2010 Defensive End Rankings
April’s class of defensive end is a solid from top to bottom and offers a lot of variety. There are pass rush specialists, three down players and even a few who can effectively line up across right tackle at the next level. It’s strong at the top and offers depth through the fourth round. (updated: 2/21/2010)
RankRndNameAnalysis
11stJason Pierre-Paul
South Florida
Junior college transfer that turned in a sensational season. Dominant player up front with a great upside. Likely to enter the draft and a first round selection.
21stDerrick Morgan
Georgia Tech
Smooth defensive end who flashes speed off the edge while also displaying the ability to squeeze through blocks on the inside. Plays with balance, body control and a good athlete with nice upside.
31-2Brandon Graham
Michigan
Sensational football player who plays with a non-stop motor. Fast up the field, pursues with speed off the edge and a disruptive force who makes a lot of plays behind the line of scrimmage. Plays bigger than his size (270lbs) and constantly doubled by opponents. Growth limitations will knock him out of the draft's top two rounds yet a quality one-gap defensive lineman.
41-2Carlos Dunlap
Florida
Big, dominant defensive lineman who has the makings of a premiere two-gap end. Destroys opponents and can take over plays yet very raw and rough around the edges. Has disappointed scouts with his inconsistent performances. Looks like tarzan but plays like jane.
51-2Ricky Sapp
Clemson
Athletic college defensive end that may transition to rush linebacker in the NFL. Plays with great balance, speed and effective up the field or in backside pursuit. Makes a lot of plays in the opponents backfield. Late first round potential.
62ndCorey Wootton
Northwestern
Dominant defensive lineman coming off a major knee injury. Takes over games with his ability to be a disruptive force. Big, athletic and strong. Possible two-gap lineman or lined up across right tackle. Need to improve the details of his game, develop more moves and just needs more playing time. Has been slow returning from his knee injury.
72ndGreg Hardy
Mississippi
Dominant difference maker on the defensive line. Fast, quick and very explosive. Creates a lot off havoc off the edge and makes plays in all directions of the field. Lacks bulk and out positioned by large tackles. Struggles with injuries the past two season. Top five talent with late round durability.
82ndKao Misi
Utah
Underrated prospect expected to blow it up at pre-draft workouts. Nicely fits in as a traditional end in a 4-3 alignment.
92-3Alex Carrington
Arkansas State
Fluid lineman who makes a lot of athletic plays. Plays with good pad level and tough to move off the point. Turned in a tremendous Senior Bowl performance and moving up draft boards.
102-3Jason Worilds
Virginia Tech
Explosive college defensive end who also projects as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Fast off the edge, consistently in the opponents backfield and makes quarterbacks uncomfortable. Showed flashes of skill dropping off the line playing in space.
113rdBrandon Lang
Troy State
Fast defensive end who makes a lot of plays in the backfield or in pursuit. Rarely off his feet, uses his hands well and forces the action. Lacks bulk and handled in one-on-one blocking. May be best as a stand up rush linebacker. Solid yet not a great prospect.
123rdEverson Griffin
USC
Terrific athlete with a high upside. Makes plays in every direction, shows speed out to the flanks and covers a lot of area on the field.
133rdClifton Geathers
South Carolina
King sized defensive line prospect with great upside. Athletic and forceful. Can play any of three positions on the defensive line.
143rdWillie Young
North Carolina State
Explosive college pass rusher who may be best at linebacker in the NFL. Fast off the edge, quickly changes direction and constantly doubled by opponents. Shows an array of moves getting off blocks yet lacks bulk and handled by opponents.
153-4Austen Lane
Murray State
Large, explosive small school prospect moving up boards. Projects as a defensive end that lines up across right tackle but offers potential as a long term two-gap end.
164thRahim Alem
LSU
Good athlete with terrific movement skills and edge speed. Rarely off his feet but struggles against the run,
174thGeorge Selvie
South Florida
Explosive pass rusher whose play fell off the past two seasons. At his best Selvie looks like another Simeon Rice in size and style. Will fall out of the top fifty picks next April yet could be a bargain if he returns to form.
