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SI NFL DRAFT BIG BOARD...DRAFT IS COMING...YO RATS.....WHO DO YOU LIKE

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  • SI NFL DRAFT BIG BOARD...DRAFT IS COMING...YO RATS.....WHO DO YOU LIKE

    Bretsky needs to find the elite chose one from this year's draft......aka Odell Thurman....AJ Hawk..Michael Crabtree....Brooks Reed. The history is long; but bust ratios just might be a bit higher than the norm )



    The NFL's annual pre-draft dog-and-pony show kicked off in earnest in the days before Super Bowl XLVII, with the Senior Bowl highlighting a full slate of prospects.

    We still will not get a glimpse at a lot of the draft's elite talent -- Luke Joeckel, Jarvis Jones, Chance Warmack, etc. -- until the Combine and then, for some, at individual team Pro Days. As such, the caveat presented with Big Board 1.0 holds true again here: The Top 40 will undergo several shake-ups between now and April.

    There were some impressive (and not-so-impressive) performances during the Senior Bowl, though, that impacted our latest rankings, even though the top few names will look fairly familiar. You can see my rationale for a few key decisions.

    And without further delay, Big Board 2.0:

    Chris Burke's NFL Draft Big Board
    1 Luke Joeckel
    Texas A&M, junior
    6-6, 310
    OT
    The gap between Joeckel and Central Michigan's Eric Fisher may have closed in some people's minds, but that says more about Fisher's outstanding Senior Bowl week than anything Joeckel did. Joeckel was up here for Big Board 1.0, and he may remain until the draft.

    2 Chance Warmack
    Alabama, senior
    6-2, 322
    OG
    Warmack passed on a Senior Bowl invite, a smart decision since, quite frankly, there's little he could have done to help his cause further in Mobile. This will be an intriguing case come draft day -- teams don't often take guards early.


    3 Jarvis Jones
    Georgia, junior
    6-2, 242
    LB
    This is me taking a bit of a mulligan. I had Jones four spots lower in Big Board 1.0 because of lingering medical concerns (spinal stenosis). Here's the thing, though: Jones explodes off game tapes. His upside outweighs the risk.

    4 Damontre Moore
    Texas A&M, junior
    6-4, 250
    DE
    Not to oversimplify the issues, but for a team running a 3-4, I think Jones is a touch better fit; and in a 4-3, I'd give Moore an edge. Either way, you can't go wrong, and both Jones and Moore could be stars from Day One.

    5 Eric Fisher
    Central Michigan, senior
    6-7, 305
    OT

    Fisher's one-spot drop is 100-percent related to Jones' bump, and not at all indicative of Fisher fading. In fact, it's just the opposite. During the NFL Network's Senior Bowl broadcast, Mike Mayock said Fisher was "by far" the best player that week.

    6 Dee Milliner
    Alabama, junior
    6-1, 198
    CB
    If there's a knock on Milliner, it is that he needs to improve his man-to-man cover skills -- in a zone, he can be lights out. That's fine (and accurate), but he still strikes me as a potentially elite NFL corner.

    7 Star Lotulelei
    Utah, senior
    6-3, 320
    DT
    The more film I've watched of Loutlelei, the more noticeable it has become just how much attention he garnered from opposing O-lines. If he eats up multiple blockers in the NFL, he'll be invaluable; if teams try to go one-on-one, he could dominate.


    8 Bjoern Werner
    Florida State, junior
    6-4, 256
    DE
    As mentioned in Big Board 1.0, there does not appear to be a future for Werner as a 3-4 OLB (he's a 4-3 DE), so his value takes a little hit. My guess is that whichever team winds up taking him, however, quickly will come to love him.

    9 Barkevious Mingo
    LSU, junior
    6-4, 240
    DE
    Mingo presents the type of case that can be tricky this time of year. There is some chatter that his lack of production has teams concerned. But is that concern real or a red herring? Mingo's athletic abilities will find him a home early.

