Dec 16, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers helmet on the field before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium. The Cowboys won 27-24 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

With the #17 pick in the NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select Jarvis Jones out of Georgia.

They released James Harrison so they needed someone to fill in that spot of the defense. A great pass rusher, will fit excellent in this defense. A fast linebacker, had 28 sacks against the SEC, will become a part of a defense who didn’t have a single player in double digit sacks last season.

The Dallas Cowboys are on the clock.

Apr 26, 2012; New York, NY, USA; A general view as members of the military are honored during the 2012 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

The 2013 NFL Draft is just a day away, teams have worked out prospects, some have either slipped up/down from their projected selection in the entire draft.

With the #1 and #2 pick belonging to the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars, the Kansas City Chiefs who have a new offensive system, have two of the best offensive tackles, if not prospects of this draft to choose from.

If you haven’t heard, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Jets have completed a trade for corner-back Darrell Revis, that sent the New York Jets the Buccaneers #13 pick overall in the first round. Mike ‘Dyce’ wrote an article earlier about the Bucs looking to trade back into the first round of the draft.

Now keep in mind, there should be a decent amount of trades during this entire draft process, mainly in the 1st round.

This is an update draft to the first mock draft I posted on February 14th.

1. Kansas City Chiefs — Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M

2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan

3. Oakland Raiders – Dion Jordan, LB/DE, Oregon

4. Philadelphia Eagles – Jarvis Jones, ILB, University Georgia

5. Detroit Lions – Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama

6. Cleveland Browns – Ezekial Ansah, DE, BYU

7. Arizona Cardinals – Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama

8. Buffalo Bills – Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse

9. New York Jets – Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah

10. Tennessee Titans – Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington

11. San Diego Chargers – Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU

12. Miami Dolphins – Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama

13. New York Jets (from Bucs) – Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina

14. Carolina Panthers – Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia

15. New Orleans Saints – Kenny Vaccaro, S, University of Texas

16. St. Louis Rams – Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma

17. Pittsburgh Steelers – Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee

18. Dallas Cowboys – Alex Okafor, DE, University of Texas

19. New York Giants – D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama

20. Chicago Bears – Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia

21. Cincinnati Bengals – Cornellius Carradine, DE, Florida State

22. St. Louis Rams (from Washington) — Monte Ball, RB, Wisconsin

23. Minnesota Vikings – Damontre Moore, DE/LB, Texas A&M

24. Indianapolis Colts – Manti Te’o, LB, Notre Dame

25. Minnesota Vikings (from Seattle) – Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame

26. Green Bay Packers – Terron Armstead, OT, Arkansas-Pine Bluff

27. Houston Texans – Keenan Allen, WR, California

28. Denver Broncos – Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia

29. New England Patriots – DJ Hayden, CB, Houston

30. Atlanta Falcons – Kevin Minter, LB, LSU

31. San Francisco 49ers – Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama

32. Baltimore Ravens – Eric Reid, S, LSU

Feb 25, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Alec Ogletree (24) and Notre Dame Fighting Irish lineback Manti Te

This year’s class overall is vastly different from the past few draft classes in that there is no true “can’t miss” prospect stealing all the headlines in the way Cam Newton, Sam Bradford, etc have done in their respective years. One positive about the upcoming draft, though, is the sheer depth of talented LBs available for all 32 teams to choose from. Ranging from both outside and inside linebackers, this along with the offensive linemen is the best stocked position. Plenty of teams are searching for a dominant force to either rush the passer or become an asset in pass coverage, and this year’s draft class surely won’t disappoint. But, out of this fairly impressive draft class, comes 5 players that stand out the most when watching the tape. Coming in at #5 in our countdown is:

5) Manti Te’o, Notre Dame: Early into the 2012 collegiate season, it seemed to be a slam-dunk deal that he was the “can’t miss” prospect in this year’s LB stock. Following his terrible performance in the BCS Championship Game against the defending champion Alabama Crimson Tide, he got caught in one of the worst public relations disasters in recent memory.

