2010 early NFL draft prospects 31-40

31. Demaryius Thomas-WR- Ga. Tech.- A big strong fierce competitor who knows how to use his size in all phases of the game. Runs good routes in his limited offense, but needs to show more of the route tree in the pre-draft process. Was in a triple option offense and mostly caught short passes, although his explosion after the catch is one of his best features.Runs by or through tacklers and can go the distance.Good top speed and quick out of his breaks.If he runs a sub 4.5 forty expect him to go in the 1rst round.Has concentration lapses catching the ball, and that more than anything else will hurt him some.A physical willing blocker and is the best blocking WR in this draft class.Still a tad raw but his upside is the best of all the WR's. Could end up the 2nd WR taken with strong workouts.-NFL comparison- Terrell Owens- Buffalo Bills

32. Jonathan Dwyer- RB- GA Tech- A thick strong runner with a burst. Has been productive since he was a true freshman and runs with aggression. If he runs his 40 in the low 4.4's he the best chance of a RB going in the top 10 this year. He flashed big play abilty in the running and passing games, but needs work on his route running. Average hands and needs to improve in pass protection some.Has a nose for the goal line, but has relatively few carries( which means less wear and tear on his tires) compared to most top college backs. Coming from a option offense could hurt him some and he might not contribute a lot in every type offense early as a rookie. - NFL comparison- Johnathan Stewart- CAR

33. John Asomoah- G- Ill.- A smart player with his head on a swivel in pass pro, but he could use his hand punch better. Sinks his hips then delivers a blow in the run game.Kicks and slides well enough to maybe play RT at the next level, although I am not sure how long his arms are. A tough run blocker who stays under control and rarely makes mistakes. Gets off the ball quick and into his man in line, and excels at the 2nd level. Gets set quickly in pass pro and is hard to drive back or get past. A good guy off the field with the work ethic and motor to be a long term starter .His upside isn't as great as some, but is already more polished than many NFL lineman. Looks smart and quick enough to maybe play center. - NFL comparison- Davin Joseph- TB

34. Jared Odrick-DT- PENN ST.- Whether he ends up as a 4-3 DTs or a 3-4 end, his improvement this season was dramatic enough to make him a 1rst rounder most years. With this being such a deep draft( especially at his position) we believe its possible some team will get an excellent value in the 2nd. Leverage was his best skill coming into this season, and he did nothing to detract from that belief as a senior. Improved drastically as a pass rusher this year ,with a wider variety of moves added to his already impressive bull rush, despite lacking elite quickness off the snap. Stout against the double team and strong in-line in college, but not big enough to play the Nose in the NFL yet, but might be able to if he packed on more size. Won't be making plays all over the field due to his lack of foot speed, but has long arms and can redirect a lot of passes if he used them more. A better football player than athlete when he's on, but could need some monitoring to get the most out of his abilty. Motor was inconsistent prior to this year, and while he's improved it as as a senior , some NFL teams will worry he will get lazy once he gets a big payday.Probably best a 3-4 strongside DE right now, and a veteran team with strong leaders like Pittsburgh would probably be his best fit.-NFL comparison- Aaron Smith- PITT


35. Jahvid Best-RB- CAL- A small back who has has home-run ability on every play. Durability questions haunt him and he may be another guy who shouldn't be a 300 carry back unless he packs on more size. Hits the hole , makes one cut, and runs to daylight.Excellent receiver with return abilty. I have seen him compared to Reggie Bush , but he may not have the same speed Bush does. He also doesn't have the same patience and vision problems Bush does either .Suffered a serious concussion, but it was due to a freakish hit ,not fragility. Not strong between the tackles and he needs to pack on more muscle to be able to hold up. Could probably hold up between the tackles better than Bush , but like Bush he's a guy the defense has to game plan against. - NFL comparison- Brian Westbrook-PHI>

