FanPost

Ranking The 2012 Draft's Top Players

I'm sorry to step on your post "manu4t", but I researched this list last night, it's too long for a reply post, and the list compliments your post.

It's way to early to start focusing on the exact praft position of any player. For example, at this time last year Cam Newton and Nick Fairley weren't on anyone's draft list, and players will move up and down the draft rankings a lot by draft time. At this point last year FB Stanley Havili, and SS DeAndre McDaniel were the top rated players at their positions, and neither were drafted. MLB Greg Jones (#185 pick) , and NT Jerrell Powe (#199 pick) were ranked #1 at their positions, while C Kristofer O'Dowd the 2nd ranked C went undrafted.

At this point it seems the Panthers greatest draft needs in 2012 will be at NT, UT, a big CB, a DE (a backup if hardy shines, but a starter if he doesn't), WR (if no one steps up to #2, or if Gettis loses his speed after his injury), and OT and/or RG (depending on Otah and Schwart's health). All of that may change based upon injuries, free agent loses, players exceeding expectations, and players not living up to expectations.

The Panthers 1st round pick may also be influenced by the Panthers 2011 record and where they draft. The top players in the draft at this time are mostly QB's, and the panthers would almost certainly trade a QB pick for a later 1st round pick, and a 2nd round pick. If the Panthers were to draft #1, they might get 2 1st round picks and a 2nd round pick for Andrew Luck. If the Panthers draft in the top 5 or 6 picks then they might keep the pick, and draft UNC DE Quinton Coples, WR Alshon Jeffery of South Carolina, or CB Dre Kirkpatrick of Alabama. Here is how nfldraftscout.com ranks the drafts top 7 players.

1. QB Andrew Luck

2. DE Quinton Coples

3, QB Matt Barkley

4. QB Landry Jones

5. WR Justin Blackmon

6. WR Alshon Jeffery

7. CB Dre Kirkpatrick

I've combined the draft ranking information from nfldraftscout.com and walterfootball.com for the top position needs of the Panthers. Note that players often measure an inch or 2 shorter in the NFL, the 40 times are estimates, and these are just players to keep your eyes on this season.

NFL Draft Scout Overall rank - Position Rank - (Walter football Position Rank - Draft Round) - (* = juniot, ** redshirt soph.) Name - College - Height - Weight - 40 Time - 2010 Stats

QB (for trade or if Clausen is traded):

1, 1 - (1 - top 3) - * Andrew Luck - Stanford - 6-4, 235, 4.73-4.80

3, 2 - (2 - top 10) - * Matt Barkley - USC - 6-2, 220-230 ,  4.74-4.83

4, 3 - (3 - top 15) - * Landri Jones - Oklahoma - 6-4, 216-230, 4.74-4.83

38, 4 - (8, 3-4) - Ryan Tannehill - 6-4, 219-222 , 4.61-4.65

189, 11 - (10, 4-5) - Kellen Moore - Bosie St. - 6-0 - 187-195, 4.93-4.98

211, 12 - (14, 4-6) - Dominique Davis - East Carolina - 6-3, 212-215, 4.65-4.70

241, 14 - (11, 4-6) - Case Keenum - Houston - 6-1, 210, 4.83-4.94

339, 19 - (No Rating) - Russell Wilson - NC St./Wisconsin - 5-11, 210, 4.59

No Rating - (16, 5-7) - * E. J. Manuel - 6-5, 234, 4.61

NT's:

18, 4 - (1, 2-3) - Alameda Ta'amu - Washington - 6-3, 330-337, 5.22-5.42 - 39 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 5 TFL's

28, 3 - (3, 3-4)  - Josh Chapman - Alabama - 6-1, 310, 5.02-5.20 - 31 tackles, 1 sack, 3.5 TFL's

70, 8 - (3, 3-4) - * Dontari Powe - Memphis - 6-5, 350, 5.30-5.36 - 41 tackles, 6.5 TFL's

56, 5 - (No Ranking) * Kwame Geathers - Georgia - 6-5, 350, 5.33

UT's:

18, 1 - (8, 2-3) - Brandon Thompson - Clemson - 6-2, 310, 5.04 - 40 tackles, 1 sack, 7.5 TFL's

19, 2 - (1, top 15) - * Jerel Worthy - Michigan St. - 6-3, 305-310, 4.99-5.04 - 4 sacks, 8 TFl's

10, 2 - (2, top 200 - Jared Crick - Nebraska - 6-4 to 6-6, 285, 4.82-4.88 - 75 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 12.5 TFL's

No Rating - (3, top 25) - Marcus Fortson - Miami - 6-3, 310, 4.97 - 37 tackles, 3 sacks, 12 TFL's

80, 9 - (4, 2nd) - Kheeston Randall - Texas - 6-5, 295-305, 4.96-5.07 - 39 tackles, 1 sack, 13 TFL's

264, 22 - (11, 4-6) - Derek Wolf - Cincinnati - 6-5, 300-302, 4.92-5.16 - 48 tackles, 4 sacks, 6.5 TFL's

293, 23 - (20, 4-6) - J. R. Sweezy - NC St. - 6-5, 293, 4.89-4.95 - 50 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 11.5 TFL's

315, 25 - (18, 4-6) - Travian Robertson - South Carolina - 6-4, 295-303, 4.82-5.08 - 42 tackles, 4 sacks, 10 TFL's

475, 35 - (29, 6-7) - Terrell Resonno - Missouri - 6-3 to 6-5, 295, 4.93-5.08 - 35 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 TFL's

