that said, here are my top 15 pro prospects for the 2009 NFL Draft, as of 4/28/08: *Indicates prospect is an underclassman 1. *Andre Smith, OT, Alabama: Whereas Richmond, Buffalo and Montana all had two players selected in last weekend's draft, Alabama — yes, Bear Bryant's Alabama — had zero. Not one! That'll change if Smith leaves early next year. A mauling left tackle, he has the goods to be a top three pick. 2. Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU: Jackson didn't have the breakout '07 campaign everyone expected, but he showed some real flashes of dominance. He'll be a terror as a senior in '08. At 6-foot-5, 290 pounds, he can come off the edge or be moved inside and play DT. Jackson's not the fastest guy in the world, but with some more work on technique, he could be unstoppable. 3. James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State: Is he the next Andy Katzenmoyer or the next A.J. Hawk? I'll go with the latter. The son of former WWF star Animal (of the tag-team The Road Warriors) is a two-time All-American with a great NFL frame. A tackling machine, he's already won a Butkus Award. 4. Rey Maualuga, LB, USC: A two-time All-Pac 10 performer and the 2008 Rose Bowl MVP, Maualuga returned to school for his senior year, where he'll be the Trojans' go-to guy on defense and in the locker room. He's a menacing middle linebacker with great speed and tackling ability. Either way, he's a top 10 pick. 5. *Myron Rolle, S, Florida State: Rolle likely won't leave school early, but if he does, he's a surefire first rounder. Spectacular on the field and off, he's got the size, speed, and smarts to be a Pro Bowl safety at the next level. An incredible hitter, too. The nation's No. 1 high school recruit from two years ago has not disappointed at FSU. 6. Fili Moala, DT, USC: Though Sedrick Ellis and Lawrence Jackson got most the press on the Trojans defensive line last season, Moala excelled at DT for the second straight season. In '08, he'll become a household name. At 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, he has good size and potential to be an outstanding pro player. 7. Alex Boone, OT, Ohio State: The left tackle opening holes for Beanie Wells in Columbus, Boone's got all the physical tools and smarts to be a fantastic NFL player. He came back for the '08 campaign to win a national title. In the process, he'll solidify himself as a top 10 pick. 8. Max Unger, OT, Oregon: The two-time All-Pac-10 performer can likely play any spot on an offensive line and should be a top 10 selection. How good is Unger? Ask Jonathan Stewart, his Oregon teammate and the 13th pick in last weekend's draft. 9. Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss: The subject of Michael Lewis' New York Times best seller "The Blind Side," Oher decided to come back to school for his senior season, where he'll play under new head coach Houston Nutt. At 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds, Oher's got NFL size and NFL skill. He likely would have been a top 15 pick if he came out in '07. He'll sneak into the top 10 with a good senior season. 10. Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State: The hands-down top cornerback prospect of next year's draft class, there's a chance Jenkins would have gone even before Leodis McKelvin in this year's draft. He's got safety size, blazing speed and great instincts. He's a complete cornerback. 11. *Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech: For years, the greatest mystery in college football was what would happen if you put top high school recruits in Texas Tech coach Mike Leach's high-flying offense? The answer: A freshman season which included Biletnikoff and Paul Warfield Awards, a unanimous first team All-American selection, and a 2007 stat line that was downright scary — 134 receptions, 1,962 yards, and 22 touchdowns. Because Crabtree red-shirted his freshman season, he is eligible for the '09 Draft if he opts to leave early. He's got the size and hands to be downright nasty. The comparisions to Andre Johnson aren't that far off. Then again, it's not like there are no other great Texas Tech wideouts in the league. Wes Welker had a pretty decent year last season, no? 12. Brian Cushing, LB, USC: A solid backer who seems to have played for USC for about a decade, Cushing will be a reliable pro once he gets there. Never flashy, he's been a steady contributor to the USC defense since '05. He was injured a bit in '07, but should star as alongside Maualuga at LB in '08. Yeah, Tim Tebow's a special athlete, but will he be a great pro? (Doug Benc / Getty Images) 13. Herman Johnson, OL, LSU: Johnson's a monster. When he was born, he tipped the scales at 15 pounds, 14 ounces — the largest baby ever born in Louisiana. He's developed nicely. At 6-foot-7, 350 pounds, he'll be one of the larger prospects in the draft, and he could sneak into the top 10 if he has a breakout senior season. King Dunlap, the giant Auburn tackle, had the same situation at this time last year. He was inconsistent, was benched, and fell to the second day of the draft. I don't see that happening with Herman "The House" Johnson. 14. *Tim Tebow, QB, Florida: Truly one of the more intriguing NFL prospects of all-time. Scouts are split down the middle on him. Is he a system guy that can only work out of a shotgun? Or is he the most promising quarterback prospect of the past 10 years? He's got Joe Flacco height, the build of a middle linebacker, and as decorated a college career as you'll ever find after just two seasons. The only sophomore to ever win a Heisman, the single-season SEC all-time leader in touchdowns, and a guy considered the top passing quarterback recruit in high school back in '06. There's plenty to love about Tebow. But all those hits, Alex Smith's NFL failures (also from an Urban Meyer offense), and the fantastic talent surrounding him at Florida can all be pointed to as potential negatives. My thought? If Tebow comes out next year — and that's a huge if — he's the first quarterback taken in the draft. 15. *Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State: Beanie's a preseason Heisman hopeful and likely the top pro prospect at running back. A first-team All Big Ten player last season, he should have a big junior campaign. link to rest of story http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8086268/On-the-Clock:-15-prospects-for-'09-NFL-Draft
OSU could have a number of first rounders, should be a good year for them. Is beanie not elligible for the draft? I thought he was entering his junior season, but could be wrong. IMO we will highly likely be picking top 10 again this year, I predict around pick number 7-8. Would LOVE to get Little Animal. IMO Katzenmoyers biggest problem was not a lack of talent but desire. He just wasnt into it at the pro level and thats why he washed out. Hawk is definately a much better comparison.
