2013 NFL Draft Defensive Position Rankings

Unlike the offensive side of the ball (see below), the defensive propects coming out this year are much more consistent at all positions. I see a lot of starters throughout the class, and many of them have been left off the lists below because of the depth. Because of that, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of teams go offense early, and then use their later round picks to select defensive players.

Here are the rankings:

Defensive Tackles
Rank	Name	School	Height	Weight
1	Sharrif Floyd	Florida	6025	297
2	Star Lotulelei	Utah	6030	311
3	Sheldon Richardson	Missouri	6024	294
4	Sylvester Williams	North Carolina	6025	313
5	Kawann Short	Purdue	6030	299

For the record, Lotulelei did not fall in the rankings because of the reported heart issues they found at the Combine. I like Floyd's athleticism and his consistency. In addition, I think he's much more of a pass rusher than Lotulelei. If there's a surprise in this group, it will be Williams. It's common for defensive linemen to be questioned about their motor, but he's not one of them. From what I saw, his speed is always set to full blast.

Defensive Ends
Rank	Name	School	Height	Weight
1	Dion Jordan	Oregon	6062	248
2	Datone Jones	UCLA	6037	283
3	Ezekiel "Ziggy" Ansah	BYU	6052	271
4	Cornelius "Tank" Carradine	Florida St.	6040	276
5	Bjoern Werner	Florida St.	6032	266

As you can see, I don't value Ansah as much as most. While I think he has a lot of natural ability, he's got a lot of work to do when it comes to technique and football intelligence. On the other hand, I think Jordan and Jones can step in immediately and help their teams. The player I'm most interested in come draft night is Carradine. He's an absolute beast who ran a 4.7 40 yard dash at his pro day just five months after tearing his ACL. The question is going to be how much flexibility, mobility, and power he's lost from the injury (if any).

Inside Linebackers
Rank	Name	School	Height	Weight
1	Kevin Minter	LSU	5116	246
2	Alec Ogletree	Georgia	6024	242
3	Manti Te'o	Notre Dame	6012	241
4	Jonathan Bostic	Florida	6007	245
5	Kiko Alonso	Oregon	6030	238

The only reason Ogletree isn't ranked first in this group is because he's an absolute knucklehead. The only question most teams have about him is his off-field troubles, and then he goes and gets busted for DUI just days before the Combine. On the other hand, Minter is more than solid. While he didn't impress in shorts, all you have to do is watch him play - he's a tackling machine. As for Te'o, I wonder if his girlfriend will be at his draft party. I know, I know, low blow.

Outside Linebacker
Rank	Name	School	Height	Weight
1	Dion Jordan	Oregon	6062	248
2	Barkevious Mingo	LSU	6040	241
3	Jarvis Jones	Georgia	6020	245
4	Arthur Brown	Kansas St.	6000	241
5	Sio Moore	Connecticut	6006	245

While Jones has been slipping in the postseason, mostly because of injury concerns, Mingo has been gaining steam. There's now talk he'll be a top-10 pick. I like him, and think he can fit in any scheme - he just makes plays. To me, the interesting guy in this group is Moore. His speed and recognition skills are well above average and he was a star at the Senior Bowl. In today's NFL, he'll be able to run with the athletic tight ends and running backs in coverage.

3-4 Conversions
Rank	Name	School	Height	Weight
1	Barkevious Mingo	LSU	6040	241
2	Dion Jordan	Oregon	6062	248
3	Jarvis Jones	Georgia	6020	245
4	Jamie Collins	Southern Mississippi	6035	250
5	Corey Lemonier	Auburn	6033	255

I'm sure you've noticed by now that the most versatile player in this draft is Dion Jordan. Not only do I think he's a Pro Bowl calibur player in a 3-4 or 4-3 at outside linebacker, but I think he could put weight on his frame and be a great defensive end in a 4-3 as well. He very well might be the most athletically gifted player in this draft.

Cornerbacks
Rank	Name	School	Height	Weight
1	Dee Milliner	Alabama	5117	201
2	D J Hayden	Houston	5110	191
3	Xavier Rhodes	Florida St.	6014	210
4	Desmond Trufant	Washington	5115	190
5	Darius Slay	Mississippi St.	5117	192

This is the deepest position in the draft. I could list 20 players at cornerback and I still wouldn't reach all of the guys that could be quality starters from this group. Milliner is still the best, but you have to admire Hayden with everything he's been through. If surviving the rare heart disease that almost killed him isn't enough, his comeback to becoming one of the best players at his position is truly amazing. Personally, I think at least four or five cornerbacks get selected in the first round, and the position will dominate the draft throughout.

Free Safeties
Rank	Name	School	Height	Weight
1	John Cyprien	Florida International	6000	217
2	Eric Reid	LSU	6014	210
3	Josh Evans	Florida	6011	207
4	Duke Williams	Nevada	5110	203
5	J J Wilcox	Georgia Southern	6000	213

Cyprien is the most well-rounded safety at his position. While it's very close between him and Reid, I think he's slightly better against the run and pass. The real wild card here is Wilcox. He converted from corner to safety because of need and made the change seemlessly. In addition, according to his coaches, he had a great attitude and never once complained about moving to a lower profile position. My only concern is the level of competition he faced versus what he'll be seeing in a few months.

Strong Safeties
Rank	Name	School	Height	Weight
1	Kenny Vaccaro	Texas	6000	214
2	D J Swearinger	South Carolina	5104	208
3	Shawn Williams	Georgia	5117	213
4	Shamarko Thomas	Syracuse	5087	213
5	Earl Wolff	NC State	5112	209

Simply put, Vaccaro is one of the "safest" players in this draft. In addition to his willingness to mix it up against the run, he is great in coverage. Against West Virginia earlier this year, he was matched up against Tavon Austin on a regular basis and did more than hold his own. Swearinger might also go in the first round because of his ability to cover, as well as the attitude he brings when someone with the ball comes into his area.