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By RICK GOSSELIN / The Dallas Morning News
The NFL knows where to find players. Look at the projected top-15 picks in the 2005 NFL draft to the right. Notice a trend? Big producers from big schools. If you're good enough to compete for national championships, you're good enough to compete for NFL championships.
Miami (Fla.) has produced first-round picks in each of the last nine drafts. Texas has produced six first-rounders this decade, Michigan and Southern Cal four apiece. Matt Leinart could be the second Southern Cal quarterback picked first overall in three years. Carson Palmer was the first choice of the 2003 draft. Antrel Rolle could join Philip Buchanan (2002) as a first-round corner from Miami. Cedric Benson is trying to walk in the huge draft footsteps of former Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams. So there's also a history at these schools at these positions.
2005 NFL DRAFT PREVIEW
Here's a look at the top 15:
Pos. Player School Ht. Wt.
QB Matt Leinart* USC 6-5 225
CB Antrel Rolle Miami-Fla. 6-1 197
WR Braylon Edwards Michigan 6-3 210
RB Cedric Benson Texas 6-0 215
RB Ronnie Brown Auburn 6-1 234
OT Alex Barron Florida St. 6-6 308
WR Mike Williams* USC 6-4 230
QB Kyle Orton Purdue 6-4 226
RB Carnell Williams Auburn 5-11 210
DE Dan Cody Oklahoma 6-5 265
SS Thomas Davis* Georgia 6-1 230
DE Mathias Kiwanuka* Boston College 6-7 260
OT Chris Colmer N.C. State 6-5 305
DE David Pollack Georgia 6-3 276
LB Derrick Johnson Texas 6-4 235
*junior
2005 draft preview: Quarterbacks
The NFL has had great success through the years finding quarterbacks in the upper Midwest. The Big Ten and Notre Dame have produced a string of Pro Bowlers (Trent Green), Super Bowl MVPs (Tom Brady) and Hall of Famers (Joe Montana). But lately, the quarterbacks from the upper Midwest have come from the Mid-American Conference. The MAC has produced three first-rounders in the last four drafts: Chad Pennington (Marshall, Jets), Byron Leftwich (Marshall, Jaguars) and Ben Roethlisberger (Miami, Steelers). Charlie Frye figures to make it four in five drafts. He's the top quarterback prospect this fall taking the snaps at Akron. A four-year starter, Frye owns 49 school records. If he matches his 3,549 passing yards as a junior, he'll break Leftwich's MAC records for total yardage and passing yardage.
QUARTERBACKS
Here are the top 15 quarterback prospects in the 2005 draft
Player School Ht. Wt.
Charlie Frye Akron 6-4 228
Dan Orlovsky Connecticut 6-5 238
Kyle Orton Purdue 6-4 226
David Greene Georgia 6-3 227
Andrew Walter Arizona St. 6-5 234
Jason White Oklahoma 6-3 226
Ryan Fitzpatrick Harvard 6-3 220
Matt Jones Arkansas 6-6 237
Derek Anderson Oregon St. 6-6 240
Stan Hill Marshall 6-3 215
Timmy Chang Hawaii 6-2 194
Darian Durant North Carolina 5-11 217
Chris Rix Florida St. 6-4 210
Dondrial Pinkins South Carolina 6-2 245
James Kilian Tulsa 6-4 215
2005 draft preview: Running backs
Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville has a problem. He doesn't have enough footballs to hand off this fall. His Tigers boast two of the top three running back prospects for the 2005 draft, and another Top 15 prospect has already transferred out.
Carnell Williams rushed for 1,307 yards in 2003 on his way to All-SEC honors. When Williams was sidelined with a fractured hip in 2002, Ronnie Brown rushed for 1,008 yards on his way to second-team All-SEC honors.
Little wonder fullback Brandon Jacobs transferred in 2004 to Southern Illinois. He had a couple of 100-yard games for the Tigers last season but moved to the Salukis, for whom he is the featured runner. In his Gateway Conference debut, Jacobs rushed for 106 yards and four touchdowns against Southeast Missouri State. Here's a look at the Top 15 running back prospects in the 2005 draft (*fullback):
RUNNING BACKS
Here are the top 15 running back prospects in the 2005 draft
Player College Ht. Wt.