The “Catfish” scandal isn’t what truly dropped his stock from Top 10 to borderline 1st/2nd round pick, but his play in that very championship game as well as a disappointing draft combine. He recorded a 4.82 in his 40 yard dash, where granted speed isn’t everything, but that low time has placed teams to question his ability to excel in the much faster speed of the NFL. If he has anything to dispute those claims, is his play-making ability.

One must not forget he was the runner-up to winning the Heisman Trophy, and his play truly displayed his potential. He’s never going to be considered the most athletic LB, nor is he ready to step into the starting line-up immediately. With the right environment and coaching, though, he can develop into a great player, with his best fit being an ILB in a 4-3 style scheme.

4) Arthur Brown, Kansas State: With this prospect, size clearly doesn’t matter. Despite being “just” 6’0″ and a rather stocky 241 lbs, what we have here is a true tackling machine that has the sideline-to-sideline speed that will attract teams. He plays much bigger than his size would indicate, and would be an excellent fit in either a 4-3 or a 3-4 as an ILB or even as an OLB.

Of course, his small size will be tested mightily against the huge offensive linemen that dominate in today’s NFL. But, his stature offers a somewhat unique advantage when it comes to leverage, where he can use his “smallness” to slip through would-be blocks. He also has the strength to fight and disengage blockers, and that is key when looking at any linebacker, big or small.

Will he be able to prove that once he goes live against opposing offenses in the NFL? Only time will tell, but he is my “sleeper” in this class of linebackers.

3) Dion Jordan, Oregon: He is the athletic freak when you compare him to the rest of this year’s draft class. Not only is he 6’6″, and 248 lbs, but he also recorded a 4.6o in the 40 yard dash, which will attract a ton of teams looking to add a real 3-4 OLB that can also play with his hand in the turf as a “tweener” 4-3 end.

Although his pass-coverage skills are questionable, he did play rather well in the open field, which is rare for a LB of his size to be capable of. His best fit hands-down is in a 3-4 defense, but he can also become a DE in a 4-3, or even play as an OLB with a 4-3 defense. Where he was perhaps the most impressive player in the combine, he must prove himself to be more than a “work-out warrior”. The competition he will face is dramatically different in the pros than it was in the Pac-12 conference.

2) Alec Ogletree, Georgia: Here is the best ILB prospect in this year’s draft class. He has the ideal size at 6’3″ 240 lbs, with plenty of frame to pack on even more pounds.  His range is decent, and he’s probably the best in terms of being able to effectively stuff a running play at the line of scrimmage.

Also, he’s proven his ability to be an effective pass rusher when sent on a blitz, as he closes in extremely fast for a typical ILB, whether it’s as a 4-3 or as a 3-4 ILB. What I was most impressed with, was his coverage skills. Where he’s not the fastest, he makes up for in pure instincts. His cuts and pursuit angles are excellent, and he is a hard hitter once someone crosses into his zone.

With all these positives, come some rather serious character concerns. Not only did he start his season off on the wrong foot with a 4-game suspension due to a failed drug test, but he was arrested in February for DUI charges. One could say his best choice would have been to stay for his senior season, but he’s declared for the draft, and shall still be a player to watch in the 1st round.

1) Jarvis Jones, Georgia: Where his teammate in Alec Ogletree is the best ILB prospect in this year’s draft, Jarvis Jones is the best all-round prospect in this year’s draft class. He shares a fair amount of strengths that Ogletree does, with his pursuit angles and play-making ability some of the best you’ll ever see coming out of college in the upcoming draft.

But his skills go beyond that, as his versatility to dominate in the running game as well as being a dangerous pass-rusher makes him by far the best linebacker to be had. His hands and ability to fight off blocks are simply outstanding, and he really reminds me of a Von Miller type of player. He can fit in the 3-4, or the 4-3, preferably as an OLB.

Can he make the slide inside, sure, but then you’d be wasting his talent for getting to the QB. In 2012, he recorded 14.5 sacks with the Bulldogs, and made a lot of plays from behind the line of scrimmage. His medical condition is a cause for concern, but  he has been given the “go-ahead” to play by an independent doctor. He could very well be gone within the 1st ten picks come later this month, and I can easily see why.

