Diamonds in the Rough: Defensive Gems

 Alright, I wanted to give BCC readers the final section of a little thing i've been working on. Its for the Draft, and talks about some players that are not well known or under-the-radar but can play some football. I listed the players by the  updated rankings given at MockingTheDraft.com. The sentences inside the block in italics are my own comments, just a heads-up.

 Upon talking about these guys, I would really love to hear about some other people who could fall in later rounds yet play at a level much higher than the round they are projected to play. The descriptions of the players will also come from MockingTheDraft.com.

 The point of this fanpost is to show value later in the draft and to highlight players worth waiting for. Another point is to help the reader familiarize themselves with these players, if you already of some of these guys then my job is alot easier. And sorry for a premature version of this, I accidently pressed publish, but I assure you, your wait was worth it if you gained something from this article. Enjoy!

             Geno Atkins (#56)                             Jordan Lake (#21)                          Mike Neal (#92)

DE

1. 4th best: Brandon Graham | 6'2, 270 pounds | Michigan

   "Altough he's not flashy or possessing great size, Graham has made his name at Michigan as being a dependable all-around player. He's one of the better natural defensive ends in the draft due to his strength at the point of attack. His lower body strength helped him attain 10 sacks and 20 tackles for loss in 2008." Can play the 3-4 OLB or the 4-3 DE. Can be attained in the mid to late First, which would be great if we trade back.

2. 10th best:  C.J. Wilson | 6'4, 272 pounds | East Carolina State

   "A natural defensie end prospect for the next level, Wilson has good size and ability. He's put together two good seasons in a row. In 2008, he had 10.5 sacks and 18.5 tackles for a loss. He's solid against the run and has good enough athleticism to make it at the next level." Projectable as a 5th round pick, in the case a DE is not drafted in an earlier pick, C.J. Wilson would be a great later round pick.

3. 11th best: Willie Young | 6'5, 243 pounds | North Carolina State  

   "Still maturing into his frame, Young shows solid pass rush ability. Young knows how to use his length to his advantage to get leverage at the line. He's an intelligent lineman who knows how to use his hands to keep blockers away. If he gets stronger, he'll only continue to rise up the rankings." This is one of my contingency guys, In case we are not able to draft a DE earlier, then we could get this later round player.

                                        

DT

1. 11th best: Geno Atkins | 6'1, 290 pounds | Georgia 

   "A strong competitor, Atkins uses excellent leverage as a one-gap defensive tackle. He was routinely double teamed in 2008, but still managed to have a solid year. Atkins consistently collapses the pocket and should only get better as he gets stronger." I saw glimpses of Geno at the Senior Bowl, click here to see a nice, little article about him. Plus I thought, all the FSU guys at this site, would like his picture above.

2. 13th best: Mike Neal | 6'3, 302 pounds | Purdue

   "Neal has flown under the radar throughout his career, but he's a solid playmaker. He can get after the passer and does a really nice job collapsing the pocket. He was regarded as Purdue's strongest player and a team captain in 2009." Good character, intangibles in a DT. Should show the charisma and passion on the field like Stroud used to. Probably could do as good as Stroud was in his prime, on the field as well.

3. 15th best: Ekom Udofia | 6'2, 310 pounds | Stanford

   "Udofia's average stat line doesn't indicate the value he has on the Stanford defense. The Cardinal linebackers can roam freely thanks in large part to Udofia's ability to take up multiple blockers." I like getting guys who have been apart of good, strong, defense like TCU or Stanford. They usually show the ability to over-achieve and excel. This guy helps the LBs get to the QB, which helps everyone else.

OLB

1. 11th best: Dekoda Watson | 6'2, 226 pounds | Florida State

   "Watson was really Florida State's only difference maker in the front defensive front seven. He may be a little undersized, but he knows how to get after the quarterback. He was one of Florida State's team captains." As much as I detest players who would play for FSU, i will admit FSU churns out lots of good defensive players, along with RBs. Dekoda has character and ability which is enough to win a LB spot.

2. 6th best: Roddrick Muckelroy | 6'2, 235 pounds | Texas

   "A dependable player for the Longhorns, Muckelroy has come on as a senior. He's a solid player across the board but he always seems to be around the ball. Muckelroy has shown as a senior that he's able to drop back in coverage." Although ranked higher than Dekoda, I think that Dekoda is better at pass rushing than Muckelroy and is better. However, Muckelroy is good at stopping the run and covering RB's/TE's out of the backfield and blocks.

