Thread: Ranking the DE Class

Originally Posted by WindyCity

Of Mayocks Top 5 DEs what are people's reaction to them,

1. Melvin Ingram, South Carolina

Really wonder if he can play in the 4-3, he has the James Harrison body and I worry about him dealing with giant long armed tackles.

Won't be available.

2. Quinton Coples, North Carolina

The best 4-3 defensive end in the draft and the total package, but not elite speed.

Won't be available.

3. Andre Branch, Clemson

He looks the part and has been climbing the rankings, but there is something about tall, long Clemson DEs that do not work out that often.

Don't know how I feel about him.

4. Whitney Mercilus, Illinois

Athletic and raw could be a monster and could be a bust.

I do not know how I feel about him and the Bears although Marinelli gives me more hope.

T-5. Vinny Curry, Marshall

I really like Curry, he doesn't appear to be the athlete that Mercilus is but he is a high effort player with some developed pass rush moves.

Like him in the 2nd.

T-5. Nick Perry, USC

The athletic ability and burst is super impressive and he has moments where his hand use is very good.

I like him for the Bears if he is 260lbs and still has the burst.

Imgram is quite a bit bigger @ 6'2" 276 lbs than Harrison 6' 242lbs. Harrison is Briggs size where as Ingram is more of scaled down Stephen Paea.

Originally Posted by WindyCity

Malik Jackson [Tennessee] 6'5" 275lbs.

Played out of position for the Vols at DT, but has a lot of the tools the Bears look for in a DE and could be a real option in the 3rd round.

I haven't kept up with the Vols as much the past two or three years because they've been so bad, but I do know that he has basically been the only solid player the past two seasons on this defense. Derek Dooley hasn't recruited well since being hired as Tennessee's coach in 2010, and his players haven't developed well in the program due to the rash turnover in coaches in recent years from the firing of Phillip Fulmer, to the controversial departure of Lane Kiffin and him taking with him to USC most of the players recruited to play at Tennessee, and to this offseason where most of Dooley's staff have resigned due to fears that he won't be back for a four season after two losing seasons. I don't know a lot about Malik Jackson to tell you much, but I do know that he's practically the only draftable player to come out of Tennessee in the past three years. The fact that he play defensive tackle at 275 lbs in the SEC really tells you about the lack of depth UT has.