Reilly
03-22-2005, 01:19 AM
For the second year in a row, there's a good chance the top 10 picks will come and go without a defensive end – or any defensive lineman for that matter – hearing his name called.
You won't find a Terrell Suggs (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6346) (Ravens' 10th overall pick in 2003) or Julius Peppers (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5888) (Panthers' second overall pick in 2002) in the 2005 defensive end class. However, what makes this year's group stronger than last year's is the potential for six members to come off the board in the first round. In comparison, the 2004 class had just two: Will Smith (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6777) (16th overall, Saints) and Kenechi Udeze (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6779) (20th overall, Vikings).
Predicting which end will be drafted first is made even more difficult than usual by the wide array of style, size and speed. LSU's Marcus Spears (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8207) is the slowest of the first-round prospects, but he also is the biggest and best fit to play a hybrid role as a DE/DT "tweener" for the multitude of NFL teams that have moved exclusively to or are using a hybrid of the 3-4 scheme.
The other possibilities include Wisconsin's Erasmus James (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8206), Georgia's David Pollack (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8205) and Oklahoma's Dan Cody (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8208). James, who had an explosive senior campaign, has a good combination of size and speed. However, he doesn't have elite speed, and durability issues make him a risk.
Pollack was one of the most disruptive defensive players ever to step on the NCAA gridiron, but his lack of ideal NFL "measurables" could scare off teams that are selecting in the top 15. Much like Pollack, Cody was also a tremendously productive player at the collegiate level, but his lack of size and concerns regarding his clinical depression and fainting spells make him a riskier prospect than some think.
Iowa's Matt Roth (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8211) and Troy's Demarcus Ware (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8210) are also considered first-round prospects, but neither is in the running to be the first end off the board. Roth is a tenacious end with good size and better athleticism than expected, but his below-average top-end speed will cause him to slip to the end of the first round. Ware, on the other hand, is a "tweener" DE/OLB with explosive speed (4.59) and athletic ability but marginal size. If Ware does get selected late in the first round, it will be by a team in need of pass-rushing help at the "rush linebacker" position.
Virginia's Chris Canty (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8209) and Notre Dame's Justin Tuck (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=9099) are solid second-round prospects with the potential to develop into full-time starters in the NFL. However, both will be affected by injuries on draft day. Canty is a DE/DT "tweener" with first-round talent, but his draft stock is free-falling because of a shoulder injury early in his career, a season-ending knee injury and an eye injury that occurred during a bar brawl while he was training for the NFL combine in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Tuck, a DE/OLB "tweener," doesn't have the injury sheet Canty possesses, but he also isn't as talented. Tuck should make an impact as a rush-end or rush-linebacker type in the NFL, but it might take him awhile before he emerges as a full-time contributor.
After Canty and Tuck, there is a huge drop-off in talent. So much so that an entire round could pass before we see another defensive end taken (likely in the mid-to-late third round). A couple of late-Day 1 prospects are Vanderbilt's Jovan Haye (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=9100), a somewhat inconsistent and unproven underclassman with good upside because of his impressive size, strength and speed combination, and Jonathan Welsh (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8228), a rush-linebacker prospect whose draft stock is skyrocketing after he ran the 40-yard dash in the 4.5s at the combine.
There are a lot of good values to be had on Day 2, but primarily on prospects who project as developmental players or specialists. The most intriguing developmental prospects to watch for are Kansas' David McMillan (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8222), Baylor's Khari Long (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8232), North Texas' Adrian Awasom (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8236) and San Jose State's Tony Ficklin (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=9101).
The specialists can be split up into two groups. The first are DE/OLB "tweeners" who project as edge-rushing specialists in the NFL but lack the size/strength to hold up as every-down contributors. Some of those include Cal's Ryan Riddle (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=9043), FSU's Chauncey Davis (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8238), Marshall's Jonathan Goddard (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=9072), Oklahoma's Jonathan Jackson (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8219), Cincinnati's Trent Cole (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8225), BYU's Brady Poppinga (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8218), FSU's Eric Moore (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8216) and Texas Tech's Adell Duckett (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8224).
The other group of specialists are DT/OLB "tweeners" who project to play a power-end position in the 4-3 or a DE position in the 3-4, but lack the speed and athleticism to provide an outside rush. Some of those include South Carolina's George Gause (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8212), Kentucky's Vincent Burns (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8213), Virginia Tech's Jim Davis (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8217), Ohio State's Simon Fraser (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8223) and Arizona State's Jimmy Verdon (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8220). Finally, this year's class of defensive ends also has an unusual amount of "college studs" who project as "NFL thuds," including Cole, Jackson, Duckett, Fraser, Oregon State's Bill Swancutt (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8214), Michigan State's Clifford Dukes (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8215) and Connecticut's Tyler King (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8229).
