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Big Ten Conference Prospect Preview
by William West, Pro Draft Guide
5/19/2008
As usual the Big Ten is chock full of potential NFL prospects. Ohio State leads the way this year as a team, of the number of players who could hear their names
called on draft day. There are 649 Big Ten players that have been drafted, second only to the SEC and tied with the Pac 10. Ohio State has had 116 players go to
the NFL, Penn State 95, and Michigan 91. History looks to repeat itself this year with a talented crop of prospects. Two of those prospects, Ohio State’s James
Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins look to be top 5 picks, while overall the Big Ten should see about 5 players taken next year in the first round. Depending on how
many underclassmen declare, that number could go up dramatically as there are many NFL caliber players with a big decisions to make at the end of this season.
1.) LB James Laurinaitis (Ohio State)
Let’s get this fact out of the way now, unless you have been living under a rock for the past three years you know
Laurinaitis is the son of Pro Wrestler Animal of the Road Warriors, a.k.a. The Legion of Doom. Animal and Hawk
proved to be a formidable and successful tag team, winning many championship belts over the years. James plays like
both an animal, with his heads-up powerful tackling and a hawk with his ability to drop into coverage and read a
quarterback to get interceptions. This guy is the total package ready for the NFL, and possibly, someday, the Hall of
Fame. Laurinaitis has a nose for the ball, he seems to be in on every play no matter if it’s a run or a pass. He has a
natural ability to know where the play is going and to get in on the contact. When it comes to tackling, he is textbook, as
he keeps his head up to follow the play and always wraps up the opponent with both arms, and his legs still driving his
opponent backwards. The 2006 Nagurski Award winner as the nation’s best defensive player, and 2007 Butkus award
winner looks to add to his collegiate resume for one more year before running wild on the NFL. Further along in his
development than A.J. Hawk was when he was drafted fifth overall in the 2006 draft, Laurinaitis could very well go
number one overall this year, depending on which team picks first. This guy will be an immediate starter for some very
lucky NFL team next year. He could have been a top 10 pick this year, but chose to finish out his great college career with
the Buckeyes in search of a National Championship. He has solidified himself as a top 3 pick and nice paycheck for
years to come.
2.) CB Malcolm Jenkins (Ohio State)
Malcolm Jenkins-CB-Ohio State University-NFL teams should be salivating over this guy. He is a big, natural corner with
blazing speed. Great ability to read defenses, and excellent coverage skills. Listed at 6'1 and 200lbs the Senior from
Piscataway, NJ has been giving Big Ten receivers fits for the past three seasons. Jenkins regularly covers the opponents
best wide outs, and has been very successful in limiting their performances on game day. He is very comfortable playing
in any coverage scheme zone, man to man, or press. Jenkins will be a candidate for both the Nagurski and Thorpe awards this year. He is a leader for the team
both on the field and in the locker room. He has soft hands much like a wide receiver, ironically he played both corner and wide receiver in high school. Jenkins
like to give opposing receivers a big cushion at times, but he has burning recovery speed and rarely makes a mistake. The Ohio State Buckeyes website says
Jenkins has been timed running a 4.3 in the 40 yard dash a time that will be very closely looked at during Ohio States pro day by scouts. Led the Buckeyes in
interceptions in 2007 with 4 and broke up another 5 passes.. Pretty impressive considering teams rarely threw his way. He returned one of those picks for a
touchdown. Jenkins also returned 3 punts last year and could make a good return man the NFL. But perhaps the most overlooked aspect of his game is his ability
to wrap guys up and tackle. Jenkins had 27 solo tackles and 20 assists in 2007. He had 40 solo tackles in 2006. Jenkins should easily go in the top ten, and
more likely the top 5 in next years draft.
