Round 4, pick 2 (99th pick overall) – K.J. Wright, OLB, Mississippi State. 6-foot-3, 246 pounds.

A hybrid defender who can play outside linebacker in a 4-3 defense and rush the passer in certain 3-4 looks, Wright passed up Auburn, Arkansas, Ole Miss and South Carolina to stay in-state. Excelling as a pure tackler, Wright finished his collegiate career with 259 tackles (131 solo), 23.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, 14 passes defensed, three forced fumbles, and 11 quarterback hurries. Ran a 4.75 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, which may have dropped his stock a bit. But he is a versatile player who switched between strong-side and weak-side linebacker positions. Think of him as a Dexter Davis-style depth pick with rotation potential. Played in each of the possible 47 games in which he could have participated and started 35.

Round 4, pick 10 (107th pick overall) – Kris Durham, WR, Georgia. 6-foot-5, 216 pounds.

First player selected in the 2011 draft not invited to the scouting combine. Tall, fast receiver with possession ability who fell under the radar in an iffy Georgia passing attack. Will make the catch in traffic – he’s fearless for his size. Not a burner downfield, but will pick up catches in a slot or multi-receiver role. Somewhat similar to Brian Finneran or Drew Bennett.

Round 5, pick 23 (154th overall) – Richard Sherman, CB, Stanford. 6-foot-3, 195 pounds.

Former receiver who is still learning the subtleties of the position; switched positions before the 2009 season. Good speed and quickness in space; can transition from short to long. Mire a pure athlete than football player at his current position , but could really pay off over time.

Round 5, pick 25 (156th overall) – Mark LeGree, FS, Appalachian State. 6-foot-0, 210 pounds.

Not a headline-maker, but there is a pretty big buzz among those in the know about this player. One of the most productive pass-defenders in FCS history, LeGree managed to make plays even as opposing quarterbacks were desperate to throw anywhere he wasn’t.

Round 6, pick 8 (173rd overall) – Byron Maxwell, CB, Clemson. 6-foot-0, 207 pounds

An underrated player in some circles just based on his athleticism, Maxwell played a lot of backup for Clemson before finally nailing down a starting spot in 2010. Good speed for the position (ran a 4.43 at the scouting combine), and will play the run aggressively. Can go up for jump balls. Where he needs work is in getting up to speed off the snap against faster receivers in man press coverage. Probably a special-teamer to start.

Round 7, pick 2 (205th overall) – Lazarius Levingston, DE, LSU. 6-foot-4, 292 pounds

A two-year starter for LSU, Levingston played end and tackle, picking up where Tyson Jackson left off and starting 22 total games in 2009 and 2010. Not a big sack artist, but put up 15.5 tackles for loss and seven quarterback hits in his collegiate career. Has a straight-ahead pass-rush move, but little else in the way of hand movement. He’s speedy in short spaces, though, and may project well as a backup five-tech in a rotation.

Round 7, pick 41 (242nd overall) — Malcolm Smith, OLB, USC. 6-foot-0, 226 pounds.

Special teams standout and weakside linebacker prospect – Smith will likely have to bulk up a bit to project at linebacker in the NFL, but he could make his bones as a gunner on returns and provide a creative option as a box safety in the nickel – he’s pretty good in coverage.

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1 Comment

  1. william bryan on

    did you rreally have to throw in the finneran and bennet comparisons for the durham pick? really? There’s not one black player that he can compare to?