NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Despite sitting atop the NFC West in a two-way tie with St. Louis through eight games, the Seattle Seahawks have found themselves on the losing side of two straight games and the team's head coach is calling for a new beginning starting with Sunday's game at Arizona.

"Where we are is we're starting off again," said Pete Carroll at his Wednesday press conference from the team's Renton, Wash. training facilities. "We have to play very, very close to the vest in terms of our mistakes and issues."

The biggest issue?

"We need to find a consistency that's way, way apart from where we just were the past couple of weeks," said the head coach.

Sunday's road game against the Cardinals (3-5) could be the foundation for a second-half surge for the Seahawks (4-4). Arizona's 390.8 yards of total offense allowed to opposing teams this season ranks 30th in the National Football League.

Should Seattle capitalize, Carroll said it will have to come as a result of an offense that uses the ground game to better balance the team's aerial one.

"There's a big emphasis," said Carroll. "The last two weeks we just have not run the football worth a hoot."

The Cardinals, too, haven't found much success running the football. The team's power back, Chris "Beanie" Wells has dealt with injuries for much of the season. After rushing for 793 yards on 4.5 yards per attempt in his first year in the NFL, the 6-foot-2, 229-pound Wells has accumulated just 231 yards on 3.3 yards per attempt so far in his second season.

Without a commanding presence from the team's running game, the Cardinals' passing has struggled. Trying to jumpstart the offense, Arizona's flip-flopped their quarterback depth chart multiple times. Derek Anderson was the Cardinals' initial starter, but was replaced for three weeks by undrafted rookie Max Hall. During those three weeks, Hall didn't surpass a quarterback rating of 65.0 and the Cardinals lost two games, so now Anderson is back under center.

In Seattle's first game against Arizona this season, Hall got the start, but the switch to Anderson for the two teams' second meeting hasn't left Pete Carroll scrambling for information on the veteran quarterback's play.

"A guy I've known for a lot of years," said Seattle's first-year head coach who at his most recent head coaching position, the University of Southern California, took on Anderson's Oregon State team annually in the Pac-10 Conference.

"He's capable of being that Pro Bowl player that he's been in the past. He's got a huge arm. The whole field is available to him."

That ability to use the field was on display last week in Minnesota when Anderson returned to the Cardinals' starting lineup and connected with the team's biggest offensive threat, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, seven times for 107 yards. The 100-plus-yard performance was Fitzgerald's first this season and made the 27-year-old the league's second-youngest player to record 7,500 career receiving yards.

Sunday's kickoff from University of Phoenix Stadium is set for 4:15 p.m. Eastern.

Can't get enough NFLGridironGab? Follow SeahawksGab Editor Devon Heinen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DevonHeinen.

Senior writer jclombardi profiles OLB Clay Matthews and CB Sam Shields.

Matthews’ burning desire fuels quest for greatness: In just his second year in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers linebacker has combined that scrapper spirit with a 6-3, 255-pound build, natural talent and relentless motor to lead the league in sacks. A year ago he was in the running for defensive rookie of the year. This year, he’s probably a front-runner for the NFL’s defensive player of the year honors and maybe even the league’s overall MVP. Fans at Lambeau Field began that chant Sunday after Green Bay’s defense destroyed the feeble Dallas Cowboys. Since Matthews returned three weeks ago from an injured hamstring, the Packers have won all three games and have allowed just seven points in the last eight quarters. As the Packers head into Week 10 enjoying a bye, the defense leads the league with 28 sacks. Matthews, with 10.5, would love to end the season as the overall sack leader. ”Obviously, I know statistics aren’t everything,” said Matthews. “I’m trying to help my team win. The Super Bowl is what we play this game for. Leading the NFL in sacks is one of those individual achievements, personal goals, that I have.” Matthews was named the NFC defensive player of the week. He played on another level against the Cowboys: four tackles, including two for a loss, a sack, two passes defensed and a 62-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Packers coaching staff impressed with rapid rise of cornerback Shields: Three months ago Sam Shields was an undrafted rookie who could not catch and whose best attribute was the ability to run fast. He could not hold onto punts or kickoffs and had played cornerback for less than a year. Nine weeks into the 2010 NFL season, Shields' play gave the Green Bay Packers the flexibility to cut a two-time Pro Bowler. That's an awfully rapid ascension for a 22-year-old. Meanwhile, Shields climbed the depth chart during training camp and started the season as the team's nickel back — a job he has yet to relinquish. The Packers cut Harris on Monday and coach Mike McCarthy explained the move was in the best interest of the "big-picture" plans of the team. Shields has become a huge part of the painting. Cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt said he never expected Shields to transition so quickly. "When we first got him, he didn't understand coverages," Whitt said. "Just base coverages and base techniques. Now he's a defensive back. He's not a receiver playing defensive back.  "It's a credit to that young man because he came in here and he does not act like a rookie. He acts like a guy who's been in the league 3-4 years. He doesn't know defense very well yet, but he's learning. He's a mature man that's taking a professional approach at his game and his profession."

