DRAFT TRACKER 2013

UConn is becoming more than just a basketball school, as Moore is one of a handful of Huskies potentially earning mid-round grades. He isn’t the biggest of linebackers, but is productive (196 tackles, 27.5 for loss in 2010-2011), plays stronger than his frame indicates, and has the athleticism to play either strong side, or weak side linebacker in the pros.

Possessing the size of a starting outside NFL cornerback, Anthony has potential to be a top-100 prospect as he built upon his senior year in proving his game speed and agility in postseason workouts.

This wiry All-Big Ten zone corner owns the athleticism to stick with pro receivers and can make quarterbacks pay for poor throws (intercepted three passes in both the 2010 and 2011 seasons). Adams even saw some time at receiver in the team’s 2012 spring game, snagging a 45-yard reception. However, Adams’ average size/strength combination and 2009 shoulder injury might prevent scouts from seeing him as an elite prospect, and he will likely be selected on the third day of the draft. His lack of size and recovery speed will probably prevent him from playing outside, but his willingness to play the run and be an aggressive tackler will likely allow him to carve out a role as a special teamer and nickelback.

One of the top players in recent Philadelphia high school football history has become one of the best guards in the Football Championship Subdivision. Watford’s quick feet, agility, and willingness to punish opponents will carry weight with scouts and coaches while his somewhat lean frame continues to fill out. He could join fellow 2011 first-team All-CAA lineman Gino Gradkowski from Delaware, who was picked early in the fourth round (98th overall) by Baltimore last April, as a mid-round pick.

Marquardt could be the first player drafted from Azusa Pacific since Kansas City selected Christian “The Nigerian Nightmare” Okoye in the second round in 1987. His size and length give him a chance to be a mid-round pick with upside -– if he can take the coaching imparted him by Pro Football Hall of Fame lineman Jackie Slater to handle the step up in competition.

NFL teams love NFL pedigree. Sanders has those blood lines thanks to his father, Tracy Sanders, who played safety in the league and at Florida State. Despite the connection, Sanders was not offered a scholarship by the Seminoles out of high school and chose South Carolina over West Virginia and Rutgers, among others. Regardless, having the resource of a former NFL defensive back to help with routes in the backyard certainly doesn't hurt.

As a freshman, Sanders played in 14 games and was the team's fourth leading receiver after tallying 25 catches for 316 yards and two touchdowns. He emerged as the team's punt returner towards the end of the season. In 2011, Sanders jumped a few spots up the ladder and finished as the team's second receiver, recording 29 catches for 383 yards. He was the first Gamecock to return a punt for a touchdown since 2003, and Sanders started eight games that season. Finally, in 2012, Sanders emerged as a standout punt returner and receiver. He set a school record with 429 yards on 28 punt returns. On top of helping South Carolina win the field position battles, Sanders caught 45 passes for 531 yards and nine touchdowns, starting all 13 games.

Bushell started his college career at Florida, and then transferred to a junior college to get things in order before re-joining his old coach in Gainesville, Charlie Strong, in Louisville. The 2011 and 2012 All-Big East pick’s lean fame belies his persistent and confident nature, and may remind scouts of former Louisville corner Johnny Patrick, who was a third-round pick for the Saints in 2011 with similar size and speed. Bushell has the versatility to play both inside and out, and could be a potential weapon out of the slot due to his blitzing ability.

Kaufman is a very tall receiver, who is a dangerous vertical threat. He tracks the football well and is adept at catching the ball at it's highest point. He will need to prove that he has enough speed and physicality in order to be more than a red zone threat at the next level.

It took Harper a couple of seasons, and a transfer from Oregon back to his home state, to embrace a position switch from quarterback to receiver. While Harper isn't extremely tall, he has a muscular frame, particular in his lower half. This along with his speed makes him a tough cover, and an even tougher player to bring down with the ball in his hands. He will likely be selected in the third or fourth round.

In his career at Irvington, Evans rushed for 1,403 yards and 14 touchdowns and completed 123 of 190 pass attempts for 1,856 yards and 18 touchdowns. In his senior year, he recorded 78 tackles and seven interceptions, which helped him get named the Star-Ledger Essex County Player of the Year and first-team all-state. Evans also led his high school track team to the Group 3 Track co-state championship title competing in hurdles, relay and high jump. He ultimately chose Florida over Oklahoma, Pittsburgh and Purdue.

Evans spent 2009 as a backup and special teams player, which he totaled six tackles. In 2010, Evans played in 13 games, and earned three starts. He had 14 tackles and one interception on the year. The following season, Evans played in all 13 games, and saw eight starts. On the season, he registered 51 tackles and one interception. In his senior year, Evans started in all 13 games, and led the team with79 tackles, 4.5 of which were for loss. He also recorded 2.5 sacks, three interceptions, and three passes defended.

