Strengths: Very powerful defender Extremely strong hands Excellent run-defender Can overwhelm linemen with his power Very physical Stout at the point of attack Controls his gap Steady motor Experience against double-teams Disruptive Causes havoc at the line of scrimmage Uses hands well Plays with good leverage Pad level Quickness Hard worker Dedicated to weight room…

Strengths: Explosive Toughness, unafraid of hard hits Routinely comes down with difficult catches Great combination of size and speed Excellent run after the catch ability Plays with an attitude Good route-runner Scheme versatility Extremely athletic Very good body control Makes highlight-reel catches Quickness to get separation Physical with cornerbacks Scheme versatility Weaknesses: Character concerns Drug…

Strengths: Ball skills Absolute ballhawk Dangerous with the ball in his hands Elite, rare hands for a cornerback Takeaways Splash plays Great at jumping routes Reaction skills Should be a good zone corner Straight-line speed Can be physical with offensive players Good run defense Potential to develop some man-coverage skills Upside Weaknesses: Bites on double…

Career Recap: Thomas has been an impact defender for the Cardinal since his freshman season. He started his career in 2009 as a defensive end and made eight starts at the position. The freshman had 36 tackles and four sacks. Thomas was moved to outside linebacker in 2010 in Stanford’s 3-4 defense, and that position…

Strengths: Consistently gets separation Route-running Quickness Sudden out of his breaks Beats defensive backs for contested catches Quick feet Can work as a possession receiver Has some strength Makes plays downfield Good body control to make tough sideline catches Adept at finding soft spots in zone Effective operating in all levels of the defense Third-down…

Career Recap: The redshirt senior Fauria has been a solid player for the Bruins the past two seasons. He started out his collegiate career at Notre Dame before transferring to UCLA. The Los Angeles Times wrote an article that Fauria had been kicked out of Notre Dame, but the full story hasn’t been reported. Fauria…

Career Recap: Brown entered the starting lineup for the Illini as a sophomore in 2011 and became an immediate playmaker. He flew around the field and consistently generated splash plays. Brown had 108 tackles, 20.5 tackles for a loss, six sacks, four passes broken up, a forced fumble and an interception. He was tied for…

Strengths: Man-coverage ability Ability to run with receivers in their routes Rarely allows separation Good cover skills Cover-corner ability Change of direction skills Quick feet Good speed Comfortable with ball in the air Great hip flexibility to turn and run Plays well in zone Good size Recoverability Gritty; physical with receivers Confident; has the man-corner…

Strengths: Very strong Physical Excellent hands Superb run-blocker Big target Attacks the middle seam Leaping ability Good route-running Red-zone weapon Asset in short-yardage, goal-line situations Tough to bring down Strong drive-blocker Dangerous seam tight end Weaknesses: Fast enough for the NFL? A Big Ten plodder? Should slim down Lacks good speed May not be a…

Strengths: Elite pass-protector Very reliable Mirrors well with speed-rushers Quick feet Great length Knee bend Fast in his drop Very advanced technique Mobility to hit blocks on the perimeter Gets to blocks on the second level Can anchor against bull rushes Fabulous recoverability Should be a technician in the NFL Flexible to play zone-blocking or…