Make no mistake, this crop of linebackers is a strong group collectively, and surely any LB needy team is eager to draft one of these young future pros. Where do you, the fans and readers, believe each of these linebackers will go in the 2013 NFL draft? Sound off!

12. Miami Dolphins – Bjorn Werner, DE, FSU – The Dolphins get Bjorn Werner who many thought would be a top 5 pick all the way down at pick #12. The Dolphins just signed a big CB in Brent Grimes in free agency, plus there should be some very high potential CB picks at the top of round 2 to fill in the #2 slot and eventually become #1.  The Dolphins hit a home-run here filling their greatest need with one of the best overall players available at pick #12.

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia – Tampa Bay can’t let a linebacker like Jones fall any farther than 13^th overall.  They have a glaring need for an upgraded linebacker corps.  Not only that, but Jarvis Jones according to the body of work he’s put on film, is the best player available at this point in the draft.  They take him, wisely and become a force to be reckoned with next season in the NFC South which can be 2013’s best division in the NFL.

14. Carolina Panthers– Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri – The Panthers continue to build up their talent rich but hole-y defense with one of the top 4-3 defensive tackles in this class.  Richardson would join an up and coming defense anchored by Luke Kuechly at MLB and Charles Johnson at DE.  The Panthers also signed free agent DBs Drayton Florence (CB from Detroit) and Mike Mitchell (SS from Oakland) who will step in and make an immediate impact in the Carolina secondary.

15. Cleveland Browns (trade with New Orleans)– Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB, LSU – The Browns get a few extra picks trading down with New Orleans here yet still fill their hole at pass rushing jack DE/OLB.  Without a 2^nd round pick this year the Browns needed to do something to get some slack.  The Saints don’t have a 2nd round to give but I’m sure Cleveland gets this years 3^rd and another pick from the Saints in 2014, yet still get one of this draft’s elite pass rushers

Feb 25, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Louisiana State Tigers defensive lineman Barkevious Mingo (33), and Bennie Logan (29), and Sam Montgomery (34) pose for a photo after finishing their workouts during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Mar 21, 2013; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Jarvis Jones participates in drills during Georgia pro day at the University of Georgia. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

ROUND 1: (TRADE DOWN with the Rams – who may want to trade up for Tavon Austin) Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia – The Jets need to find a trade partner to gain an extra 2nd rounder to help rebuild this team.  Jarvis Jones shows lots of promise on tape but a decent pro day and a combine no show will have him slip out of the top 10.  It would be a HUGE win if the Jets can find a way to trade down in the 1^st round for an extra 2^nd rounder and still pick up one of the following: Ziggy Ansah, Jarvis Jones, or Kiki Mingo. I’d be very surprised if Ansah slipped out of the top 10 but stranger things have happened.

Oct 13, 2012; Shreveport, LA, USA; Louisiana Tech Bulldogs wide receiver Quinton Patton (4) catches a touchdown over Texas A

ROUND 2:  Quinton Patton – WR, La Tech – A monster at receiver who probably is a first round value who will go in round 2.  Against Texas A&M’s elite SEC defense, Patton racked in 244 yards and 4 TDs almost carrying his team to a big upset victory over the Aggies.  That’s enough to impress this Aggie fan.  Just ask Marques Colston, TY Hilton and Victor Cruz, don’t sleep on small school receivers!

Jan 26, 2013; Mobile, AL, USA; Senior Bowl south squad defensive back Bacarri Rambo of Georgia (18) returns an interception against the Senior Bowl north squad during the first half of the Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

ROUND 2: (from Rams in theoretical trade down)- Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia – A player who would be a first rounder but because of character issues got knocked down to a 2^nd day grab.  I think Rambo may be  the Janoris Jenkins of this year’s draft and teams know that.  Many will try to wait until the beginning of the 3^rd, so if you want and need this dynamic playmaker at safety, you may have to spend a mid-late second on him