3.) LB Marcus Freeman (Ohio State)
Freeman looks to have a huge year for a very deep and talented Buckeye defense. Freeman is a big hitter and likes to ring the bell of anyone with the ball. The 6'2,
236lb linebacker From Huber Heights, Ohio Wayne high school, Go Warriors! (Full disclosure here, I am an alum myself) Freeman has benefitted and thrived
from being surrounded by great linebackers during his tenure at the school. He has played behind A.J. Hawk and Bobby Carpenter who are both in the NFL now,
and with James Laurinaitis to form one of the best linebacker corps in the nation. Freeman led the Buckeyes in 2007 with 66 solo tackles and was second on the
team in total tackles with 109, 9 ½ of which were for losses while recoding 1 ½ sacks. He was a Parade All American as a senior in high school and will be a
candidate for the Nagurski trophy this year. Jenkins has exceptional speed and can drop into coverage to cover a wide out or tight end, just as easily as he can
play the line and stuff the run. Freeman is not only big, strong and fast, but is intelligent as well and a student of the game. He was named Academic All-Big Ten
last season, as well as second team All-Big Ten. Freeman plays primarily Sam Backer but has the range to play all three linebacker positions which should bode
well for him in the NFL. While Freeman also could have been a first round draft pick last year, he too chose to return to school to make himself an even better
player. Freeman flies all over the field and always seems to be running in high gear all of the time, which he will need for the next level. He will go in the first round
of the draft and if Ohio State lives up to their expectations this year that could just bolster his draft ranking each week they are in the national spotlight.
4.) TE Travis Beckum (Wisconsin)
This guy makes some unbelievable plays look easy. The tight end for the Badgers seems to snag everything thrown his way and even some that aren’t. He
motors all over the field and at times seems to catch the ball out of midair. At 6'4 and 221 lbs, Beckum may need to hit the weights a little to be an NFL tight end,
but that may be the only knock on him. He could easily move to the slot position in the pros which is where he flourishes, over the middle. Quick feet, makes good
cuts and runs precise routes. But it’s what he can do after the catch that is remarkable, the guy has more moves in the open field than most any tight end I have
seen. He has the speed of an NFL wide receiver, but also excels staying home on the line and blocking. The first team All Big Ten tight end led the nation in
receiving yards in 2007 for all tight ends with 982 yards and 75 receptions with 6 TD’s and a 13.1 average per reception. Beckum is ranked third in school history
for receptions with 136, behind Brandon Williams with 202 and Lee Evans with 175. By the end of this year Beckum should own that record, as well as many
more. The guy gets off the line quick and uses his hands well to break free of the defender. A finalist for the 2007 John Mackey Award as nations top tight end, he
was highly recruited coming out of Oak Creek high school in 2004. He switched from linebacker to tight end in 2006 and hauled in 61 receptions for 903 yards and
5 TD’s. Beckum should turn in another solid year and go in the mid first round, but a breakout year could see him going much earlier.
5.) OT Alex Boone (Ohio State)
Boone is an anchor on the offensive line for the Buckeyes. He is another player who could have been drafted this year but chose to come back for his final year of
eligibility. He is big at 6'8 and 312lbs, which is average for an NFL offensive lineman these days. He moves well and is fast for a big man, and typically drives his
opponent off the line or into the ground, creating gapping holes for his backs to run. Has great pass protecting skills as well, he knows how to slide his feet and
use his size to keep opponents off balance and to keep pressure off the quarterback. Helped lead the Buckeyes offense in gaining 5,118 yards of total offensive in
2007, 2,553 of which was on the ground. Will benefit from Ohio State having another high profile year of being in contention for the BCS National Championship.
Boone watches a lot of game film and has played both sides of the offensive line. He is a prototypical NFL caliber lineman who should be drafted in the mid first
round. He was a USA Today and Parade All-American coming out of St. Edwards high school in Lakewood, Ohio. He has great footwork and balance, reads the
defenses well, and can pick up the blitz. He will be a starter as a rookie in the NFL. Boone should flourish as a senior this season and start catching the eyes of
scouts looking to solidify their offensive lines. He should be able to learn the pro playbooks very quickly and immediately contribute in his first year as a pro. He
will probably be asked to beef up his weight by whichever team selects him. At his height he is fairly lean compared to some NFL lineman. Nonetheless Boone
will be a solid pick and one of the first offensive linemen to be drafted.
