The NFL Draft Mailbag is back for another week after a fun week of college football. After focusing a bit on the offensive side of the ball last week, we dive deep into the 2014 defensive class. We cover some of the top prospects from this class and a sleeper prospect who hasn't been talked about. This wouldn't be a mailbag of course without some type of question about USC and we cover that was well talking about Marqise Lee. If you have a question you would like answered in next week's mailbag be sure to send it to me on Twitter @ThreefortheWin

@NFLDraftPage: Is Ha Ha Clinton-Dix better than, equal to or worse than previous top safety prospects?

I know Clinton-Dix was receiving some hype before the season and that has only seemed to grow through his first two games of the 2013 season. I watched him a little before but went back over him this week.

After watching Clinton-Dix I have to admit I am high on him and believe as long as he stays healthy he will be a first-round pick. If he can continue to improve his angles and against the run I think we are talking about a top-15 selection. The Crimson Tide groomed Clinton-Dix to be the successor for Mark Barron and he has been outstanding so far. I love his aggressiveness and how quickly he gets to the ball carrier. He is solid in coverage and already has shown the ability to break up a pass with a big hit just as the receiver puts his hands on the football. While he is still improving against the run, he has the speed to get to the hole quickly and blow up the running back. Clinton-Dix loves contact and you see that every game with the ferocious hits he delivers, but he delivers clean hits and avoids penalties. He needs to improve his consistency with tackling, and you will not see him come from a bad angle and not square up the ball carrier. If he can control his aggressiveness against the run, he will become a monster at the safety position.

When comparing him to the safety classes of previous years. I would put him right there with Barron, who he of course he replaced last season at Alabama. Barron was clearly a more finished product coming out of Alabama and Nick Saban doesn’t have a great track record with his defensive backs succeeding at the next level. But when I watch Clinton-Dix I see a very good player with the chance to be great in the NFL and a future Pro Bowl player at the position. Plenty of teams are in need of a safety, which should make him a highly coveted player on draft day.

@DLBScouting: Who is the best draft-eligible defensive player behind Jadeveon Clowney?

We all know about the monster of Jadeveon Clowney, but this is a great class of prospects on the defensive side of the ball. You have some great cornerbacks, Clinton-Dix who I talked about above, and some great defensive linemen. But what really makes this defensive class so strong is the outside linebackers and pass rushers.

But there is one name for me that stands out above all the rest and that is UCLA Bruins outside linebacker Anthony Barr. While he may not be on the same level as Von Miller, Barr is the type of player who could have an immediate impact in the NFL. I like him better than last year’s top pass rusher Dion Jordan but both will be great players. While we are just a few weeks into the college football season and Barr is just spending his second season at outside linebacker, he is establishing himself as a top-five pick.

Barr was a running back for the Bruins before UCLA coach Jim Mora Jr. made the decision to flip him over to defense and start at outside linebacker. Barr is a physical specimen, the type of defensive prospect who coaches drool over at the thought of what he could potentially be. He has very good size at 6’4 248 lbs. and he has rare burst and speed for a linebacker. He is a force off the edge and still is learning how to use his hands and improve his technique. Despite being so new to the position he dominated last season with 13 sacks and 21 tackles for loss. But he does more than just get after the quarterback he forces turnovers as evident by his two forced fumbles last week against Nebraska. Barr isn’t your typical pass-rusher though, he can drop back into coverage and covering his man very well. While he has yet to record a sack this season, he has 16 tackles and has shown more improvement against the run.

Barr needs more time to develop and learn the position before he can be a star at the next level. He is making progress stopping the run, but you will still see times where he makes the wrong read and misses on the play. But the physical gifts and how far he has come in less than two years at the position absolutely make him a top-five selection.

@primetimeMitch: How does USC’s coaching and quarterback play affect the draft stock of Marqise Lee?

Before the season started, Marqise Lee was looking like a top-10 selection and some considered him to be the best receiver in the 2014 class. While we all expected USC to take a step back this year offensively, I’m not sure we could have seen this coming.

It wasn’t until this past week that Lane Kiffin finally decided on a starting quarterback. For the first two weeks the Trojans alternated between Cody Kessler and Max Wittek at quarterback. Despite the inconsistent play at quarterback, Lee still performed well hauling in 15 receptions but for just 131 yards against Hawaii and Washington State. Even when Kessler was named the starting quarterback against Boston College, Lee caught just two passes the entire game. One pass did result in an 80-yard touchdown but it was still another disappointing game for Lee. Through three games Lee has caught 17 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown. A steep decline from last season when he had 21 receptions for 263 yards and four touchdowns in just two games. While the drop off at quarterback is evident, you would still like to have seen more out of Marqise Lee.

I believe that coaching has been a big reason why the Trojans’ offense has been so horrific this season and Lee has really struggled to get going. Kiffin has crazy talent at receiver, but he refuses to use the deep passing attack and that cripples Lee’s ability. Lee obviously has the ability to work in the slots and use the short game and Kessler is unproven as a quarterback. But I believe coaching is the biggest thing holding Lee back and it could hurt his draft stock. We all know the talent is there, but this year we wanted to see Lee develop his route-running skills even more and became a true master of the slot. But that just hasn’t happened in this offense and the finger has to be point at Kiffin and some blame on the quarterback. Lee will remain a top-20 pick but any chance of him improving his draft stock from before the year is likely gone.

@CMScouting: What do you think about UCLA outside linebacker Jordan Zumwalt?

While Barr draws all the attention for the UCLA defense and he has earned the praise and attention, Jordan Zumwalt has become a name to watch. Everyone looks for the lesser-known player who doesn’t get as much attention but is actually a stud in their own way.

What’s crazy about Zumwalt is that he is a senior and will be in the 2014 class, which means he could become one of the great late-round values who wind up a starter in the NFL. His best game obviously came this past week against Nebraska where he really stole some spotlight away from Barr. While Zumwalt wasn’t on the field for every play, he made his presence felt when he was on the field. He showed scouts he can get after the quarterback and deliver a big hit, just like he did to Taylor Martinez when he forced a fumble to help the Bruins make their comeback. Zumwalt isn’t a great athlete but he makes up for it with excellent fundamentals and instincts. He reads and reacts to the play well and gets to the ball carrier quickly not because of blazing speed but because he recognizes the play and gets to the hole before the ball carrier can. One of the things I love most about Zumwalt is how sound of a tackler he is, he squares up the ball carrier and wraps them up and doesn’t give up extra yards in the process. He makes up for his lack of speed and athleticism with excellent fundamentals and football IQ that is an excellent combo with Barr. His lack of athleticism will cost him in coverage though where he is a major liability, and has to be taken off the field in passing situations. Zumwalt doesn’t have the upside of Barr but he is a very good football player who can play at the next level.

Great athletes will always find their way to the top of the draft in April, it’s just a part of the process. But coaches will love how clean, developed and smart Zumwalt is and will feel confident that they can immediately plug him into their defense. He is more of a run-stopper and can’t be an every-down linebacker in the NFL but he can be a contributor for a playoff team. Barr will get all of the media attention and will go much higher on draft day, but Zumwalt could become one of the great value selections of the 2014 NFL Draft.