Rang: Top 10 Defensive Prospects In the Draft
One of these will likely be a Saint on April 26; NOPF exclusive from nfl.com and nfldraftscout.com contributor Rang

Troy CB Leodis McKelvin (al.com)

Rob "Boomer" Rang, senior analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, joins the NOPF NFL Draft team for the fifth year, providing his excellent analysis and draft insight exclusively to our readers. NFLDraftScout.com is powered by The SportsXchange, which has a network of professional reporters who cover more than 560 professional and collegiate teams. Their client list includes ESPN, FOXsports, USA Today, NFL.com, CBS Sportsline, MSNBC, AOL, Yahoo, CSTV, and numerous others. Their rankings, profiles, and mock drafts are consistently among the industry's most accurate. Rang has been busy this offseason providing his expertise to nfl.com.

posted April 2, 2008 - print me!
neworleansprofootball.com
by Rob Rang
Senior Analyst, NFLDraftScout.com
Special to NewOrleansProFootball.com

With the NFL Draft now less than one month away, scouts are shifting their attention from the myriad of Pro Days back towards home -- and towards cementing their clubs' draft boards.

Considering that the Saints finished the 2007 season ranked 26th in overall defense and allowed a league-worst 5.8 yards a play, the team is expected to continue their off-season focus on that side of the ball throughout the draft.

That focus will almost certainly begin in the first round, where, with the tenth overall selection, the Saints could find any of the top ranked defenders still available.

So who should the Saints be targeting? Read the strengths and weaknesses of each of the top ten defensive prospects below and choose for yourself!

1. Chris Long, DE/OLB, Virginia, 6-3, 272, 4.75/40:

Strengths: Versatile athlete who plays with the strength, instincts, intensity, and technique to make him arguably the safest prospect of the 2008 draft. Dominant performer as a defensive in the 3-4 alignment at Virginia and has the strength and hand usage to remain at this position in the NFL. Proved unique athleticism during linebacker drills at his Pro Day to warrant moving him to rush linebacker for the 3-4. Also shows the burst off the snap to play defensive end in the 4-3 scheme. Good upper body strength. Good burst off the snap. Best physical asset might be his uses of hands. Strong, active hands to disengage. Reads the action quickly and pursuits the ball carrier relentlessly. As pro-ready as any player in this draft. Can be expected to make an immediate impact. Excellent bloodlines, as father, Howie, is Hall of Fame defensive end.

Weaknesses: While he has burst off the snap, Long isn't truly explosive off the edge as down lineman, prompting many to consider his best position being a 3-4 rush linebacker. Because of his work ethic and stellar technique, he may already be a finished product with limited upside.

2. Glenn Dorsey, DT/NG, LSU, 6-2, 297, 5.12/40:

Strengths: Rare quickness off the snap. Explodes out of his stance as if he has springs in his legs. Uses his hands well to disengage from blocks and locates the ball quickly. Rarely penetrates the line of scrimmage without either making the play himself or forcing the ball carrier into the arms of a teammate for an easy tackle for loss. Good strength and isn't afraid of physicality at the point of attack. Rarely gives up much ground even when pitted against a double-team. Very good lateral quickness and plays with a relentless motor. Pursues down the line, moving through the trash smoothly on his way to the ball carrier. A leader on the field.

Weaknesses: Durability remains the biggest question regarding Dorsey's ability to play at a high level in the NFL. While Dorsey has never missed a game at LSU, a stress fracture in the tibia of his left leg suffered in 2006 forced him to rehabilitate the injury throughout the spring of 2007 -- rehabilitation that included wearing a bone stimulator for as much as 18 hours a day. In terms of his football ability, Dorsey is a bit shorter than scouts would prefer. While possessing explosiveness off the snap, he is only a marginal pass rusher, posting only 13 sacks in 50 career games.

3. Vernon Gholston, DE/OLB, Ohio State, 6-3, 266, 4.65/40:

Strengths: Prototype size for the position. Chiseled build that could earn him a body building award, especially in his upper body. Good initial quickness off the snap. Generates good speed around the edge and puts the offensive tackle quickly on his heels. Explosive bull rusher. Can drive through tackles out-weighing him by 50+ pounds and drive them into the quarterback. Impressive lateral quickness to flatten out and protect the perimeter. Can flip his hips and run with backs in coverage. Pursues hard to make plays from behind. Due to a surprising lack of hand technique, Gholston still possesses significant upside. Characterized by some as a workout warrior, but was voted the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year and broke the OSU record with 14 sacks in 2007, including one -- the only one against Michigan's Jake Long -- the only one he surrendered all year long.

