NFL NETWORK’S MIKE MAYOCK DEBUTS HIS PLAYER RANKINGS HEADING INTO 2008 NFL SCOUTING COMBINE

Draft Expert Breaks Down Prospects by Position on NFL Total Access this weekÂIllinois’ Rashard Mendenhall No. 1 RB; USC’s Sedrick Ellis tops among DTsWith

Draft Expert Breaks Down Prospects by Position
 on NFL Total Access this week
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Illinois’ Rashard Mendenhall No. 1 RB;
 USC’s Sedrick Ellis tops among DTs
With Xs & Os breakdowns from this past season, Mayock explains why Illinois’ Rashard Mendenhall beats out Arkansas’ Darren McFadden as his top running back and why USC’s Sedrick Ellis gets the edge over LSU’s Glenn Dorsey at defensive tackle.
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Mayock’s pre-combine thoughts and player rankings are as follows:
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Mayock on Illinois’ Rashard Mendenhall vs. Arkansas’ Darren McFadden:
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“Mendenhall translates better to the NFL game.  He’s 225 pounds and has great feet and tremendous burst and acceleration for a player of his size.  My biggest concern with McFadden is that although he also has great burst and acceleration, I don’t think he has the lower body strength that you’re looking for in a first-round NFL back.”
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Mayock on USC’s Sedrick Ellis vs. LSU’s Glenn Dorsey:
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“They are both great football players and it’s a very difficult evaluation between the two as to who is better because they are both top-10 picks.  What I like about Ellis is that he played nose tackle in a 3-4 defense at USC and that will appeal to 3-4 NFL teams.  In addition, he will also appeal to the 4-3 teams because he has the quickness to play the “three technique.” Dorsey is a great football player and I give him credit for playing through injuries the past few years.  However his durability is a concern.”
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MIKE MAYOCK’S TOP 20 (as of February 12, 2008)**
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1. Matt Ryan - QB, Boston College
   
2. Sedrick Ellis – DT, USC
   
3. Chris Long -Â DE, Virginia
   
4. Glenn Dorsey – DT, LSU
   
5. Vernon Gholston – DE, Ohio State
   
6. Jake Long – OL, Michigan
   
7. Ryan Clady – OL, Boise State
   
8. Keith Rivers – LB, USC
   
9. Phillip Merling – DE, Clemson
   
10. Leodis McKelvin – CB, Troy
    
11. Brandon Flowers – CB, Virginia Tech
    
12. Rashard Mendenhall – RB, Illinois
    
13. Jeff Otah – OL, Pittsburgh
    
14. Derrick Harvey – DE, Florida
    
15. Kentwan Balmer – DT, North Carolina
    
16. Aqib Talib – CB, Kansas
    
17. Chris Williams – OL, Vanderbilt
    
18. Mario Manningham – WR, Michigan
    
19. Limas Sweed – WR, Texas
    
20. Branden Albert – OL, Virginia
    

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MIKE MAYOCK’S TOP 5 RANKINGS BY POSITION (as of February 12, 2008)**
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Quarterback
1.  Matt Ryan - Boston College
2. Â Chad Henne - Michigan
3. Â Brian Brohm - Louisville
4. Â Joe Flacco - Delaware
5. Â Andre Woodson - Kentucky
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Running Back

1. Rashard Mendenhall - Illinois
   
2. Darren McFadden - Arkansas
   
3. Jonathan Stewart - Oregon
   
4. Felix Jones - Arkansas
   
5. Chris Johnson - East Carolina
   

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Fullback

1. Jacob Hester - LSU
   
2. Peyton Hillis - Arkansas
   
3. Owen Schmitt - West Virginia
   

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Wide Receiver

1. Mario Manningham - Michigan
   
2. Limas Sweed - Texas.
   
3. DeSean Jackson - California
   
4. Malcolm Kelly - Oklahoma
   
5. Early Doucet - LSU
   

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Tight End
   1.  Fred Davis - USC
  2.  John Carlson - Notre DameÂ
   3.  Dustin Keller - Purdue
   4.  Jermichael Finley - Texas
   5.  Brad Cottam - Tennessee
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Offensive Tackle

1. Jake Long - Michigan
   
2. Ryan Clady - Boise State
   
3. Jeff Otah - Pittsburgh
   
4. Chris Williams - Vanderbilt
   
5. Gosder Cherilus - Boston College
   

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Interior Offensive Line

1. Branden Albert - Virginia
   
2. Chilo Rachal - USC
   
3. Roy Schuening - Oregon St.
   
4. Mike Pollak - Arizona State
   
5. Mackenzy Bernadeau - Bentley College
   

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Defensive End

1. Chris Long - Virginia
   
2. Vernon Gholston - Ohio State
   
3. Phillip Merling - Clemson
   
4. Derrick Harvey - Florida
   
5. Lawrence Jackson - USC
   

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Defensive Tackle

1. Sedrick Ellis - USC
   
2. Glenn Dorsey - LSU
   
3. Kentwan Balmer - North Carolina
   
4. Trevor Laws - Notre Dame
   
5. Letroy Guion - Florida State
   

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Inside Linebacker

1. Dan Connor - Penn State
   
2. Curtis Lofton - Oklahoma
   
3. Spencer Larsen - Arizona
   
4. Beau Bell - UNLV
   
5. Jo-Lonn Dunbar - Boston College
   

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Outside Linebacker

1. Keith Rivers - USC
   
2. Erin Henderson - Maryland
   
3. Xavier Adibi - Virginia Tech
   
4. Tavares Gooden – Miami (FL)
   
5. Ali Highsmith - LSU
   

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Cornerback

1. Leodis McKelvin - Troy
   
2. Brandon Flowers - Virginia Tech
   
3. Aqib Talib - Kansas
   
4. Mike Jenkins - South Florida
   

5.   Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - Tennessee State
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Safety

1. DaJuan Morgan - N.C. State
   
2. Kenny Phillips - Miami (FL)
   
3. Thomas DeCoud - California
   
4. D.J. Wolfe - Oklahoma
   
5. Tyrell Johnson - Arkansas State
   

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** Rankings subject to change