NFL Draft Preview - Top 10 Most Underrated

Part I - Players Ranked 1 - 16
Part II - Players Ranked 17-32
Part III - Players Ranked 33-48
Part IV - Players Ranked 49-64

NFL Draft Preview - Top 10 Most Overrated

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

1. CB Davon House, New Mexico State
-Many like to compare him to another small school CB out of last year's draft in Boise State's Kyle Wilson. Wilson was an extremely physical cornerback but lacked the ideal size allowing him to drop to the Jets. House is a bigger corner who shouldn't be limited the by the infatuation over size by the NFL. He is a bit raw but his physical tools can't be denied and another very strong campaign should vault him into the discussion with the other top cornerbacks in this upcoming draft.

2. DT Jurrell Casey, Southern California
-Some have began to jump on his bandwagon but still somewhat of an unknown to most who don't follow this stuff religiously. Going into the summer I had Nick Perry as the best defensive underclassmen on USC's roster, however that is not the case after reviewing a few USC games. Casey is very quick out of his stance and shows a very good ability to shed blockers and penetrate up the field to disrupt the passing game. With 4-3 defensive ends being somewhat of a rare commodity these days, Casey will surely attract many suitors come next April. He is picture perfect for the position and his pass rushing ability is tremendous. His potential downfall right now would be the lack of strength against the run and that is what separates him from the more complete 4-3 DTs like a Suh or McCoy from last year.

3. DE/OLB Nick Perry, Southern California
-In a year where there is a bit of a cloud atop the best 3-4 OLBs, Perry finds himself in an interesting position. Outside of Robert Quinn and Von Miller there is no third guy yet to emerge. Perry has all the tools you want in a 3-4 OLB with not only possessing the proper pass rushing skills but also having the athletic ability to cover space as well. He is seen right now as a mid to late 2nd rounder possibly even pushing into the third round, however I have no doubt that will change after another year of being the go to edge rusher with Everson Griffen now being in the NFL.

4. OT Nate Potter, Boise State
-Most draft fanatics have heard about Nate Solder of Colorado, Anthony Castonzo of Boston College and Gabe Carimi of Wisconsin however the tackle that should begin to rise up boards is Potter. He reminds me quite a bit of Ryan Clady who was drafted in the first round from Boise by the Broncos. It is always tough to evaluate offensive tackle prospects in lower tier conferences, however it appears that Potter is certainly the real deal.

5. DE Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati
-Wolfe is a 4-3 DT, however is intrigue on the next level in my estimation lies in the 3-4 at the end position. Wolfe shows a great ability to take on blockers and being strong enough to hold the point of attack. I don't see the real value in him being a 4-3 tackle at the next level, however teams searching for an end may not find a better value than Wolfe who very well could see a Jared Odrick type rise during the 2010 season.

6. OLB Adrian Robinson, Temple
-Much like Perry, Robinson is a very intriguing fit for the 3-4 OLB spot in the NFL. He reminds me a bit of Larry English from Northern Illinois who was selected by the Bears. He is an undersized pass rusher who feasts on inferior competition. Hopefully for Robinson he isn't taken by a 4-3 team and is allowed to develop as a 3-4 OLB where he can thrive in future years.

7. DE Cameron Jordan, California
-Jordan is much like Derek Wolfe in terms of NFL projection. I like him a lot at a 3-4 end and feel he is going to command a lot of suitors in next year's draft. He is very strong up front and can anchor any line. I feel as if teams such as the Jets and Cowboys will be very attracted to Jordan next year as he seems like the prototypical 3-4 end and is underrated coming into the year much like Tyson Alualu was last year coming into the year.

8. DT Jerel Worthy, Michigan State
-Worthy has begun to get some national publicity over the past few months but probably not the credit he deserves up to this point being probably the most valuable piece to the Michigan State defense. He is both a great pass rusher as well as being able to anchor the line. He can work well in either a 4-3 defense or a 3-4 end or even possibly a nose tackle although I feel as if he would be wasted in that position. Most MSU fans are probably hoping for an NFL lockout in 2011 as if there isn't and Worthy produces like most expect him to, there is a very real possibility he leaves after this year.

9. WR Austin Pettis, Boise State
-In what is sure to be a great class for wide receivers this upcoming year if there is no lockout in 2011, Pettis is likely to get overshadowed by the top group of underclassmen set to come out. However he is a very complete receiver who doesn't standout in one area but just does everything very well. He likely won't be a first rounder barring a lockout, however there is no doubt any team that can land him in the second round will be getting a very sound receiver overall.

10. RB Daniel Thomas, Kansas State
-The RB crop this year leaves a lot to be desired after Ryan Williams and Mark Ingram and Thomas is one who should be able to breakout with a strong 2010 campaign. Thomas is an extremely dynamic runner who burst onto the scene last year for Kansas State and hasn't been getting his due overall by many sites. After watching him more he should definitely be squarely in the second round with the potential to sneak into the later part of the first round.