1. Stephone Anthony – 6’3” 243 Ilbs. 4.56 40 time Clemson – 6.2
Stephone was productive in every aspect of the game. His measurables and speed are ideal for the position. Stephone has 10.5 sacks two seasons ago which is remarkable for a MLB. He can play in the 3-4 or the 4-3, his versatility makes him better than Eric Kendricks to me. There are simply few questions about if Anthony will make it in the NFL.
2. Eric Kendricks – 6’0” 230 Ilbs 4.61 40 time UCLA – 5.9
Eric did it all at UCLA. He made plenty of tackles on both sides of the line of scrimmage, made a fair amount of plays in the pass rushing and pass defense area as well. There is no doubt that he is undersized, however he could move to the outside in the NFL. If he adds some weight he might be able to stay in the middle. His size is a concern in terms of holding up at the next level. His 4.61 40 time is impressive for the position. Kendricks played at a high level at UCLA and was a starter since 2011, I see him playing in the NFL the question is how long.
3. Benardrick McKinney – 6’4” 246 Ilbs. 4.66 Mississippi State Junior – 5.85
McKinney has been a major part of the Mississippi State defense since 2012, making plays against the run and in the pass rush every game. There is a possibility of him switching to the outside in the NFL. There are few schemes that he cannot play in. On film he is clearly the best player on his defense and his team looks to him to make the big plays. McKinney should have a great career at the next level.
4. Hayes Pullard – 6’0” 240 Ilbs. 4.78 USC – 5.55
A four year starter at USC, Hayes has been a productive MLB for USC his whole career. His size and speed are below average, however that did not stop him from being a productive player in college. Some of his production could have been from playing on an average team and playing behind Leonard Williams. If put in the right scheme (4-3) Pullard could prove to be an above average starter in the NFL in a few seasons.
5. Denzel Perryman – 5’11” 236 Ilbs. 4.78 40 time Miami Fl – 5.5
The MLBs in this year’s class seems to take a drop after the first three, from four to five is even bigger. A three year started at the former U. Playing on a bad team inflated his stats, especially in the tackle catergory. Denzel will have to overcome his size at the next level. His speed will limit the number of positions he can play in the NFL. I do not see Perryman amounting to much at the next level.
6. Jordan Hicks – 6’1” 235 Ilbs. 4.68 40 time Texas – 5.25
Jordan is one of the better prospects to come out of Texas for a few years now. His production is misleading due to the mediocre team he was on. He has an ideal blend of size and speed for the position. He is a smart player and student. Hicks will serve for good depth and he could be given a chance to start in a few seasons. He needs a few seasons to develop.
7. Taiwan Jones – 6’3” 245 Ilbs. 4.95 40 time – 5.1
A three year starter at Michigan State. Taiwan has great size for the position but below average speed. He plays well in between the tackles. He may only be on the field for the first two downs at the next level. He cannot provide much in terms of pass defense. He did make some sacks in college, however this is not his strong suit. Taiwan looks great on film and he could be getting knocked too much for his speed. Only time will tell if he can turn into anything more than depth.
8. Bryce Hager – 6’1” 235 Ilbs. 4.6 40 time Baylor– 5.0
Bryce was a three year starter at Baylor. He was productive during his career racking up over 400 tackles during his career. Harper played on a competitive team which always boasts well for me for players on defense. Bryce is a little undersized for the position, however he will be taken lower than other undersized MLBs this year. He is a bit one dimensional in mainly racking up tackles. Leader of his defense.
9. Amerlo Herrera – 6’1” 245 Ilbs. 4.83 40 time Georgia – 4.9
A three year starter at Georgia. He has decent size for the position, however he has below average speed. Production during his career racking up plenty of tackles while with the Bulldogs. He reads the plays well which helps him get over his lack of speed. He is one of the less exciting Linebackers to come out of Georgia the past few years. He could provide valuable depth while possibly breaking the starting lineup in a few seasons.
10. Damien Wilson – 6’0” 245 Ilbs. 4.77 40 time Minnesota – 4.75
Small school prospect who only played two seasons for Minnesota, however he did start and was fairly productive during that time. His size and speed are both above average for the position. There is a chance that he can become a starter a few years down the road.
