2011 NFL Draft prospect list

by Dan Kadar on Aug 22, 2010 9:00 AM EDT in 2011 NFL Draft

You may have noticed the lack of content over the past week. That's mainly because I've been putting together the list of draft-eligible players to watch this season.

Of course this list will change dramatically throughout the year, but I like to have a bank of players, organized by team, to watch every week.

Usually I don't bother to put this on the site, but if you're interested in the list of close to 500 players, it's after the jump. One star is for juniors, two stars is for sophomores. If there are any glaring omissions, mention it in the comments.

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I like the list you have for Maryland but

I think you should add WR Torrey Smith. He is one of the most versatile players in the nation and will probably get the record for kick return yardage in a career.

by terpfan812 on Aug 22, 2010 9:34 AM EDT reply actions

Thanks!

Mocking the Draft: Talking NFL Draft all year.

by Dan Kadar on Aug 23, 2010 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Great work

But as far as ND….

Do you really think that Wenger or H Smith are any good? I wouldn’t have them in that list, but its your call.

Overall great job

"Young men, I have no doubt that you're gonna do well today. But I have 1 favor to ask of you... SAVE JIMMY JOHNSON'S ASS FOR ME!" Lou Holtz

by TheRealSlimShady on Aug 22, 2010 11:44 AM EDT reply actions

This list isn’t to say someone is good, but just worth keeping at least an eye on during games. I mean, it’s not like there will be close to 500 rookies in the NFL next year.

Just never know who can develop, even in their last year of college football.

Mocking the Draft: Talking NFL Draft all year.

by Dan Kadar on Aug 23, 2010 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Yea think back to Robert Ayers

He had some NFL potential, but who thought he would become a 1st round draft pick going into his first year as a starter being a 5th year Senior?

by DBroncs1414 on Aug 23, 2010 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions

U have like 3 UCLA players under UNLV

by DBroncs1414 on Aug 22, 2010 4:18 PM EDT reply actions

D’oh. Thanks!

Mocking the Draft: Talking NFL Draft all year.

by Dan Kadar on Aug 23, 2010 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions

No probelm

Its an easy mistake to make, I don’t even know how I noticed it

by DBroncs1414 on Aug 23, 2010 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Iowa

I’ve already resigned myself to Indy having no chance to draft Clayborn. He’s a beast and despite the incident with the cabbie (that Ferentz thought so little of he didn’t suspend Clayborn) I’ve heard only great things about him on a personal level.

Ballard is who I’m hoping for as consolation. Started a year at DE, was a very effective pass rusher inside at DT last year (5 sacks), and is now bulked up to a more DT-like size. Somebody will grab him as a 2 down DE/3rd down DT, 3-4 DE or as a full time 3-tech.

Binns led the team in pass breakups last year (9), even though it’s quite possible he was never dropped into coverage. His wingspan is insane. He’s 6’1" with a NBA big mans reach. He’s no Clayborn, especially against the run, but he holds up fine and can bring the heat.

Hunter’s been steady, but unspectacular. Coming out of Iowa with good experience that’s been worth a late round look. If he steps it up this year he could end up closer to where Edds was taken. Like all Iowa LBs, he has an unusually large amount of experience covering WRs since Norm Parker doesn’t like sub-packages.

DJK is a weird weird dude. He’s got a shot to break every career receiving record at Iowa this year, but he’s been in constant battle against the coaching staff through his career (it’s become an annual offseason tradition to see him demoted on the depth chart for spring practice). Throw in a couple odds stories from around campus I can’t tell if he’s a total headcase or just an eccentric who doesn’t fit Iowa’s buttoned down personality under Ferentz.

Despite having the worst excuse for a DUI ever (“The bartender must have put alcohol in my coca-cola”) he’s been good. Teams couldn’t pick on him while they were avoiding Spievey last year (but they really picked on his backups while he was suspended for the aforementioned DUI).

Reisner hasn’t been a big time target in the passing game, but the 2nd TE role he’s filled often is vital to the run game. Now he’s the top guy, so we’ll see what he can really do in the passing game. He’s not going to be Moeaki as a receiver, but he should prove himself as a dependable pass catcher.

Sash is being hailed as the best Iowa safety since Sanders, but he’s not the same style player. He is good in run support, but his real successes have been an uncanny ability to put himself in the right place at the right time. The pinball pick against Indiana is out there on the fluke end, but 11 picks in 2 years as a starter on a staunch D shows he’s doing his job deep in Iowa’s very vanilla cover-2.

I love Stanzi, but without a revolution in his accuracy I can’t endorse him as anything more than a developmental project. He “just wins” and is a fantastic person, but he’s got to complete passes at a better clip to be a real prospect. It would also help if he didn’t randomly scatter 2-3 inexplicably awful plays into each game. Stanzi makes the dumbest plays you’ll ever see from a competent QB. Thankfully, he seems totally unshakable, so the play doesn’t linger with him.

I doubt he comes out early (RS Soph) and I will cry if he does, but Riley Reiff is the real deal. 3 of the best 4-5 games Iowa got at LT last year were from Reiff. Bulaga wasn’t right until the bowl game because of the thyroid infection, but was a top 25 pick anyway. Reiff is going to be drafted HIGH whenever he comes out.

Choke/Clutch is the fetishization of the small sample size.

"People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do." -Isaac Asimov

by shake n bake on Aug 23, 2010 1:04 PM EDT reply actions

Maybe Peyton Manning will break his arm and the Colts will get a top 15 pick for Clayborn?

Good assessments on the Iowa guys. Was hoping you’d chime in with that. I think each of those guys has a chance at a pro future. Maybe not stars, other than maybe Clayborn, but they could be solid pros.

