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McCoy, Suh top strong DL class.Photos
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Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy and Nebraska DT Ndamukong SuhAbout the Author
Nolan Nawrocki
nnawrocki@pfwmedia.com
By Nolan Nawrocki
This is the sixth article in a series previewing the top NFL prospects by position for the 2010 draft.
This year's defensive line class figures to be a strength of the 2010 NFL draft, with two top-five-caliber defensive tackles — Oklahoma's Gerald McCoy and Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh — grading out more highly than any defensive tackles to come out of the college ranks in the last decade, including top-five selections such as Glenn Dorsey, Dewayne Robertson and Gerard Warren. Thanks to a solid group of underclassmen, there should be a number of pass rushers available as well, with three notable juniors all hailing from the Southeast.
Note: "e" indicates that the height, weight or 40-time is estimated.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
1. Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma (Jr.)
6-3½e, 300e, 5.0e
Quick, active and extremely disruptive, McCoy returned to school for his fourth year despite having top-10 potential a year ago, and his decision to return did not produce the results he had expected, as the 7-5 Sooners failed to qualify for a BCS bowl game after losing QB Sam Bradford early in the season. Nonetheless, McCoy was every bit as disruptive this season as he was a year ago, capable of inverting an offensive line the same way Bears DT Tommie Harris did at OU, penetrating gaps and consistently playing behind the line of scrimmage. McCoy is best when he is on the move and will fit best as a one-gap penetrator in the pros, despite having shown enough strength ragdolling blockers to handle playing in a "30" front.
2. Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska (Sr.)
6-3 7/8, 295, 5.0e
Suh grades out more highly than any other senior in this year's draft class, showing outstanding upper-body strength to dominate against lesser competition and overpower interior offensive linemen. He might never be a great pass rusher and needs to learn how to work the edges better, but that is not to say he is not better than most college defensive linemen rushing from the inside. He brings value as a three-down player to the pro game and has shown he can be dominant defending the run on first and second downs with great strength at the point of attack. With the ability to play anywhere along an odd front and having desirable length to play outside, his greatest value could come for a 3-4 defense.
3. Jared Odrick, Penn State (Sr.)
6-4e, 305e, 5.0e
Possessing very good size, strength, length and quickness, Odrick might have played his way into the first round with a solid senior season. Critics can contend that much of his production has come against inferior competition, but with very good effort and energy, opposing offensive coordinators knew they needed to account for him, and he regularly saw extra attention. With a tendency to play a bit tall and get moved by the double-team, he could be best slanting and stunting and playing in gaps in the pros. He has a lot of upside to be developed.
4. Marvin Austin, North Carolina (Jr.)
6-2½e, 305e, 5.0e
Built like a small tank, Austin is extremely athletic for his size and possesses a unique combination of balance, hand quickness and playing range. He has come on down the stretch for the Tar Heels and made more of an impact on a deep defensive line. However, throughout much of his career, he has been a pampered underachiever playing in a strong rotation and has not been challenged enough. In a more demanding environment after a big-time payday, he could struggle to find the motivation needed to convert his talent to the field. Evaluators will struggle with how often he disappears on tape, and his inconsistent motor could affect his draft value. That said, when he wants to play, there is no question that Austin can.
5. Dan Williams, Tennessee (Sr.)
6-2e, 320e, 5.2e
Williams might have started the season slowly in Monte Kiffin's new defense and will play a bit short-armed, but he is very stout against the run and very active in pursuit for as big as he is. He will never bring much value rushing the passer from the inside, lessening his value, but he could be very valuable anchoring an even or odd front and does a lot of the dirty work that too often goes unnoticed. He has good instincts for the position and has gained momentum with the way he has played late in the season.
DEFENSIVE ENDS
1. Jason Pierre-Paul, South Florida (Jr.)
6-5½e, 260e, 4.65e
A raw junior-college transfer with freakish athletic ability and vines for arms, Pierre-Paul really could benefit from another year in college, as he is only a one-year starter who lacks great instincts and a natural feel for the game. He too often loses the ball and looks lost, and he could stand to get stronger and mature more into his body to improve against the run. Nonetheless, should Pierre-Paul declare, his rare physical skill set would likely translate very well to the pro game as a pass rusher, possessing the loose hips, flexibility, burst and movement skills that cannot be taught. He is a slam-dunk first-round pick.
2. Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech (Jr.)
6-4e, 275e, 4.8e
Morgan is not an elite athlete with ideal quickness or lateral agility to bend off the edge and create a pass rush on his own. However, he is the most polished and complete defensive end in this class, showing an outstanding motor and consistently pressuring the quarterback with his great energy and effort. He could comfort NFL executives seeking a safe selection at the top of the draft given that they know exactly what they are getting. Nonetheless, much like Chris Long coming out of Virginia, Morgan always could struggle to be more than an eight-sack producer because of athletic limitations.
