2011 Comprehensive NFL Draft Database

[Oldskool]

Updated 10/8 waterfootball.com 3-4 DE rankings

# Marcell Dareus*, DE/DT, Alabama
Height: 6-3. Weight: 306.
Projected 40 Time: 4.90.
Projected Round (2011): Top 5 Pick.
10/8/10: Dareus has been a beast this year for Alabama. His power, strength, tenacity and athleticism are all prototypical to play 5-technique in the NFL. Because of his versatility, you can lock him into the top five picks.

5/8/10: Marcell Dareus can play for any defense, but is better suited for the 3-4. As a mere sophomore, Dareus notched 6.5 sacks in only four starts (Nick Saban habitually doesn't play his young guys over his veterans). Dareus will start in 2010 and is expected to reach double-digit sacks.

# Allen Bailey, DE/DT, Miami
Height: 6-4. Weight: 288.
Projected 40 Time: 4.80.
Projected Round (2010): Top 25 Pick.
10/8/10: Bailey has a ton of talent and has become a more consistent player this year. He is doing a better job of getting off blocks and using his hands. His ability as a pass rusher is limited, but he might be a better fit in the NFL at 5-technique than in college at 6-technique (4-3 DE) and 3-technique (4-3 DT).

5/8/10: Allen Bailey had been known as an athletic freak who never lived up to the hype. Well, that has completely changed. As a junior, Bailey had 11 TFL and seven sacks.

# Cameron Jordan, DE/DT, California
Height: 6-4. Weight: 290.
Projected 40 Time: 4.94.
Projected Round (2011): 1-2.
10/8/10: Jordan has been one of the biggest risers this season and might end up getting drafted in the top 20 picks if he continues to produce. His hand use and extension, strength and physicality are all off the charts. He already plays 3-4 defensive end for California, so this is a bonus when projecting him to the next level.

5/8/10: Had a great junior campaign, generating 9.5 TFL and eight sacks.

# Lawrence Guy*, DE/DT, Arizona State
Height: 6-5. Weight: 293.
Projected 40 Time: 4.91.
Projected Round (2011): 1-2.
10/8/10: Guy has very good weight room strength, nice athleticism and a good motor. However, he struggles when run at and this makes him not the best fit at 4-3 defensive tackle. At the 5-technique position, he'll be matched up 1v1 against an offensive tackle and be able to use his playing strengths.

5/8/10: Lawrence Guy had seven TFL and 4.5 sacks as a mere sophomore in 2009. Best fit is the 3-4.

# Nick Fairley*, DE/DT, Auburn
Height: 6-4. Weight: 299.
Projected 40 Time: 4.95.
Projected Round (2010): 1-2.
10/8/10: Fairley has really stepped up his game this season. He's been very active around the ball and doing a great job of shooting gaps and getting penetration. We love his quickness and athleticism, but he could do a better job with his hands and getting off blocks. Hopefully he continues to improve as the year goes on.

# Cameron Heyward, DE/DT, Ohio State
Height: 6-6. Weight: 287.
Projected 40 Time: 4.93.
Projected Round (2010): 1-2.
10/8/10: Heyward is a very, very inconsistent player, but with his size and strength, some coaching staff will feel like they can make him a better player than he really is. Heyward's best position is 5-technique because of his length and bulk. There is no doubt he has potential here, but he is not always as physical as he should be and often disappears.

5/8/10: Currently the top 3-4 end in the 2011 class, Cameron Heyward had 10 TFL and 6.5 sacks in 2009. He would have been a top-15 pick had he declared for the 2010 NFL Draft.

# Jared Crick*, DE/DT, Nebraska
Height: 6-6. Weight: 285.
Projected 40 Time: 4.88.
Projected Round (2011): 2-3.
10/8/10: Crick doesn't look like the same player without Ndamukong Suh. His game against Washington was terrible and I'll be watching him closely as the year progresses.

5/8/10: If Jared Crick has another year like 2009 (12.5 TFL, 9.5 sacks), he'll be a top 15 lock. He'll have to prove that he can get it done without Ndamukong Suh by his side, however. Crick can play in both the 4-3 and 3-4.

