| 1. DeMarcus Tyler, DT, North Carolina St. (SR) |
| It's rare that we see a potential first round pick go virtually unnoticed at the start of his senior season but I guess that's what happens when you played alongside three other first round picks the year before. "Tank" Tyler has definitely stepped out from the shadows of his former teammates Mario Williams, Manny Lawson and John McCargo though and it's not an exaggeration to say that he might have seen his stock rise more than any other prospect in the nation. In a relatively weak crop of senior tackles Tyler is now one of the best. |
| 2. Ray McDonald, DE, Florida (SR) |
| When the season started there were a lot of questions surrounding McDonald, not the least of which being how he would rebound after missing a good portion of the 2005 season due to a knee injury. Even though he is still somewhat of a DE / DT 'tweener it's now safe to say that McDonald will be drafted a lot earlier than his more highly-touted teammate Marcus Thomas. McDonald's statistics may be modest (3 sacks and 4 TFL) but they don't accurately reflect the outstanding senior campaign he has had and he could be a first round pick. |
| 3. David Harris, ILB, Michigan (SR) |
| The Wolverine defense has been one of the best in the nation this year and while guys like Leon Hall, Alan Branch and LaMarr Woodley have certainly done more than their fair share to contribute to that David Harris has been a key as well. In fact, Harris' stock has risen so much that some actually feel he will battle Patrick Willis and Buster Davis to be the first inside linebacker chosen next April. That remains to be seen but there is no doubt that Harris has seen his stock soar and gone from a late rounder to a potential Day One pick. |
| 4. Dwayne Bowe, WR, L.S.U. (SR) |
| Going into this season there really wasn't much to get excited about when it came to the senior wideout class beyond Jeff Samardzija and maybe Jason Hill but that is beginning to change. There have been others who have emerged to a certain extent but perhaps none to the degree of Dwayne Bowe, who is easily a Day One pick and could even end up being the second or third senior wideout chosen. Bowe, who will remind some of Michael Clayton, doesn't have great timed speed but he is a big, physical receiver who makes a lot of plays. |
| 5. Anthony Spencer, DE, Purdue (SR) |
| One thing NFL teams can never have enough of is pass rushers and Spencer is one of the best available. Even though he is undersized for a pro defensive end and a bit of a 'tweener Spencer is very fast and athletic which leads you to believe he could easily make the move to outside linebacker at the next level, especially in a 3-4 scheme. In recent years we have seen DeMarcus Ware, Shawne Merriman, Kamerion Wimbley and Manny Lawson get drafted very early despite the uncertainty about their positions and Spencer could be next. |
| 6. Josh Wilson, CB, Maryland (SR) |
| Speed. It doesn't matter what level of football you are talking about because all teams want it. Enter Josh Wilson who, even though he lacks ideal height at only 5-9, is one of the fastest players in this draft. At any position. Wilson isn't just a workout warrior though and throughout his senior season he's really elevated his level of play and caught the attention of scouts. Right now Wilson has played himself up to the fringe of Day One and if he works out as well as expected you never know just how high he could climb before Draft Day. |
| 7. Ben Grubbs, OG, Auburn (SR) |
| Offensive guard is not a glory position and rarely do true guards who can't also potentially play tackle go in the first round of the NFL Draft. Ben Grubbs just might be the exception to that rule. A former defensive tackle and tight end, Grubbs is an excellent athlete for the position and the scouts have taken notice. Not only is Grubbs a lock to go on Day One but he could even slip into the latter stages of the first round and when you are talking about an offensive guard that really speaks volumes about how talented of a guy he is. |
| 8. Amobi Okoye, DT, Louisville (SR) |
| The NFL Draft may never have seen a prospect like Amobi Okoye. When he came to the United States as a 12-year-old Okoye tested into the 9th grade, which allowed him to graduate from high school earlier than most and play Division I college football as a 16-year-old true freshman. That means that despite playing four years of college ball against top-notch competition Okoye will still only be a 20-year-old rookie in the NFL next year and while he is already quite a player the sky is the limit for him in terms of physical upside. |
| 9. Daymeion Hughes, CB, California (SR) |
| One sure-fire way to win football games is to create turnovers and when it comes to that Daymeion Hughes is one of the top defensive backs in the country. There are still a lot of questions about his timed speed and Hughes will certainly have to answer those to solidify a top grade but from a production standpoint he's been outstanding as a senior and really gotten the attention of scouts. If he runs well Hughes could very easily be a first round pick but if his speed is not up to par he could slide all the way to the latter portion of Day One. |
| 10. Tyler Palko, QB, Pittsburgh (SR) |
| Some of the senior quarterbacks have disappointed this year but Tyler Palko has actually been a pleasant surprise and as a result he's moved up most draft boards. After a terrible junior campaign Palko has really rebounded this year and gone from a late round pick to a potential mid-rounder. Even though he's still rough around the edges Palko is a great leader with top intangibles and that leads you to believe that he could at least be a solid backup at the pro level. A guy like Bruce Gradkowski might be a good role model for Palko. |
The Not-So-Hot List |
| Marcus Thomas, DT, Florida (SR) |
| No player has seen his stock take a roller coaster ride like Thomas has this year and he's actually the only prospect to have made both the Hot List as well as the Not-So-Hot List. Based on his play there is no doubt that Thomas is a first round talent but his off-the-field troubles and subsequent dismissal from the Gator team will take their toll on his draft stock. At best, Thomas is probably a 3rd round pick right now and unless he can really convince pro decision makers that his problems are in the past he could easily fall to Day Two. |
