Star of the Show: Lotulelei Tops Breitbart Big Board

After breaking down prospects 51-100 yesterday, below is the Big Board rankings of the top 50 players in the 2013 NFL Draft Class. In running through these rankings, a few things stand out:

First, this class will not provide tremendous value for early picks. Most upper level players in this class would likely fall outside of the top ten in most years. However, this is a very deep draft class that should present plenty of value to teams outside of the top ten.

Finally, this is a very strong defensive line class, and I expect that teams will use this opportunity to bolster that position in Rounds 1-3. Here is the Big Board:

DT Star Lotulelei, Utah: 6’3″, 320 lbs.- I really like the size and athleticism of Lotulelei. The heart issue discovered at the Combine seems to have been minimized, but it could cause just enough hesitation to cause him to slip. However, based on potential to be an impact player and lack of “bust” likelihood, Lotulelei stands out as the top player on our board.
OT Eric Fisher, Central Michigan: 6’7″, 306 lbs.- has a higher ceiling than more celebrated OT Luke Joeckel and there are very few weaknesses in his game.
CB Dee Milliner, Alabama: 6’1″, 198 lbs.- great all-around corner who could be an immediate Pro-Bowl caliber addition to any secondary.
OT Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M: 6’6″, 306 lbs.- A few weeks ago, Joeckel seemed to be the consensus #1 pick, but that has become much more tentative. For me, I think he has will become a fixture for a team’s OL for a number of years, just not necessarily a Pro Bowl fixture.
DE Dion Jordan, Oregon: 6’6″, 248 lbs.- An explosive player, he will have to add bulk to be an every down defensive end at the next level. Talented, but tough to project.
DT Sharrif Floyd, Florida: 6’2″, 297 lbs.- very explosive, athletic defensive tackle that was good, but was not consistently spectacular, at Florida
MLB Alec Ogletree, Georgia: 6’2″, 242 lbs.- This is a phenomenal linebacker talent, but, unfortunately immaturity and off the field issues could make him a “bust” candidate.
DE Ezekiel Ansah, BYU: 6’5″, 271 lbs.- freakishly athletic (4.63 forty) but also incredibly raw (only 4.5 sacks in first season as starter this year)
OT Lane Johnson, Oklahoma 6’6″, 303 lbs.- Very few players have seen their stock rise as much as Johnson over the last few months. A former quarterback, Johnson is inexperienced on the offensive line but brings tremendous athleticism to the position.
CB Xavier Rhodes, Florida State: 6’1″, 210 lbs.- LOVE this player’s physical tools, and he has the size, speed, and physicality to be dominant. However, he is not the consistent, reactionary performer you would like to see on film.
OG Chance Warmack, Alabama: 6’2″, 317 lbs.- perhaps the best guard prospect in a LONG time. Warmack is as close to a “sure thing” as you will find, and he leads a stellar guard class.
OLB Jarvis Jones, Georgia: 6’2″, 245 lbs.- highly productive player with health concerns and a poor showing at his Pro Day causing his stock to slip.
OLB Barkevious Mingo, LSU: 6’4″, 241 lbs.- phenomenal pass rusher with 4.58 speed but has struggled to live up to expectations. His future is as a 3-4 linebacker.
CB Desmond Trufant, Washington: 5’11”, 190 lbs.- Coming off yet another stellar workout, Trufant is an elite corner that continues to climb.
DE Bjoern Werner, Florida State: 6’3″, 266 lbs.- coming off a fantastic junior season but not as flashy as other “higher ceiling” players. Not as risky either.
DT Sheldon Richardson, Missouri: 6’2″, 294 lbs.- Richardson is highly productive (75 tackles), light on his feet, but also inexperienced (only one year as a full time starter) and lacking in elite level strength.
WR Cordarelle Patterson, Tennessee: 6’2″, 216 lbs.- explosive playmaker who is still learning the nuances of the position.
S Matt Elam, Florida: 5’9″, 208 lbs.- While Elam lacks ideal height, he is a dynamic and physical playmaker. He needs to improve when he is away from the ball, but I like his speed and ability to make big plays.
LB Kevin Minter, LSU: 5’11”, 246 lbs.- The highly productive linebacker ran a 4.67 at Pro Day, eliminating the one concern about his speed. Easily the #2 linebacker behind Ogletree and could go off the board earlier.
QB Geno Smith, West Virginia: 6’3″, 220 lbs.- Smith is going to be the player to watch come draft day as he could go in the top 5 or he could slide out of the first round. Some have been critical of his ability to develop into an NFL signal caller, but I have little doubt that he is capable of emerging as a starting quarterback.
OG Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina: 6’2″, 311 lbs.- very athletic guard prospect whose stock is on the rise right now.
WR Keenan Allen, Cal: 6’2″, 206 lbs.- a solid, but not elite, receiver who should be a top #2 option or a steady #1 option depending on the destination.
LB Arthur Brown, Kansas State: 6’0″, 241 lbs.- slightly undersized, but nevertheless excels in the run game and in coverage.
S Kenny Vaccaro, Texas: 6’0″, 214 lbs.- Most have him pegged as the top safety, but I do not see the same dynamic ability that I see in Elam. However, he certainly has the look of a very solid starting safety in the NFL
WR Justin Hunter, Tennessee: 6’4″, 196 lbs.- a fantastic athlete who lacks consistency.
TE Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame: 6’5″, 250 lbs.- Eifert will need to add additional bulk to his lean frame, but he has a chance to become one of the NFL’s best tight ends.
DE “Tank” Carradine, Florida State: 6’4″, 276 lbs.- more explosive and some believe a better overall prospect than Werner.
OT D.J. Fluker, Alabama: 6’5″, 339 lbs.- A massive road grader, Fluker struggles with quicker players making him likely a right tackle at the next level.
DE Sam Montgomery, LSU: 6’3″, 262 lbs.- plays fast and with a motor and seems highly likely to be a solid starter with little potential for being a bust.
DE Datone Jones, UCLA: 6’3″, 283 lbs.- has the size and versatility to spark interest beginning in the middle of Round 1.
RB Eddie Lacy, Alabama: 5’11”, 231 lbs.- It is unlikely that Lacy will develop into an All-Pro back, however, he could be a very good find for a team looking to add a starter at the position right away.
DE Margus Hunt, SMU: 6’8″, 277 lbs.- The former shot put and discus champion is one of the draft’s more intriguing prospects due to his size, speed (4.6 forty), and strength (38 bench press reps at Combine). He is still learning the game although he continues to show progression.
WR Tavon Austin, West Virginia: 5’9″, 174 lbs.- This is a bit lower than most have him, but I do not see the explosive player being worth a Round 1 selection due to lack of size.
DT Sylvester Williams, North Carolina: 6’2″, 313 lbs.- a lot of Round 1 buzz around him right now and shows athleticism on the field.
DT Jesse Williams, Alabama: 6’3″, 323 lbs.- plays with freakish strength and his 30 reps was considered one of the biggest disappointments of the Combine. High motor and low risk player.
OLB Jamie Collins, Southern Miss: 6’3″, 250 lbs.- eye-popping numbers at Combine were backed up by a strong Pro Day performance.
DE Alex Okafor, Texas: 6’4″, 264 lbs.- possesses a great frame and had outstanding bowl game (4.5 sacks).
C Barrett Jones, Alabama: 6’3″, 306 lbs.- To me, this guy is a building block on the offensive line and an outstanding center prospect. If I had to put money on one player in this class being a Hall of Famer, it would be the intelligent Jones.
CB Johnthan Banks, Mississippi State: 6’2″, 185 lbs.- disappointing Combine and timed very slow, but he stands out come game time.
DT Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State: 6’3″, 320 lbs.- a large run stuffer that likely will not make many spectacular plays nor make much of an impact as a pass rusher.
RB Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina: 5’11”, 221 lbs.- Any team that does not require Lattimore to contribute immediately will be getting a steal. The elite back is recovering nicely from his injury, and, when healthy, he is one of the best backs to come out in recent years. Lattimore is very impressive as a young man and as a player.
DE Damontre Moore, Texas A&M: 6’4″, 250 lbs.- After a highly productive season (12.5 sacks) that saw his draft stock soar, Moore has had a terrible offseason where he was atrocious at the Combine (12 reps and 4.95 forty) and rumors of immaturity abound. Still, his production is undeniable and his Pro Day saw significant improvement.
S Jonathan Cyprien, Florida International: 6’0″, 217 lbs.- one of the fastest rising prospects in the class, and his size, speed, intelligence, and physicality all stand out.
QB E.J. Manuel, Florida State: 6’5″, 237 lbs.- has all the tools necessary to be the #1 quarterback in this class and also seems to have a good head on his shoulders. The problem that has plagued Manuel is consistency and decision making which he will need to improve on if he hopes to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
WR Robert Woods, USC: 6’0″, 201 lbs.- excels at getting yards after the catch but lacks elite top speed or ideal size.
S Eric Reid, LSU: 6’1″, 213 lbs.- yet another member of a very good safety class.
OG Larry Warford, Kentucky: 6’3″, 333 lbs.- excellent in run-blocking and is a powerful guard prospect.
DT Jonathan Jenkins, Georgia: 6’4″. 346 lbs.- a massive run stuffer that lacks the lower body strength to be an elite pick. Will nevertheless likely be an immediate impact plugging the middle for an NFL defense.
OT Menelik Watson, Florida State: 6’5″, 310 lbs.- Initially a basketball player, Watson has nimble feet, but he only has one season of major college football under his belt.
CB Darius Slay, Mississippi State: 6’0″, 192 lbs.- a physical corner who improved his stock at Combine with blazing 4.36 forty. There were few units in the county that were as good as Mississippi State’s defensive backfield last year, and Slay was right behind Banks in terms of production.

Stay tuned for First Round Mock Draft 2.0 on Thursday and Friday’s release of the Round 2 mock. The Breitbart Big Board will be updated the week of the draft.

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