# Christian Ballard, DE/DT, Iowa
Height: 6-5. Weight: 285.
Projected 40 Time: 4.85.
Projected Round (2010): 2-3.
10/8/10: Ballard will go much higher than I believe he should. On tape, I've seen a player who is consistently soft, and the only time he really flashed was in the fourth quarter against Penn State. I like his athleticism and physical skill, but he is not a competitor and shies from contact - not good for a defensive lineman.

5/8/10: Had nine TFL and 5.5 sacks in 2009. Like Adrian Clayborn, Christian Ballard's best fit is in the 3-4.

# Jarvis Jenkins, DT, Clemson
Height: 6-4. Weight: 313.
Projected 40 Time: 5.06.
Projected Round (2011): 3-5.
10/8/10: Jenkins has the build you want as a 5-technique, but he's too inconsisten to be taken much earlier in the 2011 NFL Draft.

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# Cedric Thornton, DE/DT, Central Arkansas
Height: 6-4. Weight: 295.
Projected 40 Time: 5.10.
Projected Round (2011): 4-6.
10/8/10: Thornton is one of the biggest small-school sleepers in the 2011 NFL Draft, but I've heard he has been as dominant against inferior competition to be an early-round pick.

# Mike Blanc, DE/DT, Auburn
Height: 6-4. Weight: 288.
Projected 40 Time: 5.01.
Projected Round (2011): 4-6.
5/8/10: Mike Blanc had 6.5 TFL and 3.5 sacks as a junior.

# Ladi Ajiboye, DE/DT, South Carolina
Height: 6-3. Weight: 285.
Projected 40 Time: 4.95.
Projected Round (2011): 7-FA.
5/8/10: Arrested for marijuana before the 2009 season and suspended for three games. Had four TFL and no sacks in the remaining 10.

[Oldskool]

Updated 10/8 waterfootball.com 3-4 NT rankings

# Jerrell Powe, NT, Ole Miss
Height: 6-2. Weight: 330.
Projected 40 Time: 5.35.
Projected Round (2011): 1-2.
10/8/10: Powe's stock is on the decline this season. He's trying to prove he is a gap-shooting 3-technique. Instead, his coaching staff should let him be an immoveable object at the line of scrimmage. Powe needs to play with more power and be an anchor on the line.

5/8/10: The top nose tackle in the 2011 NFL Draft, Jerrell Powe collected 12 TFL and two sacks in 2009, earning All-SEC Second Team honors.

# Sione Fua, NT, Stanford
Height: 6-2. Weight: 308.
Projected 40 Time: 5.19.
Projected Round (2011): 2-3.
10/8/10: Fua has been a very active player this year for Stanford and I love how he stack and sheds blocks. He does a great job of taking on blocks and freeing up his linebackers to make plays. His stock is on the rise this season.

# Kendrick Ellis, NT, Hampton
Height: 6-5. Weight: 340.
Projected 40 Time: 5.41.
Projected Round (2011): 3-4.
10/8/10: Ellis has all the physical talent, but he has some work ethic concerns and isn't very consistent in games.

5/8/10: Kendrick Ellis dominted Division 1-AA football, notching 15 TFL as a junior.

# Phil Taylor, NT, Baylor
Height: 6-4. Weight: 355.
Projected 40 Time: 5.50.
Projected Round (2011): 3-5.
5/8/10: Like Terrence Cody, Phil Taylor's weight will need to be monitored. The prospect of adding a 355-pound nose tackle sounds nice until he shows up to training camp at 390.



# Ian Williams, NT, Notre Dame
Height: 6-2. Weight: 307.
Projected 40 Time: 5.25.
Projected Round (2011): 3-5.
10/8/10: Williams has had a good season for Notre Dame. He has the bulk you look for to hold up at the point of attack and he exhibits good power with a nice hand punch. His range is limited to make plays outside the phone booth.

# Anthony Gray, NT, Southern Miss
Height: 6-0. Weight: 314.
Projected 40 Time: 5.22.
Projected Round (2011): 5-7.
5/8/10: A solid nose tackle who earned an All-Conference USA honorable mention, Anthony Gray had 7.5 TFL and two sacks in 2009.

