Defensive Line

Defensive Lineman

Note: For more current rankings, go to the defensive rankings page.

Dave-Te's look at the Defensive End and Defensive Tackle Crop

= Player on the rise
= Player on the slide

1... Gerard Warren
DT

6'4"

325

.

School: Florida
Safest tackle prospect. Unlike the others with similar physical skills, he works very hard and is a leader. While the others get hammered for one reason or another by some scouts, you will be hard pressed to find one that thinks Gerard won't be atleast a good DT, if not an all-pro. He is quick and combines great leg drive and powerful hands. Explosive burst out of his stance. A slippery big man who can be a disruptive force shooting gaps He is a run-stuffer who moves well laterally down the line. Amassed 72 tackles and 4 1/2 sacks as a Junior this past year. Stays low and is effective against the double-team block. Nasty player. Could get better at run/pass recognition. Needs more upper body strength, but insiders say he is willing and able to pay the price to get it done.

2... Andre Carter
DE

6'4"

249

School: CAL
A warrior in every sense of the word. Relentless like Michael McCrary. He will spin, slap, punch, leap; do whatever it takes to get to the ball. Collected 13 sacks as a senior and rounded off his game to become a good but not great run stuffer as well as a quarterback chaser. He knows leverage and has good body lean as well as good speed. He is not a "freak" as far as quickness, but he does get a good jump and displays tremendous intensity. He studys the game and is a very aware player on the field. He won't be fooled often. He uses his long arms to wrap up ball-carriers securely. At times, will stand up straight and get pushed aside by big bodied OTs. Might become a better LDE than RDE. Born to play football.

3... Richard Seymour
DT/DE

6'6"

299

School: Georgia
Strong and athletic. A better athlete than Warren, but sort of a tweener-between an end and a tackle. Has a large wingspan and uses his hands properly to swim through blockers. Quickness is more than what you would normally expect from someone so big. Can move outside and rush just as effectively as he does shooting gaps. Has an uncanny knack for timing the snap count. A solid wrap-up tackler. Needs to get stronger in the upper body and increase stamina. Turned off some by not participating at the Senior Bowl. Some think he is destined to play DE.

4... Justin Smith
DE

6'4"

267

School: Missouri
The definitive hustler. Very quick off the ball. Closes on the quarterback with a burst. A workout warrior (485 LB power clean) who will be physically ready from day one. Gets off blocks when on the move and can seal off the sidelines. Had great production the last two years; finished `2000 with 11 sacks, 24 tkls for loss, and 81 total tackles. Has more natural size than the other top DEs in this class. Should have an excellent combine. Although he is a good run defender he will get engulfed when he tries to anchor. At his best on the move with arms thrashing.

5... Jamal Reynolds
DE/LB

6'3"

267

.

School: Florida St.
Explosive speed and quickness. Has been compared to Jason Taylor and Peter Boulware. Gets off the blocks like a 100m runner. Makes OTs very nervous. Great feet allow him to get blockers off-balance; thats when he counters well with a power rush that takes you by surprise. Cat-like abilities are used well in pursuit. Uses his sub 4.6 speed to get down field or seal the sidelines. Very coachable. Pays the price to get better. Not very big and can be run on when you go right at him. May wear down and be moved to LB. Kearse comparisons are off base because Jevon had the frame to add weight and he is more athletic. Could be a pass-rush specialist or a fine 3-4 backer

6... Damione Lewis
DT/DE

6'3"

293

.

School: Miami
A mean dude. Blood and guts. Can explode off the snap and be a disruptive force in the backfield. Has solid change-of-direction movement and will run the length of the field to make a tackle. For a lightweight, he has a powerful lower body. Does a good job of getting his hands up to alter throwing lanes. Shows good instincts and a high reving motor. If he gets off low he can be difficult to deal with. Fierce player who can play hurt. Won't be able to stay in the hole and slug; needs to be going forward and not absorbing. Needs to improve his hand use to keep the long arm lineman from re-directing his strong charge. Tough man who will not give up.

7... Marcus Stroud
DT

6'6"

321

School: Georgia
Massive bulldozer who could be arrested for flashing. He flashes jaw dropping skills, but one has to wonder why it does not always show up from week to week. When he stays low and is inspired he can be a juggernaut force. He can take a 300Lb man and blast him back into the quarterback's face. A pocket collapser.He has had games in which he tossed people around like toys. Why is he not near the top of the charts? Intensity. He almost never gets downfield to make a play and will get lazy and stay stationary. When he stands high he can be handled easier than expected. Looks like a space filler(ala Siragusa) that will either make your draft or break your heart.