I’m going to toss Reiff in there now. Forgot he was a rSO.

Mocking the Draft: Talking NFL Draft all year.

by Dan Kadar on Aug 23, 2010 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions

just for some context on how small a deal Iowa sees the Clayborn-Cabbie thing as, since I've seen a lot made of it some places

Clayborn got no suspension. Last year Kyle Calloway got 1 game for DUI on a moped, while Praeter got 2 for a DUI while underage.

This year Binns is suspended a game for a DUI, he probably got 1 instead of Praeter’s 2 because he was much closer both to being 21 (~month away) and being under the limit (blew .09). Jewel Hamption, one of 3 Sophs in the running for the starting RB job got a game for public intox (underage).

It doesn’t exactly take a felonious rampage to get suspended as a key starter for Iowa, and they chose not to suspended him at all.

Choke/Clutch is the fetishization of the small sample size.

"People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do." -Isaac Asimov

by shake n bake on Aug 24, 2010 1:06 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm seeing Claiborn as a possible

first rounder for the Rams next year but it’ll be interesting to see if we go DE or WR in the first. I like Quinn too, or Heyward but he’s more of a 3-4. I’d put Claiborn on our line any day. Better than Long right now.

by dbcouver on Aug 24, 2010 4:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Definitely cool to have around

and I’d be interested to see the movement (adds/drops/etc) as the season goes on.

"....The complex has been made simple, the unfathomable has been made fathomable, chess has turned to checkers and bridge turned into pitch. I feel better about myself after reading your post. Smells are smellier. My pants are looser in the waist....Philip ****ing Fitzsimmons. You brilliantly named sonofabitch...." -- by Nighthawk at the Diner on Aug 15, 2010

by SagehenMacGyver47 on Aug 23, 2010 1:54 PM EDT reply actions

Interested to see how the QB's do this year

Remember Jevan Snead a year ago? People thought he was definitely a first round pick and one SEC coach (cough cough, Spurrier, cough cough) thought he deserved 1st team all SEC over Tim Tebow. I’ll be watching the QB’s and see which ones can stand the pressure of being an elite college QB/outdstanding NFL prospect. Snead surely couldn’t handle it

by DBroncs1414 on Aug 23, 2010 2:31 PM EDT reply actions

Mark Legree is a serious ballhawk

He’s had 17 interceptions in two seasons as a starter. He’ll be a steal in the later rounds of the draft.

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(while also riding shotgun on the Julius Pruitt bandwagon)
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by The Earl on Aug 23, 2010 3:52 PM EDT reply actions

no Matt Asiata for Utah?

I know he may be a 5th rounder on the high end, but he is really good. This is coming from a Utah fan but he has been a stud for the Utes.

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by Jeremy Mauss on Aug 23, 2010 10:07 PM EDT reply actions

UNC starting defensive 11!!

Definitely gonna watch me some Tarheel football this year. I hope they stay out of sanctions.

by dbcouver on Aug 24, 2010 4:43 AM EDT reply actions

Pittsburgs been turning out some good prospects too

I think they’re heading in the right direction. BCS bound by next year if not this.

by dbcouver on Aug 24, 2010 4:45 AM EDT reply actions

They still have no QB.

"Young men, I have no doubt that you're gonna do well today. But I have 1 favor to ask of you... SAVE JIMMY JOHNSON'S ASS FOR ME!" Lou Holtz

by TheRealSlimShady on Aug 25, 2010 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions

T.Y Hilton out of FIU is a junior

2009 NY Phin PhansFantasy League Champion
2009 Best Regular Season Record in NYPPL.
2010 The Jim Mandich NewsFlash Award Winner.

""It only ends once. Everything that comes before is just progress"

by Patssuck456 on Aug 24, 2010 12:24 PM EDT reply actions

FIU

TY will play in the NFL. A name to keep an eye on that could surprise: Cedrick Mack OL 6’4 320. Came from El Camino JC (Cal). Spurned bigger schools offer to come back home to play college football. Had trouble with transcripts and getting on the field but mark it down…

by DEFC-0 on Aug 24, 2010 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Dan, you're a beast...but

nobody from North Texas? You’re killing me bruh!

You don't seem to want to accept the fact you're dealing with an expert in guerrilla warfare, with a man who's the best, with guns, with knives, with his bare hands. A man who's been trained to ignore pain, ignore weather, to live off the land, to eat things that would make a billy goat puke. In *St. Louis* his job was to dispose of enemy personnel. To kill! Period! Win by attrition. Well, *Steven Jackson* was the best.

by 3k on Aug 28, 2010 12:54 AM EDT reply actions

Sorry man. They just don’t have anything going on this year or next year.

Mocking the Draft: Talking NFL Draft all year.

by Dan Kadar on Aug 28, 2010 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions

For UCONN

Zach Hurd should probably be on there as well…great guard prospect at 6 foot 7 325.

by Ethan Hammerman on Aug 30, 2010 9:26 PM EDT reply actions

One player I think you are missing from Souther California

is Marc Tyler

Lead organizer of the annual 7-round live mock draft at MtD and Moderator of MtD, AnaheimCalling, and Coltzilla.

I have stopped actively participating at Stampede Blue as a big section of their articles have regressed, and much of the overall community environment has also gone way down (if you have questions for me you can email me at colts.faithful@yahoo.com).
Many of us Colts fans are now at BRB, where we have a series of AFC South threads running throughout the season for fans of the Colts, Texans, Titans, and Jags. You can discuss those teams and almost anything else you want.

by TheAngelsColts on Sep 18, 2010 3:34 PM EDT reply actions