No Rating - (28, 7th-FA) Fletcher Cox - Mississippi St. - 6-4, 295, 4.93 - 29 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 6.5 TFL's

DE's:

2, 1 - (1, top 5) - Quinton Coples - UNC - 6-6, 272-285, 4.71-4.76 - 59 tackles, 10 sacks, 15.5 TFL's

13, 3 - (2 top 10) - Donte Page-Moss - UNC - 6-4, 260, 4.67-4.69 - 49 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 13.5 TFL's

33, 4 - (4, top 25) - Devin Taylor - South Carolina - 6-7, 250-260, 4.69-4.76 - 46 tackles, 7.5 sacks

69, 7 - (no Rating) * Alex Okafor - Texas - 6-4, 260, 4.62

96, 10 - Melvin Ingram - South Carolina - 6-2 to 6-4, 276, 4.75-4.82 - 28 tackles, 9 sacks, 11 TFL's

107, 11 - (12, 3rd) - Andre Branch - Clemson - 6-5, 260, 4.73-4.77 - 54 tackles, 5 sacks, 8.5 TFL's

144, 14 - (6, 2nd) - Jake Bequette - Arkansas - 6-5, 271, 4.62-4.80 - 33 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 5 TFL's

170, 16 - (15, 3-4) - Cam Johnson - Virginia - 6-3 to 6-4, 265-270, 4.64-4.76 - 53 tackles, 6 sacks, 14.5 TFL's

CB's (I only looked at tall CB's):

8, 1 - (1, top 10) - * Dre Kirkpatrick - Alabama - 6-2 to 6-3, 190-192, 4.46-4.49 - 53 tackles, 3 ints, 7 pass defended

17, 3 - (7, 1-2) * Morris Claiborne - LSU - 6-0, 178-185, 4.42-4.45 - 37 tackles, 5 ints, 6 passes defended

34, 5 - (2, top 20) - * Stephen Gilmore - South Carolina - 6-1, 190-193, 4.48-4.52 - 79 tackles, 3 ints, 6 TFL's

37, 6 - (6, 1-2) - Chase Minnifield - Virginia - 6-0, 185, 4.46-4.49 - 48 tackles,6 ints, 4 passes defended

41, 7 - (5, top 25) - * Cliff Harris -  Oregon - 5-11, 168-180, 4.40-4.49 - 33 tackles, 6 ints, 17 passes defended

98, 14 - (11, 2-3) - Donnie Fletcher - 6-1, 195-200, 4.49-4.53 - 58 tackles, 5 ints, 3 passes defended

125, 16 - Trumaine Johnson - Montana - 6-2, 204, 4.52

NA, #1 in 2014 - (14, 2-3) - ** Xavier Rhodes - Florida St. - 6-1 to 6-2, 215, 4.42-4.56 - 58 tackles, 4 ints, 12 passes defended - he sounds like the next Patrick Peterson

WR's (most are big WR's who run around 4.5 40's):

5, 1 - (2, top 15) - * Justin Blackmon - Oklahoma St. - 6-1, 208-215, 4.48-4.54

6, 2 - (1, top 10) - * Alshon Jeffery - South Carolina - 6-4, 229-233, 4.50-4.56

22, 3 - (3, 1-2) - Jeff Fuller - Texas A & M - 6-3, 215-220, 4.49-4.52

24, 4 - (4, 2nd) - Michael Floyd - Notre Dame, 6-3, 224-228, 4.51-4.54

47, 5 - (8, 2-3) - Greg Childs - Arkansas - 6-2 to 6-3, 217, 4.54-4.56

61, 6 - (17, 5-6) - Nick Toon - Wisconsin - 6-2, 217-220, 4.52-4.56

64, 7 - (6, 2nd) - Ryan Broyles - 5-10 to 5-11, 185-188, 4.46-4.52

73, 8 - (14, 3-4) - Jermaine Kearse - Washington - 6-1 to 6-2, 205-208, 4.50

85, 9 - (7, 2nd) - * Mohamed Sanu - Rutgers - 6-2, 215, 4.54-4.57

91, 10 - (11, 3-4) - DeVier Posey - Ohio St. - 6-1 to 6-2, 210-213, 5.51-4.54

94, 11 - (29, 6th-FA) - * Tavarres King - Georgia - 6-1, 191-192, 4.48-4.49

115, 12 - (5, 2nd) - Juron Criner - Arizona - 6-4, 210-215, 4.58-4.62

121, 14 - (30, 6th-FA) - * Ruben Randle - LSU - 6-3 to 6-4, 207-208, 4.49-4.57

126, 15 - (9, 2-3) - Dwight Jones - UNC - 6-4, 215-225, 4.53-4.55

139, 16 - (No rating) - Brian Quick - Appalachian St. - 6-4, 216, 4.63

142, 17 - (10, 3-4) -Chris Owusu - Stanford - 6-0 to 6-2, 200-201, 4.46-4.48

161, 19 - (No Rating) - Joe Adams - Arkansas - 5-11, 190, 4.38

191, 22 - (16, 4-6) - Marvin McNutt - Iowa - 6-2 to 6-4, 215, 4.52-4,58

215, 25 - (15, 4-6) - Jarrett Boykin - Virginia Tech - 6-2, 215-218, 4.55-4.64

386, 48 - (19, 4-6) - Damario Belcher - Indiana - 6-3 to 6-5, 214, 4.44-4.60

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