"Amobi Okoye." That'll be a fun name for announcers to pronounce this year, as the defensive tackle from Louisville is bound to make an impact. Okoye is strong enough to play the position, often able to get a good push to...[More]
Chris Pokorny provides the most comprehensive, personable outlook regarding the 2007 draft.
DE | ArkansasJamaal Anderson
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 288 | 40 Time: 4.75
Positives: Coming out of Arkansas, Jamaal Anderson is the second rated defensive end in the draft this year. Although he's not as fast as Gaines Adams, he's still a solid pass rusher than can be effective by sprinting to the outside or creating a push back on the inside. Anderson always runs hard and rarely gives up on a play, which has helped his ability to close out on plays. Although he's listed as a defensive end, he could be shifted around to the inside part of the line or as an outside linebacker in certain packages.
Negatives: Anderson thrived when given an opportunity to play, but he hasn't had a lot of experience as a starter. He still needs some work on his technique so that he's not blown off the ball by the league's better offensive linemen. Anderson needs to establish better leverage at times, rather than keeping his frame tall.
Notes: His 2006 season really promoted his stock for this year's draft after recording 65 tackles and 13.5 sacks. His versatility would allow him to fit well in a 3-4 or a 4-3 scheme, and some have even compared him to a slightly downgraded version of Mario Williams. Anderson's value may have leaped into the top five had he stayed in college for another year, but he's still worthy of being selected in the first half of the first round this year.
