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In the 2009 NFL Draft four Pac-10 players went in the first round, including three Trojans and three seniors, two of which went to USC (Brian Cushing & Clay Matthews Jr.). Of all the Pac-10 senior prospects heading into the 2009 season another Man of Troy, Taylor Mays, is the only lock to be a first-round pick.
 1. FS Taylor Mays, USC – Mays is the top overall senior prospect going into the season, and has the size and speed that the NFL looks for at the safety position. Some scouts believe that Mays is a game changing player in the mold of the Ravens’ Ed Reed or the Steelers’ Troy Polamalu. Many thought that Mays would come out for this past April’s draft and if he had, he would have been a first-round pick.
Mays has great measurables—he stands around 6-3, weighs 230 pounds, and can runs a 4.4 40. He is a prototypical center-fielder, displaying elite range, intensity, terrific instincts, and a great motor. On the downside, he sometimes takes bad angles to the football and relies too much on his pure speed as opposed to proper technique. If Mays can improve in these areas, he could be a top-ten pick in next April’s Draft.
2. RB LeGarrette Blount, Oregon – Some people aren’t as high on Blount as I am, but he averaged 7.3 yards a carry last year and had 17 rushing touchdowns. He is a big back at 6-2, 240, and has good straight-line speed. However, he needs to react quicker if he wants to get in and out of holes at the next level. He isn’t a complete running back yet, and he needs to work on catching the ball as he only had two receptions last season.
The question remains—is he a one year wonder, or is he a legitimate, top-notch running back at the next level? I think that by the end of the season people will be talking about him as one of top running backs in next April’s draft.
3. CB Syd'Quan Thompson, California – Thompson isn’t the biggest cornerback in the land, but somehow he always finds a way to make plays. The question is going to be, without the size, what type of true recovery speed does he have? Most people think he is a 4.4 guy, but we won’t know until we get a stopwatch on him. As a junior, Thompson had 70 tackles, 14 passes broken up, 7.5 tackles for loss and four interceptions.
Thompson is a ball hawk and although he can play zone, he is better in man to man coverage. If this guy was around six feet tall he would be going into the season with a first-round grade.
4. CB Walter Thurmond, Oregon – Thurmond battled through some injuries last season, but ended up having a very productive campaign, registering 66 total tackles, eight pass break-ups, and five interceptions. Thurmond is a good-sized cornerback at around six feet tall and 185 pounds, and is a solid overall athlete with the speed and quickness to be a very good NFL cornerback.
The question is, with both Jairus Byrd, and Patrick Chung gone from last year’s secondary (both were second round picks in last April’s NFL Draft), can Thurmond have the same type of production?
5. CB Alterraun Verner, UCLA – Last season there were some thoughts that Verner would come out early. After a second team All-Pac 10 performance in which he had 18 pass break-ups, 73 total tackles, and two interceptions, it’s easy to see why. However, after filing the paperwork only to receive a late-round grade, Verner decided to return to UCLA. The Bruins are thankful for that decision.
With his excellent speed and acceleration, Verner has the ability to be a top-notch cover man in the NFL. He has good size at 5-11, 187 pounds, and can anticipate where the ball will be thrown and break on it very effectively.
6. TE Ed Dickson, Oregon – Dickson had a proactive junior season with 35 catches for 508 yards and three touchdowns. Perhaps equally impressive was the fact that he accomplished this with three different quarterbacks. Dickson is a big receiving tight end at 6-5, 243 pounds, possesses good hands, and is a good overall athlete. He needs to work on his blocking ability to become more of a complete tight end, but has the ability to do that.
If Oregon has a quarterback that can stay in the starting line-up, Dickson will have the ability to show his skills and move up teams’ draft boards.
7. OLB Dexter Davis, Arizona State – Last season Davis had 40 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 11 sacks. The issue is that Davis is only listed at 6-2, 255 pounds, and most teams that play the 3-4 defense like their pass rushing outside linebackers to be taller then 6-3, so that is one negative going into the evaluation process.
But as a pure pass rusher, Davis is outstanding. He enters the 2009 season fourth in Sun Devil history with 27.5 career sacks, and should move up the charts by the end of the season. Davis has the speed and athleticism to be a big-time pass rusher in the NFL.
8. TE Anthony McCoy, USC – McCoy has great size at 6-5, 255 pounds, and hauled in 22 passes for 256 yards and a touchdown last season. NFL scouts like his size and think he is a good athlete, he just needs to be more consistent in his route running. McCoy has the ability to become a bigger threat in the passing game this season and if he improves on his blocking, he possesses massive upside.
9. RB Stafon Johnson, USC – Johnson led the team in rushing with 705 yards and nine rushing touchdowns. He is a workhouse-type of running back, one that will give you a consistent effort week after week. He has good size and decent speed, but he doesn’t wow you with either. He possesses all of the necessary skills to be a productive back at the next level, and that is what I see Johnson becoming.
10. LB Reggie Carter, UCLA – As a sophomore, Carter missed some time with a knee injury, but had 12 tackles for loss. Last season he played in every game and had 84 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss.
Carter is going to be a steady player at the next level, one that will be able to play all the three linebacking spots. He is a good athlete and takes good angles to the ball using his impressive anticipatory skills.
Click to see our Top 10 SEC Senior Prospects
Click to see our Top 10 Big XII Prospects
Click to see our Top 10 Pac 10 Prospects
Click to see our Top 10 Big Ten Prospects
Click to see our Top 10 Big East Prospects
Click to see our Top 10 ACC Prospects
Click to see our Top 10 Mid-Major Prospects
You can follow my updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jvanfulpen
Photo Credit: College Press Box (USC Athletics)
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