    10 Ezekiel Ansah
    BYU, senior
    6-5, 270
    DE
    And while we're on the topic of draft conundrums ... Ansah struggled through Senior Bowl week practice, then dominated the game. The former is troubling; the latter speaks to his tantalizing ceiling.

    11 Keenan Allen
    California, junior
    6-3, 210
    WR
    Because Allen probably will not blow anyone away with his Combine 40 time, he may wind up sliding at the draft. And then within a year or two, fans will be upset that their team didn't take the productive wideout.

    12 Jonathan Cooper
    North Carolina, senior
    6-3, 310
    OG
    Like with Joeckel and Fisher, the gap between Warmack and Cooper may not be all that vast. Where Warmack goes will set the stage for Cooper's draft prospects, but the North Carolina product should be a first-rounder.

    13 Cordarrelle Patterson
    Tennessee, junior
    6-3, 205
    WR
    I'm hedging a bit on Patterson until we get to the Combine. His highlight reel from 2012 is thrilling, especially on plays in which he found himself in space. He's raw, though, so the progress he makes during pre-draft season will be key.

    14 Alec Ogletree
    Georgia, junior
    6-3, 234
    LB
    I have a feeling Ogletree will be in the top 10 here by the end of the month. There is very little not to like in his game tape, and he figures to knock it out of the park at the upcoming Combine.

    15 Sheldon Richardson
    Missouri, junior
    6-3, 295
    DT
    Richardson holds firm in this range. Truthfully, there might not be a ton of room to move up in a loaded class for interior linemen -- and there are a number of players on his heels, like Florida's Sharrif Floyd.

    16 Dion Jordan
    Oregon, senior
    6-6, 243
    DE
    Jordan suffered an injured shoulder at the end of the season and had to skip the Senior Bowl because of the resulting surgery. That's too bad, because he would have had a real chance to solidify himself as a top-15 pick with a good showing.

    17 Kenny Vaccaro
    Texas, senior
    6-1, 218
    S
    Vaccaro's late decision to bail on the Senior Bowl should have hurt him, especially as Jonathan Cyprien and Phillip Thomas (especially Cyprien) put up big weeks. Thomas, though, remains the clear top safety in this class -- and the excitement around others at his position proves how in demand he'll be.

    18 Alex Okafor
    Texas, senior
    6-4, 261
    DE
    Hard to find too much fault in what Okafor did during Senior Bowl week -- he held his own against some top linemen, like Fisher, and occasionally grabbed the upper hand. Okafor did not skyrocket his stock upward, but he definitely did not hurt it either.

    19 Lane Johnson
    Oklahoma, senior
    6-6, 302
    OT
    O the South's first touchdown play of the Senior Bowl, Johnson found himself matched up with SMU's Margus Hunt. By the time QB E.J. Manuel crossed the goal line, Hunt was barely even in the TV picture. Johnson is our biggest riser from 1.0 to 2.0, and he deserves that jump based on a spectacular Senior Bowl week.

    20 Geno Smith
    West Virginia, senior
    6-3, 220
    QB
    On the one hand, Smith might receive a boost simply from the struggles quarterbacks endured during the Senior Bowl. But, by skipping those festivities, Smith missed a chance to really set himself apart.
    TERD Buckley over Troy Vincent, Robert Ferguson over Chris Chambers, Kevn King instead of TJ Watt, and now, RICH GANNON, over JIMMY JIMMY JIMMY LEONARD. Thank you FLOWER

  • #2
    21 Sam Montgomery
    LSU, junior
    6-5, 260
    DE
    No reason to really move Montgomery yet, be it up or down. He and Mingo fed off each other throughout the 2012 season. Montgomery may be more of a D-line anchor -- he added 30 pounds prior to last season.

    22 Shariff Floyd
    Florida, junior
    6-3, 203
    DT
    It will be hard for an NFL team to drop Floyd in at DE after he spent 2012 steadily improving after sliding to tackle. In Peter King's Monday Morning QB last week, ex-Chiefs GM Scott Pioli ranked Floyd third among the draft's juniors -- ahead of Werner and Jones, to name a couple.

