Pass Rush/Closing ability/Moves and counter moves: Playing in a zero technique at times, Austin was not asked to purely rush the passer. What he does excel at is collapsing the pocket and creating pressure on the quarterback by driving interior linemen backward. Has exceptional closing speed. When he breaks free of his blocker and closes on the quarterback, he does so quickly. Tries to use a spin move, but loses depth when spinning and opens himself up to blockers. Would benefit from a shoulder dip or power move instead of adding finesse moves (a juke and spin move).

Pursuit/Lateral movement and agility: Has the speed to run down screens and counters. Moves his feet well. Can shuffle down the line. Loose hips. His closing speed is impressive. Against Boston College, Austin breaks free of the guard and closes 5yds on the quarterback in one second (hand-timed)- causing a fumble that he almost recovers. His speed and athletic ability are somewhat unreal. Foot speed is dangerous and can slide past guards with ease. Austin never gives up on a play and even when putting himself out of position, he fights to get back to the ball.

Quickness/Explosion: Can be slow off the line of scrimmage at times. Would be quicker off the ball if he fired out of his stance low instead of standing up at the point of attack. Is much more athletic than the majority of defensive tackles. Moves with ease. Is athletic enough to play defensive end. When he does explode, Austin is unstoppable. Has the ability to push and collapse the pocket.

Run defend/Recognition: Recognizes the run quickly and effectively. Reads the line well and works down the line of scrimmage to the hole. Is very good at sniffing out a counter or trap and adjusting to the play. Is smart enough to pull down his blocker if he realizes he cannot get away from the block- freeing up tackling lanes for his teammates.

Size/Length/Hand size: Has ideal size for a defensive tackle. Has the bulk to plug holes, but is still a lean and athletic player. Is a new breed of tackle- lean, athletic and quick.

Strength/Ability to shed blocks: Slips blocks more than anything. Does not have to overpower many college blockers, but must improve at this to compete in the NFL. Locks his arms and keeps his eyes up. Able to locate the ball while engaged and is strong enough to disengage from the blocker.

Tackling: Works off blocks well and can make tackles while engaged. Is a strong and able tackler. Is aggressive at the point of attack. Looks for the high-kill shot a little often, but is a sure tackler.

Technique/Hand use/Leverage: Will stand up out of his stance too often. Must fire out lower, and with better pad height. Can be pushed off the ball, but has the strength and agility to slip blockers and recover. Makes many tackles after being initially popped by a guard or center. Tries to play patty-cake too often with blockers, he almost looks hesitant to engage the interior lineman. Improved as the season progressed at driving the center back off the ball. Dominated Virginia Tech in the 2nd half. Austin is an aggressive player who can take over a game with his ability to collapse the pocket and pressure the quarterback. Against Boston College Austin showed much better technique, firing off the ball low and using his hands to free himself from blockers.

Versatility: Has experience lining up over the center, but has the athletic ability to play any position on the defensive line. While Austin looks most likely to line up as a three-technique tackle in the NFL, we believe he could slide outside to defensive end in a 3-4 scheme and become a dominating player.

Final Word: In scouting defensive tackles lately, we have been blessed to see the likes of Glenn Dorsey, Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy and Sedrick Ellis. In 2009 we proclaimed Ndamukong Suh the best defensive player we had ever scouting- and we are sticking to this. However, Marvin Austin is the most athletic defensive tackle we have seen to date. His ability to chase down the ball carrier and his freakish speed make him among the most dangerous defensive players in college football. He has the full arsenal of strength, size, speed and awareness that NFL General Managers are looking for in today’s defensive tackle.

While Austin may not be the pure player Suh is, he is a deadly combination of Suh’s ability to collapse the pocket and Gerald McCoy’s speed and athleticism.

Accuracy: Locker has had issues in the past with his accuracy. He showed improvement in this area last season playing in a pro-style offense but still have some concerns. Locker has the arm to make every deep pass, but his accuracy becomes inconsistent. Showed marked improvement on underneath routes but still tends to strong-arm the ball on short throws. Accuracy seems to be based more on arm strength than rhythm and touch.

Arm strength: One of Locker’s more intriguing traits is his arm strength. His arm will be one of the strongest in the 2011 draft and compares favorably to the strongest in the NFL. While arm strength isn’t necessarily the most important trait in a quarterback, it’s certainly something nice to have in the arsenal.

