DRAFT TRACKER 2010

Malone was a two-year starting punter for the Bulldogs. He has good size and strength for the position and is an above average athlete to adjust to marginal snaps and execute effectively. Malone doesn't have a powerful leg, but he does have good pop to get the ball deep on occasion. He displays good mechanics with solid get-off times, which has resulted in just one attempt blocked during his career. He is adept at angle punts and can be effective dropping the ball inside the 20-yard line. Malone doesn't provide versatility as an emergency kicker, but he has enough tools to develop into an NFL punter.

Muckelroy has an excellent combination of size, strength and athleticism for the linebacker position. Muckelroy is a hard-nosed high energy athlete that plays with great instincts and discipline within the Longhorns defensive scheme. He uses his hands well to control and separate from blockers which allow him to maintain great leverage as a run defender. He understands angles and run fits in the Texas 4-3 front. Muckelroy is a solid coverage defender as he understands route progressions along with enough agility, quickness and speed to be effective in combination zone schemes. He doesn’t possess elite range but his quickness, balance and instincts get him to the ball regularly. Muckelroy is an excellent football player with versatility and enough tools to have an impact in his rookie season.

Saffold is a good collegiate lineman who started at left tackle for three consecutive years at Indiana. He lacks the massive stature that teams are looking for in a left tackle and may be lacking a step in quickness to play on the left side but should be able to find a home on the right side or even inside at guard. He has above-average initial quickness and does a good job of getting a fit with his hands to control and steer opponents on by the hole or pocket. He understands blocking angles and does a good job of recognizing stunts and twists up front and keeps his head on a swivel when in pass pro. While he doesn't really jump off the screen at you, the end result is that he consistently gets the job done and often makes it look pretty easy.

McClain has great length and strength for the position and has been the Crimson Tide's most active defender in 2009. Rolando is an instinctive player that makes all the calls from the middle linebacker position. He sheds blockers well to leverage the ball and understands angles to maintain proper run fits to the line of scrimmage. McClain is disruptive attacking a crease when blitzing the quarterback. He is powerful as a tackler and keeps good balance in the open field. McClain is somewhat limited in man coverage and may be a liability in this phase of his game at the next level. He does understand route progressions and can be effective in short zone coverage schemes. McClain is a good football player that should have an immediate impact as a rookie on special teams while working into a starting role.

Okung is a prototypical left tackle in that he has rare size and long arms that allow him to control and steer pass rushers on by the pocket. He shows excellent balance and body control but will occasionally overextend or reach for the block which keeps him from sustaining blocks as long as he could. Okung should be an early draft pick on the offensive line and has the body type that teams are looking for when it comes to protecting the blind side.

Mathews is a good sized running back that runs hard and shows a good burst through the hole. He is a one cut runner that does not waste a lot of time dancing around in the backfield. Once he gets past the first level he could use a bit more elusiveness in space as he has some straight line to him. He tends to run a bit erect but does show upper body strength to stiff arm his way out of a tackle as well as balance on contact to stay on his feet and fight for extra yards. He has struggled to stay healthy as he has missed time in each season at Fresno State.

Wolfe is a good college wide receiver who has excellent receiving skills and knows how to set defenders up and read coverages to find the soft spots in zones. He enjoyed a ton of success at UNLV, and coaches will love the way he can come in and understand the passing game at the next level. Unfortunately, it will be hard to overcome his lack of top-end speed, as well as his lack of explosiveness and quickness to separate from good man coverage.

Bradford won the Heisman Trophy as a redshirt sophomore in 2008 and then decided after his junior year to come out early. He missed most of the season after injuring and then re-injuring his shoulder which required surgery to repair in October of 2009. He has won a lot of games between his years at Oklahoma as well as during high school. He can be extremely accurate in the short to intermediate passing game and will flash the ability to time his throws leading his receivers so that they can catch the ball in stride when going downfield. While he may need a year or two to develop into a starting quarterback, he does have a tremendous upside.

Young was a blue chip prospect, out of Florida, that became an instant starter his freshman year and has been a mainstay on the offensive line for the Irish. He is a massive blocker with long arms that can simply engulf opponents once he gets his hands on them. He lacks top initial quickness and can be beaten off the edge by explosive edge rushers. While he has started at both left tackle and on the right side he is best suited to be a right tackle in the NFL.

Maxwell was a productive senior linebacker for the Wildcats in his first year as a starter. He has a good combination of size, strength and athleticism the position. He is an average reactor and can be slow to attack the line of scrimmage and maintain proper run fits. He will attack lead blockers with pop and power but is inconsistent to shed and stay alive to the pile. He has average coverage ability and is a liability in man schemes. He does flash power when rushing the passer but doesn't have great change of direction to close to the ball. He is a solid tackler in a confined area but doesn't keep his pads over his feet in space. Maxwell has the size, strength and toughness to develop at the next level but lacks the athleticism and natural instincts to contribute as a starter.