[stevemcqueen1]

Nice call on Sione Fua. I'd been meaning to talk about him after the Oregon game, but I forgot about it. He's not a very explosive player, but to my eye he looks like the kind of player we need to two gap and play run defense. I think McGuire is off on a lot of his projections though. At this point, I'd be stunned if Powe were taken in the first. There is no way he's a better prospect than Terrence Cody was. I bet he'll be available to us at our pick in the second round. I would be very surprised if Fua gets taken ahead of Ellis because Ellis can pass rush and move around the line. Cam Thomas fell into the 5th round even though he had a great All-Star week. Fua is about on a level with Thomas. I'd expect him to be available late in the fourth or fifth round this year. I see Taylor sliding into the sixth before some team takes him based on the few flashes he demonstrated last year and his size. There's also no way that Ian Williams will get taken as high as round three by a 3-4 defense. He's just not a good nose tackle and is miscast in ND's new 3-4 scheme. He looks more like he'll get taken in the 6th-7th round range if he has a good senior bowl.

[earl]

wow based on those projections it looks like Dareus is out of the picture unless we finish in the bottom 5. But Quinn may be in! also it looks like there are some real good value picks to fix our 3-4 in the 3rd-4th round and beyond. If true, then i guess i wouldn't be so opposed to taking a "luxury" position like WR early. But the later rounds in my dream draft were primarily to shore up the interior O Line. So based on these projection i wouldn't mind:
1. Quinn
2. Floyd/ Jones/ Baldwin
5. Ellis
6.OL/ LB
7. OL/LB

hopefully we can trade back into the middle rounds where the real value is.

[stevemcqueen1]

wow based on those projections it looks like Dareus is out of the picture unless we finish in the bottom 5. But Quinn may be in! also it looks like there are some real good value picks to fix our 3-4 in the 3rd-4th round and beyond. If true, then i guess i wouldn't be so opposed to taking a "luxury" position like WR early. But the later rounds in my dream draft were primarily to shore up the interior O Line. So based on these projection i wouldn't mind:
1. Quinn
2. Floyd/ Jones/ Baldwin
5. Ellis
6.OL/ LB
7. OL/LB

hopefully we can trade back into the middle rounds where the real value is.

I disagree with the projections for both Quinn and Dareus that Walterfootball gives. I don't at all think Dareus is the top 5 lock that they do. Just going on who I think the five best players in the class are, his name doesn't crack the list: (Ingram, Peterson, Green, Amukamara, Quinn), plus you have Luck, Gabbert, Devlin, and Locker lurking around the top ten as well as Janoris Jenkins, Adrian Clayborn, and Aaron Williams.

Looking specifically at Dareus though, I don't think he's had the production to solidify himself as a top ten pick yet. He's had one really good game this year (Florida). He had another where he was basically invisible (Duke), another where he was invisible again but hurt his ankle (Arkansas), and then he was suspended for two others. Go back to the year before that and he only had four starts and most of his production came in a reserve role. His national championship game was impressive, but when you add that together with his Florida game, that's only two dominant performances under his belt. It also doesn't help that he gets rotated off for so many snaps each game. To get taken in the top 5 as a defensive tackle in a 4-3, you need a lot more than that. You need to have a Dorsey/Suh/McCoy style resume. Especially since this is a very strong draft class. Now the fact that he can play 5 technique helps his value because right now the top six picks in the draft are some combination of:

1. Buffalo (3-4)
2. San Francisco (3-4 base)
3. Carolina
4. Detroit
5. New England (3-4 base)
6. Cleveland (3-4)

But I think that just means we'll see the top 6 picks be:
1. Bills - Andrew Luck
2. 49ers - Blaine Gabbert/Jake Locker
3. Panthers - A.J. Green
4. Lions - Patrick Peterson
5. Patriots - Mark Ingram/Adrian Clayborn/Prince Amukamara
6. Cleveland - Adrian Clayborn/Robert Quinn

The earliest I could see Dareus getting taken is by Dallas at pick 7, but they'll probably turn their season around and avoid a top 10 pick (and then target an offensive lineman).

On the flip side, I could see Quinn dropping like a stone in the draft too because there's a good chance he won't play all season. 3-4 OLB has low positional value in the draft too.