    23 Johnathan Hankins
    Ohio State, junior
    6-3, 320
    DT
    Hankins is more of a Lotulelei space-eater type than someone like Floyd, who can slide around the line. Because of that, I leapfrogged Floyd over Hankins for the time being. If Hankins proves he has reliable motor, he could climb.

    24 Manti Te'o
    Notre Dame, senior
    6-2, 255
    LB
    When all is said and done, my hunch is that Te'o will wind up hearing his name called right around the mid-20s. But on the heels of his well-publicized catfishing debacle, he could tumble if he flops at the Combine.

    25 Datone Jones
    UCLA, senior
    6-4, 280
    DE
    Why, hello there. Jones is right up with Lane Johnson in terms of players who helped themselves the most during Senior Bowl week -- he finished with a solid game (3 tackles, 0.5 sacks). His ability to get off the ball is consistently noticeable, even when he overruns plays.

    26 D.J. Fluker
    Alabama, senior
    6-4, 355
    OT
    Fluker is quite the physical specimen at 6-4, 355, with an 87-inch wingspan. He sat out the Senior Bowl, however, with nagging groin and calf injuries, which will be enough to pique health concerns. He might be a stretch at left tackle.

    27 Larry Warford
    Kentucky, senior
    6-3, 333
    OG
    Warford fell just outside the top 40 on Big Board 1.0 -- I was anxious to see if he looked better at Kentucky than he really was, because of the subpar talent around him. Answer: Nope. He's the real deal, as proven by a great Senior Bowl week.

    28 Tavon Austin
    West Virginia, senior
    5-9, 175
    WR
    Austin's late withdrawal from the Senior Bowl will knock him down a couple pegs on some draft boards. His Combine numbers are likely to bring him back. Athletes like Austin simply do not grow on trees.

    29 Zach Ertz
    Stanford, junior
    6-6, 252
    TE
    Just count the number of pass-rushing ends and OLBs on the Big Board, and you'll find therein the added importance of versatile tight ends. Ertz can pressure linebacking corps and safeties with his receiving abilities, but he's also capable of adding blocking protection against athletic edge defenders.

    30 Xavier Rhodes
    Florida State, junior
    6-1, 217
    CB
    Until someone proves otherwise (and Johnthan Banks, for one, may do so), Rhodes sticks as the second-best corner in this draft, behind Milliner. The majority of teams could use another physical, aggressive cornerback like Rhodes.

    31 Khaseem Greene
    Rutgers, senior
    6-0, 236
    LB
    It would have been nice to see Greene back a strong week of Senior Bowl practices with a standout game, but he had just one tackle. Still, Greene's background as a former safety makes him a nose-to-the-football player, and he looks the part of an NFL contributor.

    32 Kevin Minter
    LSU, junior
    6-1, 245
    LB
    How much less did we hear about Minter during the college football season than about Te'o? And yet, it's entirely plausible that Minter becomes a better rookie and more impactful pro. He's a solid, reliable defender.

    33 Johnthan Banks
    Mississippi State, senior
    6-1, 185
    CB
    The Super Bowl simply reiterated how few top-notch cornerbacks there are in the NFL right now. Offenses are winning the battle. A player like Banks, however, could help a team swing the pendulum. He certainly won't back down from receivers.

    34 Matt Elam
    Florida, junior
    5-10, 202
    S
    If you've been paying attention, you've likely heard a lot about safety Jonathan Cyprien out of Senior Bowl week. For now, give an edge to Elam at that position because he has more experience against upper-echelon competition.

    35 Barrett Jones
    Alabama, senior
    6-4, 305
    C
    Jones received an invite to the Senior Bowl, but instead opted to spend some time getting healthy before the Combine -- he said he played through a Lisfranc injury in the BCS title game. That health will be key for Jones in the coming weeks.

