Outside Opinion: Big Board

Alen Dumonjic is a trusted colleague who isn’t afraid to voice his opinion regarding a prospect’s ability and ranking. We’ve asked Alen to provide his opinion as we try and offer as many views on the draft process and the prospects themselves. To start, we’ve asked Alen to give us his Top 50 players.

By Alen Dumonjic

Every draftnik today has their own draft board. Mel Kiper and Todd McShay are the most famous personalities to have compiled their list of top players. I will be doing my own in the next couple weeks. I will have a two part series ranking the top fifty players in this years class, based on my own set of eyes. Today’s board will feature 1-25 and the next one will feature 26-50. There are some players that are ranked higher than you will see at other sites and there are some that will be ranked lower or not even in the top twenty-five.

1). Ndamukong Suh – DT – Nebraska

Ndamukong Suh is the number one prospect in this class and if quarterbacks weren’t valued so highly, he would be the number one pick. Suh’s dominance at the college level in the last two seasons has been very impressive. He is very quick and explosive off the line of scrimmage. He has great strength that allows him to provide a strong pop on blockers. He also is able to throw blockers on the ground and continue his path toward the quarterback or ball carrier. He has good hand placement and does a very good job shedding blocks. He doesn’t always lock out his elbows but in college, it was not an issue because of his overpowering strength. It’s something he’ll have to work on once he gets to the next level. Suh’s got a great motor and does very well playing along the line of scrimmage. He has shown his athletic ability on various occasions, dropping into coverage or making plays laterally on tailbacks. Suh also shows a mean streak on the field and works hard. Off the field, he’s a great and humble character.

2). Eric Berry – S – Tennessee

Berry is one of the best safety prospects to come out in a long time, possibly since Ed Reed. Berry’s physical talent is unmatched at the position in this years draft. He is built well and runs very well both laterally and in a straight line. He shows a great closing burst on balls intended for pass catchers and also shows quality recovery speed. His hips are very fluid and change directions with ease. Berry’s smooth athleticism has landed him all over the place in Monte Kiffin’s defense, playing cornerback, in the box as well as slot receiver at times (but clearly that’s not where his future lies). Berry shows great instincts, ability to read the game, discipline in coverage and ball skills. He’s been used in the box quite a bit this past year and showed his toughness and ability to bring down ball carriers well with form tackling. Berry is clearly going to go very high and likely to have a successful career, barring setbacks.

3). Gerald McCoy – DT – Oklahoma

A very good defensive tackle coming from a school that has produced some quality defensive lineman. McCoy is next in line and he has a lot of potential. McCoy is very quick and explosive off the line of scrimmage. When getting after the quarterback, he does a good job of penetrating into the backfield with his strength and good hand use. He also does well against the run, as he makes plays with his feet along the line of scrimmage. He has done well in pursuit and has shown quality athleticism. McCoy’s talents have landed him at the standard 1 and 3 techniques as well as the five technique in Oklahoma’s three man front. McCoy is similar to Richard Seymour when working the edge and has proven to be an effective pass rusher. Further, McCoy has also been used in pass coverage, dropping into a short zone underneath, similarly to what is seen in the NFL with players like Haloti Ngata. If one recalls, McCoy had an interception in the championship game when he dropped underneath in a short zone. Last, McCoy has few flaws in his game and is likely a top three pick.

4). Sam Bradford – QB – Oklahoma

The top quarterback in the class in my opinion, Bradford has an underrated arm and mobility. He moves his feet well in the pocket and has good footwork overall. He’s thrown some good deep balls outside the hashes during his time at Oklahoma, one can go back and look at his throw to Juaquin Iglesias last year over Perrish Cox down the right sideline. Further, he’s got outstanding accuracy and ball placement, something that’s very tough to teach. He’s aware of his surrounding and does a good job stepping up in the pocket, feeling the pressure. My main concern with Bradford is him working out of the shotgun at Oklahoma most of the time. He’s going to have to transition to taking snaps under center and that’s not something easily done. He’s also going to have to learn to read defenses quickly, which is a concern but I feel that Bradford can pick that up quickly because of his intelligence. Last, durability is a concern. He seemed rail thin during his time at Oklahoma and suffered two shoulder injuries in one year. Dr. James Andrews states that Bradford’s shoulder will be fine and Bradford has bulked up, checking in at 236 pounds at the Combine.

