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Dale's Mailbag
Q: Dale, who is the top player in the 2011 draft? Paul - Saginaw, MI
A: Paul, this is a difficult senior class to project and maybe as much as any previous season the juniors will dictate the who goes where in the first round. There is not one standout senior that is head and shoulders above the rest of the class. Currently I rate Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska as the top senior available but it very easily could be one of another half dozen players, such as Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa, Ryan Kerrigan, DE Purdue or Cameron Heyward, DE Ohio State. As you can see this is a very strong draft class for defensive linemen and as many as six or eight could go in the first round and that is just the seniors.
Q: Who is the Top QB and RB and this year's draft? Chris - Ontario, CA.
A: Paul, this is a difficult senior class to project and maybe as much as any previous season the juniors will dictate the who goes where in the first round. There is not one standout senior that is head and shoulders above the rest of the class. Currently I rate Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska as the top senior available but it very easily could be one of another half dozen players, such as Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa, Ryan Kerrigan, DE Purdue or Cameron Heyward, DE Ohio State. As you can see this is a very strong draft class for defensive linemen and as many as six or eight could go in the first round and that is just the seniors.
Q: Who is the Top QB and RB and this year's draft? Chris - Ontario, CA.
A. Chris, the 2011 Draft Class lacks a franchise QB but there are several very good runners starting with a guy I am very high at Oklahoma State, Kendall Hunter. Many scouts prefer DeMarco Murray at Oklahoma but Hunter too me is more dangerous with the ball in his hands. His quickness, elusiveness and game breaking ability really stand out. I do like Murray quite a bit and he may have the best all-around ability and has better size than Hunter. A player that is moving up my draft board this fall is Nebraska's Roy Helu. I like his combination of size, power and speed. Jake Locker is widely considered to be the top senior QB in the country but I have my doubts with Locker. There is no questioning his physical tools but he is extremely raw as a passer and has a long way to go before he can step foot on an NFL field. His post-season performance will go a long way in determining his final draft grade.