8... Shaun Rogers
DT

6'4"

331

School: Texas
Mr. Potential. Comparisons to a young Chester McGlocton and the current version of Daryl Gardner follow this mountain of a man. He is not as consistent as his counterpart, Casey Hampton, but he has tools that have scouts very intrigued. For a massive man he gets off the ball well and splits gaps routinely. At times he dominates and flashes elite level skills. Can take two blockers straight back into the QB. He has quick feet and can clog the middle with the best of them because he has powerful legs. Playing more on natural ability at this time. Has had injury problems in the past and people question his desire and stamina. He did seem to play harder this year so a team must decide if he is serious or one of those who will shut it down after getting paid.

9... Casey Hampton
DT

6'1"

314

.

Texas

A stout tree trunk with a big heart. Awesome weightroom strength. Quick off the ball. Opponents will leave encounters with bruises. Very good instincts and a decent spin move allow him to be disruptive. He is a fine tackler who hustles to make plays laterally. Probably a 2-gap anchor. Hard to blow out. Has short arms and little long speed. A stronger and better conditioned Jerry Ball. You will never worry about his effort.

10.. Willie Howard
DE/DT

6'3"

295

.

Stanford

Hustler who has leadership qualities. He often pumps up teammates with vocal encouragement. Plays hard and does not let pain stop him from giving full effort. Intense with better than most read/react skills. Has good strength and a surprising first step. Seems to be just as effective as a DE. Looked awesome as a Junior (10sks) and may not be all the way back following injuries. A tweener who needs to learn more moves and play the run better.

11.. Kyle Vanden Bosch
DE

6'4"

270

.

Nebraska

Hustles till the cows come home. Mean and strong. Gets off the ball quickly and can get a punch on the blocker. Will not give up on a play. Tested out very well in Indy and may grow into a Grant Wistrom if he can discover a repertoire of moves. Needs lessons in leverage also.

12.. Cedric Scott
DE

6'6"

281

Sou. Mississippi

Explosive player who knows how to use his hands. Fairly stout at the point and an aggressive edge rusher. Good size and size potential. Flashes a power game occasionally and closes well on the QB. Can vary his moves. Needs work at recognizing run/pass and must learn to focus more to avoid mistakes.

13.. Aaron Schobel
DE

6'3"

263

.

TCU

Has very good first-step quickness and good change-of-direction ability. Hustles to make plays and will get off the ground and scrape to the ball. Had a good post season and has gained some weight. Sort of one dimensional and not very stout verse the run. Wore down as the season progressed.

14.. DeLawrence Grant
DE

6'3"

263

.

Oregon St.

Has explosive qualities and did not seem to have lost them after putting on some serious weight the last few months. Bulked up, but didn't lose his speed and that has some very intrigued. Plays with fire in his belly. Shows passrush ability and will chase from the backside. Can be engulfed in the run game and not an overly alert player.

15.. Karon Riley
DE

6'2"

264

.

School: Minnesota
Extremely quick off the edge. Can be a rocket into the backfield when on his game. Very disruptive because he gets off the ball well and takes good angles. Has a variety of moves that allowed him to amass 29 sacks in the Big Ten the past two years. Can drop back into coverage well for a DE. He has fairly good weight room strength. Has a tendency to rush too far up field. Can get wired to the block of a bigger man. Not the best verse the run and sometimes takes plays off. Can be a good fit on a 3-4 team as a OLB or could grow into a DE if he adds some weight. Intriguing passrusher.

16.. Kris Jenkins
DT

6'5"

318

Maryland

Late riser who could make it to early round two status before draft day. Has all the physical tools. Came on like gang busters this past season after being quiet most of his college days. Very good quickness and power. Can change direction well. Needs to study more and play hard all the time. Kinda reminds you of Eric Swann. Stock is soaring.

17.. Kenny Smith
DT

6'3"

299

Alabama

Came on strong the latter part of the year. Had a solid Senior Bowl, where he showed good foot quickness and a knack for hitting gaps and disrupting things in the backfield. Has had injury problems and will take downs off. Has been called an underachiever, but when he is on he can be a pain in the ass.

18.. Mario Fatafehi
DT

6'2"

295

.

Kansas St.

If you looking for a big man who can move laterally to seal off the run, Mario may be your man. He has a good feel for the inside run and is stout at the point. He shoots gaps pretty well and has good quickness for a widebody. He has good run/pass recognition. He is still green and needs to learn some tricks; bullrushes only get you so far in the NFL.

