Russ Lande's top 40 NFL draft prospects 3/20/11....

[sbk92]

Russ Lande
Sporting News


With the NFL draft five weeks away, Russ Lande presents his top-40 list:

1. Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson

2. Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn

3. Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M

4. A.J. Green, WR, Georgia

5. Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois

6. Cameron Jordan, DE, California

7. Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama

8. Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU

9. Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College

10. Tyron Smith, OT, USC

11. Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa

12. Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh

13. Julio Jones, WR, Alabama

14. Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri

15. Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State

16. Ryan Williams, RB, Virginia Tech

17. Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri

18. Mikel Leshoure, RB, Illinois

19. Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State

20. Drake Nevis, DT, LSU

21. Danny Watkins, G, Baylor

22. Robert Quinn, OLB, North Carolina

23. Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State

24. Christian Ballard, DE, Iowa

25. Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado

26. Jerrel Jernigan, WR, Troy

27. Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame

28. Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada

29. Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska

30. Leonard Hankerson, WR, Miami (Fla).

31. Randall Cobb, WR, Kentucky

32. Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State

33. Muhammad Wilkerson, DE, Temple

34. Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue

35. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama

36. Titus Young, WR, Boise State

37. Ras-I Dowling, CB, Virginia

38. J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin

39. Sam Acho, OLB, Texas

40. Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin

 

[Sheik]

More than likely there are two players on this list that'll be drafted by the Cowboys. We really need to land two starters.

When is the draft?

 

[sbk92]

April 28,29,30.

 

[Sheik]

Shit. More than a month away.

 

[sbk92]

I wouldn't assume we get two of these players. I doubt many people have Jabaal Sheard, Drake Nevis, Jerrel Jernigan, Colin Kaepernick, Titus Young and Sam Acho in their top 40. Probably not both running backs either. I'd imagine the Cowboys' board will look different than this.

 

[Midswat]

Ingram at 35? Wow.

And I'm seeing a lot more negative about Prince the closer we get to the draft. He was at one point considered (by some) better than Peterson. Now, I'm almost convinced he won't be picked in the top 15.