
middle linemen to be had right after him. Other years have been deeper, but
there are some nice sleepers later on...
1. Ryan Kalil, C, USC
Probably the best center in the draft, the mobile Kalil
may be able to play several pro spots.
2. Arron Sears, OG,
Tennessee
Polished, versatile, and
NFL-ready, Sears needs only to prove he has star-level
passion.
3. Justin Blalock, OG, Texas
While still a little raw, Blalock has the raw tools and
mindset to be a top-tier NFL guard.
4. Ben Grubbs, C, Auburn
Mobile, instinctive, and massive, Grubbs is a converted
D-lineman who still has big upside.
5. Manny Ramirez, OG, Texas
Tech
Bulky, powerful, and sneaky-quick,
Ramirez is a top run blocker with potential to be more.
6. Samson Satele, C, Hawaii
His low center of gravity, smarts, and mobility make Satele a solid
pass protector. A gamer.
7. Josh
Beekman, OG, Boston College
Like other
BC O-linemen, Beekman is a mauler who can plow the field. Not
super-mobile.
8. Marshal Yanda, OG,
Iowa
Still fairly raw, Yanda has
big-time potential as a drive blocker. A rare speed-size
guy.
9. Doug Datish, C, Ohio
State
Not dominant in college, Datish is
nonetheless very reliable and underrated. May be a steal.
10. Andy Alleman, OG, Akron
Few guards have Alleman's pure speed, but he needs to bulk up and
improve his technique.
DEFENSIVE ENDS
Potential First-Round
Picks: Four or five.
Overall
Depth: Adams and Anderson have seen their stock soar lately, and
after them there are some intriguing talents. Last year's crop was a little more
promising, but the skill-level and maturity of this bunch is
impressive...
1. Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson
Accomplished, explosive, and intense, Adams is the most
promising defender in the draft.
2.
Jamaal Anderson, DE, Arkansas
His combination of size, athleticism, and major upside
seem to scream 'dominator.'
3. Jarvis Moss, DE, Florida
A bit of a late bloomer, Moss is also a bit of a project. That said,
he has elite upside.
4. Adam
Carriker, DE, Nebraska
He underachieved
in college, but Carriker has the size, quickness, and power teams
covet.
5. Charles Johnson, DE, Georgia
A versatile late bloomer, Johnson may be a great fit for
a team with a 3-4 alignment.
6. Quentin Moses, DE, Georgia
A bit of a one-dimensional underachiever, Moses is still
a phenomenal athlete and talent.
7.
Victor Abiamiri, DE, Notre Dame
His surge as a junior and senior have put him on the
map. Abiamiri could be a huge steal.
8. Tim Crowder, DE,
Texas
While not a classic edge rusher,
Crowder may be the most balanced end here. A 3-4 guy?
9. Ikaika Alama-Francis, DE, Hawaii
A fantastic athlete who's excellent on the speed rush,
Alama-Francis is a raw project.
10.
Brian Robison, DE, Texas
Somewhat
undersized, Robison is nevertheless and explosive edge rusher.
Underrated?
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
Potential First-Round Picks:
Three or four.
Overall Depth: Okoye seems
to have a firm grip on top prospect status in this group, and his mix of youth
and upside is unique. After him, there are four or five players who could
challenge for starting NFL jobs this season...
1. Amobi Okoye, DT,
Louisville
One of the rare teenagers
ever in the draft, Okoye has the goods to be great for
years.
2. Alan Branch, DT, Michigan
Versatile and physically gifted, Branch is a little
overlooked but has elite overall tools.
3. DeMarcus Tyler, DT, North Carolina
State
Also known as Tank, the nickname
says it. He needs to overcome doubts about his motor.
4. Quinn Pitcock, DT, Ohio
State
Pitcock is a supreme run-stopper
who can also get into opposing backfields. A hard worker.
5. Ryan McBean, DT, Oklahoma State
A little raw, McBean nevertheless has major potential to
play all across the line. A sleeper.
6. Turk McBride, DT, Tennessee
McBride is a leader who simply performed whenever given a chance. Can
play end too.
7. Justin Harrell, DT, Tennessee
A leader on the line and a bona fide run-stopper,
Harrell's only obstacle is staying healthy.
8. Baraka Atkins, DL, Miami
Productive and versatile, Atkins is adept at both end and the
interior. Nice tools. Upside?
9. Brandon Mebane, DT, California
Mebane is a late bloomer who needs to prove he can
overcome his lack of overall size.
10. Marcus Thomas, DT,
Florida
Very fast and athletic, Thomas
has major character issues. He was kicked off Florida's
team.
LINEBACKERS
Potential First-Round Picks:
Five.
Overall Depth: Better than
advertized. Many pundits say this isn't a great year for linebacking talent but
it is very deep and there are several versatile players with upside. There's not
dominator, but many of these guys will play a long time in the
NFL...
1. Lawrence Timmons, OLB, Florida State
While not a classic inside guy, Timmons is a stud
prospect with great versatility and focus.
2. Paul Posluszny, LB, Penn
State
If he were a little more athletic,
Poz might be the best inside LB prospect to arrive in years.
