Top 20 Defensive Underclassmen Ready To Go Pro

[michael89156]

2013 NFL Draft: Top 20 Defensive Underclassmen Ready To Go Pro
 
By Seth Carson



January 18, 2013 4:14 pm
 



Defense wins championships and this year's crop of underclassmen may be the best the league has seen in over a decade. The list was very difficult to narrow down to the top 20, but after spending most of the day yesterday and the hours overnight, I have compiled a list that I feel showcases the best defensive underclassmen in this year's Draft.






 
S Matt Elam

Elam has played a pivotal role in the Gators returning to dominance in the SEC. He put up 76 tackles, two sacks, and picked off four passes last season.

At 5'10", 202 pounds, he's a bit undersized for a safety, but this a becoming a common theme in the NFL. He could also play corner in the right scheme.

He can cover the deep ball and has good awareness to cover both the long and short zone, while also being able to go man-to-man. He could be the first safety to come of the board in the 1st round.








DT Sharrif Floyd

Floyd had a tremendous season for the Gators recording 46 tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble and blocked two kicks.

At 6'3", 303 pounds, Floyd has very good speed off the snap, which often surprises opposing interior offensive linemen.

He also possesses brutal strength to push through the line, stop the run, and pressure the pass.

I currently have him as an early 2nd round pick, but a solid Combine will boost his value to a late 1st round reach pick









NT Kwame Geathers


Geathers was a key portion of Georgia's defensive line and helped by making 40 tackles, one sack, eight pressures and one blocked kick.

At 6'6", 355 pounds, Geathers will be a tough load for any offensive line to handle.

But with that speed comes a lack of mobility and lateral agility.

Still, his size alone is enough to make him a 2nd-3rd round selection in this year's Draft








DE William Gholston

Golston is a beast off the corners, and has the size to be a mammoth defensive end at the next level. He possesses good speed and great leaping ability, he is also quick to fill the running lanes.

At 6'7", 278 pounds, Ghoston had 59 tackles (13 for a loss), 4.5 sacks, and swatted down 10 passes.

How I don't have him as a 1st round pick is puzzling (early to mid 2nd), but a good Combine could change that quickly.








DT Johnathan Hankins

Hankins played through injuries during his stay at Ohio State. His foot will continue to hassle his production at the next level, but if healthy he has the ability to become a solid defensive tackle along any defensive line.

At 6'3", 317 pounds, Hankins despite the injuries, made 55 tackles and one sack.

He will need to show at the Combine the foot is not an issue or his stock will plummet out of the first round, unless another team scoops him up as a reach pick in the late 1st round







S Tony Jefferson

Jefferson was a huge part of the Sooners' defense dominating games in the Big 12 last season.

He had 119 tackles, two picks, and five deflections. He has a nose for clogging zone coverages and provides good aid to the man coverage down field.

At 5'11", 212 pounds, Jefferson is the prototypical safety with excellent speed and leaping ability.

While Elam is slated to go first, Jefferson is my top safety in the Draft, and I have him going before Elam on my board (V1.5).






DB Jelani Jenkins

Jenkins is an interesting pick I included due to his overall athletic ability, which does equate to success at the next level.

Jenkins has great speed and covers well in man and zone packages.

At 6'0", 187 pounds, Jenkins had 39 tackles, three interceptions, and eight deflections.

I currently have him as a 3rd-rounder, but a strong Combine might bump him into the late 2nd round







DE Jarvis Jones

What's left to say that hasn't already been said about Jones? He's the perfect specimen to have played the game at his position, and the college level. He will be an All-Pro in the NFL.

At 6'3", 241 pounds, Jones had 85 tackles (24.5 for a loss), 14.5 sacks, and forced seven fumbles.

Many mocks have him as the 2nd overall pick, but on my latest board I have him going 1st overall to Kansas City.







DE Joe Kruger

Kruger had a solid season for Utah. He doesn't possess blazing speed and is tight in the hips, but he does get off the snap well using his strength to get into the backfield.

At 6'7", 280 pounds, Kruger had 30 tackles, eight sacks, one pick, and two forced fumbles.

His size makes him a perfect pick fit in the 34 scheme. I have him listed between the 3rd and 4th rounds, but a good Combine can up his stock value








DE Corey Lemonier

Lemonier has a solid frame and good speed off the corner, but his knack for filling the run lanes is what will propel him at the next level.

At 6'4", 246 pounds, Lemonier had 34 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 12 pressures, and forced a fumble.

He is raw and very coach-able. A team between the middle 2nd and 4th rounds will scoop him up









DT Bennie Logan

Logan was a beast on the interior defensive line for LSU. His size is deceptive, because he is very quick and agile and disrupts the offensive balance, since he's very hard to contain.

At 6'3", 295 pounds, Logan had 45 tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble.

The advance off the snap Logan has, and his quickness, can allow him to be a defensive end in the 3-4 set, or a punishing tackle in the 4-3.

He doesn't slip out of the first round without a horrible Combine or injury.