Long is a good collegiate receiver who will struggle to make the transition to the next level of football due to his lack of speed, acceleration and quickness. He is a good route-runner and does a good job of reaching out to pluck the ball in his hands. He is a bit tight in the hips and struggles to sink his hips to get in and out of his breaks with a lot of quickness and burst. He does a good job of reading coverages and will settle into the soft spots in zone coverage to provide a good target but is not going to get upfield quickly after the catch and get a lot of yards once the ball is in his hands. He has a chance to compete for one of the final roster spots based on his receiving and route-running skills.

Canfield was a highly touted high school quarterback who never seemed to reach his potential until he was asked to fill in for starter Lyle Moevao during his senior season. He has prototypical NFL size and release but has always struggled to come up big when under pressure. He does a good job of reading coverages and making pre-snap reads but can struggle when things break down and he needs to improvise or make plays on the move. He has enough of an arm to make most of the throws needed in the NFL but lacks the cannon needed to hit small windows or hit receivers in stride on the deep outs. He has enough going for him to give him a chance to be drafted in the later rounds or sign with a team as a priority free agent.

Even though Sean has bounced back from major knee surgery, this will be a concern for most NFL clubs. He has a good frame and natural strength to take on blockers. He is a solid tackler but not explosive on contact. Sean has decent range in pursuit but wins with effort, instincts and techniques more than athleticism. He can be effective as a zone pass defender but may be a liability in man coverage schemes. He uses his hand well to shed blockers and work thru trash. Sean is a very productive player that elevated his draft status with his consistent play.

Weatherspoon is an excellent combination of size, strength and athleticism for the position. He is a tough hard-nosed linebacker that plays with a great motor. Weatherspoon is a solid tackler but not a thumper in this area. He runs well and shows good range in pursuit as well as in coverage. Weatherspoon leverages the ball well with good angles and proper body positioning. He uses his hands well to ward off blockers and maintain gap responsibility. Weatherspoon is an intelligent linebacker that possesses great intangibles that along with physical attributes which should make him a productive player as a rookie.

Capers is a converted tight end that made the move prior to his sophomore year and has shown steady improvement each year. While he has the speed and initial quickness to play on the left side, he is probably best suited to play right tackle. He is an adequate knee bender in pass protection and will let his pad level get a bit high but does play with a good base and often manages to recover in time to ride opponents by the pocket when pass blocking. Would like to see him finish blocks off more consistently but at least he doesn’t back down from a challenge. Still needs some work on his blocking angles as well as how quickly he picks up blocks on his own but when he knows what he needs to do he can look decisive.

Kindle is a two-year starter for the Longhorns as a defensive end but many will try and project him to outside linebacker in the NFL. He has a good combination of length and athleticism but lacks the bulk needs to be an effective run defender at the next level. He has been a disruptive force penetrating the line of scrimmage in the Longhorns 4-3 front. Kindle runs well but doesn’t have elite speed or range for a stand up player and will need lots of work developing his coverage techniques and awareness. He is inconsistent using his hands to maintain leverage on his opponent and will need to improve in this area both as a pass rusher as well as run defender. Kindle does play hard and has a frame to add at least 20 pounds, which bodes well for his potential as a special team’s contributor as well being utilized as a backup linebacker or edge rusher in sub packages.

Ajirotutu is a big WR with good ball skills but has been somewhat inconsistent in the way he shows them off. He is a bit of a strider and builds to speed more than being immediate or explosive off the line. Despite that, he can drop his hips to get in and out of his cuts with a good burst to separate from defenders. He does not always run crisp routes, however, and will round things off when his concentration lapses. He will also let the ball get inside to his body rather than reaching out to pluck the ball. His stock seems to be rising and he could end up being a steal in the mid to late rounds.

Hodge was a borderline bust during his first three seasons with Ole Miss but came on during his final year to catch 70 passes for 1,135 yards and eight touchdowns. He has a tendency to run sloppy routes and is not very physical when going over the middle to catch the ball in traffic. He is athletic and has shown flashes of ability to make tough catches or to adjust to the ball in flight and make the acrobatic type catch. He runs better speed cuts than hard ones and will struggle when he has to show double cuts or drop his hips to come out of the hard cut.