Maponga showcases power, hand usage, and a nice spin move. However, his game is highly inconsistent at this point, and revolves mostly round flash plays. Where is he is selected will be based upon a coaching staff's confidence that he can develop into a consistent player.

While Powell is a defensive end now, his high school career certainly wouldn’t have given you any indication of that. As a senior, Powell led Seaside High School to a state championship victory as the starting quarterback and cornerback. Powell’s career started at DeAnza College. As a sophomore, he was first team all-state, first-team All-Golden Gate Conference and Golden Gate Conference Defensive Most Valuable Player. In his sophomore year, he had 69 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, and five pass breakups.

In 2011, Powell started three games and had seven tackles (2.5 for loss) and two sacks. As a senior, Powell recorded 40 tackles (15 for loss) and 8.5 sacks. After the season, Powell participated in both the Texas vs. The Nation Game, and in the Senior Bowl. Powell was also named second-team All-America by D2football.com. He is only the second Bison to earn All-America honors from the organization, who also named Torrance “Tank” Daniels to its All-America team in 2005.

His exceptionally-difficult childhood forced him to deal with this parents’ divorce, the murder of his mother and sister, as well as an abusive father. But Thornton fought through all of that, along with a couple of off-field mistakes, to become a versatile lineman (started at both tackle spots and weak-side guard) and a solid mid-round interior prospect for zone-blocking teams because of his upper-body strength and foot quickness.

Based on pure arm talent, Bray is an extremely impressive quarterback prospect. However, his arm talent only resulted in a few standout plays amongst a season of poor decisions, and maddening inconsinstencies. An NFL team that drafts him will be doing so based on their faith in cleaning up the many aspects of Bray's game that leave much to be desired.

McCloud, a junior college transfer, is a thick nose tackle willing to take on blocks without fanfare, but is also capable of making plays in the backfield when the opportunity presents itself (eight tackles for loss, four sacks in 2010-2011). Teams utilizing a lot of three-man fronts should value him in the middle rounds as a potential starter.

The Reno native has become a hometown favorite for the Wolf Pack, earning second-team All-WAC honors as a junior, and second-team All-Mountain West honors as a senior. Williams is able to use his sprinter’s speed and nice agility to negate receivers downfield. He also has experience in man assignments versus slot players. While Williams' doesn't possess a large build, he is more than willing to throw his body around with impunity. His average size, overaggressive nature, and off-field incidents might limit how high teams will be willing to take him, but there are many aspects to his game that should still have him selected relatively early.

Goodman is not an overly impressive athlete, possessing only average speed and change of direction ability. He compounds this issue in the pass rushing department by being slow to react to the snap. However, he has a tremendous frame, with long arms, and active, violent hands. Posssess strength and can really get a push on his blocker, but needs to develop a better set of counter moves when engaged. Goodman fits the profile of a three down 4-3 strong-side defensive end.

Boyett might be a bit shorter than most scouts prefer at free safety, but he has good athleticism and is as tough and intelligent as any defensive back in this class. He’s made plenty of plays in coverage (nine interceptions, 20 PBU) and led the Ducks in tackles in a second-team All-Pac-12 junior season, but surgery to repair partial tears in both patella tendons ended his senior year prematurely. His Combine medical exams will need to check out before teams give him the mid-round grade his talent deserves.

Becton couldn’t earn a start in his first three years with the Hokies, as veteran depth and a 2010 turf toe injury kept him coming off the bench. The former top high school recruit did rotate into games regularly as a junior, however, showing has the requisite size, length and athleticism to be a valuable NFL reserve capable of filling in at either left or right tackle. His athletic skill set will likely see a team take a chance on him late.

The former high school running back still possesses that compact build and toughness, but his strong hands and awareness as a receiver have made him a favorite of both Ryan Tannehill and Johnny Manziel. Swope is the type of player who does all the little things right. While he is most likely limited to a slot role in the NFL, it's tough to not imagine him having a lengthy career.

Wilson’s exit from Washington State was not exactly ideal, as he was suspended for violating team rules and then ripped Mike Leach and his coaching staff on his way out the door. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound receiver certainly flashed playmaking ability during his two-plus seasons in Pullman, especially in a second-team all-conference sophomore year (83-1,388, 12 touchdowns) where he flashes downfield playmaking ability using his height and excellent leaping ability. If teams believe he can improve the consistency of his hands and mature physically and mentally at the next level, he could be picked in the middle rounds and contribute immedately, similarly to how Mike Williams did for Tampa Bay in 2010.

