GH's Pre-Combine Top 50

1. DT Nick Fairley, Auburn*
2. CB Patrick Peterson, LSU*
3. WR AJ Green, Georgia*
4. DE Da’Quan Bowers, Clemson*
5. QB Cam Newton, Auburn*
6. DE Robert Quinn, North Carolina*
7. WR Julio Jones, Alabama*
8. QB Blaine Gabbert, Missouri*
9. DE Marcell Dareus, Alabama*
10. CB Brandon Harris, Miami*

11. CB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
12. DE JJ Watt, Wisconsin*
13. DE Aldon Smith, Missouri**
14. LB Akeem Ayers, UCLA*
15. RB Mark Ingram, Alabama*
16. DE Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
17. OT Anthony Castonzo, Boston College
18. WR Torrey Smith, Maryland*
19. DE Cameron Jordan, California
20. DE Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue

21. DT Cameron Heyward, Ohio State
22. RB Mikel Leshoure, Illinois*
23. LB Justin Houston, Georgia*
24. DT Stephen Paea, Oregon State
25. WR Jon Baldwin, Pittsburgh*
26. CB Jimmy Smith, Colorado
27. OT Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin
28. DE Jabaal Sheard, Pittsburgh
29. DT Muhammad Wilkerson, Temple*
30. OT Derek Sherrod, Miss State

31. RB Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech**
32. WR Leonard Hankerson, Miami
33. TE Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame*
34. OG Rodney Hudson, Florida State
35. DT Corey Liuget, Illinois*
36. LB Martez Wilson, Illinois*
37. S DeAndre McDaniel, Clemson
38. LB Mason Foster, Washington
39. LB Von Miller, Texas A&M
40. DT Phil Taylor, Baylor

41. OT Tyron Smith, USC*
42. OG Danny Watkins, Baylor
43. LB Brooks Reed, Arizona
44. S Quinton Carter, Oklahoma
45. OT Nate Solder, Colorado
46. OG Mike Pouncey, Florida
47. CB Johnny Patrick, Louisville
48. WR Randall Cobb, Kentucky*
49. S Rahim Moore, UCLA*
50. QB Jake Locker, Washington

 

Harris is getting overlooked pretty easily for how outstanding he was last season. I was down on him before the year, but he made good on the hype. What gives him the nod over Prince in my mind is that I think he can have success against any type of receiver he'd see in the NFL. He's got a great blend of quickness and physicality, and I just have a hard time seeing him not translate really well to the NFL. Prince can be great too, but I think there should be more questions about him matching up against smaller, shifty WRs than we've seen so far. I think he's got a lot better chance to make it at corner than Malcolm Jenkins, but I understand why people are bringing it up.

Torrey Smith is going to end up around there, I figured I'd just jump the combine gun on it. His speed is going to separate him from that next tier, and the other kids who will run well won't be able to catch him. His problems are all fixable with good positional coaching, and he doesn't have the attitude issues of Baldwin.

I just don't get it about Von Miller. I think as a second round pick he'd be a terrific option, but I'm not sure how a guy without a set position can go as high as some project him. He's not a 43 OLB, there's just no way that a team could ever get him enough passrushing opportunities to make good on his skills. He's not a 43 end, at his size he'd just get engulfed in the run game. People want to compare him to Dumervil, but the bulk isn't close, Dumervil measured 5'11, 257 at the combine, Miller was 6'3 237 at the senior bowl. That is a huge difference. Miller's only shot is as a 34 OLB, but even still we're talking a big jump in size to be able to take on NFL tackles.

Nah, he's not at that level. People will think he is after he dominates in Indy, but the kid just isn't as good as the above players. Guys like Christian Ballard and Sam Acho are probably above him when it comes to the next DEs down the rankings as well.

 

Depends on what team he goes to, he has such versatile skills he could pretty much fit in any defense. If he goes to a 34 team, he'd be a guy that could switch between ILB and OLB depending on the play. He's big, smart, and athletic, he'll fill wherever there's a need.

Bulk up some maybe, but any time you ask a kid to add this much weight you have to wonder how it'll affect his game. Plus, he really does just look like a linebacker, so the question of how much his frame could hold will come into play. It's another of the reasons why I don't really trust college 34s to produce NFL 34 OLBs, they allow them to play small and from there develop bad habits (like relying too heavily on the speed rush).

I heard Charlie Casserly sum up QB busts over the past however many years in the best way. QBs bust because they don't have good mental makeup, accuracy, or both. I'm not confident in either at the moment, especially with all the stuff coming up now about him.

 

With corners it's usually just a case of who stands out when I watch them play vs. Who doesn't. A guy like Williams had bigger hype than Harris before the year, but I didn't see him making plays whenever I watched UT play. Amukamara had up and down games but his up games were really good, Williams just didn't show me anything special.

Separating corners really gets nitpicky, and with these guys it can be something as simple as that. It's why I'd rather have a kid like Patrick who isn't as athletically gifted, but will always be in a spot to make a big play, either on a runner or on the ball.