32. Nose Tackle Terrence Cody (Alabama)
Massive, massive force. Within the a-gaps, Cody is absolutely dominant because he is impossible to move from the line of scrimmage. As a run-stuffer he'll be a stud. Cody has some significant limitations - poor stamina keeps him out of plays late (he absolutely must improve his conditioning to be more than a marginal starter), he has little athleticism or mobility outside the short area between the guards, and in general isn't a huge factor as a pass rusher. As a nose tackle in the 3-4 he should be excellent.
31. Safety Major Wright (Florida)
I know most mocks have him in the third round at the highest, but I am going with my instincts, and when I watched Florida I saw Wright as a first rounder. Tough, fearless hitter, good range and athleticism for a guy his size, key cog on Florida's dominant secondary. I'm convinced that Wright is a starter at Strong Safety in the NFL.
30. Defensive End Brandon Graham (Michigan)
Everyone seems to fixate on Graham's lack of ideal size but I will overlook that. Graham was simply too productive. He consistently generates pressure because he outworks offensive tackles, and he has great strength against the run. Unlike many, I don't think he can be a 3-4 outside linebacker - graham is rather stiff and wouldn't be great in space. To me, the bottom line is that even with his physical limitations graham is going to will himself to succeed.
29. Linebacker Brandon Spikes (Florida)
Not a ton of players that have taken as much heat as this guy during the pre-draft buildup. Prior to the season I thought he was a tad overrated, but now that I'm hearing that he might go to the 5th round, I have to say Spikes has become a ridiculously underrated commodity. Spikes has excellent size, allowing him to be a physical tackler and dominant player in the box. Obviously coverage isn't his strongest suit (although he has decent athleticism for his size and is more comfortable in space than given credit for), but those weaknesses can be minimized by placing him as a middle linebacker in a 3-4 where he can be a fine starter. Obviously he's not worth a top-15 pick, but he made too many plays on a winning team to not be a first rounder.
28. Wide Receiver Eric Decker (Minnesota)
The caveat here is that I don't know how well his injury has healed and what the long-term ramifications will be. But assuming he checks out medically, I see no reason why Decker shouldn't be a top pick. Decker is probably the most technically sound receiver (no weaknesses in terms of route running, hands, footwork, ball skills, etc.), and I love his toughness and competetiveness - he's 6-2 but plays like a 6-5 guy. He doesn't project as a number one receiver, as he lacks gamebreaking speed. But even if his upside his limited, so is his downside. If you're looking for a number 2 receiver that will routinely get open underneath, punish teams that double the top receiver, and make all the tough catches in key situations, this is you're guy.
27. Linebacker Daryl Washington (TCU)
Another under the radar guy that I have ranked higher than most. Washington has tremendous speed, range, instincts, and athleticism, and his playmaking ability was a huge part of why TCU fielded such a dominant defense. Will he get overpowered by some bigger linemen? Sure, but that's acceptable because the effort is still there against the run, and he's good enough in other facets to compensate. Washington projects as an outside linebacker, although he might be able to play middle linebacker because the league keeps trending towards the forward pass.
26. Running Back Jahvid Best (California)
Like Decker, this ranking is contingent on the medical report - as long as Best won't have long-term concussion problems then he is definitely worth a first round pick. As a runner he's breathtaking in the open field, and while he probably can't be a feature back (lack of size, not a great receiver), he can certainly be a very valuable part of a running back tandem because he has so much pure speed and athletic ability - speed that actually shows up on the field and not just on the track.
25. Safety Myron Rolle (Oxford)
Probably the most controversial choice on the list, and definitely the guy for whom I am rooting the hardest. Based on all the interviews i saw him give, he seems like one of the absolute most amazing people i've seen (and I also couldn't be more impressed by the fact that he completed his pre-med program in 2 and a half years with a 3.75 G.P.A. - how exactly did someone this brilliant end up at Florida State?). However, that's not why I have him ranked in the first round. I'm trusting my gut, and I feel like he has first round football talent. Physically only Taylor Mays can rival him - Rolle seriously has that kind of size/speed combination, and apparently people at the senior bowl were in awe of his size. At FSU he was a starter from day one, a 3-year player and made enough plays for me to believe that he'll be an impact player at the next level.
