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 - A rare athlete with exceptional closing ability, Mingo is a dominating, impact defender when he plays aggressively and uses good technique. Although he does not always do it, when he anticipates the snap and is playing aggressively he has great first step quickness and the speed to out race the OT around the corner. His initial quickness enables him to play stronger than his measured size as he can jolt and drive OT backwards when he uses hands well and maintains leverage. Excellent foot quickness and agility allow Mingo to change directions in a flash, which helps him beat pass blocks with an outstanding spin move. Using his hands well to keep blockers off him helps him to consistently defeat/avoid OL run blocks to make plays on run at him. When he is unblocked he attacks the play and constantly makes big, impact plays behind the LOS.

WEAKNESSES - Mingo is not nearly as consistent as he needs to be. He goes through stretches where he pops upright at the snap and does not pass rush aggressively and when he doesn't he is non-effective. While he is muscular, he lacks the bulk to handle being a full-time DE in a 43 defense the way that most teams run their schemes. Even though he has a great spin move to beat pass blocker, he needs to tighten it up when he spins to the outside as he tends to get too far up the field after spinning and cannot get back into good position quick enough. On running plays away he does not consistently start down the LOS quickly, which limits his ability to make as many plays as he is capable of. His statistical production is not what it should have been.

SUMMARY - One of the harder players I evaluated this year, Mingo required much more time than most elite prospects to get a good feel for as he handled a number of assignments and because of his responsibilities he was not as statistically productive or involved as a player with his talent usually is. Although he will never be a big, stout run defender who can consistently anchor and shed OL run blocks at the NFL level, his use of hands, quickness and instincts help him to stay free from and avoid blocks and explode to the ball to make the play. Overall, if my team played a 43 defense I would only use a first round pick on him if the coaches were going to tailor the defensive scheme around his talents as his lack of bulk/size would hinder his production if he lined up close to OT all the time. If used as a wide rusher in a 43 scheme or an outside linebacker in a 34 scheme then I would definitely draft him in the first round as I believe he can be a dynamic, play-maker who impacts games as a run defender and pass rusher. .

Scouting Report:
STRENGTHS - One of the most explosive players in the country, Austin has the rare athletic tools to be a game changing player in the NFL. Quick off ball into route and explosive out of his cuts, Austin is easily able to gain separation from man coverage. Not only does he get separation with a burst out of his cuts, but he has the elite playing speed to pull away and get separation on deep routes. When defenses try to protect deep by playing zone, Austin has a good feel for finding open spots. Fearless heading into traffic, Austin does not peek at the defense and consistently catches the ball right before getting hit. Soft, natural hands combine with excellent concentration so that he catches nearly every pass thrown his way (In the games evaluated he caught over 95% of passes thrown to him). Austin is able to catch passes that get on top of him quickly because he gets his head and hands around fast when he comes out of cuts. Quick getting started up the field after the catch, Austin is naturally instinctive running in the open field. He follows blockers well, can make explosive cuts off their blocks and has the elusiveness to easily make tacklers miss in the open field. In addition to being a big play threat as a receiver, he is as dangerous as a punt and kickoff returner, which only increases his value.

WEAKNESSES - Obviously, the big issue is that at just over 5'8 Austin lacks the size NFL teams prefer. Historically, NFL teams shy away from drafting even the best receivers who measure under 5'9, so Austin could slide into the second or third round despite being a premier prospect. Not asked to run a wide variety of routes at West Virginia, Austin will have to become more polished running the entire "route tree."

SUMMARY - While evaluating quarterback Geno Smith was enjoyable, Tavon Austin's explosive playmaking ability was the best part of grading West Virginia this year. Way too often people say that a receiver or running back is a touchdown threat every time he touches the ball and most of the time that is an exaggeration, but in Austin's case it is spot on. In today's NFL where big receivers are the "in" thing, premier slot receivers like Wes Welker have proven to be invaluable and with Austin's big play ability he should become a star quickly. Although few receivers under 5'10 ever become dominant number one receivers, I am confident Austin has the tools to become such a player, similar to the Panthers' Steve Smith. Overall, Austin is likely going to be a first round pick because he is more explosive than recent first round picks Kendall Wright and Jeremy Maclin. I believe that Austin will become an impact player who makes big plays as a receiver and returner throughout his career. His on field play reminds me a lot of current Eagles star DeSean Jackson.