3. 13th best: Cameron Sheffield | 6'2, 249 pounds | Troy

   "Playing end at Troy opposite Brandon Lang, Sheffield is a prospect who is somewhat under the radar. He's got a quick first step and knows how to get to the passer. Because he played end, he can get off blocks fairly well. If he can become a better player against the run, he could have a solid NFL future." A guy you can get for depth and allow to learn. He needs to see the play better, in order to get to the runner. If he can be coached that, he'll be good, if not he'll be one dimensional .

MLB

1. 4th best: Daryl Washington | 6'3, 234 pounds | Texas Christian

   "The leader of the Texas Christian defense, Washington has been a sound performer for several years. His combination of size and athleticism will suit him well in the pros." I like getting guys who have been apart of good, strong, defense like TCU or Stanford. They usually show the ability to over-achieve and excel. If your the leader of a very good TCU defense, that says something about your play.

2. 7th best: Joe Pawelek | 6'3, 236 pounds | Baylor

   "Pawelek burst onto the scene early in his career, making 86 tackles as a freshman, captaining the team his sophomore year and make first-team all-conference last season. He's a gritty player and deceptively adept in coverage. He had an incredible year in 2008 with 128 tackles, six tackles for loss, seven passes broken up and six interceptions." One of the themes so far, is that usually players who are team captain, have a good skill set. This guy holds true that thought. Please note the "deceptively adept at coverage" part of his assessment.

CB

1. 7th best: Dominique Franks | 6'0, 192 pounds | Oklahoma

   "Franks has the ability and size of a No. 1 man coverage corner. He has plenty of speed and quickness to stick with fast receivers in the boundary. While Franks may not have the best hands, he has the ability to break up passes. He's a good enough tackler and can help against the run." He batts the ball down when he should attempt at making an INT. This is one of his few shortcomings which I think can be coached on.

2. 12th best: Myron Lewis | 6'2, 205 pounds | Vanderbilt

   "Few cornerbacks can be considered sack artists, but Lewis could be. He had five last year to go with five interceptions, seven tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles. Lewis might not have great speed, but he does things most cornerbacks cannot."

3. 8th best: Brandon Ghee | 6'0, 190 pounds | Wake Forest

   "With plenty of room to add bulk to his frame, Ghee is a player with good upside. He's a good tackler and likes to hit, so he's not a liability against the run. His hands are suspect, but he has the high-point agility to make a play on the ball. Looked better than the Broncos' Alphonso Smith in 2007. Can struggle some against bigger receivers." He's a good CB to have against a team's slant WR. I'd like to see what he can do with added bulk and how it affects his game.

FS

1. 9th best Senior: Jordan Lake | 6'2, 205 pounds | Baylor

   "Lake has been highly productive the last two seasons, totaling more than 200 tackles, 18 passes defended and five interceptions. He's a big hitter in the secondary who could be a great special teams player." An agressive force at the secondary level and would fit in our Defense.

2. 3rd best:  Nate Allen | 6'2, 207 pounds | South Florida

   "Allen has the speed and athleticism to cover a lot of ground in the secondary. Allen doesn't have the best hands, but he can be disruptive when the ball is in the air. He started 39 games for South Florida, finishing his career with 224 tackles." A very productive player that comes from a team gaining more national exposure with every player.

SS

1. 5th best:  Darrell Stuckey | 6'1, 205 pounds | Kansas

"Stuckey may not pop off the screen watching the Jayhawks, but he consistently makes plays. He had more than 90 tackles in consecutive seasons as a junior and senior. He's won awards for his character and his weight room work." A Gene Smith kind of player.

    2.   8th best:  Barry Church | 6'2, 219 pounds | Toledo

"Church is sound against the run and the pass and arguably the greatest defensive player in Toledo history. Church excels in zone coverage because he has a good short-area burst and is a heavy hitter." We haven't had a Heavy-Hitter in the secondary for a long time. Anybody else fed up with sissy-ness of our guys when they push people instead of tackle them?

    3.   9th best:  Myron Rolle | 6'2, 218 pounds | Florida State

"A third-team All-American in 2008, Rolle has spent the last year studying in Oxford. He has the physical tools to become a solid starter at the next level." An impressive man. Some fans will overhype him though because of his intangibles. The question is, if things get to where you're risking serious injury or things just aren't looking good, will he quit on you to save his dream career of being a Nuerologist?

That's it and I hope you liked it. Go Jags.