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National Football League
Draft King Analysis
March 18, 2009
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com
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One of the more interesting positions coming into the 2009 NFL Draft is defensive end, a spot where any number of players could end up being among the top players taken at the position. The top two spots seem to belong to Texas DE Brian Orakpo and Florida State DE Everette Brown (not necessarily in that order), but there are several contenders to be considered for the second-tier spots.
There are some who believe that Penn State DE Aaron Maybin is likely the third DE (or DE/OLB hybrid) to go in the draft. Maybin has great physical skills, though at 6'4" and just 250 pounds he seems best suited for OLB in a 3-4 defense. It's quite possible that Maybin could end up going to a team like Denver at #12 overall.
 | Michael Johnson could be a first round pick next month. (Icon SMI)
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On the other end of the scale is LSU DE Tyson Jackson, who seems to be a good fit for DE in a 3-4 at 6'4" 295 pounds. It's also possible that Jackson could play DT in a 4-3 defense in the "3-technique" so he provides multiple options for teams. Jackson arguably peaked in 2006 where he had 8.5 sacks as a sophomore, though teams concentrated on him more over his final two years of college as some of his talented teammates left for the NFL.
Georgia Tech DE Michael Johnson has seen his stock rise and fall, but he's back on the upswing following a good combine performance and a solid pro day. At 6'7" 260 he has above-average height for either DE or OLB, and he has looked good to the point where he may end up as a mid-first round selection.
University of Tennessee DE Robert Ayers is quietly making his way into many first round draft projections. At 6'3" 275, he has good size for either DE in a 4-3 or OLB in a 3-4. He performed primarily as a pass rusher before 2008, where he had a breakout season for the Volunteers.
Don't look now, but a receiver I've been high on for a long time, Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey, is creeping up a number of draft boards. His blazing 4.30 time in the 40 at the combine certainly helped his stock (though he has been timed at sub 4.3 in previous runs), and he is rising to the point where he may leapfrog Missouri WR/KR Jeremy Maclin as the second receiver to go in the draft (behind sure-fire top wideout Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech).
Missouri DT Evander Hood is drawing plenty of attention from people looking toward the bottom of the draft, particularly connecting him to Indianapolis' pick at #27 (where the Colts desperately need help at defensive tackle). Hood impressed at the combine with 35 reps of 225 pounds, which followed Hood turning some heads in January at the Senior Bowl. With guys like Auburn DT Sen'Derrick Marks and USC DT Fili Moala sliding in the opinion of some scouts, it could open the door for Hood to sneak into the late part of the first round of the draft.
Another defensive tackle that is being eyeballed is Boston College DT Ron Brace. At 6'3" 330, Brace doesn't have the height that you normally look for in a potential nose tackle, but in the right defensive alignment (even in a 4-3) he could end up being a solid pick, perhaps early in round two. Detroit needs a defensive tackle after trading DT Cory Redding to Seattle, and if the Lions have the chance to take Brace (or Hood) at #33, it's possible that the team could take one of the two players at the top of the second round.
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