6.) QB Curtis Painter (Purdue)
Despite playing in a tough conference Painter managed to perform well last season and is on track to have a fantastic senior season sure to catch the eyes of
every NFL team. Painter is the right size for an NFL quarterback at 6'4 and 230lbs, he has a rocket arm that can deliver in traffic, but at the same time he knows
when to put just the right amount of touch on the ball. He is thriving in Purdue’s pass happy offense, and has good feet giving him the ability to create opportunities
by moving in the pocket. He has the ability to take off and break a long run with his quick feet and decent moves for a quarterback of his size. Think Steve Young,
Brett Favre, or Jeff Garcia. That’s who Painter reminds me of on tape. He would be perfect for a team with the west coast offense. Painter lit up the Big Ten last
year for 3,846 yards and 29 touchdowns through the air while rushing for 3 more on the ground. The Manning Award candidate won MVP of the 2007 Motor City
Bowl tossing for 546 yards a school record. Painter is one of the best NFL prospects at QB coming out of this years draft class. He is working in the same Purdue
system that produced Pro-Bowl quarterback Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints. Painter looks to be a career NFL quarterback, he reads the defense well, can
audible at the line, has a good fast drop and makes his read progressions quickly. He gets the ball out of his hands pretty fast and if nothing is open he tries to
create with his feet. While first round quarterback selections are typically risky, Painter could go late first on in the second round and would be a good value at that
pick. Keep an eye on Curtis, he will put together a good year quietly and sneak up the draft boards.
7.) WR Brian Robiskie (Ohio State)
Robiskie may have had a less than stellar junior season than some fans had anticipated. However, consider the fact that he managed to lead the Buckeyes with
55 receptions and 935 yards, and average 17.0 yards per catch and 11 touchdowns, all while playing on an injured knee the entire year. I would say he had a
better than expected year for someone playing through an injury. Brian recently spoke about the injury which he termed a meniscus tear, that he had surgery on in
the off season. Those are some pretty impressive stats for someone playing through pain. The 6'3 195 lb. wide receiver from Chagrin Falls high school in
Cleveland, Ohio certainly held his own throughout the season while playing with the injury. Robiskie comes from an NFL pedigree as his father Terry played 12
seasons for the Raiders and is the wide receivers coach for the Miami Dolphins. Brian has outstanding speed and quickness to compliment his nice hands, with
a good ability to find the holes in the defense and create a good passing lane for the quarterback. “Robo” should be one the first overall wide receivers taken in the
2009 draft, although we all saw how uninterested the NFL teams seemed to be in taking a wideout in the first round this year. He uses his size and speed to
create separation from the defense and works his way free in the open field quite well. Has the ability to come back and get position to get the ball on under
thrown passes as well. Now that he is fully healed and healthy Brian should have a banner year in a team loaded with returning talent. Robiskie looks to have a
great chance of coming in and contributing to a pro team right away.
8.) DT Terrance Taylor (Michigan)
In keeping with the trend, Taylor is yet another player who explored leaving early for the payday of the NFL, but opted to return for his senior season and a fresh run
with new head coach Rich Rodriguez. The 6'0 308lb Senior defensive tackle from Muskegon, Michigan is a nightmare for Big Ten offensive lineman. He is big and
explosive off the defensive line and uses his feet and weight to gain leverage against his opponents. Taylor often draws double and sometimes triple teams. He
keeps his head up and follows the play and knows when to pursue the quarterback, and when to stay home to plug the holes to stop the run. He moves well for a
big man and has the ability to fight through blockers to get to the quarterback. In 2007 he racked up 28 solo tackles with 27 assists, 8.5 of those tackles were for
loss. Taylor added 3 ½ sacks as well as 2 blocked kicks on special teams. He is athletic and moves well, has a nose for the football and follows the play whether
he is in on it or not. Taylor was named to the 2007 All Big-Ten Conference second team, has been clocked at 4.95 in the 40 yard dash and was a high school
champion in power lifting, wrestling and track. For a defensive lineman Taylor is quite the athlete. Although Michigan faces a challenging year with many key
departures and a new head coach, Taylor should solidify himself as a leader of the team and defense. Given his athleticism he should perform well under
Rodriguez’s speed based defensive schemes. Taylor projects to be the second or third Defensive Tackle taken in this years draft behind USC’s Fili Moala and
possibly Georgia’s Jeff Owens. The fact Moala could go in the top ten gives Taylor the chance to go even higher. Taylor projects to go in the late first round or
second round.