Jan 7, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban and offensive linesman Barrett Jones (75) and quarterback A.J. McCarron (10) celebrate after the 2013 BCS Championship game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Sun Life Stadium. Alabama won 42-14. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Round 3: – Barrett Jones, OL, Alabama – If the Jets don’t want to spend an early pick on a safe offensive lineman, they could use a utility blocker in Barrett Jones.  He’s played G, T and C and could immediately step in and fill the glaring need the Jets have at guard.  If Mangold has anymore injury issues this season, he can also fill in at center, the Jets need a player like this to at least add to their depth of their offensive line

October 20, 2012; Gainesville FL, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks running back Marcus Lattimore (21) stretches prior to the game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Round 4: Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina – This pick is like Rambo in that every team kinda wants to take a chance on Lattimore.  But he still needs some more time to recover from his gruesome injury.  The fact that it was his 2^nd injury keeps him in the 3-4^th round range.  A team desperate for a running back like the Packers may throw a late 3rd rounder for him, but I think the majority of teams will look for him in the 4th and think of him as a potential 2014 starter.  If he can come into the league and stay healthy, it’d be a HUGE splash because without injury issues, Lattimore is the best running back prospect in the 2013 class.  Either way, he would have an underrated Mike Goodson and Bilal Powell to take the pressure off of him

Sep 8, 2012; Little Rock, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks tight end Chris Gragg (80) holds the ball up after a catch during the game against the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at War Memorial Stadium. Warhawks defeated the Razorbacks 34-31. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Round 5: Chris Gragg, TE, Arkansas – The Jets all the sudden need help at tight end, Chris Gragg was one of the most athletic at the combine and can come in and be an effective pass catching tight end with the right opportunity

Jan 26, 2013; Mobile, AL, USA; Senior Bowl north squad offensive lineman Ricky Wagner of Wisconsin (58) against the Senior Bowl south squad during the first half of the Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Round 6: Ricky Wagner, OT, Wisconsin – When in doubt grab a Wisconsin lineman off the board.  Ricky started as a left tackle for the Badgers but can probably step in right away on the right side for teams.  He could either be a great rotational player with Howard or if he surprises, can take on a full time role on the Jets’ offensive line.

November 12, 2011; Athens, GA, USA; Auburn Tigers tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen (43) scores a touchdown under Georgia Bulldogs safety Shawn Williams (36) during the first quarter at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Round 7: Philip Lutzenkirchen, TE, Auburn – He’s a big prototypical NFL sized tight end who holds the record for touchdown receptions for a tight end for the Tigers.  He’s a big red zone target almost unblockable by a single defender for short yardage, also great in pass protection.  The Jets can afford their 7^th in exchange for getting Lutzenkirchen into their tight end competition.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Jones, instead, slipped down to the ninth pick, where he was promptly scooped up by the pass rush-needy New York Jets, who end up taking Jordan in most mock drafts. Jones is regarded as the better prospect, and he is one of the only true blue-chip prospects in a class that is low on top-end talent. The issue with Jones is whether or not he checks out medically, because, if he does, then he is the best prospect in this draft (with the possible exception of Luke Joeckel).

With the ninth pick in the draft, Jarvis Jones is well-worth the risk, and the former Georgia standout would be an excellent addition for the New York Jets. He draws comparisons to Denver Broncos star Von Miller, who lit up the league as a rookie and was just as scintillating as a sophomore last season.

Not only is Jones a great pass rusher, but he is also stout against the run. Jones has a chance at being a true difference-maker on defense, and that’s something the Jets defense needs beyond another pass rusher to pair with last year’s first-round choice in Quinton Coples. Jones can provide a multitude of needs that the Jets have on defense, and he would be an excellent pick there.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter for more NFL updates and analysis @SorianoJoe.

November 17, 2012; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Jarvis Jones (29) shown on the sidelines during the game against the Georgia Southern Eagles during the first half at Sanford Stadium. Georgia defeated Georgia Southern 45-14. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Round 1 – Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia – He will be the most talented player on the board (assuming the Jets don’t grab him).  Jarvis Jones was one of the most productive linebackers in college football last year.  If it wasn’t for Notre Dame’s imaginary cancer patient, Lennay Kekua, Jarvis would have probably taken home a handful of defensive awards.  The Bucs can take the risk with his “health concerns,” which at this point are starting to sound like a misdiagnosis from USC’s medical staff.  Tampa could use a good linebacker on the outside, if Jarvis comes out ready to play he’ll be a great one.  This pick is basically 2013’s Von Miller with a bit more liability.  Worth the gamble at pick #13 for the Bucs if you ask me.

