Buchsbaum's top 10
(as of March 10)

1. LaVar Arrington
2. Brian Urlacher
3. Rob Morris
4. Keith Bulluck
5. Julian Peterson
6. Barrett Green
7. Raynoch Thompson
8. Nate Webster
9. Corey Moore
10. Mark Simoneau

Positives: Looked as though he weighs about 225 to 230 pounds, but was actually a sculpted 250 at the Combine. Superior athletic ability for his position. Sprinter-like speed and leg explosion and an NBA vertical jump. Seems to have the instincts and feel for his position. Daring and quick to react. A big-play maker and an impact player with great range and speed as well as phenomenal leaping ability. Has a flair for the dramatic and an incredible burst to the ball. Can come off the edge and blitz the quarterback or run with a speedy receiver down the field. Will jump over the line to stuff a running back on third-and-short or catch a sweep for negative yardage from the backside. Also can time his leaps to bat down passes and to block kicks. Has a nasty disposition.

Negatives: Likes to freelance way too much. Can be temperamental and hard to coach and control at times. Will lose his cool and poise if goaded enough and has taken some dumb penalties. Just average ability to take on and shed blockers and is more of a use-speed-to-run-around type of linebacker. Is cut high and does not have huge pins under him.

Summary: Not quite Lawrence Taylor, but could be the best since L.T. if he grows up and develops the maturity, discipline and poise he lacks without losing his aggressiveness and passion. Should be the first underclassman drafted in 2000 and could even be the No. 1 pick in the draft.

Positives: Very athletic player who was a defensive back and still runs like one. Excellent range and speed and at times seems to be pretty instinctive. Has stretches when he really flies around and seems to be aware and really into the game. Unlike most ’backers, he can cover man-on-man. Can still turn his hips like a safety. Chases down and catches plays from the backside.

Negatives: May like to have fun a little too much at times. Has stretches when his instincts appear to be off and it looks likes he must see the play unfold before he can react to it. As a result, he is slow to locate the ball and his playing speed does not match his football speed. Never has shown game-in and game-out consistency. Is not a powerful player and is more of a run-around-the-blocker type as opposed to a taking-him-on type of linebacker.

Summary: Has first-round ability and has stretches when he looks and plays like a first-round pick, but he has not been consistent and has too many games when he really is not much of a factor.

Positives: Top intangibles. Superintense. Enthusiastic and tenacious. Great motor. Mean and nasty on the field. All-out hitter. Take-no-prisoners type. Very, very quick, tough and aggressive. Big hitter for his size. Very active and disruptive. Can run around and find the ball. Has excellent speed and range. Can make plays sideline to sideline. Has the speed to run with backs and was a strong safety. Should be a great special-teams player. In some ways looks like All-Pro Derrick Brooks when Brooks was playing at Florida State. Might be able to play inside if you have a scheme geared to keeping blockers off the "Mike" like the Vikings and Dolphins have.

Negatives: Lacks size, especially height, and has really short arms. Gets outsized and wired to blocks. Must try to run around blockers because he does not have a big enough wingspan or enough size to defeat them head on. Is too aggressive and will overreact and overrun at times. May not be as instinctive as other smaller ’backers like Brooks, Ed McDaniel and Jessie Armstead are, and he has a smaller wingspan.

Summary: Supertough and active player who could be sort of a cross between McDaniel and Brooks if he learns to play under control more often. At the very least, he will be a killer on special teams and a nickel ’backer.

Positives: Excellent athlete. Natural football player. Very explosive. Tremendous movement skills. Superquick and has the short-area burst of a cornerback. Plays with great leverage and balance. Has a great ability to come off the corner and rush the quarterback. Makes plays and big plays. Must be accounted for all the time. Had the impact on the college game that Lawrence Taylor had at North Carolina when Hugh Green got more publicity, but Taylor was more disruptive. Should be a demon on special teams.

Negatives: What do you do with a 5-foot-11 defensive end who will probably play at 215 to 225 pounds, and whose greatest strength is his ability to rush the quarterback? Is a semi-projection at linebacker and a huge projection to strong safety. Is small and does not have a large wingspan, so if big offensive linemen can get on him, they will be able to engulf him. If he runs around them, he will be leaving gaping holes in the defense.

Summary: Might be the all-time greatest defensive end in the history of the CFL if he went to Canada. As an NFL prospect, he does not fit the mold of defensive end and will probably be used as an outside linebacker. Is too good of a football player not to make an impact. However, you still don’t want to take away his pass rush, so on sure-passing downs, don’t be surprised if he lines up in a down position. If it is possible to have a mini-Fred Dean, who was a mini-defensive end, this kid is it. Also can be described as the Doug Flutie of the defensive set.

