With the 2011 NFL draft just a week away I thought I would put pen to paper and mention a few players I feel owners, General managers, scouts and coaches should be careful of letting pass bye during the draft. To make it a little more interesting all the players I will mention are ranked lower than fifth at their position by most top football [...]

The safety position seems to become more important every year, but it still ranks behind cornerback when it comes to the draft. In order to be a top safety, one needs to be a good tackler, as many teams now play eight defenders in the box against the run. You have to be a good blitzer and be able to cover big, fast tight ends. [...]

Defensive backs become more important every year because of the proliferation of the passing game. In 2008, 32 teams passed 16,350 times and ran 14,207 times. In 2009, they passed 17,033 times and ran 14,088 times (56.5 percent). In 1997 there were no 4,000-yard passers. In 2008, there were six. In 2009, 10 quarterbacks passed for over 4,000 yards. The feeling around the NFL is [...]

The Monday following the draft two seasons ago I spoke with great NFL analyst Gil Brandt and the first thing I asked him was why two of my favourite players Rey Maualuga and James Laurinitis had fallen into the second round of the draft. With their talent level I was shocked. Gil said that Laurinitis’ dad ( Animal from WWE fame ) had phoned him [...]

To be a good defensive tackle you need great quickness (Chicago’s Tommie Harris ), functional football strength (Baltimore’s Haloti Ngata ), instincts (Dallas’ Jay Ratliff), the ability to use one’s hands to shed blockers and the athletic ability to drop into coverage on zone blitzes. To be effective, defensive tackles need to have great stamina and be able to rush the passer late in the game, especially [...]

To win games, and ultimately championships, teams must be able to stop the run and pressure the passer, which is why defensive line talent is so important. Much like the 2010 draft class offered defensive line depth, the list of front four prospects for 2011 is also deep. The trickledown effect of a solid defensive line can be immense, including helping defensive backs in coverage. [...]

Offensive linemen keep getting bigger, faster and stronger and last April’s draft was no exception. Of the 51 offensive linemen at the 2010 NFL Combine, none weighed less than 300 pounds and none measured under 6-foot-2. For years, everyone heard or read about how important it is to have an outstanding offensive line. To be successful and to have that, you need above average tackles. [...]

Speed is important at the wide receiver position, but the ability to run routes (Steve Largent and Wes Welker for example), have a burst (Jerry Rice) and catch the quick slant for a first down to keep a drive alive (Michael Irvin and Cris Carter) are all important as well. Speed is an important trait for success because it makes it possible to stretch the field. It’s not [...]

Tight ends will line up outside to try and create matchup problems in pass coverage. They will also line up in the backfield and force coverage by linebackers or to help block blitzers.

The running back position has changed a great deal over the past 10 years. Most teams use two and some even three to share carries. Carolina had two backs — DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart — gain over 1,100 rushing yards in 2009. Since 1998, 41 running backs have been selected in the first year of the NFL draft. Running back may be the easiest [...]