5). Russell Okung – OT – Oklahoma State

Okung is the top offensive tackle in the class. In pass protection, he shows a good, quick kickslide and mirrors really well. He doesn’t have issues opening up his hips and he can move laterally well. He uses his hands well and does a good job riding the pass rushers wide of the pocket with his 36″ arms. In run blocking, he does a good job holding his ground and neutralizing pass rushers. He also does a good job getting to the second level and blocking. He has faced some good competition in the Big 12 and has fared well, which is why he’s the top tackle in the class.

6). Derrick Morgan – DE – Ga. Tech

Consistency is why Georgia Tech’s Derrick Morgan is viewed by many as the top defensive end in this Draft. Morgan is always moving his hands around to gain leverage and make a path to get to the quarterback. He has good hand placement and he locks out his elbows on a consistent basis. Further, he has a good inside spin move, which many pass rushers lack, and he can also bounce it to the outside. He has very good strength and because of that has an effective bulrush. Moreover, he is very quick off the line and has a very good closing burst on his target. He doesn’t always compile sacks but he’s constantly pressuring quarterbacks. In run support, Morgan is very effective on the strong side. He holds his ground well and locks out his elbows. He is disciplined when asked to be the contain man as well. Last, the issues that stand out to me with Morgan are that he isn’t very comfortable in space. He is very high in his backpedal when dropping. Also, he does not always square his shoulders, thus losing leverage. However, this is a correctable issue.

7). Dez Bryant – WR – Oklahoma State

Bryant is coming off a season in which he only played three games before being suspended for lying to NCAA investigators about coming in contact with Deion Sanders. Despite being suspended, Bryant is still the top receiver in the Draft because of his physical ability. Bryant has very large hands that allow him to snatch balls out of the air and make difficult catches. He does a good job using his body to shield defenders away from the ball and he attacks it aggressively. Bryant has shown good route running during his time at Oklahoma State as well as consistent hands. He’s a hard worker on the field when he gets the ball but other times, he pouts and demands the ball go his way. Coach Gundy has said in the past that Bryant had to become a better teammate and he needed to mature. Gundy has since then said that Bryant has taken those next steps to becoming a mature adult. Moreover, in run blocking, Bryant shows the willingness to block downfield and play with a chip on his shoulder. He’s a physical and complete wide receiver.

8). C.J. Spiller – RB – Clemson

In a pretty deep class in my opinion, Spiller stands above all. He’s got great long speed that makes him a home run threat every time he touches the ball and he’s got great quickness combined with his ability to make defenders miss. He also turns the corner very quickly. his vision is very good, as he’s able to find the cutback lane and he also uses his head well to make defenders take bad angles and whiff when tackling him. What I like about Spiller is his very good hands. He’s ran some quality routes at Clemson and he’s proven that he’s a natural pass catcher. Further, my main concern with Spiller is his durability. He’s 196 pounds and while some say there have been several smaller tailbacks with good durability in the past, Spiller has had small injuries during his time at Clemson.

9). Jimmy Claussen QB – Notre Dame

The Notre Dame quarterback is one of the top players at his position despite a year in which he was a bit inconsistent at times and played through injury. Clausen has a good release and has good ball placement. Clausen shows good pocket presence and has pretty good mobility. He can get a bit inaccurate at times and his decision making comes into question. Because of this, it has caused some NFL Scouts to wonder about his ability to read defenses. Moreover, Clausen has a good arm and throws very well outside the hashes. His deep balls sail but they are often accurate.

