Defensive End
1. Quinton Coples, North Carolina
2. Devin Taylor, South Carolina
3. Andre Branch, Clemson
4. Brandon Lindsey, Pittsburgh
5. Vince Brown, Northwestern
Sleeper: Cam Johnson, Virginia
Comments: Defensive end has become one of the most important positions on defense. But don't look for this class to break any records for players taken. Coples should be a top 5 pick but Taylor and Branch might not go till the late 1st round.
Defensive Tackle
1. Jerel Worthy, Michigan State
2. Marcus Forston, Miami
3. Tydreke Powell, North Carolina
4. Brandon Thompson, Clemson
5. Kawann Short, Purdue
Sleeper: Mike Martin, Michigan
Comments: The past two years have seen a large number of tackles go early, but this year won't be the same. Worthy and Forston are the top two players at the position but neither of them will be confused for Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy, Nick Fairley, or Marcel Dareus. Mike Martin is a sleeper to watch. He is a smaller compact player that might be the strongest player at the positon.
3-4 Defensive End
1. Jared Crick, Nebraska
2. Kheston Randall, Texas
3. Billy Winn, Boise State
4. Baker Steinkuhler, Nebraska
5. Kendall Reyes, UConn
Sleeper: Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati
Comments: With so few teams running the 3-4 in college this is the hardest position to project from college to the NFL. Trying to decided if that defensive tackle can move out or that bigger defensive end can slide inside can be a crap shoot. Here Jared Crick is clearly the top player. He plays tackle at Nebraska and is very quick, but he has expereince playing a two gap sytem and taking on blocks so that makes him an ideal fit.
Nose Tackle
1. Alameda Ta'amu, Washington
2. Josh Chapman, Alabama
3. Kerry Murphy, Alabama
Sleeper: DeAngleo McCray, Memphis
Comments: This year doesn't have a large (pun intended) amount of players that profile to be the big 3-4 space eater that we have had in previous years. Ta'amu and Chapman are clearly the only elite players. Ta'amu could become a late 1st rounder, but previous history suggests that he'll probably be a early 2nd rounder.
Rush Linebacker
1. Brandon Jenkins, Florida State
2. Courtney Upshaw, Alabama
3. Donte Paige-Moss, North Carolina
4. Vinny Curry, Marshall
5. Shayne Skov, Stanford
Sleeper: Nick Perry, USC
Comments: Jenkins, Upshaw, and Paige-Moss are all top notch rush linebackers who will be coveted for their passing rushing abilities. But watch out ofr Vinny Curry and Shayne Skov who are very talented also but not as well know yet. If Nick Perry can stay healthy he could find himself shooting up draft boards.
Outside Linebacker
1. Travis Lewis, Oklahoma
2. Zach Brown, North Carolina
3. Lavonte David, Nebraska
4. Nico Johnson, Alabama
5. Ronnell Johnson, Oklahoma
Sleeper: Demario Davis, Arkansas State
Comments: With the emergence of the 3-4 defense players who once were 1st or 2nd rounders are finding themselves drop because don't only fit with half of the defenses. But those teams should be happy becuase there are four elite outside linebackers. Travis Lewis is a playmaker thats is always around the ball. Zach Brown is much like Bruce Carter in that he is a great athlete, and Lavonte David is a tackling machine with great instincts.
Inside Linebacker
1. Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State
2. Manti Te'o, North Carolina
3. Luke Keachly, Boston College
4. Dont'a Hightower, Alabama
5. Chris Marve, Vanderbilt
Sleeper: Chris Galippo, USC
Comments: Middle linebackers like Vontaze Burfict don't come around too often. Manti Te'o has can play any linebacker spot in any scheme so that will make him attractive. Keachly is a tackling machine, and Hightower should be a great fit in a 3-4 defense. Galippo is my sleeper because he has a ton of talent, but also comes in with a ton of experience playing in the Tampa 2 under one of the best defensive minds in Monte Kiffen.
Cornerback
1. Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama
2. Alphonzo Dennard, Nebraska
3. Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama
4. Jayron Hosey, Virginia Tech
5. Chase Minnifeild, Virginia
Sleeper: Shaun Prater, Iowa
Comments: The cornerback position is clearly the deepest position of any of the other defensive spots. All five of these players should go in the first round and we could see a couple more too. The NFL is a passing league and lock down corners are in demand. Kirkpatrick is the cream of the crop with size, speed, and the ability to change directions. Dennard out peformed teammate Prince Amukamara last year at times, but his lack of size hurts his chances of being a top 10 pick. I'm a little higher on Janoris Jenkins that most, but he would have been the 2nd or 3rd corner last year if he came out. He does have some baggage but some team will take a chance on him.
Safety
1. Robert Lester, Alabama
2. Kenny Tate, Maryland
3. Mark Barron, Alabama
4. Ray Ray Armstrong, Miami
5. TJ McDonald, USC
Sleeper: Blake Gideon, Texas
Comments: A quality group of safeties in this draft class where all five have shots to be taken in the first round. Lester is the only true free safety in the group while Tate, Barron, Armstrong, and McDonald are all in the box type of safeties. Kenny Tate is getting a lot of hype but he has been moved to weakside linebacker at Maryland and he might be a better fit there for a Cover 2 team. My sleeper is Blake Gideon from Texas. He isn't a flashy player, but he always seems to be around the ball. He could play both safety spots and maybe some nickle corner. Add in special teams play and he could be a steal in the 3rd or 4th rounds.
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