The-Mainboard.com 2011 NFL Draft Draft Big Board

Part II - Players Ranked 17-32
Part III - Players Ranked 33-48
Part IV - Players Ranked 49-64

The-Mainboard.com 2011 NFL Draft Initial Big Board

List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson. Discuss the rankings with Neal by clicking here

1. DE Robert Quinn, North Carolina
-Quinn tops the board going into the season. Much like a former Tar Heel, Quinn is your prototypical 4-3 defensive end. He uses his quick first step to gain initial advantage over opposing offensive linemen. After he has established the advantage he is able to either beat you with a quick move to the inside, overpower you with a bull rush or has enough speed to get the edge and beat most offensive linemen that way. He also keeps his hands active and most of the time uses proper leverage to maintain the advantage he initially gains off of the snap. All that with being 6'5 and 270 pounds and you have yourself one of the most complete defensive ends in the nation. Quinn also has the ability to potentially play as a 3-4 outside linebacker, however I would imagine he gets selected as a defensive end come next April. He does have a tendency to go to fast when flying to the fall and does tend miss the initial wrap up, but most of the time is able to quickly recover and finish up what he started.

2. DE Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
-Clayborn is right on the heels of Quinn. Not many outside of Big Ten country knew Clayborn until the Orange Bowl last season where he exploded onto the national scene to most. He is a bit bigger than Quinn, measuring 6'4 and 285 pounds, however he still has the necessary speed off the edge to be a monster. Like most Hawkeye linemen, Clayborn is extremely sound fundamentally when he is engaged with an opposing offensive linemen. He uses his hands very well and maintains good leverage throughout the play. He probably doesn't have the sheer athleticism that Quinn possesses or the freakish athlete body, but Clayborn has a tremendous motor and all he does is produce week in and week out, evidenced by last year. In the NFL, Clayborn can either be a 4-3 defensive end or play end in a 3-4 scheme as well. The biggest thing that sticks out as a negative with Clayborn is the tendency to go high on tackles and use his arms to much. This was seen a few times against the Yellow Jackets in the Orange Bowl, but usually has the motor to make up for it which allows him to close out the play if he misses once much like Quinn.

3. QB Jake Locker, Washington
-Locker is probably the most hyped player going into the 2011 NFL Draft and that isn't to much of a surprise as he could have possibly been the #1 selection if he had come out last year. There are those that say his hype is unwarranted, however going into the season I would disagree with those claims. There is no debating Locker's arm, it is in the top group of this year's potential prospects. His first two years he wasn't able to put it all together and was just getting by with his athletic ability. Under first year head coach Steve Sarkisian, the progress was very encouraging. Locker improved his footwork dramatically and didn't look to run the minute things broke down in the pocket. He displayed the ability to make every throw the NFL requires and often times made it look easy. He certainly isn't a finished product and a lot of ranking is dependent on him building off of the improvements he made last year and which I expect this year as well. He does need to finish up his footwork in the pocket a bit and needs to continue building on his longer throws in terms of accurately placing the ball more often.

4. CB Patrick Peterson, LSU
-I originally had Ras-I Dowling above Peterson, but was after looking more closely was off on that one. Peterson has everything you want in a NFL shut down corner. In addition to being 6'1 and 222 pounds, his change of direction and hips are outstanding. Usually your bigger cornerbacks are physical, however aren't able to keep up with speedier receivers. Peterson however is able to keep up with the best of them with relative ease which will allow him to be matched with the other team's number one regardless of what type of receiver he is. In addition to his coverage skills, Peterson is very physical and is an above average tackler which you expect with his size. If there is one possible area of concern it is his aggressiveness. He tends to play very aggressive which can lead to him getting burnt on occasion due to it. I don't necessarily view that as a weakness as with time that will be reigned in.

5. QB Andrew Luck, Stanford
-I know there are a lot of skeptics out there in regards to Luck. That is he isn't far enough into his playing career to make proper assessments and so forth. Those concerns aren't necessarily invalid, however Luck is a special talent. His poise in the pocket as a freshman was outstanding. He didn't panic often and held his own and wasn't afraid to step up and deliver strikes to his receivers. His mobility isn't that of Locker's, Luck has more than enough which shows on roll outs and his mobility inside the pocket. Outside of Mallett, he has the best arm of the group and he may be on par with Mallett. It is tough to tell but either way, Luck's arm is for real and will have no problem making any throw in the NFL. The touch he has on his throws and the accuracy he has displayed making tough throws is uncanny as a freshman QB. With all of that said, if there is one weakness for Luck it would just be continuing to learn. Obviously as a redshirt freshman he wasn't the best decision maker, however that will certainly develop this year one would expect.

