Defensive tackles - Draft Watch

* Not a senior

1. Tommie Harris *, 6-3, 288, Oklahoma. This potential top 10 pick is a complete player. Has excellent initial quickness and instincts. Is explosive. Uses hands well. Perfect fit for a Tony Dungy-style defense. Bigger blockers can move him because he's a little small for the position.

2. Randy Starks *, 6-4, 299, Maryland. Big, athletic player who could blossom in the NFL. Good inside pass rusher. Also has experience playing end. Has a quick first step and good instincts.

3. Vince Wilfork *, 6-2, 344, Miami. Wide-bodied tackle who is extremely powerful and can move offensive linemen, is instinctive and makes a lot of plays. A pure two-gap player. Conditioning is an issue; he has had problems controlling his weight. Doesn't offer much as a pass rusher.

4. Marcus Tubbs, 6-4, 324, Texas. Big, strong underachiever similar to former Texas defensive tackle Shaun Rogers (now with the Lions). Flashes quickness and athleticism. Has power at the point of attack. Motor runs hot and cold.

5. Darnell Dockett, 6-4, 285, Florida State. Quick, explosive, athletic tackle with instincts. Is a tackle-end 'tweener. Doesn't hold the point well and gets bounced around some. Has some off-field baggage.

6. Tommy Kelly, 6-6, 293, Mississippi State. Has rare size and athleticism. Can run. Is powerful and plays with leverage but isn't as productive as he should be. Effort is inconsistent. He lacks ideal instincts and plays high but has fantastic potential.

7. Rodney Leisle, 6-3, 288, UCLA. An overachieving tough guy with strength. Takes on blockers and plays the run well. Doesn't have top pass-rush skills. Has limited range and athleticism. Could get consideration at end.

8. Dwan Edwards, 6-2, 305, Oregon State. Strong, quick, athletic and instinctive. Can get to the quarterback. Goes all out. Gets manhandled some. Has come on as a senior.

9. Isaac Sopoaga, 6-3, 315, Hawaii. A brutish player with a prototype nose tackle body. Can dominate at the point of attack. Rushes the passer like a bull in a china shop. Needs to improve technique. Instincts are questionable. Could give more consistent effort.

10. Tim Anderson, 6-3, 302, Ohio State. Solid, competitive, productive player. Better run stopper than pass rusher. Kind of a self-made guy. Who's rising? Who's falling?

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DRAFT DISH of The War Room

By Todd McShay

Though he ran for a school-record 241 yards and scored four touchdowns in Virginia Tech's 31-28 loss at Pitt last weekend, Hokies RB Kevin Jones still is a bit overrated. Though he has excellent speed and acceleration and is a true threat in the open field, he is not a real tough inside runner. We just wonder if Jones, at 6-0, 211, will be big enough and durable enough to run the ball up the gut 15 times a game, as a No. 1 NFL back must. He also lacks the lower-body strength to break tackles or push the pile. Jones is a fine mid-second round pick, but we have serious doubts about using a first-round pick on him.... The Virginia Tech player we like most is junior CB DeAngelo Hall, who is one of the fastest players in college football--if not the fastest. He's a shutdown corner who excels in coordinator Bud Foster's aggressive scheme, one that requires Hall to play mostly in singleman coverage on his side of the field. He almost always is covering the most ground of any Hokies defensive back. Hall also is an explosive return specialist. He reminds us a lot of Deion Sanders, both in terms of his playing skills and arrogance on and off the field. That superior attitude is a turnoff for some, but we think it's a strength for a cornerback. If Hall decides to come out early, he could be the first cornerback taken in the 2004 draft.... Ben Roethlisberger of Miami (Ohio) gets the most attention among Mid-American Conference quarterbacks, but keep an eye on Bowling Green's Josh Harris. A starter since late in his sophomore year, Harris has a strong combination of athleticism, intangibles and downfield throwing ability. His stock is on the rise.

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