Scouting Report:
STRENGTHS - Williams is an innately explosive athlete that also displays impressive agility for a man his size when playing with proper knee bend and leverage. When he comes off the snap low he display very good strength at the POA and the heavy hands needed to take on and shed multiple blockers. He demonstrates outstanding instincts off the snap and excellent read and react skills, allowing him to use his non-stop hustle to make plays he otherwise wouldn't be able to get to.

WEAKNESSES - Too often Williams comes off the snap high and doesn't play with proper knee bend and base. This allows blockers to get into his framework and control him at the POA, as well as prevents him from breaking down in space to consistently finish tackles. He goes to his swim move too often on the pass rush, leading to him being washed out too easily by aggressive blockers.

SUMMARY - For all the (justified) hype Sharrif Floyd and Sheldon Richardson have received, Sylvester Williams is every bit the same level of prospect at DT. He possesses an outstanding first step and excellent instincts, which allow him to constantly penetrate gaps and threaten the backfield. When playing with proper base and leverage he demonstrates excellent strength at the POA, and uses his hands aggressively to shed blocks. When rushing the passer he flashes a variety of moves utilizes his natural quickness and power, but he tends to rely too much on his first step quickness and arm-over move. Once he learns to lower his pad level off the ball utilize his full skill set, he will become a highly productive player in almost any defensive scheme. Williams is clearly worth a first round selection, and should be able to make an immediate impact in the NFL with his burst off the ball.

Scouting Report:
STRENGTHS - Floyd has the bulk and length required to play on the LOS. He displays solid natural strength at the POA when playing with proper leverage, and excels at stacking and shedding his man in time to make plays on runs in the box. He demonstrates very good read and react skills, and is surprisingly efficient at taking angles to the boundary and staying square to his target. He plays with non-stop effort from whistle to whistle which allows him to make plays other athletes his size simply can't.

WEAKNESSES - While Floyd generally displays solid QAB he is not innately explosive off the snap and struggles to consistently penetrate gaps. Once he gets his momentum up to full speed he struggles to break down and finish plays, losing out on numerous sack opportunities in games I graded. At times he gets too upright at the snap and can be driven off the ball on run plays. He lacks refinement in his pass rush moves, and must rely primarily on his hustle and ability to maul his man to get to the QB.

SUMMARY - Sharrif Floyd plays with a combination of power and competitiveness that few linemen can match. He flashes outstanding stack and shed ability and demonstrates very good football instincts. His most impressive trait is his ability to pursue laterally to the edge and finish by taking excellent angles and staying square to the RB, allowing him to adjust to cutbacks. What keeps him from being an elite prospect is his average burst off the snap and bad habit of getting upright at the snap, as can be moved off the ball despite his excellent natural strength. 34 teams will consider him a 5-technique end, while 43 teams would be wise to put him at LDE on rushing downs, and kick him inside to rush the passer on 3rd down. If he can learn to play with more consistent leverage off the ball and use his hands to set up a wider variety of pass moves, he has a chance to develop into one of the most versatile defensive linemen in this draft class.

Scouting Report:
STRENGTHS - Few defensive tackles have the talent to dominate games whenever they want to, but Hankins is one of those who can. When he keeps his knees bent, maintains leverage and uses hands aggressively, he makes it look easy jolting offensive linemen upright and driving them backwards into the backfield to blow up running plays or to collapse the pocket. Similar to former Spartan Jerel Worthy, Hankins can be the best player on the field and make impact plays every series when he plays aggressively. He has flashed the ability to defeat pass blocks with remarkable hand and foot quickness for a man his size or just with raw strength by over-powering blocker. Anchoring against one on one offensive line run blocks is impressive, but Hankins makes it look easy taking on and defeat double team run blocks when he plays with leverage and uses hands well. His ability to lock-out against a run blocker, toss blocker aside and make the tackle on runs at him is outstanding and gives him the chance to be a dominant run defender. Not only is he a force at the point of attack, but he has great speed chasing down ball carriers in pursuit and an explosive closing burst to finish the play. With his length, strength and athleticism he has the talent to excel as a 43 defensive tackle, 34 defensive end and even at nose tackle if he wants to. .

WEAKNESSES - As is the case with way too many immensly gifted defensive tackles, Hankins' is not nearly as productive as he has the talent to be because he does not play with great effort or intensity on every snap. While playing with leverage gives a defensive lineman a great weapon, more often than not Hankins pops upright at the snap, gives up leverage and allows blocker to get their hands on him first. For a player with the ability to be a dominating force, Hankins goes long stretches not only not making plays, but rather being tied up and eliminated from the play too often. He does not see side/angle blocks coming well and is easily driven a little bit to allow the blocker to open the hole on running plays.