6. WR A.J. Green, Georgia
-I was surprised when I first saw Green slip to #6. I don't think badly of him at all, however just that talented of a draft class this year in my opinion. Green's best asset is definitely his size at the position. At 6'4 and 212 pounds, Green is an outstanding target for any quarterback. He has excellent leaping ability and shows a great tendency to go up and get the ball at the highest point. His hands are very reliable and arguably the best in this class, although Michael Floyd gives him a run for his money. In addition to this, he has the speed to not just be a possession receiver but can add big play ability to any offense. The biggest thing for Green to work on is that of any receiver his age, which is both route running and working in the weight room. His route running is above average but still needs some work which will come with time. He is still a bit skinny and just needs to gain a little strength to deal with the more physical corners on the next level. But neither concerns are major and will come within the next few years as he continues to develop.

7. DT Jurrell Casey, Southern California
-Casey is the fastest riser on my board after looking at everyone more closely. Casey is one of the best put together defensive tackles entering the year at 6'1 and 305 pounds. Casey has outstanding fundamentals and doesn't rely solely on his athletic ability and sheer power, however he stays low to the ground and has quick, active hands as well. Casey shows an explosiveness off of the line that few defensive tackles showed last year. He is able to quickly penetrate into the backfield and although he goes a tad high doesn't just go for the big hit but wraps up. So even if he can't get the QB down, he slows the opposing player down enough for his teammates to get there. In addition he has displayed the ability to shed blockers against a double team and hold the point of attack. This wasn't always the case and something he needs to do more consistently but there is no doubt all the talent is there for him to solidify himself as a top 10-15 pick.

8. WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
-Behind Green, there are a few that can make the case to be the second receiver off the board but as of right now I think it has to be Floyd. Like Green, Floyd as tremendous size measuring in at 6-3 and 220 pounds. He is more physical than Green and that is the one area where one can make the argument where he is better than Green. Floyd has an outstanding ability adjusting to the ball and attacking the ball at the highest point. Floyd demonstrated outstanding hands and that shouldn't be an issue with those thinking about drafting him. The two main areas where Floyd is not well received is the lack of top end speed and the durability concerns. I don't buy into the top speed argument as I think he has more than enough speed to do damage in the NFL but the durability concerns are something to look at closely throughout the year.

9. CB Aaron Williams, Texas
-I don't think Williams is quite on the level of Peterson, however he isn't to far behind either. He isn't in Peterson's league when it comes to size measuring 6'1 and only roughly 200 pounds. Williams has excellent hips and a back pedal similar to Peterson but might be a notch below. Either way he has the ability to stay with quicker receivers and the physical nature to cause problems for smaller receivers trying to get off of the line. Williams is great at seeing the ball in the air and is able to use his size to force tougher throws and the length to deflect and intercept jump balls. On top of his pass coverage, Williams is also a physical defender who doesn't shy away from contact. Which is a bit surprising as he looks rather lean without the overall mass of Peterson, however isn't afraid from playing the run and does a good job at getting opposing players down. As he makes the transition to the league, I do think he has to add a little bit of mass as it may be more of an issue for him at the next level than it is currently.

10. DE Marcell Dareus, Alabama
-Dareus is arguably the best 3-4 defensive end going into the 2011 NFL Draft. He is unmatched weighing in at 6'3 and 305 pounds roughly. Although he has the size, the most impressive thing about him is the speed. He has great explosiveness off of the edge and uses both his size and speed to get to the quarterback. In addition to just being able to clog up lanes, he is able to rush the passer and should attract many suitors as he is perfect for the hybrid 3-4 defensive scheme. He has displayed an excellent motor throughout the past year for the Crimson Tide and there is no doubt that he has the work ethic to be a star at the NFL level. In terms of tackling, he usually doesn't allow to many to slip away when he has them in sight. The one knock on Dareus that has been said is that he sometimes gets away from using proper technique which can be seen on occasion but isn't as much of a factor as I thought it would be.