Carnell Williams Auburn 5-11 210
Cedric Benson Texas 6-0 215
Ronnie Brown Auburn 6-1 234
Kevin Harris West Virginia 6-2 245
Walter Reyes Syracuse 5-10 209
Marvin Townes East Carolina 6-0 200
Paul Jefferson* Penn St. 6-1 259
Anthony Davis Wisconsin 5-8 205
Lydell Ross Ohio St. 6-0 225
Cedric Houston Tennessee 6-0 220
Brandon Jacobs* Southern Illinois 6-4 260
Jermelle Lewis Iowa 5-11 215
Art Brown East Carolina 5-9 203
Darren Sproles Kansas St. 5-7 180
Alex Haynes Central Florida 5-11 225
2005 draft preview: Wide receivers
There are three good reasons for the NFL to scout Josh Davis closely this fall: 1) he's a wide receiver from Marshall; 2) he attended Fork Union Military Academy; 3) he has obvious talent. Davis appears to be the next float in the parade of Marshall wideouts in the NFL, following Troy Brown, Randy Moss, Nathan Poole and Darius Watts. He also is following in the footsteps of Vinny Testaverde, Eddie George, Dexter Coakley and Chris Perry in having prepped at Fork Union. More important, Davis enters his fourth season as a starter at Marshall with a chance at history. He has 220 career receptions, 80 short of the NCAA record. He also has 2,975 receiving yards, just 1,025 short of becoming the second player in Mid-American Conference history to reach 4,000.
RECEIVERS
Here are the Top 15 receiver prospects for the 2005 draft
Name School Ht. Wt.
Craphonso Thorpe Florida State 6-2 175
Braylon Edwards Michigan 6-3 210
Terrence Murphy Texas A&M 6-1 193
Mark Clayton Oklahoma 5-11 187
Fred Gibson Georgia 6-4 202
Charles Frederick Washington 6-0 185
Josh Davis Marshall 6-1 190
Roddy White UAB 6-3 205
Craig Bragg UCLA 6-2 195
Antonio Carter Alabama 5-9 194
J.R. Russell Louisville 6-3 204
Reggie Brown Georgia 6-1 197
Vincent Jackson Northern Colorado 6-6 235
Courtney Roby Indiana 6-0 190
Brandon Jones Oklahoma 6-3 214
2005 draft preview: Offensive linemen
Eli Manning was a slam dunk to be a high NFL draft pick and a successful pro quarterback because of his genes. He's the son of Archie Manning, brother of Peyton and the first overall pick of the 2004 NFL draft. It'll be Michael Munoz's turn to capitalize on his gene pool in 2005. He's the son of Hall of Fame offensive tackle Anthony Munoz and has followed in his footsteps creditably. Michael enters his fourth season as the starting left tackle at Tennessee, his second as a team captain. At 6-6, 315 pounds, he's bigger than his dad (6-6, 278 ) and, like Anthony, excels as a pass blocker. He considered entering the draft early in 2004 but opted to finish up his eligibility and education. He's a two-time Academic All-SEC who is working on his master's degree in business administration this fall.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Here are the Top 15 offensive line prospects for the 2005 draft
Player College Ht. Wt.
T Alex Barron Florida St. 6-6 308
T Chris Colmer N.C. State 6-5 305
G Adam Snyder Oregon 6-6 320
T Nick Kaczur Toledo 6-5 305
T Jammal Brown Oklahoma 6-6 313
T Roy Willis Florida St. 6-6 320
G Elton Brown Virginia 6-6 338
G Chris Kemoeatu Utah 6-4 338
T Jeremy Parquet Southern Miss 6-7 337
T Rob Pettiti Pittsburgh 6-6 335
G David Baas Michigan 6-5 307
T Michael Munoz Tennessee 6-6 315
C Ben Wilkerson LSU 6-4 297
T Marcus Johnson Mississippi 6-6 330
C Vince Carter Oklahoma 6-3 294
2005 draft preview: Defensive linemen
If Kenechi Udeze had returned to Southern Cal for his senior season, the Trojans would have had the best defensive line in college football. They still might. Shaun Cody is the top-rated defensive tackle in the 2005 draft, and teammate Mike Patterson also is in the top five. "It would have been great to be a part of that again," said Udeze, the NCAA sack leader in 2003. "Those guys are special players. But we all have to do what's best for ourselves." Udeze became a first-round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings last April, and now Cody is the top-rated tackle in the 2005 draft. He started three seasons for the Trojans at defensive tackle but moves to end for his senior season. Patterson projects as the top-rated nose tackle in the 2005 draft. His nickname is "Baby Sapp," after Oakland's Warren Sapp, and he has 15 ½ sacks in his career. Here's a look at the Top 15 defensive line prospects in the 2005 draft:
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Here are the Top 15 defensive line prospects for the 2005 draft
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt.
