This draft's defensive talent

[MojoX]

ESPN on this draft's defensive talent:

This year's draft, most personnel chiefs agree, is not especially deep on the defensive side of the ball. In fact, most scouts have trouble predicting which prospect might be the first defensive player to go off the board and just how high the initial defender will be selected. The two names most often mentioned, Antrel Rolle of Miami and Adam "Pacman" Jones of West Virginia, are cornerbacks. A few talent evaluators suggest that Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson, a guy who surprisingly gets some mixed reviews because there are scouts who feel he's a "runaround" player who doesn't take on blocks very well, could be the first defender off the board.

But if you're looking for a player who is on the rise, hybrid defender Shawne Merriman of Maryland is certainly a name to remember. Merriman demonstrated at his Wednesday pro day workout on campus just what an incredible athlete he is. At 6-foot-4 3/8 and 274 pounds (two pounds more than he weighed at the combine), he clocked 40-yard performances that scouts timed in the 4.57-4.65 range. He had a vertical jump of 40 inches and a 10-foot, 1-inch broad jump. "The guy," said one NFC scout, "is an absolute freak. You'd better keep your eye on him because, based on some teams' needs, he could be the first defensive guy [taken]. It really is a possibility." Depending on the team, and how it projects him, Merriman could be a linebacker in either a 4-3 or 3-4 defense. Certainly he fits the new age model of a hybrid edge defender in a 3-4 front. For some 4-3 teams, he could play end, for sure. "That's where we'd have him," said the coordinator for a team that plays a 4-3 as its base defense. "I'd put his hand on the ground and let him rush the quarterback. I think, as he matures, Merriman would be a 12- to 15-sack guy."

So folks, how do you rank the defensive talent and what will each guy improve Texans D?

[beerlover]

• derrick johnson
• antrell rolle
• carlos rogers
• shawne merriman
• thomas davis
• marcus spears
• david pollack
• justin miller
• adam jones
• travis johnson
• demarcus ware
• anttaj hawthorne
• darryl blackstock
• marlin jackson
• justin tuck
• matt roth

could keep going, most would fit in a 3-4 I'm not sure Merriman projects as a OLB to the Texans, would be excellent on the corner as a pass rushing 4-3 DE, but he would be hard to pass on if still available.

[Marcus]

. . . .is not especially deep on the defensive side of the ball.

On the other hand, Tim Ryan (T-Rock) on NFL Radio says that the cornerback position for this draft is the deepest he has seen in the last 10 years. He thinks that at least 15 . . . 15 cornerbacks will taken on the first day of the draft. It is that deep in talent.

[royce1054]

well even though texans wont go Defense in 1st 2 rounds their will be a bunch of Defense of players taking in the 1st round. Pac-man will go Titans.. Rolle to Redskins merriman to cowboys... spears to chargers... davis to Panthers (i think i need to check my mock on davis) but i have 8 DL in 1st round and the 1st one doesnt go til #10

[Mr Shush]

Johnson
Rolle
Jones
Pollack
Rogers
S. Cody (who we could probably trade down for)

[F-minus67]

-Merriman
-Johnson
-Spears
-Rolle
-S.Cody
-Jones
-D.Cody

[cadahnic]

1. DJ
2.Antrell Rolle
3. Merrimen
4.Spears
5.S. Cody
6. Carlos rogers
7. Thomas Davis
8. D. Cody
9. D. Ware
10. Pollack
11. Adam Jones
12. Justin Miller
13. Erasmus James
14. Travis Johnson
15. Daryl Blackstock