|
|
|
2009 NFL Draft - The Defensive Ends
|
|
|
|
|
|
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Apr 22, 2009
|
|
The 2009 NFL Draft is almost here. From a college football perspective, here's the CFN ranking of the top 25 defensive end prospects led by Brian Orakpo, Tyson Jackson, and Everette Brown, along with the most overrated and underrated prospects and the deepest sleeper.
|
2009 NFL Draft Position Rankings
The Defensive Ends
2009 NFL Draft Post-Workout Rankings
Quarterbacks
|
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. Brian
Orakpo, Texas 6-3, 260
Either a 4-3 speed
rusher or an outside linebacker in a 3-4, wherever he lines up he’ll get
into the backfield on a regular basis. Extremely strong, he’s a freak of
nature in the weight room and workouts with a jaw-dropping performance
at the Combine. He has busted his tail to get bigger, stronger, and
better since he first came to Austin. There are some durability
concerns, but last year’s injury that limited him late in the season was
a fluke. There’s a consistency question and there’s a huge concern about
his motor, but when he’s on, he’s unstoppable. The other possible
question is where to put him. He’s not really a linebacker and will
probably be at his best with a hand on the ground. However, there’s no
concern about how he handles himself against big tackles. Line him up,
turn him loose, and let him wreak havoc as a devastating game-changer of
a pass rusher.
CFN Projection: First Round
2. Aaron Maybin, Penn State
6-3, 250 (3rd year Soph.)
A true-tweener, he’s a
defensive end who’ll likely be morphed into a hybrid player and likely
an outside linebacker. Lightning fast off the ball, at least during the
season, he blows around a corner effortlessly and with a burst that most
tackles won’t be able to handle. Extremely tough, he’s able to take on
big blockers and come back for more even when he doesn’t win a battle.
However, he needs to get stronger and there’s a huge, glaring concern
that he might slow down with the added bulk. He put on weight too
quickly after the season and was far slower than expected in workouts.
If you’re going by how he played at around 230 pounds, he’s stunning. If
you’re going by what he might become once he learns to play bigger,
there’s a potential problem. He needs time before he becomes the player
he should be, but there is a big-time upside. But he’s not a sure-thing,
safe pick and there’s told-you-so bust potential.
CFN
Projection: First Round
3. Everette Brown, Florida State
6-1, 255 (Jr.)
Is he big enough? He has the athleticism to seamlessly transition into
an outside linebacker in any system, but his moved and his pass rushing
technique are so strong and so polished that he’s far more intriguing as
a lightning-fast end. However, he’s not all that tall and he doesn’t
have much room to get too much bigger, so this might be it. While he’s
not a big-time run stopper, and the jury is out on whether or not he
could become an all-around playmaker at linebacker, he’ll work to make
himself better and has the character to try to become the best he can
be. If nothing else, he’ll be a fun pass rushing toy for a defensive
coordinator to play with.
CFN Projection: First
Round
POSSIBLE NFL STARTERS
4. Robert Ayers, Tennessee
6-3, 275
The
upside is enormous. Big, with the size to get a lot bigger, he could be
just scratching the surface on what he can become. At least that’s the
hope. He was fine in his one year as a major producer, but it took him a
while to mature and he still has a long way to go. He made a name for
himself with a strong Senior Bowl when he was great against the top
offensive tackles in practices, but he struggled at the Combine with a
bad bench and failing to show enough athleticism to become a consistent
outside linebacker. A mediocre pass rusher, he needs a lot of work on
his technique. Even so, with his size, he could be one of the boom
players of the draft.
CFN Projection: First Round
5. Paul Kruger, Utah 6-3,
265 (3rd year Soph.)
