Draft Day: DEs

Well now we move to the Defensive side of the ball. Who knows who could be in this class? The next DeMarcus Ware? Ray Lewis? Darrell Revis? We will know in due time. But, for now, we can discuss who the Top 5 edge rushers in the league. Without this position, teams have easily missed opportunities to get at the QB. But the good thing about being the top DEs, you get drafted in the first round. I will only being doing the Top 3 players on defensive positions.

Randy Gregory - Nebraska - RS Jr
6' 6" 245 lbs
2014 Stats: 54 tackles, 7 sacks, 3 pass def., 1 int
Highest Achievement: First Team All-Big 10 (2014)
Most Impressive Game of 2014: 9/27 vs Illinois
As the Top DE, Gregory is getting some attention. Not only that, he is the #3 player overall. Gregory is fast off of the line. The secret is that when the ball is hiked, Gregory moves east to west to get around his blocker, instead of going right into them. With his impressive speed, this tactic makes him the most desirable DE in the draft.
Draft Day: Gregory, barring a terrible Combine and Pro-day, is almost guaranteed to go in the top 5. With Gregory being a Top 5 player as well, he would not drop out of the Top 10 picks, even if it is not an immediate need for the team.
Projected Teams: Jaguars, Titans, Redskins
My Prediction: 1st Round, 3rd Overall, Jacksonville Jaguars
Why: With the Jaguars going for a younger team, getting one of the top players on the outside would not be a bad pick. Jacksonville was in the bottom 7 in total defense this year. They need more playmakers on that side of the ball. Also, in last years draft, the Jags went 6/9 on drafting offensive players. This draft needs to be a defensive one.

Shane Ray - Missouri - RS Jr
6' 3" 245 lbs.
2014 Stats: 65 tackles, 14.5 sacks, 1 pass def.
Highest Achievement: SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2014)
Most Impressive Game of 2014: 9/27 @ South Carolina
Ray claims to be the fastest DE in the draft. He "unofficially" clocked a 4.44 40 yard dash. This is impressive, especially if it is true. Ray is seen beating out OTs to get to the QB. This shows through the fact that Ray has had a sack in all but 1 game (UGA). With stats like these, you wonder why he isn't #1. He has some fundamentals to work on like disengaging from blockers.
Draft Day: Ray is sure to go top 5 as well. If not, it would be a steal for anyone to get the 8th best player on the board.
Projected Teams: Redskins, Giants, Jets, Falcons
My Prediction: 1st Round, 5th Overall, Washington Redskins
Why: The Redskins have had a pitiful defense ever since London Fletcher left 2 seasons ago. With their best defensive players in the secondary, teams are able to run the ball with no problem. They need a premier edge rusher in order to get pressure on QBs, especially in a division with a Manning, Murray, & McCoy.

Alvin Dupree - Kentucky - Sr.
6' 4" 267 lbs.
2014 Stats: 74 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 1 int, 1 TD, 1 pass def.
Highest Achievement: First-Team All-SEC (2014)
Most Impressive Game of 2014: 11/15 @ Tennessee
First off, a top player from Kentucky is a win in itself. But on to Dupree. He is known for being very agile. He is not only quick on the ball, but can turn a corner in an instant. And with impressive speed to match. The downside is that he lacks in DE strength. Dupree wants to beat you with his speed and not his strength. This will be a factor come draft day.
Draft Day: Dupree is a player that has moved around the Top 20 from team to team. Many teams could use him. The question is who needs him the most,
Projected Teams: Saints, Chargers, Falcons
My Projection: 1st Round, 7th Overall, Chicago Bears
Why: Another team with a poor defensive effort this year was the Bears. The Bears allowed their opponent to score 30+ in 7 games this season. One thing that is in common with these losses, the bigger deficits came from teams with well established run games like Green Bay and Dallas. Jared Allen cannot do everything on the line. Get him some help.