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NFL Draft guru Justin Van Fulpen breaks down the top ten senior prospects of the Big East for 2009.
1. DT Arthur Jones, Syracuse - Jones sustained a torn left pectoralis muscle while lifting weights on February 23rd and had to have surgery to repair it. Last season, Jones had 60 total tackles with 13 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. The New York native possesses good size at 6’4, 300 pounds and projects to be a defensive tackle in the 4-3 at the next level because of his ability to penetrate and get in the backfield while taking on double teams. Teams want to see if he can regain his strength after his injury. Early NFL draft grades project Jones as a first-round pick.
2. DE George Selvie, South Florida – The much-hyped Selvie has decent size at 6’5, 245 and is already the USF career leader in tackles for loss and sacks entering his senior season. Many league observers expected Selvie to declare for the draft following his junior season. Instead, Selvie opted to return to school and had what was considered to be a sub-par season after an outstanding sophomore campaign. The results are in his numbers, as hs production decreased quite a bit. Selvie went from 59 total tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks as a sophomore to only 43 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks as a junior. While Selvie’s stock has certainly fluctuated over the past two seasons, look for the Florida native to regain some of the oomph he flashed two seasons ago and re-establish himself into consideration as a day one pick, possibly in the first round.
 3. CB Jerome Murphy, South Florida - When it comes to laying the lumber, Murphy ranks right up there with any cornerback in the 2010 draft. In addition, the ferocious hitter also possesses exceptional speed, to go along with his prototypical size (6’1, 185). Last season, he compiled 67 total tackles, with 3.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and five pass break-ups. With another strong performance in his final season at USF, Murphy can catapult himself into the second round come April. He is very similar to his former teammate Mike Jenkins (selected in the first round by Dallas) in terms of draft value.
4. S Nate Allen, South Florida – The Bulls have started to earn themselves a reputation for producing some formidable defensive players in recent seasons (Mike Jenkins, Trae Williams, Kawika Mitchell, Kenyatta Jonesm Anthony Henry) and Allen is the next in line. Standing in at 6’2, 206, the well-balanced cornerback has the speed and athleticism to play both man-to-man and zone coverage in the NFL. He will come down in support of the run, as well as pass coverage. Last season, Allen had 53 total tackles, one sack and one interception. The consensus outlook amongst league scouts feel Allen could potentially be one of the top drafted selected in the draft due to his versatility and ability to play both strong safety and free safety.
5. WR Marshawn Gilyard, Cincinnati – Despite not having his number one quarterback healthy for parts of last season, Gilyard emerged as one of the top playmakers in the Big East last year, catching 81 passes for 1,276 yards and 11 touchdowns. In the spring Gilyard was clocked in the forty-yard dash at 4.51 and checked in at 5’11, 182 pounds. Naysayers will point to Gilyard’s pedestrian speed but don’t be surprised to see his name called early, as one of the first wide receivers off the board with his talent level.
6. OT Selvish Caper, West Virginia – One of the more athletic lineman in the upcoming 2010 NFL Draft, Caper is a very good athlete at 6’5, 295 and will be a perfect fit for the zone-blocking scheme at the next level. An under-the-radar prospect, Caper may actually be rated a bit too low on this list as well. There has been an increase of talent from the Big East lately and Caper is a prospect that could easily be selected on day one. The question mark on Caper is how well of a run blocker he will be in the NFL. He has displayed above-average footwork and is a pass-blocking specialist who needs to work on improving his run blocking technique. Since West Virginia runs a spread offense, it makes it difficult to get a solid read on Caper’s overall abilities. His draft stock will depend heavily upon his senior campaign.
7. DE Lindsey Witten, UCONN – At first glance, you may be shocked to see Witten listed this high, considering he registered just 19 total tackles, six tackles for loss and five sacks as a junior. He has great bloodlines; his older brother is Donte Whitner who was a first round pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 2006 NFL draft. An agile pass-rusher, Witten needs to elevate his game into becoming a more effective stopper against the run. He will need to bulk up in order to withstand the punishment of a sixteen game schedule. NFL scouts believe that Witten is best suited as an outside linebacker in the 3-4 defensive scheme and he is projected as a mid-round pick entering the season.
 8. CB Devin McCourty, Rutgers – The 5’10, 190-pound standout cornerback recorded 57 tackles and seven pass break-ups. McCourty is a reliable tackler who finishes his tackles and wraps up his opponents. In addition, his aggressive, physical play is highly attractive to NFL clubs. With his combination of jumping ability, awareness and work ethic, McCourty is poised to be one of the top defensive backs off the board come April.
9. TE Nate Byham, Pittsburgh – After a season in which he nabbed 20 catches for 260 yards and one touchdown, Byham has positioned himself as one of the more well-balanced combination tight ends who can block and catch. He underwent off-season knee surgery after sustaining a patellar dislocation in the 11th game last year but is expected to return to 100% in time for the start of the season. Entering his senior season, Byham has a third-to-fifth round grade.
10. OLB Kion Wilson, Southern Florida – A JUCO transfer, Wilson participated in his first season of division one football last season, recording 66 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception. Expect him to improve upon those numbers during his senior year. The 6’2, 235-pounder has good size, speed and strength to play both the weak and strong outside linebacker spot in the pros. Wilson currently holds a mid-round grade entering the 2009 season.
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: USF Athletics Communications, University of Pittsburgh
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