Two young gun slinging quarterbacks going at in the first Thursday night of the year provided quite a bit of drama, but in the end, it was Matt Ryan and the Falcons standing at 7-2.

Ryan’s last second touchdown to Roddy White gave the Falcons a 26-21 win as they escaped after almost blowing a 13-point fourth quarter lead after they led 20-7.

The Ravens and fellow young QB Joe Flacco rallied with two touchdowns, the second coming with 1:09 left as Todd Heap wrapped up a drive with a 9-yard TD to give the Ravens a 21-20 advantage.

Not to be outdone, Ryan calmly moved the Falcons into position, with the big play being a fingertip catch by Michael Jenkins for 24 yards to get the Falcons to 44.

Then a pass interference gave Atlanta a first down and on the very next play, Ryan rolled out on a designed play, and hit Roddy White with a pretty 33-yard TD pass that sent the Georgia Dome in a frenzy, sending the Falcons to the five-point win.

“We just wanted to get down and get a field goal,” White said. “Once Mike (Jenkins) caught that ball on the sideline, we started getting close and they started bringing pressure, and we knew we were going to get one on one coverage, and we knew we had to make plays out there. We just kind of coasted our way down and kept making plays.”

Ryan’s big night saw him go 32-for-50 for 316 yards with 3 touchdowns and a QB rating of 101.8. Flacco was 22-for-34 for 215 with 3 touchdowns and a pick.

White was the big weapon for Ryan and the Falcons, as he pulled in 12 catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns. The Ravens held Michael Turner to 39 yards on 17 carries.

Now at 7-2 with the best record in the NFC, the Falcons get a week to relax, as they have reached the bye week in first place and with a game at St.Louis in 10 days.

Last Week: 8-5
Season: 73-56

Cincinnati at Indianapolis - The Colts are 3-0 at home, and the Bengals are coming off a short week and they are in the midst of a lost season. Cincy will hang for about three quarters, but the Colts are a team that is smarting after a loss in Philly. Indianapolis 27 Cincinnati 17

New York Jets at Cleveland – The Browns laid a stunner on the Pats last week, but won’t find the same success running the ball against Rex Ryan’s Jets. This has all the makings of a low scoring defensive battle, but the Jets CB’s could come up big against rookie QB Colt McCoy. Rob Ryan is 0-3 vs Rex, and that will stretch to 0-4 Sunday. New York Jets 17 Cleveland 14

Minnesota at Chicago – Brett Favre had a career day last week, but that was in a dome vs the Cardinals. While the Bears have had issues over the past five weeks going 2-3, they needed the win in Toronto vs Buffalo, and will need that type of effort again. The Bears get to Favre and get a home division win. Chicago 23 Minnesota 17

Tennessee at Miami - The Titans with Randy Moss can go one of two ways, and it could make or break the Titans season. They head to Miami, who has already seen Moss a couple times this year. Look for Miami with new QB starter Chad Pennington to simply use their run game to try and control the clock. Chris Johnson needs a big game for the Titans, who can’t assume Moss will have a big game in his first game out. Miami 21 Tennessee 17

Houston at Jacksonville – Two AFC South teams that despite having .500 seasons find themselves just a game out of first. The Jags seem to play with more confidence at home, and David Garrard is a better QB in front of the home fans. The Texans are very inconsistent, and may be looking at a coaching change if they don’t start winning some games and have a shot at the playoffs in the last month of 2010. Jacksonville 27 Houston 21

