NFL: Anthony Davis, Donovan Warren to Enter 2010 NFL Draft
Michigan defensive back Donovan Warren announced he will not be back for his senior season Sunday and Rutgers offensive tackle is expected to do the same at a news conference set for Tuesday afternoon.
Anthony Davis (Rutgers, OT)
Davis is considered to be in the discussion with Oklahoma’s Trent Williams as the second best tackle prospect behind Oklahoma State’s Russell Okung who is the consensus top tackle prospect right now. Okung is the only draft eligible offensive tackle who is considered the complete package while others have some glaring weaknesses.
It is believed that Davis will be a first round draft pick. Some experts have him rated as a top ten prospect, but, the overall consensus is that he will be at worst a mid-round pick depending on how the order lines up in the next couple of weeks.
His overall draft slot will depend largely upon where Okung ends up going. Kansas City, Washington, Buffalo, Seattle, and Oakland all picking in the top ten have offensive line needs. However, these teams also have other pressing needs.
The Chiefs are awful on defense and the Redskins are likely going to take a quarterback with their top pick.
With neither Trent Edwards or Ryan Fitzpatrick striking fear in opposing defenses the Bills are candidates to take a quarterback as well.
With Matt Hasselbeck getting long in the tooth and Seneca Wallace having yet to establish himself as a long term option the Seahawks could go quarterback as well, but signs point to them going offensive line as they can probably squeeze another year or two out of Hasselbeck.
The Forty Niners would be the next team in line considering an offensive lineman. After the Niners the next team(s) potentially in the market for a tackle would be the Steelers or Giants who are currently trending to pick in the late teens or early twenties. The Steelers offensive line has been porous this season while the Giants tackles are starting to show their age a bit and have been nicked up of late.
Davis could go possibly go anywhere from fourth to 20th depending on how the draft unfolds.
Donovan Warren (Michigan, DB)
Warren is primarily a corner but says he has the versatility to play both corner and safety. At just a shade under six feet Warren has the size teams look for in corners and he was a three year starter for the Wolverines.
Most experts have him slotted as a second round prospect and Warren claims the NFL’s Draft Advisory Board told him he would go in the first or second round if he decided to declare for the draft.
The consensus seems to be that he is the fourth or fifth best draft eligible corner back out there. Joe Haden is considered the blue chip cover man who is eligible for next spring’s draft. After that the consensus seems to be that Florida State’s Patrick Robinson and Virginia’s Ras-I Dowling are the next best draft eligible corners.
Warren heads up the group vying for the number four spot. San Diego, Dallas, and Minnesota are teams trending towards the back end of the first round that could be in the market for a corner next spring.
If Warren falls out of the first round there are scads of team picking at the top of the second round in need of secondary help including the Browns, Rams, Raiders, Lions, and Chiefs. Seattle and Houston are also other possible second round destinations for a guy like Warren.