184thC.J. Wilson
East Carolina
Resilient defensive lineman best in a one-gap system. Plays with good knee bend and stays with the action. Small, engulfed by opponents and struggles against the run. Legitimate prospect who can be used as a rotational lineman in the NFL.
194-5Kevin Basped
Nevada
Fierce college pass rusher who makes a lot of plays up the field. Potential 3-4 outside linebacker that could grow into a conventional defensive end.
204-5Greg Middleton
Indiana
Fluid athlete with excellent movement skills. Rarely off his feet, flashes speed off the edge and pursuit skills from the backside. Coming off a horrible junior season after setting the world on fire in 2007. Offers top 60 skills but many intimate in the program feel Middelton's best days are behind him.
215thJammie Kirlew
Indiana
Small yet hard working defensive end who makes plays in every direction of the field. Quick, resilient and plays with great balance. Fights hard but growth limitations will hamper him.
225-6Lindsey Witten
Connecticut
Tall, slim college defensive end who plays with good fundamentals and smoothly moves about the field. Handled at the point out of a three point stance and may be best as a stand-up, rush linebacker.
235-6Daniel Te'o-Nesheim
Washington
Relentless college defender who makes plays in every direction of the field. Lacks classic defensive end size and may not possess the speed to stand up over tackle yet his relentless attitude will secure a spot for him at the next level.
245-6Jeffrey Fitzgerald
Kansas State
Virginia transfer who displayed a lot of skill as a junior at UVA in '07.
25FAAlbert McClellan
Marshall
Explosive college defensive end who projects to outside linebacker in the NFL. Plays with good speed, fast in every direction and quickly alters his angle of attack. Knee issues may raise red flags but makes a lot of plays behind the line of scrimmage which is sure to get him looks in the late rounds.
266thErik Lorig
Stanford
Fluid defensive end with good size and length. Plays with good pad level, works hard to get involved and plays with excellent balance. Must add bulk and get stronger as he's handled by tight ends. Has an upside.
276-7James Ruffin
Northern Iowa
287-FAGeorge Johnson
Rutgers
Quick, fluid athlete who makes plays in every direction of the field. Could follow in the footsteps of Jamaal Westermann and move to linebacker at the next level.
297-FARobert Rose
Ohio State
Quick, athletic lineman with limited size and strength. Needs to add bulk to his frame and also needs more playing experience.
30FACarl Ihenacho
San Jose State
Explosive and hard working college defensive lineman likely to transition to outside linebacker. Has a special teams mentality.
31FAAdrian Tracy
William & Mary
Small school defensive end on the rise.
32FAHall Davis
La-Lafayette
Size/speed guy who started his career at Eastern Michigan.
33FAJunior Galette
Stillman
Temple transfer. Physically stands out yet desire and attitude have been questioned.
34FAEJ Wilson
North Carolina
Athletic defensive end that plays with leverage, balance and makes plays in all directions of the field. Fluid getting down the line to the ball carrier but lacks strength at the point and handled by a single blocker.
35FAMitch Unrein
Wyoming
Tough, hard working prospect with a decent upside. Has the body type to grow into a two-gap end. Great motor and could hang around the league for years as a rotational lineman.
36FAJohn Russell
Wake Forest
37FAAuston English
Oklahoma
Fast, edge rusher who makes a lot of plays up the field. Instinctive and hard working. Offers a decent amount of upside yet may only fit certain schemes.
38FABrian Coulter
Missouri
Tall, thin college defensive end who occasionally stands up over tackle. Fluid moving about the field and shows ability in space. Lacks the strength and bulk needed at defensive end and best as a rush linebacker in a 34.
39FAJan Jorgensen
BYU
Average sized defensive lineman with limited upside.
40FALawrence Wilson
Ohio State
Good athlete whose career has been hampered by injury.
41FAWill Tukuafu
Oregon
Athletic, smooth defensive end who makes plays in every direction of the field. Overaged, lacks strength and does not have a high ceiling.