Detroit at Buffalo – Shaun Hill is back at QB for the Lions, who have had no luck with Matthew Stafford the whole year. Buffalo continues to fight and look for their first win, and this could be the week. Ryan Fitzpatrick should be able to throw against the Lions, and the Bills run game is going to have a big play or two to get them a big first win. Buffalo 24 Detroit 14

Carolina at Tampa Bay – The Panthers lost QB Matt Moore for the season, and the Bucs will make it a long day for rookie Jimmy Clausen. The Bucs are not happy with the loss in Atlanta, and will rebound here to get to 6-3 on the year, 3-2 at home. Tampa Bay 31 Carolina 14

Kansas City at Denver – A loss by the Broncos here and they might as well start thinking about their draft position for 2011. The Chiefs blew a game in Oakland, and will want to come out and prove they are a team that can bounce back on the road. A critical game for both teams, but the Chiefs will find a way late to pull it out against the error prone Broncos. Kansas City 24 Denver 21

St.Louis at San Francisco – The 4-4 Rams need this game, but it won’t be easy as they are 0-3 on the road and the Niners have played better in winning two of their last three. If the Niners think they have any shot to win the West, they have to win here. They get a big win by stopping Sam Bradford and company with a solid effort from their D. San Francisco 17 St.Louis 10

Dallas at New York Giants – Jason Garrett is the head man finally in Dallas, but unless he comes out and plays QB, and throws for 400 yards, it’s not going to matter. The Cowboys are a mess, and one week of hearing Garrett isn’t going to change much. The Giants are playing like a team that will have a lot to say about the NFC playoff race, and they should be able to round up a rather easy win against their division rivals here. New YorK Giants 31 Dallas 13

Seattle at Arizona – Last week it looked like the Cards were in prime position to win a big road game vs the Vikings, but in the end they blew it as the D allowed Brett Favre to work his magic. Now they come home to host the Seahawks, who have been beat badly the past two weeks by the Raiders and Giants. The Cards need to get a win to stay in this race, and while Seattle is 4-4, they are reeling and should fall here. Arizona 24 Seattle 10

New England at Pittsburgh – Two 6-2 teams go at it on Sunday night, with the Pats coming off a severe beating in Cleveland, while the Steelers are beat up on the O-line, but beat Cincy 27-21 on the road. The Pats were being touted as the AFC’s best two weeks ago, but now look like a team that could be headed for 6-3. Look for the Steelers to pound Rashard Mendenhall, and for their defense to tee off on Tom Brady. In the past, Brady has had big games in the Steel City, but this isn’t the same old Pats, and the Steelers will get to 7-2. Pittsburgh 30 New England 17

Monday Night:

Philadelphia at Washington - Donovan McNabb takes on his old team, but this time there’s questions about the coach and QB getting along, and if Mike Shanahan is starting to think about the future, and it be without McNabb. The Eagles got a big win last week at home vs the Colts, and they will have a little revenge on their mind for losing the first game in Philly. Philadelphia 20 Washington 13

From: TMZ

Jenn Sterger’s manager expects the NFL to drop the hammer on Brett Favre pretty quickly — now that Sterger’s provided the league “overwhelming evidence” against the future Hall of Famer.

Sterger, her attorney, and her manager Phil Reese met with NFL investigators today in NYC … and turned over materials that Reese says go beyond what has been reported — penis photos and text messages sent to Sterger.

Reese tells TMZ, “We expect action swiftly, but it’s in their hands now.”

Favre could be punished if the NFL finds he violated its personal conduct policy by sending inappropriate messages to Sterger … who was a NY Jets stadium reporter at the time.

As an estrogen-based life form, I was thrilled by the possibility of another of my kind, the incomparable Zenyatta, leaving the boys in the dust in last Saturday's Breeder's Cup Classic and emerging as the most über-horse ever. She has it all: beauty, brains, great heart and killer moves on and off the track. How could she lose? Well, as everyone now knows, she did.

In Sunday's game against the Browns, even after Gronkowski's knuckleheaded fumble on the 3 yard line at the end of the first half, when the score was a controllable 17-7 and a touchdown would have shifted the odds and the momentum, even into the third and amazingly the fourth quarters, I still believed that the Pats would somehow pull this one out of the fire.

