NFL DRAFT NEWS

Draft series: Breaking down the 2013 DE class

The Sports Xchange

April 02, 2013 at 12:21 pm.

Former FSU star Bjoern Werner (95) is one of the top pass rushers in this year's draft. (Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports)

For 45 years Bruce Kebric scouted college players for pro football teams, including the last 31 years as national scout with the Oakland Raiders.

When the Raiders changed regimes last year, including their scouting department, Kebric did what came natural. He kept scouting players at games and on films from his Arizona home.

This year Kebric is advising select NFL executives on prospects and is putting the NFL Scout into NFLDraftScout.com as a consultant. Kebric, who began scouting in 1968 with the San Diego Chargers great Sid Gillman, spent thousands of hours watching games and tapes this last year to develop in-depth reports on more than 300 players.

“I did exactly what I did every other year,” said Kebric. “It’s what I know. It’s what I do.”

Kebric shared his insightful reports with NFLDraftscout.com for a series that begins with this rundown of the 2013 draft’s very talented defensive ends. He will also give a close-up look at the prospects at linebacker, defensive back and all offensive units one at a time as the series continues.

“Not sure everybody will understand it,” said Kebric. “It’s the way we describe things in football. It is detailed, but simple, really. It’s a truthful look at what needs to be known about player.”

Unlike most of the media-and-fan-oriented language most often used by NFLDraftScout.com and others covering the draft, Kebric’s descriptions use the language of scouts, an industry lingo that has blunt, to-the-point, candor as well as football geek speak.

Height is measured to the eighth of an inch with a simple four digit system: 6043 = six feet (first digit), four inches (middle two digits)and 3/8ths of an inch (last digit reflects eights of an inch).

Body type is described in a crude, straight-forward manner, with words such as “flabby body” and “good butt” or “bubble,” the last two describing the muscularity of a player’s buttocks.

The grades listed for each prospect use the following scale as a key: 1-2.5 equates to a first- or second-round projection; 2.6-3.5 equates to a second- or third-round grade; 3.6-4.5 = 3rd-4th; 4.6-5.5 = 4th-5th; 5.6-6.5 = 5-6; 6.6-7.5 = 7th-free agent.

With that warning in mind, here is a closer look at the top defensive ends in a class that Kebric calls “one of the most talented” he has seen. (Players listed in order of NFLDraftscout.com ratings):

1. #95 BJOERN WERNER, Florida State, DE (6032-266-4.83).

Body: Adequate frame; not big person. Adequate upper body, arms. Adequate butt (wide), good thighs, adequate calves. ARM: 33 1/4; HAND: 9 5/8.

Left Defensive End (two-year starter). Explosive pass rusher with good athletic ability, speed, quickness, mobility, range; adequate movement (some hip tightness). Good body control/balance; adequate feet/hips; adequate lateral movement, change direction.

RUN: Adequate pad level, leverage, strength, hand use, feet run contact. Needs quicker block shed. Good close down, tackle.

PASS: Explosive takeoff, speed up field, burst to QB. Has quick inside move as well as some pass rush juke. Adequate technique, work on move. Needs to fight pressure better at corner and gets pushed by frequently. Good get hands up at line of scrimmage. Adequate zone drops, space movement. Best on the edge; more a straight line rusher who disappears at times, particularly vs. the run. Has some hip tightness and must gather some to change direction.

SPECIAL TEAMS: FG/PAT BLOCK: Left End.

Second Round: Explosive pass rusher who is average vs. the run.

GRADE: 3.0.

Berlin, Germany. Exchange student at Salisbury CT (Salsibury School/TE-DE; two years high school football). Florida State (2010). Married; good student. Birthdate: August 30, 1990.

2. #96 DION JORDAN, Oregon, DE,(6062-248-4.60).

Body: Tall, well-proportioned; looks like linebacker physically. Good upper body, arms (muscular). Small waist. Adequate butt, calves; good thighs. ARM: 33 7/8; HAND: 10.

Strong Defensive End (two-year starter); two and three point stances. Active, alert player with good athletic ability, speed, quickness, movement, range. Runs easy, nice stride; good space movement. Breaks down well, good body control/balance, feet/hips, lateral movement/change direction.