19.. Ryan Pickett
DT

6'2"

309

Ohio St.

Widebody who gets off the ball quick and has a good surge. Plays hard and will chase to the whistle. Needs work on technique and more time in the weight room. Has some explosiveness and works hard to get better. Shows the ability to find the ball inside.

20.. Willie Blade
DT

6'3"

316

.

Mississippi State

Was a one man wrecking crew in the Independence Bowl. Can move pretty well for a big man. Has natural strength and explosion. A spot player, will play awesome in spurts and then take plays off. Won't chase but can be disruptive in the trenches. Needs someone to light a fire in his belly.

21.. David Warren
DE

6'2"

253

.

Florida St.

Former USA Today High School Defensive Player of the Year. Has tremendous speed and strong hands. Came on strong while filling in for Roland Seymour. Small player who can be engulfed defending the run. Has had serious health problems. May lack instincts. One of the biggest enigmas in the draft.

22.. Reggie Hayward
DE

6'5"

255

.

Iowa St.

Long armed and quick player who disrupts the passing game and kicking game with athleticism and well timed jumps(41" vertical). Has a good takeoff and reminds you of Jason Taylor at times. A slippery player who needs to play harder against the run and get stronger. He is not a killer.

23. Mario Monds
DT

6'3"

342

Cincinnati

Massive and disruptive in spurts. Can be too much to handle when everything is clicking. Can collapse the pocket and make plays in the backfield. Has some moves and can move down the line to make a play. Seems to tire as the game goes on and gets less and less effective, ala Shaun Rogers. Needs to get rid of some of the flab.

24.. Ennis Davis
DT

6'4"

302

.

USC

The biggest risk reward player in the draft. People just can't figure this kid out. He has tools that once had him compared to Darrell Russell, and then he goes through the motions during this past year and at the Senior Bowl. Can stack the run and put heat on the quarterback when he wants to, only when he wants to. One of those guys who makes you nervous when you are writing him a check.

25.. Paul Toviessi
DE

6'6"

260

.

Marshall

Has some developing to do, but he is awfully tempting because he is tall, fast for his size, athletic, and he gets better like clockwork. Has a good closing burst. Needs to get bigger and stronger. Needs to learn some tricks. Looked good in the agility drills at the combine. Probably only a situational rusher at first.

Quarterbacks| Runningbacks& Fullbacks| WideReceivers & TightEnds| Offensive Line
Defensive Line| Linebackers| Secondary

