Last season, a number of rookies made a significant impact in the IDP world. Ndamukong Suh topped this list of stellar rookie performances with his 10 sacks, 49 solo tackles and 6 tackles for a loss. Aside from Suh, the rookie IDP’er with the most hype entering last season may have been Rolando McClain. Unlike Suh, McClain never really materialized as an IDP starter in his rookie campaign. However, there were other first-year players who may have found their way onto your fantasy lineup. Budding superstar, Eric Berry showed up big for the Chiefs. The fifth overall pick didn’t disappoint, recording 77 solo tackles, 9 passes defensed, 4 interceptions and 1 defensive touchdown. Devin McCourty also impressed in his first season with the Patriots. He notched 69 solo tackles, 17 passes defensed and 7 picks.
With the combine now officially in the books, I thought I’d take a look at some of the top defensive players in this year's draft in order to identify players who could be poised to become IDP starters next season. Of course, IDP output is highly dependent on snap counts. Some of these players may be drafted by teams that are deep at their respective positions, and they may not see a ton of playing time in their first season. However, given the right conditions, here are a the players I expect to shine in 2011:
Patrick Peterson – CB, LSU: Peterson is being touted as one of the best all-around athletes at this year’s NFL combine. He posted a blazing time of 4.34 in the 40 and recorded a 38-inch vertical. He has a great nose for the football, and could emerge as one of the league’s shutdown corners. It will be interesting to see where Peterson lands. He could go anywhere in the top-10 from as high as #2 (Denver) to potentially as low as #7 (San Francisco) or #8 (Tennessee). Wherever he ends up, I expect him to make an instant impact.
Da’Quan Bowers – DE, Clemson: This guy is a big boy who stands 6’4” and tips the scales at 280lbs. In 2010, Bowers had 41 solo tackles in 12 games and recorded and impressive 16 sacks. In fact, he failed to record a sack in just 2 of 12 games. Though Bowers did not participate in the combine due to injury, he’ll get a chance to show off his skills during his pro days. He’s a nice fit for a 4-3 system in need of a big, quick player on the outside of the line. You can expect him to be the first DE taken, and could likely go #2 overall to Denver, who is switching to a 4-3 under Jon Fox and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
Von Miller –DE/OLB, Texas A&M: Because he played a hybrid of defensive end and linebacker in college, Miller is projecting as a 3-4 outside linebacker. He’s not a tackling-machine, so don’t expect that sort of IDP production out of him. But what impresses me about Miller is that he led the nation with 17 sacks in 2009 and followed that up with 11 sacks in 2010. At the combine he posted a 4.53 40-yard dash time and a 37-inch vertical. This followed his eye-opening Senior Bowl performance, so his stock is rising. He fits the mold of a Clay Matthews, and should make that sort of an impact immediately.
Prince Amakumara – CB, Nebraska: Though he’s overshadowed by Peterson in this year’s draft, Amakumara has the skills to also become an elite NFL corner. In 2009, he had 5 picks, and although he did not record a pick in 2010, receivers in his coverage saw far less targets. His time of 4.43 in the 40-yard dash doesn't match Peterson's time, but is still very impressive. Many mock drafts put Amakumara just outside the top-10 at #11 to Houston. Wade Phillips' system would be a nice fit, and he’d provide much needed help to a pass defense that graded out as the worst rated team in coverage last season at -67.5.
Cameron Jordan – DE, California: No, his 6 sacks in both 2009 and 2010 don’t compare to the numbers Miller or Bowers put up, but Jordan has the potential to make as much impact as those two guys. Like Miller, Jordan showed up at the Senior Bowl and raised eyebrows. He posted solid numbers at the combine – 4.78 in the 40-yard dash, 9'9″ in the broad jump, 7.07 in the three cone drill, 31″ in the vertical, and 25 reps in the bench press. He could be the second DE off the board after Bowers (if teams opt to not go with Robert Quinn), which could translate to a top-10 pick to a team in need and a lot of playing time next season.
Dontay Moch – DE/OLB, Nevada: Here’s a guy who really helped his stock at the combine. Moch ran a 4.44 in the 40-yard dash, which is a record for defensive linemen. With that kind of speed, he may be best suited to play OLB in a 3-4 system. Moch knows how to get to the QB, as he recorded 29 sacks at Nevada. He’s certainly a deeper player, who likely won’t get picked until the third round, but I love his speed and wouldn’t be surprised to see him on the field a lot in 2011.
Feel free to hit Jeff up on Twitter with any questions or comments. You can follow him at – @JeffRatcliffe
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