Vollmer is one of the more unusual stories in this year's draft class. He did not start playing football until he was 14 years old, but still helped his German prep school win two national championships.

U.S. college coaches lined up to sign Vollmer after he appeared in the 2004 Global Junior Championships in San Diego. Vollmer spoke almost no English when he signed with Houston.

He started out as a 250-pound tight end before growing into a first-team All-Conference USA left tackle as a senior. Although he missed the 2006 season with major back surgery and will turn 25 in July, Vollmer's upside, size and athleticism means he'll be selected sometime mid-afternoon Sunday on draft weekend.

Named to the European All-Star team. ... helped lead his prep team to a 25-0 record over his career. ... finished second at the European Championship game. ... two-time national champion.

Copyright NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange.

Positives: Prototypical height and length for the tackle position. Plenty of upside, and could gain another 10-15 pounds of muscle. Good strength to get into the defender's jersey and walk him off the line. Catches and locks onto pass rushers using his size and long arms, rarely getting ripped off initially. Uses his length and footwork to prevent speed rushers from getting his outside shoulder. Fair initial punch that knocks smaller ends off their path. Has quick enough feet to get inside the shoulder of his man on runs away from his side. Picks up inside blitzes well. Adequate getting to linebackers when he can line them up.

Negatives: Still a bit raw due to inexperience. Played left tackle for UH but is best on the right side in the NFL because he lacks the requisite lateral movement and recovery speed. His pad level is too high on most plays. Will lose the leverage battle and get pushed into the quarterback by stronger pro defensive ends unless he bends his knees and uses his hands effectively. Does not stay with his man if his quarterback scrambles. Could sustain blocks better by moving his feet, as he tends to simply push the defender and lose his balance. Struggles to adjust quickly to late blitzes and at the second level. Houston's pass-happy, spread offense did not allow him to line up with his hand on the ground very often. Must learn to explode from his stance in short-yardage situations.

2006: Missed season following back surgery.

Copyright NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange.