One thing I did find curious was all the top WR prospects were from the "slow" Big 10, and the Pac-10 had none.
I do thing Sam Baker should do well. Rivers has bust written all over him. Probably be one of the last to sign because the Bengals are all about screwing their picks.
Here is the scouting report on the 1st rounders from SC (ESPN Insider)
Sedrick Ellis
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Selected by: New Orleans Saints
Round: 1
Pick (Overall): 7(7)
DT | (6'0
", 309, 5.32) | USC
Scouts Grade: 97
Flags: (D: DURABILITY) Player that can't stay healthy
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<table class="tablemed2" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tbody><tr><td>Strengths: A disruptive, penetrating interior defensive lineman. At his best in a one-gap scheme but has some versatility due to experience as a nose tackle and three-technique. He is extremely disruptive versus the run. Displays outstanding initial burst and wins most of his battles with first-step quickness. Shows outstanding body control and stays on his feet. Uses long arms to keep separation and does an excellent job of disengaging from blocks and keeping on the move. Exceptional technique; uses his hands effectively and his feet never stop moving. Recognition skills are very good and he's athletic enough to change directions and pursue once he penetrates the backfield. He consistently generates pressure as a pass rusher. Shows upper-echelon closing burst for his position and also does a good job of batting down passes once he realizes he's not getting to the QB. Plays with a great motor and works very hard on and off the field. Never gives up on a play and his effort is infectious.
Weaknesses: Undersized; lacks ideal height. Not an ideal fit for two-gap schemes. Durability has been of an issue; redshirted in 2003 due to injury that required surgery and missed three games in 2006 (Nebraska, Arizona and Washington State) due to right knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery.
Overall: Ellis arrived at USC in 2003 but took a medical redshirt year after suffering a midseason left ankle fracture that required surgery. In his first three active seasons (2004-'06), he appeared in 34 games and made 86 tackles (16 for losses) and nine sacks. As a senior in 2007, he started all 13 games at nose guard and collected 58 tackles (12.5 for losses), 8.5 sacks and seven pass breakups on his way to first team All-America honors. Ellis missed three games in '06 after tearing cartilage in his right knee, which required arthroscopic surgery. He also had fluid drained from the knee in '07 and missed several practices but no games. Ellis did not time out well at the combine but he is a great football player, nonetheless. He has bulked up to 309 pounds and can play NT and/or DT at the next level. Thanks to an outstanding combination of quickness, power, technique and effort, Ellis proved in college to be nearly unblockable one-on-one even versus top talent at the Senior Bowl. Ellis will be valued as a top-10 pick by teams in search of a playmaking one-gap interior lineman.
</td></tr><tr><td>* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.</td></tr></tbody></table>
Keith Rivers
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Selected by: Cincinnati Bengals
Round: 1
Pick (Overall): 9(9)
OLB | (6'2
", 241, 4.599) | USC
Scouts Grade: 96
Flags: (D: DURABILITY) Player that can't stay healthy
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<table class="tablemed2" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tbody><tr><td>Strengths: Possesses outstanding size; is well built for his taller frame. Also has long arms (33 ), huge hands (11 ) and a strong upper body (24 reps). Not an elite athlete, but he does have good speed and athleticism for his size. Makes up for what he lack in terms of elite athleticism with great recognition skills. He is smart, tough and instinctive. Shows very good awareness. Rarely takes false steps. Is a striker as a tackler. Will make some big hits due to his short area explosiveness. Uses hands well to keep off of blocks. He refuses to stay blocked. Takes excellent angles in pursuit. Displays good range in zone coverage. Also is an underrated pass rusher. Has developed a better array of pass rush moves, hugs the rail as he turns the corner as an outside rusher and displays surprising closing burst to the QB. Knows how to jar the ball loose and generates more than his share of forced fumbles. Plays with a very good motor and will wear blockers down. Never gives up on a play and will show tremendous effort when pursuing from the backside. He's always flying around the field. Leads by example.
Weaknesses: Plays too high at times and loses his power when he does. Does a great job of sifting through traffic but needs to learn to anchor better when he's forced to take on blocks in the phone booth. Shows a bit of stiffness in his hips. Will struggle to keep with elite pass-catching RB's in the NFL on double moves and when forced to turn and run. Not an established playmaker in coverage. Good range in coverage but lacks ideal ball skills. Durability is a minor concern.
Overall: Rivers appeared in 37 games in his first three seasons at USC (2004-'06), recording 162 tackles (13.5 for losses), 5.5 sacks and two interceptions. As a senior in 2007, he played 12 games (11 starts) at weak-side linebacker, turning in 78 tackles (five for losses), three fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and four pass breakups. He missed a game (Arizona State) in 2007 after spraining his left ankle, which had required arthroscopic surgery to remove bone spurs earlier in the spring. He also missed two games in 2005 and was limited in others because of a hamstring strain. Rivers possesses very good but not exceptional overall physical tools. His outstanding combination of instincts, work ethic and experience is what separates him from other linebackers with similar skill sets. While he is the top rated linebacker on our 2008 board, Rivers is a notch below elite talents such as A.J. Hawk (Packers) and Patrick Willis (49ers) from recent NFL drafts. Some teams could consider him at inside linebacker but Rivers seems best suited to play the WILL in a 4-3 scheme. He should be selected in the middle portion of the first round.
</td></tr><tr><td>* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.</td></tr></tbody></table>
Sam Baker
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Selected by: Atlanta Falcons
Round: 1
Pick (Overall): 21(21)
OT | (6'4
", 309, 5.299) | USC
Scouts Grade: 85
Flags: (D: DURABILITY) Player that can't stay healthy
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<table class="tablemed2" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tbody><tr><td>Strengths: Possesses adequate height and size-potential. Feet are his best asset. He displays very good initial quickness as a run blocker and in pass pro. Gets set quickly and stays under control. Can mirror-and-slide with elite pass rushers and rarely gets beat by speed off the edge. His hand placement is outstanding. He shows very good awareness and rarely misses an assignment. Takes good angles as a run blocker and is technically sound in that facet of the game. Also does a good job of mixing in cut blocks to keep defenders off-balance.
Weaknesses: Lacks ideal bulk. Has short arms (32.6 inches) and small hands (9.2 inches). Too much of a finesse blocker. Plays with a narrow base and would benefit from added strength in his lower-body. He's not overpowering in the run game and he will struggle at times to generate a new line of scrimmage versus bigger, stronger DE's. He works hard to sustain blocks but he doesn't show enough of a mean-streak at times. Durability is suddenly a concern following arthroscopic surgery to remove loose cartilage in his left knee prior to 2007 spring practice and lingering hamstring injury that cost him playing time as a senior.
Overall: Baker arrived at USC in 2003 and redshirted his first year. He moved from guard to offensive tackle before the 2004 season, and went on to make 39 consecutive starts at left tackle over the next three years (2004-'06). As a senior in 2007, he played 10 games (all starts). He was a first team All-America selection as a junior (2006) and a second-team selection as a senior (2007). He missed three games in his last season because of a left hamstring strain. Baker also suffered a bone chip in his left knee in 2005; played through a left knee sprain in 2006 (which required arthroscopic surgery at the end of the season); and suffered a cracked rib before the 2007 season. Son of AFL commissioner David Baker, Sam Baker enters the NFL draft as a four-year starter from one of the top programs in college football. He possesses good agility for the position and generally will get in position as a run blocker and in pass pro. However, Baker is a bit of a finesse player that lacks explosive power and does not play with consistent leverage. He also has short arms and small hands. Baker struggled to stay healthy as a senior and did not make the necessary improvements as a result. He is no longer expected to be drafted in the first round but he should be off the board by the end of Round 2.
</td></tr><tr><td>* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.</td></tr></tbody></table>
Lawrence Jackson
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Selected by: Seattle Seahawks
Round: 1
Pick (Overall): 28(28)
DE | (6'4
", 271, 4.82) | USC
Scouts Grade: 88
Flags: (D: DURABILITY) Player that can't stay healthy
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<table class="tablemed2" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tbody><tr><td>Strengths: Possesses good overall size; adequate height, thickly built with longer arms (34.1 ) and bigger hands (9.1 ). Displays good initial quickness and mobility for his size. Shows some variety as a pass rusher, using a combination of quickness and power. At his best as a pass rusher when working one-on-one on the perimeter. Displays enough upper-and-lower body strength to seal off the perimeter when he's playing with leverage. Does a good job at times of keeping separation from blockers and is learning how to disengage quicker than he would earlier in his career. Is tough and plays with a mean streak.
Weaknesses: Is more quick than fast. Lacks ideal top-end speed. He will never be the type of speed-end that can consistently run past offensive tackles. Lacks explosive closing burst as a pass rusher. Really struggles to split the double-team. He leaves his feet too frequently. Durability is only a minor concern but he has had ankle surgery twice during collegiate career; once in 2003 and most recently in spring of 2007.
Overall: Jackson was redshirted in 2003 and underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle after the season. In his first three active seasons (2004-'06), he played in 39 games and recorded 121 total tackles (35 for losses), 20 sacks, five forced fumbles and two interceptions. Jackson started all 13 games as a senior, delivering 60 tackles (17 for losses), 10.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. His right ankle required a second surgery before 2007 spring practice. His brother, Keith, played offensive tackle at Arizona. Jackson was one of the best young defensive ends in the nation during his first two seasons at USC (2004-'05) before his production tailed off as a junior in 2006. Part of the problem was that Jackson spent more time inside as the Trojans' injected more 3-4 alignments on defense. The other problem was that Jackson didn't handle all the double-team attention well. Regardless, Jackson bounced back as a senior in 2007, showing far more explosiveness when turned loose more frequently as an outside rusher. Jackson does not possess great top-end speed but his combination of initial quickness, size and power give him a chance to make an impact as an every-down starter in the NFL -- likely as an end in a traditional 4-3 scheme. But if he doesn't become a more consistent performer on the next level; Jackson will be a disappointment as a projected second-round pick.
</td></tr><tr><td>* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.</td></tr></tbody></table>
I do thing Sam Baker should do well. Rivers has bust written all over him. Probably be one of the last to sign because the Bengals are all about screwing their picks.
Here is the scouting report on the 1st rounders from SC (ESPN Insider)
Sedrick Ellis
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Selected by: New Orleans SaintsRound: 1
Pick (Overall): 7(7)
DT | (6'0
Scouts Grade: 97
Flags: (D: DURABILITY) Player that can't stay healthy
View by: Round | Player | NCAA School | Position | NFL Team | Flag
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<table class="tablemed2" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tbody><tr><td>Strengths: A disruptive, penetrating interior defensive lineman. At his best in a one-gap scheme but has some versatility due to experience as a nose tackle and three-technique. He is extremely disruptive versus the run. Displays outstanding initial burst and wins most of his battles with first-step quickness. Shows outstanding body control and stays on his feet. Uses long arms to keep separation and does an excellent job of disengaging from blocks and keeping on the move. Exceptional technique; uses his hands effectively and his feet never stop moving. Recognition skills are very good and he's athletic enough to change directions and pursue once he penetrates the backfield. He consistently generates pressure as a pass rusher. Shows upper-echelon closing burst for his position and also does a good job of batting down passes once he realizes he's not getting to the QB. Plays with a great motor and works very hard on and off the field. Never gives up on a play and his effort is infectious.
Weaknesses: Undersized; lacks ideal height. Not an ideal fit for two-gap schemes. Durability has been of an issue; redshirted in 2003 due to injury that required surgery and missed three games in 2006 (Nebraska, Arizona and Washington State) due to right knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery.
Overall: Ellis arrived at USC in 2003 but took a medical redshirt year after suffering a midseason left ankle fracture that required surgery. In his first three active seasons (2004-'06), he appeared in 34 games and made 86 tackles (16 for losses) and nine sacks. As a senior in 2007, he started all 13 games at nose guard and collected 58 tackles (12.5 for losses), 8.5 sacks and seven pass breakups on his way to first team All-America honors. Ellis missed three games in '06 after tearing cartilage in his right knee, which required arthroscopic surgery. He also had fluid drained from the knee in '07 and missed several practices but no games. Ellis did not time out well at the combine but he is a great football player, nonetheless. He has bulked up to 309 pounds and can play NT and/or DT at the next level. Thanks to an outstanding combination of quickness, power, technique and effort, Ellis proved in college to be nearly unblockable one-on-one even versus top talent at the Senior Bowl. Ellis will be valued as a top-10 pick by teams in search of a playmaking one-gap interior lineman.
</td></tr><tr><td>* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.</td></tr></tbody></table>
Keith Rivers
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Selected by: Cincinnati BengalsRound: 1
Pick (Overall): 9(9)
OLB | (6'2
Scouts Grade: 96
Flags: (D: DURABILITY) Player that can't stay healthy
View by: Round | Player | NCAA School | Position | NFL Team | Flag
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<table class="tablemed2" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tbody><tr><td>Strengths: Possesses outstanding size; is well built for his taller frame. Also has long arms (33 ), huge hands (11 ) and a strong upper body (24 reps). Not an elite athlete, but he does have good speed and athleticism for his size. Makes up for what he lack in terms of elite athleticism with great recognition skills. He is smart, tough and instinctive. Shows very good awareness. Rarely takes false steps. Is a striker as a tackler. Will make some big hits due to his short area explosiveness. Uses hands well to keep off of blocks. He refuses to stay blocked. Takes excellent angles in pursuit. Displays good range in zone coverage. Also is an underrated pass rusher. Has developed a better array of pass rush moves, hugs the rail as he turns the corner as an outside rusher and displays surprising closing burst to the QB. Knows how to jar the ball loose and generates more than his share of forced fumbles. Plays with a very good motor and will wear blockers down. Never gives up on a play and will show tremendous effort when pursuing from the backside. He's always flying around the field. Leads by example.
Weaknesses: Plays too high at times and loses his power when he does. Does a great job of sifting through traffic but needs to learn to anchor better when he's forced to take on blocks in the phone booth. Shows a bit of stiffness in his hips. Will struggle to keep with elite pass-catching RB's in the NFL on double moves and when forced to turn and run. Not an established playmaker in coverage. Good range in coverage but lacks ideal ball skills. Durability is a minor concern.
Overall: Rivers appeared in 37 games in his first three seasons at USC (2004-'06), recording 162 tackles (13.5 for losses), 5.5 sacks and two interceptions. As a senior in 2007, he played 12 games (11 starts) at weak-side linebacker, turning in 78 tackles (five for losses), three fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and four pass breakups. He missed a game (Arizona State) in 2007 after spraining his left ankle, which had required arthroscopic surgery to remove bone spurs earlier in the spring. He also missed two games in 2005 and was limited in others because of a hamstring strain. Rivers possesses very good but not exceptional overall physical tools. His outstanding combination of instincts, work ethic and experience is what separates him from other linebackers with similar skill sets. While he is the top rated linebacker on our 2008 board, Rivers is a notch below elite talents such as A.J. Hawk (Packers) and Patrick Willis (49ers) from recent NFL drafts. Some teams could consider him at inside linebacker but Rivers seems best suited to play the WILL in a 4-3 scheme. He should be selected in the middle portion of the first round.
</td></tr><tr><td>* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.</td></tr></tbody></table>
Sam Baker
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Selected by: Atlanta FalconsRound: 1
Pick (Overall): 21(21)
OT | (6'4
Scouts Grade: 85
Flags: (D: DURABILITY) Player that can't stay healthy
View by: Round | Player | NCAA School | Position | NFL Team | Flag
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<table class="tablemed2" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tbody><tr><td>Strengths: Possesses adequate height and size-potential. Feet are his best asset. He displays very good initial quickness as a run blocker and in pass pro. Gets set quickly and stays under control. Can mirror-and-slide with elite pass rushers and rarely gets beat by speed off the edge. His hand placement is outstanding. He shows very good awareness and rarely misses an assignment. Takes good angles as a run blocker and is technically sound in that facet of the game. Also does a good job of mixing in cut blocks to keep defenders off-balance.
Weaknesses: Lacks ideal bulk. Has short arms (32.6 inches) and small hands (9.2 inches). Too much of a finesse blocker. Plays with a narrow base and would benefit from added strength in his lower-body. He's not overpowering in the run game and he will struggle at times to generate a new line of scrimmage versus bigger, stronger DE's. He works hard to sustain blocks but he doesn't show enough of a mean-streak at times. Durability is suddenly a concern following arthroscopic surgery to remove loose cartilage in his left knee prior to 2007 spring practice and lingering hamstring injury that cost him playing time as a senior.
Overall: Baker arrived at USC in 2003 and redshirted his first year. He moved from guard to offensive tackle before the 2004 season, and went on to make 39 consecutive starts at left tackle over the next three years (2004-'06). As a senior in 2007, he played 10 games (all starts). He was a first team All-America selection as a junior (2006) and a second-team selection as a senior (2007). He missed three games in his last season because of a left hamstring strain. Baker also suffered a bone chip in his left knee in 2005; played through a left knee sprain in 2006 (which required arthroscopic surgery at the end of the season); and suffered a cracked rib before the 2007 season. Son of AFL commissioner David Baker, Sam Baker enters the NFL draft as a four-year starter from one of the top programs in college football. He possesses good agility for the position and generally will get in position as a run blocker and in pass pro. However, Baker is a bit of a finesse player that lacks explosive power and does not play with consistent leverage. He also has short arms and small hands. Baker struggled to stay healthy as a senior and did not make the necessary improvements as a result. He is no longer expected to be drafted in the first round but he should be off the board by the end of Round 2.
</td></tr><tr><td>* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.</td></tr></tbody></table>
Lawrence Jackson
<!-- sp-col starts --><!-- sp-col-inner starts -->
Selected by: Seattle SeahawksRound: 1
Pick (Overall): 28(28)
DE | (6'4
Scouts Grade: 88
Flags: (D: DURABILITY) Player that can't stay healthy
View by: Round | Player | NCAA School | Position | NFL Team | Flag
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<table class="tablemed2" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tbody><tr><td>Strengths: Possesses good overall size; adequate height, thickly built with longer arms (34.1 ) and bigger hands (9.1 ). Displays good initial quickness and mobility for his size. Shows some variety as a pass rusher, using a combination of quickness and power. At his best as a pass rusher when working one-on-one on the perimeter. Displays enough upper-and-lower body strength to seal off the perimeter when he's playing with leverage. Does a good job at times of keeping separation from blockers and is learning how to disengage quicker than he would earlier in his career. Is tough and plays with a mean streak.
Weaknesses: Is more quick than fast. Lacks ideal top-end speed. He will never be the type of speed-end that can consistently run past offensive tackles. Lacks explosive closing burst as a pass rusher. Really struggles to split the double-team. He leaves his feet too frequently. Durability is only a minor concern but he has had ankle surgery twice during collegiate career; once in 2003 and most recently in spring of 2007.
Overall: Jackson was redshirted in 2003 and underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle after the season. In his first three active seasons (2004-'06), he played in 39 games and recorded 121 total tackles (35 for losses), 20 sacks, five forced fumbles and two interceptions. Jackson started all 13 games as a senior, delivering 60 tackles (17 for losses), 10.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. His right ankle required a second surgery before 2007 spring practice. His brother, Keith, played offensive tackle at Arizona. Jackson was one of the best young defensive ends in the nation during his first two seasons at USC (2004-'05) before his production tailed off as a junior in 2006. Part of the problem was that Jackson spent more time inside as the Trojans' injected more 3-4 alignments on defense. The other problem was that Jackson didn't handle all the double-team attention well. Regardless, Jackson bounced back as a senior in 2007, showing far more explosiveness when turned loose more frequently as an outside rusher. Jackson does not possess great top-end speed but his combination of initial quickness, size and power give him a chance to make an impact as an every-down starter in the NFL -- likely as an end in a traditional 4-3 scheme. But if he doesn't become a more consistent performer on the next level; Jackson will be a disappointment as a projected second-round pick.
</td></tr><tr><td>* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.</td></tr></tbody></table>