Of course, any scouting report would be incomplete without discussing his supposed lack of commitment to football. Quite frankly I think it's ridiculous, and nothing more than the NFL being mad at the fact that Rolle isn't some drone that can be manipulated. For example, he's drawn heat from GMs for prioritizing a Rhodes Scholar Interview over a meaningless football game (I mean, who care about the Rhodes Scholarship Interview? How many times do you get to play against Maryland!!!!!!). To that I say, first of all congrats to Myron for having his priorities straight, and second he didn't actually abandon his team - he could've said "hey guys i've got a really important interview that millions would do anything to be offered, so i'm skipping the game", but instead he sucked it up and decided to do the interview (which is probably as grueling mentally as football is physically - the Rhodes Scholarship is that competetive) and fly up to the game. All his teammates supported him, and even the heartless NCAA was willing to schedule the game around his interview. Some lack of commitment.
Then of course he had the audacity to actually participate in the Rhodes Scholarship Program at Oxford instead of playing another year of football (Seriously Myron, how could you pass up the chance to play in the freaking Gator Bowl? It's not like the Rhodes Scholarship by far the most prestigious graduate studies program in which one can participate). But if you've heard any of his interviews, you'll know that he got up a 7 a.m. every day to partake in grueling rugby-style training to keep his football skills and conditioning up. His dedication was apparent in February, as by all accounts he completely lit it up at the Senior Bowl. Isn't that pretty impressive, taking a year off of football and then running circles around the top seniors despite supposedly not caring about football? Sarcasm aside, Rolle has elite talent, character, and work ethic - undoubtedly worth a top-32 selection.
24. Defensive End Jason Pierre-Paul (South Florida)
When the season ended I thought he might be a late first round sleeper that could blossom because he's so gifted physically. Instead people went completely overboard on him, and now I feel like he is one of the more overrated prospects. This feels like Vernon Gholston 2.0. I have him tentatively placed here because he has freakish upside potential (6-6/270 lb, 4.64 40 dash, long arms, explosive athlete) along with decent production. But I feel like taking him in the top 15 is a huge risk - pierre-paul is a bit of a one year wonder in a not-so-competetive conference, he doesn't play the run well, and 6.5 sacks isn't mind-blowing. If you remember, Gholston had decent production at Ohio State, but draftniks went overboard on his talents, he got overdrafted, and has accomplished almost nothing in two seasons even though he was actually a pretty good player in college. I always worry about the guys that gather an inordinate amount of hype after workouts, and i wouldn't be surprised if pierre-paul is the next big workout-warrior draft bust.
23. Left Tackle Brian Bulaga (Iowa)
Had a down year in 2009, but overall Bulaga had a terrific four year career. Plays with excellent technique and has a good deal of toughness in the running game. Personally I think that unlike past big-10 tackles such as Joe Thomas and Jake Long, Bulaga is not athletic enough to be an NFL left tackle and will have to transition to the right side, but he'll be a upper-tier starter as a right tackle and possibly a pro-bowler. I've seen him in the top 10 in some mocks, which I think is a little too high for his talent value, but I would certainly take him in the top 20 picks because he will solidify your offensive line.
22. Nose Tackle Dan Williams (Tennessee)
Similar player to Terrence Cody in that he's a space-clogging nose tackle best suited for the 3-4 (although I think that Williams is more athletic and can have a bigger impact on passing downs). He's also similar to Cody in that there are questions about his consistency and work ethic. With Cody it's the weight fluctuations; Williams can stay in shape, but for him the problem was that he did basically nothing during his first two years. Then Monte Kiffin arrived, and he suddenly saw a jump in production, which makes you wonder: will he work/play hard when he isn't playing for a contract and isn't being hounded by someone else? Is he self-driven? We'll see. But based on what he did this year Williams is worth a top-25 pick.
