Mel Kiper Jr.'s top College Football Seniors

[Ego74]

Greenway's size, speed lead Iowa's defense
By Mel Kiper Jr.
Special to ESPN Insider


With the NFL draft now behind us, it's time to start looking ahead to the next batch of NFL prospects. The 2005-06 class displays a great deal of size and aggressiveness at many positions. Here are my updated lists for the top 10 seniors and top five players at each position.

TOP 10 SENIORS
1. Matt Leinart, QB, USC: A tremendously efficient quarterback who sees the entire field and makes good decisions with the ball. Leinart has excellent pocket awareness and is precise with his ball placement, allowing receivers to make the most of the catch.
2. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, OT, Virginia: The consummate left tackle. Ferguson has long arms and great position technique, which allow him to control defensive ends in pass protection and move them in run blocking. He could stand to add a little weight to his frame, but Ferguson has no other real deficiencies.
3. Chad Greenway, OLB, Iowa: A tough, aggressive player who has tremendous size for an outside linebacker. Greenway's athleticism and sideline-to-sideline speed allow him to get to the ball quickly, making him one of the most productive defensive players in the nation.
4. DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis: His great instincts, balance and feet allow him to get through traffic. Williams can catch the football out of the backfield as well as any back, something that contributed to more than 20 touchdowns last season.
5. A.J. Hawk, LB, Ohio State: A starter since the first game of his college career, Hawk is a rough, tough linebacker who does a great job locating the ball and getting to where the action is.
6. Marcus McNeill, OT, Auburn: An enormous bookend, McNeill is 6-foot-8, 340 pounds, and can totally eliminate defensive linemen. His combination of size and athleticism is impressive.
7. Eric Winston, OT, Miami: The former tight end has turned himself into an impressive left tackle prospect. If Winston can recover successfully from a knee injury suffered last season, he has a chance to be a great offensive lineman.
8. Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Boston College: One of the most productive ends in the country last season. Kiwanuka has tremendous natural ability and pass-rush instincts, and if he can become more consistent from game to game and series to series, he will only get better.
9. Rodrique Wright, DT, Texas: Started as a freshman and has been a force at times along the interior. Wright is another lineman, though, who needs to develop more consistency to maximize his potential.
10. Jimmy Williams, CB, Virginia Tech: A former safety who moved to corner last season, Williams has a rare combination of size and speed. His 6-2½, 215-pound frame is a great tool against big wideouts, and Williams can make plays in coverage and run support.

OFFENSE
Quarterback
1. Matt Leinart, USC
2. Charlie Whitehurst, Clemson
3. Paul Pinegar, Fresno State
4. Kellen Clemens, Oregon
5. Reggie McNeal, Texas A&M

Running Back
1. DeAngelo Williams, Memphis
2. Wali Lundy, Virginia
3. Leon Washington, Florida State
4. Joseph Addai, LSU
5. Gerald Riggs Jr., Tennessee

Fullback
1. J.D. Runnells. Oklahoma
2. Matt Bernstein, Wisconsin
3. Lawrence Vickers, Colorado
4. Victor Mann, Kansas State
5. Brandon Schnittker, Ohio State

Wide receiver
1. Derek Hagan, Arizona State
2. Todd Watkins, BYU
3. Clinton Solomon, Iowa
4. John Madsen, Utah
5. Martin Nance, Miami (Ohio)

Tight End
1. Marcedes Lewis, UCLA
2. Tim Day, Oregon
3. Tony Scheffler, Western Michigan
4. Dominique Byrd, USC
5. Charles Davis, Purdue

Tackle
1. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Virginia
2. Marcus McNeill, Auburn
3. Eric Winston, Miami
4. Andrew Whitworth, LSU
5. Jeremy Trueblood, Boston College

Guard
1. Davin Joseph, Oklahoma
2. Max Jean-Gilles, Georgia
3. Mark Setterstrom, Minnesota
4. Matt Lentz, Michigan
5. Cody Douglas, Tennessee

Center
1. Greg Eslinger, Minnesota
2. Mike Degori, Florida
3. Donovan Raiola, Wisconsin
4. Ryan Cook, New mexico
5. Marvin Philip, California

Kickers
1. Connor Hughes, Virginia
2. Ben Jones, Purdue
3. Matt Prater, UCF
4. Stephen Gostkowski, Memphis
5. Kurt Smith, Virginia

DEFENSE
End
1. Mathias Kiwanuka, Boston College
2. Manny Lawson, NC State
3. Loren Howard, Northwestern
4. Parys Haralson, Tennessee
5. Darryl Tapp, Virginia Tech