10). Bryan Bulaga – OT – Iowa

Bulaga is somewhat underrated by fans because he plays at Iowa but he’s got a lot of upside. He has good enough arm length (33 1/4) to make an impact as a left tackle at the next level. Bulaga does a good job in pass protection. He doesn’t always keep his hands off his hips, which is an issue he needs to correct, but he’s got good strength and locks out his elbows which allows him to use that strength and gain leverage against the pass rusher. He moves his feet laterally very well and quickly gets back into his assignment if knocked off. Further, he plays with a very wide base and that is worrisome. It is justified because of his strength but it is still an issue because the wide base coupled with his lack of hand quickness can be trouble for blindside blockers at the next level. An example of this was when Jake Long of the Dolphins was knocked flat on his rear by John Abraham of the Atlanta Falcons this past season. Moreover, in run blocking, Bulaga does a very good job of moving his feet and opening up lanes by sealing the edge.

11). Earl Thomas – S – Texas

Texas’ Earl Thomas is not big in stature but he does make a lot of big plays when on the football field. In pass coverage, he shows great range and ball skills. He attacks the ball really well in the air and can make plays going downhill. He has shown the ability to go outside the numbers and play cornerback and do well while playing it. Look no further than the game against Kansas last season, in which he blanketed Dezmon Briscoe when he was assigned to him. Thomas is smooth in his backpedal and shows great quickness as well as fluidity in his hips when changing directions. In run support, many have questioned Thomas because of his small stature. However, despite what many think, Thomas on tape that he is willing in run support and shows form tackling. He does a good job of wrapping up and sticking his head in run support. He’s not a punishing tackler by any means but he gets the job done. He undercuts the legs of ball carriers and pass catchers consistently. Thomas is my number two safety in this class because of the reasons above.

12). Jerry Hughes – DE/OLB – TCU

Hughes has been viewed highly by NFL Scouts for a couple years now but has recently been less talked about for some reason. One may point to his smaller stature or his weight but what I point to is his potential as a stand up pass rusher. Hughes’ explosion and quickness off the line of scrimmage is unmatched in this years draft class. Hughes uses his quickness off the line often and uses it well with a quality speed rush. He bends the arch a bit different than other pass rushers, as he tends to minimize his torso and lean to get under the blockers pads, as Richard pointed out weeks back in his analysis of the TCU product. Hughes does not always have good hand placement and will not lock out his elbows on a consistent basis. His elbows are mostly locked out when he’s going to use his bulrush, something he uses very well. He does a great job cutting blockers power in two, sinking his hips and using his lower body strength to power through blockers. His leg drive is fantastic and likely has to do with his high school days as a running back and kick returner. Moreover, he does shed blocks well but its not consistent because of the aforementioned hand and arm use. He leans into blockers, thus not creating separation or gaining leverage. Further, Hughes does not have well developed pass rush moves. One of the things I always look for in pass rushers is their counter moves. What do they do when their speed or bulrush is not effective? What about when they can’t get to the outside? Hughes lacks an inside move. He will usually counter to the inside with a simple speed rush and not squaring his shoulders, which is not good enough for the next level. He will have to develop his pass rush repertoire to be a dominant pass rusher at the next level. Against the run, Hughes has shown the ability to lock out his elbows and hold his ground. However, when the play is away from him, he does not always play contain well, as he’ll run after the ball carrier and while that is a good thing, it can also be dangerous and backfire. In pass coverage, Hughes shows his development since I watched tape on him at this time last year. He has improved his recognition of tailbacks coming out of the backfield and has even started to slightly re-route tight ends coming off the line. It’s not a consistent thing yet but he’s getting there. He shows good athleticism and moves well both laterally and in his hips. He shows a good motor most of the time and does a good job of getting his hands up when he’s coming freely off the line of scrimmage.