36. Colt McCoy-QB- Ridiculous college numbers are often discounted by NFL scouts , especially if they are derived from any version of the spread offense. The past struggles of Alex Smith and Vince Young won't help his case ,even though both have had some success lately, but college QB's coming from the shotgun usually need more time than usual to develop. So a team with a veteran QB that they still might think( that doesn't mean they really should all still be played) is playable( Seattle, Carolina, STL. , Minn. come to mind quick) that will need a QB in a year or 2 is more likely to take McCoy. McCoy is smaller than the other two , but a similar type athlete. Very accurate but only has an average arm. Did play at a big time program with experience against top notch opposition, and was a winner against that top competition. How tall he really is( listed at 6"3") will be a major factor in his draft status. If's he's 6"1" or shorter he probably won't go in the top 50 picks. If he is at least 6"2" he's a good bet to go in the top 40. If he really is 6"3" it's likely he goes in the 1rst round and he could sneak into the top 15.- NFL comparison- Jeff Garcia- Retired.

37. Maurkice Pouncey- C/G- FLA- A big strong athletic pivot man that is used to the shotgun. Great base and good balance define him. Sticks with his blocks in the pass and run game with the head to make all the line calls and plays to the whistle. Word is he's coming out if he gets at least a 2nd round grade. Most years I would think he would sneak into the bottom of the 1rst round, but with so many players coming out early some lucky team should get a long term starter in the second. Long arms and has filled out a lot this year in terms of size. Comes from a winning program and is used to playing in big games against strong competition. Can also play guard if needed.Gets by on athleticism and toughness right now. Needs to be coached up as his technique is lacking in every area but leverage. With so many teams going to a 3-4, and centers facing huge NT's, a guy with Pouncey's strength and frame is highly valuable at center. -NFL comparison- Andre Gurode- DALL

38. Charles Brown-OT- Southern Cal- A rangy athletic LT prospect that needs to put on more muscle. Good feet and balance but lacks the strength to consistently enforce his will on stronger defenders. More of a steer and wall off technician in the run game, but he appears aggressive enough. Slides well and can beat the rusher to the edge but is relegated to just trying to push them past the pocket. Good hand placement but needs a stronger hand punch. Basically he needs more strength and size or he will get run over by some of the stronger defenders in the NFL. Comes from a big time program and played well there. Former TE with great upside that just needs more time at OT and more sand in his pants to be a starter in the pros. Might be a good fit in a zone blocking scheme or in certain ( not a power running team right now) offenses while he gets bigger.Works hard to get to the 2nd level in the run game.-NFL comparison- DeBrickshaw Ferguson- NYJ

39. Aurthur Jones-DT -Syracuse- A torn pectoral muscle in the pre-season, followed by a torn meniscus to end his season, has knocked him down some. Otherwise I would expect him to be a top 20 pick. A fierce run stopper who plays with good leverage ,and who plays the NT position with more strength than his size would indicate. Needs more pass rush moves but his bull rush is effective. Strong tackler with a fierce demeanor, but he is inconsistent play to play. Team leader and a good locker room guy. Has faced a lot of double teams and still remained productive. How he looks in postseason workouts will ultimately decide his drafty status. Could go anywhere between the 1rst and 3rd rounds, but we believe a player with his character will bounce back quickly. Probably won't be a NT in the NFL right away unless he packs on more muscle, but could be a good strong side 3-4 DE or 4-3 DT right away- NFL comparison- Jay Ratliff -DALL

40. Ricky Sapp- OLB/ DE- Clemson- Make no mistake, he gets a grade this high with the expectation that he will move to 3-4 OLB full time. When he got the chance to play that position some, he showed a lot of promise, but it's still a small sample size. A high level fluid athlete with the build to add 10-15 more pounds of muscle and still maintain his speed. A quick first step and good closing speed on the QB.Can chase downplays from the backside, but doesn't hold the point of attack very well yet. If he goes to a 4-3 team he will only be a situational pass rusher till he gets more sand in his pants. Looked like he wasn't all the way back from 08 knee injury last year, but was still productive. -NFL comparison- Jason Taylor- MIA

NFL Top 5 offensive prospects at each position

Here is an early preview of the top 5 at each position for the upcoming NFL draft. Not everyone has declared yet, and injuries are prevalent, but this is how we see it now. * denotes a player considered a injury risk, and that definitely affects how they are ranked currently.Right next to them is a NFL player is the NFL player I think they most resemble if they are a hit.