E David Pollack Georgia 6-3 276
T Shaun Cody USC 6-4 285
T Anttaj Hawthorne Wisconsin 6-3 312
E Marcus Spears LSU 6-4 298
E Matt Roth Iowa 6-4 270
T Jonathan Babineaux Iowa 6-2 280
E Dan Cody Oklahoma 6-5 265
T Luis Castillo Northwestern 6-3 305
T Mike Patterson USC 6-0 290
E Bill Swancutt Oregon St. 6-4 259
E Demarcus Ware Troy 6-4 232
E Jimmy Verdon Arizona St. 6-4 280
T Lorenzo Alexander California 6-3 300
E Eric Moore Florida St. 6-4 244
E George Gause South Carolina 6-5 265
2005 draft preview: Linebackers
Remember when Penn State was considered Linebacker U? That distinction belongs to Nevada-Las Vegas in 2004, with two of the top 12 linebacking prospects for the 2005 draft. Adam Seward was an All-Mountain West selection in 2002-03, and Ryan Claridge joins him as a preseason all-conference pick in 2004. Seward is the Rebels' all-time leading tackler with 312 and can join Randall Cunningham and Jamaal Brimmer as three-time all-conference picks at UNLV. But Claridge is the bigger, higher-rated and more interesting prospect. He's the brother of former Southern Cal All-America tackle Travis Claridge, who was a second-round draft pick by Atlanta in 2000. He goes 6-3, 250 pounds and has the speed to play outside in the NFL. But his college career was slowed by a hernia in 2002, which forced him to redshirt that season.
LINEBACKERS
Here are the top 15 linebacker prospects in the 2005 draft
Pos. Player School Ht. Wt.
OLB Derrick Johnson Texas 6-4 235
OLB Barrett Ruud Nebraska 6-2 240
OLB Kevin Burnett Tennessee 6-3 235
MLB Marcus Lawrence South Carolina 6-3 236
OLB Matt Grootegoed USC 5-11 215
OLB Jonathan Pollard Oregon St. 6-1 243
OLB Jared Newberry Stanford 6-2 235
MLB Robert McCune Louisville 6-2 245
OLB Ryan Claridge UNLV 6-3 250
MLB Lance Mitchell Oklahoma 6-3 244
MLB Adam Seward UNLV 6-2 245
OLB Roger Cooper Montana St. 6-3 238
OLB Paul Walkenhorst BYU 6-5 252
MLB Ronald Stanley Michigan St. 6-0 234
MLB Boomer Grigsby Illinois St. 6-1 241
2005 draft preview: Cornerbacks
The NFL likes big cornerbacks who can get their hands on footballs and receivers. The NFL will love Michigan's Marlin Jackson. He has the size (6-1, 197) to stand up to a Randy Moss and the instincts to survive against the Pro Bowl quarterbacks. He is a rare four-year starter at Michigan who holds the school record for passes broken up in a season (18 ) and a game (6). He has broken up 29 career passes and also has eight interceptions. He played cornerback as a freshman and sophomore, and then moved to free safety in 2003, and now he's back at cornerback. The guy on the other side, Markus Curry, also is projected as a first-day draft pick. He lacks Jackson's size at 5-11, 183, but compensates with his speed. He set a state of Michigan prep record with eight kick returns for touchdowns.
CORNERBACKS
Here are the Top 15 cornerback prospects for the 2005 draft
Player College Ht. Wt.
