2010 NFL Draft Coverage – Defensive End Preview
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The NFL draft moves to primetime for the first time in 2010. The first round will be in PRIMETIME, and takes place on Thursday April 22nd at 7:30 p.m. ET. The NFL Draft second and third rounds are on Friday April 23 at 6 p.m. ET. Rounds Four thru Seven will be held on Saturday April 24th at 10 a.m. ET.
With all that said the 2010 NFL Draft is rapidly coming up on us and our College football handicapping expert James Hayes has begun analyzing player data from the Combine and PRO workout days.
He’s begun writing his online NFL draft position by position scouting reports.
Onto the 2010 Defensive Ends – (DE) Rankings –
JASON PIERRE-PAUL, South Florida
“JPP” is a raw prospect who needs room to grow both physically and mentally. That being said, everything else he brings to the table is scrumptious enough to whet any team’s appetite. Pierre-Paul has a huge amount of upside; he comes in at 6”6, 270 lbs with a frame very conducive to adding bulk and strength. His array of moves are impressive; he uses his hands well, anticipates a snap count, has incredibly long arms and a smoking first step off the line. He has more strength than you’d expect, though it would be nice if he put more effort into run-stuffing.
He doesn’t have the spotless passion and work ethic of other prospects, but JPP’s skill-set alone will have him off the board in the first 20-25 picks.
DERRICK MORGAN, Georgia Tech
Morgan is probably the DE best suited to a 4-3 scheme. He is a well-rounded guy who is very polished; he’s only a junior. He has all the pass-rush moves and always plays with a high motor, which is great to see. He is flexible in every sense of the word (he could play LE or RE) and at 270 lbs he has enough bulk to stop the run too.
Morgan is at his best with his hand on the ground, so he probably won’t get a sniff from a 3-4 team, but he’s made great strides leading up to Draft Day and he could very well be off the board in the first 25 selections.
BRANDON GRAHAM, Michigan
One of the lone bright spots in Ann Arbor the past few seasons doesn’t have the physical gifts of a Pierre-Paul, but Graham has the Rudy-esque heart to make an impact in the NFL. He goes at 6”1, 265 and never takes a play off. He plays with strength and strives to better himself in the weight room; his 31 reps on the bench at the Combine shows that he’s not doing bad already. He has great intangibles, diagnoses plays soundly and boosted his stock with a strong Senior Bowl performance. Graham’s speed isn’t great and his arms are stubby, but whoever drafts him will get a player that will spill his guts to get to the quarterback and snuff a ballcarrier.
A safe pick that will be gone in the first round somewhere.
EVERSON GRIFFEN, USC
This Trojan shows up great on the measured workouts, but some have questioned his leadership and his love for the game. At 6”3, 280 lbs, Griffen has good size and phenomenal speed for his size, he clocked a sub-4.6 forty at his Pro Day. Some teams like workout warriors, but they should also red-flag Griffen’s competitiveness (or lack thereof) and his waning intensity.
Some scouts have called Griffen soft. Still, his tremendous athleticism (he was a running back in high school!) will get him noticed by some; he might go at the end of the first or early in the second round.
CARLOS DUNLAP, Florida
Not unlike Griffen, Dunlap has a freakish combo of size and speed. The Gainesville product is 6”6, 270 lbs and burned a 4.7 forty at the Combine. Also similar to Griffen, there are character concerns swirling around Dunlap – elements more serious than Griffen’s malaise. Dunlap got arrested for a DUI ; he was found passed out in his car with the clutch in gear at a green light. Obviously, teams will have to do their homework if they plan to invest big money in Dunlap. When you see him on the field, though, you see a dynamic player than can crush running backs and ratchet it up against field generals with ease.
He’ll probably go as a guy with great value in the second round.
Honorable Mention: Tyson Alualu, California This end/tackle ’tweener played out of position at Cal, but is a bullish strong guy with plenty of upside.
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