How could they lose? How could they lose to Cleveland?? They have it all: the brains of Bill, plenty of talent, guts and experience, and arguably the handsomest quarterback of all time. They also possess, as a team, an uncanny knack of somehow usually managing to do what needs to be done, whether it's capitalizing on others' mistakes or coming up with ingenious strategies to confound the opposition. Most of all, like Zenyatta, they look like they're having fun out there – somehow, amid the business and the brutality, they haven't forgotten that it's a game they're playing.

The big Brown meltdown was essentially a failure on all fronts: nobody looked pretty, nobody rose from the mud smelling like a rose. Whatever the Patriots' mojo is – their particular alchemy – on Sunday their golden touch remained solid lead.
I've always been fascinated by what it means to be a fan.

We identify (especially when they win) — they become us except that they do all the work, take all the hits, enjoy all the fame and make all the money. Without any causal agency, we feel as if what happens on the field is somehow personal. And sometimes, like I felt on Sunday, as the Brown's score inexorably ticked up, we're convinced that the right attitude or action, if we can just figure it out, can shift the outcome.

Oh well. Come Monday morning, all the denial in the world can't change the headlines. The truth must be faced – they lost inexplicably, improbably, but bigtime – and lessons must be learned. What those lessons are, I trust Bill knows, and knows how to distribute punishment and resolve in just the right doses to keep their focus firmly ahead. However, he's not a magician and sometimes the hat turns out to be empty. We'll find out Sunday night against the Steelers if the Pats' pathetic performance against the Browns was a fluke or an omen. (And, of course, in the manner of all fairy tales, two in a row doesn't have to mean no happy ending.)

Meanwhile, I can only hope that Zenyatta is blissfully unaware of disappointment. I hope that in her dreams the course was just a tad longer, that she flew by her closest challenger right before the finish and not a tad after. Maybe a part of her understands that this race didn't turn out like all the others but in my mind, her career – in a mysterious way made more beautiful by its imperfection – was, and forever will be, magical.

Al Harris may no longer be a member of the Green Bay Packers, but will forever live on in the hearts of fans all over. The 35 year old defensive back was released a day after the Packers crushed the Dallas Cowboys in a Sunday night showdown in Lambeau Field.

On Wednesday, the defensive guru signed with Miami Dolphins saying “I’ve always wanted to play for the Dolphins,” Harris said. “I grew up watching the Dolphins. I’m ecstatic they wanted me. It was a no-brainer.” as told to the Associated Press.

Harris who has spent the majority of the past two seasons on the injured reserve and physically unable to perform list said he felt blindsided by the entire decision. It is easy to see why the roster move was made a day after an impressive defensive performance from young starters Sam Shields and Tramon Williams.

But it is also indicative of the way Ted Thompson has ran this organization during his tenure, slowly building a nucleus of young talent. Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy both believe in looking at things in long term aspects and not simply applying roster band aids to fill holes.

The second longest tenured Packer was the latest victim to fall to father time in northern Wisconsin. Many fans will never forget the infamous playoff game in Seattle when a young Matt Hasslebeck proclaimed at the overtime coin toss “We want the ball and we’re gonna score”. Subsequently, the following play, Al Harris fades to the side line for a game winning interception return for a touchdown, emphatically pointing in the face of the defeated QB.

A smart defensive captain will likely provide substantial secondary to the Dolphins as they look to rebound from a lackluster first half of the season. Dolphins head coach Tony Sparrano told the Associated Press “This guy can help us in a lot of ways. What he does on the field, and what he does certainly in the classroom and off the field,” Sparano said.

“He’s a quality, quality individual, never mind the kind of player he’s been in this league.” Harris who resides in near by Pompano Beach, Florida, gets a chance to play for his hometown team.

Much to the dismay of many readers, stories that have "unnamed players" as their sources tend to be where a person can, presumably, find out how players really feel on a subject.  Unnamed sources always seem to cast a shadow of doubt over the story, and perhaps rightfully so, but without the cloak of anonymity we may never hear the truth.

Truth, after all, is something this team seems to avoid whenever possible when the cameras are turned on.