11. RB Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
-Williams is in my opinion the best pure runner eligible for this class. He has great power and doesn't hesitate one bit when hitting the hole. He shows great vision in allowing his offensive line to get set and if something isn't there he is great at waiting to find the smallest seam and taking advantage of it when it comes open. He also has the speed to turn the corner and break free down the sidelines. He isn't a Noel Devine but has more than enough speed to beat a linebacker and get to the corner quicker. He also has shown great ability out of the backfield at catching the ball. Overall it is certainly him and Mark Ingram battling for the top spot and would expect that battle to continue all season long. The one area that some don't like is the overall lack of major top end speed which keeps him from being a Adrian Peterson type runner but few have the size and speed combination, however there is no doubt Williams is a hard runner who should attract plenty of teams in April if he wishes to come out.

12. OLB Travis Lewis, Oklahoma
-Lewis is an extremely impressive linebacker prospect heading into April and for me has taken over the top spot at the OLB position. He might be a tad undersized but it isn't a big concern at 6'3 and 232 pounds right now. On film you can see he is a very instinctive linebacker and has a nose for where the play is developing and doesn't hesitate in attacking the play head on. A big part of Lewis's game is the ability to come off of the edge. He has shown a great ability of getting into the backfield and creating havoc on the other team's quarterback. With his speed comes the ability to cover sideline to sideline with relative ease. Even if a play is developing away from him he has the ability to chase it down and make the play. The one knock on him going into the season is the ability to take on blockers head on and blow up running plays more often. He often gets taken out by an opposing offensive lineman looking to open up a hole for the running game. More strength will help but needs to consistently use his hands to disengage and not get driven out of plays like can sometimes happen.

13. RB Mark Ingram, Alabama
-Like I said with regards to Ryan Williams, Mark Ingram is closely behind him for the top spot at running back. Ingram is an all around excellent running back. He might not have the same speed as Williams but is just as physical if not more. He hits the hole hard and like Williams is very patient allowing the offensive line to give him something to work with. He is outstanding as keeping his feet moving and not being taken down easily. I would say he is the best at this among running back prospects going into the year and he is extremely hard to bring down individually due to his feet always moving. He is a threat out of the backfield like Williams and can be used as a weapon on screens and as a check down. The main thing holding Ingram back from being a top five caliber runner is again the speed. He is a great guy at getting good chunks of yardage consistently but will have a hard time creating separation against NFL secondaries. Either way he is going to be taken highly come April much like Williams.

14. WR Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh
-Baldwin has arguably the most impressive size of any receiver eligible to come out this year coming in at 6'5 and 230 pounds. He is arguably the most physically gifted receiver having a tight end body at the receiver position. Like Floyd and Green, Baldwin's best attribute is his size. He isn't going to lose to many jump balls and should be able to bail out his quarterback many times over his NFL career. He is a physical receiver who isn't easy to bring down. He has great leaping ability and makes it look easy grabbing balls out of the air and isn't afraid to leave his feet. When comparing Baldwin to Green, the thing that stands out is probably the top end speed. Baldwin is deceptively fast with long strides but isn't going to separate from secondaries often while Green has bigger play ability with being able to stretch the field more often.

15. FS Rahim Moore, UCLA
-Going into the year it is a three horse race for the top safety in this class between Williams, Moore and McDaniel. I tend to prefer Moore a bit over the other two with his ball skills. He isn't as big as the others, however has a great ability to play the ball while it is in the air. His recovery speed is outstanding and can get to the ball quickly as soon as he sees where the quarterback is going. Due to this he is arguably the biggest playmaker amongst the three when it comes to interceptions. His hands are outstanding as well which isn't surprising as amassing the amount of interceptions he has that is pretty much a given. The main concern with Moore is his size. He is only 6'1 and 200 pounds which shows on film. He isn't as physical as one would like and doesn't have the killer instinct when going to make a tackle. This is something to watch as a guy like McDaniel may be more attractive if Moore can't bulk up throughout the year.

16. OT/OG Nate Potter, Boise State
-Potter is an interesting case and should be one of the fastest rising players amongst the national pundits throughout the year if things go right. He moved from left tackle to left guard with Boise State being deeper at tackle than at guard, not to mention Potter's strength to take on collegiate defensive tackles. It is going to be a case to watch throughout the season to see how he develops. I think he is the most talented offensive lineman before the season starts. He has quick feet and agility not to mention the mean streak that other guys just don't possess, which is evidenced by the move to guard. He has been very receptive to the change and has embraced which bodes well for how NFL teams will look at him come April I would imagine. At either position, Potter should be a plus player and the versatility should help him like it did Ryan Clady an ex Boise State standout. The one thing to watch is the holding inside as the move to guard sometimes exploits that, which hampered Mike Iupati a year ago but I think Potter is quicker than Iupati was at this point.

Check back in for the next 16 on the Big Board tomorrow

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