Antrel Rolle Miami, Fla. 6-1 197
Marlin Jackson Michigan 6-1 199
Corey Webster LSU 6-0 201
Antonio Perkins Oklahoma 6-0 190
Darrent Williams Oklahoma St. 5-9 170
Ronald Bartell Howard 6-1 195
Alphonso Hodge Miami, Ohio 5-11 205
Karl Paymah Washington St. 6-0 198
Cedrick Williams Kansas St. 5-10 170
Vincent Fuller Virginia Tech 6-1 184
Markus Curry Michigan 5-11 183
Eric Green Virginia Tech 6-0 197
Bryant McFadden Florida St. 6-0 180
Derrick Johnson Washington 6-0 190
Abraham Elimimian Hawaii 5-10 191
Travis Daniels LSU 6-1 187
Jerron Wishom Louisiana Tech 6-0 195
Domonique Foxworth Maryland 5-11 178
2005 draft preview: Safeties
With the NFL cracking down on illegal contact in pass coverage these days, the value of cover safeties is on the rise. Safeties can no longer just maul tight ends, they must run with them. That benefits Ohio State's Dustin Fox, who played safety as a freshman but is in his third season as a starting cornerback for the Buckeyes. He projects inside in the NFL and will bring cover skills. He broke up a team-leading 14 passes in Ohio State's national championship season in 2002 and has finished among the team's top five tacklers each of the last two years. His uncle, Tim Fox, was a former All-America safety at Ohio State and a first-round draft pick by New England in 1976. He started six seasons for the Patriots and had 17 career interceptions.
SAFETIES
Here are the top 15 safety prospects in the 2005 draft
Player College Ht. Wt.
Jamaal Brimmer UNLV 6-1 215
James Butler Georgia Tech 6-3 210
Aaron Francisco BYU 6-2 215
Jermaine Harris South Carolina 6-4 210
Dustin Fox Ohio St. 6-0 190
Justin Beriault Ball St. 6-3 200
Jason Leach USC 5-11 210
Donte Nicholson Oklahoma 6-2 216
Sean Considine Iowa 6-0 206
Oshiomogho Atogwe Stanford 6-0 205
Terry Holley Rice 6-2 210
Jamacia Jackson South Carolina 6-1 210
Chris Harrell Penn St. 6-2 210
Marviel Underwood San Diego St.. 5-11 200
Justin Fraley Minnesota 6-0 210
2005 draft preview: Special teams
The 2005 NFL draft is stocked with elite kick returners, including two from Oklahoma. Darrent Williams of Oklahoma State and Antonio Perkins of Oklahoma rank among the NCAA leaders in punt returns. They also double as cornerbacks. Williams will bring speed to the NFL and Perkins productivity. Williams, who prepped at Fort Worth O.D. Wyatt, clocked a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at Oklahoma State's timing day last spring. Perkins has tied NCAA records for punt returns for touchdowns in a season (four in 2003) and a career (eight). And don't forget Adam "Pac Man" Jones of West Virginia. Noland "Super Gnat" Smith, Gerald "Ice Cube" McNeil, Michael "Pinball" Clemons ... there's something magical about a nickname for a return specialist.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Here are the top 15 special teams prospects in the 2005 draft
Pos. Player School Ht. Wt.
KR Darrent Williams Oklahoma St. 5-9 175
KR Adam Jones West Virginia. 5-11 185
K Mike Nugent Ohio St. 5-10 180
KR Antonio Perkins Oklahoma 6-0 190
KR j-Justin Miller Clemson 5-11 200
P Cole Farden Oklahoma St. 5-11 200
K Dave Rayner Michigan St. 6-2 209
P Reggie Hodges Ball St. 6-0 205
DS L.P. Ladouceur California 6-5 260
K Jonathan Nichols Mississippi 6-0 180
P Dustin Colquitt Tennessee 6-2 196
P Gary Cook UNLV 6-1 200
DS Greg Warren North Carolina 6-3 247
K Rhys Lloyd Minnesota 6-1 220
DS Jon Condo Maryland 6-3 230
K-Kicker; P-Punter; KR-Kick returner; DS-Deep snapper; j-Junior
The NFL knows where to find players. Look at the projected top-15 picks in the 2005 NFL draft to the right. Notice a trend? Big producers from big schools. If you're good enough to compete for national championships, you're good enough to compete for NFL championships.