Sean Jensen now covers the Bears, but covered the Vikings not so long ago with the Pioneer Press, and his latest article is packed full of unnamed players making statements about Brad Childress that would certainly never be said publicly.

"We know that Childress doesn't have our backs, so why should we have his?" one player said. "We're playing for us, and we're winning despite him."

Another player described Childress' public criticisms of Brett Favre as a "turning point" when it came to trusting their head coach.

Jensen writes that at least three players approved of the move to ditch Randy Moss after only four games, but that Childress' latest scuffle with receiver Percy Harvin reportedly over his work ethic was a case in which Childress crossed the line.

At one point in that heated argument Childress exclaimed, "I can say whatever I want."  Supposedly, Harvin stuck up for himself in such a way that it drew applause from some other players and even some of the coaching staff.

"I always say it's like being a parent," Childress recently said of his job. "If being a friend is a byproduct of that, great. I just want to make sure I do the right thing with players."

Despite clashing with their head coach, the players Jensen talked to seem determined to not let it affect their production on the field.

"We got too many good football players, and we won't lay down like Dallas," one player said.

"As much as I hate Childress," another player said, "I will keep playing."

Leslie Frazier is the Assistant Head Coach, the Defensive Coordinator, and presumably Childress' successor if a change were made in the middle of this season.  At least one player sounds like he would be okay with that.

"Guys trust him," that player said. "He's going to treat you a certain way. He doesn't single people out."

Senior writer jclombardi highlights interview with “Ginger Wolverine” P Masthay.

Wilde interviews Punter Tim Masthay: Aaron hasn't given me an opinion on my facial hair other than nickname me "Wolverine." That's just his M.O., to call people names like that. I was just "Ginger" for awhile, and then I guess I let my sideburns get a little bit out of control, so now I've become "Ginger Wolverine" together. My wife Amanda and I, we both went to the University of Kentucky. We got engaged and got married after college. She's been everything for me. She's working at Pioneer Credit Union. It's just great because my value to her doesn't change at all regardless of if I'm in the league or out of the league, if I have a job or don't have a job. She's just been great. My closest friends on the team are Mason Crosby and Brett Goode. I work with them every day a lot, and we've become close. I really cherish those relationships. The game against the Jets, that has to be my best moment as a Packer so far. There's something about winning on the road. It is just a blast. I mean, it's fun to win at home, too, don't get me wrong. I love winning at home. But there's something special about being able to go into someone else's house and beat them. That game, a defensive battle, a special teams battle, to have a good game and have Mike (McCarthy) say the things he said to me, that meant a lot. When my career is over, I would like to go back to school. I'd like to go into the Peace Corps. I get back to UK every once in awhile. I may try to go back on the bye week. I'm hoping to go back for their game on Saturday. Lexington will always be a special place to me. I do enjoy going back there and seeing friends and being around the program.

Commentary: Along with regular coffee mix morning headlines, game previews, game reviews & grades, jclombardi is adding a weekly Packers profile for fans. This week, we begin with P Masthay in a great interview.  He is a very lucky man to have a wife who values his worth based upon their personal (not fake) relationship, not material things and so on.

Quarterback

1. Andrew Luck, (R)So, Stanford, 6′4 235
-A smart and mechanically sound quarterback. Luck has all the tools of an elite NFL signal caller.

2. Ryan Mallett, Jr, Arkansas, 6′6 240
-Mallett has tremendous arm strength and shows complete command of his offense. Similiar to Philip Rivers.

3. Jake Locker, Sr, Washington, 6′3 226
-A good athlete with very good arm strength, Locker can make all the NFL throws.

4. Christian Ponder, Jr, Florida St, 6′2 225
-Smart and accurate with the football, Ponder also has the athleticism to make plays with his legs.

5. Nick Foles, Jr, Arizona, 6′5 245
-Foles has made continual strides in his development over the past two seasons; good size and arm strength.
Running Back

1. Mark Ingram, Jr, Alabama, 5′10 215
-Ingram’s running style has drawn comparison to Emmit Smith. He runs with great balance and vision.

2. DeMarco Murray, Sr, Oklahoma, 6′0 215
-Murray runs with good burst and patience, showing very good foot quickness in the open field.

3. Noel Devine, Sr, West Virginia, 5′8 180
-Devine is a dynamic player with outstanding long speed and short area quickness. Fun to watch.

