Matt McGuire's 2010 NFL Draft - Big Board

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Updated: 1/11
Previous Update: 12/7

You really hate to see talented prospects like Washington QB Jake Locker and Ohio State DE Cameron Heyward return to school, but it happens and it just gives us something to look forward to in 2011.

Locker will be the consensus No. 1 player and overall pick for the 2011 NFL Draft, but it will be interesting to see how his upcoming season pans out with the added experience because there are absolutely no excuses and there is no margin of error with NFL front offices. If he doesn't play perfectly, then his game will be nitpicked. Heyward will be a projected top-10 draft pick and Ohio State is a national title contender.

I will be doing a lot of blogging about this draft class as a whole and grading it out to see where we are, but at this moment, I would say the overall talent is a "B-minus" offthe top of my head without crunching the numbers. It's solid, but not great, and the overall depth is a concern because the senior class is particularly weak.

A big rise to my Big Board is UCLA defensive tackle Brian Price (No. 13). He is an Engergizer Bunny on the defensive line. He plays with a ton of energy and I love his athleticism and quickness off the snap. He is tough and strong = built like a fire hydrant (shorter but a thick frame). Price is a playmaker, and I'll be surprised if he falls out of the top 20 picks.

One player who has dropped on my board slightly is Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain. While everybody else in the country ranked Brandon Spikes as the consensus No. 1 ILB preseason, I had serious doubts with his speed, pursuit angles, and range in zone coverage. I have growing concerns with McClain regarding his straight line speed. I really saw him blow a couple of plays against Texas in the BCS title game where he should have limited space in a quicker fashion. I don't see McClain as a 4-3 middle linebacker. I'm just not sure a 3-4 ILB/4-3 SLB has a lot of value in this draft.

This is my Top 25 Big Board for the 2010 NFL Draft. My talent evaluation consists of hundreds of hours of game tape analysis as well as a players' intangible makeup.

I have a key to better understand my star system:
: Elite Talent
: Top-8 Talent
: Solid First-Round Talent
: Fringe First-Round Talent; Very Strong Round 2 Talent
: Second-Round Talent

1. Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
   
2. Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
   
3. Russell Okung, T, Oklahoma State
   
4. Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
   
5. Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
   
   
6. Joe Haden, CB, Florida
   
7. Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech*
   
8. Damian Williams, WR, USC
   
9. Bruce Campbell, T, Maryland
   
10. Donovan Warren, CB, Michigan
    
    
11. Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State
    
12. Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
    
13. Brian Price, DT, UCLA
    
14. Earl Thomas, FS, Texas
    
15. Greg Romeus, DE, Pittsburgh
    
    
16. Anthony Davis, T, Rutgers
    
17. Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama
    
18. Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
    
19. Brandon LaFell, WR, LSU
    
20. Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB, TCU
    
    
21. Charles Brown, T, USC
    
22. Bryan Bulaga, T, Iowa
    
23. C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson
    
24. Brandon Ghee, CB, Wake Forest
    
25. Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame
    
    
    

*Denotes 4-3 Defensive End ONLY

Big Board Debut: Brian Price, Greg Romeus, Anthony Davis, Golden Tate

Returned to school: Jake Locker, Cameron Heyward, Bruce Carter, Ras-I Dowling



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