QB- Lockers decision to go back to school helps Clausen , but especially McCoy a lot. Some QB needy team may reach for Colt earlier than they would have now.

1. Sam Bradford- OKLA *- Phillip Rivers- SD
2. Jimmy Clausen- N. Dame - Drew Brees - NO
3. Colt McCoy- Texas - Jeff Garcia - Retired
4. Tony Pike- Cinc. - (Stronger armed) Alex Smith- SF
5. Tim Tebow- Fla. - Donavan McNabb - PHIL.

RB- Unless one of the big backs is a lot faster than they look on film, don't expect anybody to go in the top 10 this year. Dwyer is the only one that might surprise people on the stopwatch to go high.

1. CJ Spiller- Clemson- Reggie Bush- NO
2. Jonathan Dwyer - Ga. Tech. - Johnathan Stewart - CAR
3. Jahvid Best - Cal. -Brian Westbrook- PHI.
4. Ryan Mathews- Fresno St. - Frank Gore- SF
5.-tie- Toby Gerhart- Stanford - Mike Allstott- retired
5.-tie-Dexter McCluster- Darren Sproles- SD/Warrick Dunn- TB

WR- Unless someone runs a really fast 40 time I don't expect anyone to go in the top 10 here either. There is no Calvin Johnson(once a decade prospect) type that teams will be salivating over in this draft.

1. Dez Bryant- Okla. St.- Miles Austin- DALL
2. Golden Tate- N. Dame - Steve Smith - CAR
3. Demaryius Thomas- Ga. Tech. - Terrell Owens
4. Damian Williams- Southern Cal- Steve Smith- NYG
5.-tie- Arrellious Benn- Ill.- Dwayne Bowe- KC
5.-tie- Mardy Gilyard- CINC.- Patrick Crayton- DALL


TE- 40 times often change the entire pecking order of this group drastically , and complete TE's( i.e. they can block and be an effective receiver) are getting hard to find these days.More teams are looking for that receiving option that can create matchup problems for opposing defenses.With the 2 biggets prospects coming off season long injuries,and the lileyhood that a team can get a good TE later in the draft, it's likely thatat most 1 of these guys will go in the 1rst round . A deep postion with good value though.

1. Jermain Gresham- OKLA *- Antonio Gates- SD
2. Rob Gronkowski- * Jason Witten - DALL
3.-tie- Anthony McCoy- Southern Cal- John Carlson- SEA
3.-tie- Dennis Pitta- Owen Daniels- HOU
4. Ed Dickson- Ore.- Bo Scaife- TENN
5. Aaron Hernandez- Fla.- Dallas Clark - INDY

OT- A talented group with a lot of guys who are more projectable, than there are current elite prospects. A lot of depth with the possibility of as many as 6 1rst rounders . The big question is which ones can actually protect the QB's blindside?

1. Russell Okung- Okla. St.- Ryan Clady- DEN
2. Bruce Campbell- Maryland- Jason Peters- PHIL
3. Anthony Davis- Rutgers- Leonard Davis- DALL
tie-4. Bryan Bulaga- Iowa- Jordan Gross- CAR
tie-4. Trent Williams- OKLA- Eric Winston-HOU
5. Charles Brown- Southern Cal- DeBrickshaw Ferguson- NYJ

G- An under appreciated position that usually has a lot of College tackles who aren't seen as having the feet to play outside in the NFL, merging inside.

1. Mile Iupati- Idaho- Shawn Andrews- PHIL
2. Jon Asamoah- Ill.- Davin Joseph- TB
3. Vladimir Ducasse- Umass- Vernon Carey- MIA
4.-tie- Justin Boren- Ohio St.- Eric Wood- BUFF
4.-tie- Mitch Petrus- ARK.-Jake Bell- STL
5.-tie- Zane Beadles- UTAH- Reggie Wells- AZ
5.-tie- Mike Johnson- Ala.- Kyle Kosier- DALL

C- The QB's of the O-line have seen a renewed appreciation in the draft in recent years. Often versatile players than can also play guard, but there is no Nick Mangold or even Alex Mack in this years class. The senior bowl is usually the best chance for these guys to rise up draft boards, but the possible junior entry's are the best chance for someone to sneak into the bottom of the 1rst round .

