1. Greg Hardy, Ole Miss – Hardy’s career at Ole Miss has been anything but normal. This past winter there was much speculation about Hardy entering the NFL Draft, but he decided to return for his senior season. A stress fracture in his right foot required surgery and forced him to miss the first three games of the season. In 2007, he was suspended for two games for violating team rules. If Hardy can remain healthy and stay on the field, he can be a dominant player. He as all the assets teams want in a defensive end—he has good size (6’ 4”, 265), a great first step when rushing the passer, and he can defend against the run. One scout I talked to told me that Hardy would have been the best 4-3 defensive end in this past April’s Draft had he declared.
2. Brandon Graham, Michigan - Graham is the best returning pass rusher in the Big Ten—he has registered 18.5 sacks over the last two seasons. The issue with Graham that he is only around 6 feet tall, and some NFL teams want defensive ends that are 6’ 3” or taller. However, despite the lack of height, Graham has proved over the years that he is able to get off the line of scrimmage and not only make plays rushing the passer, but also against the run behind the line of scrimmage—he tied for the league lead in tackles for loss (20) last season. Graham could play in a 3-4 defense as an outside pass rusher, but I think he’s best suited as a 4-3 defensive end, where he could play both the right and left defensive end positions.
3. Brandon Lang, Troy – Lang and his teammate Cameron Sheffield—who is lower on this list—are a great pass rushing tandem. Troy has produced some very good NFL talent on the defensive side of the ball in DeMarcus Ware of the Dallas Cowboys and Osi Umenyiora of the New York Giants. Lang is 6’ 3”, 252, and has a great burst off the line of scrimmage. Last season he led the team in sacks (10.5), tackles for loss (17.5), QB hurries (28), and had 69 total tackles. Lang can play standing up or with his hand on the ground, and his versatility would allow him to fit into pretty much any defensive scheme. You might not hear much about him during the season, but as the draft approaches his name will be a popular one; he could end up being a first-round pick.
4. Jerry Hughes, TCU – Hughes is was a very productive player last season, racking up 52 total tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, and two interceptions. He is a bit short (6’ 1”) and isn’t all that fast (4.7 40-yard dash), but his quickness and athleticism are what make him so productive. Don’t get me wrong—6’ 1” defensive ends can make it in the NFL, just look at what Dwight Freeney has been able to do. It will be interesting to see what kind of buzz surrounds Hughes as the draft approaches.
5. George Selvie, South Florida – Selvie has good size (6’ 5”, 245) and speed, and he is already the USF career leader in tackles for loss and sacks. There were some that thought Selvie declare for the draft after last season, but he decided to return. He may have done so in an effort to show scouts his drop off in production was no cause for concern. Selvie saw a drop-off, from 59 total tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks as a sophomore, to only 43 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks as a junior. He’s been double- and sometimes triple-teamed since he burst onto the scene, so it will be interesting to see if NFL teams are willing to look beyond mere numbers.
6. Lindsey Witten, UConn – Witten being ranked here might surprise some people. After all, he only had 19 total tackles, 6 tackles for loss and 5 sacks last season. He has a solid bloodline—his older brother, Donte Whitner, was a first-round pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2006. Witten is a good overall athlete and a good pass rusher although he needs to become better in stopping the run. But that will come in time as he adds more strength. He could end up being a 3-4 outside linebacker if he doesn’t add the necessary weight, but when you can rush the passer teams will find a way to get you on the field.
7. Rahim Alem, LSU – Alem is a solid all-around defensive end with the ability to play the run as well as rush the passer. As a junior, he had 29 tackles and eight sacks. He has good overall size at 6’ 3”, 263 pounds, and has shown power and strength. He is a good overall athlete but needs to add some more pass rushing moves to be an effective pass rusher at the next level.
8. Willie Young, North Carolina State – Young is another undersized defensive end who will need to add weight or shift to outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. He is 6’ 4”, 240 pounds, but possesses the ability to play the run with strength despite the light weight. He has good but not great speed and a very good first step, allowing him to display a variety of pass rush moves. Young had a productive season last year with 58 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and an interception.
9. Greg Middleton, Indiana - Middleton has good size for a defensive end (6’ 3”, 285) decent speed and a great first step off the line of scrimmage. He can use his strength to bull-rush, but also has an array of non-power pass rushing moves to beat opposing blockers. He is extremely strong and is at his best on obvious passing downs when he can explode off the line and steamroll helpless tackles. Middleton was much better as a sophomore then he was a junior; as a sophomore he led the nation in sacks with 16 and added 50 total tackles and 17 tackles for loss. Last season he had 18 total tackles, five tackles for loss and four sacks. He was dinged up in 2008, which might explain the fall-off in production.
10. Corey Wootton, Northwestern – The question mark with Wooten heading into his senior season is how well he will respond from the torn ACL he suffered in last season’s Alamo Bowl against Missouri. As a junior he had 42 total tackles, 10 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, and one interception, and also blocked a kick. Wootton is an all-around defensive end and plays with outstanding leverage while creating problems in the passing lanes because of his size. He has the ability to use his power and bull-rush, but also has some counter pass-rushing moves.
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