NFL

Career Recap: Buchanan was a true freshman backup for Illinois in 2009. He made eight starts the next year. The sophomore totaled 40 tackles with 5.5 tackles for a loss and two sacks. Buchanan and teammate Whitney Mercilus both had breakout seasons in the Big Ten last year. Mercilus led the nation in sacks and…

Strengths: Powerful run-blocker Strong pass-protector Good athlete Mirrors speed-rushers Quick feet Developed run-blocking technique Excellent in short yardage Mobility to hit blocks downfield Pulls well Anchors well against bull-rushers Recoverability Strong hands Sustains blocks Durable Experienced Scheme versatility Weaknesses: Must maintain conditioning Should continue to work on knee bend Not a potential tackle Summary: Warford…

Career Recap: Williams saw his first action as a redshirt freshman in 2009 and, though primarily a backup, ended up starting three games. He had three receptions for 25 yards. Heading into the 2010 season, Williams competed for, and won, the starting tight end job. He was not given many receiving opportunities, but he did…

Career Recap: Johnson has been a rotational player for the Crimson Tide the past three seasons. He was a backup during his freshman season, but saw some playing time for the eventual National Champions. Johnson recorded 28 tackles with 4.5 tackles for a loss, one sack and one forced fumble. Teammate Rolando McClain moved on…

Career Recap: Lattimore is a powerful workhorse back who took college football by storm as a freshman. He ran for 1,197 yards and averaged 4.8 yards per carry with 17 touchdowns in 2010. Lattimore also hauled in 29 receptions for 412 yards and one touchdown. For that effort, he was named the SEC Freshman of…

Strengths: Elite athlete Extremely quick Great feet Fast to the second level Hits blocks downfield Ability to stay on his feet Excellent length, long arms Powerful Very physical Has some mean streak Strong hands Natural kick slide to negate speed rushes Fast in his drop Tremendous upside Potential to become a left tackle Intelligent Extremely…

Career Recap: Woods was one of the top recruits in the nation coming out of high school, and thus far, he has shown by being extremely productive in the PAC-12 over his first two seasons. Woods caught 65 passes for 792 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman. He opened his sophomore season with a…

Career Recap: Wagner broke into the starting lineup as a sophomore, having a solid debut as the Badgers right tackle. He started 10 games on the other side from left tackle Gabe Carimi. Wagner moved to left tackle in 2011 to replace Carimi, and he had an excellent season. Throughout the year, Wagner opened up…

Strengths: Gamer Decision-making Field vision Accurate in college Willing to use his feet Experienced and fits well in a West Coast offense Improves the play of his teammates Distributes the ball to a variety of weapons Very good on touch passes Good footwork Tough Intelligent Confident Good work ethic; intangibles Leader Weaknesses: Hitch in delivery…

Career Recap: The Cornhuskers standout has been a tough runner the past two seasons. Burkhead broke out with a quality sophomore season in 2010 with 951 yards rushing (5.5 average) and seven touchdowns. Nebraska moved to the Big Ten last year, but its tougher run defenses didn’t hold him back in his second season. Burkhead…