13). Jared Odrick – DT – Penn State

Jared Odrick is one of the top defensive tackles and possibly 3-4 ends in this draft class. Odrick has quality strength and has an outstanding motor. Getting after the quarterback, he does a good job using his hands. They are not always very quick but he does have good hand placement and locks out his arms. He shows good strength to hold up blocks, which is why I believe he can do well as a 1 gap nose tackle in a 3-4 defense. Further, he does a good job getting under blockers pads to get into the backfield and be a disruption. Against the run, he shows good lateral agility and shows the ability to make plays down the line of scrimmage. He has room to fill out his body some more and I’m sure that will be looked into by NFL teams. Odrick is likely to be a late first rounder to early second rounder in the 2010 Draft and will get looks as a 1, 2 gap end as a 1 gap nose.

14). Brandon Graham – DE/OLB – Michigan

Graham is underrated by some because of his size but he has a lot of talent and upside. Graham doesn’t have great arm length nor does he have a great pop off the line of scrimmage but he does a good job of applying pressure on quarterbacks because of his quickness off the line of scrimmage. He does a good job dipping his shoulder and getting under the blockers pads. Moreover, against the run, Graham does a good job of setting the edge with quality hand placement and locking out his arms. I feel that he also locates the ball carrier well, moves well with zone reads and shows good lateral agility when asked to make a play on the flats. Graham is reminiscent of former Wolverine LaMarr Woodley.

15). Kareem Jackson – CB – Alabama

One of the most underrated cornerbacks from national champions Alabama, Jackson is a good prospect. In coverage, he shows good discipline and ball skills. He can make plays on the ball because of his quality closing burst and read & react skills. Further, he is willing to get physical with wide receivers down the field and will fight for position to get the ball. When asked to change directions and/or flip his hips, he shows fluidity and looseness. He has no issues flipping his hips and changes directions with ease. His footwork is also good as it does not get choppy nor sloppy. Further, while he his physical with wide receivers down the field, he’s not always the strongest when jamming them at the line of scrimmage. He does extend his arms to punch the shoulder of the receiver but he does not knock the target off his route. Moreover, his aggressiveness sometimes takes over his game and he will take a poor angle but ends up getting beaten. An example of this was against Tennessee earlier this season, when he attempted to jump a few passes of Jonathan Crompton’s and he struggled to reach them, eventually getting beaten by the receiver. He’s also willing in run support but not always the best tackler.

16). Golden Tate – WR – Notre Dame

Tate is a very dynamic wide receiver and has the tools to be a number two in this class at worst. He runs quality routes and is very aggressive going up for the ball. He lacks great stature but makes up for it with an exceptional vertical jump. Further, he catches a lot of footballs but does catch with his body too much, which makes it an issue. However, he still has good hands and can work on that at the next level. Tate is not afraid to go over the middle to catch a pass and has a lot of potential after the catch because of his open field vision. In the run game, Tate has shown to be a willing and good blocker. Tate will only rise as the off-season goes on.

17). Anthony Davis – OT – Rutgers

Davis is one of the higher rated offensive tackles by NFL teams from what I’ve gathered. He’s been rated number two behind Okung for a while. One of the reasons is because of how light he is on his feet. He moves very well laterally. In pass protection, as noted, he slides well laterally and shows that he can match up with speed rushers because of it. However, he does not consistently get his hands up quick enough. Another issue is that he will come out high in his kickslide and will struggle with strength. He did not have a lot of reps of 225 (recorded 21) at the Combine, which came as little surprise. In run blocking, he does a good job of getting to the second level and shows the ability to shoulder block defenders. He’s very impressive when getting out in space. Questions have risen in the past about Davis’ work ethic, because he came in at 366 pounds to the University of Rutgers and then failed to make a target weight last spring, which saw him demoted on the depth chart. However, he came in at 323 pounds at the Combine, a solid weight. He’s likely to be drafted by a zone blocking team and I think he has a lot of potential that can be achieved if he puts in the work.

