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2009 NFL Draft - The Defensive Tackles
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CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Apr 21, 2009
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The 2009 NFL Draft is almost here. From a college football perspective, here's the CFN ranking of the top 25 defensive tackle prospects led by B.J. Raji, Jarron Gilbert and Sen'Derrick Marks, along with the most overrated and underrated prospects and the deepest sleeper.
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2009 NFL Draft Position Rankings
The Defensive Tackles
2009 NFL Draft Post-Workout Rankings
Quarterbacks
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Running Backs |
Fullbacks |
Receivers |
Tight Ends
Centers |
Guards |
Off. Tackles |
Def. Ends |
Def. Tackles
Inside LBs |
Outside LBs |
Cornerbacks |
Safeties
By
Pete Fiutak
- 2009 NFL
Prospect Rankings
Quarterbacks |
Running Backs |
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends |
Off. Tackles |
Off. Guards |
Centers
Defensive Ends |
Defensive Tackles |
Inside LBs
Outside LBs |
Safeties |
Cornerbacks
THE FRANCHISE
1. B.J. Raji, Boston College
6-2, 335
Whether or not the drug
charges are true (Raji’s agent denies any wrongdoing or a
reported positive test), Raji is the biggest brick wall in
the draft. A true anchor, he’s extremely strong, relatively
athletic for his size, and doesn’t get pushed around.
Needing to keep his weight in check, he needs to get in
better overall shape to be able to handle a 16-game season
and a full NFL game. Forget about much production as an
interior pass rusher or too many plays in the backfield, but
he doesn’t stay blocked for two long and will hold up well
with everything funneled to him. It’ll be his job to sit in
the middle of the line, swallow up two blockers, and let
everyone else work around him.
CFN Projection:
First Round
2. Peria Jerry, Ole Miss
6-1, 295
Jerry is either the star of
the draft and a sure-thing Pro Bowl performer for the next
ten years, or he’s a mega-bust waiting to happen who’ll
never be 100% healthy. The talent in undeniable with
tremendous quickness across the line and into the backfield,
and he’s a hard worker who’ll try to become a cornerstone of
a front wall, but he’ll be 25 when he starts his career,
isn’t anchor-strong, and he’ll struggle to stay healthy, He
had a variety of little bangs and bruises throughout his
career that turned out to be limiting for stretches. When
he’s on the field he’ll be an instant-impact performer
who’ll do a little of everything well, but he’s a piece of
the puzzle and not necessarily the tackle you can count on
game-in-and-game-out for a full year.
CFN
Projection: First Round
POSSIBLE NFL
STARTERS
3. Ziggy Hood, Missouri
6-3, 300
A great character player and
a team-leader, Hood has the make-up of a steady producer
who’ll be an excellent No. 2 lineman if he plays next to a
superstar. Ultra-productive for the Tigers, he showed he has
the raw tools to become a tremendous pro with 34 reps on the
bench at the Combine to go along with surprising quickness,
speed, and agility. However, with all his skills and
athleticism, he’s not going to get into the backfield on a
regular basis and he doesn’t always play up to his size and
strength. There might be a concern that he’s a
Combine/workout warrior who won’t be able to play up to the
numbers once he hits the field, but he should be a solid
performer and a steady starter for a decade.
CFN
Projection: Second Round
4. Jarron Gilbert, San Jose State
6-6, 288
Is he a defensive end?
A defensive tackle? An offensive tackle? One of the high
risers in the draft after showing off phenomenal quickness
in the East West Shrine practices and coming up with a
tremendous workout at the Combine, his future will likely be
as a 3-4 end. With his combination of skills and size, he
could easily grow into a starting tackle if he builds on his
frame a bit more. He has to play stronger against power
blockers and he isn’t going to be a pass rusher if he’s put
on the end in a 4-3, but he has too much upside, and is too
good a worker, to not be a steady part of a rotation.