One of the more interesting
prospects with a wild story, he was beaten up and stabbed in a fight,
was lucky to live, spent two years on an LDS Church mission, and blew up
into one of the stars on last year’s unbeaten Ute team. A mature,
athletic pass rusher who always goes full-tilt, he’s ready to go right
now. However, this is it. While he can still get a bit bigger, this is
basically it. There’s a ceiling on how good he can become, and he’s not
the type of player who’ll blossom in three years. While he’s not elite
in any one area, he doesn’t have a major, glaring weakness. There are
going to be health issues considering all the crazy things that have
happened to his insides from various surgeries, but he could be a poor
man’s Chris Long.
CFN Projection: Second Round
6. Michael Johnson, Georgia Tech
6-7, 270
There’s first round, maybe top five overall talent, but he hasn’t always
played like it. Extremely quick with freakishly long arms and great
strength, he has all the tools to become a superstar if the light goes
on. He has a passing interest in stopping the run and disappeared for
long stretches. If he’s asked to just rush the passer, he could be the
type of player who comes up with one sack a game and does nothing else,
becoming overrated because of a gaudy sack number at the end of the
year. He could be a major heartbreaker with great production in just
enough games to show what he’s capable of … and then he’ll have everyone
scratching their heads wondering why he can’t do that all the time.
CFN Projection: Second Round
7. Tyson Jackson, LSU
6-4, 295
More
of a tackle playing end, Jackson is a dream of a 3-4 end and he could
end up seeing time at tackle in the right situations. He’s not a pass
rusher and if he gets to the quarterback it’ll be a fluke. His worth is
as a strong run-stopper who won’t let anything get by him on the outside
while getting just enough push into the backfield to warrant a second
blocker. Despite playing on a great line for the last few years, he
didn’t stand out as much as he should’ve despite being the second or
third best player on the front four and not getting as much attention.
There’s nothing special about him outside of his size, and he doesn’t
have a full-tilt motor, but he’ll be around for a long time and be a
great cog in the system because of his versatility.
CFN
Projection: First Round
8. Lawrence Sidbury, Richmond
6-3, 267
Very
long, very productive, and very, very fast, he has the skills to be one
of the high-rising prospects in the draft. He was the fastest defensive
lineman at the Combine ripping off a 4.54 to go along with his
tremendous pass rushing production at the FCS level. He needs to show he
can hold up against the better competition and he needs to develop more
moves, but the upside is tremendous. Give him the right coach and ask
him to blast into the backfield, and he should be able to do it. The
athleticism, the strength, and the quickness are too much to be
overlooked.
CFN Projection: Second Round
9.
David Veikune, Hawaii
6-4, 255
A way undersized, way
productive pass rusher who can be used in a variety of ways, he has a
good enough motor to be a third down specialist as a 4-3 end, or he
could be developed into an outside linebacker in a 3-4. Ridiculously
strong, he needs to do a better job of translating his freakish weight
room strength to the field. Still a wee bit of an unknown since he
didn’t blow up until his final year at Hawaii, he could be underdrafted
because he doesn’t have the biggest buzz. That could be a big mistake.
He’ll not only make a roster, but he could be an instant starter.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
BEST OF THE
REST
10. Mitch King, Iowa (DT)
6-1, 275
“I wish I could
put your heart into some of my players’ bodies.” While King
might not exactly be Rudy, if he was about two inches taller
and about 15 pounds heavier he might warrant top five
overall consideration. Ultra-productive, he’ll never stop
working and he’ll never stop trying to make plays. He’s not
a true defensive tackle at the next level, but he could be a
whale of a 3-4 end who’ll always make a team on hustle and
practice production. The limitations are too great for him
to ever become a star, but he could be a good starter if
surrounded by big-time talent.
CFN Projection:
Fifth Round
11. Kyle Moore, USC
6-5, 275
If
given the time to develop, the upside could be enormous. He
didn’t do anything to stand out at USC, playing well for
stretches and disappearing at other times, but he has the
frame, the size, and the talent to grow into a nice end in
any formation. Work needs to be done on his pass rushing
technique and he needs to get stronger, but he has been good
in post-season workouts and was solid in Senior Bowl
practices. He’s not a finished product yet.