9.) DE Greg Middleton (Indiana)
A beast of a defensive end that has been flying under the radar just because he played at Indiana. I had the pleasure of watching
several IU games last year and this guy made me sit up and take notice. He has a great initial burst off of the line, and really
uses his strength to position himself to make a play at times or just blow by the defender all together. Middleton led the nation in
sacks with 16 as a sophomore at IU, which is the fourth most sacks all time in the Big Ten. The 6'3 275lb defensive end out of
Pike high school in Indianapolis was a finalist for the Ted Hendricks award in 2007, presented to the top defensive end in
college football. Has been named to this years watch list for the Lombardi Award, had 50 tackles last season, 17 of which were
for losses. A relentless pass rusher, Middleton will seriously weigh his options if he has a repeat performance of last year or
better. I am betting he will be able to have a comparable year to last season and thus make himself a first round draft pick. He
fires off of the line well, and follows the ball no matter how far away from the play he is, he seems to get in on the stop. He
shows a good knack for reading the offense and adjusts himself accordingly which usually results in him being in on the play
or affecting the direction of the play. Middleton will make a name for himself this year and the scouts will start to notice. He could
be a first rounder in this years draft if he so chooses, and if he stays for his senior season, then I feel bad for the rest of the Big
Ten linemen in 2009.
10.) DE Maurice Evans (Penn State)
The silent assassin. Evans doesn’t talk much to the media or to his on the field opponents, rather he lets his play do the talking for him. The 6'4 262lb defensive
end from Brooklyn, NY speaks softly and carries a big stick. Won a starting role last season on his way to first team All-Big Ten honors from both the media and
coaches. The quick defensive end recorded 12.5 sacks in 2007 as well as 21.5 tackles for loss, and is already a candidate this year for the Lombardi, Nagurski,
and Hendricks trophies. Evans possesses exceptional speed for a defensive end and has been clocked at a 4.65 in the 40 yard dash. Evans is a football players
player. He goes about his business, helps out his team in whatever way he can, and then lines up for the next play. Maurice should emerge as one of the leaders
of the Nittany Lions this year, with his size, instincts and speed he looks to solidify himself as a first round pick in this years draft. Evans looks to continue his rise
as he notches another year of experience under his belt. He has already displayed the explosiveness, strength, footwork and ball hawking ability that NFL teams
seek. Now he as another year to put those skills on display for the whole country to see. While I hate to speculate on underclassmen, I believe Evans will be a first
round pick should he choose to leave the friendly confines of Nappy Valley after this year.
While I hate to write too much on underclassmen entering the draft, there are some guys who are ready for the rigors of the NFL who have been left off of my top
ten list. It’s hard to put underclassmen on a list like this unless you really believe they will get drafted high enough to warrant consideration from NFL teams. I truly
feel the best thing for just about any underclassmen athlete is to stay in school and get their degree. But I also understand everyone’s circumstances are different,
some have families to support, and other people depending on these boys to grow up quickly and become men. While the lure of the big money in the NFL
seems to good to pass up, let me just say that the average NFL career is 5 years or less and last year the average salary was $770,000. While this may seem like
a lot of money to college students that should last forever, it is not. Take the advice of those that have come before you, of your coaches and families before
making such life changing decisions.
