THE BIG BOARD

Big Board

 

            Every year the NFL draft happens! Every year! Comment/click!

1. Eugene Monroe, LOT, Virginia- One of the safer picks in the draft, Monroe should start at LOT day one.
2. Aaron Curry, 4-3 OLB/ 3-4 ILB, Wake Forest- He has the burst, athleticism, and instincts to play OLB in a 4-3 or an ILB in the 3-4.
3. Mark Sanchez, QB, USC- I see him as a mix between Aaron Rodgers and Chad Pennington, which is not a bad thing.
4. Jason Smith, LOT, Baylor- J. Smith struggles with bull rushers, and his arm length (33 inches) is not exceptional.
5. Andre Smith, R/LOT, Alabama- A. Smith struggles with speed rushers, although his arm length (36 inches) is exceptional.
6. Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia- Accuracy is a huge question mark.
7.  Aaron Maybin, OLB/DE, Penn State- Has a real passion for the game, and his first step is exceptional. Only 21 years old.
8. Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB, Texas- He is not as stiff as Vernon Gholston, so he should see the field a bit sooner than the Ohio State product.
9. Clay Matthews, OLB, USC- Matthews has all the tools to stay on the field for 3 downs, and the suddenness to make an impact rushing the passer.
10. B.J. Raji, 4-3 DT, Boston College- His arms are only 32 inches which means he will not be always be able to wrap up. I think his best fit should be a 4-3 scheme that gives him 1 and occasionally 2 gap responsibility. 
11. Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech- Ridiculous hands and body control. However, there are question marks with his route running, level of competition, and straight line speed.
12. Everette Brown, OLB/DE, Florida State- I really like his assortment of pass rush moves, although the track record of Florida State pass rushers is not ideal. Better fit for OLB.
13. Knowshon Moreno, 3 down RB, Georgia- His short area quickness and vision will be fun to watch.
14. Tyson Jackson, 3-4 DE, LSU- He will come in and start on day one.
15. Malcolm Jenkins, FS/CB, Ohio State- Should start at corner b/c of his footwork and ball skills. If that does not work out he will move to FS.
16. Peria Jerry, 4-3 one gaper, Ole Miss- Not the strongest against the run, but should provide pressure up the middle.
17. Robert Ayers, 4-3 DE, Tennessee- I think he will be a consistent 8 or 9 sack a year guy.
18. Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri- Game breaker.
19. Chris Wells, 2-down RB, Ohio State- He has the burst and size, but truthfully he is a bit of a pussy.
20. William Beatty, LOT, Connecticut- Should prove to be a good blindside protector for Matthew Stafford…
21. Michael Oher, ROT, Ole Miss- I think he can be solid, all the tools are there.
22. Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State- Trying to find a TE who can block and catch is pretty hard these days.
23. Michael Johnson, 3-4 OLB, Georgia Tech- As a 3-4 OLB he succeeds, as a 4-3 DE he fails. He is special because of his pass rush and fluid coverage ability, although he will need to get stronger to hold the edge against the run.
24. Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut- A natural guy in coverage, but needs to spend some time in the weight room.
25. Connor Barwin, DE/OLB, Cincinnati- Just an impressive athlete, could develop into a number of positions.
26. Alex Mack, C, California- With the glut of bad centers starting in the NFL, a good one has come to save the day.
27. Larry English, OLB/DE- Runs the arc as well as anyone. Although he might take a year or two to develop as an OLB.
28. James Laurinaitis, 4-3 MLB- Instinctive enough for MLB, but do not expect him to take on guards on the second level.
29. Brian Cushing, 3-4 ILB/4-3 OLB- Not much of a pass rusher, and he isn’t especially good in space or inside.
30. Percy Harvin, WR, Florida- Catching balls from super man must be great. Can he stay healthy?
31. Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois- Footwork and intelligence are question marks.
32. Eben Britton, ROT, Arizona- Really sound technically, although his short arms (32 inches) will hurt him.
33. Sean Smith, FS/CB, Utah- Impressive ball skills and all around size/speed. Tight in the hips though, so expect him to get beat occasionally.
34. Donald Brown, 3 down RB, Connecticut- Matt Forte.
35. Jarron Gilbert, 3-4 DE, San Jose State- Look for Gilbert to make a big play occasionally, but people are starting to question his motor.