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Pat Kirwan / NFL.com
Defensive players have dotted the top of most draft boards since the mock draft business began in earnest back in January.
Virginia defensive end Chris Long remains an elite prospect along with fellow defensive linemen Vernon Gholston, Glenn Dorsey, and Sedrick Ellis. Others who have made appearances on the big board as likely first-round players are DE's Derrick Harvey, Phillip Merling , linebackers Dan Connor, Keith Rivers, and defensive backs Leodis McKelvin, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Mike Jenkins.
Other players have used strong postseason performances, particularly at pro day workouts and individual team interviews in recent weeks, to boost their draft stock. Some are the beneficiaries of missteps by others, while there is a group of prospects whose standing has been affected by factors out of their control, such as team needs and the depth and quality of certain positions both on the free agent market and in the draft. For instance, the lack of impact pass rushers in this draft compared to other positions, like running back and wide receiver. For that reason, I expect a run on pass rushers early in this draft as teams who have prioritized that need will look to address it before the first tier players are gone. Full Story – NFL.comhttp://www.nfl.com/draft/story;jses...0d5d807bb024&template=with-video&confirm=true