RUN: Generally lines up on edge; good pad level, arm extension, leverage; adequate strength, hand use, block shed. Low block conscious, good backside close. Adequate tackler. Good bend, leverage, shed over tight end.

PASS: Explosive edge rusher (two and three point). Good takeoff, up field, nice stride (covers ground), speed to run around tackle, can work on move, good flatten and burst to QB. Also displays grab/ rip and dip/flip moves. Walks to slot at times, good zone drops along with good cover feel, cover ability, break on ball, hands (former tight end), close ability. Needs to develop an inside pass rush move.

First Round: Talented player with ability to rush the passer and play in space; think best as outside linebacker in three-man front.

GRADE: 2.0

INJURY: October 27, 2012-Right Shoulder Sprain (Colorado); reinjured November 3, 2012 (USC); out one game (Cal 11-10-2012) October 7, 2007-Severely burned in gasoline explosion while siphoning gas from one household car to another; vacuum cleaner device cause a flash fire. Received second and third degree burns on 40% of body (arms, hands, fingers, shoulders, lower legs). Received skin grafts and missed remainder of high school season.

Chandler, AZ (Chandler High School/TE-DE). Oregon (Redshirt 2008). Athletic, vocal leader, learns quickly, hard worker, excellent motor. Recruited as wide receiver. Lives with aunt who is his legal guardian. Birthdate: March 5, 1990.

3. #47 EZEKIEL ANSAH,BYU, LDE (6051-271-4.63).

Body: Tall, little high-cut. Adequate upper body, arms. Adequate butt, thighs, calves. Good growth potential. ARM: 35 1/8; HAND: 10 1/4.

Left Defensive End (two/three point)/Nose Tackle (one-year starter). Active, alert, aggressive player with excellent speed, range; good athletic ability, quickness, movement, mobility (runs easy, nice stride). Good body control/balance, feet/hips, lateral movement; adequate change direction. Adequate strength, hand use, tackler (wraps).

RUN: Good takeoff, adequate pad level, leverage; good arm extension, hand placement, separation; adequate block shed. Feet run contact, good react off block, close down.

PASS: Explosive takeoff as edge rusher, up field well, burst to QB, good second effort. Quick on stunts, good get hands up, jump ability at line of scrimmage. Limited football background; tried basketball and track at BYU prior to football. Backup earlier in year, become starter about mid-season (injury to starter) and improved each week. Thought best player in Senior Bowl game. Has a little hip tightness and some gather to change direction.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Punt: Left tackle; FG/PAT Block: Middle jumper.

First Round: Talent to become excellent pass rusher and motor to improve in all areas.

GRADE: 2.5.

Accra, Ghana (Presbyterian Boys School/Soccer-Track). BYU (2008; Football Walk On 2010; Basketball-cut from team 2008 and 2009; Track-100 M @ 10.91; 200 M @ 21.89). Fast, athletic, raw (three years of football; light came on this fall). Good person, family. Follower. Came to BYU on academic scholarship and received degree 12/2012. Birthdate: 1989.

4. #56 DATONE JONES, UCLA, DE (6037-283-4.80).

Body: Good frame, impressive physically. Good upper body (muscular); adequate forearms, wrists. Big butt, thighs; good calves.
Little duck-footed. ARM: 32 3/4; HAND: 10.

Left defensive end/three-front; moves to nose tackle/four-front (three-year starter). Quick, active player with excellent strength, power. Good athletic ability, speed, quickness, movement, range. Good body control/balance, feet/hips, lateral movement/change direction. Good tackler (strong, wraps).

RUN: Good initial quickness, adequate pad level, leverage; controls point vs. single/double blocks; adequate block shed; good close down.

PASS: Explosive takeoff, good hand lead, arm extension/hand placement, separation; adequate shed. Good pass rush technique, quick inside and outside moves along with burst to QB. Inconsistent finish as rusher; has a lot of pressures and should have more sacks. Tip interception vs. Nebraska. Lines up as fullback (#97) on goal line at times; does not block through on leads.

SPECIAL TEAMS: FG/PAT Block: Left Guard (field goal block vs. Washington State).

First Round: Talented player with ability to be dominant vs. run and pass.

GRADE: 2.5.

