DRAFT TRACKER 2009

A four-year starter who capped his career with the Green Wave by earning first-team Conference USA accolades and earning a trip to the Senior Bowl, Kropog has the lateral agility in pass protection to join former teammate Matt Forte as a successful contributor early in his career. To do so, however, teams will have to settle on where Kropog fits best. While he spent the past three seasons at left tackle, Kropog didn't see the speed in Conference USA that he'll face in the NFL. At this point, Kropog may also lack the upper body strength to fit with most teams at guard. Had an arm span of 33 1/4 inches and a hand span of 10 1/8 inches at the combine.

Nolan was forced to redshirt in 2006 after suffering a knee injury in only his third practice with the Sun Devils. Returned to the field in 2007, when he left little doubt about his athleticism, starting all 13 games and leading the team with six interceptions -- two of which he returned for a touchdown. Nolan's propensity for making the big play showed up again in 2008, as he picked off another four passes and returned two of them (along with a fumble) to give him five defensive touchdowns in only two seasons of Pac-10 play. If he can improve on his marginal 40 time, Nolan could emerge as one of the hotter safety prospects in this draft.

Ohio's "Mr. Football" as a high school senior, Sutton started his Northwestern career by earning Freshman All-American honors with 1,476 rushing and 396 receiving yards. After hitting exactly 1,000 yards as an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick in 2006, his career hit some road bumps due to two serious injuries (ankle in 2007, broken wrist in 2008). But his play when healthy in 2008 (890 rushing, 305 receiving yards, eight touchdowns) kept alive his hopes of being drafted sometime early Sunday afternoon. Had an arm span of 31 1/2 inches and a hand span of 9 1/2 inches at the combine.

A double-transfer who originally signed with Michigan State, McKenzie transferred first to Iowa State and then to South Florida in an attempt to be closer to his mother, who was struggling with health issues. Scouts love that regardless of which uniform he wore, McKenzie always produced. The versatile linebacker has put up 100-plus tackles at middle linebacker for the Cyclones (129 in 2006) and on the strong side (114 in 2007, 116 in '08) for the Bulls. A solid performance with yet another team -- the South team during the Senior Bowl -- could have secured his status as a first-day selection.

A former defensive tackle, Green started the last two seasons at left guard for the Tigers and is viewed as an ascending player by NFL scouts, if one relatively unknown outside of the SEC. He remains a bit of a work in progress in terms of technique and upper-body strength, but for zone-blocking teams looking for an athletic developmental prospect, Green could prove one of the more intriguing guards of the 2009 draft. Had an arm span of 33 3/4 inches and a hand span of 10 1/4 inches at the combine.

Jackson had a big sophomore year, registering 37 tackles, 10 for loss, and 8.5 sacks on his way to second-team All-SEC accolades. Although his sack numbers dwindled to 3.5 during the team's 2007 national championship season and 4.5 as a senior, he still made plays behind the line (10 TFL in '07, 10.5 in '08). While Jackson's lack of dominant speed off the edge may cost him a high draft position, his size, strength and commitment to team defense makes him a rather intriguing fit as a 3-4 end or 4-3 tackle.

Walker earned 2007 third-team All-American honors with 45 tackles and 14 tackles for loss, including a team-high 8.5 sacks. His numbers dropped a bit (33 tackles, 8.5 TFL, three sacks) his senior year, but he was named first-team All-ACC for the second straight season. Walker will fit well in a one-gap system where he can use his leverage and relentlessness to his advantage.

An undersized pass-rush specialist with the Beavers, Butler must make the transition to outside linebacker in the NFL. A standout pass rusher who broke out to register 10.5 sacks as a junior despite only starting one game, Butler was first-team All-Pac-10 and tied the single-season sack record at OSU with 12 as a senior and leaves second in school history with 25.5 career sacks. It was his final two games with the Beavers that really have scouts intrigued. Butler earned Sun Bowl MVP after racking up 11 tackles, including five tackles for loss, four sacks and a forced fumble against Pittsburgh and showed surprising fluidity when operating in coverage while at the East-West Shrine Game.

With a nickname like "Macho," Harris had better be able to back it up. He did that at Virginia Tech. A versatile athlete who has seen time at cornerback, free safety, running back, wide receiver and as a returner on both kickoffs and punts, Harris was used all over the field for the Hokies and presents similar options for his future NFL employer. Voted a second-team All-American in 2008 and a first-team All-ACC selection, Harris intercepted six passes, returning two of them for touchdowns. Unlike many of the Hokies' previous standout corners, Harris might fit best in the NFL in a zone scheme or even at free safety. His instincts and ability to close should help him continue to make big plays and perhaps disguise his lack of elite speed.

Few prospects -- in the 2009 draft or otherwise -- boast Davis' combination of size and athleticism. This is, outside of maybe his brother. Three years ago, it was Vernon Davis, Vontae's older brother, who rode a shocking Combine performance into being the San Francisco 49ers' choice with the sixth overall pick of the 2006 draft. Throughout his career, Vontae Davis has demonstrated the same caliber of jaw-dropping athleticism as his older brother -- and been even more impressive in his ability to transfer that athleticism into gridiron success. Despite leaving after his junior season, Davis is a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection at cornerback with a history of stepping up his play against top competition. He's physical (led all Big Ten cornerbacks with 78 tackles in 2008) and flashes playmaking ability (seven interceptions, two blocked kicks), but perhaps because the game seems to come so easy to him, there remain concerns about just how far he will develop.

