2010 draft watch: Top 10 defensive ends

[Tribal Warfare]

2010 draft watch: Top 10 defensive ends

1. Carlos Dunlap, Florida, 6-6/290 (junior)
He is a good athlete with rare quickness, agility, athleticism and strength. He must become more consistent to reach his potential, but few prospects can match his competitiveness and aggressiveness. He beats offensive tackles with athleticism and power. He shows the strength to dominate at the point of attack against the run and drive blockers into the quarterback. Projection: Top-15 pick.

2. Greg Hardy, Ole Miss, 6-4/261
He definitely shows the tools to be an impact pass rusher in the NFL with improved strength. He explodes off the snap to threaten the corner as a speed rusher. He rushes the quarterback with intensity and aggressiveness. He shows good pass-rush moves to get around the corner or cut back underneath. Hardy can be pushed around by big run blocking linemen if they get their hands on him. Projection: First-round pick.

3. Brandon Graham, Michigan, 6-1/273
He is highly productive despite being the focus of blocking schemes. He lacks ideal height and looks a little stocky for a defensive end, but he is a good athlete and potential impact player in the NFL. He plays with great passion on every snap and shows good leadership skills off the field. He is strong and physical, jolting and driving offensive tackles backward on bull rushes. He consistently holds his ground at the point of attack, often shedding blocks and making tackles on runs at him. Projection: First-round pick.

4. Corey Wootton, Northwestern, 6-6/271
He was expected to enter the '09 draft before blowing out his knee in Northwestern's last game of the season. Wooten must get healthy and regain his pre-injury form to be a high pick. He is tall with a tremendous physique, long arms and top-notch athleticism. He has the physical tools to be an NFL strongside end in a 4-3 scheme or play either end in a 3-4 defense. When playing with good technique and effort, he can be a force at the point of attack. He shows the speed to chase down ballcarriers from behind. Wooten, however, at times seems uninterested. He has first-round talent but play with more passion to be a productive NFL player. Projection: Late-first- or high-second-round pick.

5. George Selvie, South Florida, 6-3/241
After a breakout '07 season, many scouts penciled in Selvie as a future top-five pick. However, he struggled last season and no longer is viewed in the same light. If he has a bounceback '09 season, scouts will overlook his junior film and attribute those struggles to nagging injuries instead of lack of consistent effort. Selvie is a naturally explosive athlete who can burst off the snap and run around offensive tackles with surprising ease. He must develop more pass-rush moves to be as successful in the NFL. Projection: Late-first- or high-second-round pick.
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6. Brandon Lang, Troy, 6-3/253
Lang has been so productive at Troy that some evaluators are comparing him to the Cowboys' DeMarcus Ware because he will break all of Ware's records before his career is over. Lang is a quick and athletic pass rusher but is not on Ware's level when it comes to explosiveness, speed and pass-rush skills. Lang is an undersized pass rusher who relies upon quickness, agility and burst to defeat offensive tackles, but he lacks the bulk to consistently shed blockers. He also shows the quickness, speed and athleticism to shift to outside linebacker and projects as a dangerous rush linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. Lang is sure to shine at pre-draft workouts and thus figures to move up draft boards this spring. Projection: Second- or third-round pick.

7. Auston English, Oklahoma, 6-3/256
English, like Selvie, had an outstanding sophomore season only to slump in '08 while playing through nagging injuries. English shows quick footwork and speed but lacks explosiveness off the snap to threaten the corner as a speed rusher. He plays with uncommon intensity, enabling him to pressure the quarterback. He reminds us of the Titans' Kyle Vanden Bosch. English's depends on his play as a senior. If he plays as he did in '07, he'll be drafted in the first couple rounds. If he plays like he did last year, he'll drop to the late rounds. Projection: Third-round pick.