INJURY: August 2010: Foot Fracture-out 2010 season.

Compton, CA (Compton High School/DE). UCLA (2008; Medical Redshirt 2010). Birthdate: July 24, 1990.

5. #94 DAMONTRE MOORE, Texas AandM, DE (6044-250-4.95).

Body: Adequate frame (not big person). Adequate upper body, arms. Adequate butt (wide), good thighs; average calves. ARM: 34 3/4; HAND: 10 1/4.

Weak defensive end (two-year starter); two/three point stances. Alert, active (good motor), aggressive player with good athletic ability, speed (plays much faster than 40 time), quickness, movement, mobility, range. Good body control/balance, feet/hips, lateral movement/change direction.

RUN: Good takeoff, pad level, leverage; adequate strength, shed; quick react off block. Good take-on lead and pull blockers (keeps outside shoulder free). Good chase, tackle.

PASS: Explosive takeoff, up field well, speed to corner along with flatten and burst. Good pad level, leverage, hand use (good hand lead, arm extension/hand placement/separation), work on move; adequate shed. Quick inside move. Some ability to push tackle and guard. Runs easy, nice stride; good pursuit angles run and pass. Drops easy (LB experience here), good break on ball. Has some low block problems, gets pushed by QB at times.

Second round: Athletic ability, quickness, movement for defensive end in both three and four fronts.

GRADE: 3.0.

INJURY: November 3, 2012-Left ankle heavily taped vs. Mississippi State.
Rowlett, TX (Rowlett High School/DE). Texas AandM (2010). Birthdate: September 11, 1992

6. #80 ALEX OKAFOR, Texas, DE (6040-264-4.89 @262#).

Body: Good frame. Good upper body, arms. Good butt, thighs, calves. Growth potential. ARM: 33 7/8; HAND: 9 5/8.

Weak Defensive End (three-year starter); two and three point stances. Best as three-point edge rusher. Good athletic ability, speed, quickness, movement, mobility, range. Good body control/balance, feet; adequate hips (some tightness), change direction. Good strength, tackler.

RUN: Adequate pad level, leverage; needs better shed, will give ground at times. Good knee bend/base, feet run contact. Reacts off block, closes down inside.

PASS: Good takeoff, pad level, leverage. Strong hands (good hand lead) with punch, power to push tackle to QB. Gets up field well along with flatten and burst off corner. Good arm extension, hand placement, separation. Good pass rush ability but needs to develop a counter move, fight pressure better. Runs easy, nice stride. Adequate zone drops, some hip tightness; never saw in coverage situation.

SPECIAL TEAMS: FG/PAT Rush- Left guard (block vs. West Virginia).

Third Round: Good edge pass rush ability; needs to be more physical against run.

GRADE: 3.5.

INJURY: November 2012: Ankle injury vs. TCU (limited vs. Kansas State).
Pflugerville, TX (Pflugerville High School/DE-Parade All-American. Basketball). Texas (2009). Team co-captain. Degree December 2012.

7. #99 SAM MONTGOMERY, LSU, DE (6032-262-4.81).

Body: Good frame. Muscular upper body, arms. Good butt, thighs; muscular calves. ARM: 33 7/8; HAND: 9 1/4.

Right Defensive End (three-year starter). Alert, active, aggressive player with good athletic ability, speed, quickness, movement, mobility, range. Good body control/balance, feet, lateral movement, change direction; adequate hips (some tightness). Good strength, tackler.

RUN: Good takeoff, pad level, leverage, hand placement, separation. Good strength to hold point of attack, feet move contact, reacts off block, good close down. Needs quicker block shed.

PASS: Good takeoff (not explosive), pad level, arm extension, separation, strength to push. Displays speed to corner along with burst to QB. Has some hand punch but need better shed technique (more a power rusher). Adequate stunt quickness. Some zone pass drops; adequate space movement, break on ball.

Second Round: Like his athletic ability, strength, quickness, overall movement.

GRADE: 3.0.

INJURY: October 2010-Right knee injury (out eight games).
Greenwood, SC (Greenwood High School/DE. Basketball). LSU (Redshirt 2009). Birthdate: May 25, 1990.

8. #91 CORNELIUS (TANK) CARRADINE, Florida State, DE (6040-276-4.80).