CFN Projection: Second Round
5. Ron Brace, Boston College
6-3, 330
Stick him in the middle of
the line and let him stop the run. He’s not going to move
anywhere and he’s not going to get into the backfield, but
he’s really big, too big at times, really strong, and he
could be a far less expensive version of his former
teammate, B.J. Raji. It would be nice if he could be a bit
more of a killer and it would be a plus if he could show
some semblance of agility, but that’s not his game. He’ll
sit on the inside of a defense as either a nose or a 4-3
tackle and will take on two blockers and make every play
that comes to him.
CFN Projection:
Second Round
6. Fili Moala, USC
6-4, 300
While he’s a little old,
he’ll be 24 when he starts his NFL career, and he’s a
finished product with little upside, he can still get bigger
with room to get stronger on his large frame. He’s big,
athletic, and moves extremely well, but he disappears too
often in games and doesn’t have a full-time motor; he
doesn’t make too many plays just by trying hard. If he’s
developed the right way, and a fire is lit under him, he
could become a strong interior pass rusher and he could
flourish as long as he’s not asked to be the anchor of a
front four. He’s not going to do much as a nose in a 3-4,
but he could occasionally play end if absolutely needed.
CFN Projection: Third Round
7. Alex Magee, Purdue
6-3, 295
Strong enough to play tackle
and quick enough to play on the outside, he could have a
very long, very productive career as a 3-4 end or as a
versatile backup in any alignment. Extremely quick, as
evidenced by a good showing at the Combine, he moves well
and doesn’t miss many plays when he gets to the ball. The
down side is that he’ll be erased when double-teamed, but
he’s not going to be anyone’s No. 1 lineman. He’ll be a
strong cog who could explode at times if he’s next to a
talented tackle and isn’t forced to carry the defensive
front. There’s a high ceiling on what he can do with a
little time.
CFN Projection: Third Round
8. Sen’Derrick Marks, Auburn
6-1, 305 (Jr.)
Extremely quick
and extremely active, he was an undersized defensive tackle
at times and a huge defensive end at others. A red-hot
prospect after his sophomore year, he was considered a
possible top ten talent. But his junior year was a major
disappointment as he struggled with the stronger offensive
linemen, along with ankle problems, and didn’t improve as a
pass rusher. Even so, he could be an ideal 3-4 end if he can
get healthy and could be a major steal. He needs to get
stronger and he needs to show he can hold up when he’s
getting blasted, but he has the athleticism that can’t be
coached.
CFN Projection: Third Round
9. Dorrell Scott, Clemson
6-4, 310
A good cog in the system,
he’s a true space-eater with long arms, a huge build, and
just enough lateral quickness to make himself even bigger.
He was surprisingly athletic at the Combine, tearing off a
4.92 in the 40, but he needs to get stronger and he needs to
show he can handle the bigger, stronger linemen. He’s not a
3-4 nose tackle and will need to play in a 4-3 with good
players around him, but he’s good enough to plug in and
start from day one. He could turn out to be tremendous with
a little bit of time with a trainer.
CFN
Projection: Fourth Round
BEST OF THE REST
10. Ricky-Jean Francois, LSU
6-3, 295 (Jr.)
Extremely talented and
extremely disappointing, it looked like he was about to
become a monster after dominating in the 2008 BCS
Championship win over Ohio State, but it didn’t happen.
Extremely quick with all the athleticism and all the skill
to play inside or out, he’s one of the draft’s most
versatile linemen with a sky’s-the-limit upside. But it’s
not going to work. From major character issues to a lack of
functional and weight room strength, there’s just enough
missing from the equation to keep him from reaching his
potential. He’s way too talented to simply ignore, but he
appears to be yet another disappointing LSU defensive
tackle, only more so.
