The Next Generation of Superstars – Part 2!!

In the first segment we took a look at offensive players who have been in the league 2 years or less and tried to project who it is that will be the next generation of guys that will take over the league in the not to near future. In this segment we are going to look at four sets of positions on the Defensive side of the ball – Defensive Lineman, Linebacker, Safety and finally Cornerbacks. We look for everything, from work ethic to technique to raw talent. We were also fortunate enough to get some insight from some professional scouts as well. So without further ado, let’s get defensive!

Defensive Line – Sedrick Ellis – This position is one that is hard to project. Usually young defensive lineman take some time to develop their craft as they find that the tools that worked in college don’t always work so well in the NFL. For one, offensive lineman are much bigger, quicker and absolutely stronger! The strength factor is where technique comes into play. To look at this projection I reached out to Steve Brown of the Scouting Bureau and he agreed that Ellis is the guy and here is what he said when I posed him the question -

“DT – Sedrick Ellis -New Orlean Saints…(he is) currently out with a knee injury but should be back in Weeks 11 or 12. Fans may not know him yet but coaches sure do. He is very explosive for a 6’1″ 307 pounder and he’s a great technician that often demands a double team. He is not a stat guy based on his role but he consistantly gains double teams and allows Linebackers to roam. While not sexy, he is a core type player that you can build a defense around. Once healthy he has definite Pro Bowl potential. (While he still) has to stay healthy and prove himself, he reminds us of a young Warren Sapp, when he’s on…he’s on!”

La’Roi Glover, who was one heck of Defensive Lineman in his own right agrees, that Ellis has the tools and techniques to be a dominant force in the middle of the Saints trenches for years to come!

Linebacker – Jarod Mayo – - The 2nd year man who bangs heads for the New England Patriots has already made a name for himself. After his Rookie year in which he was named the Defensive Player of the Year, they young man from Tennessee has taken on the leadership role in New England. He suffered a knee injury in Week 1 that kept him out for a few weeks but since then he is back to old ways, racking up tackles and making plays all over the field. He can cover, he can hit, he can tackle and make plays sideline to sideline. If it weren’t for Patrick Willis who is a straight up Beast, Mayo would be the best young Linebacker in the game…and that is saying a lot! It should be noted that Linebackers are difficult to evaluate based on a blanket position. Middle Linebackers in the 4-3 Defense will have completely different roles and responsibilites than Outside Linebackers in a 3-4. Primarily speaking, a 3-4 Outside backer is a pass rusher first, run stopper second, cover man third. So to compare a guy like Brian Orakpo who is an outstanding 3-4 Outside Linebacker to an Inside Linebacker like Jarod Mayo or Patrick Willis isn’t exactly fair but we lumped them all together to keep the article from being excessively long. If we did have to pick and edge rusher it would be Orakpo at this point.
HONORABLE MENTION – Brian Orakpo, Brian Cushing, Clay Matthews

Safety – Jairus Byrd – The young man from the University of Oregon is going to be a player and here is why we thing so…versatility! The Buffalo Bills selected Byrd in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft and currently he leads all Rookies in Interceptions with 8.  Let’s get back to the versatility for a moment. In college Byrd played two positions, Cornerback and Safety which means that he has developed coverage skills from playing Corner. He can bump and run, jamming the WR at the line but also shows the fluidity in his hips to turn and run with skilled NFL receivers. Byrd also shows the vision and anticipation to read and react far back from the line of scrimmage which is such a nice blend of tools for a Defensive Back. He has sure hands as evidenced by his 8 picks. His Combine numbers are not overly eye popping – he ran the 40 yard dash in 4.6 seconds at his Pro Day,  he benched 225 lbs 22 times which is respectable…but the bottom line is this young man is a football player. He has already set a franchise record with having at least one interception in 5 straight games and actually had two or more picks in 3 straight. It’s safe to say at this point that the Rookie from Buffalo is on his way!

Cornerback – Sean Smith - He’s big, he’s fast and he’s a perfect fit for Bill Parcells! The 2nd Round pick from Utah is what we think NFL Cornerbacks are moving toward.  Sean Smith looks the part of what a shut down corner will look like in the future. As Wide Receivers like Brandon Marshall, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Terrell Owens and Andre Johnson continue to be sought after due to their size then the league will look for Cornerbacks that are equally big, fast and athletic. Sean Smith fits that build. He runs very well in the 4.4 range, he is tall at 6’3″ and he is very athletic. He has made spectacular Interceptions and shown great ball hawking skills. He can tackle, he is fluid and paired with Vontae Davis – the Dolphins 1st round pick in 2009, will form a dominant duo in the not too near future.