DT

1) *Sen'Derrick Marks DT 6'1 290 Auburn
While Marks will certainly miss playing along side of Pat Sims, this guy should
still have a monster 2008. In fact, it should be good enough for him to declare
as a Junior and be a 1st Round pick. In 2007, he had 43 Tackles and 9 TFLs.
He's an amazing interior force who is extremely hard to block. He has a low
center of gravity and really knows how to split the wedge. Look for him to get
better as the year progresses.

2) *DeMarcus Granger DT 6'2 315 Oklahoma
Granger was a top-shelf recruit coming out of Texas, so big things were
expected from him. In fact, Rivals had him rated as the number one DT
prospect in their 2005 rankings. So far, it looks like they were spot on with
their assessment. Last year as a Sophomore, he hauled in 35 Tackles, 8.5
TFLs, 3.5 Sacks, and 8 QBHs. I anticipate that he'll have an even better
season this year as a Junior, showing he's pro ready.

3) Jeff Owens DT 6'3 300 Georgia
As if Offensive Coordinators don't have enough to worry about with Georgia's
LBs, they also have to face their D-Lineman. Owens and Atkins will form one
of the best DT combos in the country. Owens had an impressive 22 QBHs in
2007. He is a mauling type of DT that simply wears down his opponent over
the course of the game. He must be accounted for at all times, as he's a
complete menace to deal with.

4) Terrance Taylor DT 6'0 320 Michigan
As a Junior, Taylor pulled in 55 Tackles, 8.5 TFLs, and 3.5 Sacks. Stats don't
always paint the picture in terms of a DT's value, but they're telling in this
case. Taylor has the ability to constantly stir things up in the backfield. Many
plays never develop because of him. With a 450lb. bench, he's very strong.
This team should have been crushed by losing Watson and Branch in back to
back years, but they weren't. He's filled their void.

5) Fili Moala DT 6'5 300 USC
Most programs would take a major step back by losing a beast like Sedrick
Ellis. USC won't. Moala is expected to man the NT/DT spot very nicely.
Blessed with great size and power, Moala has room to get even bigger and
stronger. With the amount of pressure that USC DE's Griffen and Moore will be
putting on the outside, teams may be forced to try the inside game. Good
luck. Moala could be the #1 DT at year end. He comes with off-field
concerns.

6) Peria Jerry DT 6'2 310 Ole Miss
As it stands today, Jerry is the most underrated DT in college football. In
2007, he tallied 58 Tackles, 14 TFLs, and 3.5 Sacks. Those are insane
numbers for a DT to be putting up. Jerry is very strong at the point of attack,
and does a fine job of redirecting the play. Greg Hardy (DE) will be happy to
have Jerry out there, as he will force many backs right into Hardy's arms. Look
for him to be ultra productive.

7) *Ricky Jean-Francois DE 6'3 282 LSU
Often times, it takes hours and hours of game tape review to see if a certain
prospect has it or not. In one game, Jean Francois showed that he has the
make-up of a future star. The one game in mention happens to be the BCS
Title game where this freak went against a more than formidable opponent. He
shined then as he will this year. He also happens to be a field star on the
track team.

8) *Geno Atkins DT 6'1 290 Georgia
Atkins will battle teammate Jeff Owens for best D-Lineman honors all year
long. Atkins was a machine last year, coming away with 38 Tackles, 13.5
TFLs, 6.5 Sacks, and a whopping 29 QBHs. Atkins is very fast off of the snap
and simply too quick for many interior lineman to block. When you couple that
with his strong base and low center of gravity, the guy's a menace. The DTs
could make the Dawgs the SEC champs.

9) Vince Oghobaase DT 6'6 310 Duke
The Duke Football program fails to get much love these days, as it continues
to be a doormat for virtually every team it faces. However, teams know to
steer clear of the monster DT Oghobaase. Last season, he posted 49 Tackles,
12 TFLs, and 4.5 Sacks. Despite his size, he moves well for a big guy. Look for
him to be an ACC terror, despite the fact that he'll draw double-teams.

10) Ziggy Hood DT 6'3 295 Missouri
Hood had a great season last year, posting 49 Tackles, 8 TFLs, 5 Sacks, 5
PBUs, and 4 QBHs. What's scary, is that his numbers could be just as strong
this year. The Tiger Defense will revolve around him, and he'll set a strong
tone. He's a relentless pursuer and is very good at destroying the play. He
has enough talent and athleticism to bounce outside and play DE in a 3-4 as
well.

11) B.J. Raji DT 6'1 315 Boston College
Raji was academically ineligible for the 2007 season, so he didn't get to build
upon what was a great 2006 for him. That year, he had 63 Tackles, 16.5
TFLs, and 3.5 Sacks. What's scary, is that Boston College only allowed their
opponents 885 total rushing yards last season without Raji. With Raji and
Brace working side by side, the run defense is expected to even be better this
year. He could easily move up from this spot.

12) Vance Walker DT 6'2 292 Georgia Tech
This guy can flat out produce. As a Junior, he posted 45 Tackles, 14 TFLs,
and 8.5 Sacks for the Ramblin' Wreck. If he can pick up where he left off, he'll
be sought after. The team lost LBs Guyton and Wheeler, so they need him to
produce. With Michael Johnson causing fits at one DE spot, Walker we'll be
freed up. Darryl Richard, the other starting DT is solid as well and will help the
cause.

13) George Hypolite DT 6'1 285 Colorado
Hypolite returns for his Senior season in what should be a good campaign for
him. In 2007, he came up with 44 Tackles, 6 TFLs, and 5 Sacks. Hypolite is a
fireplug with a great motor. It's his non-stop style of play that makes him so
difficult to defend against. He's joined by Brandon Nicolas who's a nice DT as
well. That should take some of the pressure off of Hypolite and allow him to
be productive.