CFN Projection:
Third Round
11. Terrance Taylor, Michigan
6-1, 305
An intriguing prospect if he
can keep his weight in check, Taylor is a big space-eater
who ripped off a Combine-best (for a defensive tackle) 37
reps on the bench. While he’s not a great athlete, he’s not
a stick in the mud, either. He’ll never come up with a sack
and he’s not going to be too active, but he could be a great
value able to play any tackle spot. However, he struggled at
times in post-season workouts and has seen his stock drop in
a big way since the end of a good junior season. Even so,
he’ll be an inexpensive flier worth taking.
CFN
Projection: Fifth Round
12. Vance Walker, Georgia Tech
6-2, 305
A red-hot prospect after his
junior year, he struggled a bit once the draft spotlight was
on throughout his senior year. He’s a great interior pass
rushing prospect for his size and he plays quicker than his
workouts might indicate, but he doesn’t play nearly as big
or as strong as his bulk. He’s a big body who could fill a
hole on the inside. If he gets with a pro trainer and
transforms himself into a large tackle into a large, strong
tackle, he could be a great value pick considering his
interior quickness and work ethic. He’s always moving and
always trying to make something happen.
CFN
Projection: Fifth Round
13. Clinton McDonald, Memphis
6-1, 285
Way undersized but extremely
quick and athletic, he could grow into a tremendous pass
rusher who sees time in certain situations. He’ll blow past
interior blockers, but he’ll be blasted by the bigger and
stronger ones. He’s not going to be an every down player
because he his lack of raw strength, but the former
linebacker is extremely tough and is the type of player you
want in a locker room. However, he won’t stick around if
he’s not getting into the backfield on a regular basis.
CFN Projection: Sixth Round
14. Sammie Lee Hill, Stillman
6-4, 335
Really big and really strong,
as long as he doesn’t have to move anywhere he’ll be fine.
Lack of big-time competition is an issue, and it’s not like
he did anything to show he could handle the top-shelf
players in post-season workouts. He’ll need to be handled
with kid gloves while at the same time he has to have a fire
lit under him. Not exactly a go-getter, he has to hit the
weights harder and he’ll have to learn how to go full-tilt
all the time. Until then he could be a situational run
stuffer who takes up space.
CFN Projection:
Fourth Round
15. Roy Miller, Texas
6-1, 310
It’s possible he could be the
rare sleeper from a big-name, big-time program. Extremely
strong, he fired up 36 reps on the bench at the Combine and
he showed surprising quickness. However, the workout numbers
don’t necessarily translate to his on-field play and he’ll
never get into the backfield in the NFL. While he’s hardly a
perfect tackle prospect, he’ll play 100 miles an hour on
every play and will never, ever dog it. He’ll make plays on
want-to and he has the raw tools to become a decent starter
on a line full of good pass rushers.
CFN
Projection: Fourth Round
16. Darryl Richard, Georgia Tech
6-3, 305
Extremely smart, extremely
motivated, and extremely big, he has the character and the
make-up of an anchor. And then there’s the Combine. He only
came up with 17 lifts on the bench, wasn’t athletic enough
to give any inkling that he could ever get into the
backfield, and he’ll only make plays that are funneled to
him The type of player every coach would love to have, he’ll
be tough to cut because of his effort, and easy to cut
because of his lack of raw skills.
CFN Projection:
Seventh Round
17. Marlon Favorite, LSU
6-1, 310
A part of a rotation and not
a regular starter for the great LSU line, Favorite has one
spot and one spot only: on the nose. He isn’t quick,
athletic, or a pass rusher in any way, and he’s not quite
strong enough to be a dominant run stopper for any
significant length of time. However, he could play the same
role for an NFL team that he did for the Tigers as a good
backup who eats up space a down or two here and there. He’ll
come up with stops against the run and he’ll hold his own
when shoved, but there’s not enough overall skill to be
guaranteed a spot.