McManis was a productive, three-year starter for Northwestern. He has a good combination of size and strength but lacks elite athleticism for the position. He runs well but lacks great quickness in transition and lateral agility. McManis has solid instincts in zone coverage but can lose leverage when in man schemes. He is limited at times in opening his hips to turn and run deep with top receivers. He isn't an explosive athlete but shows range once he gets going. He is a willing run-support defender but isn't physical and misses too often in space. McManis has some tools to build on, with decent return skills, but he lacks talent to contribute much as a rookie.

Lawrence started in 2009 for the Gophers after transferring from Valley Forge Military Academy in 2008. He is an undersized, athletic linebacker who will need to be covered up to be effective at the next level. He doesn't anchor well when defending the run but will attack the line of scrimmage. He is best pursuing inside-out to the ball and using his speed and quickness to navigate through traffic. Lawrence can be explosive at times as a tackler but doesn't always maintain leverage in space. He needs to play with more control and wrap up better to be a more consistent run defender. He has the athleticism to be a good man- and zone-coverage defender. Lawrence is a bit of a 'tweener (linebacker/ safety) and likely will contribute on special teams and in sub packages as a nickel linebacker.

Johnson had some tough luck this past season as he missed all but the first four games of the 2008 season after dropping the bar on his throat while lifting weights. He does a lot of things well but nothing really great. He runs with good vision and does a good job of pressing the hole and heading upfield with a decent burst. He runs hard and can take some hits and stay on his feet to gain positive yards after initial contact. He has a good chance of sticking with a team and developing into a quality backup.

Virgil was a productive, two-year starter for the Hokies. He was banged up in this senior season, which limited his overall effectiveness. He has adequate size and good athleticism. He has the foot quickness, lateral agility and balance to be an effective defender at the next level but doesn't have great pure speed to play out on an island. He can be inconsistent with his footwork to transition quickly out of his backpedal. He is a willing run-support defender but is inconsistent in block protection as well as in wrapping up effectively. Virgil is a solid football player but has limitations which likely will relegate him to a core special teams role or a spot as a nickel back in passing situations.

Williams is a good sized receiver with excellent ball skills but is very raw and will need a lot of work when it comes to running routes and setting defenders up. He has natural hands as well as the ability to react and adjust to slightly off-target throws and should find his early success as an inside red zone receiver that can use his size and ball skills to catch the ball over the middle and in traffic. He will high point catches and shows excellent concentration and competitiveness when in a crowd. He tends to telegraph his cuts and can be a bit choppy in and out of his breaks.

Sylvester has been a highly productive player for the Utah defense over the past three seasons. He has a good frame to gain additional bulk and this should help his overall game at the next level. Sylvester is a high energy defender that has excellent instincts and is rarely out of position. He has some trouble taking on large lineman between the tackles and is best when covered up. Sylvester does a nice job maintaining leverage with proper angles and hand use to work through traffic. He has better range than his timed speed would indicate and gets to the pile often outside the hashes. Stevenson has excellent quickness, balance and agility in coverage but needs to improve his ability when in a blitz mode. Sylvester is an excellent collegiate football player that should eventually start in the NFL.

Thompson is a short well built player with excellent quickness and agility in coverage. He can be explosive to breakpoints and shows good instincts to take proper angles to the ball. Thompson doesn’t possess great speed in pure man coverage but can be effective in combination man and zone schemes as well as a nickel back in sub packages. Thompson is physical enough to be an effective run support defender but his lack of height may hinder his ability to contest jump balls. He wasn’t as effective returning punts in 2009 but has legitimate return skills and can contribute in this area.

Ward was a two-year starter for the Ducks but has missed some time throughout his career with injuries. Lacks great height but has the strength, toughness, athleticism and instincts to play the safety position. Ward has shown some versatility in the secondary, playing on the perimeter as well as safety. He runs well, showing good range from center field as well as good lateral agility and quickness to navigate through traffic. He is a solid run-support player, keeping leverage in space and is a reliable tackler. He understands angles and is rarely out of position, anticipating break points well in the passing game. He doesn't have elite speed but shows enough athleticism to be effective off the hash as well as out of centerfield. Ward is a good football player who lacks height but should contribute on special teams, as well as providing valuable depth in his rookie season.

Mays has an outstanding combination of size, strength and athleticism for the safety position. He possesses excellent speed, quickness and burst for his size, which makes him a versatile player who could fit in several different schemes. He has good instincts to attack the alley as a run defender and can make plays in the passing game as a deep safety. He tends to be too aggressive with the ball in the air, trying to make the big hit instead of making a play on the ball. He can be inconsistent with his angles and technique but relies on his great athleticism to recover and make the play. Mays will be highly coveted in this year's draft if concerns about his overall mental makeup are answered.

