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1) *George Selvie DE 6'4 242 South Florida Selvie has been an absolute man-child over the past two seasons, amassing unheard of numbers. Bear in mind that the stats to follow were produced by an athlete who is just now a Junior. 143 Tackles, 46 TFLs, 20 Sacks, and 22 QBHs. He is a complete terror coming off of the edge, and simply can't be blocked on a consistent basis throughout an entire contest. 2) *Greg Hardy DE 6'4 265 Ole Miss From his DE position, Hardy ranked 4th on the team with 64 Tackles. 18.5 of those were TFLs, where 10 came via the Sack. Here's the scary part. His numbers should be even better in 2008. Ole Miss is expected to return their entire starting D-Line from last year, one that is anchored by the phenom Peria Jerry at DT. Hardy is too good not to have another double-digit 3) Tyson Jackson DE 6'5 292 LSU LSU is loaded with talent, and Jackson will be in serious contention to be considered the best of the bunch. Unlike many DEs who are one dimensional, Jackson is equally good at defending the run as he is rushing the passer. He carries enough size to play in a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme. The rest of the D-Line is too good for him to be doubled up on every play, so expect 4) *Greg Middleton DE 6'3 275 Indiana Now a Junior, Middleton will once again be in the running for numerous awards come the end of the season. Last season, he electrified the Big Ten with 17 TFLs, where 16 of those were Sacks. He has a muscular frame and the size that NFL teams covet. He doesn't have a ton of playing experience, but will after this season comes to a close. He certainly looks like a 1st 5) Brian Orakpo DE 6'4 260 Texas Orakpo doesn't have the numbers of the other DEs on the page, but that comes with good reason. He missed most of 2007 with a knee injury. However, he was able to end the season in great fashion, being named the Holiday Bowl's most valuable defensive player. Now that he's 100% healthy, expect huge things from this guy. He has the right combo of speed and 6) Michael Johnson DE 6'6 247 Georgia Tech Most have Johnson rated higher on their list going into 2008. If his play merits it, he'll move up on my board as well. Returning DTs Walker and Richard will certainly help his cause. However, he will no longer be able to rely on the rotation of underrated DE studs Robertson and Oliver. He has the potential, physical attributes, and skills to shine, but he needs to do 7) *Maurice Evans DE 6'2 265 Penn State Evans enjoyed a great Sophomore year where he tallied 54 Tackles, 21.5 TFLs, and 12.5 Sacks. He has an uncanny ability of being able to get into the backfield with his quick first step and relentless style of play. He'll be no secret to any team he faces, so his production may drop somewhat. He's shorter than the ideal height for an NFL DE, but it doesn't hinder his 8) *Antonio Coleman DE 6'2 250 Auburn There has been a ton of DE talent to set foot on the Auburn campus over the years. Coleman is yet another. While he does not have prototypical size, he is a force to be reckoned with. Groves got the attention in 2007, but with 18 TFLs and 8.5 Sacks, Coleman was no slouch. This is the same guy who gave future 1st Rounder Michael Oher fits last year. Expect 9) Lawrence Wilson DE 6'4 275 Ohio State Buckeye Nation has been eagerly waiting to see what this top recruit will be able to do for them as a starter. Well, the wait is almost over. Wilson has a scary blend of strength and speed, and knows how to use both. While he hasn't seen much time on the field, he's a raw talent. At this point in time, I have to downgrade his ranking because there hasn't been much 10) Pannel Egboh DE 6'6 270 Stanford Egboh had a solid Junior year where he turned in 49 Tackles, 13.5 TFLs and 6 Sacks. Now that he's had some time at the position, he should have an even better Senior campaign. While he may not be that speed rusher that kills a team with his outside presence, he's stout against the run and can overpower many OTs. Stanford hasn't received much praise for it's 11) *Auston English DE 6'3 255 Oklahoma English led the Sooners in both TFLs and Sacks in 2007 with 13 and 9.5 respectively. Most of the Sooner's amassed their stats across 14 games, where an ankle injury limited