18). Brandon Spikes – ILB – Florida

Spikes has improved his game each year and I think that is something that will continue to happen with him. He shows his knowledge on the field by each play, in my opinion, as he learns from his mistakes throughout the game. Sometimes he will be caught overrunning the play, which is an issue, but he gets himself back into the play and adjusts to the ball carrier, though not on a consistent basis. Further, he does a good job shedding blocks because of his strength and quality technique. Spikes has spent time out on the edge in Charlie Strong’s defense and he’s showed some good things. He has a quick first step and does a pretty good job setting the edge. He does well as a contain man, which sometimes gives others trouble because it requires discipline. In coverage, Spikes is aggressive and disciplined most of the time. He does a good job getting depth and stays with his assignment. He’s a bit stiff in the hips but isn’t like Rolando McClain, where he struggles to turn and run on a consistent basis. Moreover, he doesn’t get physical with tight ends by not jamming them and will give up the catch.

19). Rolando McClain – ILB – Alabama

McClain is the 2009 Butkus award winner and for good reason, as he’s a very good inside linebacker. He’s got great character, he’s the leader of the defense, shows great intelligence by making calls on the field to adjust to offenses and get his defense in position to make plays. He also is very disciplined in coverage and shows great instincts. What I like about McClain is how well he reads the quarterbacks eyes and adjusts to make plays on the ball. He has very good range and once he sniffs out the play, he shows a good closing burst. He’s an aggressive linebacker but stays disciplined, which is hard to do for some players. Just like every other player, with positives, there are weaknesses. What I’ve noticed this a few times is that McClain doesn’t always shed blocks cleanly. He’s also stiff in the hips when attempting to turn and run with wide receivers. This is an issue because it can be exploited by offenses at the next level.

20). Navorro Bowman – OLB – Penn State

Bowman is one of the top true OLB’s in this class in my opinion. He is well worthy of a top twenty selection but is unlikely to go that high because of his past off the field troubles. On the field, however, he has a plethora of talent. Bowman is good in pass coverage, as he shows discipline in Penn State’s base Cover 3 and gets proper depth most of the time. He shows the ability to flow to the ball with his good range and instincts. Against the run, Bowman has shown that he can tackle well, wrapping up the ball carrier, and he has shown his athleticism in tracking ball carriers down. He does not take on blocks cleanly and struggles to shed but he’s unlikely to be asked to do so at the next level. Bowman is next in line to be one of the best Penn State linebackers, provided he stays out of legal trouble, in my opinion.

21). Dan Williams – DT – Tennessee

Williams has been garnering a lot of interest and hype from NFL Scouts because of his fantastic season at Tennessee. He was given a free agent grade by NFL Scouts last season but has since worked his way up to possibly the first round. Williams played a mix of the one and three technique and disrupted backfields well. Williams has a huge bubble and thick thighs that show he has quality strength. He has a good jolt off the line but it’s not consistent. His hand placement is one of the reasons why. He doesn’t place his hands on the breast pad when attempting to use his power or gain leverage against blockers nor does he lock out his elbows. Because of his leverage and hand use issues, his shoulders can get turned sideways and he’s moved from the middle of the line. Another key contributor to him being moved around is his inability to get his hands up quick enough consistently as well as having too high pad level. One of the things I like about Williams is his rip move. He uses it effectively and also shows a good bulrush from time to time. He also does a good job of shedding blocks and moving down the line to make a play on the ball carrier. He has an inconsistent motor but when it’s on, he does well with it. Further, against the run, he does a good job locating the ball carrier and getting himself back into the play. He handles trash really well at his feet and shows outstanding lateral agility when asked to pursue the ball carrier. Finally, Williams does have upside as a defensive tackle and possibly a nose tackle in this league if he can polish his game. He still needs a lot of work and is a risk at the moment in my opinion.

