MVN - Most Valuable Network

Top NFL Draft Defensive Tackles: Will Glenn Dorsey Go at No. 2?

For background on MVN’s rankings, read this post explaining the 8-tier prospect system.

Glenn Dorsey, LSU, Top Ten grade, Elite Prospect
Dorsey isn’t the unique once in a lifetime prospect that Amobi Okoye was last year, but he is every bit as good coming out of college. A five year Senior at LSU, Dorsey is a clubhouse leader, as well as an incredible physical specimen. Watch the hometown Saints look to trade up to pick No. 2 to get him if the price is reasonable.

Sedrick Ellis, USC, Top Ten grade, Elite Prospect
Ellis is a rare breed, though also not as rare as Okoye. He’s a nose tackle by trade, as opposed to the three ‘shade’. Most of the great pass rushers from the DT position prefer the three shade because they don’t get doubled as much, but Ellis has the rare ability to beat the Center with a quick first step, and be right on top of the quarterback before the offensive line is ready for him. His skill set will look good in Atlanta, Oakland, New York, Kansas City, or New England this upcoming season.

Trevor Laws, Notre Dame, 1st round grade, Good Prospect
There is a big dropoff between the elite players and Laws, but the Hog Heaven brass was universal in determining that Laws would be the player the team would take as opposed to Kentwan Balmer. Laws’ high effort game should translate well to the professional level, as we have seen him dominate the collegiate ranks over the previous four years at Notre Dame. Laws has superstar potential, but even as a solid NFL 3 technique DT for the next ten years, a team picking in the final 12 picks of the first round is getting value on their selection here.

Kentwan Balmer, North Carolina, 1st round grade, Good Prospect
Balmer is getting docked some points due to worries regarding his inability to produce big numbers prior to his senior season. It’s a legitimate concern, although a minor one. Generally, 4 year players who breakout their senior seasons are legitimate prospects, but you always have to consider the possibility that Balmer simply had a career year. He seems like a safe, if a tad unexplosive, first round selection, but his whole body of work in college does create some serious question marks about his future.

Marcus Harrison, Arkansas, 2nd round grade, Solid Prospect
Harrison is a guy who lacks top level explosiveness, but if your team is into the run-stuffing type of DT, Harrison is about as talented as they come. He’s a 4 year starter with a military background and he’s a high effort guy who excels at driving guards down the line and eating up running lanes. He’s not a ten sack per year guy, or even a 4-5 sack per year guy, but he is good value in the 2nd round.

DeMario Pressley, North Carolina State, 2nd round grade, Solid Prospect
Pressley is a fun prospect to discuss, because I believe he’s the poster child for understanding how college players develop. His situation is a lot like Chad Henne’s in that they both were top recruits out of high school who improved but never really put it all together. The point is this: players with the tools and, most importantly, the experience who showed flashes in college are good bets to put it together once they reach the NFL. It’s not going to make NC State fans particularly happy, but just watch as Pressley makes a name for himself in the NFL, something he wasn’t able to do in college.

Dre Moore, Maryland, 2nd round grade, Mediocre Prospect
Moore’s talent sets his value right on the very back end of day one, but he’s a good pass rushing defensive tackle prospect that could help a team in a rotation as a rookie. For that, he earns a second round grade. He should develop into a solid NFL player, but he is on the fringe of being an NFL starter, and the amount of success he will enjoy in the NFL is as much a matter of circumstance as it will be attributable to his own choices. Hopefully, the former Terrapin can find a niche on the NFL team, and go on to be a 4-6 sack per year DT in the NFL.

Frank Okam, Texas, 3rd round grade, Mediocre Prospect
Okam is the “premier” 3-4 nose prospect in this draft. Noses are not easily found. Every once in awhile, a draft produces a first round NT: 2006 produced Haloti Ngata, and 2004 produced Vince Wilfork, but outside of that, the third and fourth rounds seem to be where 3-4 teams find their nose tackles. Of course, I’m one of those sick guys who feels the utmost glee when a 4-3 team swoops in and grabs the huge run-stuffer, ruining the draft plans of all the 3-4 teams. Fun stuff.

Pat Sims, Auburn, 3rd round grade, Mediocre Prospect
Sims’ game is one that is played behind the line of scrimmage-for better or for worse. He had 12.5 tackles for loss as a senior at Auburn, but he also is prone to giving up the big play, as he sometimes overruns the play. He best projects as a 4-3 three-technique who rotates in with a vet for his first few seasons in the league. He can make his mark on pass rushing downs, as he has the awareness to play the draws and screens, and the pure athleticism to get to the QB with some consistency.

Red Bryant, Texas A&M, 3rd round grade, Mediocre Prospect
At 318 pounds, Bryant is probably large enough to play the nose tackle position in the 3-4, but he is probably better suited for the 4-3 nose. As a rotational run stuffing compliment to a pass rushing tackle, a team that drafts Red Bryant can maximize the amount of looks they are giving the opposing offensive line, making them work harder during the week to prepare for them. For coordinators that love to blitz, the type of versatility that Bryant brings is well worth the cost of a mid-round draft selection.

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Other NFL Draft U. rankings:

QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | OG/C

This entry was posted on Friday, April 25th, 2008 at 12:50 pm and is filed under Trevor Laws, Marcus Harrison, DeMario Pressley, Kentwan Balmer, Top Players By Position 2008, Sedrick Ellis, Glenn Dorsey. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.