Athleticism/mobility: Possesses as much athleticism and mobility as someone could want in a starting quarterback. A high school baseball star, Locker clearly has athletic chops. His feet are quick and he’s agile enough to elude defenders. Reportedly runs a 4.4 40-yard dash, which is probably an exaggeration.

Decision making: In the past, Locker’s athleticism has been a detriment to his decision making. He would too quickly pull the ball down and run instead of reading his progressions. He still tends to carry that issue and gets too antsy in the pocket. This forces the line to hold their blocks longer, which leads to more pressure.

Field vision: This is the other area where Locker needs to show improvement as a senior. He is generally a one-read and throw quarterback. Against teams that can disguise coverage, Locker has issues. He needs to do a better job of working through his reads. Early in his career, Locker often had to go to his No. 1 option because the skill position at Washington were lacking. That’s the case no more, so if Locker’s field vision doesn’t improve this year, his ranking will suffer.

Mechanics: Locker’s mechanics make him just as good or better than any draft-eligible quarterback in college, especially his release. Locker tends to hold the ball low on his chest as he drops back. You’d like to see him hold it a little higher, but Locker’s next move is lightning quick. He cranks the ball back in an instant and fires it right over his ear. He doesn’t windup at any point and doesn’t waste a motion. As is the case with most college quarterback, Locker has spent most of his time in the shotgun. As he plays under center more, he’ll get more comfortable reading defenses as he drops back.

Pocket awareness/poise: As mentioned in the decision making category, Locker has a tendency to move around a lot in the pocket. Needs to show as a senior that he can set his feet, plant and throw. When he shuffles his feet, Locker’s accuracy drops considerably. Appears to feel the blitz fine. Has the strength throughout his frame to handle hits.

Final word: Quarterbacks as athletic and strong-armed as Locker don’t come around often. In his first year in head coach Steve Sarkisian’s pro-style offense, Locker improved as a pocket passer. Add his incredible ability and speed and you have a front-line football player. He showed better pocket presence in 2009 but still needs to improve in that area. He can be very good in the play action game and can throw effortlessly on the move.

Locker seems to finally be realizing his upside after being slowed by injuries as a sophomore. It’s scary, but we likely haven’t seen the best of Locker yet. If he can improve some on his touch, Locker has the look of a No. 1 overall pick.

Locker was a two-sport star in high school and was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 10th round of the MLB Draft. . Locker has had several injuries, including a broken thumb, a neck issue, a hamstring that slowed him as a sophomore and currently has an injured hand.

When you look at Locker as a whole, he smacks of a boom or bust prospect. His deficiencies – accuracy, field vision and pocket presence – are the same as quarterbacks who often bust. But it’s impossible to ignore his athleticism, arm strength, toughness and potential to improve more under Sarkisian.

Awareness/Reaction: Reacts quickly after the snap. Keeps his head on a swivel and notices changes in the defensive front. Can find and pick up blitzers. A very smart player. Has great vision.

Initial Quickness: The best center in the class in terms of quickness. Snaps the ball back and is instantly up and ready to block. Drives off the ball. Amazing first step. Very quick hands and coordination. Explosive.

Movement/Space: Moved a lot in the Florida offense, especially for a center. Pulled, trapped and was even used in some zone calls. Has played guard before. Good straight-line speed. His recognition really aids him here.

Pass blocking: Experienced primarily as a shotgun snapper in the Florida system. Has shown the ability and quickness to snap and then raise up to stop a nose tackle, or to help with a three-tech. Quick off the ball. Good hand placement. Very consistent hand placement. Has a good anchor and can handle a nose tackle on his own. Good awareness.

Run blocking: Excellent leverage. Really knows how to use his body. A surprisingly good drive blocker. Has a good, consistent, pad height. Stays low throughout the block and keeps his feet moving. Shows experience as a help, combo-blocker. Gets off double teams and can get to the second level as a blocker. Good quickness and balance. Saw him block on a lot of traps. Noticeable pancake blocker.

Size: Ideal size. A little taller than other centers, but he has shown the ability to keep his pads low and get underneath smaller tackles.