    36 DeAndre Hopkins
    Clemson, junior
    6-1, 200
    WR
    Unless Hopkins bombs at the Combine or suffers some sort of injury, he will be of great interest both to those playoff teams in need of another weapon late in Round 1 and rebuilding squads shy of playmakers at the top of Round 2.

    37 Matt Barkley
    USC, senior
    6-2, 230
    QB
    There was a little confusion last week as to whether or not Barkley would throw at the Combine -- USC's Twitter account said no, Barkley said maybe. If he does, the door is open for Barkley to really rise on draft day.

    38 Eddie Lacy
    Alabama, junior
    6-1, 220
    RB
    Lacy and Giovani Bernard are neck and neck for the top RB spot here, though Round 1 may go by without a player from that position coming off the board. Lacy still has a slight edge here, because he's better built for the NFL grind.

    39 Quinton Patton
    Louisiana Tech, senior
    6-0, 202
    WR
    Texas A&M fans are well aware of Patton's abilities -- he went for 233 yards and four TDs in a shootout loss to the Aggies back in October. Patton excelled all week at the Senior Bowl, too. The one negative: He measured at 6-0, two inches shy of where Louisiana Tech listed him.

    40 Kyle Long
    Oregon, senior
    6-6, 304
    OT
    One play of Long's stood out, in particular, at the Senior Bowl. On a run wide left by Robbie Rouse, Long managed to pull way outside the hash marks to chop CB B.W. Webb and create a lane. The athletic Long missed full practices because he was sick, so the game was a nice showcase.
    TERD Buckley over Troy Vincent, Robert Ferguson over Chris Chambers, Kevn King instead of TJ Watt, and now, RICH GANNON, over JIMMY JIMMY JIMMY LEONARD. Thank you FLOWER

    Comment


    • #3
      I like Alec Ogletree. He has an all around game similar to Patrick Willis. He'd be a huge weapon for us inside, just increasing our speed and coverage ability in base defense. We would be able to play more base defense, the way SF does.
      Formerly known as JustinHarrell.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by JustinHarrell View Post
        I like Alec Ogletree. He has an all around game similar to Patrick Willis. He'd be a huge weapon for us inside, just increasing our speed and coverage ability in base defense. We would be able to play more base defense, the way SF does.

        Gotta agree completely here; but I think he's long long gone before GB picks. I'd love to see it though.
        TERD Buckley over Troy Vincent, Robert Ferguson over Chris Chambers, Kevn King instead of TJ Watt, and now, RICH GANNON, over JIMMY JIMMY JIMMY LEONARD. Thank you FLOWER

        Comment


        • #5
          I agree with what the writer said though. I think Ogletree is the kind of guy who could blow up the Combine and get drafted well before the Packers pick. Kevin Minter maybe?
          I can't run no more
          With that lawless crowd
          While the killers in high places
          Say their prayers out loud
          But they've summoned, they've summoned up
          A thundercloud
          They're going to hear from me - Leonard Cohen

          Comment


          • #6
            That draft seems stacked with talent on the OL
            I'm still intrigued by getting a top notch Center
            Let the rest fight it out and I think we'd have a solid line

            The Stanford RB Taylor is legit RB talent also....but heck, I've been saying Monte Ball is the best RB in Wisconsin for two years now so GET ER DONE TT
            TERD Buckley over Troy Vincent, Robert Ferguson over Chris Chambers, Kevn King instead of TJ Watt, and now, RICH GANNON, over JIMMY JIMMY JIMMY LEONARD. Thank you FLOWER

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Bretsky View Post
              That draft seems stacked with talent on the OL
              I'm still intrigued by getting a top notch Center
              Let the rest fight it out and I think we'd have a solid line

              The Stanford RB Taylor is legit RB talent also....but heck, I've been saying Monte Ball is the best RB in Wisconsin for two years now so GET ER DONE TT
              I guess it could make sense, but I'd hate like hell to spend our 1st round choice on the OL 3 of the last four years!