4. Shane Vereen, Jr, California, 5′10 205
-Good change of direction and body lean, Vereen runs smoothly and has great hands out of the backfield.

5. John Clay, Jr, Wisconsin, 6′1 248
-A big bruising running back in the mold of Jerome Bettis, Clay consistently gets yards after contact.


Wide Receiver

1. A.J. Green, Jr, Georgia, 6′4 212
- A dominant talent. Green reminds me of former top five pick Charles Rogers at Michigan State.

2. Julio Jones, Jr, Alabama, 6′4 220
-Big and physical receiver who can get down the field. Jones has elite skills but hasn’t stayed healthy.

3. Jonathan Baldwin, Jr, Pittsburgh, 6′5 225
-Great size and balance. Baldwin shows great hand eye coordination and can track the ball and adjust quickly.

4. Jerrel Jernigan, Sr, Troy, 5′9 185
-Explosive player who shows very good elusiveness in space, Jernigan can score from anywhere on the field.

5. Leonard Hankerson, Sr, Miami, 6′3 215
-Hankerson is a big receiver who runs smooth routes and uses his size to make plays on the ball.

Tight End

1. Kyle Rudolph, Jr, Notre Dame, 6′6 265
-Reminds me some of Jason Witten. Sure handed with enough speed to stretch the seam.

2. George Bryan, Jr, North Carolina St, 6′5 265
-Very good in the run game but also shows soft hands to bring the ball in. Tough after the catch.

3. D.J. Williams, Sr, Arkansas, 6′2 242
-Built more like an H-back, Williams has good quickness in and out of his breaks.

4. Lance Kendricks, Sr, Wisconsin, 6′4 241
-Pass catcher with good speed for his size, Kendricks has made big plays for the Wisconsin offense.

5. Luke Stocker, Sr, Tennesse, 6′6 253
-Stocker runs good routes and can seal the edge in run support. A complete tight end.

Offensive Tackle

1. Derek Sherrod, Sr, Mississippi St, 6′5 305
-Sherrod is the most athletic tackle in this class. Shows good upper body strength and footwork.

2. Anthony Costanzo, Sr, Boston College, 6′7 298
-A dominant run blocker, Costanzo can seal the edge and drive block at an elite level.

3. Gabe Carimi, Sr, Wisconsin, 6′7 325
-Carimi has prototypical size for the position, is techique sound and shows very good overall stregth.

4. DeMarcus Love, Sr, Arkansas, 6′5 315
-Love has played both tackles spots; continuing to improve each year in his technique.

5. Jason Pinkston, Sr, Pittsburgh, 6′4 305
-Pinkston has a good combination of size and quickness for the tackle spot; only needs to improve focus


Interior Lineman

1. Rodney Hudson, G, Sr, Florida St, 6′2 282
-Great athlete. Hudson could be a pro bowl caliber player in the NFL playing in a zone block scheme.

2. Stefen Wisniewski, C/G, Sr, Penn St, 6′3 297
-Wisniewski is a versatile player along the interior and is equally effective at guard or center.

3. Mike Pouncey, C, Sr, Florida, 6′4 310
-Pouncey is the best player on a talented Florida offensive line and has experience at guard.

4. Orlando Franklin, G, Sr, Miami, 6′7 318
-Flashes dominance against the run; Franklin comes off the ball with very good strength.

5. Kristofer O’ Dowd, C, USC, 6′5 300
-Smart and technique sound, O’ Dowd plays disciplined and understands blocking schemes perfectly.


Defensive End

1. Cameron Heyward, Sr, Ohio St, 6′5 290
-Heyward commands double teams, and has great length to close quickly on the quarterback.

2. Adrian Clayborn, Sr, Iowa, 6′3 285
-A disruptive player who gives max effort, Clayborn can rush the passer and stack against the run.

3. D’Quan Bowers, Jr, Clemson, 6′5 275
-The best pure atlete at the position, Bowers flashes elite pass rushing skills; only needs consistency.

4. Robert Quinn, Jr, North Carolina, 6′5 270
-Quinn could’ve been at the top of his class with an extra year, but missed the season for violations.