CB Tyrann Mathieu


A "Curve Ball Special" as Mathieu was dismissed from LSU prior to last season for off the field issues.

Still, he remains one of the more recognized defensive heroes from the 2011 squad.

In 2011 Mathieu had 76 tackles, two picks, 11 deflections, six forced fumbles, and recovered five fumbles.

He will need an impressive private workout to get into the 3rd round










CB Dee Milliner

Milliner is an extremely gifted and athletic cornerback. His leaping ability is second to none, and his speed off the snap and in recovery follows the same decree.

At 6'1", 199 pounds, Milliner had 54 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two picks, 22 deflections, and one forced fumble.

He is my top cornerback in this year's Draft






DE Barkevious Mingo

Mingo was a constant disruption along the defensive line for LSU last season. His stats don't reflect the intangibles he possesses.

He's a kid to keep an eye on next season in the NFL, regardless of where he lands.

At 6'5", 240 pounds, Mingo can either play at linebacker in the 3-4 or a defensive end in the 4-3.

He will likely be the second defensive end taken in the Draft and a top 10 -- if not top 5 pick.








LB Kevin Minter

Minter was the other big player in LSU's defensive front seven. He is very versatile in open space and rolls nicely in short zone coverage, plus he can read a run better than any other linebacker in the Draft.

At 6'2", 242 pounds, Minter led the team with 130 tackles, four sacks, one pick, and a forced fumble.

He should be the first linebacker off the board in the first round, and a strong Combine could place him in the top 15







DE Sam Montgomery

Montgomery was the the other disruptive end opposite of Mingo for the Tigers. The same as Mingo, Montgomery possesses speed of the corners, and fills the running lanes that led runners right into the arms of Minter.

At 6'5", 260 pounds, Montgomery had 37 tackles, eight sacks, and two forced fumbles.

A strong Combine could move Montgomery into the top 15 -- if not the top 10









DE Damontre Moore

Moore was a beast for the Aggies during their debut season in the SEC.

Moore was the heart of this defensive unit, and has great speed and athleticism on and off the line.

At 6'4", 250 pounds, Moore led the Aggies with 85 tackles (21 for a loss), 12.5 sacks, nine pressures, and a forced fumble.

Moore is already a top 15 pick, but a solid Combine could place him in the top 10.





DE Alec Ogletree

Ogletree was the defensive leader aside from Jones for the Bulldogs. He has good speed and rolls fluently with the ball.

He makes superb open field tackles and is solid in short zone packages.

He has injury and off the field issues that are a major concern and could cause his stock to drop.

At 6'3", 232 pounds, Ogletree led the Bulldogs with 111 tackles, three sacks, nine pressures, and a forced fumble.

Once again, he would be a top 15 pick, but off the field issues and injury concerns make him a top 20 pick in the first round.









CB Xavier Rhodes

Rhodes was a key player in the Seminoles' success this season, with his play from the secondary.

Rhodes has good speed but doesn't recover well when beaten, which could hurt his stock on draft day.

At 6'2", 217 pounds, Rhodes had 39 tackles, three picks, 10 deflections, and a forced fumble.

Rhodes should come off the board during the mid 2nd to mid 3rd round







DE Bjoern Werner

Werner was the heart of the Seminoles' defense, and he was the best defensive end in the ACC.

He gets off the snap quickly and disrupts the running lanes arguably better than any other defensive end in the Draft, save Jones.

At 6'4", 255 pounds, Werner had 42 tackles (18 for a loss), 13 sacks, eight deflections, five pressures, and a forced fumble.

Whether the Lions keep Avril or not is the difference between Werner being a top five pick.

If the Lions pass him up, the Browns accept the early X-Mas present gift wrapped.






http://www.footballnation.com/content/2013-nfl-draft-top-20-defensive-underclassmen-ready-to-go-pro/20957/

[lyronmewis]

Jelani Jenkins is a DB?

[Bayfisher]

The Bucs need one of those pass rushers. Gholston is bigger than Rice was. 

[The Anti-Java]

Rhodes should come off the board during the mid 2nd to mid 3rd round



I don't think that falls that way, but it would be good if it did.  Milliner in the first ,  Rhodes in the 3rd.

[chace1986]

Rhodes should come off the board during the mid 2nd to mid 3rd round

I don't think that falls that way, but it would be good if it did.  Milliner in the first ,  Rhodes in the 3rd.

Yea, that's interesting. Based upon current projections and prospect analysis that is out there, I don't see how Rhodes gets past the first few picks in the 2nd round.