1. Maurkice Pouncey- Fla.- Andre Gurode- DALL
2. Kristopher O'Dowd- Southern Cal-Matt Birk- BALT
3. Matt Tenant- BC- Casey Rabach- WASH
4. JD Walton - Baylor- Jake Grove-MIA
5. Ryan Pugh - Auburn- Max Unger- SEA

2010 early NFL draft prospects 21-30

21. Golden Tate- WR - N. Dame- If Weis does leave Tate is likely to go as well, and Weis getting the axe seems to be a foregone conclusion. A talented separator with a passion for the game. Good speed and just always seems open if he gets off the line quickly. NFL DB's will give him even more trouble getting off the line, and are a lot faster, but he is the type a guy that will work at his craft. Explosive in the open field and a valuable returner as well. Great ball skills and he will battle for the catch. At the very least he's a threat in the slot as a # 3 receiver and return man to start his career. In time he looks like he could be a field stretching game breaker, but his route running needs polish. - NFL comparison- Steve Smith - Car. Panthers

22. Brian Price-DT-UCLA- A stout run stuffer and penetrator with a good motor. Gets off the ball in a hurry and has a low center of gravity. Uses his hands well ,and splits some double teams ,ripping through into the backfield. Could probably play strong-side 3-4 end as well. Might even play NT if he got bigger, or in a scheme like Dallas or San Diego run. In a normal year he would probably be a top 10 pick, but the depth at his position( and the draft overall ) this year knocks him down some.Good rip and bull rush, but he needs more pass rush moves. NFL comparison- Sedrick Ellis-NO Saints

23. Brian Bulaga- OT-IOWA- Another year in school would be his best bet, as he has not been a LT for long and doesn't have quite the experience you want as a blindside protector right now. Plus I feel with one more year in school he is a possible top 5 pick. However with so many young guys trying to come out before a stricter rookie cap is put in place , and the fact that he plays a premium position where people often overdraft players ,makes it likely he will enter the draft this year. Not as big or strong as you would like yet, but has the frame to pack on 20-30 pounds of muscle easily. Strong enough to manhandle smaller college DE's, but bigger( i.e NFL DE's) might give him trouble right now, although he does show flashes of a mean streak. More effective in line than at the 2nd level in the run game. Is a natural knee bender that plays with good leverage and his technique improved every game this year. Handles the fastest speed rushers in the pass game well, but can get overpowered at times. Looks more like a NFL RT currently, but like a guy who might grow into a NFL LT with time, if his arms are long enough. He isn't a super high upside pick , but he has a low floor. Biggest question mark is a thyroid condition that caused him to miss some time. His best bet is to go a team that doesn't need him to play LT right away. His bowl matchup against Derrick Morgan will tell us a lot more about his immediate prospects as a LT. The kind of guy that should at least be an immediate starter at RT or LG,but could end up a franchise LT with more time at the position and NFL coaching. if he realy -NFL comparison- Jordan Gross- CAR. Panthers

24. Mike Iupati-G-Idaho- Has a high ceiling and low floor that will probably get him drafted higher than another guard (Asomoah)who is a more finished product right now. Huge strong guy that gets the most out of that size driving off the line at the snap, but he does tend to get a bit grabby outside. Angry mauler that O-line coaches love with a violent hand punch . Strong in-line in the run or passing games but sometimes struggles to hit his man down field, despite moving well for such a big man. When his technique is sound he is dominant, but even when its not he's pretty good. Long arms and mostly battles whistle to whistle .Looks like he could play RT at a high level as well.Once he's coached up he could be a perennial all-pro .Hasn't played against top competition regularly, but a strong showing in the senior bowl should get him into the first round. -NFL comparison- Shawn Andrews- PHIL

