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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, April 22, 2010

NFL draft: First-round picks profiles


Associated Press

1. St. Louis

Sam Bradford, qb, 6-foot-4, 236 pounds, Oklahoma, junior: His well-known shoulder injury may not keep him from being the first QB taken. Very accurate on the kinds of short and medium throws currently in fashion. Quick release, but not totally over the top. Occasionally will hold ball too long.

2. Detroit

Ndamukong Suh, dt, 6-4, 307, Nebraska: Could fit in either a 3-4 or 4-3, thanks to sun-blotting size and plenty of quickness and strength to boot. Projects as both a pass-rusher and a run-disrupter. Slight injury history.

3. Tampa Bay

Gerald McCoy, dt, 6-4, Oklahoma, junior: A great fit in a 4-3, where he can wreak havoc with his speed and athleticism. A potential nightmare for blockers in years to come.

4. Washington

Trent Williams, ol, 6-5, 315, Oklahoma: Projects as an RT, especially in the run game, where he can be a bulldozer. Redskins have said they want him on left side.

5. Kansas City

Eric Berry, db, 6-0, 211, Tennessee, junior: Hard, physical player who seems to see what's happening on the field before anyone else does. Smart player with good leadership abilities. Had shoulder surgery after 2008 season.

6. Seattle

Russell Okung, ol, 6-5, 307, Oklahoma State, junior: Big and long-armed, he's nimble on his feet and shows the always-appreciated "mean streak" in running game.

7. Cleveland

Joe Haden, db, 5-11, 193, Florida, junior: Smooth, fluid runner with excellent ball skills. Good, but not great in run support. Can return.

8. Oakland

Rolando McClain, lb, 6-3, 254, Alabama, junior: Has great ability, and leadership ability. His toughness and strength serve him well against the run, and on blitzes, but man coverage may be a liability. Smart player who can read route progressions well in zone coverage.

9. Buffalo

C.J. Spiller, rb, 5-11, 196, CLEMSON: Spiller is more of a game-breaker than a bell-cow type of back. Lack of size means he won't be grinding out 30-carry games in December — but rare speed and acceleration should make him a threat to score any time he gets the ball.

10. Jacksonville

Tyson Alualu, de, 6-3, 295, California: Toolsy for a DE, meaning he's got hands and pass-rush moves. But size leaves him between 3-4 and 4-3 desirability.

11. San Francisco (from Chicago through Denver)

Anthony Davis, ol, 6-5, 323, Rutgers, junior: Mammoth. Nimble. Yep, he looks like a left tackle, though Davis may be a notch below some of the elite LT prospects in years past, it's not a very big notch. Weight issues.

12. San Diego (from Miami)

Ryan Mathews, rb, 6-0, 218, Fresno State, junior: Productive, hard runner with a good burst through the hole. Not experienced in passing game and durability is a bit of a concern. A possible future workhorse.

13. Philadelphia (from San Francisco through Denver)

Brandon Graham, de, 6-1, 268, Michigan: Despite lack of ideal height, Graham's a disruptive force with nice speed off the edge and good athleticism and field smarts.

14. Seattle (from Denver)

Earl Thomas, db, 5-10, 208, Texas, junior: Fast and willing to fill holes in the running game, size and strength may be drawbacks at NFL level.

15. New York Giants

Jason Pierre-Paul, de, 6-5, 270, South Florida, junior: A bit tall for a DE, he may be stood up easily. Better at pursuit than holding the point against the run. Nice burst off the ball on pass rush. Just one season of major-college ball after two JUCO years.

16. Tennessee

Derrick Morgan, de, 6-3, 266, Georgia Tech, junior: Smart, 4-3-style end who can stop the run and be a crafty pass-rusher. May not work out as an OLB in a 3-4.

17. San Francisco (from Carolina)

Mike Iupati, ol, 6-5, 331, Idaho, junior: Mammoth interior blocker prospect with strength and some agility. Not all that fast, and English is not native language.

18. Pittsburgh

Maurkice Pouncey, Florida, 6-4, 304, junior: Quick out of his center's crouch despite his size, can also play guard. Sharp feel for the game. Had labrum surgery before last season.

19. Atlanta

Sean Weatherspoon, lb, 6-1, 239, Missouri: Sharp player vs. both run and pass, his combination of speed and size helps him defend against either. Not always quick enough to diagnose, however.

20. Houston

Kareem Jackson, db, 5-10, 196 Alabama, junior: Cerebral player with the skills to hang with speedy WRs. Confident and aggressive, with good ball skills. Some issues with durability and occasional overaggressiveness. Might fit nicely in a cover-2.

21. Cincinnati

Jermaine Gresham, 6-5, 261, Oklahoma, junior: October surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee is the biggest concern for Gresham, an elite prospect with the speed to stretch defenses. Blocking is a work in progress.

22. Denver (from New England)

Demaryius Thomas, wr, 6-3, 244, Georgia Tech, junior: Good size, speed and athletic ability, but route-running is a bit of a mess. Nice hands and ability to make plays on the ball. Scored well on Wonderlic.

23. Green Bay

Bryan Bulaga, ol, 6-5, 314, Iowa, junior: Comes from a program that always seems to have OLs ready to play in NFL. Lack of truly elite physical qualities means speed rushers can be troublesome at times.

24. Dallas (from Philadelpia through Denver and New England)

Dez Bryant, 6-2, 225, Oklahoma State, junior: Physically gifted, with all the size and speed it takes. Maturity issues will be biggest thing to give teams pause. Missed 10 games for lying to NCAA.

25. Denver (from Baltimore)

Tim Tebow, 6-3, 236, Florida: A central question of the 2010 NFL draft answered — the Broncos were the team ready to take Florida's linebacker-sized, power-running quarterback with the slow release and work him into a pro system.

26. Arizona

Dan Williams, dt, 6-2, 327, Tennessee: Big, big dude who can anchor a 3-4 line as the nose tackle, but needs to be more consistent and work on his technique.

27. New England (from Dallas)

Devin McCourty, db, 5-11, 193, Rutgers: Savvy player with good balance and strong work ethic. Ball skills could be better.

28. Miami (from San Diego)

Jared Odrick, dt, 6-5, 304, Penn State: Ability to play either front, but needs some coaching in pass rush.

29. New York Jets

Kyle Wilson, db, 5-10, 194, Boise State: Great field vision in secondary and on punt returns. Plenty of athleticism, but not great size.

30. Detroit (from Minnesota)

Jahvid Best, rb, 5-10, 199, California, junior: Near-weekly highlight producer, unfortunately including a concussion in November. A major threat due to absurd acceleration and speed; not a grinder. Concussions are always a concern, too.

31. Indianapolis

Jerry Hughes, de, 6-2, 255, TCU: Nimble and quick, he played DE in college, so pass coverage will need work. Had nice combine. Accomplished pass rusher.

32. New Orleans

Patrick Robinson, 5-11, 190, Florida State: Good pure speed and aggressiveness for a cover-2 scheme, but not particularly quick given his speed. Raw technique.