Weaknesses: Only marginal use of hands to disengage from defenders. Relies on his physical tools to get past the offensive tackle, but often is tied up by lesser athletes that get their hands into his chest. Doesn't use his hands as weapons in the passing lanes, only registering two PBUs over his career. Doesn't currently show the shoulder dip and balance to get under and around athletic tackles. Despite explosive power as a bull rusher, only flashes explosiveness in his hitting. Has zero forced fumbles in three seasons… The best pass rusher on a team loaded with athletes and there is some concern that at least some of his success is due to their abilities.

4. Sedrick Ellis, DT/NG, USC, 6-1, 308, 5.26/40:

Strengths: Good burst off the snap. Can penetrate the line and disrupt the play before it really has a chance to begin. Recognizes the action and reacts accordingly. Rarely caught out of position. Powerful frame. Uses his natural leverage advantage to stack the line of scrimmage and is difficult to move, even against double-teams. Uses his hands to disengage from blocks as well as any interior senior defensive lineman in the country. Hustles down the line and will make plays in pursuit. Has improved throughout his career. The most dominant player on the field at the Senior Bowl.

Weaknesses: Lacks the size preferred for the position. Considered by some a bit of a 'tweener as he is viewed by some as neither explosive enough to be a great fit in the one gap alignment, nor big and stout enough to succeed in the two gap. Because of his work ethic Ellis may be closing on his maximum potential already and thus, have limited upside. Has had some injuries - including missing three games in 2006 due to surgery to repair torn cartilage in his knee and missing most of the 2003 season due to surgery to repair a fractured left ankle. Slower than expected in drills at the Combine, dropping him in the eyes of some teams.

5. Keith Rivers, OLB, USC, 6-2, 241, 4.63/40:

Strengths: Classic size for the position and blessed with rare speed and overall athleticism. Instinctive defender who reads the action quickly and puts himself in position to make the play. Legitimate sideline to sideline speed. At his best in pursuit, due to his speed and ability to judge angles. Reliable open field tackler who can generate some explosion off his hits. Aggressive in run support. Attacks the line of scrimmage and defeats blocks to make the stop. Rarely used as a traditional pass rusher, but has the instincts and acceleration to be effective in this area. Good closing speed. Cognizant and speedy in coverage, Rivers is capable of sticking with running backs and tight ends in both man and zone coverage. Will compete for the ball. Good hands and leaping ability to make the interception when opportunities present themselves. Respected team leader who leads by example. Willing to put the time in the film and weight room to improve. Standout on a supremely talented USC defense and boosted his stock with a strong performance at the Senior Bowl.

Weaknesses: Can get a little out of control and over-pursue, leaving cut-back opportunities for ball-carriers. Often relies on his natural athleticism to avoid blockers, rather than technique or strength to disengage. Reliable open field tackler, but only flashes the explosiveness to be a lights-out hitter. Surrounded by a great deal of talent here and some worry that his weaknesses have been hidden by the talents of others.

6. Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy, 5-10, 190, 4.38/40:

Strengths: Spectacular raw athlete with the ability to change the game as both a defender and return specialist. An ascending talent who remains a better athlete than football player, at this point. Rare straight-line speed. Loose hips to easily change directions and mirror the routes run by opposing wide receivers. Physical at the point of attack and can disrupt the timing of the passing game with his jam at the line of scrimmage. Dynamic return specialist, who leaves Troy tied for the D-I career record with 8 returns (7 kickoffs, 1 punt) for touchdowns. Entered Senior Bowl week as a potential first day pick and left as arguably the top cornerback prospect in the draft.

Weaknesses: Lacks polish and is a better athlete than football player at this time. Has good timed speed, but doesn't play with the same speed. Tends to peek into the backfield, sometimes resulting in big plays as he breaks on the ball, but often leaving him to susceptible to deep passes over the top. Athletic enough to get away with this aggression in the Sun Belt Conference, but could struggle in the NFL if he gets over-confident. Has to learn to use his hands better to turn the errant pass into an interception rather than just a breakup, as he has only 4 interceptions, despite 22 passes broken up. Has only started two seasons, and only emerged as an elite prospect in 2007.