CFN
Projection: Fourth Round
12. Brandon Williams, Texas Tech
6-5, 260 (Jr.)
Purely a pass
rusher. That’s it. He’ll get rag-dolled if an offensive
tackle gets his mitts on him and he’s not going to do
anything at the next level against the run, but if he’s
asked to be a third down specialist and get to the
quarterback, he could be a game-changer. The potential is
there to get a lot better if he continues to hit the weights
and learns to play at a bigger weight, but he could be an
ugly bust and an early cut if he’s not getting to the
quarterback in camp. If he’s not flashing into the
backfield, a coaching staff will have to be very, very
patient in the developmental process.
CFN
Projection: Fourth Round
13. Will Davis, Illinois
6-2, 260
Very quick for his
size, he played out of position at times working at tackle
and was fine. Not quite tough enough against the run, he’s
far better suited to the outside with a good motor and a
nice burst into the backfield. While he had problems last
year playing up to his potential, it was partly due to an
ankle injury that just never went away. There’s a lot to be
interested in considering he might be scratching the surface
on what he can become, and he’ll put in the work to be
better. He’ll need to be in the right system and he’ll have
to play on the end. Some will want to put him at linebacker,
but that won’t work.
CFN Projection:
Fourth Round
14. Maurice
Evans, Penn State
6-2, 275 (Jr.)
With tremendous
size and excellent quickness off the ball, he was tremendous
as a sophomore as one of the Big Ten’s premier pass rushers.
And then came the off-the-field issues getting arrested for
marijuana possession and he never got his role back on the
end. He still needs to get a lot stronger and he hasn’t
looked all that athletic in post-season workouts, but if he
kicks it in and finds a niche as a situational pass rusher,
he could be a major steal. He’s not going to be an
every-down producer, but he could have a “wow” year or two
sack-wise if he’s put in the right situation.
CFN
Projection: Free Agent
15. Michael
Bennett, Texas A&M
6-4, 270
The brother of
Dallas Cowboy tight end, Martellus, Michael has all the
talent in the world and could become a star if he gets with
the right coach and if he wants to become a player. However,
he doesn’t play up to his potential. If the light is on,
he’s a regular into the backfield and he could grow into a
deadly pass rusher with the quickness to work on the outside
in a 4-3 and the size to be great in a 3-4. He needs to go
full blast all the time and show he wants to put in the work
to be a major talent. If he does, he could be a steal. If he
doesn’t make a push to improve, he could quietly be out of
the league in a big hurry.
CFN Projection:
Fifth Round
16. Matt
Shaughnessy, Wisconsin
6-5, 260
Very tall and
relatively thin with the potential to get bigger and
stronger, he could be a nice late flier with little risk and
great upside. Talk about fighting through adversity, he
suffered a broken leg in spring ball last year and had to
deal with the death of his brother. He still had a nice
season, but there’s a chance he could be far better now that
he’s a year removed from the injury and the tragedy. While
he doesn’t do any one thing well, he has the potential to
become a solid back up end and spot starter in any
formation.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
17. Pannel Egboh, Stanford
6-6, 275
The hope was that
he’d progress into a major prospect as a senior, but it
didn’t happen. He has the size and he has enough skills to
warrant a long look as a 3-4 end, but he needs work. With
unrefined pass rushing moves and not a good enough motor to
make things happen by effort alone, he has to find something
he can do well early on in camp. If he wasn’t great as a
college player, what’s he going to do as a pro?
CFN
Projection: Sixth Round
18. Derek Walker, Illinois
6-4, 270
The skills are
there and the athleticism should make some eyes pop, he’s
the prototypical new wave of Illinois player with all the
raw skills and not enough football talent. He can jump out
of the stadium and is strong enough to be a good run stuffer
as a 3-4 end, but he doesn’t play up to his skills. It’ll be
a must to develop one thing he can do really well and become
a specialist, because he’s not going to be the all-around
player who’ll warrant a roster spot if he’s not getting to
the quarterback.