November 24, 2012; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins cornerback Sheldon Price (22) looks on as Stanford Cardinal tight end Zach Ertz (86) catches a pass in the fourth quarter of the game at the Rose Bowl. Stanford won 35-17. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Round 2 – Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford – This is not the Bucs biggest need, but may be the most solid 1^st round caliber player to slip this far into the 2^nd round.  Dallas Clark is getting a little old to be the main guy at tight end, the Bucs need to take this opportunity to replace Kellen Winslow by taking an all American who’s used to being the #1 offensive weapon.  He may not be the main weapon on the Bucs with Vincent Jackson and Doug Martin on the offense, but it’s a new, upgraded weapon for Josh Freeman that will solidfy the Bucs’ tight end position for years to come.

Nov 12, 2011; Fort Collins, CO, USA; San Diego State Aztecs cornerback Leon McFadden (2) breaks up a pass intended for Colorado State Rams wide receiver Thomas Coffman (2) during the fourth quarter at Hughes Stadium. The Aztecs beat the Rams 18-15. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports

Sleeper Pick – Leon McFadden, CB, San Diego State – This may be their greatest need, but the Bucs can’t really depend on any CB who will be around at pick #13 to be their #1.  After Dee Milliner is off the board, there isn’t much separating the rest of the round 1 CBs (maybe outside Johnthan Banks – who just needs to get faster) from the CBs in rounds 2-3.  Leon McFadden is a small school guy with lots of athleticism in his blood (father was a major league baseball player).  He started at CB since his (true) freshman year and dominated the conference earning 1^st team Mountain West honors his sophomore, junior and senior years.  He has the same potential as big school round one guys like Desmond Trufant or Xavier Rhodes but hasn’t quite played the same competition yet.  If he was available to the Bucs in the 3^rd, it would be a huge steal for them.  Like all the CBs that go off the board after Milliner, he can definitely be a solid #2 and possibly a good #1 his rookie year but has the potential to become their #1 guy in the future.  It would be the perfect situation if Tampa can lock down a #1 like Brent Grimes, Keenan Lewis or the suddenly cheap Nnamdi Asomugha in free agency.  As a Jets fan, I just hope they stay away from Revis.

November 17, 2012; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Jarvis Jones (29) and linebacker Alec Ogletree (9) combine to tackle Georgia Southern Eagles wide receiver Darreion Robinson (7) during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Georgia defeated Georgia Southern 45-14. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Continuing our coverage on the top draft prospects in this years draft. Don’t forget to check out Dave Gilbert’s Top 5 Defensive Linemen article and also my Top 5 Offensive Linemen preview. As you see in the headline of this page, today I will be covering the Top 5 Linebacker prospects. With one of the greatest linebackers (Ray Lewis) to ever play the game retiring, a long list of replacement hopefuls enter the NFL Draft in April. This year’s draft has a lot of talented defensive players who are ready to enter the league and make an impact.

1. Alec Ogletree, ILB, Georgia (6-3 236 lbs) - One of the two top linebackers who enter the draft for the University of Georgia; Ogletree has shown he can be a play-maker while defending the run game and always seemed to find the ball wherever it was on the field. Just to point out, he failed a drug test which resulted in a 4 game suspension. He came back from that suspension and recorded 111 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss, 3 sacks, and an interception. This kid could be a Pro Bowler within 3-4 years.

2. Manti Te’o, ILB, Notre Dame (6-2 255 lbs) - Alright let’s forget his little scandal he has going on and focus on what he has actually done while playing for the Fighting Irish. As a Heisman runner-up he recorded 113 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 4 passes broken up and 7 interceptions. Te’o has displayed excellent blitzing ability and is able to close in quickly as a pass-rusher. This kid should go sometime in the 1st round.