Strength: Adequate strength for the position. Is not a liability. Can handle nose tackles one-on-one (see him versus Terrence Cody of Alabama).

Technique: Is a near-flawless blocker. We found few flaws in his game. Might try to pancake too often, but Pouncey has great hand placement and good lower-body movement. Keeps his feet moving, punches well, and is smart enough to call the offense.

Final Word: Rarely do we find a player with no real flaws; but we did with Maurkice Pouncey. A very celebrated and awarded center, Maurkice has the look of a Pro Bowl player early in his career. He should be a late 1st round pick.

5’11, 194 pounds | Cornerback | Oklahoma

Agility: Franks is really smooth in his movements and one of the more athletic cornerbacks in the draft. His hips are fluid and he can flip with ease.

Ball Skills: Has above-average hands to get interceptions. Knows when to get his hands up to make a play on the ball. Times his jumps pretty well and has a solid vertical leap.

Instincts: Franks’ recognition skills indicate that he maybe should have returned for his senior season. He makes unnecessary risks and reads the quarterback more than he reads the receiver. Beaten too easily by double moves and pump fakes.

Man coverage: Not much of a press man cornerback, Franks tends to play further off the line to rely on his athleticism. Doesn’t have the playing strength to redirect receivers. Has tremendous recovery speed if he gets beat.
Size: Possesses adequate size and strength. Average arm length, but he knows how to use what he has.

Speed: Good straight-line speed – ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at the combine. Doesn’t lose his speed when changing direction. Looks to have a second gear.

Tackling: Average as a tackler. Doesn’t always like to mix it up and is more willing to just move the receiver to the sideline. Shouldn’t be relied on much in run support. Mostly a leg lunger. Pursues pretty good, however.

Zone coverage: Mostly played in man coverage, but looked really good in zone formations. Because of Franks’ athleticism and closing speed, he can give a good cushion, tricking the quarterback into thinking his receiver is open. Still, he has shown his inexperience here. May need to learn some about coverage shifts and follow a safety’s call.

Final word: Franks is a two-year starter who maybe should have returned for another year. His athleticism and agility is excellent. He definitely looks the part and can become a starting cornerback. But there are some real concerns about his instincts and football intelligence.

5’11, 193 pounds | Cornerback/Safety | Michigan

Agility: Doesn’t have the hip flexibility to stay as a man-coverage cornerback. Looks stiff in his movement and is easily beaten off the line by shifty receivers. Plays too high in his backpedal and loses a step because of his stiffness.

Ball skills: Although Warren doesn’t have the best hands, he has shown flashes of good ball skills. Lacks a good vertical leap and doesn’t time his jumps especially well. Doesn’t track the ball very well unless it’s right in front of him.

Instincts: Preys on underneath throws where he can break on the ball or time his hits to disrupt a play. Times his jumps poorly. Started for three years.

Man coverage: Plays way too high in his backpedal. Played in a scheme that used a lot of off coverage. Shows a good short-area burst to close. Will get beat over the top by vertical receivers and doesn’t have the speed to recover. Needs help over top in man. Likes to get physical when a receiver is running his route. 
Size: Good enough size for a cornerback, but his arms are slightly short. Undersized for a safety, but plays above his measurables. Could even stand to get stronger and secure a transition to free safety.

Speed: Plays faster than he times, which was only a 4.62 40-yard dash at the combine. Still, his speed is lacking and Warren will get beaten deep.

Tackling: Warren is as good of a tackler as there is in this year’s cornerback class. He’s as reliable as they come in the open field and can really hit the ball carrier. He’ll need to learn to shed better, but Warren’s tackling is one of the things that makes him such a good prospect to move to safety. He wraps up correctly and drives through his tackles.

Zone coverage: Reads quarterbacks pretty well in zone to get a good jump. Breaks up more passes with his physical playing style, and less so his athletic ability. Has a tendency to hit the receiver before the ball arrives, and needs to become a little more disciplined.

Final word: We have Warren rated as highly as we do because he could move to free safety. He has a lot of the same deficiencies as Jairus Byrd did coming out of Oregon. His hips are a little stiff and he doesn’t have the speed to play as a man cornerback.

