1. Andrew Luck – At 6’4” and 235 pounds the quarterback out of Stanford has the size to play in the NFL. Luck was almost solidified as the 2012 1st overall pick when he decided to return for his senior year after finishing 2nd in Heisman voting behind Mark Ingram. Once again Luck fell short and was again voted 2nd in Heisman voting, this time behind Robert Griffin III. Luck has been compared to Peyton Manning and John Elway by many scouts but he is overrated. The numbers behind his career are great and he runs the offense well but he does have some NFL-caliber flaws. The problem is his receivers always seem to be more open than he should expect at the next level. While this is not his fault at all it seems Luck has not been forced to pin point the ball and put more power into a covered receiver like he will be forced to in the NFL. Luck seems to take the easier and softer throws, while this is smart he will not be able to do that as much at the next level. Luck will need to prove he has the power and accuracy to force some throws once he gets drafted. Instead of the ridiculous comparisons to Manning and Elway write it down, Andrew Luck is comparable to Matt Hasselbeck.
2. Matt Kalil – The Junior out of USC stands in at 6’7” and 295 pounds. Kalil is one of the most dominant offensive linemen to come out of the draft in years. With fast hands, solid run blocking, great pass blocking and quick feet Kalil is the complete package. Add his talent to his ruthless aggression and attitude and you have a player no defensive lineman would want to face. The only problem with Kalil is his muscle build, which should come easy once he is working out with fellow NFL players. It’s easy to see a long, excellent career coming for Kalil and little reason to believe otherwise. I see a reasonable comparison to Orlando Pace here.
3. Trent Richardson – The 5’11” running back out of Alabama weighs in at 224 pounds, a respectable size to play the position. Richardson isn’t the fastest running back in the draft but he has enough speed to take advantage of opening gaps and has the ability to make quick cuts. Besides having one of the best vision sites at his position Richardson is almost undoubtedly the most powerful back in the draft. Not only a good runner but Richardson is also an excellent pass catcher and can be a huge factor coming out of the backfield and catching passes. The weakest part of his game is his blocking; he has the strength and intensity to block any blitzing lineman but often seems to miss his assignments on blocking plays. With proper coaching Richardson should be able to lock on better to his targets and be one of the better blocking backs in the league. With no injury problems and the toughness to carry the ball 30+ carries per game Richardson should be a dynamic running back in the NFL. He has the strength comparable to Michael Turner and about the same speed as Turner did when he got drafted, so I’ll make the Turner comparison here.
4. Morris Claiborne – The 6’ 185 pound Junior out of LSU is easily the best cornerback in the draft. Claiborne seems to be one of the lesser talked about corners from LSU over the last few years but can match up evenly with all the others, including Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu. Clocked in at as fast as 4.36 second in the 40-yard dash there’s no questioning Claiborne has the speed needed in the NFL. Claiborne is more of a zone coverage corner due to his lack of aggression. When facing bigger receivers he never gets the good jam he needs. Other than the lack of aggression Claiborne also isn’t very good at defending the run. While these are two major factors Claiborne has some of the best hands, awareness and zone coverage in the nation. A major factor in special teams has been showed through his elusiveness to make big plays on kick returns. He will need to bulk up a bit and be more aggressive to be great at the next level. With similar body structures, strengths and weaknesses he is very comparable to Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
5. Justin Blackmon – Blackmon isn’t the biggest receiver in the draft at 6’1” and 211 pounds, but he surely isn’t the smallest either. Blackmon is the type of receiver that can, and will, make the big play when the ball is released. With excellent speed and jumping abilities Blackmon is a huge playmaker. Good body language while running routes leads him to cause a lot of open routes for easy pass plays. The main concern about Blackmon is his ability to make the plays after the catch and to break tackles. With more aggression and determination after the catch Blackmon has the size to dominate smaller defenders trying to tackle him. Comparison here would be to Hakeem Nicks.
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