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This is Brandt's article on the OLBs.
http://blog.eventdaygames.com/2009/08/13/nfl-2010-nfl-draft-outside-lineback-prospects/Outstanding outside linebacker prospects litter 2010 draft class
by Gil Brandt
Editor’s note: This is part of a weekly series detailing the top senior prospects, by position, for the 2010 NFL Draft.
It is always important for outside linebackers to be able to use their hands to jam receivers they may be forced to cover.
Over the past 10 drafts, 25 outside linebackers have been selected in the first round and 26 in the Round 2. The 2010 draft looks like it will have some good players.
Here is a fun fact: Thomas ‘Hollywood’ Henderson, who was drafted in the first round of the 1975 draft and received a $40,000 signing bonus, won the lottery in the state of Texas twice and earned over $25 million in doing so.
TOP SENIOR OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
1. Sergio Kindle College: Texas
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3½, 250
Kindle played as a true freshman in 2006 and 2008 was his first year as a starter. He was a high school running back, who rushed for 5,632 yards in three years and started on the basketball team. He made the Texas high school All-State team on both offense and defense (first-team on both). His best position in the NFL might be as a hand-on-the-ground pass rusher, who has the strength, quickness and toughness needed to be taken in the lower-half of the first round.
2. Sean Weatherspoon College: Missouri
Height/Weight: 6-1, 245
Weatherspoon played as a true freshman in 2006 and has started 28 games over the past two years. He had 155 total tackles in 2008, plus five sacks and returned two interceptions for touchdowns. He plays weakside backer and is an aggressive player with speed, who is a good blitzer and a good player in space. Weatherspoon can play every down and should play a lot of years in the NFL. He was a high jumper and point guard in high school.
3. Roddrick Muckelroy College: Texas
Height/Weight: 6-1½, 237
Muckelroy is a fifth-year player, who started 16 consecutive games and had 50 more tackles (112) in 2008 than Texas’ next-highest tackler. He has very good speed and athletic ability and can play in space, is good vs. the run and should be a solid starter and special teams player for many years.
4. Eric Norwood College: South Carolina
Height/Weight: 6-foot ½, 250
Norwood played as a true freshman and had six sacks. He played defensive end his first two years at South Carolina and played linebacker in 2008. He had nine sacks, made first-team All-SEC at defensive end in 2008 and linebacker in 2008. Norwood has started 25 consecutive games and has great versatility as a player, can rush the passer or play coverage, plays hard every play and is a good character person. I wish her were a little taller, but he should be a good player for years and is a Pittsburgh-type player and good athlete.
5. Justin Cole College: San Jose State
Height/Weight: 6-3¼, 243
Cole is a fifth-year player, who played defensive end his first two years at San Jose State. He has started 31 games and had 68 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2008. He was selected second-team All-WAC in 2008 and was a sprinter in high school, who has the ability needed to play in the NFL. He is a very good competitor with size and speed and can play with his hand on the ground or in space.
6. Ricky Sapp College: Clemson
Height/Weight: 6-4, 245
Sapp is a four-year player, who tore his ACL in the 10th game of the 2008 season. He has played defensive end for three years and was a great high school athlete as a track sprinter and starter on the basketball team. He has pass rush ability coming off the edge, because of his speed and quickness. The question will be if he can play in space and recover from his injury. He has the physical talent.
7. Dekoda Watson College: Florida State
Height/Weight: 6-1½, 225
Watson played as a true freshman, starting one game as a strong-side linebacker. He had 46 tackles in 16 games in 2008 and is very athletic and can play in space. Watson is a big hitter at the college level, but needs to get bigger to play well in the NFL. He will be a good special teams player.
8. Sean Lee College: Penn State
Height/Weight: 6-2, 235
Lee is a fifth-year player, who played as a true freshman missing the 2008 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. The injury happened during spring practice in a non-contact drill. Lee won All-State awards in both football and basketball before the injury. He was outstanding and a great competitor, with quickness. He is a very instinctive player with speed and is a smart player, leader and co-captain for the 2009 season. If healthy, he is a starter in the NFL.