You won't find a Terrell Suggs (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6346) (Ravens' 10th overall pick in 2003) or Julius Peppers (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5888) (Panthers' second overall pick in 2002) in the 2005 defensive end class. However, what makes this year's group stronger than last year's is the potential for six members to come off the board in the first round. In comparison, the 2004 class had just two: Will Smith (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6777) (16th overall, Saints) and Kenechi Udeze (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6779) (20th overall, Vikings).
Predicting which end will be drafted first is made even more difficult than usual by the wide array of style, size and speed. LSU's Marcus Spears (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8207) is the slowest of the first-round prospects, but he also is the biggest and best fit to play a hybrid role as a DE/DT "tweener" for the multitude of NFL teams that have moved exclusively to or are using a hybrid of the 3-4 scheme.
The other possibilities include Wisconsin's Erasmus James (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8206), Georgia's David Pollack (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8205) and Oklahoma's Dan Cody (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8208). James, who had an explosive senior campaign, has a good combination of size and speed. However, he doesn't have elite speed, and durability issues make him a risk.
Pollack was one of the most disruptive defensive players ever to step on the NCAA gridiron, but his lack of ideal NFL "measurables" could scare off teams that are selecting in the top 15. Much like Pollack, Cody was also a tremendously productive player at the collegiate level, but his lack of size and concerns regarding his clinical depression and fainting spells make him a riskier prospect than some think.
Iowa's Matt Roth (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8211) and Troy's Demarcus Ware (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8210) are also considered first-round prospects, but neither is in the running to be the first end off the board. Roth is a tenacious end with good size and better athleticism than expected, but his below-average top-end speed will cause him to slip to the end of the first round. Ware, on the other hand, is a "tweener" DE/OLB with explosive speed (4.59) and athletic ability but marginal size. If Ware does get selected late in the first round, it will be by a team in need of pass-rushing help at the "rush linebacker" position.
Virginia's Chris Canty (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8209) and Notre Dame's Justin Tuck (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=9099) are solid second-round prospects with the potential to develop into full-time starters in the NFL. However, both will be affected by injuries on draft day. Canty is a DE/DT "tweener" with first-round talent, but his draft stock is free-falling because of a shoulder injury early in his career, a season-ending knee injury and an eye injury that occurred during a bar brawl while he was training for the NFL combine in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Tuck, a DE/OLB "tweener," doesn't have the injury sheet Canty possesses, but he also isn't as talented. Tuck should make an impact as a rush-end or rush-linebacker type in the NFL, but it might take him awhile before he emerges as a full-time contributor.
After Canty and Tuck, there is a huge drop-off in talent. So much so that an entire round could pass before we see another defensive end taken (likely in the mid-to-late third round). A couple of late-Day 1 prospects are Vanderbilt's Jovan Haye (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=9100), a somewhat inconsistent and unproven underclassman with good upside because of his impressive size, strength and speed combination, and Jonathan Welsh (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8228), a rush-linebacker prospect whose draft stock is skyrocketing after he ran the 40-yard dash in the 4.5s at the combine.
There are a lot of good values to be had on Day 2, but primarily on prospects who project as developmental players or specialists. The most intriguing developmental prospects to watch for are Kansas' David McMillan (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8222), Baylor's Khari Long (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8232), North Texas' Adrian Awasom (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8236) and San Jose State's Tony Ficklin (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=9101).
The specialists can be split up into two groups. The first are DE/OLB "tweeners" who project as edge-rushing specialists in the NFL but lack the size/strength to hold up as every-down contributors. Some of those include Cal's Ryan Riddle (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=9043), FSU's Chauncey Davis (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8238), Marshall's Jonathan Goddard (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=9072), Oklahoma's Jonathan Jackson (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8219), Cincinnati's Trent Cole (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8225), BYU's Brady Poppinga (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8218), FSU's Eric Moore (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8216) and Texas Tech's Adell Duckett (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8224).
The other group of specialists are DT/OLB "tweeners" who project to play a power-end position in the 4-3 or a DE position in the 3-4, but lack the speed and athleticism to provide an outside rush. Some of those include South Carolina's George Gause (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8212), Kentucky's Vincent Burns (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8213), Virginia Tech's Jim Davis (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8217), Ohio State's Simon Fraser (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8223) and Arizona State's Jimmy Verdon (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8220). Finally, this year's class of defensive ends also has an unusual amount of "college studs" who project as "NFL thuds," including Cole, Jackson, Duckett, Fraser, Oregon State's Bill Swancutt (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8214), Michigan State's Clifford Dukes (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8215) and Connecticut's Tyler King (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/player?id=8229).