Positives: Dominating player in college. Seems to fly to the ball. Closes so fast on the ball you would think he has 4.4 speed vs. the run. Has a great short-area burst. Explosive quickness. Always seems to be around the ball. Has great instincts and tremendous anticipation. Very active and aggressive. Takes good angles to the ball. Physically strong and also has natural snap and explosion. Has improved his weakest area, playing the pass, and is doing a better job of taking blockers on.

Negatives: Slightly overaged. Turned 25 in January. Has had some injury problems and surgery on both shoulders. NFL team physicals may play a part in how high he is drafted. Does not always do a good job of taking on big blockers. Doesn’t always show great athleticism, range and change of direction in coverage. Will miss a few tackles and does not always come under control when tackling. At times will go for the kill and miss instead of just tackling the man.

Summary: The best college middle/inside linebacker I have seen in the past three years. Should be an excellent pro if he is healthy and used correctly.

Positives: Very good athlete and a natural pass rusher. Has cat-like movements and great quickness off the ball. As fast as anyone for the first 10 yards. Can play over and control a tight end or come off the edge. Has the athleticism to play in pass coverage. Seems pretty instinctive and alert. Makes big plays, disrupts offenses and sacks quarterbacks. Has done nothing but get better. Stood out at the Senior Bowl. Much more football smart than scouts might think.

Negatives: Somewhat raw around the edges. Will need lots of reps. Plays best when he gets to just play without being asked to make too many reads and adjustments. Too skinny and small to be a right end. Needs work in coverage as a linebacker.

Summary: May have moved into the first round with his strong showing at the Senior Bowl if he convinces teams in individual workouts that he can master the defense they play. Can be an impact player in the right system if he is used correctly.

Positives: Very smart and instinctive football player. Aggressive and intense. Has a nasty disposition and likes to hit. Wants in on the action. Quick and fast with excellent range and speed.

Negatives: Misses too many tackles because he is too aggressive and tries to blow people up instead of wrapping them up. Is short and has short arms, making it harder for him to get off blocks and necessary for the defensive linemen to keep the blockers off him. Is a little stiff when he must change directions while in pass coverage.

Summary: Size may keep him from being a top pick, but he is a very productive player who can be an effective "Will" ’backer in the right defensive scheme.

Positives: Superb athlete with terrific movement skills. Is very quick, fast and agile and has cat-like movements. Gets quick depth on his pass drops. Has the speed to run with backs and makes plays all over the field. Seems to fly to the ball at times. Very, very tough and does an amazing job of playing through pain and healing quickly. Has a mean streak. Long arms come in very handy, especially vs. the pass.

Negatives: Lacks size, especially in the lower body. Does not take on blocks well and tends to run around them. Plays too upright, which makes him even more vulnerable when teams come right at him and prevents him from getting better leverage by getting low. Plays and hits too big and hard for his body and as a result always seems to have some sort of injury. Despite athleticism seems to have some problems with his balance in space and at times falls down in pass coverage.

Summary: Very athletic but undersized "Will" type ’backer who is not in the mold of Al Wilson but has more athletic ability and is just as instinctive.

Positives: Terrific all-around athlete with outstanding stamina and endurance. Big, strong, fast and agile. Tough and instinctive with outstanding intangibles. Top competitor. Extremely versatile. Has the best hands on the team and is his team’s best special-teams player and tackler. Was superimpressive at the Combine and was the only one of the potential lottery picks to do all the drills.

Negatives: In a game of specialization, he really has never been locked into a position. Is more of a hybrid type who can play almost everywhere and loves to play all three phases of the game. As a result, he has not fully mastered a position. Would appear to be best suited to be an outside ’backer, but he has never really played there on a full-time basis. May be a little too big for safety in the NFL and has a lot to learn about blocking if you want to play him at tight end.

Summary: Top athlete whose versatility is both a curse and a blessing in the eyes of some teams. Reminds me a lot of Brad Van Pelt when Van Pelt came to the Giants as an All-America rover-monsterman from Michigan State. Van Pelt struggled to find a position at first (tight end, safety, kickoff specialist, linebacker, etc.) and was known as a jack of all trades and master of none until he mastered the OLB position and became a Pro Bowl player.

Positives: Very tough and competitive. A natural football player with instincts and range. Very quick and active. Has a knack for slipping blocks. Fears no man. A hard hitter who has a mean streak. Makes plays. A team leader. Seemed to play his best against the best teams, such as Florida State.

Negatives: Lacks size. Will get engulfed inside at times. Needs to be protected by the big people in front of him. May need a little time to adjust to the defense he is put in.

Summary: Has a chance to become another Ray Lewis on the field if he is in the right scheme with the right people around him and if he can master a pro defense the way Lewis did.