3. Patrick Willis, LB, Ole
Miss
Willis brings guts, athleticism,
and leadership to field on every play. A real cornerstone
type.
4. Jon Beason, OLB, Miami
Beason is an intense competitor and a lights-out hitter. His stock
has been soaring lately.
5. LaMarr Woodley, LB, Michigan
Intense and well-rounded, Woodley is very versatile. His
talents may be best in a 3-4 setup.
6. Stewart Bradley, OLB,
Nebraska
A sneaky-athletic, skilled
defender, Bradley would top this list if not for his injury
history.
7. Buster Davis, LB, Florida State
Good things can come in small packages, and that's
Davis. Size is an issue, but talent isn't.
8. Rufus Alexander, OLB,
Oklahoma
Blessed with explosive burst
and great focus, Alexander makes plays sideline to sideline.
9. Anthony Spencer, LB,
Purdue
Spencer is a late bloomer capable
of playing several defensive positions. A top pass rusher.
10. Brandon Siler, ILB,
Florida
A pure thumper, Siler lines up
his targets and knocks them down. Needs work in
coverage.
CORNER BACKS
Potential First-Round Picks:
Four or five.
Overall Depth: There isn't
really a stand-out No.1 guy amongst this bunch, but there is a lot of depth
here. There are some major sleepers in this corner class...
1. Darrelle Revis, CB,
Pittsburgh
While not overly flashy,
Revis may be the most complete package at corner in the
draft.
2. Chris Houston, CB, Arkansas
Maybe the best pure athlete in the draft, Houston is a
rare mix of speed and strength.
3. Aaron Ross, CB, Texas
Ross might top this list if he had started more at Texas. Regardless,
he has major upside.
4. Leon Hall, CB, Michigan
A strong fundamental player and smart competitor, Hall has a pro
mentality if not elite tools.
5. Daymeion Hughes, CB, California
A very solid all-rounder, Hughes is NFL-ready but needs
to prove he has pro-level speed.
6.
Josh Wilson, CB, Maryland
Wilson is a top cover corner and return prospect with
true jets. All he needs is a little polish.
7. Marcus McCauley, CB, Fresno
State
His rough 2006 hurt him, but
McCauley is a tantalizing mix of size and overall
athleticism.
8. Courtney Brown, CB, Cal Poly
Size, explosiveness, and jets. Brown's overlooked due to
an injury past, but has big upside.
9. Tarell Brown, CB, Texas
A
product of the Texas D-back factory, Brown is the whole package. Character
issues linger.
10. Tanard Jackson, CB, Syracuse
A polished and skilled cover man, Jackson is a smart
corner. Off-field scrapes are a concern.
SAFETIES
Potential First-Round Picks:
Two or three.
Overall Depth: The top-end
guys aren't as purely athletic as some of the lower prospects, but this group
has a lot of skill and leadership in it...
1. LaRon Landry, S, LSU
Landry is a true big-play defensive back. His overall
package has his stock soaring.
2. Reggie Nelson, S, Florida
Accomplished and a real ball-hawk, Nelson has the size,
speed, and attitude coaches love.
3.
Michael Griffin, S, Texas
Versatile and athletic, Griffin is an underrated
playmaker who also excels on special teams.
4. Eric Weddle, S, Utah
A do-it-all type with incredible instincts, Weddle will
likely be better than his draft position.
5. Brandon Meriweather, S,
Miami
An elite physical force with
skills, Meriweather must overcome injury and off-field
issues.
6. Sabby Piscitelli, S, Oregon State
Piscitelli is a leader on the field, displaying
underrated athleticism, size, and big-hit ability.
7. Melvin Bullitt, S, Texas A&M
A monster sleeper, Bullitt had an incredible Pro Day.
His strong senior season helped too.
8. Aaron Rouse, S, Virginia
Tech
Very tall and strong with good
speed for his size, Rouse is a lights-out hitter. An
intimidator.
9. Marvin White, S,
TCU
A big hitter who will also pick off
the football, 'Gator' White is a big-time sleeper. A bit
raw.
10. John Wendling, S, Wyoming
Underrated, Wendling has a rare mix of speed and leaping
ability. He's also very versatile.
SPECIALISTS
Potential First-Round
Picks: None.
Overall Depth:
Solid, if not great. Crosby is the main man in a field that may not see all five
of these guys drafted. Podlesh is a major sleeper...
1. Mason Crosby, K, Colorado
Some say he was helped by Colorado's thin air, but
Crosby's still easily the draft's top boot.
2. Daniel Sepulveda, P,
Baylor
An ACL tear is a concern, but
Sepulveda is a big, smart technician with great placement.
3. Adam Podlesh, P, Maryland
Despite being smallish, Podlesh is an incredible athlete. He may be a
Brian Moorman type.
4. Dustin
Medlock, K, UCLA
A great athlete for a
kicker, Medlock just needs to work on technique. Off-field
issues?
5. Nick Folk, K,
Arizona
Able to also handle punting
duties, Folk has good power but needs to work on his
accuracy.
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