It’s never too early for draft speculation: Columnist predicts the top 10 selections in the 2007 NFL Draft

By Drew Paunil
Collegian Reporter
January 24, 2007

The college football season has just ended, and the NFL combine is still weeks away, but it is never too early to start talking about the draft. This year’s class is not as promising as last year’s, but it should still rank as one of the top classes in the last 10 years. Here is my list of the top 10 players in the draft.

10) Amobi Okoye. Okoye is only 20 years old, and his upside is out of this world. He played at Louisville as a 16-year-old freshman and has been very productive throughout his career. Okoye is small for a defensive tackle (310 pounds) and has not produced a lot of sacks, but he has good quickness and stuffs the run well.

9) Brady Quinn. The Notre Dame QB has great physical tools, and playing under Charlie Weis will certainly help him, but his lack of productivity against top teams prevents me from thinking that he will be a big time player in the NFL.

8) Marshawn Lynch. Lynch is a big play waiting to happen. He has decided to forego his senior season after a great career at California. He would have been the top running back selected if Adrian Peterson had not declared at the last minute. Lynch is a big time receiver out of the backfield, averaging almost 10 yards per catch.

7) Jamaal Anderson. This speedy defensive end had 13.5 sacks this past season for Arkansas. Anderson is one of the fastest-rising prospects in the draft, and his versatility is what scouts like the most. He could play defensive end in a 4-3 system or outside linebacker in a 3-4.

6) LaRon Landry. The ball-hawking safety led LSU’s stingy defense this year. Landry can lay the big hit as well as cover speedy receivers. He has ideal size and seems to always be around the ball making big plays. He is very versatile, having played both safety and corner at LSU.

5) Dwayne Jarrett. Some might be scared off because of Jarrett’s comparison to Mike Williams, but no one can deny his productivity, especially in big games. His 40 time at the combine will be a big factor in determining his draft position, but he has shown enough speed to separate from the best corners in college. He has great size and catches the ball in traffic as well as anyone. He also seemed to make every big catch for USC.

4) Alan Branch. At 331 pounds, Branch is huge but has great quickness and demands a double team. He is in the Vince Wilfolk physical mold, but with better pass rushing ability. He would be a nice fit in the middle of a 3-4 defense as a run stuffer that could also get after the quarterback.

3) Joe Thomas. Thomas is as close to perfect as an offensive line prospect gets. He gave up only one sack in his four-year career at Wisconsin. He led the way for the Badgers, who had one of the top rushing attacks over the past couple of years. Thomas is very athletic for being 6 feet, 8 inches and will be one of the top left tackles in the league for years to come.

2) Adrian Peterson. He decided to come out at the last minute, but most had expected him to declare early all season long. In his freshman year, he finished second in the Heisman trophy balloting, rushing for over 2,000 yards. He has been hurt the last two years, and some think he is an injury problem waiting to happen. I see him as another Steven Jackson with a little more speed and elusiveness.

1) Calvin Johnson. Johnson is clearly the best prospect at wide receiver in the last decade. He is a Randy Moss clone without the on- and off-field problems. He has everything scouts look for in a receiver: great size, speed and hands. Johnson was double- and triple-teamed his whole career and still had great production. He catches a jump ball as well as anyone in the NFL right now and is as “can’t miss” as a prospect gets.

Overrated: JaMarcus Russell. He has ideal size and a great arm, but his 332-yard performance against Notre Dame was a career high, and he also did not play particularly well against Florida or Auburn. He had arguably the best receiving corps in college football and only threw for 215 yards a game. Russell got a lot of hype after torching the Irish in the Sugar Bowl, but Notre Dame struggled against every good quarterback they faced this year.

Underrated: Troy Smith. After Smith’s terrible game against Florida, most think he will fall into the second day of the draft. But he is an excellent leader, winning 20 of his last 21 starts. He lacks the ideal height, being slightly under 6 feet, but he has good mobility and a great arm. He had some off-the-field problems early in his career, but his attitude is no longer in question.

paunild1@lasalle.edu