SUMMARY - Hankins is a junior in 2012 that came out early for the 2013 NFL Draft. While I would love to say that he should have stayed in school to become a better player, the reality is that for a player whose motor is so inconsistent, it is not likely that he would improve his effort as a senior and would likely still have the same issues/questions surrounding him when he enters the draft. When I watch Hankins on film he flashes the talent of former Illinois defensive linemen Corey Liuget, but the difference is that Liuget has always played with great effort and intensity. Overall, Hankins will likely be drafted in the second round because of his immense physical talent despite his actual on-field production being more in the third round area. If Hankins can crank up his intensity in the NFL then he will likely be a productive starter who makes big impact plays, but I have a feeling he is always going to struggle with consistency due to his inconsistent motor. He reminds me a lot of Packers DE Jerel Worthy.

Scouting Report:
STRENGTHS - A quick and explosive athlete, Spence has consistently shown good quickness off the ball to get gap penetration and disrupt/make plays behind the LOS. On outside runs he consistently gets inside backside "reach" block, keeps blocker on shoulder and has the speed to track down the ball carrier in pursuit. Spence does an excellent job of taking on run blockers with leverage and good hand use, which enables him to anchor, shed and make the tackle on inside runs. Even when he does not shed the block in time to make the play, he consistently clogs the middle to shut down inside runs. Highly competitive, Spence is constantly around the ball because he does not quit fighting to get to the ball carrier until the whistle. After his redshirt freshman season, Spence has started every game (38) to finish his college career, so toughness is not going to be an issue in the NFL.

WEAKNESSES - Obviously, shorter than ideal Spence does not fit the model that every NFL team looks for. Although he was consistently productive versus OL run blocks at Illinois, his lack of height will likely hinder him at times against NFL OL - As they will be able to engulf him. While he flashes the burst off the ball to get backfield penetration to pressure the QB, he lacks a variety of pass rush moves to consistently pressure the QB. If his initial burst does not get him through the LOS, then too often he is a non-factor rushing the passer.

SUMMARY - Spence is a player who jumped off the film when I was grading Whitney Mercilus in 2011 and continued to impress me when I thoroughly evaluated him in 2012. While he does not look the part, he looks more like a short, stocky DT, he is very athletic and has consistently shown the ability to get backfield penetration to disrupt plays behind the LOS. On outside runs and runs away, Spence consistently chases down the ball carrier in pursuit. He has excellent playing speed for a 300+ pound DT and an explosive closing burst to finish plays. Spence is not a polished pass rusher and will need to improve in this area to become a top level starter in the NFL. Overall, Spence has all the tools to be a good starting defensive end in a 34 scheme or a defensive tackle in a 43 defense. I do not expect Spence to be drafted as highly as I have him rated, but in time he will prove my evaluation correct.

Scouting Report:
STRENGTHS - Thickly built below the waist, White looks the part of a nose tackle "on the hoof." Quick out of stance, White's consistency "getting a good fit" vs. blocker combines with his natural strength so that he can consistently anchor against one on one run blocks. Not only does he easily hold ground, but he consistently has been able to defeat run blocks to make/disrupt running plays at/behind the line of scrimmage. Good hand use, strength and excellent balance allow White to work down LOS while fighting blocker to make tackles on running plays within the TE box. Unlike many DT's who can anchor vs. one man blocks, White makes it look easy holding ground vs. double team. Not only does he hold ground most of the time, but is able to split it to make tackles behind the LOS. He flashes the ability to defeat blocks with a quick arm over move and gets some pressure on the QB thru great effort, strengtha nd good use of hands.

WEAKNESSES - A little pear shaped on film, White is definitely not the sleek looking DT who is going to shoot gaps and be a dominating interior play-maker / pass-rusher. He is much more of a try-hard pass rusher than one who has the quickness and burst to shoot gaps and blow things up. When he does not get hands on OL first, he can be tied up and he struggles to shed in time to make the play. He will need to get quicker shedding blocks to be more than a 2-Gap DT in the NFL. While he can make some plays along the LOS within the TE box, he does not have the speed to chase down plays on outside runs or down the field. More than anything, White is not an all-around DT, but rather a traditional 2-Gapper who will never make many impact plays.

SUMMARY - Not a player that I expected much from, White quickly impressed me with his strength, consistency and interior production against the run. While he will not fit every team's defensive scheme, those teams that play a 34 defense would like him as a potential nose tackle and some would also consider him as a defensive end. For those team that play a 43 defense, only those that play a 2-Gap scheme or use a nose tackle and an under tackle would have an interest in White. Overall, I am confident in White's ability to become a solid, work-man-like starting nose tackle in the NFL (Or at one of the other positions I mentioned previously). He will never be an impact, play-maker who consistently makes game changing plays or pressures the quarterback often, but he can be a good, contributing starting player.