CFN Projection: Sixth
Round
19. Zach Potter, Nebraska 6-7, 280
A very tall, very
good tackler who has the room to add another ten pounds
without losing a thing, the upside is limitless. And then
there’s the quickness; he moves like a linebacker showing
off stunning feet and leaping ability at the Combine.
However, he doesn’t translate the athleticism to the field
and doesn’t do enough to get into the backfield. If he can
it the weights hard and develops some better moves, he could
be a very cheap version of Tyson Jackson.
CFN
Projection: Fifth Round
20. Phillip Hunt,
Houston 6-1, 250
A terrific
college producer with a blast into the backfield and a great
closing step on quarterbacks, he’s way too small to be a
regular end and he’s not athletic enough to be a linebacker.
He’ll have a hard time finding a home or a job unless he can
shine on special teams and make a play or two in camp to
show the potential of becoming a situational pass rusher.
CFN Projection: Free Agent
21. Stryker Sulak, Missouri
6-4, 250
A pass rushing
terror for the Tigers, Sulak played through an injured knee
and was one of the Big 12’s best all-around ends. With good
closing ability and a great burst, he could develop into a
killer of a specialist if he can hit the weights harder.
While he’s built like an outside linebacker, he doesn’t
really have the skills to be one. He’s an end who has
reached the limit on how big he can get without a little bit
of luck; he can’t seem to put on weight. On the plus side,
with his motor, he could stick on a roster as a special
teamer.
CFN Projection: Seventh Round
22. Nick Reed, Oregon (LB) 6-2, 250
A premier college
pass rusher who busted his tail to be a very smart, very
tough producer who played at an All-America level. Decent
against the run, for his size, he made things happen by
outhustling everyone else. Someone will try to make him a
linebacker, probably for the inside, but it’s not going to
happen. He’ll be a decent flier to take late, but the
limitations are too great to overcome.
CFN
Projection: Seventh Round
23. Ian Campbell, Kansas State 6-5, 265
Ultra-productive
as a sophomore end, he was moved to outside linebacker and
struggled in space. He was fine as a senior, but he never
quite got his mojo back. Known as a decent athlete during
his career, he wasn’t able to show what he could do at the
Combine due to ticky-tack injuries. He has good size and he
worked his way into becoming a good producer, but he doesn’t
have NFL pass rushing skills and doesn’t have enough speed
to be considered at linebacker.
CFN Projection:
Seventh Round
24. Rulon Davis, California
6-5, 280
Very big and very
tough, he could be a nice sleeper as a 3-4 end and could
play tackle in a 4-3. However, he needs to get stronger and
he needs to show he can stay healthy after suffering a
variety of injuries. A Marine who spent three years serving
before joining the Bears, he’s old and doesn’t have much in
the way of upside, pass rushing moves, or athleticism. He
could be just versatile enough to stay on a roster for a
stretch, but he’s never going to be a regular starter unless
he quickly develops an NFL pass rushing skill.
CFN
Projection: Free Agent
25. Tim Jamison, Michigan
6-3, 255
While he’s way undersized for
an end, he’s a try-hard type who has fought through his limitations. A
good enough tackler to warrant a look at linebacker, he’s just not fast
or athletic enough. He doesn’t have enough of a burst to be a speed
rusher and he doesn’t have linebacker skills, but he’ll be a hard cut
because of his motor.
CFN Projection: Free Agent
ON THE RADAR
26. Henry Melton, Texas
27. Will Johnson, Michigan
28. Orion
Martin, Virginia Tech
29. Kirston Pittman, LSU
30. Jeremy Navarre,
Maryland
31. Willie VanDeSteeg, Minnesota
32. Antwain Robinson,
Arkansas
33. Jamaal Westerman, Rutgers
34. Brandon Long, Michigan
State
35. Cyril Obiozor, Texas A&M
|
|
|
|
|
|