ACC- Virginia Tech

Tyrod Taylor, QB, Jr- Taylor is definitely not a pro QB, but has the speed and athleticism to play elsewhere. He has a strong arm, but his accuracy is bad, and he has a wind up throwing motion that allows the DB to break on the play before the ball gets there. I don’t see much changing with him next year, so I expect this grade to hold up.

Sergio Render, OG, Sr- Render is hands down the best run blocking guard I have seen this year. The problem is his pass blocking is about as bad as his run blocking is good. The best example of this was when he was matched up against the consensus top NT prospect in this draft in Tennessee’s Dan Williams. In the run phase, Render absolutely blew Williams off the ball, which is by any means no easy task. But on the passing downs, Williams would throw a simple counter rip on Render, and he’d be left grasping at air as Williams was already a step or two into the pocket. It makes for a tough grade on him because he’s so up and down. He will need some serious work on this part of his game, but if he can improve here, he has great potential because of his ability to dominate in the run game. Like a true guard, I wouldn’t expect him to go until the 6th-7th round range.

Ed Wang, LT, Virginia Tech- Wang is going to strictly be a RT at the next level. He’s a very good run blocker, definitely above average for the position, but he’s just an adequate pass blocker. He’s valuable though because of his versatility to serve as a team’s swing tackle. I still don’t see him going until the mid rounds though, even though he has some potential to start on the right side sooner than later.

Ryan Williams, RB, Fr- Williams has absolute home run speed, and I expect him to be one of the better RB prospects in two more years. He should be an early entrant and a top shelf prospect if he can keep on improving from this year.

Kenny Jefferson, FB, Sr- Jefferson is actually a good lead blocking FB that can be had very late in the draft. He was used almost exclusively as a lead blocker, and he does a good job of this. He’s not a huge guy, but he does a good job of hitting the hole at full speed and keeping his feet moving on contact. He should make a nice late round value pick for a team that still uses a traditional blocking style FB.

Greg Boone, TE, Sr- On tape, I saw nothing much from Boone other than he’s a huge TE, so someone may take a chance on him late as a blocker or even a potential OL of the future.

Jason Worilds, DE, Jr- I’m a bit surprised Worilds came out early, but there is some promise there. He’s undersized and will need to prove he has the hips to be able to drop into pass sets and play OLB in the 3-4. Worilds has very good pass rush skills, and this will be where he will be counted on in his first few years in the league. He can get swallowed up when run at, but with some time, coaching, and added strength he should develop into a starter at this position. I would expect him to slip into the third to fourth round range though, and will make a nice value at that point. I actually think he’s one of the better players no one is talking about. He can make an impact in the right defense.

Kam Chancellor, FS, Sr- Those of you who have followed my coverage since the word document days will know I loved Chancellor’s potential since I saw him as a Freshman. Having said this, he’s gone from one of my favorite players to a guy who I don’t think will be drafted until the late rounds. He looks a lot bigger this year, and it seems to have affected his speed. He still has upside though, and I cannot forget what I have seen from him in the past. Chancellor may end up being better suited to the SS spot, but he’s shown enough this post season to at the very least warrant a strong look at the FS position initially. I’m still of the mind that he could make a Brian Urlacher type move to MLB in a Cover-2 system because of his size and ability to get back in the deep middle and eventually be a star at this position. I’m sure he will stay at safety though for now, and I could see him going as high as the late second or as low as the late third.

Nekos Brown, DE, Sr- Brown is not nearly as good as Worilds, but shows some flashes of ability to rush the passer. He’s nothing more than a late rounder though.

Cody Grimm, OLB/SS- He’s very undersized for the OLB position, but he’s super fast for the position as well, which makes me think he may be able to transition to SS at the next level. If he stays at OLB, he’s an outstanding blitzer who can really get the corner in a flash. He chases plays well and can run down players from behind with his speed. He will have to be kept clean at this position though. He reminds me a bit of Jim Leonhard of the Jets. He would fit well for a team that likes to put their SS in the box a lot and play them against the run and rush the passer. Wherever he goes, he will make a team and will play special teams. He’s the kind of guy who you just can’t get off your roster because he always finds a way to get on the field. Grimm is a blue collar, lunch pail, type of player that you would expect to be sired by a HOF OL.

Stephen Virgil, CB, Sr- Virgil looks decent enough, but I’m not sure what his ceiling is. He’s solid against the run, and he’s physical on the jam, which makes me think he’s best suited to play in a Cover-2. But the question is will he ever be more than a nice to have back up for a specific style of defense? There are places in the league for guys like him, but it will be an uphill battle to get drafted and stick on a team.

Cordarrow Thompson, DT, Sr- I really like Thompson and think he’s one of the better sleeper picks in this draft. He is an ideal fit as a three-technique in a 4-3 defense. His game is built on quickness and speed off the snap, while getting in to the backfield and disrupting. Thompson is a solid pass rusher underneath, and what really impressed me was his hustle in chasing plays down the field. On one play in particular, he ran down Montario Hardesty about 15-25 yards down the field. That right there shows me he will do what it takes to make his way onto a team and onto the field. I’d love to see him slip to the 5th round range and have the Bears pick him up as a potential long term replacement for Tommie Harris.