TMB 2011 NFL Draft Big Board - Part IV

Part I - Players Ranked 1 - 16
Part II - Players Ranked 17-32
Part III - Players Ranked 33-48

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

49. OG Rodney Hudson, Florida State
-Like Wisniewski of Penn State, Hudson's biggest aspect is his athleticism from the guard spot. Hudson has one of the quickest set of feet amongst offensive linemen that are eligible for this year's NFL draft. He has great agility and rarely gets beat inside by speed, which for a league that is becoming speed crazy should give him an advantage in that department. He uses his hands well and isn't as much of a grabber like some other top fleet guards have been coming out of the draft in the past few years. The biggest thing to me that is Hudson's problem and something I am not sure he can get up will be the weight concern that some have with him. He is measured in at 285 pounds and that is a big red flag for NFL teams, due to the size of nose tackles these days. 300 may be the magic number for him come February when the NFL combine is held in Indianapolis. If he isn't able to pack on the pounds, he may be one of the biggest fallers of this list as one of the top guards coming into the year last year Anthony Render went from 2nd to 3rd round consideration to being undrafted due to size concerns.

50. DE/OLB Jack Crawford, Penn State
-Crawford is the next defensive star to come out of Penn State it seems. During the 2009 campaign, Crawford had a break out season and displayed the potential that he possesses. He is quick off of the edge and has the strength to go with it as well. He is a bit raw but during his first full year of playing time, he proved to be a good replacement for former Nittany Lion Aaron Maybin. Crawford reminds me a bit of Maybin, although I think at this time he is a bit better than Maybin at comparable points in their career. Crawford likely projects as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defensive scheme in the NFL and should be able to jump up into the top tier group of hybrid linebackers with another big year for the Nittany Lions. The one negative would be him being a bit raw. His size and speed are huge assets but needs to work on staying low more consistently and using his hands to disengage blockers more effectively.

51. OT Anthony Castonzo, Boston College
-Castonzo is much higher on other people's projections going into the year and although I like him, I am not in love with him. He is another extremely agile prospect who has outstanding feet and uses that as his primary asset. He is able to contain the edge quite often by beating defensive linemen to the edge forcing them to take a wider angle into the quarterback. That will certainly draw plenty of attention to him and that is why a lot are high on him. In what is becoming a smaller and more athletic defensive front for a lot of teams, especially at the end position Castonzo is able to project nicely in covering them. However the big knock on him, much like Rodney Hudson, is the size concern that teams will have. He is below 300 pounds right now and the strength isn't their for him like a Nate Potter. He is going to have to work to get that up as the agility is great, however defensive ends in the NFL have both speed and strength. So even if he can beat ends to the edge, the concern will be the bull rush and how well he can contain that at the next level.

52. OC Kris O'Dowd, Southern California
-O'Dowd enters the year as the top pure center for me among draft eligible prospects for the 2011 NFL draft. Unlike some other linemen this year, O'Dowd has more strength than agility. O'Dowd isn't the quickest nor the fastest center prospect but he is extremely polished using great technique. He has started since his freshman season at Southern California which is a big plus in terms of overall experience at the position. With more teams going towards a 3-4 defensive front, O'Dowd has the most strength among the second tier offensive linemen and could very well be the first off the board among interior linemen come April. The biggest issue with O'Dowd outside of the elite athleticism would be the durability concerns. His career at USC has been plagued with injuries and that probably is the biggest reason why he could slip from the first round as interior linemen are easier to find throughout the draft than offensive tackles. Either way O'Dowd shouldn't fall farther than the middle part of the third round and could very well end up in the first round if he proves that the injuries are behind him.

53. DE Cameron Jordan, California
-Jordan is among the second tier of defensive end prospects for the 3-4 in my initial big board. Cal already plays some 3-4 which is a plus in translating Jordan to the position. He does a good job of using his hands to disengage blockers rather than trying to use pure speed or strength. He uses good leverage to keep from being pushed out of a play by opposing offensive linemen as well. I think overall he is behind some others due to the lack of flash. He is an overall good player in all areas but doesn't have that one area that sticks out to you and is among the top within his class. He should be a solid 2nd to 3rd rounder going into the year with the chance to play his way up if he begins to wreak havoc in the backfield showing himself as a potential dual threat 3-4 end in that he can clog up running lanes as well as improving as a pass rusher.