3. Kevin Minter, ILB, LSU (6-2 245 lbs) - As a Junior, Minter showed that he was the most consistent player on the defense. A fast and hard hitting linebacker who isn’t afraid to get physical, is making a good case for himself when it comes to being a 3 down linebacker and a starter at that. Tallying up 130 tackles with 15 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 5 broken up passes, 1 interception and forced fumble. Minter could possibly be go late 1st round.

4. Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia (6-2 242 lbs) - One man who you can compare Jones to in the NFL is Denver Broncos OLB Von Miller. They are both strong run pursuit defense linebackers. Coming off a good season along side fellow Bulldog, Alec Ogletree, Jones picked up 85 tackles, 14.5 sacks, 24.5 tackles for loss, 7 forced fumbles and 1 interception. I believe he could be a Top 10 pick in the draft.

5. Jonathan Bostic, ILB, Florida (6’1 246 lbs) - I may get some crap for this, but I have a good feeling about this kid. He is projected to go about the 3rd or 4th round but I think he could potentially go late 2nd. Bostic was a core player for Florida’s tough defense. I think he has the ability to win early playing time and could even get put on special teams. This kid reminds me a lot of Baltimore Ravens Jameel McClain, same size, same playing ability. In his senior hear at Florida he recorded 68 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble and 3 sacks.

Dec, 27, 2011; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack cornerback David Amerson (1) reacts after returning an interception for a touchdown in the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

It is never too early to look ahead to next year’s draft and the Lott Impact Trophy Award announced its watch list for the upcoming season made looking forward at some of the nation’s top defenders that much easier. The Lott IMPACT Trophy Award is given to the player that “exhibits the same characteristics Ronnie Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.”

42 players were on the initial watch list and it included a number of players who are considered potential first-round picks in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Some of the most notable players were North Carolina State cornerback David Amerson, stud Utah defensive lineman Star Lotulelei, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o, Georgia pass rusher Jarvis Jones, LSU defensive end Sam Montgomery, USC safety TJ McDonald, Stanford linebacker Chase Thomas and many others. Here is the complete watchlist, in alphabetical order:

Oct 22, 2011; San Francisco CA, USA; Utah Utes defensive tackle Star Lotulelei (92) after the play during the third quarter against the California Golden Bears at AT

• David Amerson, CB, North Carolina State
• Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State
• Chris Borland, LB,. Wisconsin
• John Boyett, FS. Oregon
• Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State
• Brodrick Brown, CB, Oklahoma State
• Jonathan Brown, LB, Illinois
• Max Bullough, LB, Michigan State
• Tra’ves Bush, S, Navy
• Kyle Fuller, DB, Virginia Tech
• Steve Greer, LB, Virginia
• Gerald Hodges, LB, Penn State
• Demontre Hurst, DB, Oklahoma
• Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, Texas
• Brandon Jenkins, DE, Florida State
• Jarvis Jones, LB, Georgia
• A.J. Klein, LB, Iowa State
• Jake Knott, LB, Iowa State
• Jordan Kovacs, S, Michigan
• Patrick Larimore, LB, UCLA
• Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah
• Brandon Magee, LB, Arizona State
• T.J. McDonald, S, USC
• Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU
• Brandon Ogletree, LB, BYU
• Alex Okafor, DE, Texas
• J.C. Percy, LB, Boise State
• Ray Polk, S, Colorado
• Jordan Poyer, CB, Oregon State
• Kevin Reddick, LB, North Carolina
• Eric Reid, S, LSU
• Luke Ruff, S, Wyoming
• Kawaan Short, DT, Purdue
• John Simon, DT, Ohio State
• Baker Steinkuhler, DT, Nebraska
• Mike Taylor, LB, Wisconsin
• Manti Te’o, LB, Notre Dame
• Chase Thomas, LB, Stanford
• Joe Vellano, DT, Maryland
• Bjoern Warner, DE, Florida State
• Zach Watts, LB, Army
• Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama

Which of the defenders are you looking forward to watching the most this upcoming season? While Te’o may be the most popular choice, I am very excited to watch Amerson and Lotulelei play out this year. Both, in my eyes, are potential top five picks and could really take college football by storm.

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