Body: Good frame. Good upper body, arms. Good butt (bubble), thighs; adequate calves. ARM: 34 3/4; HAND: 10 1/4.

Right Defensive End (one-year starter). Alert, active (good motor), aggressive player with good athletic ability, speed, quickness, movement, mobility, range. Good body control/balance, feet/hips, lateral movement/change direction.

RUN: Good takeoff, adequate pad level, good leverage, hand use (adequate arm extension, hand placement, punch). Strong at point of attack, sheds and reacts off block. Good cross-field chase effort. Good tackler.

PASS: Good takeoff, speed up field, flatten at corner, little burst to QB. Good arm extension, hand placement, separation; adequate shed technique (likes grab and arm over but also displays rip move). Quick inside move, stunts. Adequate zone drops; good space movement. Quick but not really explosive, needs to fight pressure better.

SPECIAL TEAMS: FG/PAT Block-right tackle.

Second Round: First year starter who has talent to be successful as defensive end in both three and four fronts.

GRADE: 3.0.

INJURY: November 24, 2012-Right knee surgery (ACL tear); out two games (Georgia Tech-Northern Illinois).

Cincinnati, OH (Taft High School/DE). Butler KN J.C. (2009-10/DE); signed with Illinois but did not qualify. Florida State (2011).

9. #92 MARGUS HUNT, SMU, DE (6081-277-4.60).

Body: Tall, good frame, well-proportioned; good growth potential. Muscular upper body, arms. Good abs, small waist. Bubble butt, good thighs, adequate calves. Arm: 33 3/4; Hand: 10.

Left Defensive End (left five technique base position; also lines up at three and one techniques); three-year starter. Excellent combination of strength, power, quickness along with a good motor. Excellent speed, good athletic ability, movement, mobility, range. Good feet, adequate hips (some tightness), good lateral movement, adequate change direction. Good knee bend/base. Good tackler.

RUN: Good takeoff, pad level, arm extension (good right hand lead), hand placement (strong hands), separation; adequate block shed. Controls point of attack vs. single and double blocks, reacts off block, closes down well.

PASS: Power and speed pass rush ability. Good takeoff, pad level, up field, little burst to QB. Good inside move along with good rip/dip/flip techniques. Power to push blocker to QB. Adequate work on move. Good get hands up at line of scrimmage. Pass rush much improved during 2012 season; explosive at times. Runs easy, nice stride. Biggest negative is age; will be 26 first NFL season. Appears to lose track of contain responsibilities at times.

SPECIAL TEAMS: FG/PAT-Left Guard (17 career blocks; nine field goal, eight PAT).

First Round: Talent to become dominant player vs. run and pass.

GRADE: 2.5.

Karski-Nuia, Estonia (Track-Discus world junior record holder at 201-2, Hammer @ 212-8, Shot Put @ 58-9). SMU (2009). Birthdate: July 14, 1987.

10. #54 JOHN SIMON, Ohio State, DE (6010-257-4.74).

Body: Short, good frame. Good upper body, arms. Good butt (bubble), thighs, calves. ARM: 33 1/4; HAND: 9 1/4.

Weak Defensive End (three and four point stances); three-year starter. Active, aggressive player with excellent tenacity, finish. Good quickness; adequate athletic ability, speed, movement, mobility, range. Good ball location, aggressiveness, tackler. Adequate strength. Good body control/balance; adequate feet/hips (some tightness); adequate lateral movement, change direction.

RUN: Good pad level, leverage, hand use, block control; adequate shed. Feet run contact. Got pushed a few times at point of attack.

PASS: Good initial quickness, up field well, little burst to QB along with an inside move. Good hand lead, arm extension/hand placement along with ability to work on the move. Appears to be more an overachiever type. Quick but not explosive; generally needs to win initially for success as a pass rusher. Never saw him in space but probably will be best as outside linebacker in three man front.

Fourth Round: Like his quickness, aggressiveness, tenacity.

GRADE: 3.7.

INJURY: November 2012-Knee injury (out one game; Michigan). December 2012-Shoulder surgery.

Youngstown, OH (Cardinal Mooney High School/LB). Ohio State (2009). Two-time team captain. Defensive leader, hard work, studies.