Tackle
1. Rodrique Wright, Texas
2. Jesse Mahelona, Tennessee
3. Dusty Dvoracek, Oklahoma
4. Gabe Watson, Michigan
5. Orien Harris, Miami

Inside linebacker
1. D'Qwell Jackson, Maryland
2. Abdul Hodge, Iowa
3. Dale Robison, Arizona State
4. Justin London, UCLA
5. Anthony Schlegel, Ohio State

Outside linebacker
1. Chad Greenway, Iowa
2. A.J. Hawk, Ohio State
3. Omar Gaither, Tennessee
4. Thomas Howard, UTEP
5. Spencer Havner, UCLA

Cornerback
1. Jimmy Williams, Virginia Tech
2. Jason Allen, Tennessee
3. Tye Hill, Clemson
4. Kelly Jennings, Miami
5. Darrell Hunter, Miami (Ohio)

Safety
1. Michael Huff, Texas
2. Greg Threat, Miami
3. Jarrod Page, UCLA
4. Wesley Smith, Memphis
5. Daniel Bullocks, Nebraska

Punter
1. Steve Weatherford, Illinois
2. D.J. Fitzpatrick, Notre Dame
3. Tom Malone, USC
4. John Torp, Colorado
5. Ryan Plackemeier, Wake Forest

 

[Fishhead]

Iowa's strength this year is going to be their Linebackers.

May possibly have two 1st rounders at the position in next years draft.

-F-

 

[TheGeneral+]

Thanks for posting this Ego.

Hate to hurry time, but it's good to see football talk.

 

[volhound]

How bout them Tennessee boys making every category, almost.


We have had great talent before and it has not worked out. the question is "how well does your talent play as a team together"

We had the most talent and experience we have ever had in 1999 and couldn't get it done. I think this group of guys play well together though.

We are all undefeated at this point. That is the fun. I have my calender circled Sept 17. Welcoming party for Urban Meyer to the SEC down in the swamp. There ain't no North Idaho States in the SEC, just Vandy.

 

[Ego74]

Thanks for posting this Ego.

Hate to hurry time, but it's good to see football talk.

thanks, General

 

[AlwaysKeen]

thanks for this...

 

[CoachCB]

How bout them Tennessee boys making every category, almost.

I have my calender circled Sept 17. Welcoming party for Urban Meyer to the SEC down in the swamp. There ain't no North Idaho States in the SEC, just Vandy.

Hound,

I can't WAIT for this game! I think Coach Meyer will do just fine in the SEC. Zook went 1-1-1 vs UT (the extra "1" is the screw job he got last year on the Dallas Baker personal foul "penalty"). If Zook could do it....I think the 2 time National Coach of the Year can also!! I know UT is loaded, so I'm prepared for a third straight UT win in Gainesville.........but, I've got my fingers crossed!

 

[CoachLT]

CoachCome Boy, you need to crack Volhounds NUTTS! Are you trying to lull him into a sense of false security? GAITORBAIT! Yahoooooooooooo! LT

 

[LSUpete]

I have my calender circled Sept 17. Welcoming party for Urban Meyer to the SEC down in the swamp.

..................And I have the next weekend circled on my calender. Enjoy that win at Florida, because that trip to Baton Rouge is gonna hurt.

 

[CoachLT]

I have my calender circled Sept 17. Welcoming party for Urban Meyer to the SEC down in the swamp.

..................And I have the next weekend circled on my calender. Enjoy that win at Florida, because that trip to Baton Rouge is gonna hurt.

Pete, welcome back! We will soften up "The Rocky Mountain School for the Dentally Impaired" for you guys. If the RMSDI Vols lose their first 2 SEC games, Phat Phil will kill himself with an overdose of Krispy Kreme donuts. Look forward to your selections this year. LT

 

[AlwaysKeen]

it's good to see all of the boys coming back...

 

[volhound]

Bring it on Coach!

you too Pete, Les Miles hasn't won and SEC game either. Hopefully their B league success won't transfer over the big league. Talent will overshadow some of their weaknesses and shock of getting the rock pounded at them
Lots are predicting LSU in the west and GA or FLA in the east and i just ca't see 2 first time SEC coaches in the SEC championship game
Especially when you have to go throught the winningest coach in college football
Pretty tough road schedule there 2 weeks in a row. We've played well on the road as of late
At least we'll all know early

 

[SpreadMan]

How bout them Tennessee boys making every category, almost.

....and Kevin Simon should be on there as well!