54. WR Austin Pettis, Boise State
-I initially had Pettis as the best WR from his own team, however that changed after focusing more of my attention on Titus Young. Pettis is an all around good receiver who does everything well but doesn't have that elite quality that may garner him a first round spot. He runs very good routes for being in a spread system and comes in and out of his routes very well. He displays a good set of hands and rarely drops balls that should be caught, which not all of the big time receivers coming out this year can say. He does have the outstanding ability of adjusting his body while the ball is in the air. Boise uses him a lot down at the goal line and a lot of throws are off line and he has to adjust to get them, in which he does a great job at getting his body in a position to make the catch almost every time. The biggest thing from Pettis that will hurt him and what his teammate has is the lack of big play ability and overall speed. He is a nice possession receiver, but the ceiling as high as the other guys that are ahead of him at this stage of the evaluation period.

55. OG/OC Mike Pouncey, Florida
-His brother wound up a first round selection of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2010 NFL Draft and it wouldn't surprise me if Mike winds up there after a year at a new position. The biggest asset that Pouncey has is his blocking in the run game. He is much like O'Dowd in terms of being big and strong which showed when Pouncey was blocking in the run game. He did a great job at not grabbing and rather driving opposing defensive linemen off of the ball using good leverage and his overall strength. Although his strength is arguably at the top of this class, he doesn't have the agility and overall athleticism that his twin brother had. I think the move to center will help increase his value as that will limit his exposure to speed inside and showcase his run blocking even more than he did at the guard spot. Overall he might be lower than what he should be but I think after a year of center under his belt, he should rise up boards and possibly find himself in the later part of the first round.

56. ILB Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina
-Sturdivant is yet another member of the North Carolina defense to make the initial cut for me. He isn't a freakish athlete like the others, but is all around a very good and productive football player. The move from outside linebacker to inside linebacker has paid off and probably enhanced his value. Although he isn't the quickest straight line guy, he does have very good lateral quickness and can change directions very well in order to make a play that is going away from him. He is good and taking on blockers front on and using his hands to disengage rather than being eat up by opposing linemen and being taken out of the play. He is a sure tackler and doesn't whiff on to many opportunities to bring the opposition down. Like with Greg Jones, Sturdivant just isn't a physical beast or insane athlete that middle linebackers usually are that go in the first round. He should be a productive player in the league, but don't see a team taking him with their first round selection.

57. DT Stephen Paea, Oregon State
-Like pointed out in another thread I have started, I am not as high on Paea entering the year as some others who have talked about him as possibly the first defensive tackle off of the board. I like him but again not sure I love before seeing more of him. He is very quick off of the ball and has great explosiveness off of the line. He does have active hands which allows him to disengage quicker, but does tend to shoot up out of his stance which allows opposing offensive linemen to latch on and keep him contained. Not sure he is the athlete of some of the other defensive line prospects ahead of him, however he has an excellent work ethic and seems not to be satisfied with himself and expects the best. He has the ability to be a quick penetrating 4-3 defensive tackle or he has the ability to kick outside in a 3-4 and be a hybrid type defensive end that is becoming popular in the league. I think at the outset of the season he has a solid second round grade and if he proves me wrong and continues to improve could see him going to a team like the Colts in the later part of the first round.

58. OT/OG DeMarcus Love, Arkansas
-Although Ryan Mallett is getting all of the attention for the Razorbacks entering the year, it wouldn't surprise me if Love is the first Arkansas player off of the board come April. Love has tremendous versatility with the ability to play outside at the tackle position or probably where he is best suited on the inside at guard. He is very quick off of the ball and has great strength with the ability to drive opposing linemen off of the ball rather easily. He does have a slight issue of being over aggressive and trying to recover by reaching out which similar guards have the issue with. He tries to get by with brute strength and in the NFL defensive linemen will begin to exploit that more as he won't be able to hide as he does at the collegiate level. Overall though, I think he has the most potential of all offensive linemen prospects to shoot up the board and potentially challenge for one of the top offensive linemen off of the board. He has a great ceiling and probably more so than the offensive linemen above him do.

59. OLB Dontay Moch, Nevada
-Moch plays defensive end for the Wolfpack, however he projects best at outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. He is undersized and that definitely showed against Missouri last season. He doesn't have to many moves to the outside, but doesn't have elite speed either. However he is great fundamentally and does show a great burst off of the line of scrimmage that gives him a head start and he is able to use his hands to get by opposing offensive linemen. He shows great pursuit for the ball and stretch plays to the outside he is very good at chasing the play down even if it doesn't look like he has a great shot at the play. Overall though he doesn't possess the athleticism like a Von Miller who is closer to the first round and Moch is a solid middle of the tier OLB prospect who fits solidly in the second round before the season. He does have a bit to improve on in terms of showcasing his coverage skills overall as being a defensive end is tough on him. He doesn't have the ability to be a star at defensive end in the NFL and would like to see him drift pack a little more this upcoming year.