[Dukes and Skins]

Nice call on Sione Fua. I'd been meaning to talk about him after the Oregon game, but I forgot about it. He's not a very explosive player, but to my eye he looks like the kind of player we need to two gap and play run defense. I think McGuire is off on a lot of his projections though. At this point, I'd be stunned if Powe were taken in the first. There is no way he's a better prospect than Terrence Cody was. I bet he'll be available to us at our pick in the second round. I would be very surprised if Fua gets taken ahead of Ellis because Ellis can pass rush and move around the line. Cam Thomas fell into the 5th round even though he had a great All-Star week. Fua is about on a level with Thomas. I'd expect him to be available late in the fourth or fifth round this year. I see Taylor sliding into the sixth before some team takes him based on the few flashes he demonstrated last year and his size. There's also no way that Ian Williams will get taken as high as round three by a 3-4 defense. He's just not a good nose tackle and is miscast in ND's new 3-4 scheme. He looks more like he'll get taken in the 6th-7th round range if he has a good senior bowl.

I definitely need to go watch some film on the NT's some more. I obviously had Taylor too high and Kendrick Ellis too low. Hopefully I'll have a better idea of the guys then and better identify who should be ranked where

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

So Locker is still a top 5 pick? I thought for sure that the Nebraska game would put the brakes on that.

[Dukes and Skins]

So Locker is still a top 5 pick? I thought for sure that the Nebraska game would put the brakes on that.

Right now I have him going #6 to Jacksonville most of it due to the need of a QB for them as Garrard is just not the answer at QB for them. He's an iffy one though because some say the potential he has is the reason to take him in the top 10 and others will point to his inconsistency and say he's a mid 1st to late 1st round pick.

[skinsfan190]

IMO this draft is really strong in most of our area of needs
RB, WR , 3-4 DE, ILB
On the other hand, it seems this draft will be weak on the OL and NT
Here are the guys I love

RBs
Ryan Williams
Mark Ingram
Love them both. Just great hard nosed runners. Neither has elite speed. probably 4.50ish. Doesn't matter those. I think both a Pro Bowl RBS.

WRs
AJ Green-BEAST, IMO he's in the class with Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitz, and Andre Johnson as a WR Prospect
Julio Jones-Beast also but has been a little inconsisant catching the ball. Very talented those. Plays with 2 great RBs so he wont put up spread #s

I liked Jon Baldwin and Michael Floyd before the season but haven't seen them too much this season yet. I'll have to go back and watch them.

I think our 1st round pick should be on 1 of the 4 guys above. Obviously where we pick will have a lot to do with whose avaliable. We need playmakers. We'll see how Torain does this season, because we may not need a RB after this season. Who knows. I think AJ Green will end up going top 5 so i don't think we will have a chance to get him. Jones could be avalible between 15 and the early 20s so he might be more realistic

I also love OLB Robert Quinn from UNC. He would be sick opposite Orakpo. Unfotunately he'll most likely be a top 5 pick. Same with 3-4 DE Marcel Darus.

As far as ILB, I love London Fletcher but I don't think he is gonna be able to be as effective in this 3-4. Perry Riely looked good in the preseason so he could be the future at that position. I like UNCs Quan Sturdivant as a possible 2nd rounder. I also like LSU's Kelvin Sheppard and Alabama's Donta Hightower.

There's a lil breakdown of some of my thoughts

[theboomking]

I disagree with the projections for both Quinn and Dareus that Walterfootball gives. I don't at all think Dareus is the top 5 lock that they do. Just going on who I think the five best players in the class are, his name doesn't crack the list: (Ingram, Peterson, Green, Amukamara, Quinn), plus you have Luck, Gabbert, Devlin, and Locker lurking around the top ten as well as Janoris Jenkins, Adrian Clayborn, and Aaron Williams.

On the flip side, I could see Quinn dropping like a stone in the draft too because there's a good chance he won't play all season. 3-4 OLB has low positional value in the draft too.

The positional value bit isn't always true. Teams are sometimes taking OLB's much higher than they historically have been as evidenced by DeMarcus Ware and Shawne Merrimen. They aren't usually top 5 picks, but are frequently top 12-15 picks.

If Quinn doesn't play this year, will he declare for the draft? Where would you see him going if he doesn't play and does declare? Maybe in the Dez Bryant range?