              Interesting to see where the top QB is ranked...#20 on their board, yet I still see mocks with KC taking him first! I wonder if it's as much of a reach as SI is making it out to be.
              --
              Imagine for a moment a world without hypothetical situations...

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by JustinHarrell View Post
                I like Alec Ogletree. He has an all around game similar to Patrick Willis. He'd be a huge weapon for us inside, just increasing our speed and coverage ability in base defense. We would be able to play more base defense, the way SF does.
                Sounds good

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Bretsky View Post
                  That draft seems stacked with talent on the OL
                  I'm still intrigued by getting a top notch Center
                  Let the rest fight it out and I think we'd have a solid line

                  The Stanford RB Taylor is legit RB talent also....but heck, I've been saying Monte Ball is the best RB in Wisconsin for two years now so GET ER DONE TT

                  This list sure has a lot of big o-linemen.

                  Where are the sumo wrestler d-linemen? I guess Jessie Williams of bama is more of round 2-3 type.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Jessie Williams reminds me of Justin Harrell as a prospect so I could see him finding his way into the first round after the combine. Only Williams is bigger, faster, stronger, won 2 titles, has a little injury stuff but no deal breakers, can fit anywhere on a 3-4 line, and has unlimited upside. I bet he's higher on Ted's board than most.
                    70% of the Earth is covered by water. The rest is covered by Al Harris.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by 3irty1 View Post
                      Jessie Williams reminds me of Justin Harrell as a prospect so I could see him finding his way into the first round after the combine. Only Williams is bigger, faster, stronger, won 2 titles, has a little injury stuff but no deal breakers, can fit anywhere on a 3-4 line, and has unlimited upside. I bet he's higher on Ted's board than most.
                      JW is certainly well known commodity.

                      The upside is certainly there.

                      Any other sumo wrestlers available early?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        John Hankins (320), Ohio St. and John Jenkins(350+), Georgia will probably be first rounders. Both are very versatile and rangy enough to play all over a 3-4 line but Hankins is probably the better pure, 1-gap, pass-rusher and less situational of a player. Jenkins is similar to Ryan Pickett in terms of anchor and athleticism.
                        70% of the Earth is covered by water. The rest is covered by Al Harris.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by 3irty1 View Post
                          John Hankins (320), Ohio St. and John Jenkins(350+), Georgia will probably be first rounders. Both are very versatile and rangy enough to play all over a 3-4 line but Hankins is probably the better pure, 1-gap, pass-rusher and less situational of a player. Jenkins is similar to Ryan Pickett in terms of anchor and athleticism.
                          Jenkins gets a lot of play.

                          Is he available at the Packers current slot or is he a trade-up guy?

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by rbaloha1 View Post
                            Jenkins gets a lot of play.

                            Is he available at the Packers current slot or is he a trade-up guy?
                            I think Jenkins will be around, Hankins is probably less likely as he'll be appealing to every system for every team. Before the combine its hard to say but my early prediction is that there will probably be a run on DT's at the end of the 1st and beginning of the 2nd as there are a lot of guys who teams will have rated about the same. This happened last year when we traded up to get Worthy. So it's not unlikely at this point that either one would be an option. I just have a feeling though that TT will have Jesse Williams rated higher than these two. Seems like his kind of player.
                            70% of the Earth is covered by water. The rest is covered by Al Harris.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by 3irty1 View Post
                              I think Jenkins will be around, Hankins is probably less likely as he'll be appealing to every system for every team. Before the combine its hard to say but my early prediction is that there will probably be a run on DT's at the end of the 1st and beginning of the 2nd as there are a lot of guys who teams will have rated about the same. This happened last year when we traded up to get Worthy. So it's not unlikely at this point that either one would be an option. I just have a feeling though that TT will have Jesse Williams rated higher than these two. Seems like his kind of player.

                              It was interesting that TT moved up and settled for Worthy (later articles pointed out they wanted the kid from Temple I believe).

                              Now the Packers are stuck with an injured shrinking lineman.

                              A few sumo wrestlers would be nice.

                              Comment

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