2011 NFL Draft - Top 5 DEs

The-Mainboard.com 2011 NFL Draft Initial Top 5 DEs

List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.

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. 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.

3. DE/DT Cameron Heyward, Ohio State
-Heyward was a potential late first round selection if he had chosen to declare last year, however he opted to stay in school to improve his stock. He is an extremely versatile defensive lineman that can play anywhere from a 3-4 defensive end to a defensive tackle in a cover two scheme. The biggest thing that sticks out to me with Heyward is his overall motor. He is a non-stop player much like the mold of Adrian Clayborn and doesn't give up on a play early on even if it isn't to his side of the field. He shows a nice initial burst off of the ball and stays low to gain initial advantage. He is excellent at using his hands and that allows him to break free of opposing offensive lineman much more easily. Overall in a loaded defensive line class, Heyward is right in the thick of things to be chosen among the top 3-4. The one thing that sticks out with Heyward compared to a Robert Quinn is the lack of development in overall pass rush moves. That shouldn't a major concern to NFL executives as I would imagine that will come as he continues to develop as a pass rusher.

4. DE Allen Bailey, Miami
-Much like Robert Quinn, Bailey is a physical freak on the field. He is all of 6'4 and 288 pounds and doesn't look to have any bad weight on his body. Moving from linebacker to the defensive line was a great move for Bailey as he has improved on the field since the move. He is extremely versatile and can play either a five technique in a 3-4 defensive scheme or has the ability to play a defensive tackle in a 4-3 defensive scheme. He is an extremely strong lineman and has shown the ability to plow offensive lineman and has made it his go to pass rushing move. He is quick off of the ball and shows his explosiveness with his first step, which allows him to gain the initial advantage against most opposing offensive linemen. Despite all of this, I have him as the second to last top tier defensive linemen eligible to declare for the 2011 NFL Draft. I don't think he is the pass rusher that others in this class are and the biggest thing that shows is his slow nature in terms of disengaging blockers and changing direction. He doesn't use his hands extremely well and this is the root of his issues in terms of getting away from blockers. Overall I think Bailey is suited best as a five technique in a 3-4 defensive scheme.

5. DE Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh
-Romeus is probably the top of the second tier of defensive linemen eligible for the 2011 draft. He certainly is capable of improving upon his stock right now is a little raw. He arguably has the quickest bust outside of Quinn. He displays excellent speed off of the edge and will put up impressive speed numbers at the combine in February. In addition to just pure speed, Romeus has displayed excellent use of his hands when engaged with opposing offensive linemen. He also displays excellent athleticism in being able to deflect passes as he does for a guy that is that big. Although his physical tools are off of the charts, he does have a little bit to prove during the 2010 season. He tends to go in high when making tackles which doesn't allow him to finish tackles as well as he could. Needs to work on staying lower and wrapping up rather than just think he can muscle the defender down. He also is a bit slow in recognizing the play and due to this has a tendency of getting pushed off the ball on run plays to the outside. Overall his athleticism outstanding and all the tools are there for him to be a very good pass rusher in the NFL.