This Miami native didn’t play football until high school, and started lining up at defensive end during his senior season (after transferring from Carol City to Norland for the last two years of secondary education). Staying in his hometown to play for the up-and-coming FIU program proved to be a very good move, as Sun Belt coaches named him an all-conference selection the past three years. He has good speed around the edge, and great short area burst, but he has short arms, and doesn't use his hands all that well. As of right now, he best projects as a situational pass rushing 4-3 defensive end.

This ultra-confident and competitive corner is flying under the radar a bit playing for a mediocre Purdue squad without the history of providing NFL talent. Johnson, a high school baseball and football star, has played well over the past few years, and find a niche in a dime cornerback role.

The NFL-sized pocket passer can be decisive and flashes the accuracy to pick apart defenses at the next level. However, his tendency to get rattled under pressure is a major issue. Also, when things start to go downhill, he lacks a short memory; his confidence is shaken. He is also inconsistent in his reads and decision making.

Nixon was a high school All-American and has started at least five games every year he’s been in Gainesville, He has always had the length and the athleticism to be a starting tackle in the NFL. Consistency has always been a major issue for Nixon, and his senior campaign was no different. He didn’t vastly improve from a technique standpoint, and doesn’t fully utilize his length, athleticism, and surprising strength. A team will likely take a gamble on him in the late rounds, hoping to light a fire under him and get the most out of his potential.

Off-field problems and injuries kept Alonso from making his expected impact until into his junior season, but once he got past those two alcohol-related incidents and a torn right ACL, opponents began feeling his presence. Alonso is a bit of a linear athlete, but he still remains an explosive one. He could potentially fit into many different roles at the next level. Will fit best into an aggressive scheme as an OLB. If not a future starter, he should be capable of becoming a nickel 'backer that has special teams value.

The rare guard that alternated sides of the line during games depending on the formation, Bailey is blessed with a natural anchor to limit his opposition's momentum. The issue is the Razorback's technique, whether it be in tight spaces with a lack of hand use or poor posture leading to a limited amount of push or balance. Durability is not an issue, as Bailey started every game he played in college, but an NFL team will need to translate tools into consistency.

Swanson earned second team all-state honors as a cornerback and honorable mention selection as a wide receiver as a high school player. In his senior year, he led the state in interceptions with 13, in addition to totaling 56 tackles and 20 pass break-ups. In addition to his football skills, Swanson member of state runner-up 4-100 relay team. Swanson started his career at Toledo, where he played in 2009. He had seven pass breakups and one forced fumble in 10 appearances.

His first year at Sam Houston State was in 2010. Swanson played in all 11 games, and had eight starts. He tallied 34 tackles, eight pass breakups, and two interceptions. He was an honorable mention All-Southland Conference selection. The following season, Swanson set a school record in recording eight interceptions. He earned second-team All-Southland Conference honors for his play. In his final year, Swanson had 46 tackles, 14 pass breakups, and four interceptions. He was selected as a first-team All-Southland Conference player.

Sims is an intriguing prospect mostly due to the open field speed that he possesses on a 6-foot-6, 285-pound frame. Sims is a good pass blocker, and has a soft pair of hands. However, he doesn't always use his size in the run game, and he struggles to bring in the difficult catch. He will likely be a mid-round selection.

Reid is a dynamic punt returner, and has the skill set to be an effective nickel corner. However, between multiple off the field issues which resulted in his dismissal from Florida State and an ACL tear this past season, there will be many questions for him to answer at the combine.

Mills is a powerful player with tremendous size. He combines this size with great hustle. Aside from a couple starts at guard his freshman season, Mills has only played at right tackle, but scouts will likely see him as a versatile prospect capable of playing left tackle, right tackle, or guard. Mills could find himself as a top-100 selection.

Buckner possesses the size, strong hands, and ability to win jump balls downfield as a outside vertical threat, but average straight-line speed, inconsistent play, and off-field issues that caused him to transfer from Texas to UA might keep him a mid-round selection.

Omameh has an athletic build and possesses excellent flexibility for his size, but is also impressive moving his man out of the running lane. His intelligence and growing frame make him a solid mid-round choice and should land him a spot on an NFL offensive line sooner, rather than later.

Hayden helped Navarro Junior College win a national championship in 2010, and then aided the Cougars 13-1 finish in 2011 as Conference USA’s Defensive Newcomer of the Year as a junior (11 pass break-ups, five forced fumbles). He was having a fantastic senior campaign until a life threatening injury cut it short. How he checks out medically will play a major role in his draft status.

