Preseason 25
Best Tackles 1. Glenn
Dorsey, Sr. LSU
2. Sedrick Ellis, Sr. USC
3. Frank Okam, Sr. Texas
4. Andre Fluellen, Sr. Florida State
5. Red Bryant, Sr. Texas A&M
6. B.J. Raji, Sr. Boston College
7. James McClinton, Sr. Kansas
8. Eric Foster, Sr. Rutgers
9. Derek Lokey, Sr. Texas
10. Demario Pressley, Sr. NC State
11. George Hypolite, Jr. Colorado
12. Terrill Byrd, Jr. Cincinnati
13. Terrance Taylor, Jr. Michigan
14. Brigham Harwell, Sr. UCLA
15. Marcus Harrison, Sr. Arkansas*
16. Chris Norwell, Sr. Illinois
17. Keilen Dykes, Sr. West Virginia
18. Dorell Scott, Jr. Clemson
19. Jason Jones, Sr. Eastern Mich
20. Michael Lafaele, Sr. Hawaii
21. Martavius Prince, Sr. Southern
Miss
22. Nick Hayden, Sr. Wisconsin
23. Jeremy Garrett, Sr. Ole Miss
24. Vince Oghobaase, Soph. Duke
25. Michael Marquardt, Sr. Arizona State
* if healthy
Glenn Dorsey, Sr.
LSU The
LSU line was going to be good no matter what, and then it became special
when its 6-2, 299-pound star chose to come back for his
senior season when he likely would've been a top 20 draft pick. Yet
another in a long line of great LSU tackles, Dorsey went from a solid
reserve to a jaw-dropping star after he got in better shape. He used his
quickness to make 64 tackles with 8.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. Sedrick
Ellis, Sr. USC Ellis is the premier interior lineman
in the Pac-10, an explosive and disruptive force that plays with great
leverage and has made Trojan fans forget Mike Patterson. He had 34
tackles, eight tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks last year, which don’t do
justice to his importance to the defense. While not necessarily a
space-eater, he's the focal point for the rest of the D to revolve
around.
2007 CFN Preseason Second Team All-Americans
Andre Fluellen, Sr., Florida State The Noles
have question marks on the line, but they have a great one to revolve
around in the 6-4, 286-pound Fluellen on the inside. While he's not a
space-eater, he's as quick as an end and can more than hold his own
against the run. He came up with 28 tackles and eight tackles for loss,
but with his athleticism, he should be doing far more to get into the
backfield on a regular basis.
Frank Okam, Sr. Texas With 26
career starts, 37 appearances, and 108 tackles, Okam is the seasoned vet
and the leader on the line. He had a chance to leave early for the NFL
draft, and would've been a top 50 pick, but the 6-5, 320-pounder is back
and should be in the hunt for All-America honors. Not just a rock
against the run, he's great at getting into the backfield.
2007 CFN Honorable Mention All-Americans
(in alphabetical order)
Red Bryant, Sr. Texas A&M The 6-5,
324-pound Bryant had a nice year, but he wasn't the future Pro Bowl star
many expected him to be making 19 tackles and a sack before missing the
last most of the second half of the season with a knee problem that
eventually required surgery. He's not going to collapse the pocket and
get into the backfield, but he's a good anchor against the run and is
fantastic at using his size to make it hard to get the ball over with
five broken up passes and a blocked extra point against Oklahoma State
to seal the win.
Eric Foster, Sr. Rutgers At just 6-2 and 265
pounds, Foster is not your typical tackle, but a lack of size couldn’t
prevent him from racking up 51 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and six
sacks in a breakthrough 2006. An energetic menace with lightning quick
moves, he’s the spiritual and physical catalyst for this defense.
Derek Lokey, Sr. Texas The
6-2, 280-pound Lokey is a smart, tough player who came up with 24
tackles on the nose before getting knocked out for the year with a
broken leg. A versatile player over the course of his career, getting a
few carries as a goal line back, he has a great combination of strength
and desire with a non-stop motor. He might not be the team's most
talented lineman, but he makes things happen.
Demario Pressley, Sr. NC State The 6-3,
295-pound Pressley was a superstar recruit a few years ago and started
to live up to the hype last year with 46 tackles, two sacks and seven
tackles for loss as an every game starter at right tackle. He has the
potential to be a first day draft pick with another big season, and
he'll get every chance to show off what he can do as the anchor and main
man on the inside. Quick enough to play end at times, he'll start at
tackle.
James McClinton, Sr. Kansas The
KU defensive line was solid last year, and will be a strength again
thanks to the return of 6-1, 283-pound McClinton at tackle after earning
honorable mention All-Big 12 honors. Fourth on the team in tackles with
51, he's active against the run and is fantastic at getting into the
backfield with six sacks and 14 tackles for loss. Too quick for most
blockers, he could be an effective end if he wasn't so tough at stuffing
things on the inside. He'll be the star of the front seven.
B.J. Raji, Sr. Boston College The
6-3, 335-pound Raji was close to taking off early for the NFL, but came
back and is now in a salary drive for next year, when he'll likely go in
the first two rounds. Big, quick and tough, he made 26 tackles with
three tackles for loss as one of the rocks of the run defense.