21. Linebacker Rolando McClain (Alabama)
Lots to like. First there's the size - everytime I saw him on T.V. I couldn't believe how big he is. He's listed at 6-4/258 but those numbers don't do the man justice - honestly, in terms of pure size and physique he really reminds me of Lebron James more than anything else!!!!! McClain is smart (he often made a lot of the checks and audibles for the Tide defense), instinctive, and a great leader and competitor. He also has experience in a complicated 3-4 scheme, so if a team that uses a 3-man front drafts him he won't have to adjust. In terms of range and athleticism, he's not anything special, but he is fairly explosive for his size, and I don't think his speed will be a problem in a 3-4 defense. Also he apparently suffers from Crohn's Disease. I obviously hope that this isn't a serious problem for him. Team doctors will have to make sure that this won't be too much of a deterrent, and if he checks out medically then he'll be a real asset for a 3-4 team looking for leadership and playmaking.
20. Quarterback Tim Tebow (Florida)
That's right, I put Tim effing Tebow in my first round, and I put him in as a quarterback!!! I don't care what scouts say - after watching him play four years I'm confident that he has what it takes to star in the NFL. Keep in mind, no one has finds the over the top "Tebow is a higher being" media coverage more grating than I do. But I simply can't deny Tebow's talent - how is it not patently obvious to NFL execs that this guy is the real deal on the football field?
I promise you I won't give a sermon on how Tebow "has off the chart intangibles", "has amazing leadership, character, and work ethic", "is the perfect face of the franchise", and "is the son of god" (OK i made the last one up - no media member said that explicitly although i'm sure that thought crossed all their minds at some point) because that stuff doesn't win football games. No, I have Tebow ranked here for far simpler reasons: he can throw the damn ball with ridiculous success. He also does a little bit of running too. It's no secret that he was running and throwing circles around SEC defenders - i'd say 12,000 combined rushing and receiving yards and a 67% completion percentage is pretty impressive, and you certainly have to be amazing to get dogmatic heisman voters to vote for a sophomore. Don't believe me? Then believe the excellent analysts of Cold Hard Football Facts when they present their convincing argument that Tebow is off the charts as a pure passer - the article doesn't take into account running at all, yet Tebow destroys the rest of the competition in terms of passing statistics. Of course, the response is "yeah, but his mechanics are terrible so that won't translate". First of all, Tebow was historically great even compared to the best SEC passers of the last 15 years, so even if he has some dropoff he should still be good. Second, mechanics and footwork can be fixed with good coaching - that's a lot easier to coach up than arm strength, toughness, and leadership. Third, and most importantly, who the hell cares?!!!!!! The quarterback's job is not to throw with perfect mechanics - his job is to get the ball downfield to his receivers someway, somehow. Even if he throws it incorrectly, as long as he gets the ball to receivers then what's there to complain about? Phillip Rivers, Steve Young, Kurt Warner, and Vince Young all have unorthodox mechanics, but they're all able to succeed because they have other, more important qualities. Think of it this way: Reggie Miller's shooting mechanics were terrible. No coach would ever teach his students to shoot with Reggie's ugly shooting form. Yet despite his horrible technique, Miller is revered as one of the greatest shooters ever because he simply found ways to put the ball in the basket. If you told someone "Reggie Miller is a terrible player - his shooting form is totally wrong" then nobody would ever take you seriously. Why can't we do the same with Tim Tebow? Let's focus on the incredible efficiency with which he passes to receivers rather than the mechanism by which he completes those passes.