1...	Gerard Warren	DT	6'4"	325	.
School: Florida Safest tackle prospect. Unlike the others with similar physical skills, he works very hard and is a leader. While the others get hammered for one reason or another by some scouts, you will be hard pressed to find one that thinks Gerard won't be atleast a good DT, if not an all-pro. He is quick and combines great leg drive and powerful hands. Explosive burst out of his stance. A slippery big man who can be a disruptive force shooting gaps He is a run-stuffer who moves well laterally down the line. Amassed 72 tackles and 4 1/2 sacks as a Junior this past year. Stays low and is effective against the double-team block. Nasty player. Could get better at run/pass recognition. Needs more upper body strength, but insiders say he is willing and able to pay the price to get it done.
2...	Andre Carter	DE	6'4"	249
School: CAL A warrior in every sense of the word. Relentless like Michael McCrary. He will spin, slap, punch, leap; do whatever it takes to get to the ball. Collected 13 sacks as a senior and rounded off his game to become a good but not great run stuffer as well as a quarterback chaser. He knows leverage and has good body lean as well as good speed. He is not a "freak" as far as quickness, but he does get a good jump and displays tremendous intensity. He studys the game and is a very aware player on the field. He won't be fooled often. He uses his long arms to wrap up ball-carriers securely. At times, will stand up straight and get pushed aside by big bodied OTs. Might become a better LDE than RDE. Born to play football.
3...	Richard Seymour	DT/DE	6'6"	299
School: Georgia Strong and athletic. A better athlete than Warren, but sort of a tweener-between an end and a tackle. Has a large wingspan and uses his hands properly to swim through blockers. Quickness is more than what you would normally expect from someone so big. Can move outside and rush just as effectively as he does shooting gaps. Has an uncanny knack for timing the snap count. A solid wrap-up tackler. Needs to get stronger in the upper body and increase stamina. Turned off some by not participating at the Senior Bowl. Some think he is destined to play DE.
4...	Justin Smith	DE	6'4"	267
School: Missouri The definitive hustler. Very quick off the ball. Closes on the quarterback with a burst. A workout warrior (485 LB power clean) who will be physically ready from day one. Gets off blocks when on the move and can seal off the sidelines. Had great production the last two years; finished `2000 with 11 sacks, 24 tkls for loss, and 81 total tackles. Has more natural size than the other top DEs in this class. Should have an excellent combine. Although he is a good run defender he will get engulfed when he tries to anchor. At his best on the move with arms thrashing.
5...	Jamal Reynolds	DE/LB	6'3"	267	.
School: Florida St. Explosive speed and quickness. Has been compared to Jason Taylor and Peter Boulware. Gets off the blocks like a 100m runner. Makes OTs very nervous. Great feet allow him to get blockers off-balance; thats when he counters well with a power rush that takes you by surprise. Cat-like abilities are used well in pursuit. Uses his sub 4.6 speed to get down field or seal the sidelines. Very coachable. Pays the price to get better. Not very big and can be run on when you go right at him. May wear down and be moved to LB. Kearse comparisons are off base because Jevon had the frame to add weight and he is more athletic. Could be a pass-rush specialist or a fine 3-4 backer
6...	Damione Lewis	DT/DE	6'3"	293	.
School: Miami A mean dude. Blood and guts. Can explode off the snap and be a disruptive force in the backfield. Has solid change-of-direction movement and will run the length of the field to make a tackle. For a lightweight, he has a powerful lower body. Does a good job of getting his hands up to alter throwing lanes. Shows good instincts and a high reving motor. If he gets off low he can be difficult to deal with. Fierce player who can play hurt. Won't be able to stay in the hole and slug; needs to be going forward and not absorbing. Needs to improve his hand use to keep the long arm lineman from re-directing his strong charge. Tough man who will not give up.
7...	Marcus Stroud	DT	6'6"	321
School: Georgia Massive bulldozer who could be arrested for flashing. He flashes jaw dropping skills, but one has to wonder why it does not always show up from week to week. When he stays low and is inspired he can be a juggernaut force. He can take a 300Lb man and blast him back into the quarterback's face. A pocket collapser.He has had games in which he tossed people around like toys. Why is he not near the top of the charts? Intensity. He almost never gets downfield to make a play and will get lazy and stay stationary. When he stands high he can be handled easier than expected. Looks like a space filler(ala Siragusa) that will either make your draft or break your heart.
8...	Shaun Rogers	DT	6'4"	331
School: Texas Mr. Potential. Comparisons to a young Chester McGlocton and the current version of Daryl Gardner follow this mountain of a man. He is not as consistent as his counterpart, Casey Hampton, but he has tools that have scouts very intrigued. For a massive man he gets off the ball well and splits gaps routinely. At times he dominates and flashes elite level skills. Can take two blockers straight back into the QB. He has quick feet and can clog the middle with the best of them because he has powerful legs. Playing more on natural ability at this time. Has had injury problems in the past and people question his desire and stamina. He did seem to play harder this year so a team must decide if he is serious or one of those who will shut it down after getting paid.
9...	Casey Hampton	DT	6'1"	314	.	Texas
A stout tree trunk with a big heart. Awesome weightroom strength. Quick off the ball. Opponents will leave encounters with bruises. Very good instincts and a decent spin move allow him to be disruptive. He is a fine tackler who hustles to make plays laterally. Probably a 2-gap anchor. Hard to blow out. Has short arms and little long speed. A stronger and better conditioned Jerry Ball. You will never worry about his effort.
