by Bill Haber - AP

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Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel writes for quite possibly the best-named blog on the Internet -- Swamp Things. It's all things Florida athletics.

Earlier this week he had this post about seven Gators possibly entering the NFL. Head coach Urban Meyer said he has "seven juniors who are NFL quality players." While he wouldn't say which seven, six are pretty obvious.

The best is clearly cornerback Joe Haden. He should be a lock to go pro and a possible top 15 pick. He could start in the NFL right now.

Defensive end Carlos Dunlap sure has a lot of natural ability, but he's had a down season. He'll probably go pro but shouldn't. He has a basketball player's frame, which doesn't always equate to the NFL -- just ask Gaines Adams.

Tight end Aaron Hernandez may be undersized at 6-foot-2, but he's an elite catcher of the football. He should go pro, but realize his role in the NFL may be similar to that of Chris Cooley and not necessarily Antonio Gates.

Maurkice and Mike Pouncey might be the best players at their position in college. Both should go pro. They're going to very good in the NFL for a long time.

Safety Major Wright never really does anything to stick out. He should return and continue to enhance all parts of his game.

Those are the big six. The seventh could be defensive tackle Lawrence Marsh, running back Emmanuel Moody or defensive lineman Justin Trattou. Considering there's not a clear-cut player among those three, each should return for their senior season.

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Yes, it's against Mid-American Conference competition, but Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour is beginning to assert himself as one of the top players in the nation.

Over the last two games he's a ridiculous 49 for 59 passing for 605 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. He's had five more touchdowns running the ball.

On the season, he's completing 70 percent of his passes with 2,627 yards, 21 touchdowns and five interceptions.

LeFevour is a mobile quarterback coming from a spread offense, but he has solid NFL tools. He puts good velocity on his passes and can throw really well on the move. He plays with a lot of toughness and played well earlier this season against Michigan State.

LeFevour is emerging as a solid mid-round prospect in the draft. At the very least he could be a solid backup.

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about 1 month ago: Tulane wide receiver Jeremy Williams (20) catches a second quarter touchdown in front of Army defenders Donovan Travis and Antuan Aaron (3) during an NCAA college football game in West Point, N.Y., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

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He plays for a team that is consistently one of the most mediocre in the nation. He's rarely on television but always among the nation's top stat men.

He is Tulane wide receiver Jeremy Williams. But just how good is Williams?

Well, he's good enough to get invitations to both the Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Game. He's good enough to average nearly 100 yards receiving a game on the nation's 94th best offense.

In 10 games this season, Williams has 1,555 all-purpose yards with 992 receiving, 156 rushing and 407 on kick-off returns. His all-purpose average of 155.5 yards a game is good for 16th nationally and he has six total touchdowns. 

Williams is 11th in the nation in receptions per game with 7.2 a contest. Williams first and foremost makes his name with good hands.

The big question about Williams, and what could drop him in the draft, his a balky knee. He played in only five games in 2008 because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament. It's the same injury he suffered as a freshman. He also had a hand injury last season.

But the knee injury hasn't seemed to slow Williams much. He's still good in and out of his cuts and reportedly runs the 40-yard dash in the low 4.5 range.

His leaping ability is at the pro level and he does a really nice job of catching the ball at its highest point. 

Williams' agility is evident. Otherwise, he wouldn't be asked to return kicks. His quickness is excellent and it helps him get off the line with ease.

"We are really pleased for Jeremy because he has worked extremely hard to put himself in position to receive invitations to both the Senior Bowl and the East-West Shrine Game," Tulane coach Bob Toledo told reporters Tuesday.  "He worked very hard rehabbing during the offseason to overcome the two injuries he suffered last year and he did a great job of preparing himself for a really good senior season.  I think he will have a great career in the NFL."

Williams compares favorably in his playing style to Ravens wide receiver Derrick Mason. He's just a heady player who knows how to read a defense and get open.

To top things off, Williams gives a great effort as a blocker. That's what could get him on the field immediately at the next level.

At the very least, it makes him one of the best hidden gems in the nation.

Reporters talked with Washington head coach Steve Sarkisian this week about the possibility of junior quarterback Jake Locker going pro after this season.

Sarkisian, in his first year as Huskies head coach, said he would give Locker information, but not advice.

