Big 12- Nebraska

Ndamukong Suh, DT, Sr- By now I would hope every college football fan has seen the 2009 Big-12 championship game, as that was almost the signing off party on Suh’s stellar career. It was the single most dominant game I have seen from a player, regardless of position, period. That game got the media behind him, but those who have watched him play closely the past few years already new he was something special. Suh plays with no wasted motions, which is what amazes me most. He’s incredibly smart for an interior lineman and has an uncanny feel for where the play is going. He’s strong enough to knock guys away with a club move like the old Reggie White hump move. He’s just flat out dominant in both the run and pass games, and he can block kicks on special teams as an added cherry to the top of the sundae. Some people have Gerald McCoy rated higher than him, and it’s a solid argument to make as I love McCoy as well, but Suh is so versatile that this puts him over the top for me. Suh could fit as a 4-3 DT as easily as he could play the five-technique in a 3-4. He’s definitely the best OVERALL player in the draft in my opinion, and it’s a shame that there is no rookie wage scale or else he’d be a lock to be the first pick. Spending Julius Peppers signing bonus money on a rookie DT is almost impossible to justify for an NFL front office, but if there was someone worth that, it’s this kid. He will be a super star for years to come and I can only hope the Lions trade with someone so Bears fans don’t have to watch him eat Roberto Garza for lunch two games a year.

Barry Turner, DE, Sr- The more of Turner I saw, the more I liked. He has a nice counter spin to the inside and is a solid pass rusher. The knock on him is he struggles to set the edge in the run game, but he can work on that. I could see him falling in the draft and making for a very solid rotational pass rushing DE. The only reservation I have about Turner though is that his success on tape might have been more of a product of Suh and Jared Crick commanding more attention inside (freeing up Turner with more single blocks).

Phillip Dillard, OLB, Sr- Dillard’s instincts really stood out in the games I saw, and he has good speed. When he reads his keys, he explodes and makes the play for a loss. The biggest issue is that Dillard is undersized and he really struggled in the Senior Bowl without his stellar college DL covering him up. If he can be put in the right defense, say like the Colts, I think he has some ability to contribute. He’s a mid rounder at best though and someone who will take some more time to develop in the right defensive scheme.

Larry Asante, FS/SS, Jr- With Asante’s size and his penchant for filling hard against the run, I’m wondering if he’d be a better fit at SS in the NFL than FS. I’ve been a very big fan of Asante’s but I think his stick has slipped slightly with a less than stellar Senior Bowl, and he also looked a bit stiff in the drill at the combine. Having said this, I’m trying not to let what I have seen lately cloud what I saw in more than one game this season when watching Asante closely. I think he’s very versatile because he can cover and play the run equally well. Worst case scenario is you bring him in as your FS, and if you have to bring him into the box as a SS instead, so be it. I think Asante may slide to the 4th or 5th round and will make for an excellent value at that point. It would not surprise me to see him go higher though as I really think he can play at the next level.

Matt O’Hanlon, SS, Sr- O’Hanlon will be a special teams star as he is a fantastic open field tackler. He does a great job of diving for the legs of the runner but wrapping them up and not letting them past. O’Hanlon’s game is based on effort as he’s somewhat limited physically. I think he should be drafted in the mid to late rounds though as he is the kind of guy who will provide depth in the secondary and will play on all four phases of the kicking game.

Jared Crick, DT, Jr- I will be watching Crick very closely next year to see if the ‘Suh effect’ is what makes him as effective as he appears. He has very good quickness, never gives up on a play, he chases down the backside play relentlessly, and he gets good upfield penetration. Crick has the makings of a fine undertackle, if he can prove he can do this without Suh and Turner around next year.

Menelik Holt, WR, Sr- Holt is nothing special, and body catches too much. I don’t like him and would not draft him.

Jacob Hickman, OC, sr- Hickman is not a dominator but he performs well. He is solid in both phases, but just not spectacular. That has the makings of a late round pick.