40 Players To Look Out For in the 2009 NFL Draft
By Staff
The NFL may not start for a week, but college football is starting tomorrow. I know I will be watching the Ball State Cardinals take on Northeast or whatever weak team they are playing. However, it would be smart for you Colts fans to look out for these prospects. It is sort of in order by want, but it is also partially random at the end. These players are being projected from top 10 picks to undrafted.
1. Jeff Owens/DT/Georgia: Owens is my favorite prospect for 2009. He is built for the Tampa 2, and he is projected to go in the late first round.
2. Sen’Derrick Marks/DT/Auburn: Marks has been a favorite for the Colts pick for draft “experts”. Let’s see if he can be as good as people are saying.
3. Tyrone McKenzie/OLB/South Florida: McKenzie is fast. He reminds me of Philip Wheeler, a recently drafted linebacker.
4. Xavier Fulton/OT/Illinois: Fulton is perfect for a zone blocking system, and he can play multiple positions on the line.
5. Patrick Chung/S/Oregon: Chung is a hard hitting safety and has decent size (6-0).
6. Victor Harris/CB/Virginia Tech: Harris is a lot like Dante Hughes, as he is not very fast but perfect for a Cover 2 style D. He also can bring some special teams knowledge to the team.
7. Marcus Freeman/OLB/Ohio State: Freeman, like McKenzie, is small and has speed.
8. Dannell Ellerbe/MLB/Georgia: A good run stopper for his small stature.
9. Brian Orakpo/DE/Texas: Orakpo is big but can also stop the run. That’s something that’s been lacking from this team for a while now.
10. Hunter Cantwell/QB/Louisville: Cantwell better play well, or else his name will become the perfect pun for sports writers across the country. “Hunter Cant[Pass]Well.
11. Vance Walker/DT/Georgia Tech: Walker is an undersized Georgia Tech player who can rush the passer. Keep that in mind.
12. Aaron Curry/OLB/Wake Forest: Curry is undersized and fast, but he is a 4-3 player, not a 3-4.
13. James Davis/RB/Clemson: If we don’t resign Rhodes, Davis would be a nice replacement.
14. Brian Robiskie/WR/Ohio State: We could be looking at a Buckeye WR corps in the near future with Robiskie, Hall, and Gonzalez.
15. George Hypolite/DT/Colorado: Big sleeper here. Hypolite was created for the Tampa 2.
16. Alex Boone/OT/Ohio State: Big tackle could become a true tackle, which the Colts do not have in Dan Federkeil.
17. Travis Beckum/TE/Wisconsin: Beckum is a prototypical H-back.
18. Peria Jerry/DT/Ole Miss: Like Hypolite, Jerry would come into a perfect situation with the Colts.
19. Zach Follett/OLB/California: Undersized and speedy. A Colts linebacker for sure.
20. Maurice Crum/OLB/Notre Dame: Homer alert right here.
21. Todd Boeckman/QB/Ohio State: If we are drafting someone for Peyton to groom, we need a leader like Boeckman.
22. Jason Smith/OT/Baylor: Smith is a lot like Ryan Diem in his versatility.
23. Daniel Holtzclaw/MLB/Eastern Michigan: Holtzclaw is one of my favorite players for a 4th or 5th round pick.
24. Anthony Heygood/DE/Purdue: Converted rush linebacker in Heywood.
25. CJ Spillman/S/Marshall: An Antoine Bethea like safety.
26. Bruce Johnson/CB/Miami (Fla.): Another Cover 2 corner who could contribute on special teams.
27. Javarris James/RB/Miami (Fla.): Cousin of former Colt Edgerrin James.
28. Darryl Richard/DT/Georgia Tech: See Vance Walker.
29. Solomon Elimimian/OLB/Hawaii: Perfect for the 4-3 in build and speed.
30. Adam Ulatoski/OT/Texas: This junior would fit in perfectly with the Colts’ style of moving linemen around.
31. Michael Johnson/DE/Georgia Tech: Johnson could be a top 5 pick, but in case his stock drops, he would be worth a first round pick.
32. Terrill Byrd/DT/Cincinnati: Pitcock isn’t coming back, but Byrd would make us forget about him.
33. Jake Visser/DT/Ferris State: Small school, big talent.
34. Jason Chapman/DT/Wisconsin: His description on Walter Football mentions the Cover 2 as a good system for him.
35. Greg Trent/MLB/Washington State: Trent and Maynor are both perfect Colts linebackers.
36. Pat Maynor/MLB/Stanford: Maynor and Trent are both perfect Colts linebackers.
37. John Parker Wilson/QB/Alabama: Another good leader at QB.
38. Jared Brock/OLB/West Texas A&M: Perfect Tampa 2 linebacker. He would be a nice UDFA or 7th round pick.
39. Rashad Bobino/OLB/Texas: Bobino isn’t as big of a sleeper as Brock, but he may be a better athlete.
40. Darren Banks/CB/West Liberty State: As long as Liberty State isn’t in Liberty City, I like Banks as a major sleeper in this draft.
I will update this with some players that impressed me in college and update these watch-list players.