"We'll assess it after the year," Sarkisian told reporters. "I think Jake is a bright young man who is patient, he's got two tremendous parents that have raised him extremely well, and we'll get all the proper information in place and he'll make a really good decision in what's best for he and his family, and not just the immediate, but for his future as well."

Reading Sarkisian's quotes, he's clearly not too enthused about the likelihood of Locker going pro. Considered a potential top 10 pick, Locker's play this season has been good but not extraordinary.

Sure, Washington doesn't have a lot of talent, but Locker isn't completing 60 percent of his passes and has 10 interceptions. Over Washington's last five games, Locker has thrown seven interceptions

"Yeah, sure, he's ready," Sarkisian said about Locker's pro prospects. "Everybody is ready to some degree."

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• After starting the season off slowly, Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham has become a big factor. On the season he has 17 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks. Wisconsin's physical offensive line will be a big challenge for Graham. Against Wisconsin last season Graham burst onto the national scene with three sacks. If he does that again, some might start to consider him a first-round prospect.

Graham might not even be the best pass rusher at Camp Randall Stadium. That just may be Badgers junior O'Brien Schofield. On the year, he has 18.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. Schofield has been consistent all season.

• Against Virginia Tech, the athleticism of Maryland left tackle Bruce Campbell will be tested. he could line up against Jason Worilds, who is as quick off the snap as any defensive end you'll find. Campbell has had some injury issues, but when he's healthy he's very good.

One Hokie to watch is senior linebacker Cody Grimm. It would be a shock if he was drafted, but don't be surprised if he makes an NFL roster as a special teams player. He's all effort and leads the Hokies in tackles with 79. He might be only 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, but he's tenacious.

• If you only watch one game of TCU's Jerry Hughes this season, make it today against Utah. Hughes may get a few snaps against Utah's best offensive lineman Zane Beadles. Most of Hughe's plays will come against Tony Bergstrom, a developing sophomore right tackle. Hughes is having another standout season but he hasn't been very active in his last two games.

• Washington quarterback Jake Locker could have a big day against Oregon State's 113th ranked pass defense. Locker has been pretty ordinary the last three weeks and needs a good showing to really cement himself as a top prospect.

• Alabama might have the second-best rush defense in the nation, but the Crimson Tide haven't seen a running back like Mississippi State's Anthony Dixon. The bruising senior bounced back last week rushing for 252 yards against Vanderbilt after struggling versus Florida. When Dixon collides with Alabama defensive tackle Terrence Cody it will be a sight to see.

• Pittsburgh defensive end Greg Romeus has been somewhat overshadowed this season by the likes of Hughes, Graham and Georgia Tech's Derrick Morgan. But make no mistake about it, Romeus is a playmaker. He has nine sacks on the year and can hold up well against the run. Playing against Notre Dame will be a good challenge for Romeus to show he deserves to be mentioned with the best ends in college football.

• The single best matchup to watch today will be the Ohio State defensive ends against the Iowa offensive tackles. Last week, the Buckeyes' Cameron Heyward had a breakout game with three sacks against Penn State. Fellow end Thaddeus Gibson is quick and can get to the ball fast. Iowa's tackles -- Bryan Bulaga and Kyle Calloway -- might be the best bookends in the nation.

As promised, here is the write-up on Syracuse senior defensive tackle Arthur Jones. This season, I watched four of Jones games -- South Florida, West Virginia, Akron and Cincinnati.

Jones could be picked in the first 25 selections on draft day. A lot will depend on how he returns from his most-recent injury.

Arthur Jones

6'4, 293 pounds | Syracuse | Defensive tackle

Pass rush: Because of the position he plays and an overall lack of great athleticism, Jones struggled at times getting after the passer. He doesn't have a good counter move after his initial post-snap maneuver. Needs to learn how to use his hands better in the pass rush.

Pursuit: Jones is better suited in making plays in front of him instead of chasing down a ball carrier. It will be interesting to see how a recent knee injury impacts his pursuit ability.

Quickness: Jones is fairly quick off the snap. He's really good at bursting through gaps and getting after the ball.

Run defend: Keeps a good anchor against double teams. Has the leg drive to maintain his space. Big and strong enough to play nose in a 3-4 scheme. Showed he could be a factor against the run -- see 2008 Notre Dame game.

Size: Officially listed by Syracuse as 6-foot-4 and 293 pounds. This season Jones looked much bigger.  His frame appears to be maxed out, but he's built very stout.