5. Allen Bailey, Sr, Miami, 6′4 288
-An athletic freak, Bailey is a lean 288 pounds of muscle. His most natural position may be tackle


Defensive Tackle

1. Marcell Dareus, Jr, Alabama, 6′4 306 (DE/DT)
-A great athlete for his overall size, Dareus is consistently disruptive as a 3-4 end; has the size to move inside in a 4-3.

2. Marvin Austin, Sr, North Carolina, 6′3 305
-Austin plays both bigger and quicker than his measureables. Has had to sit the season due to league violations.

3. Stephen Paea, Sr, Oregon St, 6′1 311
-Prototypical 4-3 under tackle, Paea has a strong punch and excels with hand use; very good penetrator.

4. Drake Nevis, Sr, LSU, 6′2 285
-Very similiar to former Tiger, Glenn Dorsey, a top five pick, Nevis has natural pass rushing skills.

5. Jerrell Powe, Sr, Ole Miss, 6′2 320
-Flashes the ability to dominate against the run, Powe only needs consistency; capable of playing as a 3-4 end.


Inside Linebacker

1. Greg Jones, Sr, Michigan St., 6′1 228
-A team leader, Jones is a techique sharp inside linebacker who can do it all. All he lacks is great size.

2. Quan Sturdivant, Sr, North Carolina, 6′2 235
-Sturdivant shows very good read and react instincts. He plays the run aggressively and can drop into coverage.

3. Martez Wilson, Jr, Illinois, 6′4 250
-Has the prototypical size and strength of an NFL middle linebacker, but plays faster. A very stout run defender.

4. Kelvin Sheppard, Sr, LSU, 6′2 240
-Fearless and physical, Sheppard isn’t afraid of contact; he continues to improve his pursuit angles.

5. Jerry Franklin, Jr, Arkansas, 6′1 241
-Franklin brings good toughness to the Razorback defense. A disciplined player with good strength.

Outside Linebacker

1. Jeremy Beal, Sr, Oklahoma, 6′3 267
-Rush linebacker who consistently brings pressure; Beal also has the size and strength to play the 4-3 end position.

2. Bruce Carter, Sr, North Carolina, 6′3 225
-Big outside ‘backer with light feet and good straight line speed. Bruce Carter is a sound tackler at the point of attack.

3. Von Miller, Sr, Texas A&M, 6′3 243
-A very fluid athlete with quick twitch muscle; shows the ability to beat the edge and get to the quarterback quickly.

4. Akeem Ayers, Jr, UCLA, 6′4 254
-Ayers uses his size and long arms to consistently shed blockers; plays with good functional strength.

5. Mark Herzlich, Sr, Boston College, 6′4 238
-A tough, hard nosed football player who has overcome cancer. Herzlich gives 100% every snap.


Cornerback

1. Patrick Peterson, Jr, LSU, 6′1 222
-He could be the best prospect in this class; smooth and fluid in his movements, a lockdown corner.

2. Prince Amukamara, Sr, Nebraska, 6′1 205
-Amukamara shows good technique and plays the run and pass equally well; effective in zone and man.

3. Brandon Harris, Jr, Miami, 5′11 195
-Harris excels in man coverage and can run up the field with the best receivers in college football.

4. Jimmy Smith, Sr, Colorado, 6′2 205
-A physical corner who shows strong ability in press coverage; has a safety’s build.

5. Ras-I Dowling, Sr, Virginia, 6′2 200
-Dowling plays both the boundary and the field and is very good against the run.
Safety

1. DeAndre McDaniel, Sr, Clemson, 6′0 215
-Disciplined and focused in coverage, McDaniel shows good ball skills and concentration.

2. Rahim Moore, Jr, UCLA, 6′1 195
-A very good athlete and team leader. Moore has 14 career interceptions and is always around the football.

3. Quinton Carter, Sr, Oklahoma, 6′1 195
-Carter is a physical safety who hits like a linebacker. He has the closing speed to be effective at the NFL level.

4. Mark Barron, Jr, Alabama, 6′2 210
-Plays the run extremely physical; Barron has great instincts and shows good reaction skills.

5. Robert Sands, Jr, West Virginia, 6′5 221
-Sands is big and rangy in stature but has good playing speed for his size and is adept in high coverage.