Positives: Has an excellent size-speed ratio and may be able to add a little more weight if he really hits the weights. Is a very good natural athlete who is very well-coordinated. Can work his hands and feet in unison. Is a smart, alert football player who has quick hands and feet, good agility and natural explosiveness. Will show ability as an inside rusher. Is very quick off the ball and almost sudden at times. Shows good instincts and reactions most of the time. Can be very disruptive when he gets into gaps. Versatile. At times he will play end and rush from the outside. Can play left end on the next level or either end spot in a 3-4 defense.

Negatives: Needs to spend more time in the weight room and improve his upper-body strength. Lacks a warrior’s mentality. Got really frustrated by being double-teamed and held so much in ’01, and at times, like in the Illinois game, seemed to let the double-team beat him down and cause him to lose his intensity. Best game in ’01 was the Penn State game, in which he hardly ever was double-teamed. However, in other games, he seemed to have his motor going at full speed only in spurts. May be a little too nice and easygoing. Likes to have fun and rarely shows a mean streak or that he can be ruthless. Has always been praised and does not handle criticism well.

Summary: Bryant has the size-speed ratio and ability to become a premier defensive lineman in the NFL, but he must improve his mental toughness and become more of a warrior to realize his potential.

Positives: Very good all-around athlete. Smooth and fluid for his size. Looks like he was built to rush the passer with excellent height and arms down to his knees. As a full-time end, should be able to carry 275-280 pounds when he is finished growing and filling in. Both quick off the ball and fast and has a second gear he can turn on when closing in on or chasing the quarterback or ballcarrier. Uses his hands well and can counter as a pass rusher and change directions when chasing the ball without much wasted motion. Edwards also looks like he can turn his hips OK when he drops off into coverage, but he will generally move up and play defensive end on passing downs.

Negatives: Coming off a knee injury. Did not make many big plays or really stand out as a senior before he was hurt. Does not have a great frame for growing. Is a little narrow and has thin bones. Lacks functional playing strength when he plays down and has a hard time shedding blocks if he does not win with his first move and the offensive lineman gets his hands on him. Could be ’tweener, and is a player who a team must have a plan for if he is to realize his potential in the NFL.

Summary: Could be a special player in the right scheme or an average one if he is just plugged into a conventional position, be it at end or outside linebacker in a conventional 4-3 defense.

Notes: Has run 4.42 on a very fast surface. High school All-America defensive end/tight end who also played basketball, baseball and soccer. Played in 10 games and started once in 1998 as a true, 18-year-old freshman, but he was only in on three stops. Played in 11-of-12 games and started twice in ’99, despite a tendon injury in his right hand that kept him out of one game. The hand injury was the biggest reason he did not start in many others. Had 19 stops and 3 1/2 sacks, despite being limited by the injury. Started the first seven games in 2000 before lacerating his spleen. Was having a big junior year with 32 tackles and 13 sacks in just seven games. Had 4 1/2 sacks against Virginia Tech and Michael Vick. Despite missing the last four games, still earned All-Big East honors and some All-America notice. Stayed healthy in ’01 and was named Co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year, was a unanimous All-American and a Lombardi Award finalist. Had 50 stops, including 27 for loss and 17 1/2 sacks, forced eight fumbles and recovered three. Generally lined up at right end but also saw some time at inside linebacker.

Positives: Fine athlete with great workout numbers. Hs been clocked as fast as 4.42 by the school, bench-presses 500 pounds, can squat about 700 and has a 35-inch-plus vertical jump. Is starting to learn to translate those numbers onto the field. Best pass rusher in college football in ’01. Has superior quickness off the edge and an explosive closing burst to the quarterback. Is a very sudden player who can bend, close, flatten and lever. Uses his hands well and can redirect his charge and counter. Has developed a spin move. Will run right around or by a lot of offensive linemen before they can react. With a noisy home field that makes the opposing offensive tackle peak inside, Freeney is often past the blocker before he can get out of his stance. Takes over and dominates games and must be accounted for on every play. Can rush from all over the place and has played some linebacker.

Negatives: Lacks size. Was totally engulfed and never made a play when he went against Miami’s (Fla.) Bryant McKinnie in ’01. Much more of a pass rusher than a run-down player. Can be outsized and engulfed at the point of attack. While very athletic as an end going forward, he does not look nearly as fluid or athletic as a linebacker, when he must drop or change gears quickly while going laterally.

Summary: The type of player who can make a huge impact if you have a plan for him, but he is not somebody you just pencil in at right end in every type of defense.

Positives: Fine athlete. Very quick and explosive. Can run and get up the field. Has the raw tools to develop into a top pass rusher. Can hold his own against the run and make the run-down plays. Showed he could take over and dominate a game vs. Auburn.

Negatives: Could have used his fourth year in school to develop his pass-rush moves and techniques, build off what he did in the second half of 2001 and prove it was not just that he played at a higher level to impress the NFL. Has had major knee surgery. Is not as big and tall as scouts would like. Lacks consistency and technique.

Summary: Could be a first-round pick with great workouts and probably would have been one in 2003 if he stayed in school another year.

Positives: Massive frame and size and a great body. Tremendous athlete for his size. Has a great upside if he will pay the price. Very quick off the ball and explosive when he plays at a good pad level. Can be overpowering and dominating inside. No one man can block him when he is motivated and uses good technique. Played much harder in ’01 than he ever had before.