Miami (Fla.) has produced first-round picks in each of the last nine drafts. Texas has produced six first-rounders this decade, Michigan and Southern Cal four apiece. Matt Leinart could be the second Southern Cal quarterback picked first overall in three years. Carson Palmer was the first choice of the 2003 draft. Antrel Rolle could join Philip Buchanan (2002) as a first-round corner from Miami. Cedric Benson is trying to walk in the huge draft footsteps of former Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams. So there's also a history at these schools at these positions.
2005 NFL DRAFT PREVIEW
Here's a look at the top 15:
Pos. Player School Ht. Wt.
QB Matt Leinart* USC 6-5 225
CB Antrel Rolle Miami-Fla. 6-1 197
WR Braylon Edwards Michigan 6-3 210
RB Cedric Benson Texas 6-0 215
RB Ronnie Brown Auburn 6-1 234
OT Alex Barron Florida St. 6-6 308
WR Mike Williams* USC 6-4 230
QB Kyle Orton Purdue 6-4 226
RB Carnell Williams Auburn 5-11 210
DE Dan Cody Oklahoma 6-5 265
SS Thomas Davis* Georgia 6-1 230
DE Mathias Kiwanuka* Boston College 6-7 260
OT Chris Colmer N.C. State 6-5 305
DE David Pollack Georgia 6-3 276
LB Derrick Johnson Texas 6-4 235
*junior
2005 draft preview: Quarterbacks
The NFL has had great success through the years finding quarterbacks in the upper Midwest. The Big Ten and Notre Dame have produced a string of Pro Bowlers (Trent Green), Super Bowl MVPs (Tom Brady) and Hall of Famers (Joe Montana). But lately, the quarterbacks from the upper Midwest have come from the Mid-American Conference. The MAC has produced three first-rounders in the last four drafts: Chad Pennington (Marshall, Jets), Byron Leftwich (Marshall, Jaguars) and Ben Roethlisberger (Miami, Steelers). Charlie Frye figures to make it four in five drafts. He's the top quarterback prospect this fall taking the snaps at Akron. A four-year starter, Frye owns 49 school records. If he matches his 3,549 passing yards as a junior, he'll break Leftwich's MAC records for total yardage and passing yardage.
QUARTERBACKS
Here are the top 15 quarterback prospects in the 2005 draft
Player School Ht. Wt.
Charlie Frye Akron 6-4 228
Dan Orlovsky Connecticut 6-5 238
Kyle Orton Purdue 6-4 226
David Greene Georgia 6-3 227
Andrew Walter Arizona St. 6-5 234
Jason White Oklahoma 6-3 226
Ryan Fitzpatrick Harvard 6-3 220
Matt Jones Arkansas 6-6 237
Derek Anderson Oregon St. 6-6 240
Stan Hill Marshall 6-3 215
Timmy Chang Hawaii 6-2 194
Darian Durant North Carolina 5-11 217
Chris Rix Florida St. 6-4 210
Dondrial Pinkins South Carolina 6-2 245
James Kilian Tulsa 6-4 215
2005 draft preview: Running backs
Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville has a problem. He doesn't have enough footballs to hand off this fall. His Tigers boast two of the top three running back prospects for the 2005 draft, and another Top 15 prospect has already transferred out.
Carnell Williams rushed for 1,307 yards in 2003 on his way to All-SEC honors. When Williams was sidelined with a fractured hip in 2002, Ronnie Brown rushed for 1,008 yards on his way to second-team All-SEC honors.
Little wonder fullback Brandon Jacobs transferred in 2004 to Southern Illinois. He had a couple of 100-yard games for the Tigers last season but moved to the Salukis, for whom he is the featured runner. In his Gateway Conference debut, Jacobs rushed for 106 yards and four touchdowns against Southeast Missouri State. Here's a look at the Top 15 running back prospects in the 2005 draft (*fullback):
RUNNING BACKS
Here are the top 15 running back prospects in the 2005 draft
Player College Ht. Wt.