10..	Willie Howard	DE/DT	6'3"	295	.	Stanford
Hustler who has leadership qualities. He often pumps up teammates with vocal encouragement. Plays hard and does not let pain stop him from giving full effort. Intense with better than most read/react skills. Has good strength and a surprising first step. Seems to be just as effective as a DE. Looked awesome as a Junior (10sks) and may not be all the way back following injuries. A tweener who needs to learn more moves and play the run better.
11..	Kyle Vanden Bosch	DE	6'4"	270	.	Nebraska
Hustles till the cows come home. Mean and strong. Gets off the ball quickly and can get a punch on the blocker. Will not give up on a play. Tested out very well in Indy and may grow into a Grant Wistrom if he can discover a repertoire of moves. Needs lessons in leverage also.
12..	Cedric Scott	DE	6'6"	281		Sou. Mississippi
Explosive player who knows how to use his hands. Fairly stout at the point and an aggressive edge rusher. Good size and size potential. Flashes a power game occasionally and closes well on the QB. Can vary his moves. Needs work at recognizing run/pass and must learn to focus more to avoid mistakes.
13..	Aaron Schobel	DE	6'3"	263	.	TCU
Has very good first-step quickness and good change-of-direction ability. Hustles to make plays and will get off the ground and scrape to the ball. Had a good post season and has gained some weight. Sort of one dimensional and not very stout verse the run. Wore down as the season progressed.
14..	DeLawrence Grant	DE	6'3"	263	.	Oregon St.
Has explosive qualities and did not seem to have lost them after putting on some serious weight the last few months. Bulked up, but didn't lose his speed and that has some very intrigued. Plays with fire in his belly. Shows passrush ability and will chase from the backside. Can be engulfed in the run game and not an overly alert player.
15..	Karon Riley	DE	6'2"	264	.
School: Minnesota Extremely quick off the edge. Can be a rocket into the backfield when on his game. Very disruptive because he gets off the ball well and takes good angles. Has a variety of moves that allowed him to amass 29 sacks in the Big Ten the past two years. Can drop back into coverage well for a DE. He has fairly good weight room strength. Has a tendency to rush too far up field. Can get wired to the block of a bigger man. Not the best verse the run and sometimes takes plays off. Can be a good fit on a 3-4 team as a OLB or could grow into a DE if he adds some weight. Intriguing passrusher.
16..	Kris Jenkins	DT	6'5"	318		Maryland
Late riser who could make it to early round two status before draft day. Has all the physical tools. Came on like gang busters this past season after being quiet most of his college days. Very good quickness and power. Can change direction well. Needs to study more and play hard all the time. Kinda reminds you of Eric Swann. Stock is soaring.
17..	Kenny Smith	DT	6'3"	299		Alabama
Came on strong the latter part of the year. Had a solid Senior Bowl, where he showed good foot quickness and a knack for hitting gaps and disrupting things in the backfield. Has had injury problems and will take downs off. Has been called an underachiever, but when he is on he can be a pain in the ass.
18..	Mario Fatafehi	DT	6'2"	295	.	Kansas St.
If you looking for a big man who can move laterally to seal off the run, Mario may be your man. He has a good feel for the inside run and is stout at the point. He shoots gaps pretty well and has good quickness for a widebody. He has good run/pass recognition. He is still green and needs to learn some tricks; bullrushes only get you so far in the NFL.
19..	Ryan Pickett	DT	6'2"	309		Ohio St.
Widebody who gets off the ball quick and has a good surge. Plays hard and will chase to the whistle. Needs work on technique and more time in the weight room. Has some explosiveness and works hard to get better. Shows the ability to find the ball inside.
20..	Willie Blade	DT	6'3"	316	.	Mississippi State
Was a one man wrecking crew in the Independence Bowl. Can move pretty well for a big man. Has natural strength and explosion. A spot player, will play awesome in spurts and then take plays off. Won't chase but can be disruptive in the trenches. Needs someone to light a fire in his belly.
21..	David Warren	DE	6'2"	253	.	Florida St.
Former USA Today High School Defensive Player of the Year. Has tremendous speed and strong hands. Came on strong while filling in for Roland Seymour. Small player who can be engulfed defending the run. Has had serious health problems. May lack instincts. One of the biggest enigmas in the draft.
22..	Reggie Hayward	DE	6'5"	255	.	Iowa St.
Long armed and quick player who disrupts the passing game and kicking game with athleticism and well timed jumps(41" vertical). Has a good takeoff and reminds you of Jason Taylor at times. A slippery player who needs to play harder against the run and get stronger. He is not a killer.
23.	Mario Monds	DT	6'3"	342		Cincinnati
Massive and disruptive in spurts. Can be too much to handle when everything is clicking. Can collapse the pocket and make plays in the backfield. Has some moves and can move down the line to make a play. Seems to tire as the game goes on and gets less and less effective, ala Shaun Rogers. Needs to get rid of some of the flab.
24..	Ennis Davis	DT	6'4"	302	.	USC
The biggest risk reward player in the draft. People just can't figure this kid out. He has tools that once had him compared to Darrell Russell, and then he goes through the motions during this past year and at the Senior Bowl. Can stack the run and put heat on the quarterback when he wants to, only when he wants to. One of those guys who makes you nervous when you are writing him a check.
25..	Paul Toviessi	DE	6'6"	260	.	Marshall
Has some developing to do, but he is awfully tempting because he is tall, fast for his size, athletic, and he gets better like clockwork. Has a good closing burst. Needs to get bigger and stronger. Needs to learn some tricks. Looked good in the agility drills at the combine. Probably only a situational rusher at first.