14) *Arthur Jones DT 6'4 290 Syracuse
As a Sophomore, Jones was easily one of the best DT talents in the Big East.
He registered 51 Tackles...17.5 were TFLs. While he may not be looking to
declare this year as he's just a Junior, I'm betting that his numbers will be
good enough for him to do so. Blessed with great size and speed for the
position, there's no telling what he'll be able to do. He has the ability to move
up the draft boards.

15) *Al Woods DT 6'3 315 LSU
LSU is completely stacked with talent across their D-Line, so Woods has not
seen anywhere near the playing time a talent such as he normally would. That
may be the case again this year if Jean-Francois and Alexander each play to
their full potential. However, Woods is a great DT prospect, and may end up
being better than either of the aforementioned. If he gets on the field, he'll be
hard to remove.

16) *Gerald McCoy DT 6'4 290 Oklahoma
McCoy is listed as a Sophomore, he's eligible to declare if he chooses to do
so. While he certainly has adequate size now to play the position, his frame
could handle another 10-15lbs. without a problem. While there are quite a few
excellent DT combos this year, Granger and McCoy have a shot at being the
best tandem in the nation. McCoy used last year to get his feet wet, but
should blow up the Big 12 in 2008.

17) Dorrell Scott DT 6'3 300 Clemson
Scott is an imposing DT who is a rock against the run. He's very hard to move
and crushes the pocket quite well. His 2007 numbers were solid, as he ended
up with 50 Tackles, 5 TFLs, and 3 Sacks. He also had 8 QBHs, showcasing his
ability to create pressure up the middle. Scott should have an even better
season in 2008 and solidify himself as one of the best DTs in the ACC.
Operating next to Jackson will help the cause.

18) Ekom Udofia DT 6'2 310 Stanford
Udofia was a prize recruit coming out of High School in 2005, and played NT
as a true Freshman. He was named to several Freshmen All-American teams,
as he showed major promise. In 2007, his play was limited to only 7 games.
Therefore, his stats don't jump off of the page. However, he should end up
being one of the best interior D-Lineman for the PAC-10 in 2008.

19) Roy Miller DT 6'2 300 Texas
Every year, it seems some lineman from the Longhorns puts up respectable
numbers on the bench come combine time. Enter Roy Miller. Miller has freakish
strength and comes with a lot of experience. Why he hasn't seen much time
as a starter, he's been consistently used in the rotation. 2008 will be the year
for him to showcase the same ability that garnered him such high praise out
of High School.

20) Demonte Bolden DT 6'5 290 Tennessee
While Bolden was a top recruit coming out of High School, he really didn't see
any solid playing time until last season. He had 26 Tackles, 5 TFLs, and 2
Sacks. For an average DT, these would be decent stats. For a talent like
Bolden, they're pretty weak. He has the potential to double his output in each
of these categories this season. He passes the eye test in terms of size, he
just has to play to it.

21) Terrill Byrd DT 6'0 275 Cincinnati
Coming into this season, Byrd dropped some weight and may be even quicker
as a result. Based off of last year's stats, he didn't need to. Boasting 56
Tackles, 17 TFLs, 8 Sacks, and 6 QBHs, he was one of the best DTs in the Big
East. He should once again be viewed as a Conference all-star. He flashes an
amazing ability to get into the backfield and be a pest. It would be ideal for
him to get back up to his 290+lb. range.

22) Ronnie Brace DT 6'3 325 Boston College
Last season, Eagle fans panicked when they learned they'd be without the
services of DT B.J. Raji. Brace filled in nicely and alleviated most of those
concerns. While not much of a threat to apply pressure on the QB, he's a
wide body who's impossible to move at times. He has the potential to turn
into one of the better NT prospects in the nation this year. He does need to
get quicker feet.

23) Earl Heyman DT 6'3 285 Louisville
At some point in the year, I'm sure I'll populate a page with my take on who
the most underrated players are in the nation. Heyman very well may be on
that list. He's been a starter for the past two years, and 2008 makes it three.
He's very good at controlling the line of scrimmage and forcing the play
outside. While he doesn't do any one thing exceptionally well, he's a
dependable player who isn't easy to run at.

24) Marlon Favorite DT 6'1 295 Iowa
Favorite might not even be a starter when the 2008 season kicks off.
However, that is more of an indication as to how stacked LSU is vs. Favorite
not being worthy to do so. This DT would be a lock to start on almost any
other team in the nation. While he may not get enough game time to post
eye-popping stats, he should do enough to get recognized as a future draft
prospect. He'll be part of an outstanding D-Line rotation.

25) *Ndamukong Suh DT 6'4 300 Nebraska
Suh is another star recruit who's on the verge of finding his stride. Now that
Nebraska has made some major coaching changes favoring the defense,
expect Suh to improve. While his 34 Tackles and 6 TFLs are nothing to sneeze
at, he's capable of a lot more. He's powerfully built and holds his own very
well at the point of attack. He can also add another 10-15lbs. to his sturdy
base without a problem.

Other Considerations...
Will Johnson - Michigan, Alex Magee - Purdue, Charles Alexander - LSU, Myron
Pryor - Kentucky, Rashaad Jackson - Clemson, Marque Hall - South Carolina,
Ted Bentler - Army, Paul Griffin - Florida State, Pat Kuntz - Notre Dame,
Andre Neblett - Temple, Darell Richard - Georgia Tech, D'Anthony Smith -
Louisiana Tech, Ell Ash - Houston, Doug Worthington - Ohio State, Ernest
Mitchell - Arkansas