3. Carlos Dunlap, Florida (Jr.)
6-6e, 280e, 4.7e
The minute the gifted athlete walked through the door at Florida, it was easy to assess how talented he was athletically. In a similar mold as Panthers DE Julius Peppers, the true junior has shown flashes of becoming a star pass rusher. More often than not, however, he leaves evaluators disappointed and wanting to see more. Based on upside alone, Dunlap could warrant first-round interest. Questions about his toughness, work ethic and consistency could considerably hinder his draft stock, however, and limit him from reaching his potential in the pros. In addition, his arrest Tuesday for allegedly driving under the influence and his subsequent suspension from the team raises more questions about his maturity. He will need a patient, yet demanding positional coach who can maximize his talents in the pro game.
4. Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh (Jr.)
6-4½e, 265e, 4.75e
Romeus looks every bit the part, and he definitely will pass the eyeball test. Similar to Giants DE Justin Tuck coming out of Notre Dame, Romeus has great length and an impressive-looking frame into which to grow and be molded. Having played only one year of high school football, his best years are clearly ahead of him. He has shown the ability to produce in the clutch, as he did late in the game against Notre Dame, and he flashes elite pass-rush ability. However, his pass-rush arsenal is very underdeveloped, and he needs to learn how to use his hands and play more disciplined.
5. Corey Wootton, Northwestern (Sr.)
6-6 1/8, 272, 4.8e
After suffering a serious knee injury in the Alamo Bowl last year, Wootton rushed to return for the 2009 season opener despite being unable to plant on his second step and anchor the way he has shown he could in the past. Compounding the injury, he also battled through a high ankle sprain this season which could lead to misevaluations. He needs to learn how to use his hands better and convert speed into power at the top of his rush. But he does have enough strength and agility to rush the passer from the inside or outside as well as very desirable length. His willingness to play through injuries should be a plus in the pros, although having played hurt all season might adversely affect his draft status in the short term.
PFW has launched its brand-new NFL Draft Newsletter series, with the second issue now ready for mailing. Produced by PFW's player personnel department under the direction of Nolan Nawrocki, the series consists of four information-packed issues. For more info or to subscribe — click here for PDF e-pub or here for print format.
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Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy and Nebraska DT Ndamukong SuhAbout the Author
Nolan Nawrocki
nnawrocki@pfwmedia.com
By Nolan Nawrocki
This is the sixth article in a series previewing the top NFL prospects by position for the 2010 draft.
This year's defensive line class figures to be a strength of the 2010 NFL draft, with two top-five-caliber defensive tackles — Oklahoma's Gerald McCoy and Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh — grading out more highly than any defensive tackles to come out of the college ranks in the last decade, including top-five selections such as Glenn Dorsey, Dewayne Robertson and Gerard Warren. Thanks to a solid group of underclassmen, there should be a number of pass rushers available as well, with three notable juniors all hailing from the Southeast.
Note: "e" indicates that the height, weight or 40-time is estimated.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
1. Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma (Jr.)
6-3½e, 300e, 5.0e
Quick, active and extremely disruptive, McCoy returned to school for his fourth year despite having top-10 potential a year ago, and his decision to return did not produce the results he had expected, as the 7-5 Sooners failed to qualify for a BCS bowl game after losing QB Sam Bradford early in the season. Nonetheless, McCoy was every bit as disruptive this season as he was a year ago, capable of inverting an offensive line the same way Bears DT Tommie Harris did at OU, penetrating gaps and consistently playing behind the line of scrimmage. McCoy is best when he is on the move and will fit best as a one-gap penetrator in the pros, despite having shown enough strength ragdolling blockers to handle playing in a "30" front.
2. Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska (Sr.)
6-3 7/8, 295, 5.0e
Suh grades out more highly than any other senior in this year's draft class, showing outstanding upper-body strength to dominate against lesser competition and overpower interior offensive linemen. He might never be a great pass rusher and needs to learn how to work the edges better, but that is not to say he is not better than most college defensive linemen rushing from the inside. He brings value as a three-down player to the pro game and has shown he can be dominant defending the run on first and second downs with great strength at the point of attack. With the ability to play anywhere along an odd front and having desirable length to play outside, his greatest value could come for a 3-4 defense.
3. Jared Odrick, Penn State (Sr.)
6-4e, 305e, 5.0e
Possessing very good size, strength, length and quickness, Odrick might have played his way into the first round with a solid senior season. Critics can contend that much of his production has come against inferior competition, but with very good effort and energy, opposing offensive coordinators knew they needed to account for him, and he regularly saw extra attention. With a tendency to play a bit tall and get moved by the double-team, he could be best slanting and stunting and playing in gaps in the pros. He has a lot of upside to be developed.