CFN Projection: Sixth
Round
18. Corvey Irvin, Georgia
6-3, 300
With good quickness for his
size and nice all-around athleticism, he can be used in a
variety of ways in any sort of alignment. He’s not strong
and he won’t hold up for a long period of time if put on the
nose, but he could be a big end in a 3-4 and he might grow
into a decent interior pass rusher. Fortunately, he’ll try
hard to be better and will work to get stronger, tougher,
and will be coached without a question. He’ll take some
developing, but it could be worth it to create a decent
backup inside presence.
CFN Projection:
Sixth Round
19. Terrance Knighton, Temple
6-3, 321
With good size and good
strength and toughness, he’s a good project player with
excellent upside. He needs a lot of work, isn’t going to be
a pass rusher, and he needs a lot of technique work, but he
wants to get better and will do what he can to improve.
While he won’t play on the nose, he could be a steady tackle
or a 3-4 end.
CFN Projection: Sixth
Round
20. John Gill, Northwestern
6-3, 300
Very quick for his size and
very active, almost to a fault, his mistakes usually come
from trying too hard. He’s not going to be a major
space-eater and he could be a bit limited as a run defender
at an NFL level, but he’s fast, will work hard, and will be
a tough cut thanks to his combination of size and work
ethic. He could make just enough noise in a camp with a big
play here and there to hang around for a while, but he’s not
strong enough to be a regular starter.
CFN
Projection: Seventh Round
21. Demonte Bolden, Tennessee
6-4, 285
Not quite big enough to be a
regular for most lines and with major character and work
habit issues, he’s nothing more than an interesting project.
A tremendous high school prospect and a huge get for the
Vols, he never lived up to the hype and finished as a major
disappointment. This might be as good as he gets. He doesn’t
have the drive to become a star and didn’t show enough
maturity in college to think he could grow once he gets in a
pro environment.
CFN Projection: Free
Agent
22. Myron Pryor, Kentucky
6-0, 310
Height will always be an
issue, he’s pushing six feet tall and is a bit of a bowling
ball, but the biggest issue is his injury history. Unable to
stay fully healthy, he’ll always be bothered by a variety of
bumps and bruises and he’ll have a hard time being
consistent. On the plus side, he’s freakishly strong,
setting Kentucky high school weight room records, and he’s
quick enough to get into the backfield on a semi-regular
basis. He doesn’t play up to his strength and will be erased
at times if he’s asked to be on the nose.
CFN
Projection: Seventh Round
23. George Hypolite, Colorado
6-1, 290
Severely limited by his lack
of size, he’s a finesse tackle who could be a situational
interior pass rusher and could be decent in a rotation. He’s
too light and not big enough to be an every down defender,
but he works hard, will keep the motor going, and will make
just enough plays to be a decent contributor if he’s not
asked to do too much.
CFN Projection:
Free Agent
24. Ra’Shon Harris,
Oregon 6-5, 300
A workout warrior, he wasn’t bad at the
Combine on the bench, coming up with 28 reps, and he ran a
sub-5.0 40. However, it didn’t always translate to the field
and he wasn’t always tough enough against the run. Even with
all he did for the Ducks, he’s still a bit of a work in
progress and will have to prove early on that he’s willing
to work himself into a role.
CFN Projection:
Free Agent
25. Adrian Grady, Louisville
6-2, 305
Extremely strong, coming up
with 31 bench reps at the Combine, he has a nice combination
of raw skills and drive. Always working and always trying to
get better, he’ll try to do whatever he can to make a team.
A bit old, he’ll be 25 when he gets in the pros, this is as
good as he’ll get with an injury history and a hard ceiling
on what he’ll be able to do to become a regular in a
rotation.
CFN Projection: Free Agent
ON THE RADAR
26. Chris Baker, Hampton
27. Khalif Mitchell, East
Carolina
28. John Faletoese, UC Davis
29. Jason
Chapman, Wisconsin
30. Rashaad Jackson, Clemson
31.
Terrill Byrd, Cincinnati
32. Nader Abdallah, Ohio State
33. Brigham Harwell, UCLA
34. Jervonte Jackson, Florida
Atlantic
35. Cody Moore, TCU
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