60. CB Rashad Carmichael, Virginia Tech
-Carmichael is an intriguing prospect for me and one that could certainly find himself shooting up the boards as April gets closer. He is a bit smaller than the other corners ahead him as he is only 5'11 but like many other Virginia Tech corners that have come out over the years is extremely physical. He isn't afraid to take on blockers at the line of scrimmage and is able to get into the back field and disrupt plays before the running back gets to the corner. He lowers his shoulder very well and wraps up rather than going in for the tackle high. He shows the ability to play the ball and is able to break up passes when he has the chance to. Overall I think he may be a safety in a cornerback's body. He is extremely physical for his size like mentioned previously before but not sure he has the great hips to keep up with opposing receivers at the next level. He does display very good closing speed and that is another reason why I may like him a bit more as a free safety prospect in the NFL.

61. OT Nate Solder, Colorado
-Solder is a mammoth offensive linemen that has a ton of buzz with a lot of people. He is extremely agile and is extremely quick getting off of the ball. He does a great job of getting depth at the tackle position and sealing off the outside against speedier edge rushers. He is extremely raw and that is why a lot of people are oozing to try and mold him into a monster NFL tackle at the next level. Even though he has all the tools, he is still to inconsistent for my liking as a top 10 pick like some have him valued at. He is extremely thin standing 6'9 and barely getting over 300 pounds. I am not sure how a 6'9 tackle will project in the NFL and if there ever is a thing, he may be to tall for the position at the next level. He doesn't have a great first punch and struggles in the run game due to a lack of strength. Overall there are plenty of things to get excited about with Solder, however the body of work isn't there and not sure he is poised for a huge season for Colorado.

62. DE Derek Wolf, Cincinnati
-I would doubt that Wolf would enter the NFL draft next April, however he is a second round prospect in my opinion entering the year. He is an undersized defensive tackle for the 4-3 scheme but like a few others ahead of him he probably projects best a 3-4 defensive end. He uses good technique to his advantage and is able to hold the point of attack as well. Overall he isn't as polished as some other guys and lacks the huge ceiling, however there is definitely some upside with selecting him. I think for teams that are looking for the 3-4 ends, I wouldn't be surprised to see them look at other positions and wind up looking in the second or third round for a guy. There is great depth at the position and there certainly will be if some underclassmen such as Wolf declares for the draft.

63. ILB Ross Homan, Ohio State
-By the end of the year it wouldn't surprise me if Homan is the top overall linebacker from the Big Ten and maybe the top inside linebacker in the country. Like previous Buckeye linebackers, Homan is extremely intelligent and possesses great technique. He attacks blockers well and uses his hands to disengage from opposing linemen. He is a sure tackler and drives through opponents while wrapping them up. He rarely misses his assignments and at the same time he rarely whiffs on a tackle he is in position to make. Although he does lack top end athleticism, his lateral quickness is more than good enough for the NFL and shouldn't be to concerning for NFL teams come next April. The measurements might wind up hurting him and his overall potential. The ceiling might not be there for him like some other linebackers but the production should easily translate to the next level and could be a steal for a team picking in the second round.

64. DE Cliff Matthews, South Carolina
-Matthews is an interesting player going into the 2011 NFL Draft. He may be a bit undersized for a 4-3 defensive end position but look of him as a 3-4 outside linebacker. I am interested in seeing him more this upcoming season, however there is quite a bit to like. He is a good athlete with extreme versatility. He has practiced at tight end before and that certainly lends to his athleticism. Overall he has a tremendous motor and shows great pursuit for plays that go away from him initially. He uses his hands as an excellent asset in shedding blockers effectively and that should translate well if he winds up as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Overall I think he has as much potential as anyone that I have currently in the second round. His versatility should make him valuable to a lot of teams but right now he is a bit of a tweener and am anxious to see how aspects of his game continue to translate to the position he is going to play in the NFL. With a good year I think he can vault himself into first round consideration.

Tuesday - Top 10 Most Overrated Prospects
Wednesday - Top 10 Most Underrated Prospects