William West is a contributor for Pro Draft Guide. He is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) and has been published for the NFL Alumni
Association & Base Magazine. Edited: 5/26/08
by William West, Pro Draft Guide
5/19/2008
As usual the Big Ten is chock full of potential NFL prospects. Ohio State leads the way this year as a team, of the number of players who could hear their names
called on draft day. There are 649 Big Ten players that have been drafted, second only to the SEC and tied with the Pac 10. Ohio State has had 116 players go to
the NFL, Penn State 95, and Michigan 91. History looks to repeat itself this year with a talented crop of prospects. Two of those prospects, Ohio State’s James
Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins look to be top 5 picks, while overall the Big Ten should see about 5 players taken next year in the first round. Depending on how
many underclassmen declare, that number could go up dramatically as there are many NFL caliber players with a big decisions to make at the end of this season.
1.) LB James Laurinaitis (Ohio State)
Let’s get this fact out of the way now, unless you have been living under a rock for the past three years you know
Laurinaitis is the son of Pro Wrestler Animal of the Road Warriors, a.k.a. The Legion of Doom. Animal and Hawk
proved to be a formidable and successful tag team, winning many championship belts over the years. James plays like
both an animal, with his heads-up powerful tackling and a hawk with his ability to drop into coverage and read a
quarterback to get interceptions. This guy is the total package ready for the NFL, and possibly, someday, the Hall of
Fame. Laurinaitis has a nose for the ball, he seems to be in on every play no matter if it’s a run or a pass. He has a
natural ability to know where the play is going and to get in on the contact. When it comes to tackling, he is textbook, as
he keeps his head up to follow the play and always wraps up the opponent with both arms, and his legs still driving his
opponent backwards. The 2006 Nagurski Award winner as the nation’s best defensive player, and 2007 Butkus award
winner looks to add to his collegiate resume for one more year before running wild on the NFL. Further along in his
development than A.J. Hawk was when he was drafted fifth overall in the 2006 draft, Laurinaitis could very well go
number one overall this year, depending on which team picks first. This guy will be an immediate starter for some very
lucky NFL team next year. He could have been a top 10 pick this year, but chose to finish out his great college career with
the Buckeyes in search of a National Championship. He has solidified himself as a top 3 pick and nice paycheck for
years to come.
2.) CB Malcolm Jenkins (Ohio State)
Malcolm Jenkins-CB-Ohio State University-NFL teams should be salivating over this guy. He is a big, natural corner with
blazing speed. Great ability to read defenses, and excellent coverage skills. Listed at 6'1 and 200lbs the Senior from
Piscataway, NJ has been giving Big Ten receivers fits for the past three seasons. Jenkins regularly covers the opponents
best wide outs, and has been very successful in limiting their performances on game day. He is very comfortable playing
in any coverage scheme zone, man to man, or press. Jenkins will be a candidate for both the Nagurski and Thorpe awards this year. He is a leader for the team
both on the field and in the locker room. He has soft hands much like a wide receiver, ironically he played both corner and wide receiver in high school. Jenkins
like to give opposing receivers a big cushion at times, but he has burning recovery speed and rarely makes a mistake. The Ohio State Buckeyes website says
Jenkins has been timed running a 4.3 in the 40 yard dash a time that will be very closely looked at during Ohio States pro day by scouts. Led the Buckeyes in
interceptions in 2007 with 4 and broke up another 5 passes.. Pretty impressive considering teams rarely threw his way. He returned one of those picks for a
touchdown. Jenkins also returned 3 punts last year and could make a good return man the NFL. But perhaps the most overlooked aspect of his game is his ability
to wrap guys up and tackle. Jenkins had 27 solo tackles and 20 assists in 2007. He had 40 solo tackles in 2006. Jenkins should easily go in the top ten, and
more likely the top 5 in next years draft.
