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Good prospects for the 3-4

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Handel

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One of the very knowledgeable guy participating in the NFLDC forums brang up a list of possible prospects for the 3-4. Interesting

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/forum/showpost.php?p=845051&postcount=3

Some rough top 10's (meaning I am doing this on the fly). Comments on how they are ordered are given, as some are different, but this is largely a personal preference list with rough round guesses.

NT is always the hardest one to figure:

I'd go, as of now, with this top 10 consideirng all potential options (ordered by who I think would be best at NT, not overall value)

1. Ahtyba Rubin, Iowa State - 2nd round (top pure NT prospect for the 3-4)
2. Dre Moore, Maryland - 2nd round (could go higher overall than Rubin)
3. Maurice Murray - 5th round (somewhat like Dre Moore in that better off as a 3-4 end, but could be used on the nose probably)
4. Glenn Dorsey, LSU - Top 5 (can he do it ... yes. is that ideal? no.)
5. Red Bryant, Texas A&M - 5th round (see Frank Okam)
6. Frank Okam, Texas - 4th round (with effort, he could be the best ... that's a big if)
7. Sedrick Ellis, USC - top 10 (see Glenn Dorsey ... actually, perhaps should be higher than Okam/Bryant since those two are such huge unknowns)
8. Josh Thompson, Auburn - 6th round (not really a starting caliber type)
9. Frank Morton - 7th - UDFA (think Antwon Burton from a couple years back ... will need time and patience)
10. Corey Clark, Jackson State - UDFA (not real sure if he can succeed in the 3-4 on the nose ... was thinking Clebert here as well, but I just dunno if I like him that much as a 3-4 NT, ideal as a 4-3 NT)

everythng after the top 2, IMO, is up in the air and if I did this a different morning, I might order it differently, and in all honesty, Dre Moore is better off as a 3-4 end, but he could be a Jason Ferguson type NT, IMO. Okam/Bryant could arguably be the best options if they developed all facets of their game and consistency.

3-4 DE - good options for it this year, thus very debatable on ordering, order here is a combination of fit/value

1. Kentwan Balmer, UNC - first round-early 2nd (I want to say Jarvis Green or Ty Warren ... obviously Ty Warren would be better)
2. Dre Moore, Maryland - 2nd round (versatile and can play anywhere, but 3-4 DE might be his best spot within the 3-4)
3. Glenn Dorsey, LSU - top 5 (let's get this out of the way ... he could do it ... and perhaps do it well ... just not sold it's ideal)
4. Chris Long, Virginia - top 5 (undersized, but if there's a guy who can succeed while undersized for the position, it's the technically sound Chris Long - for a 3-4 DE comp, I'd say Phil Hansen)
5. Kendall Langford, Hampton - 4th round (think of the guy Dallas drafted a couple years back, um, Jason Hatcher? in that he has the tools, but will need some development)
6. Maurice Murray, New Mexico State - 5th round (Underrated DL talent who has played in a 30 front and could be a solid, but probably not spectacular, 3-4 end)
7. Marcus Harrison, Arkansas - 4th round (let's see how the character issues play out)
8. Phillip Merling, Clemson - first/2nd round (I wonder if I have him too low)
9. Brian Johnston, Gardner-Webb - 5th/6th round (just a hunch as I haven't given him much thought until now)
10. Calais Campbell, Miami - first/2nd round (could he do it? Probably. Ideal? No)

3-4 OLB (tons of options)

1. Derrick Harvey, Florida - top 15 (think Demarcus Ware)
2. Vernon Gholston, the Ohio State - top 15 (think Shawne Merriman)
3. Chris Long, Virginia - top 5 (I'll be curious at what his weight and numbers are)
4. Ezra Butler, Nevada - 2nd-3rd round (think Adalius Thomas ...)
5. Chris Ellis, Virginia Tech - 2nd round (some character things to check out, although should be fine, could move into the first with strong workouts, but probably better as a 4-3 end)
6. Quentin Groves, Auburn - 2nd round (raw athleticism may be quite tempting)
7. Cliff Avril, Purdue -3rd/4th round (think another former Purdue guy in Rosevelt Colvin, will need time)
8. Shawn Crable, Michigan - 3rd round (raw tools may make him better suited than Lamarr Woodley, who's been solid)
9. Titus Brown, Mississippi State - 4th/5th round (feel like he's getting overlooked a bit)
10. Bruce Davis, UCLA - 4th round (probably more a specialist)

3-4 ILB

1. Ezra Butler, Nevada - 2nd-3rd round (probably not the expected name at the top, but he can succeed here ... see Adalius Thomas as well, who's been used on the inside this year)
2. Jerod Mayo, Tennessee - 1st/2nd round (what is there to not like ... outside of size)
3. Ben Moffitt, South Florida - 5th round (am i crazy ... i think i'd love him as a 3-4 ILB)
4. Curtis Lofton, Oklahoma - 1st/2nd round (something bugging me about him as a 3-4 ILB)
5. Jonathan Goff, Vanderbilt - 5th round (um ... really no comment but felt like putting something here, should be fine as a 3-4 ILB)
6. Steve Allen, West Texas A&M - 7th round (perhaps a bit of a reach, but i like the little i've seen)
7. Beau Bell, UNLV - 2nd round (can he be physical enough)
8. Erin Henderson, Maryland - 2nd round (see Beau Bell)
9. Dan Connor, Penn State - 2nd round (with a stout DL, I think it could work)
10. Jermaine Dias, Virgnia - UDFA (okay, really couldn't come up with a name I liked here ... if healthy, he can ... but there really should be a better name, just got stuck)
 
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