Scouting Report:
STRENGTHS - There isn't a more natural pass-catcher at the position than Escobar. He has super-long arms and big hands, and he consistently plucks the ball away from his frame. He is a graceful athlete with a long stride, and his future is bright because of his ability to stretch the field and go up to get the ball. He has surprising quickness and can quickly separate from defensive backs as he gets out of his break. Escobar has deceptive ability to run away from defenders and is a very polished route runner, using his head and shoulders to sell fakes.

WEAKNESSES - Escobar is not a great blocker who is going to overpower defenders in the in-line blocking game. He does a better job using his body to wall off a defender, but it is an area where he needs to improve if he is going to help his teammates. He might end up being a good blocker with some time in an NFL strength and training program, as he lacks the strength to line up and push players around the field.

SUMMARY - Gavin Escobar comes into the NFL at a perfect time for his set of skills. Teams are using the hybrid tight end to stretch the field with their length, long arms and ability to wall off defenders because of the size of their bodies. Escobar brings all of these skills to the NFL table and more as he has great hands and catches everything that is thrown at him. He consistently catches the ball away from his body, making it more difficult for defenses to cover him. He shows explosion in and out of his breaks, and he eats up cushion quickly when lined up from the slot. Linebackers can't stay with him because of his movement ability, and cornerbacks can't stay with him because of his size. His ability to run after the catch is truly underrated because he can move laterally and avoid the tackler, and then run into open space. He consistently can locate the ball, make an adjustment with his body and make the catch. This might be Escobar's best trait, and his biggest asset going forward. He makes tough catches look easy and will make a quarterback more accurate with his huge catching radius. He has incredible hands, and makes contested catches all over the field. Escobar is going to present significant challenges to NFL defenses because of his ability to play jump ball in the red zone and down the seam. If he can improve in the blocking area, he will be the complete package and a rock star in the NFL. He warrants consideration in the middle of Round 1, and should be in consideration to be the first tight end off the board in April.

Scouting Report:
STRENGTHS - As fundamentally sound quarterback, Barkley is able to consistently play to the limits of his ability. Smooth dropping back to pass, his excellent footwork enables him to plant and drive off back foot to make quick and accurate throws on quick hitting passes. This great technique contributes to Barkley being the most accurate passer of the top quarterbacks in this year's draft class. Not only accurate on short/intermediate passes, Barkley has great touch on deep throws. Having played in USC's pro style offense, Barkley is well versed in making the pre-snap read, making the correct checks and setting the protection. Unlike many college quarterbacks, Barkley uses shoulder fakes and his eyes to move defenders and open up receivers easily and then can get rid of the ball quickly and accurately to the receiver he opened up. Perhaps his best trait is that he does not panic under pressure and will not force passes into bad spots to avoid sacks. He consistently shows a willingness to throw the ball away.

WEAKNESSES - Barkley lacks elite physical talent. While he has a good enough arm to make all the necessary NFL throws, he lacks a premier arm and will have some issues in bad weather and windy conditions. Although he can move and slide well to avoid pressure in the pocket, he is not a top athlete and is not going to make plays scrambling with the ball. He has been playing with a lot of elite offensive weapons at USC and has not dominated consistently, which raises concerns in my eyes about how he will do when his team is equal in talent to the opponent. Additionally, despite all the talent on offense he struggled to consistently convert key third and fourth downs into first downs to keep drives alive.

SUMMARY - The rare college quarterback who never redshirted and started four years for one of the premier football programs in the country, Barkley has experienced as much pressure as any college quarterback in recent memory. While many expected him to come out early for the 2012 NFL Draft, barkley impressed many in the NFL by staying in school to try and finish what he started despite USC's sanctions. After a disappointing senior season where USC failed to achieve the great success many expected, Barkley has shown toughness, composure and grit trying to lead the team. Not a premier physical talent, he will be downgraded by some teams because there are questions about his ability to pass effectively in bad weather/windy conditions. Overall, Barkley is a much better NFL prospect than many say he is and I feel there are a lot of similarities between him coming out of USC and Drew Brees when he came out of Purdue. Based on Barkley's ability to step in and be a productive starter at USC as a true freshman, I think he will be ready to handle starting as a rookie in the NFL. I believe that Barkley will end up being a good starting quarterback in the NFL, but will need to improve his ability to convert key downs to extend drives to become better than an average NFL starter.