7. Dan Connor, ILB, Penn State, 6-3, 231, 4.67/40:

Strengths: Physical and mental prototype for the linebacker position. Capable of playing all three linebackers positions due to his combination of size, strength, and instincts, but is best suited to the inside due to his instincts, lateral quickness, and reliable tackling. Reads the action quickly. Takes on blocks aggressively, and slips by blocks effectively due to lateral quickness and ability to read the play. Effective pass rusher who shows good late burst when the ball is near. Strong effort at the Senior Bowl and during his Pro Day (was ill at the Combine) have secured his stock as one of the elite linebackers of the 2008 draft.

Weaknesses: Good, but not great athleticism, making Connor a much better fit at inside rather than outside linebacker. Better straight-line speed than football speed, as Connor is a bit tight in his hips and can be beat in coverage. Aggressively attacks the line of scrimmage, but struggles, at times, to disengage from blocks. Relies too much on his lateral quickness, rather than strong hand play. Lacks the sand in his pants to hold up to the double-team. Lacks a variety of pass rush moves.

8. Mike Jenkins, CB/FS, South Florida, 5-10, 197, 4.38/40:

Strengths: Rare athlete with explosive speed. Physical man to man cover corner who aggressively challenges receivers with his strong initial jam. Can run with any receiver in the country. Athletic enough to get away with peeking into the backfield due to a rare second gear. Long arms and impressive leaping ability make him a tough target for opposing quarterbacks to throw against. Versatile defender with experience at free safety. Flashes legitimate striking ability and has forced five fumbles over his career. Highly recruited prospect out of high school who chose South Florida over the likes of Florida, Florida State, and LSU. Has been a standout since Day one, starting 40 games over his career.

Weaknesses: Despite his excellent timed speed, Jenkins is a bit tight in the hips and thus, allows strong route-runners to gain separation on underneath routes. Considered by some to be a better fit at free safety and flashes the big hitting ability to be a feared striker, but tends to hit, rather than wrap-up, at times. Marginal hands for the interception, with only 6 interceptions despite 41 passes broken up over his career. Surprised many with his decision to not attend the Senior Bowl.

9. Derrick Harvey, DE/OLB, Florida, 6-5, 271, 4.84/40:

Strengths: Lanky, athletic build with plenty of room for additional growth. Best asset might be his rare burst off the snap. Explodes off the line and generates an advantage on the tackle nearly every pass play. Despite his lean build, Harvey uses his long arms and good pad level to play with leverage and hold up one on one in the running game. Good lateral quickness and overall athleticism to slip off blocks and make tackles in the running game as the back crosses the line. High energy defender who pursues with passion. Reliable tackler who can break down in space and flashes explosiveness in his hitting. Three sacks in 2006-07 BCS Championship (against Ohio State) and two more against Michigan in 2007-08 Citrus Bowl. Showed intriguing change of direction during drills at his Pro Day, prompting some to view Harvey as a potential candidate to move to rush linebacker in the 3-4 scheme.

Weaknesses: As such a dynamic outside threat, Harvey's hasn't yet developed enough of an inside spin move to compliment his speed. Though physical and playing with better leverage than most credit him, Harvey simply lacks the stout anchor at this time to avoid being washed out against the double-team block. If he is to make the move to linebacker, he'll need to show better recognition and the ability to protect his knees against cut-blocks.

10. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State, 6-2, 184, 4.29/40:

Strengths: Rare combination of size and speed. Long arms, which he uses very well to at least deflect passes. Natural hands for the interception. Uses his height, long arms, and competitiveness to dare quarterbacks to pass his way and often wins the battle for the ball. Reads the action quickly and puts himself in position to make the play. Reliable open field tackler. Answered concerns about his level of competition with a strong effort during the week of practices at the Senior Bowl and making a dazzling interception and several noteworthy hits during the Senior Bowl, itself. Intelligent both on and off the field. Capable of playing in more than one scheme and is on pace to graduate with a degree in psychology.

Weaknesses: Lack of elite competition is an obvious concern. Rated by some as a 3rd round pick before his breakout week at the Senior Bowl. Has great height for the position, but has played most of his career at approximately 175 pounds; considerably lighter than scouts want at cornerback. Has relied on his tools at the I-AA level and needs work on his technique. Inconsistent with his initial jam. Peeks into the backfield, daring opponents to challenge him. May lack the elite second gear to catch up if beaten initially. Willing open field tackler, but by no means a punisher. Only has one kidney.

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