3.) LB Marcus Freeman (Ohio State)
Freeman looks to have a huge year for a very deep and talented Buckeye defense. Freeman is a big hitter and likes to ring the bell of anyone with the ball. The 6'2,
236lb linebacker From Huber Heights, Ohio Wayne high school, Go Warriors! (Full disclosure here, I am an alum myself) Freeman has benefitted and thrived
from being surrounded by great linebackers during his tenure at the school. He has played behind A.J. Hawk and Bobby Carpenter who are both in the NFL now,
and with James Laurinaitis to form one of the best linebacker corps in the nation. Freeman led the Buckeyes in 2007 with 66 solo tackles and was second on the
team in total tackles with 109, 9 ½ of which were for losses while recoding 1 ½ sacks. He was a Parade All American as a senior in high school and will be a
candidate for the Nagurski trophy this year. Jenkins has exceptional speed and can drop into coverage to cover a wide out or tight end, just as easily as he can
play the line and stuff the run. Freeman is not only big, strong and fast, but is intelligent as well and a student of the game. He was named Academic All-Big Ten
last season, as well as second team All-Big Ten. Freeman plays primarily Sam Backer but has the range to play all three linebacker positions which should bode
well for him in the NFL. While Freeman also could have been a first round draft pick last year, he too chose to return to school to make himself an even better
player. Freeman flies all over the field and always seems to be running in high gear all of the time, which he will need for the next level. He will go in the first round
of the draft and if Ohio State lives up to their expectations this year that could just bolster his draft ranking each week they are in the national spotlight.
4.) TE Travis Beckum (Wisconsin)
This guy makes some unbelievable plays look easy. The tight end for the Badgers seems to snag everything thrown his way and even some that aren’t. He
motors all over the field and at times seems to catch the ball out of midair. At 6'4 and 221 lbs, Beckum may need to hit the weights a little to be an NFL tight end,
but that may be the only knock on him. He could easily move to the slot position in the pros which is where he flourishes, over the middle. Quick feet, makes good
cuts and runs precise routes. But it’s what he can do after the catch that is remarkable, the guy has more moves in the open field than most any tight end I have
seen. He has the speed of an NFL wide receiver, but also excels staying home on the line and blocking. The first team All Big Ten tight end led the nation in
receiving yards in 2007 for all tight ends with 982 yards and 75 receptions with 6 TD’s and a 13.1 average per reception. Beckum is ranked third in school history
for receptions with 136, behind Brandon Williams with 202 and Lee Evans with 175. By the end of this year Beckum should own that record, as well as many
more. The guy gets off the line quick and uses his hands well to break free of the defender. A finalist for the 2007 John Mackey Award as nations top tight end, he
was highly recruited coming out of Oak Creek high school in 2004. He switched from linebacker to tight end in 2006 and hauled in 61 receptions for 903 yards and
5 TD’s. Beckum should turn in another solid year and go in the mid first round, but a breakout year could see him going much earlier.
5.) OT Alex Boone (Ohio State)
Boone is an anchor on the offensive line for the Buckeyes. He is another player who could have been drafted this year but chose to come back for his final year of
eligibility. He is big at 6'8 and 312lbs, which is average for an NFL offensive lineman these days. He moves well and is fast for a big man, and typically drives his
opponent off the line or into the ground, creating gapping holes for his backs to run. Has great pass protecting skills as well, he knows how to slide his feet and
use his size to keep opponents off balance and to keep pressure off the quarterback. Helped lead the Buckeyes offense in gaining 5,118 yards of total offensive in
2007, 2,553 of which was on the ground. Will benefit from Ohio State having another high profile year of being in contention for the BCS National Championship.
Boone watches a lot of game film and has played both sides of the offensive line. He is a prototypical NFL caliber lineman who should be drafted in the mid first
round. He was a USA Today and Parade All-American coming out of St. Edwards high school in Lakewood, Ohio. He has great footwork and balance, reads the
defenses well, and can pick up the blitz. He will be a starter as a rookie in the NFL. Boone should flourish as a senior this season and start catching the eyes of
scouts looking to solidify their offensive lines. He should be able to learn the pro playbooks very quickly and immediately contribute in his first year as a pro. He
will probably be asked to beef up his weight by whichever team selects him. At his height he is fairly lean compared to some NFL lineman. Nonetheless Boone
will be a solid pick and one of the first offensive linemen to be drafted.