Price has rare speed for a bigger receiver and has garnered a lot of attention as his senior season progressed. He is explosive off the line and breaks down the cushion on defenders before they know it. He can avoid the press and shows the ability to get in and out of his breaks with the kind of burst that separates from even the best of cover corners. He makes acrobatic catches and looks very comfortable when reaching out to pluck the ball away from his body. He still needs some work on setting defenders up and selling fakes, but there is a lot to work with on this guy, and some team is apt to take him earlier than the public expects.

Larsen was a three-year defensive lineman who moved to center for his final two years at State. He is a good athlete for the position with initial quickness and above-average lateral range in pass pro. He needs work on leveraging his blocks in spite of having natural leverage angles due to his size and still needs to improve his instincts when it comes to picking up stunts and twists up front. A lot of his issues can be improved with time at the position, and he should provide a team with a good backup for a year or two as he develops his instincts and techniques.

Cody is a massive body with natural power as an interior run stopper. He can push the pocket effectively with excellent natural power but needs to develop his hand use and expand his pass rush package. He is disruptive penetrating the line of scrimmage versus the run and will command double teams often. He is limited outside the tackle box but has decent range for a player of his stature. Cody has improved his reads and ability to leverage the blocker but will likely improve more at the next level. He fits best as a nose tackle in a 3-4 defensive front and is more of a two down player at this point.

Lewis has been an extremely effective quarterback for Duke over the past four years and has done a good job of maintaining a quality touchdown-to-interception ratio. He understands the offensive scheme and is a good game manager, but his arm strength is marginal and his accuracy, especially on the deep throws, can be erratic at best. He is athletic and can extend the pocket and does a good job of squaring his shoulders to make the throw when on the move. He does a good job of protecting the football and does not force many throws. He will struggle when he needs to add some zip on his throws to squeeze the ball through small windows but has enough going for him to make you think he could catch on as a backup at the next level.

Gibson was a productive defender for the Buckeyes over the past two seasons. He has a good combination of size and athleticism, runs well and shows good range in pursuit. He also shows good awareness and instincts to react quickly as plays unfold. He is a solid tackler in a confined area but very inconsistent in the open field. Gibson has good foot agility and quickness and should be able to develop his overall pass-rush package. He lacks great hand use and creativity to counter as a pass rusher but is likely to improve in this area. Gibson needs to gain bulk and strength (especially in his lower body) to make him a more complete defender. He has a chance to be a versatile player who will contribute early on special teams and have a chance to develop into a starter.

Welch is a fifth-year senior who came to Vanderbilt as a tight end but was moved to the offensive line before the 2007 season and became a starter at right tackle during the 2008 season. He moved to the left side for his senior year and put together a nice final season. He is an adequate athlete for the position but lacks the kind of initial quickness, agility and lateral range to play on the left side at the next level. He is still learning the nuances of the offensive line and will need a few seasons, probably as a practice-squad member, to get it all figured out. He is not a natural knee-bender and tends to lunge out after blocks and generally goes to the ground too often. He struggles when trying to mirror better edge rushers at this level and will need to move back to the right side if he has any chance to make it in the NFL. When things go according to plan, he appears comfortable and confident, but when faced with something he hasn't seen in practice, he can look lost.

Athletically, Hiller is a classic pocket passer that can be effective when he has time and the space to step into his throws and get his weight transferred to get some zip on the ball. He has a relatively strong arm but the ball does not consistently come out in a tight spiral and will hang in the air too long or fall short of its target at times. He has had some injury issues with both knees over the years and that could affect his status. He tends to have a long throwing motion that will allow defenders to get a jump on his ball at the next level and needs to develop a more compact motion.

Tebow is arguably one of the best college quarterbacks of all time. He has won a lot of games over the years as he is a perfect fit for Urban Meyer’s offensive system. He will need a lot of retraining when he gets to an NFL camp as he plays out of the shotgun formation and will need a lot of work on dropping from center and setting up in the pocket while reading coverage schemes. He has a strong arm but his accuracy has been inconsistent over the years as he often ends up throwing the ball when on the move. He is not generally real quick to pull the trigger once he decides where he wants to throw the ball.

Gerhart is a big, powerful ball carrier that has just enough speed to be a threat. He runs with a good pad level and consistently breaks through first contact and gets a lot of his yards after initial contact. He seems to get stronger as the game wears on and defenses visibly grow weary of trying to take him on in the latter parts of the game. He knows how to follow his blockers and is patient as he waits for the hole to open up. He is an effective receiver out of the backfield and, while he is not apt to be used as a downfield threat, he can move the chains in the short to intermediate passing game.