[Dukes and Skins]

The positional value bit isn't always true. Teams are sometimes taking OLB's much higher than they historically have been as evidenced by DeMarcus Ware and Shawne Merrimen. They aren't usually top 5 picks, but are frequently top 12-15 picks.

If Quinn doesn't play this year, will he declare for the draft? Where would you see him going if he doesn't play and does declare? Maybe in the Dez Bryant range?

If he doesn't play and declares then he's a top 15 pick but if he plays at all this year and has any good games then he's a lock for the top 10 no doubt about it

[Kostaskins]

i dont know. if he even plays at all he will be rusty and that will hurt his draft stock... which in turn could be good for us. if we really really wanted him and well look at the tape and saw allot of potential and well fit into our system.

[stevemcqueen1]

The positional value bit isn't always true. Teams are sometimes taking OLB's much higher than they historically have been as evidenced by DeMarcus Ware and Shawne Merrimen. They aren't usually top 5 picks, but are frequently top 12-15 picks.

If Quinn doesn't play this year, will he declare for the draft? Where would you see him going if he doesn't play and does declare? Maybe in the Dez Bryant range?

I think we can all agree that Shawne Merriman (DPOY pre-achilles injury form) and DeMarcus Ware were the two best players in that draft class and they both fell pretty far in a year with a very weak top ten. Maybe the 3-4 OLB position's draft value has increased some since more teams run the scheme and we did see Vernon Gholston get taken 6th. But as recently as 2009, Brian Orakpo and Clay Matthews fell to 13th and 26th respectively, and it was in one of the weakest perceived draft classes in years. The position has much worse draft value than 4-3 DE, and it might even be worse than 4-3 WLB.

Last year, a very strong year, the first 3-4 OLB wasn't taken until Koa Misi was picked by the Dolphins at 40. Part of that was because Brandon Graham and Jerry Hughes were taken by 4-3 teams at 13 and 31, but who knows how far they might have fallen had their teams not seen value for them in a 4-3 front?

I predicted that Quinn would fall into the teens back in early August, long before I found out about his suspension. Now I'm almost certain he will unless a 4-3 team wants to gamble that he could be a good strong side defensive end. Quinn is a good player but he's not perfect. He doesn't have a wide array of pass-rushing moves and there will be questions about his coverage ability and medical questions about his brain tumor. And missing so much time is going to bury him just like it did for Dez Bryant last year. His body of work doesn't compare favorably to Von Miller or Jeremy Beal's, and Akeem Ayers has gained a lot of ground this year.

I'm more anxious about whether or not a player like Adrian Clayborn or Marcell Dareus might fall to us. I actually feel good about the ability of our OLBs as long as we keep Carter around for nickel situations. Don't get me wrong, I think Quinn is a brilliant talent and I'd love to have him, but I think a blue-chip defensive lineman like Dareus might be able to have a bigger impact on our defense. I want us to focus on building the ability to dominate the trenches on that side of the ball.

EDIT: Forgot Aaron Rodgers was in the 2005 class. Let's say Merriman and Ware were two of the three best players in that class, and were the two who made the biggest, and most immediate impact.

[stevemcqueen1]

Does the release of Devin Thomas change how any of you feel about drafting a receiver early? I've got to say it does for me a little. This is mainly because I don't see anyone with upside left on the roster at the position, and I'd like for us to acquire someone who has some.

The Bama-USC game was a showcase of spectacular receivers. The more I watch Jones, the more impressed I become with his overall skill-set. He's the type of player who will be a far more productive pro than he is in college. I think he's got top 5 talent and is a threat to score every time he has the ball. If he's there if we pick in the late teens or twenties, I imagine he'd be the BPA. Alshon Jeffery is pretty spectacular too, and I thought he looked even better than Jones did. Too bad he's not eligible yet. He looks like a potential blue chipper for next season.

[Taylorfan2179]

Where does Torrey Smith project?
Terps always seem to have 1 stud on their roster.
(Campbell, DHB, Davis, Merriman, EJ)

DHB and Campbell are far from studs. freak athletes yes. studs? hardly, but aren't they both on the raiders? I don't know about campbell I just have a feeling that davis saw speed in a 300 lb man and got turned on. Merriman hasnt been the same since he got busted for roids. EJ is solid, as is Davis.