Defensive Tackles

A dominant defensive tackle is the foundation of any elite defense. To be great, defenses must possess a man who can control the line of scrimmage. They are not glamorous picks, but they free up their teammates to do their jobs successfully. Of the five top defenses (in yards allowed per game), four have an elite defensive tackle. Here’s how the future prospects measure up in comparison:

B.J. Raji (Boston College) offers the most scheme versatility. On film, he is an absolute animal against his competition. I pity  lineman who try to single or double team him. When he tries, there are no questions about his strength and ability to plug the middle. Mark my words, he should be gone in the first five picks.

After Raji, I absolutely  love Peria Jerry’s (Ole Miss) great intensity and lower body strength. On numerous occasions, I have seen him drive blockers backwards as if there was nobody there. It’s only for nagging injuries that he may find his stock drop on draft day.

Another immense talent is Missouri’s Evander Hood. It would be a  rare thing indeed to find a guy who plays with more intensity and drive than him. He gives his all on each and every down, which is why I think he will succeed in the pros as a pass rusher. He is a bit undersized, but  so is Darnell Dockett on the the Arizona Cardinals. Hood’s play reminds me of Dockett’s disruptive playing style.

Mid-round steals could be Terrance Taylor (Michigan) and Ron Brace (Boston College). Taylor is a former state champion wrestler with tree trunks for legs. He only lacks height, measuring in at just under 6 feet.

Brace looks the part at 6′ 3 and 320 lbs, but is rather sluggish and isn’t close to the athlete that his teammate Raji is. But any coach with patience and time to tutor these guys may get solid football players.

Special article coming up: Quarterback Controversy

Safeties

Since Taylor Mays (USC) decided to return for his final year at school, there is an underwhelming number of high profile safeties this year.  This kid is far and away the best player at his position and would have probably been a top 5 pick.  Therefore, the top safety in the draft is William Moore (Missouri). He is very good at stopping the run, and he has good size and athleticism. Yet, he hasn’t really been playing at his best because of injuries. He certainly is not the next coming of Ed Reed, but he can be a solid starter for a team that values run stopping safeties.

Behind Moore, I have to say that Louis Delmas (Western Michigan) and  Rashad Johnson (Alabama)  are the next best players at safety. They will fall in around the third round. Both guys, especially Johnson are very hard workers. In fact, Johnson was a walk-on at one of the best universities in the country. I don’t know about you, but that tells me he is a smart guy who works harder than most. Both guys are instictive players who manage to make big plays despite their smaller size.

Patrick Chung (Oregon)  and David Bruton (Notre Dame) are liabilities in pass coverage, but are solid against the run.

Next time: Defensive Tackles