When it comes to identifying good football players, it is not always the biggest, strongest or fastest players who wind up becoming the best pros. Oftentimes, it is those that best understand the game of football and can read and react the quickest. Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Jon Beason all were selected in the back of the first round out of Miami (Fla.) and did not have great "measurables," but they have all become elite, Pro Bowl performers because of their outstanding football playing instincts. Following are some players in this year's draft who could be anywhere from the back of the first round to the fifth, but stand out on tape for their terrific instincts and stand to become good, functional pros. Players are listed in alphabetical order:
DE Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma
A highly competitive, football-savvy pass rusher who times the snap well, is quick to diagnose, find the ball and flow to it. Beal clocked in the 5.1 range in the 40-yard dash, similar to Brandon Spikes a year ago and does not possess the long speed, athletic ability or explosion to impress in a workout in shorts. However, his instincts, hand use and point-of-attack strength stand out on tape. He runs 5.1, but thinks and reacts closer to 4.7 and although he could slide as low as the fifth round, he could become a solid, starting base end in the NFL.
OG Clint Boling, Georgia
Boling received some sixth-round grades during the season from stringent evaluators who did not see any "wow" factor and were turned off by his short arms. However, the less noticeable an offensive lineman shows up on tape, often the better, as the best offensive linemen often go unnoticed in getting the no-glamour job done. Boling is a very smart, quick learner with outstanding versatility, having proven capable of playing nearly every position on the line. He shows outstanding awareness reacting to stunts and blitzes, plays with great patience and understands leverage and angles. He should be able to step into a starting lineup immediately the way he did in college, fitting best inside in the pros but having enough length, smarts and athletic ability to handle pinching in as an emergency tackle.
WR Randall Cobb, Kentucky
Cobb can be described as small at 5-10 1/4, 191 pounds, but he packs a lot of punch in his small frame and shows up in a big way on the football field. He excels reading coverages, sifting through zones and has a very natural feel for the game, shiftily slicing through defenses and piling up yardage in chunks. He plays the game with great intensity, is highly competitive and has a chance to become an impact performer in the pros.
CB Brandon Harris, Miami (Fla.)
When Harris measured less than 5-foot-10 at the NFL Scouting Combine, his draft stock immediately took a big hit, as many teams will not draft a cornerback under the threshold out of principle, given the history of small corners struggling to match up in the NFL. However, like Brandon Flowers, who bolted Virginia Tech early three years ago, Harris will prove to be an exception to the rule. He could struggle to match up against length, but he plays bigger than his size, is very football-smart and plays with great awareness. The son of a coach, Harris will make a living in the NFL in the slot, a position that has grown increasingly significant as offenses such as the Packers and Patriots have spread out the field with five-receiver sets.
SS Jaiquawn Jarrett, Temple
Jarrett is not big or fast and clocked as slow as 4.71 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the Combine, the slowest of any of the nine free safeties at the event. He lacks great range over the top and will have some man-coverage limitations in the pros. However, he is very field-fast, plays with great awareness, is quick to drop down in the box and seldom is fooled against the run or pass. Forget his 30-inch vertical jump and pedestrian 40-time — he is a physical hitter, plays much bigger than his size and plays faster than he times. He instantly will become a productive special-teams performer and earn a starting job as a box safety.
For scouting reports on all the top prospects featured in PFW's 2011 Draft Preview book, visit The PFW Store.
Jessica Alba Kylie Bax Diora Baird Laura Prepon Ashley Scott
