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The countdown continues and our number seven prospect in college football is... Defensive End Cameron Heyward, Ohio State (Senior):
Cons: While the Buckeye defensive end has flashed potential in getting after the quarterback, his ability as an edge rusher remains a work in progress. Unlike many of the top defensive ends who move on to success in the NFL, Heyward lacks acceleration from the perimeter. His lack of top-end speed and burst around the corner to consistently harass quarterbacks or demand a double team will move him down some teams’ draft boards. Heyward has good versatility but would likely need to add weight and get stronger to either play defensive tackle in a 4-3 defense or defensive end in a 3-4 scheme. He also needs to work on his understanding of hand placement, technique and variety of pass-rushing moves if he is going to be as effective against the pass as he is against the run. During his junior season Heyward played approximately 60 percent of the defensive snaps for the Buckeyes. He needs to prove he has better in-game stamina and durability if he’s going to shine at the next level. Our View: While Heyward has good flexibility, his best position in the pros will likely be defensive end. The question is whether he will be better suited in a 3-4 defense, or remain in the 4-3 scheme in which he has played while at Columbus. Even though Heyward has first-round talent he was wise to return to school for his senior season at Ohio State. He seems to understand that he has room to grow, particularly as a pass rusher. Heyward’s pass-rushing ability from the edge is not elite but it is our belief that he possesses untapped potential when it comes to sacking the quarterback considering his combination of foot quickness, size, strength and long arms. Although Heyward may not average double-digit sacks during his career, he offers rare run-stuffing ability from the edge and versatility along the line. He may be able to kick inside to defensive tackle in passing situations to allow his team to maximize the amount of pass rushers they have on field. The Buckeye appears headed to the first round in the 2011 Draft. How he develops as a pass rusher will dictate how high he goes—the more impact plays he makes, the more likely Heyward is to crack the top 10. He is focused and understands what aspects of his game he needs to improve. We expect him to take his game to the next level and have his best season as a collegian across the board. Players Profiled To Date: 1. Andrew Luck, Quarterback, Stanford 2. Jake Locker, Quarterback, Washington 3. A.J. Green, Wide Receiver, Georgia 4. Marcel Dareus, Defensive Lineman, Alabama 5. Patrick Peterson, Cornerback, LSU 6. Robert Quinn, Defensive End, North Carolina 7. Cameron Heyward, Defensive End, Ohio State 8. Ryan Williams, Running Back, Virginia Tech 9. Adrian Clayborn, Defensive End, Iowa 10. Mark Ingram, Running Back, Alabama 11. Anthony Castonzo, Offensive Tackle, Boston College 12. Julio Jones, Wide Receiver, Alabama 13. Allen Bailey, Defensive Lineman, Miami 14. Greg Romeus, Defensive End, Pittsburgh 15. Prince Amukamara, Cornerback, Nebraska 16. Gabe Carimi, Offensive Tackle, Wisconsin 17. Ryan Mallett, Quarterback, Arkansas 18. Marvin Austin, Defensive Tackle, North Carolina 19. Michael Floyd, Wide Receiver, Notre Dame 20. Bruce Carter, Outside Linebacker, North Carolina 21. Aaron Williams, Cornerback, Texas 22. DeAndre McDaniel, Safety, Clemson 23. Stephen Paea, Defensive Tackle, Oregon State 24. Jonathan Baldwin, Wide Receiver, Pittsburgh 25. Matt Reynolds, Offensive Tackle, BYU 26. Jurrell Casey, Defensive Tackle, USC 27. Ras-I Dowling, Cornerback, Virginia 28. Akeem Ayers, Outside Linebacker UCLA 29. Nate Solder, Offensive Tackle, Colorado 30. Rahim Moore, Free Safety, UCLA 31. Da'Quan Bowers, Defensive End, Clemson 32. Quan Sturdivant, Outside Linebacker, North Carolina * * * * * Available Now: Get your copy of the 2010 Post-Draft Recap & Rookie Fantasy Football Analysis right here. Coming Soon: The 2011 NFL Draft Bible Prospectus, featuring the stars of tomorrow! Photo Courtesy of The Ohio State Department of Athletics 
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Pros: The soon-to-be senior at Ohio State, Cameron Heyward, is a certified man-giant. However, the defensive end is not a lumbering behemoth; his foot-speed, lateral ability, fluid hips and short-area quickness are uncanny for a man that is 6’6” and around 290 pounds. What truly stands out about Heyward is his ability to defend the run (46 tackles total, 10 tackles for loss as a junior). He is almost impossible to run at if he isn’t double-teamed and even then it isn’t a good idea. Heyward’s long arms and strength make it difficult for offensive lineman to get into his pads and his incredibly quick feet make him very tough to mirror. Heyward has the rare ability, due to his long arms and strength, to simultaneously engage a blocker with one arm and bring down the ball carrier with the other. The powerful Buckeye uses leverage well and can hold up offensive linemen to allow the linebackers behind him to swoop in and make plays. What makes Heyward even more exciting to NFL scouts is his versatility—he can play any position along the defensive line in a 4-3 defense and has the frame to easily beef up to be a 3-4 defensive end. The Ohio State product even has the foot-speed and athleticism to be comfortable playing out of a two-point stance occasionally to either rush the passer or drop back and cover. While he will not play out of a two-point stance permanently, his ability to do so at all is enough to disrupt a quarterback’s timing. Heyward uses his size and long arms to knock footballs down at the line of scrimmage, which means that he can still impact a play even when blocked. It is easy to see Heyward being a three-down lineman at the NFL level due to his versatility and tenacity against both the run and pass. As a pass rusher (6.5 sacks in 2009) the Georgia native is at his best penetrating from the inside, where he can use a bull rush to push the pocket or quickness to slide underneath blockers. The defensive end plays with a high-motor, going to the whistle on most snaps. Heyward is the son of former Pittsburgh Panther star and NFL running back Craig “Ironhead” Heyward.