Strength: Powerful throughout his frame. Was a high school state champion in wrestling and has great core strength, which makes him hard to move.

Tackling: When Jones get in on a play, he's hard to avoid because he stays low while tackling. Can disengage from blockers and make one-arm tackles.

Technique: Too frequently comes off the snap high, which allows linemen to get under his pads. Needs to do a better job of dropping his butt and bending his knees to get leverage. Gets good placement but he could do a better job of hand fighting. Hand/arm jolt is good.

Versatility: Jones has the size and strength to play tackle in either a 3-4 or a 4-3. Syracuse used a three-man front in 2009. While it limited some of Jones' playmaking ability, he was still a factor, particularly against the run.

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When I watch games, I take a lot of notes. A ridiculous amount, as a matter of fact. Someone asked why I like Oklahoma junior defensive tackle Gerald McCoy better than Syracuse senior Arthur Jones.

Because of that, I figured it would be a good idea to open you up to how I evaluate players. Defensive tackles are evaluated in nine criteria: pass rush, pursuit, quickness, run defense, size, strength, tackling ability and technique. Some -- like technique and quickness -- are more important than others.

Here are my thoughts on McCoy. Thoughts on Jones will be put up tomorrow.

Gerald McCoy

6'4, 295 pounds | Oklahoma | Defensive tackle

Pass rush: McCoy is a very good pass rusher for a defensive tackle. His impact on the pass game isn't always evident in the stats, though. McCoy is relied upon in the Oklahoma defense to push the pocket back, opening gaps for linebackers to shoot. Gets off his blocks as good as any defensive tackle in the country. Has developed a nice counter move that helps him separate after initial contact.

Pursuit: Backside pursuit is decent but not quite as good as you'd like. McCoy will sometimes take a bad angle against shifty running backs and will get top heavy in his pursuit. Has an impressive burst in the short area to get to quarterbacks. At his best working in the box. McCoy's play recognition instincts are very good, but he doesn't make a lot of plays away from the line.

Quickness: McCoy gets off the snap as fast as any interior lineman in the nation. Routinely gets across the face of offensive linemen. Has good hips that he can flip quickly to move laterally down the line.

Run defend: Although McCoy doesn't really have the size to be a traditional two-gap defensive tackle, he consistently makes plays against the run. His strength allows him to maintain position in the middle.

Size: McCoy has good size, but it looks like his frame could handle another 10-15 pounds of mass. Frame is very lanky. Appears to have long arms.

Strength: McCoy might not have the natural brute strength a lot of defensive tackles possess. He makes up for it in his leverage and aggression.

Tackling: A disciplined tackler who shows good technique. Plays with a lot of effort, and it shows in his takedown ability. Doesn't go for the highlight reel hit, opting instead for the sure tackle.

Technique: Actively uses his hands immediately off the snap to shed blockers. Keeps low and aggressively drives his legs. Does an above-average job of protecting his feet.

Versatility: McCoy is almost strictly a 4-3 defensive tackle. His skill set would not suit a 3-4 nose tackle. He may be able to hold up as a 3-4 end, but that position wouldn't best utilize his skills.

Another debilitating injury has struck Syracuse senior defensive tackle Arthur Jones. He'll miss the rest of this season after tearing his lateral meniscus, the Syracuse Post-Standard reports.

Jones opted to not enter the 2009 NFL Draft after he was considered a mid-round prospect. In February, Jones tore a pectoral muscle while lifting weights. He sat out most of Syracuse's summer and fall practices but played every game this season.

On the season, Jones had 19 tackles with seven coming for a loss. He also registered two fumble recoveries and a sack and a half.

Jones frequently faced double teams this season as Syracuse's best defensive player. Here is a recent quote from Jones in the Post-Standard:

"No regrets at all. None at all," Jones said as SU (3-5, 0-3 Big East) prepared to face No. 14 Pittsburgh (7-1, 4-0) at noon Saturday at Heinz Field. "If I could do it all over again I would so the same exact thing. It’s been a great learning experience for me, just growing as a man with Coach Marrone and Coach Shafer (defensive coordinator Scott Shafer), just learning so much more than I had learned before. It’s been fun, you know. Being a team captain has been fantastic. I’m enjoying it."

H/T to the guys at Draft Daddy.