Introduction To The 2011 Draft: Nose Tackles

Confession time.

Do you guys remember about 2 months ago a post entitled: Introduction To The 2011 Draft: The Top 10?

It was posted by a guy named JoeBlowBronco

Yup, that was me. I was stupid and got my name Nick Cast banned. So I made a new account and posted on that one.

Little did I know that Guru can tell if you make a new name anyway so it doesn't really matter. Moral of the story: Once your banned, your banned for good. So don't be stupid like me and get banned lol.

Anyway, after taking a poll, the people haves wished for an introduction to the nose tackles available in the draft. The common perception is that there aren't many good nose tackles available this year. I disagree. There are a couple of guys who could be nice NT's in the pros. Here are the guys to look out for.

Stephen Paea, Oregon State

Scouting Report:

Paea stands at 6 ft 1, 311 pounds. Now, I know what your thinking: 6 ft 1? That is too small to play Nose Tackle. Let me stop you right there. One of the best nose tackles in the NFL is Casey Hampton and he is 6 ft 1, 325 pounds.

Pros:

Paea is simply a beast. He is one of the strongest players in college football. He could break the bench press record at the combine. He is excellent at eating blockers. He often times takes on double and even triple teams. Sometimes that's not even enough to stop him. I watched him tear apart my USC Trojans. The guys has a non stop motor. He has arguably the best bull rush in college and nice a nice burst. He finished the year with 45 tackles, and 6 sacks this year. His stats may not be jaw dropping, but he has been a master at collapsing the pocket

Cons:

His height and arm length are a concern. Sometimes he has trouble getting around blockers. Also, Paea does not look like he weighs 311. Lastly, 3-4 Nose might not be his best decision. Wes Bunting (one of the best draft experts on the web) believes Paea should play 4-3 DT in the pros where he can use his burst and punch to get to the QB.

Bronco Rating: 5/10

I really like Paea a lot. He is one of the most disruptive DT's in college football. He is strong, tough, and a guy who gives you 100% percent. However, he currently is a 1-2 round prospect which means our best hope at getting him would be our early 2nd rounder if he falls. I am intrigued by Paea but he is not a pure nose and he is going to be a high draft pick. Not the best circumstances.

Stephen Paea #54 vs Oregon Ducks (2010) 

Jerrell Powe, Ole Miss

Scouting Report

My bet is that one of the only nose tackle prospects that most people have heard of is Jerrell Powe. This has caused him to be way overhyped. Powe had a really bad year and his stock has definitely dropped.

Pros:

Shown Great bulk at 6 ft 2, 340 lbs. He is a very difficult person to move. One of the "true" nose tackle prospects in this draft. He has great use of his hands and surprisingly good athleticism considering his size. He is strong and eats up blockers very well. In his junior year, he had 25 solo tackles which is a lot for a man of his size.

Cons:

The guy is not very bright. He was academically ineligible until 2008. He will be 24 by the time he is drafted. He lost weight this year to be a better pass rusher, but he lost some of his power in the process. If we draft him to play a nose, he will have to put the weight back on. He is inconsistent in game and has technique issues. He had a rough year in which he only had 27 tackles and 3 sacks. He also looks tired more often then you would like.

Bronco Rating: 2/10

I don't like Powe at all. He lost weight, isn't bright, and will be 24 when drafted. He's also a 2nd round prospect. He could turn out to be a good pro, but it is by no means a sure thing. There isn't a ton of upside with him. I wouldn't take him before round 3 and even then I would look somewhere else.

Jerrell Powe Interview 2 11 09

Kendrick Ellis, Hampton

Scouting Report

Ellis is a big boy from a small school. He is one of the few prospects that I have not gotten to watch this year. So the scouting report is from CBS.com.

Pros:

Great size at 6 ft 5, 340 pounds. Shows good quickness. Long arms and big hands. Looks like a run-stuffer and can play that part but surprises with his agility and foot quickness. Excellent upper-body build and girth for great strength off the snap to unload in his man's numbers. Not just a mammoth run-stopper, he lines up at the one- and three-technique positions to be explosive as a pass rusher. Anchors against double teams, not moved backward easily. Rips off single blocks with strong hands and downward motion. Swallows running backs in the hole with great mass and length. Pure size and strength make him an explosive tackler that ballcarriers don't want to feel hit them.

Cons:

Has not played against equal competition. Dismissed from South Carolina for multiple rules violations is a major red flag. He might be best suited as a 4-3 3 technique then a 3-4 nose.

Bronco Rating: 6/10

I have not gotten to see him, but based on everything I have read, he could be a player we need to get. I am very wary of his dismissal from South Carolina and his years of playing against inferior competition. However, there have been no other red flags and he has absolutely dominated in his division. He is a 3rd round prospect right now. A lot depends on his combine and pro day, but he is a top 3 nose in this draft.

Phil Taylor, Baylor

Scouting Report

Taylor has been labeled a "boom or bust" prospect and it's not hard to see why. His junior year was pretty bad, but he had a very nice senior year. He has great size, but he has consistently had trouble getting his weight under control ala Terrence Mount Cody.

Pros:

6 ft 4, 340 pounds. He is massive in every sense of the word. He had 62 tackles in his senior year including 35 solo. That is a lot for a man of his size. He has a initial burst and has nice athleticism considering his size. He is very good at taking on double teams. Collapses the pocket pretty well.