Another axiom I find perplexing: "he's a system quarterback; the spread option maximizes his strengths and minimizes his weaknesses"; umm...well....isn't that, you know, the whole idea of an offensive scheme - to maximize the talents of its players? If this scheme can turn a supposedly average (according to scouts) player like Tebow into one of the greatest college players ever, then why don't NFL teams use this genius scheme on their uber-talented quarterbacks? Yet for reasons I will never understand NFL coaches are too arrogant for this. In any case, there's no doubt that Tebow is a better fit for Urban Meyer's spread offense than for a conventional offense such as the west coast offense, coryell, etc. But that's not a reason to downgrade him; instead, coaches should be willing to adapt the offensive system to his strengths, and if that means committing to a full-out spread offense then so be it - shouldn't the results at Florida speak for themselves?. Don't tell me a spread can't work in the NFL - if Matt Cassel can throw for 4000 yards on an 11-5 team while operating almost exclusively out of the shotgun, then I think Tim Tebow can succeed. Personally I'd like to see the Saints get him; Sean Payton is one of the few coaches imaginative enough to take full advantage of Tebow's unique talents. He already has the largest, most ingenious, most diverse, and most complex playbook; now imagine if he had a weapon like Tebow with which to work; Payton could instal a 5000 play Tebow package that would give defenses nightmares and make the Saints unstoppable.
Of course, once you throw in his incredible running ability (i'd compare his elusiveness in the pocket and ability to shed tacklers to Ben Roethlisberger) as well as aforementioned intangibles (leadership, toughness, killer instinct, work ethic, etc.), to me it seems like Tebow is a good bet to make it as a quarterback in the NFL. He'll work assiduously to overcome his weaknesses and he'll make all the teams that doubted him pay. Now I will say this: if he doesn't make it as a quarterback then it's hard to see him making it as a fullback/h-bac/tight end. Tebow has good athleticism for a quarterback, but below average athleticism for a back/tight end. If he's not a quarterback then he'd have to be a wildcat/option type of specialty player a la Kordell Stewart, which is still valuable. But I think he'll make it as a quarterback.
19. Wide Receiver Damian Williams (USC)
The classic receiver who did nothing but produce at the highest level for the best program in the country but got screwed over because teams are so obsessed with the 40 yard dash. Williams has dominated the Pac-10 (and the SEC during his freshman year) and consistently comes up big in big games. Williams is easily the best route runner, and he has good quickness and athleticism. The bottom line is that he simply finds ways to get open and make big plays. On tape he plays a lot faster than his 40 time suggests. Obviously you would like to see him run a bit faster since he's not the biggest guy in the world, but that shouldn't push him out of the first round considering he produced like a top-20 type of guy.
18. Left Tackle Bruce Campbell (Maryland)
Probably the most physically gifted player in the draft. He really reminds me of Ryan Clady on the Broncos - Campbell has AMAZING agility and fluidity for a tackle, his footwork and technique are exquisite, and he's a decent run-blocker (although probably not as good as Clady). I was very surprised to hear that he didn't pick up any votes for all-ACC, because I thought Campbell was one of the better linemen in the country. Obviously he is rather raw and inexperienced, but Campbell has a crazy amount of natural abillity and could become special with the right coaching. We all know that he will be drafted by the Raiders because he's such a physical freak (6-6, 4.85 40 yard dash (very very very few tackles crack 5 seconds), 34 bench press reps), but for once I think Davis is actually getting a decent player.
17. Defensive Tackle Brian Price (UCLA)
We conclude the top half of the big board with this disruptive force out of Westwood. Price is simply amazing at attacking the a-gaps, getting upfield, and creating pressure - he's just too quick and agile for guards and centers. I love the intensity with which he plays and think he'll add immense value to a one-gap defense. Because of his size he does have a tendency to get overpowered against massive interior linemen during running plays - but I can live with that because on the other hand he abuses these much slower linemen on passing downs. He is one-year wonder, but Price's past year at UCLA was excellent, so unless his lack of production as a freshman and sophomore was due to some sort of red flag that will be a long-term issue, Price should be a top-20 pick for some team in need of a pass-rushing defensive tackle.
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