10- OJ Howard, Alabama, TE
Athletically, Howard is absolutely jaw dropping. At 6’5” and 225 pounds, he moves well around the field with enough speed to be a game changer. His agility and quickness, for a tight end, in space can enable him to make a defender or two miss. Also an impressive part of his athleticism, he high points passes well and get vertical enough to tower over other potential pass catchers.
9- Chris Jones, DE, Mississippi State
You can’t ask for more out of a defensive end from an athletic standpoint than what Jones offers. He’s 6’5”, 250 pounds, and can run the 40 yard dash in 4.70 seconds. If that doesn’t catch your eye, nothing will. His length and quickness will give him an advantage around the edge and should be a nightmare for SEC quarterbacks.
8- Jonathan Allen, Alabama, OLB/DE
In two words, Allen is quick and violent. He explodes off the snap and gets to opposing quarterbacks before they have a chance to react. Slow reacting lineman will not stand a chance when lined up against his speed and athleticism. Allen often rag-dolled the quarterbacks that he sacked as he threw them violently to the ground. Having him on the field is another sack waiting to happen.
7- Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss, WR
Treadwell has a legitimate shot to be the next Demaryius Thomas. Both are 6’3” and run similar 40 yard dashes (Thomas ran a 4.38 at the Combine in 2010 and Treadwell currently runs (roughly) a 4.40). This combination makes for the prototypical wide receiver build and, if coached well, can be turned into an absolute monster. Although, Treadwell already is. He finds the ball at it’s highest point and snags it right out of the air. His run after the catch ability is impressive, both with his speed and a solid showcase of brute strength. With him lined up alongside Donte Moncrief, Bo Wallace will be a happy quarterback.
6- Derrick Henry, Alabama, RB
As per usual for Tuscaloosa, Henry is a hard nosed runner that refuses to be tackled by anyone. Whether it be stiff arming, lowering his shoulder, or simply flying past defenders, he is nearly impossible to bring down. Henry measures in a bit big for a running back (6’3” and 240 pounds), but he still runs a 4.54 40 yard dash and has enough agility to make a quick cut in open space if he needs to. The post-Yeldon days for the Crimson Tide will be exciting.
5- Montravius Adams, Auburn, DT
For a 305 pound man, Adams was quick and flew into the backfield. He violated opposing lineman right off the snap and made it known immediately that one man would not hold him back. Adams possesses a violent swim move that makes opposing lineman look like practice dummies. Even if he sees double, or even triple, teams, Adams will not be easy to keep at bay.
4- Reuben Foster, Alabama, ILB
Foster, who also played a bit of running back, flies around the field with an incredible burst. As soon as he sees how a play has developed, which is often rather quickly, he explodes from where he is and attacks the ball carrier. Partly due to his momentum, Foster hits violently and pounces on opposing ball carriers. In tight spaces and at the point of attack, Foster often moves blockers out of the way to either make the tackle himself or clear the way for a teammate to do so.
3- Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss, OT
Tunsil is the premier left tackle of the 2013 recruiting class. In space, he moves around fluidly and keeps his head on a swivel, ready to attack any opposing defenders that dare come near him. Once he attacks such brave defenders, he mauls them. In the run game, he puts people on the ground consistently. As a pass blocker, he contains the edge well and will keep Bo Wallace from taking any major hits in the pocket.
2- Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida, CB
As has been the recent trend in The Swamp, the Gators bring in another stud defensive back. Hargreaves, often referred to as VH3, is an incredible athlete that took snaps on offense at a few positions along with his main position at cornerback. Hargreaves closes quickly and can use such burst to bait quarterbacks into thinking he’s too far away to make a play on the ball. His vertical ability is stellar and makes up for him being 5’11”. SEC quarterbacks will struggle for year’s to come when throwing at him.
1- Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss, DE
Few football players in the world are better athletes than Nkemdiche. He runs a 4.65 40 yard dash at 6’4” and 285 pounds, which is jaw dropping. No man that size should be able to move that fast, especially since he’s agile and freakishly strong as well. He is nearly impossible to contain, no matter how many people you line up against him. It may be a bit premature to jump to conclusions, but don’t be surprised if he produces numbers similar to Jadeveon Clowney.