But if Warren adds some strength, he should easily transition to safety. He’s good at reading plays in front of him and has a better short-area burst than people give him credit for. Few players have been knocked during the offseason process as much as Warren, and some of it is unfounded. He’ll get underdrafted.

Agility: Maintains good balance when changing direction and looks to have fluid hips. Turns easily but gets his legs tangled at times.

Ball skills: Showed solid hands intercepting six passes in two seasons. Has long arms which he knows how to use to his advantage. Gets his hands up to break up passes.

Instincts: Although Spievey only started for two years following community college, he’s a very heady player. He has great recognition skills, which could help him start as a rookie. He’s known as a hard worker in the film room and it shows on the field. Diagnoses between run and pass plays efficiently. Could do a little better job staying on a receiver’s hip when he turns to look for the ball.

Man coverage: Wasn’t used a lot in man coverage. Doesn’t have the best change of direction ability, so he can be beaten by smaller, quick receivers. Because of his long arms and physical playing style, it stands to reason that Spievey could hold up in press situations, but it might not ever be his strong suit. Doesn’t use his hands all that well to reroute. He also has some footwork issues coming out of his breaks.

Size: Average height for the position but has solid bulk. Has long arms – 32 inches at the combine – and fairly large hands for a cornerback. Really high cut with long legs. Plays stronger than he measures.

Speed: Playing speed is nothing special. He timed at 4.52 in the 40-yard dash at the combine. Struggles to recover when beaten. That’s why he fits better in a zone scheme.

Tackling: Is a very good tackler and knows how to wrap up correctly. Is strong as a run supporter. He may get locked up on blocked, but Spievey knows the correct angles to take to get to the ball carrier uninhibited.

Zone coverage: Looks the part of an excellent cover-2 cornerback. Knows how to maintain his position and wait for a play to develop. Doesn’t get antsy when receivers are working through his area. Reads routes really well. Reads the play in front of him as good as any corner in this year’s draft.

Final word: Spievey is someone who really came on throughout the 2009 season. He’s a really good zone coverage candidate and could excel in a cover-2 scheme. He has some tools to work with, but his speed and footwork issues limit him a bit. Still, it’s hard to dislike a cornerback who plays the run so well and has good instincts.

Coverage: Angerer excels at figuring out screen plays and blowing them up. Doesn’t get fooled by play action when he’s asked to drop back. Has lined up against receivers on the line, but shouldn’t be considered a great coverage linebacker. Still, Angerer has good enough awareness to stay on the field on obvious passing downs and cover an area in zone.

Instincts: Was a two-year starter who played in 43 career games. Has good instincts and always seems to be playing on the balls of his feet. Plays with a lot of aggressiveness and flies all over the field. Read quickly and doesn’t make false movements.

Pass rush: Was not asked to blitz a lot and shouldn’t be. That’s because he doesn’t have very good size and will engulfed by blockers. Struggles to disengage, even though he gives good effort.

Pursuit: Angerer is a super high motor guy. Although he’s a little stiff in his movements, he makes plays all over the field. He may never be the first guy to the ball carrier, but he closes fast and finishes off a lot of plays.

Run defense: Very smart as a run defender. Keeps his shoulders square to the line when the play is still in front of him and shuffles down. More quick than strong to avoid blockers. May not attack the line of scrimmage as much as you’d like, but rarely allowed running backs to get past him in his area.

Size: Somewhat undersized for a middle linebacker and doesn’t have much room to grow. Short arms, which is a real detriment in run defense.

Strength: Has good but not great playing strength. Doesn’t look like he can get much bigger.

Tackling: Angerer is the kind of tackler who lets the ball carrier come to him a little too much instead of attacking and driving through. But once Angerer gets his hands on an opponent, he rarely lets them break free. Maintains good balance when he goes for a tackle and won’t get thrown around by tight ends and bigger running backs. If nothing else, Angerer is consistent.

Versatility: Very little. Is almost strictly a 4-3 middle linebacker. Doesn’t have the take-on strength of 3-4 inside linebacker or the quickness to move outside.

Final word: Angerer rates so highly mainly because he can stay on the field for all three downs and will be a great special teams player. He’s smart and rough, which helps him overcome some physical and athletic deficiencies. He really came on as a junior and senior as the team’s unquestioned leader on defense.