[dexmonkey]

so much fail in this article. i question whether this guy watches football or just does a bad job reading other draftniks pages and deciding he knows something about football

lol at this guy for having william gholston on here. he must not have watched him this year. physically hes ready but mentally hes light years away. the kid has no fire and takes a ton of plays off. classic looks like tarzan plays like jane

geathers is a solid 2nd but hankins is a reach in the first? hahaha geathers is a 4th rounder hes streaky and has some off the field issues that will push him down the board.

jelani jenkins was not a DB, hes a linebacker will likely be a 3rd round pick at best. hes had an up and down career with injury issues, add that to small size and hes a 3rd rounder. id be surprised to see anyone take him in the second unless he absolutely wrecks the combine and his pro day.

rhodes in the 3rd? lol i dont need to say anymore

montgomery probly will be a 20s selection, he had a pretty pedestrian year

[Ft Myers Buc Fan]

so much fail in this article. i question whether this guy watches football or just does a bad job reading other draftniks pages and deciding he knows something about football

lol at this guy for having william gholston on here. he must not have watched him this year. physically hes ready but mentally hes light years away. the kid has no fire and takes a ton of plays off. classic looks like tarzan plays like jane

geathers is a solid 2nd but hankins is a reach in the first? hahaha geathers is a 4th rounder hes streaky and has some off the field issues that will push him down the board.

jelani jenkins was not a DB, hes a linebacker will likely be a 3rd round pick at best. hes had an up and down career with injury issues, add that to small size and hes a 3rd rounder. id be surprised to see anyone take him in the second unless he absolutely wrecks the combine and his pro day.

rhodes in the 3rd? lol i dont need to say anymore

montgomery probly will be a 20s selection, he had a pretty pedestrian year

I dont think Montgomery is going anywhere near the first round.   Did you see what the LSU Strength coach thinks of him?

http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/did_lsu_strength_coach_tommy_moffitt_just_ruin_sam_montgomerys_draft_status/12533665

[The Anti-Java]

Jelani Jenkins is a DB?

Dude is pretty small for a NFL LB.  For instance Lavonte is 6-1  233lbs.

They may be projecting him as DB in the pros.

[lyronmewis]

Jelani Jenkins is a DB?

Dude is pretty small for a NFL LB.  For instance Lavonte is 6-1  233lbs.

They may be projecting him as DB in the pros.

He's small, but he's not the 180 lbs they listed him as. He's listed as 237 on gatorzone, 233 on wikipedia, 220 on his rivals page coming out from highschool, and 237 on his espn page.

I think it's more likely that he's around 225-230, which would make more sense for him to bulk up another couple of pounds and keep playing at his current position rather than lose a few pounds and switch position.

[The Anti-Java]

Jelani Jenkins is a DB?

Dude is pretty small for a NFL LB.  For instance Lavonte is 6-1  233lbs.

They may be projecting him as DB in the pros.

He's small, but he's not the 180 lbs they listed him as. He's listed as 237 on gatorzone, 233 on wikipedia, 220 on his rivals page coming out from highschool, and 237 on his espn page.

I think it's more likely that he's around 225-230, which would make more sense for him to bulk up another couple of pounds and keep playing at his current position rather than lose a few pounds and switch position.

He may have went on the Josh Freeman diet plan.

[lyronmewis]

Jelani Jenkins is a DB?

Dude is pretty small for a NFL LB.  For instance Lavonte is 6-1  233lbs.

They may be projecting him as DB in the pros.

He's small, but he's not the 180 lbs they listed him as. He's listed as 237 on gatorzone, 233 on wikipedia, 220 on his rivals page coming out from highschool, and 237 on his espn page.

I think it's more likely that he's around 225-230, which would make more sense for him to bulk up another couple of pounds and keep playing at his current position rather than lose a few pounds and switch position.

He may have went on the Josh Freeman diet plan.

Which according to some people on this forum is AIDS and cocaine.

[chace1986]

Jelani Jenkins is a DB?

Dude is pretty small for a NFL LB.  For instance Lavonte is 6-1  233lbs.

They may be projecting him as DB in the pros.

He's small, but he's not the 180 lbs they listed him as. He's listed as 237 on gatorzone, 233 on wikipedia, 220 on his rivals page coming out from highschool, and 237 on his espn page.

I think it's more likely that he's around 225-230, which would make more sense for him to bulk up another couple of pounds and keep playing at his current position rather than lose a few pounds and switch position.

He may have went on the Josh Feman diet plan.

Hope not. That would mean that he lost a bunch of weight...but got slower...

[The Anti-Java]

Jelani Jenkins is a DB?

Dude is pretty small for a NFL LB.  For instance Lavonte is 6-1  233lbs.

They may be projecting him as DB in the pros.

He's small, but he's not the 180 lbs they listed him as. He's listed as 237 on gatorzone, 233 on wikipedia, 220 on his rivals page coming out from highschool, and 237 on his espn page.

I think it's more likely that he's around 225-230, which would make more sense for him to bulk up another couple of pounds and keep playing at his current position rather than lose a few pounds and switch position.

He may have went on the Josh Feman diet plan.

Hope not. That would mean that he lost a bunch of weight...but got slower...

One of life's great mystery's.

[dexmonkey]

im wondering if this moron didnt get his Jenkins' mixed up. i bet he put up janoris jenkins weight next to jelani jenkins name. with how badly this article is written it wouldnt surprise me. id be willing to put money on jelani jenkins being around 225-230. hes kind of on the small side, probably about the same size as lavonte david