Davis, a former wide receiver and tight end, registered 12.5 tackles for loss, including 9.5 sacks, as a junior to earn second-team All-Big Ten honors. But he took a step backward in 2008 with teams having a year of film to study, and his production plummeted (seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks). Davis has rare foot quickness and straight-line speed -- to be expected of a former receiver -- for a defensive end, though he was sapped of some of that speed by nagging ankle injuries. His lack of upper-body strength and hand technique usually means that if blockers can get their hands on him, he's rendered ineffective quickly. A team willing to spend a second-day draft pick could get a nice return on their initial investment if they can get Davis to work in the weight room.

A talented athlete capable of becoming one of the surprises of the 2009 draft. In a talented left tackle class, Beatty might be the best combination run blocker. Beatty's burst to the second level and explosive initial pop helped Donald Brown to a 2,000-yard season in 2008. Beatty demonstrated more than enough athleticism to protect the passer, though he was not a true blindside protector when lefty Jared Lorenzen was under center. The concern is that Beatty's level of play spiked dramatically as a senior, forcing scouts to determine if Beatty matured as a senior or was motivated by the promise of a big NFL paycheck. Had an arm span of 34 3/4 inches and a hand span of 10 inches at the combine.

An exciting talent with eye-popping athleticism, Moore flashed more potential than production switching between strong and free safety early in his career, but then exploded onto the scene in 2007, intercepting eight passes and establishing himself as one of the elite playmakers in the country. Has a history of turning INTs into TDs, with four of his 11 career picks returned for scores. Despite earning first-team All-Big 12 honors as a senior, Moore struggled early in the year before picking up his play. Scouts love his athleticism and mentality as a ball-hawk, but Moore isn't the intimidating hitter in the middle some teams prefer and with only two seasons as a fulltime starter.

Osaisai offers exciting potential as a gunner on special teams. A track athlete who set Stanford's record in the 100 meters in 2005, Osaisai isn't just a track guy in shoulder pads -- at least not on special teams. A three-time All-Pac-10 choice on special teams, Osaisai has rare speed and surprising physicality as a gunner, regularly beating his opponents downfield to down the punt or secure an open-field tackle. Osaisai's speed and tackling ability is less impressive at cornerback, as he only emerged as a full-time starter as a senior and lacks instincts and playmaking skills in coverage.

A versatile athlete who has seen action in the middle linebacker and at weak-side linebacker in the 4-3 alignment, as well as inside linebacker in the 3-4, Williams has the production (246 career tackles) and versatility to warrant consideration in the middle rounds. Like his older brother, Denver Broncos' standout D.J. Williams, Worrell has many of the physical characteristics scouts are looking for but his marginal instincts for the position make him a lesser player than athlete. Despite starting the past three years and showing a propensity for flashy plays, Williams has only once earned all-conference accolades by Pac-10 coaches -- honorable mention as a senior.

A shoulder injury kept Fulton from fully capitalizing on the incredible potential he showed as a first-year left tackle in 2007, but Big Ten coaches and media still respected his game enough to vote him second-team All-Big Ten as a senior. Fulton, a defensive tackle the first 15 games of his career, only moved to left tackle after redshirting the 2006 season with a knee injury. Fulton's rare combination of size and athleticism give him great upside. Scouts want to see him improve his technique and show strength as a run blocker. Had an arm span of 33 1/2 inches and a hand span of 10 1/8 inches at the combine.

Potter is yet another solid, if not spectacular, defensive lineman from Nebraska. He stepped in well for NFL first-round pick Adam Carriker, twice being named honorable mention All-Big 12. As a senior he made 47 tackles, 16 for loss, five sacks, two interceptions and seven pass breakups. His five career blocked kicks will make NFL special teams coaches take notice.

A punishing hitter, Follett capitalized on Cal's switch to the 3-4 defense to post the best numbers of his career as a senior, registering an eye-popping 23 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks and forcing five fumbles. Considering the success he enjoyed while operating on the strong side in 2007, when Cal was in the 4-3 alignment, Follett is clearly not just a product of the system. In '07, his first season as a full-time starter, Follett earned second-team All-Pac-10 honors in leading Cal with 12.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks despite missing two games. One of the more physical and intense defenders in the country, the knock on Follett is the perception that he's best going forward and may be too stiff in coverage for some schemes.

Hood started 32 of 48 career games, but won't wow scouts with his athleticism. But his size, technique and tenacity make him an intriguing prospect for the 2009 draft. Voted honorable mention All-Big 12 in 2007 by league coaches, Hood finished with career highs in every category -- 49 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks and three forced fumbles. He struggled as a senior with opposing offensive line schemes keyed on stopping him. Hood finished with only 23 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 2008. His effort was unquestioned and a solid week of practice at the Senior Bowl solidified his stock as one of the more consistent defensive tackles in the 2009 draft.