25. Carlos Dunlap-DE- Potential is off the charts and is still a bit raw, but this guy can do it all when he puts it together. Has the measurables to play DE in a 4-3 0r 3-4, or be a DT if he bulks up some.Big, fast, tall, long arms, and a quick first step.You would like him to have more starts ,but he's probably coming out, and this kind of potential will have NFL teams salivating . Could be a boom or bust because he is still raw and very young.Workout warrior type that some teams( raiders?) will be all over.- NFL comparison- Julius Peppers- CAR

26. Trent Williams- OT- OKLA.- Good , but not great at anything. Recovers well when beaten ,and has played multiple positions along the O-line, but it will be lot harder to recover from his mistakes in the NFL. Smart and is a team leader on the field .Not your prototypical left or right tackle, but he seems to get the job done most of the time, especially in the running game. Doesn't have the elite feet to be an top LT, but his aren't bad and he is very athletic. Lacks the strength to be an elite RT but he finishes like one. Despite all that he will battle every play till the whistle blows, and there are a lot worse players starting at both positions in the NFL right now. Looks to be a solid 10 year starter in the league at either postion in the NFL. Probably a good RT , but not a franchise LT right now, although he could play there in the right system. If he gets stronger and maintains his work ethic he could become a Jamall Brown Type, but it could take awhile. The position is so valuable ( and needed) though that he may be over drafted . At the very least he should be a productive starter somewhere on the line.-NFL comparison- Eric Winston-HOU Texas

27. Brandon Spikes ILB- Fla.- His elite instincts make him look faster than he is, but he will never be a sideline to sideline ILB. The area he does cover he will cover well ,and he has a knack for making big plays.Excellent in zone coverage and blitzing, but not fast enough to play man-to-man. Big enough to play ILB in a 4-3 or either spot in a 3-4. Leader of the defense and a solid tackler.Very productive at a big time program.The well publicized incident where he stuck his hand in RB's face mask doesn't seem to have hurt him to much, but his 40 time is absolutely key to being drafted in the first round.-NFL comparison- James Farrior -Pitt. Steelers.

28. Patrick Robinson- CB- Fla. St. - A decent sized fast corner with no short term memory and super quick feet. Has a good burst to the ball when its in front of him, but could use some work transitioning out of his pedal. Willing in run support but not a great tackler yet, although he is aggressive and usually gets the job done. Team leader on the field but has had some problems off off it. If if he picks it he can take it to the house, and looks like he could play some receiver if given the chance. Has a burst to the ball and makeup speed. Has some return experience and should contribute on many special team right away. Depending on the pre-draft process he could end up the 2nd corner taken or the the 5th.- NFL comparison- ( on defense, not as a returner) Leodis McKelvin -BUFF

29. Dan Williams -DT -Tennesee- A stout run stuffer with low center of gravity and a thick trunk. Some teams may even see him as a 3-4 NT , which can only help his draft status, but he is better in a 4-3 at DT right now ,and he would have to be more consistent staying low to hold the point there in the NFL. Could possibly play strong side 3-4 end as well. Quick for a big man, and actually has some decent pass rush moves when he uses them, but too often just resorts to bullrushing. He comes off the ball with a will and has faced constant double teams in a tough conference. Inconsistent technique and either tires easily , or just plays with bad leverage too often for an elite talent. It may be that as a 2 down player( ex. 3-4 NT) he wouldn't tire as fast,but to be an elite DT you need to be productive on passing downs.We don't question his effort so much as his abilty to play at a high level when tired. Work ethic whispers must be monitored-NFL comparison- B J Raji- GB

30. Navarro Bowman-OLB-Penn st.- You watch him on tape and it looks like he is everywhere on the field. That's because he is. Flows to the ball smoothly. Scrapes and runs around most blocks. Not the best stack and shed guy yet, but he scrapes well and brings it to the ball carrier with a thump. Good speed and is improving in coverage even if he is still a bit stiff, but his diagnostic skills are still a lot better vs the run. Some off the field questions too. Probably a 4-3 guy only, unless he gets bigger. NFL comparison- Ernie Simms- Detroit Lions