Awareness: Started 33 consecutive games to end his career at Arizona State. Played at left tackle during 2009 and has the smarts to pick up stunts and rushes from linebackers deep on the outside.

Initial quickness: Lauvao displayed good but not great quickness of the line of scrimmage. His second stop, where you power slide back, is lacking.

Movement: His lack of movement is what makes Lauvao a guard prospect at the next level. He didn’t pull much as a senior because he was playing tackle. But when he does move around, Lauvao is heavy footed. He doesn’t maintain very good balance and his strength gets negated.

Pass blocking: Held up well enough in pass blocking as a senior. Is more of a phone booth blocker and he should be much better on the inside as a pro. Consistently gets good reach with his ams to keep defenders back. 

Run blocking: Lauvao has the skills to be a good power run blocker at the next level. He’s aggressive and really strong in his upper body.

Size: Has good height at nearly 6-foot-3 and long good arm length. Has a very strong upper body, but has room in his legs to get stronger.

Strength: Is a really powerful guard who can dominate in one-on-one situations against power tackles. Has a really powerful and jarring hand punch to knock defenders off their blocks. Known as a player who loves the weight room.

Technique: Even though Lauvao has only played high school since his junior year in high school, he uses good technique with his hands. He extends well and rarely lets blockers into his frame. Could keep his base better in pass protection as he has a tendency to get narrow.

Final word: People have been underrating Lauvao all year because he played at left tackle. He was decent on the outside, but is a much better guard. That’s where he played for nine games in 2007 and eight in 2008. The other 16 starts in his career were at both tackle spots.

That versatility should do Lauvao well. He’s a powerful player and is above-average in every area.

Accuracy: Throws a smooth, catchable ball. During the season, Pike showed good accuracy to each sideline and over the middle. The timing of his passes was exceptional, particularly on quick slants and outs. What receivers love most about Pike is that he puts the ball in an area that allows them run after the catch, and that he doesn’t hang them out to dry. Shows good float on deep balls, and throws the ball with great timing. Looks in-sync with receivers, placing the ball on either shoulder as needed. Our only complaint is that Pike can short-throw receivers, giving defenders the ability to cut inside and make a play on the ball.

Arm Strength: For as accurate as he is, Pike does not have great arm strength. When compared with other quarterbacks in the class, Pike grades out in the middle of the pack. He can throw deep when needed, but his short to intermediate passes lack zip and velocity. His passes do have a pretty spiral, but there is noticeable movement on deep balls. Too many floated passes over the middle lead to interceptions and passes knocked down.

Decision Making: Is a smart player and can recognize a defense. Saw him make many smart plays against zone defenses after correctly reading the safety. Is aided by his height, which allows him to see the entire field. Does stare-down his #1 read too often. When playing against better defenses we did see many passes batted down and routes jumped- which tells us he is telegraphing his passes.

Mechanics: Is one of many shotgun-style quarterbacks in the 2010 class. Pike does have some experience under center and showed good footwork in the off-season when working under center and in his drop step. Is tall coming out from under center, but gets good knee bend and flexion when taking his drop.

Carries the ball high and tucks his throwing elbow in to his body.  The balls comes over the top 90% of the time, but he knows when to use a little side arm in the moment. Has a good follow through and flick. Did show a wide-up delivery when pressured, something that will take time and experience to fix.

Does a nice job stepping up in the pocket, something few college quarterbacks are capable of.  His play-action is nice, and he does a good job re-establishing his reads. Not much of a pump-fake.

Mobility: Will leave the pocket too soon, despite not being the biggest quarterback. Does have good quickness, but has poor ball protection habits.

Pocket Awareness: Quicker than many think, Pike turned in a nice 40 time (4.76) and 10 yard split (1.69).  Pike has the speed to get outside the pocket, but his long-lanky frame makes him a liability on the move. Feels and sees pressure well, but is too quick to run away. Could step up and away in the pocket better. Does not have the arm strength to fade away from the rush and throw.

Final Word: A two-year starter for the Bearcats, Pike has the look of a franchise quarterback. The biggest question mark is his durability; Pike missed time during his senior season with a broken forearm and many question his stature.
The biggest questions are his durability and character. Pike is smart enough to be a starter, and throws a good enough ball to make plays.