English to 11 contests. He's a pass rushing specialist who will only get better with time. He'll be NFL ready by the end of this year. If he opts not to declare, he could be a 1st Rounder in the 2010 12) *Jermaine Cunningham DE 6'3 242 Florida Derrick Harvey was hands down, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the best DE propsect on Florida's squad last year...then, yes. While the rest of the nation, including the Jacksonville Jaguars, were eyeballing Harvey, Cunningham made play after play. While only a Sophomore, he posted 64 Tackles, 12 TFLs, 6.5 Sacks, and 12 PBUs. With Carlos Dunlap operating at 13) *Jeremy Jarmon DE 6'3 270 Kentucky Jarmon was a nice surprise for the Wildcats last year, as he posted some unexpected numbers for them. After notching 58 Tackles, 13.5 TFLs, and 9 Sacks, he proved to be one of the most prodcutive DEs in the SEC, which certainly says something. He has a nice combination of size and strength, and should be just as much of a force in 2008. He's only a 14) Matt Shaugnessy DE 6'6 253 Wisconsin Shaugnessy added some much need weight this offseason, which should improve his game with regard to defending the run. He has long arms and uses them nicely to stand up his opponent. As stated, he still needs to become more stout. In his Junior year, he finished with 55 Tackles, 16 TFLs, and 5 Sacks. With a solid Senior season, he should solidify himslef as a 15) *Brandon Graham DE 6'2 270 Michigan The highly recruited Graham should have a break out season in 2008 for a couple of reasons. For one, he's that good. This former sprint champ has the ability to get outside and give serious chase. In fact, he's so fast that he may move to OLB at the next level. The second factor of success will be the talent around him. I find it hard to believe that many O-Lines will be 16) Tim Jamison DE 6'3 266 Michigan When you play on a team loaded with talent, it's often difficult to get recognized. All that should change for Jamison in 2008. He's a great prospect in that he's big enough to play a 4-3 DE, and athletic enough to bounce to the outside as an OLB in a 3-4. The wolverines should be able to utilize his skill in a number of different ways. In 2007, he posted 10 TFLs and 5.5 17) *Ricky Sapp DE 6'4 250 Clemson From the moment Sapp arrived at Clemson, greatness was expected. So far, he hasn't dissapointed. Last year as a Sophomore, Sapp turned in 52 Tackles, 10 TFLs, and 5 Sacks. These numbers are respectable. However, it's the 22 QBHs that really impress me. It will be interesting to see how he does now that Merling is in the NFL, however. Having a guy like 18) *Everette Brown DE 6'4 246 Florida State In his first two season as a Seminole, Brown has seen action in twenty-six consecutive games. Even though Brown is coming into 2008 as just a Junior, he may flash enough progress to declare early and try his hand in the NFL. While he may need to add some weight to stay at DE, he's a blur off of the edge and is extremely tough to get hands on. if Brown can improve 19) Larry English DE 6'3 255 Northen Illinois English is the reigning 2007 MAC player of the year. While the MAC is not the SEC, this is still quite an accolade. He finished his Junior year with 67 Tackles, 17 TFLs, and 10.5 Sacks. English is a former High School LB, and it shows in his quickness and explosion coming off of the line. The MAC is not boasting a solid pool of OTs this year, so he should have a field 20) Ian Campbell DE 6'5 250 Kansas State In 2007, Campbell was used as an OLB in a 3-4 scheme. From that position, he tallied 45 Tackles, 11 TFLs, and 4.5 Sacks. In 2006, playing at DE where he should be for 2008, he had 67 Tackles, 17.5 TFLs, and 11.5 Sacks. I expect 2008 to look more like 2006 than 2007 did. Campbell is fast off of the edge and has a knack for getting into the backfield. Look for him to 21) Will Davis DE 6'3 266 Illinois Last season, Davis grew better as the year went on. In what was then his Junior campaign, he landed 41 Tackles, 12.5 TFLs, 9.5 Sacks and 7 QBHs. At the time, Davis was in the 250lb. range and was viewed more as a one-dimensional pass rusher. However, he has sinced gained some weight and should be more of a complete DE. While he is raw and has a lot to 22) Nick Reed DE 6'2 255 Oregon Reed blew up the PAC-10 in 2007 