22). Everson Griffen – DE/OLB – USC

Griffen is one of the biggest risers in the NFL Draft circles because of his workouts. He’s runs well, he checks in at a good size and weight and he’s got a freakish vertical leap. Griffen also has had some flashes of his potential on the football field. Griffen shows a variety of pass rush moves such as the speed rush, bulrush, spin and arm over. He is still raw, however, because his technique needs work but he’s got a ton of potential. His quickness off the line is impressive and he does a pretty good job against the run. His shoulders aren’t always squared so he’s not playing with leverage consistently but he has shown that he has the ability to do it, it’s simply a matter of doing it consistently. He’s spent some time on the inside of the defensive line and on the outside of the defensive line as well as in a two point stance. In coverage he seems comfortable and moves around easily. Griffen has a downside and it’s his motor as well as overall inconsistency. Griffen does not always work hard on every down and he has struggled in practices during his time at USC. He’s been demoted in the past because of not working hard in practice. However, teammates have said that he’s shown dedication and came in a “completely different guy” from last year. Motivation will be key in developing this freak of nature at the end or outside linebacker position.

23). Jason Worilds – DE/OLB – Virginia Tech

One of the most underrated prospects in 2010, Worilds has enough talent to slide into the late portion of the first round. Worilds is very quick and explosive off the line of scrimmage when getting after the quarterback. He also has shown flashes of being a quality speed rusher as he has shown he can dip his shoulder to get under blockers pads and run the arch. Moreover, he uses his arms and hands very well. He has very good hand placement, keeps his hands moving when he doesn’t gain anything on initial contact and constantly locks out his elbows. He has a very good closing burst on targets and finishes the tackles. In run support, Worilds has spent a lot of time playing the strong side and he’s played it well. He holds his ground against blockers, locks his arms out and does a good job of setting the edge. When the play is away from him, he is disciplined as the contain man and when asked to make the play along the line of scrimmage, he has shown the ability to do so. One of the issues that I have with Worilds is that he can be blocked by tight ends at times. When neutralized initially, he will struggle to use a counter move. He also lacks a dominant inside move, which seems to be the case with many pass rushers coming out of college. In the end, I think Worilds is a late first rounder to early second.

24). Mike Iupati – G – Idaho

A powerful guard that has been looked at as an offensive tackle at the next level too because of his ability to slide his feet laterally well. Iupati has outstanding athleticism for a man of his size and he does a very good job getting to the second level. He rarely whiffs out in the open field and does a good job clearing the lanes of defenders. His inline blocking is also good. He shows great strength and shows a mean streak. He often finishes plays and then looks around to block someone else. He does a good job moving defensive lineman out of the lanes and freeing up his tailbacks to make plays at the second level. Whilst Iupati has done well inline, he does have issues. His main issue is that he doesn’t lock out his arms. Because he doesn’t lock out his arms, it allows defenders into his chest, thus having leverage in their favor. Further, he has an odd hitch in his hips when he’s opening them up to pull. From what I’ve noticed, it has not been an issue for him at Idaho but it is something worth monitoring when he does drills at the Combine.

25. Joe Haden – CB – Florida

Haden is rated as the top cornerback by many and I can see why. There’s a lot to like about his game. He does an excellent job staying in the hip pocket of wide receivers down the field. He’s got the foot speed to keep up vertically and he shows good range to make plays against the run horizontally. He shows very fluid hips when dropping in coverage. He doesn’t have any issues turning and running with wide receivers from what I’ve seen. Haden is also quick going downhill but he doesn’t use it to his advantage. I haven’t been able to figure out the reason for Haden not being aggressive going downhill. I’ve watched the UF defense many times and sometimes it appears that they are playing a bend but don’t break zone coverage. This may limit Haden’s aggressiveness and hold him back from realizing his true potential. However, it’s tough to ignore that he still has made a lot of plays on the ball in the air. It’s been said my a few people that he gives up a lot of completions underneath and while that may be truth, I do think the scheme and philosophy of Charlie Strong played a role in that. Moreover, some will disagree with me but Joe Haden is not physical against the run. He does stick his head in there, don’t get me wrong, but he is not always a form tackler. I’ve seen him whiff on quite a few tackles in various games and I do think that he needs work in that department. I also think that he tends to struggle turning out of blocks and back inside to make the play in run support. Haden has a lot of potential and does have the tools to succeed IMO.