Negatives: Immature and needs to be pushed at times. Can’t be relied upon. Is not a hard worker or self-starter. Takes too many downs off. Will get too upright and lean on the offensive linemen when he gets tired at times. Does not play nasty very often.

Summary: The type of player who could make your draft or break your heart. Could be the best defensive tackle in the draft and the best defensive lineman from Tennessee since Reggie White if he stays focused and works hard.

Positives: Good character, coachable and has good attention to detail. Great size and size potential with a very large wingspan. Is hard to throw over. Can use his hands and lock out with his arms. Is just developing and growing into his body and developing pass-rush moves to take advantage of his size and wingspan. Is learning how to play lower than he did with a better pad level. Can be dominating when he keeps his pads way down and plays with good leverage, but that is tough to do at Henderson’s height. Henderson is rangy, can run and moves very well for a big man once he gets going. He can come off a block and even defeat the double-team when his pads are low and can be very disruptive inside. He also has the speed and motor to chase, and at times, he even can catch up to the wide play and the quarterback.

Negatives: Has a hard time getting his pads down because he is so tall, has long legs and is a little stiff. Has also had back problems, which may compound the problem. Is not overly instinctive or natural and at times will not know where the ball is. Still needs to refine and improve his techniques and to learn how to use his great wingspan more to his advantage. He also is a much better player early in games and in games in which he shares time, which indicates he may not have the stamina to play every down without rotating. Is a little bit of a DLE-DT tweener who is more upright than scouts would like inside and not quick and sudden enough to be a top outside rusher.

Summary: If his ankle and back check out, Henderson will be a first-round pick and could be an early one if he has great workouts. Is a little like former Alabama All-American and Colts first-round pick Jon Hand and has some similarities to former Vanderbilt star and Eagles DE Dennis Harrison.

Positives: Prototype size and speed and really looks the part. Has very long arms and the wingspan of a 747. Has very, very low body fat for a defensive lineman — just over six percent. Flashes outstanding, natural pass-rush talent coming off the edge and is starting to learn how to counter back inside. Has tremendous athletic ability and upside. Makes sensational plays nobody else can make. Had some great interceptions because of his athleticism and timing. Very hard to throw over and runs so well he can make plays all over the field. May also be able to drop into coverage. Has as much upside as anyone in the draft. If he ever puts it all together, Peppers can be a great pro and true impact player — the type who leads the league in sacks and passes batted down and who can also play the run.

Negatives: Shows a lot of flashes of ability but is not that consistent on a down-in, down-out basis. Is just learning the game and what it takes to play the game, and he lacks great instincts and tenacity. Has yet to learn the best way to use his hands and arms to shed blockers. Will get wired to the blocker at times and has some trouble when teams run right at him. Gets hooked way too much and does not see a lot of things coming. Does not always play with a lot of tenacity and will disappear for long stretches. Still has too much of a basketball player mentality. At present, he does not come close to Lawrence Taylor in terms of passion, instincts, tenacity, nastiness or competitiveness.

Summary: May never realize his potential, but if he does, he will be "King Kong in Shoulder Pads" and the star of stars of this draft. If he realizes 80 percent of his potential, he may be a bigger version of Simeon Rice.

Positives: Great character and competitiveness. A coach’s dream. High-motor player who really seems to like the game. Has a thick, powerful body and can play in any type of defense, including a two-gap scheme. Uses hands well and does a nice job of controlling blockers. Very quick and flexible and has an explosive short-area burst. Can push the pocket and also get into a gap and come clean. Comes off the ball well and will often beat the blocker with his first move. Has been durable and played in every game during his career. Was a much tougher, more intense and more consistent player than Julius Peppers in ’01, his teammate who could be one of the first two picks in the draft. Sims had a very good week at the Senior Bowl and was off to a good start in the game before he suffered a minor injury and was held out because the game stresses player safety so much.

Negatives: Lacks great speed. Is not going to make the highlight-film plays Peppers makes. Will struggle to shed blocks quickly at times.

Summary: Was the best defensive player at the Senior Bowl and made himself millions of dollars by going from a possible late first-round pick to a possible top-10 or top-12 pick. Does not have Peppers’ upside, but Sims is a more solid player right now, and with Sims, you know that what you see is what you will get, so long as he avoids injuries and holdouts.

Positive: Speed type of rusher who gets bigger, stronger and better every year. Has exceptional initial quickness and speed. Can be explosive coming off the edge and plays with leverage. Has a burst to close. Seems to be a pretty good kick-blocker. Should do well on special teams.

Negatives: Lacks size vs. the run. Gets engulfed and has a hard time locating the ball at times. Might be a Steelers 3-4 rush linebacker, but I doubt his instincts to play linebacker in a standard 4-3 when he must drop, cover and key and diagnose regularly.

Summary: Has a chance to become a top edge type of rusher in the right situation. Will either be a right end in a four-man front or a 3-4 outside backer.

Positives: Excellent intangibles. Leader by example. Great effort player who works very hard in the weight room and on the practice field. Quick off the ball and plays with a good motor. Uses his hands well and generally plays with leverage. Can anchor and hold the point of attack when he plays low with his knees bent and his pads down. Can play tackle or end. Has gotten a lot more productive and is seeing things quicker and better the past two years.

Negatives: Lacks great size for a tackle and speed and upfield quickness for an end. Does not have a great burst or great explosiveness. Will come off the ball a little bit more upright than scouts would like. At times has trouble locating the ball while on the move.

Summary: A poor man’s Bryant Young. Not as mobile, powerful, athletically gifted or instinctive, but there are a lot of similarities at similar stages of development.