.Jerel Worthy: Should by hyped a lot more imo. Physically, he has all the tools. He can anchor against the run very well, he has an explosive first step and strong, violent arms which can generate a good pass rush. Good upper and lower body strength. Other than Poe, he is the most athletically gifted and well rounded DT prospect here. His lack of production is the biggest red flag. Personally I think it's a combination between middle-of-the-road technique, endurance and laziness. Don't get the wrong idea though, he's not Quinton-Coples-lazy, he just has a tendency to take it easy if his initial push gets neutralised. Decent leader. With the right coaching and rotation, I think he can be a regular probowler.
Devon Still: Much better than I expected. Has a very quick first step, comparable to Worthy. Along with his strong arms, this allows him to get to the backfield and create big plays, before the offence has any chance (think a toned down version of Nick Fairley from last year). His legs aren't as strong as Worthy's and has to work when he gets locked on to. When he comes in with that explosive first step however, locking down on him is difficult and he's a force against the run. Inconsistent with his technique, just like all these prospects. However, when his technique is right, he's very hard to stop in both running and passing situations. Vocal leader of the team. His biggest problem imo is his history with injuries. Suffered torn left ACL/MCL in August 2007, broken left ankle in August 2008. That's scary for the Panthers who has a lot of former 1st round picks with the same problem.
Fletcher Cox: Good but a bit overrated. Has long and strong arms, which helps with rushing the passer. Has amazing top speed but doesn't actually possess an explosive first step (although not a particularly bad one either). Good at splitting the gaps with his speed and strong arms and making plays behind the LOS. I think this makes him a good, but not an elite pass rusher. His lower body strength isn't as impressive, but can still hold his own against the run. He would need to play next to a good NT because he can never anchor the line, especially not against double teams. His frame is slightly on the small side, but he can still put on 10-15 pounds. Passionate player that gives his all and plays well against top talent.
Michael Brockers: His best traits are his size, effort and lower body strength. He's probably the best DT here against the run, constantly demanding double teams and pushing his blockers back. Not as fast as people make him out to be. He's a smooth athlete but doesn't have good top speed or an explosive burst (I think he just gives people that impression with his motor). Upper body strength is also only adequate, as shown with his 21 reps on his pro-day. Never really pushes or whips blockers away with his arms. His lack of burst and weaker arms make it hard for him to succeed as a pass rusher, though he can still give his opponent a hard time with his relentless effort (but I'm not sure that will mean as much in the NFL). Still raw in terms of technique and is often lost as a pass rusher. Best as a NT.
Dontari Poe: Has absolutely every physical trait you would want. A mountain of a man with extremely impressive strength, especially in his arms. Has very impressive speed for a guy his size and a good first step to go with it. Extremely raw (even more so than Brockers) and can get neutralised one-on-one even by running backs sometimes because of a lack of technique. Despite his impressive combine and laundry list of physical traits, I would not draft this guy in the first round. Why? You would think that a project like Poe would only be a one year starter, but no, he has started in 30 games - that's 2 and a half seasons. In other words, he's had ample opportunities to improve and polish up his skills, but despite this experience, he is still the rawest of the group. You wish you could call him a one year wonder because that would at least explain how raw he is, but he hasn't had a single eye-popping season. I don't mind drafting projects, but at the very least, you need to show me that you can improve year after year and be a student of the game. I see this guy as a big trap on draft day.
I hope you guys enjoyed this. This is just my personal take on the guys. I know it's a bit against the grain and I do respect the experienced draftniks. However this is just my honest analysis, I didn't rank these guys in a way that would make me feel special or whatever and if I'm proven wrong 3 years down the track, I'll be proud going down guns-blazing
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