2010 Defensive Ends

Finally, I've made it to the defensive side of the ball!
The first position I want to take a look at on defense is Defensive End.
There's a saying in football that goes 'In order to win in the NFL you need to do 3 things. 1- Get a Quarterback. 2- Protect your Quarterback. 3- Get to the other teams Quarterback'. Step 3 is often where the Defensive Ends come in. Clearly, these players are extremely important to an NFL team. Pass rushers off the edge are some of the most valuable players in football...it's for that reason that back in 2006 Houston chose Mario Williams over Reggie Bush. Simply put, Defensive End's are much more important than running backs and many other positions. Pass rushers are always in high demand.

It should be noted that a lot of these guys I'm going to be discussing are Ends in a 43 scheme but many will project to Outside Linebacker in a 34 scheme. So, while you may see some people mocking Jason Pierre-Paul to Miami as a Linebacker for example, he will still be covered in the Defensive End rankings since that is where he profiles in a traditional 43 scheme. Make sense? Good! Okay lets get into it.

The first end I want to take a look at is Brandon Graham. Graham is an absolute animal on tape. He has a fantastic motor and never takes any plays off. He is good one on one with a blocker, he's exceptionally strong and powerful, and his technique is nearly flawless. He is proven to be very productive as a pass rusher (notching nearly 30 sacks in his final 3 years) and he is very stout against the run. He can easily shed blocks and his wrap up tackling is very impressive. He would be a great fit in a 43 or 34 scheme at the next level. By the way Im gushing over the guy, you'd think hes destined to be a top 5 pick...but he's not. Why? He has some physical short comings. Hes not the best athlete, he is rather short for a DE (6'1), and his frame is pretty much maxed out. In other words, he doesn't have top 5 athleticism, but he sure plays like a top 5 player. I think he's a borderline top 10 talent in the draft and he should be an exceptional player from day 1 in the NFL. We may see him slide on draft day because of his measurables (or lack there of)but he'll make an immediate impact.

Another interesting prospect this year is Jason Pierre-Paul or to make life simpler for us all, 'JPP'. JPP is the anti Brandon Graham. A JUCO transfer from South Florida, JPP has only started about half of a full season yet he's still destined to be a 1st round pick. This is almost purely based on his athleticism. One of the freakiest guys in this years draft, JPP was blessed with a 6'5 270 frame with room to add even more bulk. He also runs in the high 4.6's which is remarkable for a man of his size. He has the prototypical long arms and the ideal burst to be an NFL pass rusher. His tape (though limited) shows he has a good motor and he did rack up nearly a sack per start. His issue is his experience...how willing are you to gamble on a guy with half a year of college experience but with all world potential? Note that he hasn't proven to be reliable against the run, he has some intelligence questions, and he could have more raw strength... JPP is a big time gamble, but if he is developed correctly he could be a star.

From one boom or bust prospect to another, I now want to shift my attention to Everson Griffen from USC. Griffen is another freaky athlete with the size and the speed to be an NFL star, but his one major question mark is his motor. He runs hot and cold too often to get a good read on him. For example some games he absolutely dominated, such as the Notre Dame game in 2009. He abused the Irish Offensive Line all game and collected 2 sacks and a number of other QB hurries and pressures. Despite this show of talent, sometimes Griffen wouldn't deliver...in fact in 2008 he even lost his starting job! I'd be willing to bet on Griffen in the later stages of round 1, but he is a gamble. When he turns it on, he turns it on big time. But you have to take into account that at times his potential doesn't show up. It'll be up to the team who drafts him to maximize his skills and get him to produce like he should.

The final DE I want to look at is Jason Worilds out of Virginia Tech. He doesn't get much publicity in the draftnik community but he should. He is a perfect fit at OLB for a 34 team, has a fantastic motor, excellent speed, and is deadly in space. He didn't have the best senior season but it wasn't bad by any means...plus his junior season was fantastic. One also has to check out his pro day numbers..they're truely eye opening...he ran a 4.47 at 255 lbs! Are you kidding me? Those numbers may be deflated from a generous track at Virginia Tech, but there's no way you can discredit numbers like that. Worilds has the ability to be an absolute force in the NFL. His speed and burst, with his open field instincts could make for a star at OLB in a 34 scheme. Look for him to be taken in round 2 or 3 in the draft. He could be a steal at that point.

Here are the DE rankings...DT's are next!

1) Brandon Graham, Michigan (Round 1)
2) Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech (Round 1)
3) Jason Pierre-Paul, USF (Round 1)
4) Everson Griffen, USC (Round 1)
5) Carlos Dunlap, Florida (Round 1-2)
6) Jerry Hughes, TCU (Round 1-2)
7) Jason Worilds, Virginia Tech (Round 2-3)
8) Corey Wooton, Northwestern (Round 2-3)
9) Koa Misi, Utah (Round 2-3)
10) Ricky Sapp, Clemson (Round 2-3)