Carnell Williams Auburn 5-11 210
Cedric Benson Texas 6-0 215
Ronnie Brown Auburn 6-1 234
Kevin Harris West Virginia 6-2 245
Walter Reyes Syracuse 5-10 209
Marvin Townes East Carolina 6-0 200
Paul Jefferson* Penn St. 6-1 259
Anthony Davis Wisconsin 5-8 205
Lydell Ross Ohio St. 6-0 225
Cedric Houston Tennessee 6-0 220
Brandon Jacobs* Southern Illinois 6-4 260
Jermelle Lewis Iowa 5-11 215
Art Brown East Carolina 5-9 203
Darren Sproles Kansas St. 5-7 180
Alex Haynes Central Florida 5-11 225
2005 draft preview: Wide receivers
There are three good reasons for the NFL to scout Josh Davis closely this fall: 1) he's a wide receiver from Marshall; 2) he attended Fork Union Military Academy; 3) he has obvious talent. Davis appears to be the next float in the parade of Marshall wideouts in the NFL, following Troy Brown, Randy Moss, Nathan Poole and Darius Watts. He also is following in the footsteps of Vinny Testaverde, Eddie George, Dexter Coakley and Chris Perry in having prepped at Fork Union. More important, Davis enters his fourth season as a starter at Marshall with a chance at history. He has 220 career receptions, 80 short of the NCAA record. He also has 2,975 receiving yards, just 1,025 short of becoming the second player in Mid-American Conference history to reach 4,000.
RECEIVERS
Here are the Top 15 receiver prospects for the 2005 draft
Name School Ht. Wt.
Craphonso Thorpe Florida State 6-2 175
Braylon Edwards Michigan 6-3 210
Terrence Murphy Texas A&M 6-1 193
Mark Clayton Oklahoma 5-11 187
Fred Gibson Georgia 6-4 202
Charles Frederick Washington 6-0 185
Josh Davis Marshall 6-1 190
Roddy White UAB 6-3 205
Craig Bragg UCLA 6-2 195
Antonio Carter Alabama 5-9 194
J.R. Russell Louisville 6-3 204
Reggie Brown Georgia 6-1 197
Vincent Jackson Northern Colorado 6-6 235
Courtney Roby Indiana 6-0 190
Brandon Jones Oklahoma 6-3 214
2005 draft preview: Offensive linemen
Eli Manning was a slam dunk to be a high NFL draft pick and a successful pro quarterback because of his genes. He's the son of Archie Manning, brother of Peyton and the first overall pick of the 2004 NFL draft. It'll be Michael Munoz's turn to capitalize on his gene pool in 2005. He's the son of Hall of Fame offensive tackle Anthony Munoz and has followed in his footsteps creditably. Michael enters his fourth season as the starting left tackle at Tennessee, his second as a team captain. At 6-6, 315 pounds, he's bigger than his dad (6-6, 278 ) and, like Anthony, excels as a pass blocker. He considered entering the draft early in 2004 but opted to finish up his eligibility and education. He's a two-time Academic All-SEC who is working on his master's degree in business administration this fall.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Here are the Top 15 offensive line prospects for the 2005 draft
Player College Ht. Wt.
T Alex Barron Florida St. 6-6 308
T Chris Colmer N.C. State 6-5 305
G Adam Snyder Oregon 6-6 320
T Nick Kaczur Toledo 6-5 305
T Jammal Brown Oklahoma 6-6 313
T Roy Willis Florida St. 6-6 320
G Elton Brown Virginia 6-6 338
G Chris Kemoeatu Utah 6-4 338
T Jeremy Parquet Southern Miss 6-7 337
T Rob Pettiti Pittsburgh 6-6 335
G David Baas Michigan 6-5 307
T Michael Munoz Tennessee 6-6 315
C Ben Wilkerson LSU 6-4 297
T Marcus Johnson Mississippi 6-6 330
C Vince Carter Oklahoma 6-3 294
2005 draft preview: Defensive linemen
If Kenechi Udeze had returned to Southern Cal for his senior season, the Trojans would have had the best defensive line in college football. They still might. Shaun Cody is the top-rated defensive tackle in the 2005 draft, and teammate Mike Patterson also is in the top five. "It would have been great to be a part of that again," said Udeze, the NCAA sack leader in 2003. "Those guys are special players. But we all have to do what's best for ourselves." Udeze became a first-round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings last April, and now Cody is the top-rated tackle in the 2005 draft. He started three seasons for the Trojans at defensive tackle but moves to end for his senior season. Patterson projects as the top-rated nose tackle in the 2005 draft. His nickname is "Baby Sapp," after Oakland's Warren Sapp, and he has 15 ½ sacks in his career. Here's a look at the Top 15 defensive line prospects in the 2005 draft:
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Here are the Top 15 defensive line prospects for the 2005 draft
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt.
