Potential Nose Tackles in the upcoming draft?

[Carr Bombed]

I don't follow college football religiously and I'm not a huge mock draft nut, so I don't know alot about what prospects are coming out this year. However since we're all going to be forced to hop aboard the terd train of failure for another season and we're bringing in Wade Phillips who prefers a 3-4 defense, does anybody know anything about the NTs coming out this season and where they're projected to go in the draft?

[CloakNNNdagger]

This LINK, even though it's from Bleacher Report, is a pretty decent look at available 2011 Draft Defensive Linemen.

[steelbtexan]

NT types

1.Steven Paea
2.Sione Fua
3.Kendrick Ellis
4.Jerrell Powe
5.Phil Taylor
6.Marvin Austin

[CloakNNNdagger]

Kenrick Ellis (Hampton) is considered a "sleeper." He is a mountain, and impossible to move off the line of scrimmage. With so many teams running variations of a 3-4 and needing a nose tackle to run it properly, Ellis is going to be a hot commodity in April. At 6'5 340lbs, he has a tremendous frame and is an immovable object in the middle of the defensive line. He originally began his career at South Carolina, but was dismissed for a violation of team rules but has been a standout at Hampton since arriving on campus. He already has 52 tackles, ten for loss this season in just five games. Ellis is going to have to answer questions about his dismissal from South Carolina, but if he can convince teams he has matured, he could be taken very highly. Players with his size, strength, and ability to control the line of scrimmage are rare.
link

[rmartin65]

Originally Posted by steelbtexan

NT types

1.Steven Paea
2.Sione Fua
3.Kendrick Ellis
4.Jerrell Powe
5.Phil Taylor
6.Marvin Austin

This looks like a pretty good list. I would put Ellis ahead of Fua, even though there is no way the Texans will draft him.

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

Kenrick Ellis (Hampton) is considered a "sleeper." He is a mountain, and impossible to move off the line of scrimmage. With so many teams running variations of a 3-4 and needing a nose tackle to run it properly, Ellis is going to be a hot commodity in April. At 6'5 340lbs, he has a tremendous frame and is an immovable object in the middle of the defensive line. He originally began his career at South Carolina, but was dismissed for a violation of team rules but has been a standout at Hampton since arriving on campus. He already has 52 tackles, ten for loss this season in just five games. Ellis is going to have to answer questions about his dismissal from South Carolina, but if he can convince teams he has matured, he could be taken very highly. Players with his size, strength, and ability to control the line of scrimmage are rare.
link

I like Ellis, but there is no way the Texans draft him with the current staff. He ended up with over 90 tackles this year, an incredible number for a DT.

[steelbtexan]

Originally Posted by rmartin65

This looks like a pretty good list. I would put Ellis ahead of Fua, even though there is no way the Texans will draft him.

Ellis looks like a good prospect. I've only read about him and haven't seen him play. (Small School, you're the guru on that and I'm looking forward to seeing your rankings) I've seen all of the other guys play. Including Taylor yesterday at the Texas Bowl. Another guy that impressed me yesterday was Corey Liguette. (sp?) Illinois DT's controlled the LOS and were a big part of shutting Baylor's high powered offense down.




I like Ellis, but there is no way the Texans draft him with the current staff. He ended up with over 90 tackles this year, an incredible number for a DT.

Hopefully a new regime comes in and this will change. The lighter shoot the gaps DT system is probably the greatest failing of the Smithiak regime. Well one of many failing. If Ellis character checks out what rd do you see him getting picked? Thanks for the link C-N-D.

[Mr teX]

Originally Posted by steelbtexan

NT types

1.Steven Paea
2.Sione Fua
3.Kendrick Ellis
4.Jerrell Powe
5.Phil Taylor
6.Marvin Austin

[97roc]

Originally Posted by steelbtexan

NT types

1.Steven Paea
2.Sione Fua
3.Kendrick Ellis
4.Jerrell Powe
5.Phil Taylor
6.Marvin Austin

What about the kid from Alabama, Marcell Dareus? Not sure if he will declare but if he came out early I'm sure he would be near the top.

[97roc]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

Kenrick Ellis (Hampton) is considered a "sleeper." He is a mountain, and impossible to move off the line of scrimmage. With so many teams running variations of a 3-4 and needing a nose tackle to run it properly, Ellis is going to be a hot commodity in April. At 6'5 340lbs, he has a tremendous frame and is an immovable object in the middle of the defensive line. He originally began his career at South Carolina, but was dismissed for a violation of team rules but has been a standout at Hampton since arriving on campus. He already has 52 tackles, ten for loss this season in just five games. Ellis is going to have to answer questions about his dismissal from South Carolina, but if he can convince teams he has matured, he could be taken very highly. Players with his size, strength, and ability to control the line of scrimmage are rare.
link

I guess the real question regarding these prospects is.... 'who is the most NFL ready'?

[JB]

Originally Posted by 97roc

What about the kid from Alabama, Marcell Dareus? Not sure if he will declare but if he came out early I'm sure he would be near the top.

I think he is more of a 3 tech. guy

[steelbtexan]

Originally Posted by JB

I think he is more of a 3 tech. guy

Yep

His best position is as a 3-4 DE. IMHO

[rmartin65]

Originally Posted by steelbtexan

Hopefully a new regime comes in and this will change. The lighter shoot the gaps DT system is probably the greatest failing of the Smithiak regime. Well one of many failing. If Ellis character checks out what rd do you see him getting picked? Thanks for the link C-N-D.

You are too kind. My small school rankings will be posted in early April.

Ellis has first round talent. You just dont see guys with his girth move as well as he does. Due to his small school status (caused by breaking team rules while at S. Carolina), and the relatively strong DT class, I see Ellis going in the second.

Bear in mind (not just you, but everyone) that rankings will change a bunch in the coming months. Prospects will rise and fall, and until the combine and pro days, it is impossible to get a great reading on what is going to happen.

[YoungTexanFan]

Ellis is an interesting prospect, and one I'm not too familiar with other than some opinions. I'll be interested to see how his pre-draft goes.

I was a BIG Marvin Austin fan coming out of HS. He just never could put it together on the field. I thought the kid was just going to be lights out. He was good, don't get me wrong, and he still has the physical tools of a first rounder, but it just never clicked on the field. Then there is the whole issue of his dismissal and that giant red-flag. I wouldn't touch this kid anymore. He just doesn't seem to have "it" like a DT needs. He's got more natural talent than anyone on our DL aside from Mario, but he's got Travis Johnson written all over him.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by 97roc

What about the kid from Alabama, Marcell Dareus? Not sure if he will declare but if he came out early I'm sure he would be near the top.

Dareus seems to me to be more of a 3-4 DE then a NT.