6.) QB Curtis Painter (Purdue)
Despite playing in a tough conference Painter managed to perform well last season and is on track to have a fantastic senior season sure to catch the eyes of
every NFL team. Painter is the right size for an NFL quarterback at 6'4 and 230lbs, he has a rocket arm that can deliver in traffic, but at the same time he knows
when to put just the right amount of touch on the ball. He is thriving in Purdue’s pass happy offense, and has good feet giving him the ability to create opportunities
by moving in the pocket. He has the ability to take off and break a long run with his quick feet and decent moves for a quarterback of his size. Think Steve Young,
Brett Favre, or Jeff Garcia. That’s who Painter reminds me of on tape. He would be perfect for a team with the west coast offense. Painter lit up the Big Ten last
year for 3,846 yards and 29 touchdowns through the air while rushing for 3 more on the ground. The Manning Award candidate won MVP of the 2007 Motor City
Bowl tossing for 546 yards a school record. Painter is one of the best NFL prospects at QB coming out of this years draft class. He is working in the same Purdue
system that produced Pro-Bowl quarterback Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints. Painter looks to be a career NFL quarterback, he reads the defense well, can
audible at the line, has a good fast drop and makes his read progressions quickly. He gets the ball out of his hands pretty fast and if nothing is open he tries to
create with his feet. While first round quarterback selections are typically risky, Painter could go late first on in the second round and would be a good value at that
pick. Keep an eye on Curtis, he will put together a good year quietly and sneak up the draft boards.
7.) WR Brian Robiskie (Ohio State)
Robiskie may have had a less than stellar junior season than some fans had anticipated. However, consider the fact that he managed to lead the Buckeyes with
55 receptions and 935 yards, and average 17.0 yards per catch and 11 touchdowns, all while playing on an injured knee the entire year. I would say he had a
better than expected year for someone playing through an injury. Brian recently spoke about the injury which he termed a meniscus tear, that he had surgery on in
the off season. Those are some pretty impressive stats for someone playing through pain. The 6'3 195 lb. wide receiver from Chagrin Falls high school in
Cleveland, Ohio certainly held his own throughout the season while playing with the injury. Robiskie comes from an NFL pedigree as his father Terry played 12
seasons for the Raiders and is the wide receivers coach for the Miami Dolphins. Brian has outstanding speed and quickness to compliment his nice hands, with
a good ability to find the holes in the defense and create a good passing lane for the quarterback. “Robo” should be one the first overall wide receivers taken in the
2009 draft, although we all saw how uninterested the NFL teams seemed to be in taking a wideout in the first round this year. He uses his size and speed to
create separation from the defense and works his way free in the open field quite well. Has the ability to come back and get position to get the ball on under
thrown passes as well. Now that he is fully healed and healthy Brian should have a banner year in a team loaded with returning talent. Robiskie looks to have a
great chance of coming in and contributing to a pro team right away.
8.) DT Terrance Taylor (Michigan)
In keeping with the trend, Taylor is yet another player who explored leaving early for the payday of the NFL, but opted to return for his senior season and a fresh run
with new head coach Rich Rodriguez. The 6'0 308lb Senior defensive tackle from Muskegon, Michigan is a nightmare for Big Ten offensive lineman. He is big and
explosive off the defensive line and uses his feet and weight to gain leverage against his opponents. Taylor often draws double and sometimes triple teams. He
keeps his head up and follows the play and knows when to pursue the quarterback, and when to stay home to plug the holes to stop the run. He moves well for a
big man and has the ability to fight through blockers to get to the quarterback. In 2007 he racked up 28 solo tackles with 27 assists, 8.5 of those tackles were for
loss. Taylor added 3 ½ sacks as well as 2 blocked kicks on special teams. He is athletic and moves well, has a nose for the football and follows the play whether
he is in on it or not. Taylor was named to the 2007 All Big-Ten Conference second team, has been clocked at 4.95 in the 40 yard dash and was a high school
champion in power lifting, wrestling and track. For a defensive lineman Taylor is quite the athlete. Although Michigan faces a challenging year with many key
departures and a new head coach, Taylor should solidify himself as a leader of the team and defense. Given his athleticism he should perform well under
Rodriguez’s speed based defensive schemes. Taylor projects to be the second or third Defensive Tackle taken in this years draft behind USC’s Fili Moala and
possibly Georgia’s Jeff Owens. The fact Moala could go in the top ten gives Taylor the chance to go even higher. Taylor projects to go in the late first round or
second round.