E David Pollack Georgia 6-3 276
T Shaun Cody USC 6-4 285
T Anttaj Hawthorne Wisconsin 6-3 312
E Marcus Spears LSU 6-4 298
E Matt Roth Iowa 6-4 270
T Jonathan Babineaux Iowa 6-2 280
E Dan Cody Oklahoma 6-5 265
T Luis Castillo Northwestern 6-3 305
T Mike Patterson USC 6-0 290
E Bill Swancutt Oregon St. 6-4 259
E Demarcus Ware Troy 6-4 232
E Jimmy Verdon Arizona St. 6-4 280
T Lorenzo Alexander California 6-3 300
E Eric Moore Florida St. 6-4 244
E George Gause South Carolina 6-5 265
2005 draft preview: Linebackers
Remember when Penn State was considered Linebacker U? That distinction belongs to Nevada-Las Vegas in 2004, with two of the top 12 linebacking prospects for the 2005 draft. Adam Seward was an All-Mountain West selection in 2002-03, and Ryan Claridge joins him as a preseason all-conference pick in 2004. Seward is the Rebels' all-time leading tackler with 312 and can join Randall Cunningham and Jamaal Brimmer as three-time all-conference picks at UNLV. But Claridge is the bigger, higher-rated and more interesting prospect. He's the brother of former Southern Cal All-America tackle Travis Claridge, who was a second-round draft pick by Atlanta in 2000. He goes 6-3, 250 pounds and has the speed to play outside in the NFL. But his college career was slowed by a hernia in 2002, which forced him to redshirt that season.
LINEBACKERS
Here are the top 15 linebacker prospects in the 2005 draft
Pos. Player School Ht. Wt.
OLB Derrick Johnson Texas 6-4 235
OLB Barrett Ruud Nebraska 6-2 240
OLB Kevin Burnett Tennessee 6-3 235
MLB Marcus Lawrence South Carolina 6-3 236
OLB Matt Grootegoed USC 5-11 215
OLB Jonathan Pollard Oregon St. 6-1 243
OLB Jared Newberry Stanford 6-2 235
MLB Robert McCune Louisville 6-2 245
OLB Ryan Claridge UNLV 6-3 250
MLB Lance Mitchell Oklahoma 6-3 244
MLB Adam Seward UNLV 6-2 245
OLB Roger Cooper Montana St. 6-3 238
OLB Paul Walkenhorst BYU 6-5 252
MLB Ronald Stanley Michigan St. 6-0 234
MLB Boomer Grigsby Illinois St. 6-1 241
2005 draft preview: Cornerbacks
The NFL likes big cornerbacks who can get their hands on footballs and receivers. The NFL will love Michigan's Marlin Jackson. He has the size (6-1, 197) to stand up to a Randy Moss and the instincts to survive against the Pro Bowl quarterbacks. He is a rare four-year starter at Michigan who holds the school record for passes broken up in a season (18 ) and a game (6). He has broken up 29 career passes and also has eight interceptions. He played cornerback as a freshman and sophomore, and then moved to free safety in 2003, and now he's back at cornerback. The guy on the other side, Markus Curry, also is projected as a first-day draft pick. He lacks Jackson's size at 5-11, 183, but compensates with his speed. He set a state of Michigan prep record with eight kick returns for touchdowns.
CORNERBACKS
Here are the Top 15 cornerback prospects for the 2005 draft
Player College Ht. Wt.