42FADanny Batten
South Dakota State
43FAJason Lamb
Baylor
44FAAaron King
UTEP
45FABroderick Stewart
Vanderbilt
46FAWes Brown
Tennessee
47FAJohn Fonoti
Hawaii
Solid edge rusher best in a 4-3 alignment. Struggled with a knee injury in '09.
48FAAaron Morgan
La-Lafayette
49FAMarcus Tillman
Mississippi
Hard working athlete on the defensive line who makes plays in every direction. Possesses the physical skills to play in a four man front but instincts leave a lot to be desired.
50FABarry Turner
Nebraska
51FAReggie Scott
Tulane
Relatively athletic one-gap defensive end who shows flashes on the field yet has been minimally productive.
52FAJustin Mincey
Florida State
Relatively athletic defensive end that must improve all aspects of his game.
53FATrevor Anderson
Michigan State
Undersized defensive end with good movement skills. Hustles around the field yet lacks size, strength and handled at the point by a single blocker.
54FADoug Pilcher
Illinois
Quick yet undersized defensive end who plays with good technique. Potential nickel rusher in the NFL.
55FAJohn Fletcher
Wyoming
Looks the part but does not play to it. Gives up on plays all too easily.
56FAEugene Germany
Central Washington
Athletic prospect with a nice upside. Has bounced around from college to college the past five years and never truly developed his game. Showed a lot of skill in '09.
57FAEric Moncur
Miami-Fl
Undersized yet explosive defensive end returning from injury. Fast off the edge and solid in pursuit. Has struggled with injury the past two seasons.
58FASteven Stone
Vanderbilt
59FATim Knicky
Stephen F. Austin
60FAFrank Zombo
Central Michigan
Athletic pass rushing defensive end in college who may need to transition to outside linebacker in the NFL.
61FAKevin Kooyman
Washington State
Fluid lineman with great hand technique. Has an upside but was injured last season.
62FAShaun Mohler
Colorado
63FAAdrian Davis
Arkansas
Tall, angular college pass rusher who may gets looks as an outside linebacker in the NFL.
64FAChris Lyle
Iowa State
65FADerrick Onwuachi
Minnesota
Athletic defensive end who makes plays in every direction of the field. Undersized and easily controlled by a single blocker.
66FAWilliam Croner
Howard
67FAJesse Feagin
Washington State
68FAEric Childs
Kansas State
Athletic defensive end who must step up his play.
69FARoderick Battle
Georgia
Fluid athlete who must get bigger and stronger.
70FAGary Watts
Rutgers?
71FAMatt Marcorelle
Delaware
Updated 2/21
RankRndNamePosYear
11stNdamukong Suh
Nebraska
DT5Sr
21stEric Berry
Tennessee
S3Jr
31stGerald McCoy
Oklahoma
DT4Jr
41stRussell Okung
Oklahoma State
T4Sr
51stJoe Haden
Florida
CB3Jr
61stDez Bryant
Oklahoma State
WR3Jr
71stAnthony Davis
Rutgers
T3Jr
81stJason Pierre-Paul
South Florida
DE3Jr
91stBruce Campbell
Maryland
T3Jr
101stDerrick Morgan
Georgia Tech
DE3Jr
111stBrian Price
UCLA
DT3Jr
121stDamian Williams
USC
WR4Jr
131stRolando McClain
Alabama
ILB3Jr
141stEarl Thomas
Texas
S3So
151stDan Williams
Tennessee
DT5Sr
161stSam Bradford
Oklahoma
QB4Jr
171stSergio Kindle
Texas
OLB4Sr
181-2Mike Iupati
Idaho
G4Sr
191stTaylor Mays
USC
S4Sr
201stBryan Bulaga
Iowa
T3Jr
211-2Demaryius Thomas
Georgia Tech
WR4Jr
221-2Brandon Graham
Michigan
DE4Sr
231stJimmy Clausen
Notre Dame
QB4Jr
241stJared Odrick
Penn State
DT4Sr
251-2Arrelious Benn
Illinois
WR3Jr
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