with 58 Tackles, 21.5 TFLs, and 11 Sacks. USC was the only team to keep him from registering a TFL. While his name is not mentioned amongst the elite DEs, he has the potential to be one. He's a gutsy player on the field and an outstanding student in the classroom. He's another prospect who lacks some height for the position, but 23) Cody Brown DE 6'3 250 Connecticut Last season, Brown racked up 50 Tackles, 16.5 TFLs, and 7.5 Sacks. He has nice speed around the end, and stands up well to the run. In order to stay at DE for the next level, he will need to add weight. He has all the tools to make a huge splash in 2008. WIth Julius Williams anchoring the DE spot opposite of him, both should be able to work off of one another tand 24) *Willie Young DE 6'5 240 NC State Over the past five years, the Wolfpack has done a great job of recruiting, landing, and developing some great D-Lineman. Young has enough talent to become part of that distinction. In 2007, he accumulated 15 TFLs and 5.5 Sacks. This year he's poised to see those numbers get even better. In looking at the OTs he'll face in 2008, he should be able to 25) *John Fletcher DE 6'6 280 Wyoming There is no DE in the MWC that should come anywhere close to Fletcher when it comes to making an impact in 2008. In just his Sophomore year, Fletcher amassed 60 Tackles, 14 TFLs, and 10.5 Sacks. Now a Junior, he has even more size and experience working to his benefit. Many folks still don't know who is. That will change. Blessed with great size, he can 26) Kirston Pittman DE 6'4 254 LSU Pittman had a stellar Junior year, notching 68 Tackles, 13.5 TFLs, and 8 Sacks. Throw in his 14 QBHs, and the numbers speak for themselves. Like his teammate Tyson Jacskon, Pittman should be able to benefit from having great DTs supporting him. Jackson will most likely draw double-teams as well. While he is a solid prospect, one does have to question how good he'd 27) Kyle Moore DE 6'6 270 USC Moore was the starting DE opposite of Lawrence Jackson in 2007. However, he was outshined by then Freshman Evererson Griffen. Let me point out that if Griffen stays for his Senior year, he'll be a Top 10 pick. At any event, Moore wil once again start at one DE spot and has a chance to redeem a pedestrian 2007 campaign. This once highly touted prospect 28) Antwain Robinson DE 6'2 255 Arkansas Robinson only notched 3 Sacks in 2007, but his 12 QBHs are notable. He's another undersized DE with big play ability. He can beat OTs around thge end, but does struggle when he allows them to get locked on. He may be looked upon to play as a DE/OLB tweener, but is certainly good enough to remain at DE for his Senior year. He should have improved numbers 29) Mitch King DE 6'3 267 Iowa King had a solid year in 2007, posting 58 Tackles, 14.5 TFLs and 4.5 Sacks. There isn't one particular thing that King does great, yet he does a little bit of everything pretty darn well. He's the type of reliable player that coaches want out there on the field, as well as in the locker room. He has good size now, with the ability to get bigger. He's play to the whistle. He may fly 30) Jamaal Westerman DE 6'3 260 Rutgers Even though Westerman was technically a co-starter vs. getting the full-time nod for 3 contests, he still produced. He amassed 50 Tackles, 14 TFLs, 8 Sacks and 11 QBHs. Rutgers lost some of their studs on the defensive side of the ball, so they'll need him to step up in a major way. While Selvie already has the best DE in the Big East distinction wrapped up, 31) Jamaal Westerman DE 6'3 260 Rutgers Even though Westerman was technically a co-starter vs. getting the full-time nod for 3 contests, he still produced. He amassed 50 Tackles, 14 TFLs, 8 Sacks and 11 QBHs. Rutgers lost some of their studs on the defensive side of the ball, so they'll need him to step up in a major way. While Selvie already has the best DE in the Big East distinction wrapped up, 32) Jamaal Westerman DE 6'3 260 Rutgers Even though Westerman was technically a co-starter vs. getting the full-time nod for 3 contests, he still produced. He amassed 50 Tackles, 14 TFLs, 8 Sacks and 11 QBHs. Rutgers lost some of their studs on the defensive side of the ball, so they'll need him to step up in a major way. While Selvie already has the best DE in the Big East distinction wrapped up, |