8. Jerry Hughes, TCU, 6-2/253
He lacks ideal height and weight but is a good athlete who has been highly productive thanks to intense effort. He is a quick-twitch athlete who gets moving quickly at the snap. He shows a knack for making big plays in key situations. He could play end in a 4-3 scheme but projects better as a rush linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Hughes won't get much publicity playing in the WAC but could make a big push up draft boards in the spring. Projection: Third-round pick.

9. Dexter Davis, Arizona State, 6-1/254
Some scouts knock Davis, but we are confident that he will be an impact pass rusher in the NFL. He shows good quickness, explosiveness and pass-rush skills--especially his hand usage--to defeat offensive tackles. He does not jump off the film as some elite prospects do, but his consistent production grows on scouts. He works hard on every snap and makes big plays at critical moments. He lacks the bulk to hold up consistently at the point of attack in the running game. He won't "wow" scouts in pre-draft workouts but should become a productive NFL pass rusher. Projection: Fourth-round pick.

10. Willie Young, N.C. State, 6-5/239

He is tall and lanky, showing the quickness and pass-rush skills to make plays. He must add bulk to be as productive in the NFL. He is somewhat of a 'tweener, looking more like a linebacker but playing more like a defensive end--he lacks the athleticism to move to linebacker, but lacks the body of an end. He has the long arms and quick hands to defeat blocks and shows the deceptive speed to chase down plays from behind. Young is far from a polished player and must add bulk to become a productive NFL player. Projection: Fourth- or fifth-round pick.

[chiefzilla1501]

While this is a good evaluation, if we move to a 3-4, a lot of this becomes irrelevant.

[Mr. Arrowhead]

Carlos Dunlap is pretty sick, he has like 42 sacks in our CP 360 dynasty

[KCChiefsMan]

Originally Posted by Mr. Arrowhead

Carlos Dunlap is pretty sick, he has like 42 sacks in our CP 360 dynasty

lol, I was just about to mention that. It almost makes ya want to draft him just because of that.

[Mecca]

Considering what the Chiefs are doing on defense these rankings don't really fit anymore...like Dunlap isn't a fit.

[COchief]

I think we are set at end with Magee and TJ for the next decade. NT/LB/OL/S however, is an entirely different story.

[Mecca]

About half those guys listed up there would play standing up if the Chiefs drafted them...

[Ebolapox]

Originally Posted by Mecca

About half those guys listed up there would play standing up if the Chiefs drafted them...

no shit, really?

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by H5N1

no shit, really?

Well uh there's a we don't need ends post and a post about Carlos Dunlap so yea I question what people are looking at.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by COchief

I think we are set at end with Magee and TJ for the next decade. NT/LB/OL/S however, is an entirely different story.

But you still need an OLB/DE guy like a Shawn Merriman. That's lower priority than a nose tackle, but definitely higher priority than your traditional ILB.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

But you still need an OLB/DE guy like a Shawn Merriman. That's lower priority than a nose tackle, but definitely higher priority than your traditional ILB.

Sergio Kindle...even though he's not listed here for some reason.

[Coach]

KC is going to need to get some LB's, considering that Vrabel and Thomas are at least 1-2 year stop gaps.

But they also are going to need a NT. Tank Tyler and Ron Edwards were getting destroyed at the point of attack during last night's game.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Coach

KC is going to need to get some LB's, considering that Vrabel and Thomas are at least 1-2 year stop gaps.

But they also are going to need a NT. Tank Tyler and Ron Edwards were getting destroyed at the point of attack during last night's game.

If you have three studs on your defensive line in a 3-4, you could put Clay Aiken at OLB and he would still get 10 sacks.

The LBs in a 3-4 are a product of the defensive line. Especially at ILB. So no doubt the priorities are NT, OLB, ILB.

[KCChiefsMan]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Well uh there's a we don't need ends post and a post about Carlos Dunlap so yea I question what people are looking at.

the dude has 42 sacks this season! 42 freaking sacks

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsMan

the dude has 42 sacks this season! 42 freaking sacks

LOL...he'd be wasted in a 3-4.