Though Miles hasn’t been a prolific receiver for ASU (361 yards, six TD in 2011), he earned second-team All-Pac 12 honors in 2011 due to his work as a returner (16.6 yard average, TD on punts: 26.2 yard average, two TD on kickoffs). His pure acceleration with the ball in his hands and open-field elusiveness makes him a prototypical slot/return prospect worth taking in the top half of the draft.

Barker, the cousin of former USC and NFL defensive tackle Manuel Wright, isn't a dominant force, but displays the athleticism to block on the move yet strong enough to hold his ground against bull rushes. He should be a mid- to late-round selection.

Burkhead is a high-motor, high-character back who does everything coaches ask of him. He possesses the quickness and strength to be a solid NFL reserve back capable of contributing in a committee.

The son of NFL Pro Bowl safety Tim McDonald and brother of UCLA safety Tevin earned All-American recognition for his big hits and hands in coverage (six interceptions in 2010-2011). However, his lack of agility and instincts could limit his ability to be a reliable starting contributor in a league that is becoming more wide-open. He will probably be best served as a sub-package defender who plays near the line of scrimmage.

This quick and strong nose tackle prospect looks to be the next Cal defensive lineman drafted by an NFL team. And while not possessing the elite athleticism and closing speed (four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks in 2011) to rank as a top prospect, Tipoti will be a tough cut once he shows his wares in an NFL training camp.

This native of Jamaica has the speed you’d expect from someone growing up in one of the world’s largest exporters of elite sprinters. The 2012 first-team All-Big East pick used that speed, as well as underrated strength, to put up 24 sacks the past two seasons. His lack of size limits him to very specific 4-3 schemes at defensive end, but his ability to rush the passer from a stand-up position could help him transition to a 3-4 linebacker spot at the next level. To effectively play 3-4 OLB however, he's going to need to prove that he's agile enough, and possesses enough instincts to hold up in coverage.

Spence has a good build and displays a strong set of hands. He's a physical tackler, and will make tackles all around the line of scrimmage. However, he needs to improve how he comes off the ball, and needs to make better use of the power in his upper and lower body. He should be a mid-round selection as a 4-3 nose tackle.

Just like every year, a few small schoolers break onto the scene and perform very well on an equal playing field. Bass is one of these prospects, as he was the most consistent pass rusher at the East-West Shrine game. The senior broke two records during his final year at Missouri Western State breaking the school's career sack (39.5) and consecutive starts (50). When asked the one word to describe himself, Bass answered "beast".

Bass immediately started as a freshman in all 12 games, finishing with 47 tackles, 9.5 for loss and 6.5 sacks. In 2010, Bass put up similar numbers in the same 12 starts, with 47 tackles, 10.5 for loss, and eight sacks. His production only went up, with 14.5 sacks in 12 starts as a junior on 20 tackles for loss. Bass' 14 starts in 2012 were a career high and tallied 11.5 sacks.

While Stills isn't the biggest or the fastest, he has a knack for finding ways to get open. He has the ability to track the football, and make some extremely difficult catches. Stills will likely be selected around the third round.

Toilolo has a massive frame to combine with good athleticism and leaping ability. He needs to clean up his inconsistencies by fine tuning his technique, but he does have starter upside. At the very least, he will be an interesting weapon to use in the red zone.

If you’re looking for height in your receiver, 6-foot-6 Smith has plenty. But he’s also a smooth athlete for his height, who tracks the football well deep. He's also a good blocker in the running game. However, he doesn't always play up to his size and can lose the physicality battle at the catch point.

This former running back has opened the eyes of scouts with his play on defense the past two seasons, as his athleticism allows him to work in man coverage while he also has the physicality to make big hits in run support and as an intimidator over the middle. Making plays on the ball more regularly in 2012 (one interception, two pass break-ups in two years) could raise his stock significantly.

Davis is a bruising back who has struggled with injuries since high school, lost his entire 2011 season due to a broken ankle, and failed to look like the same player in 2012 as he was in 2010. In 2010, Davis sparked the Razorbacks with an impressive late-season surge when he led SEC with 1,322 rushing yards, 13 scores. His power and burst in the open field make him tough to stop when all his parts are in working order; but this has proved to be a struggle for Davis.

Goins is a tall, powerful interior player who has started at least of UCF’s games in each of the last three years. Though still raw in his footwork, potentially dropping him into the mid-Saturday draft range, his impressive strength as a drive-blocker and in pass protection gives him a chance to start at the next level.

Tech’s physical, intelligent corner might not wow scouts with his measurables, but his tenacity and intelligence could earn him a late-round selection.

When healthy, Jenkins is a dynamic athlete who possesses great value with his ability to cover. However, he's had a hard time staying healthy, and struggles when run at.