Cons:

Weight is a huge problem for this guy. He could be the next Terrence Cody and show up at the combine at 380+. He is inconsistent. At times he will take on double teams and still get the tackle. Other times, he is pushed back by just one guy. He is raw. Technique is going to be fixed.

Bronco Rating:  6/10

Normally, I am not a big fan of players who can't keep their weight under control, but Taylor could be the best NT in the entire draft. He has the potential to be a NT in the league for a long time. He is a 3rd-4th round prospect. He shouldn't be picked in the 2nd despite what several sites are saying.

Sione Fua, Stanford

Scouting Report

For all those who have asked me who is my favorite Nose in this draft, here he is. Meet Sione Fua. He is everything I want in a Nose and he won't be that expensive.

Pros

3-4 experience. He spent his senior year at 3-4 nose at Stanford. He is 6 ft 2, 309 pounds, but he has the frame to put on more weight. He is a very strong, explosive player. He is arguably Stanford's best defensive player. He had 23 tackles this year, 13 solo, 6 tackles for loss and 5 sacks. He is a run stuffer and been a force inside.

Cons

Not the ideal size/weight. Doesn't have great stats. 23 tackles in both his junior and senior years. Technique needs refining. Hand placement and pad level needs work.

Bronco Rating: 7/10

He is my favorite nose and here is why: He has experience playing nose in a 3-4, he doesn't have weight/work ethic issues, and he can be had for a 3rd and maybe a 4th. He is everything I look for in a nose and a hard worker too. Perfect scenario. Sione is my favorite prospect in round 3. When you watch the video, notice how often he gets doubled team. When he gets 1 v 1, he typically wins.

Universaldraft.com Presents - Sione Fua - DT - Stanford 

Ian Williams, Notre Dame

Scouting Report

Williams is one of the lesser known nose tackle prospects in college football. This is largely because he tore his MCL this year and missed the last 4 games of his senior year. He isn't as good as the other prospects, but he has potential.

Pros

Stands at 6 ft 2 and 305 pounds. He has a lot of experience in the 3-4. His freshman, sophomore, and senior years were spent in the 3-4. In his senior year, he had 38 tackles, 17 solo and 2 sacks. He is pretty quick for his size. He is at his best as a run defender. He takes on double teams so his teammates can make the plays. Pretty good at shedding blocks and a good tackler.

Cons

He doesn't have the ideal frame. He likely won't be able to put on much more weight without losing his quickness. Also, there are some questions about how strong he is and how he will do against stronger offensive NFL lineman. Due to his questionable strength, there is some who wonder if he nose tackle is his best position. He is not a good pass rusher.

Bronco Rating: 5/10

He doesn't have the upside of Phil Taylor or Kendrick Ellis, but he is a big guy who has experience in the 3-4. If his strength checks out, he can be a steal as he is currently projected to be a 5th round draft pick.

Anthony Gray, Southern Miss

Scouting Report

Gray isn't as well known as the other nose tackles because the college he attends and the lack of talent next to him. However, he is a big guy who could be a potential nose.

Pros

6 ft 320 pounds. He is constantly drawing double teams. He has a surprisingly high number of sacks over his career with 10. He totaled 44 tackles, 16 solo, and 2 sacks in his senior year. He is a pretty good tackler. He has a good number of QB pressures.

Cons

Played in a weak conference. He doesn't have the height you want. His strength is untested so his potential as a nose is questionable. His stats aren't that great.

Bronco Rating: 4/10

He is a guy who is untested and has questions about his physical abilities. However, he has some potential. He isn't overly impressive, but he is a 5-7 prospect and could be a steal if he is able to bulk up and has better strength then advertised.

Saia Falahola, Arizona State

Scouting Report

He is pretty unknown. I haven't heard of him until recently. From what I could find, here is what i learned.

Pros

6 ft 1, 300 pounds. He is hard worker and a former offensive lineman. He has taken on a lot of double teams at Arizona State. He has 46 tackles and 30 solo in his career. He has lost 25 pounds since starting at ASU so he can put more weight back on. Good run defender.

Cons

Unimpressive stats. Just 13 tackles in his senior year. Might not have the strength to hold up in the NFL. Not a lot of experience after originally being an offensive lineman. Played for a bad ASU team.

Bronco Rating: 2/10

He is an unknown player who might not have the skills to play the nose. He hasn't made a big impact and looks to be a reserve at best. He is a 7th round pick.

Conclusion

There are more nose prospects then people realize. There are a few players who could be starting NT in the NFL and there are players who could be backups. My NT rankings are based on talent, round prediction and potential.

NT Rankings

1. Sione Fua

2. Phil Taylor

3. Kendrick Ellis

4. Stephen Paea

5. Ian Williams

6. Anthony Gray

7, Jerrell Powe

8. Saia Falahola

There you have your 2011 potential Nose Tackles. As I've said before, Sione Fua is my favorite prospect, but not by a whole lot. Phil Taylor is a VERY attractive prospect, but he could easily be a bust which makes me nervous. Ellis is an interesting prospect who I look forward to watching in the draft process, but playing for a division 2 school is going to make his learning curve really high.

We have now covered the top 10 prospects and nose tackles. What position do you guys want a preview of next? 3-4 DE? 4-3 DE? 4-3 DT? 4-3 MLB? 4-3 OLB? 3-4 MLB? 3-4 OLB? CB? S? Offense perhaps? Let me know in the comments.