9.) DE Greg Middleton (Indiana)
A beast of a defensive end that has been flying under the radar just because he played at Indiana. I had the pleasure of watching
several IU games last year and this guy made me sit up and take notice. He has a great initial burst off of the line, and really
uses his strength to position himself to make a play at times or just blow by the defender all together. Middleton led the nation in
sacks with 16 as a sophomore at IU, which is the fourth most sacks all time in the Big Ten. The 6'3 275lb defensive end out of
Pike high school in Indianapolis was a finalist for the Ted Hendricks award in 2007, presented to the top defensive end in
college football. Has been named to this years watch list for the Lombardi Award, had 50 tackles last season, 17 of which were
for losses. A relentless pass rusher, Middleton will seriously weigh his options if he has a repeat performance of last year or
better. I am betting he will be able to have a comparable year to last season and thus make himself a first round draft pick. He
fires off of the line well, and follows the ball no matter how far away from the play he is, he seems to get in on the stop. He
shows a good knack for reading the offense and adjusts himself accordingly which usually results in him being in on the play
or affecting the direction of the play. Middleton will make a name for himself this year and the scouts will start to notice. He could
be a first rounder in this years draft if he so chooses, and if he stays for his senior season, then I feel bad for the rest of the Big
Ten linemen in 2009.
10.) DE Maurice Evans (Penn State)
The silent assassin. Evans doesn’t talk much to the media or to his on the field opponents, rather he lets his play do the talking for him. The 6'4 262lb defensive
end from Brooklyn, NY speaks softly and carries a big stick. Won a starting role last season on his way to first team All-Big Ten honors from both the media and
coaches. The quick defensive end recorded 12.5 sacks in 2007 as well as 21.5 tackles for loss, and is already a candidate this year for the Lombardi, Nagurski,
and Hendricks trophies. Evans possesses exceptional speed for a defensive end and has been clocked at a 4.65 in the 40 yard dash. Evans is a football players
player. He goes about his business, helps out his team in whatever way he can, and then lines up for the next play. Maurice should emerge as one of the leaders
of the Nittany Lions this year, with his size, instincts and speed he looks to solidify himself as a first round pick in this years draft. Evans looks to continue his rise
as he notches another year of experience under his belt. He has already displayed the explosiveness, strength, footwork and ball hawking ability that NFL teams
seek. Now he as another year to put those skills on display for the whole country to see. While I hate to speculate on underclassmen, I believe Evans will be a first
round pick should he choose to leave the friendly confines of Nappy Valley after this year.
While I hate to write too much on underclassmen entering the draft, there are some guys who are ready for the rigors of the NFL who have been left off of my top
ten list. It’s hard to put underclassmen on a list like this unless you really believe they will get drafted high enough to warrant consideration from NFL teams. I truly
feel the best thing for just about any underclassmen athlete is to stay in school and get their degree. But I also understand everyone’s circumstances are different,
some have families to support, and other people depending on these boys to grow up quickly and become men. While the lure of the big money in the NFL
seems to good to pass up, let me just say that the average NFL career is 5 years or less and last year the average salary was $770,000. While this may seem like
a lot of money to college students that should last forever, it is not. Take the advice of those that have come before you, of your coaches and families before
making such life changing decisions.
William West is a contributor for Pro Draft Guide. He is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) and has been published for the NFL Alumni
Association & Base Magazine. Edited: 5/26/08