4. Marvin Austin, North Carolina (Jr.)
6-2½e, 305e, 5.0e
Built like a small tank, Austin is extremely athletic for his size and possesses a unique combination of balance, hand quickness and playing range. He has come on down the stretch for the Tar Heels and made more of an impact on a deep defensive line. However, throughout much of his career, he has been a pampered underachiever playing in a strong rotation and has not been challenged enough. In a more demanding environment after a big-time payday, he could struggle to find the motivation needed to convert his talent to the field. Evaluators will struggle with how often he disappears on tape, and his inconsistent motor could affect his draft value. That said, when he wants to play, there is no question that Austin can.
5. Dan Williams, Tennessee (Sr.)
6-2e, 320e, 5.2e
Williams might have started the season slowly in Monte Kiffin's new defense and will play a bit short-armed, but he is very stout against the run and very active in pursuit for as big as he is. He will never bring much value rushing the passer from the inside, lessening his value, but he could be very valuable anchoring an even or odd front and does a lot of the dirty work that too often goes unnoticed. He has good instincts for the position and has gained momentum with the way he has played late in the season.
DEFENSIVE ENDS
1. Jason Pierre-Paul, South Florida (Jr.)
6-5½e, 260e, 4.65e
A raw junior-college transfer with freakish athletic ability and vines for arms, Pierre-Paul really could benefit from another year in college, as he is only a one-year starter who lacks great instincts and a natural feel for the game. He too often loses the ball and looks lost, and he could stand to get stronger and mature more into his body to improve against the run. Nonetheless, should Pierre-Paul declare, his rare physical skill set would likely translate very well to the pro game as a pass rusher, possessing the loose hips, flexibility, burst and movement skills that cannot be taught. He is a slam-dunk first-round pick.
2. Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech (Jr.)
6-4e, 275e, 4.8e
Morgan is not an elite athlete with ideal quickness or lateral agility to bend off the edge and create a pass rush on his own. However, he is the most polished and complete defensive end in this class, showing an outstanding motor and consistently pressuring the quarterback with his great energy and effort. He could comfort NFL executives seeking a safe selection at the top of the draft given that they know exactly what they are getting. Nonetheless, much like Chris Long coming out of Virginia, Morgan always could struggle to be more than an eight-sack producer because of athletic limitations.
3. Carlos Dunlap, Florida (Jr.)
6-6e, 280e, 4.7e
The minute the gifted athlete walked through the door at Florida, it was easy to assess how talented he was athletically. In a similar mold as Panthers DE Julius Peppers, the true junior has shown flashes of becoming a star pass rusher. More often than not, however, he leaves evaluators disappointed and wanting to see more. Based on upside alone, Dunlap could warrant first-round interest. Questions about his toughness, work ethic and consistency could considerably hinder his draft stock, however, and limit him from reaching his potential in the pros. In addition, his arrest Tuesday for allegedly driving under the influence and his subsequent suspension from the team raises more questions about his maturity. He will need a patient, yet demanding positional coach who can maximize his talents in the pro game.
4. Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh (Jr.)
6-4½e, 265e, 4.75e
Romeus looks every bit the part, and he definitely will pass the eyeball test. Similar to Giants DE Justin Tuck coming out of Notre Dame, Romeus has great length and an impressive-looking frame into which to grow and be molded. Having played only one year of high school football, his best years are clearly ahead of him. He has shown the ability to produce in the clutch, as he did late in the game against Notre Dame, and he flashes elite pass-rush ability. However, his pass-rush arsenal is very underdeveloped, and he needs to learn how to use his hands and play more disciplined.
5. Corey Wootton, Northwestern (Sr.)
6-6 1/8, 272, 4.8e
After suffering a serious knee injury in the Alamo Bowl last year, Wootton rushed to return for the 2009 season opener despite being unable to plant on his second step and anchor the way he has shown he could in the past. Compounding the injury, he also battled through a high ankle sprain this season which could lead to misevaluations. He needs to learn how to use his hands better and convert speed into power at the top of his rush. But he does have enough strength and agility to rush the passer from the inside or outside as well as very desirable length. His willingness to play through injuries should be a plus in the pros, although having played hurt all season might adversely affect his draft status in the short term.
PFW has launched its brand-new NFL Draft Newsletter series, with the second issue now ready for mailing. Produced by PFW's player personnel department under the direction of Nolan Nawrocki, the series consists of four information-packed issues. For more info or to subscribe — click here for PDF e-pub or here for print format.