Antrel Rolle Miami, Fla. 6-1 197
Marlin Jackson Michigan 6-1 199
Corey Webster LSU 6-0 201
Antonio Perkins Oklahoma 6-0 190
Darrent Williams Oklahoma St. 5-9 170
Ronald Bartell Howard 6-1 195
Alphonso Hodge Miami, Ohio 5-11 205
Karl Paymah Washington St. 6-0 198
Cedrick Williams Kansas St. 5-10 170
Vincent Fuller Virginia Tech 6-1 184
Markus Curry Michigan 5-11 183
Eric Green Virginia Tech 6-0 197
Bryant McFadden Florida St. 6-0 180
Derrick Johnson Washington 6-0 190
Abraham Elimimian Hawaii 5-10 191
Travis Daniels LSU 6-1 187
Jerron Wishom Louisiana Tech 6-0 195
Domonique Foxworth Maryland 5-11 178
2005 draft preview: Safeties
With the NFL cracking down on illegal contact in pass coverage these days, the value of cover safeties is on the rise. Safeties can no longer just maul tight ends, they must run with them. That benefits Ohio State's Dustin Fox, who played safety as a freshman but is in his third season as a starting cornerback for the Buckeyes. He projects inside in the NFL and will bring cover skills. He broke up a team-leading 14 passes in Ohio State's national championship season in 2002 and has finished among the team's top five tacklers each of the last two years. His uncle, Tim Fox, was a former All-America safety at Ohio State and a first-round draft pick by New England in 1976. He started six seasons for the Patriots and had 17 career interceptions.
SAFETIES
Here are the top 15 safety prospects in the 2005 draft
Player College Ht. Wt.
Jamaal Brimmer UNLV 6-1 215
James Butler Georgia Tech 6-3 210
Aaron Francisco BYU 6-2 215
Jermaine Harris South Carolina 6-4 210
Dustin Fox Ohio St. 6-0 190
Justin Beriault Ball St. 6-3 200
Jason Leach USC 5-11 210
Donte Nicholson Oklahoma 6-2 216
Sean Considine Iowa 6-0 206
Oshiomogho Atogwe Stanford 6-0 205
Terry Holley Rice 6-2 210
Jamacia Jackson South Carolina 6-1 210
Chris Harrell Penn St. 6-2 210
Marviel Underwood San Diego St.. 5-11 200
Justin Fraley Minnesota 6-0 210
2005 draft preview: Special teams
The 2005 NFL draft is stocked with elite kick returners, including two from Oklahoma. Darrent Williams of Oklahoma State and Antonio Perkins of Oklahoma rank among the NCAA leaders in punt returns. They also double as cornerbacks. Williams will bring speed to the NFL and Perkins productivity. Williams, who prepped at Fort Worth O.D. Wyatt, clocked a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at Oklahoma State's timing day last spring. Perkins has tied NCAA records for punt returns for touchdowns in a season (four in 2003) and a career (eight). And don't forget Adam "Pac Man" Jones of West Virginia. Noland "Super Gnat" Smith, Gerald "Ice Cube" McNeil, Michael "Pinball" Clemons ... there's something magical about a nickname for a return specialist.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Here are the top 15 special teams prospects in the 2005 draft
Pos. Player School Ht. Wt.
KR Darrent Williams Oklahoma St. 5-9 175
KR Adam Jones West Virginia. 5-11 185
K Mike Nugent Ohio St. 5-10 180
KR Antonio Perkins Oklahoma 6-0 190
KR j-Justin Miller Clemson 5-11 200
P Cole Farden Oklahoma St. 5-11 200
K Dave Rayner Michigan St. 6-2 209
P Reggie Hodges Ball St. 6-0 205
DS L.P. Ladouceur California 6-5 260
K Jonathan Nichols Mississippi 6-0 180
P Dustin Colquitt Tennessee 6-2 196
P Gary Cook UNLV 6-1 200
DS Greg Warren North Carolina 6-3 247
K Rhys Lloyd Minnesota 6-1 220
DS Jon Condo Maryland 6-3 230
K-Kicker; P-Punter; KR-Kick returner; DS-Deep snapper; j-Junior
