Tier Three (21-30)
William Beatty, OT, Connecticut:
Beatty might be a little bit of a reach this high, but he can play left tackle in the NFL… Has long arms (34 ¾ inches)… Started 35 games at left tackle for UConn… Slim, basketball player build… Good quickness to handle speed rushers.
Eben Britton, OT, Arizona:
Three-year player who started 2006-07 at right tackle and moved to left tackle in 2008… Very good competitor… Has good feet… Very smart… Needs more upper-body strength.
Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois:
Brother of 49ers tight end Vernon Davis… Very good athlete with lots of talent… Not real easy to coach… Strong (25 lifts at combine) and will tackle… Will remind you of DeAngelo Hall as both a player and a person.
Percy Harvin, WR, Florida:
Harvin has as much talent as any player in this draft… Has great speed and a burst… Comes from same area as Michael Vick, and has had character problems in the past… He can be a dynamic player if he can get his act together.
Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech:
Has outstanding athletic ability and outstanding pass rush ability… Long arms… Not very good vs. the run… Needs to improve stamina.
James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State:
Three-year starter for Ohio State who is very smart and very competitive… Can play all three linebacker spots in the 4-3… Great character person; his father was a professional wrestler and his sister is a hockey player… The first high school player from Minnesota to play at Ohio State in 75 years will have a long NFL career.
Clay Matthews Jr., LB, USC:
His father Clay played 15 years with the Cleveland Browns (1978-93) and uncle Bruce is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame… Was a walk-on at USC… He weighed under 200 pounds as a high school senior… Moves well, and can drop into coverage or rush the passer… Plays with intensity.
Rey Maualuga, LB, USC:
A middle linebacker with great physical ability… Has problem keeping his weight down… He's very strong and a great leader… Played okay in space in college, but may have a problem in the NFL… Has had some character problems.
Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia:
Redshirted in 2006, then played RB for just two seasons… He is a complete player -- will block, can catch passes and runs with power… Has strong legs, can elude tacklers and will not fumble… Has good, not great, speed, but should be an outstanding player.
Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State:
Not a speedy pass-catching TE, but he can be a dominant player… He's a better football player than he is an athlete… Has long arms and big hands… Ran 4.88 at the combine at 266 pounds… Has good work habits.
