While the rankings in the 2009 NFL Draft are going to change a lot from now until the draft in April, there are going to be five players that stand out head and shoulders above the rest and who aren’t going to lose too much ground in the rankings. The following is a look at those top five players who should remain top five players through the 2009 NFL Draft.
Michael Oher-OT-Mississippi-Oher is the clear cut dominant prospect at the offensive tackle position in this year’s draft and should be the first tackle picked come draft time. He may even be the first pick in the draft depending on what the Lions do (it’s doubtful that they would go after Oher especially since they took a tackle in the first round of last year’s draft but they could also trade the top pick and someone else could come on in and take Oher.
Oher has almost everything it takes to step in and start right away as the consummate left tackle (on the side that the quarterback has his back to when he is a right handed quarterback and is throwing the ball) and should be able to hold up well enough in both pass and run blocking. At 6 feet 5 inches and 320 pounds, Oher is just about the perfect size for playing the position. He also has the speed and the moves to help keep opposing defenders away from his quarterback and will be quite a challenge to overcome by many a defender in the NFL. Look for Oher to develop into one of the better prospects to come out of the 2009 NFL Draft and look to hear about him often in the next few years.
Matthew Stafford-QB-Georgia-With Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford deciding to stay in school for another year, Georgia’s Stafford has risen to the top of the quarterback rankings and should, barring any kind of serious setback, be the first quarterback selected in the 2009 NFL Draft this April. There are some knocks against Stafford and he will have a lot to prove in order to try to cement “first pick in the draft status” as well as have to fend off USC quarterback Mark Sanchez who might be nipping at his heels a bit. The upside to Stafford is that he has good size and a strong arm but he makes questionable decisions and doesn’t play with a lot consistency. Of course, this will be a problem at the next level and these are all problems that he will have to correct in order to be a success at the next level.
Stafford is one of those quarterbacks who might need to develop a bit in the NFL before becoming an effective starter. Right now, there are many people who feel that Stafford could lose the top spot to Sanchez if he doesn’t prove that he can make good decisions in the NFL. However, one thing that Stafford has a clear advantage over Sanchez in is experience. Sanchez didn’t start that many games at USC and scouts will look at that heavily when evaluating him. Stafford has the edge so far but could easily lose it if he slips up in any of the offseason activities he has ahead of him.
Michael Crabtree-WR-Texas Tech-Crabtree could end up being the first wide receiver selected in the 2009 NFL Draft and has just about everything that you would want in a top end wide receiver. The upside to Crabtree is that he has the size and body to play the position effectively. He is good at making the tough catch and shielding the defender away from the ball ensuring that he catches the pass and the defender doesn’t. He is tough as well and is willing to take a big hit to make the catch. He has great hands too and rarely drops a pass. Crabtree is mechanically sound and knows how to play the game.
The biggest fault that you will find in Crabtree is that he isn’t going to be a burner or a “field stretcher” like some other wide receivers in this draft will be. He isn’t going to outrun too many people and can get caught from behind. There is also some question as to how he will react in the NFL when it comes to playing in big games week in and week out. During his time in school, he all but disappeared during big games (see this year’s bowl game and Texas Tech’s game against Oklahoma) leaving some to wonder how he will handle the big time NFL pressure. Good workouts and great showings with scouts should cement Crabtree as the number one wide receiver taken in the 2009 NFL Draft. However, don’t be surprised if Percy Harvin is nipping at his heels for most of the offseason.
Andre Smith-OT-Alabama-Smith may end up replacing Oher as the top offensive tackle in the 2009 NFL Draft before too long and may even be the best player in the draft depending on how he does the next few months. When you look at Smith, the first thing that you will notice about him is that he’s big with a good combination of athleticism and has great mechanics for the position. He is one of the most dominant offensive linemen to come out of college in a long time. His footwork is impressive and he’s intelligent enough to pick things up quickly in the NFL.
However, every player does have his faults and Smith has just a few. He might want to lose a little bit of weight to add some additional quickness and speed which would help him out a lot in the NFL. Another knock on him is his height. At six feet four inches, Smith isn’t the tallest guy in the mix but he more than makes up for it with his skill and his ability to play the position. As long as he has a good set of workouts and can impress the scouts, Smith could almost easily overtake Oher as the top offensive tackle prospect and may even be selected first overall in the 2009 NFL Draft.
Aaron Curry-OLB-Wake Forest-Playing at Wake Forest didn’t give Curry a lot of attention but his play this past season has drawn the attention of many NFL scouts and it’s not impossible to say that he may just be the first defensive player off the board in this year’s draft. When you look at Curry, the first thing you will notice is his size and speed. Curry is just the right size for the position and his speed not only allows him to move towards the ball quickly and make the play. He also has good instincts and with his speed is able to cover backs out of the backfield and quicker tight ends.
What he lacks is the overall athleticism that you would like to see in a linebacker. He also has to work on his coverage skills but should be able to pick this up quickly and easily when he gets to the NFL. Other than that, he’s the consummate linebacker and has Pro Bowl written all over him. Unless he stumbles drastically or someone else really steps up, Curry should be the first defender taken in the 2009 NFL Draft.
By Bryan Dietzler
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