1.11 - ROLB Antwan Barnes, Bengals (Florida A&M)
The Bengals stay put at 1.11 and land ROLB Antwan Barnes, whose combination of 94 SPD and 79 STR is almost unheard of at the position — numbers that would stand out on a defensive back, let alone an outside linebacker with that kind of power behind them. His get-off (95 ACC) and range (73 AGI) are impressive, giving him true sideline-to-sideline pursuit ability as a rusher. On the downside, his 38 AWR is well below what you want to see even from a rookie, and his hands (38 CTH) will limit him in coverage. Still, for a team looking for an ascending pass-rush piece off the edge, the pure physical profile is worth the eleventh pick.
Grade: B+
1.12 - SS LaRon Landry, Redskins (LSU)
The Redskins land LaRon Landry at 1.12, continuing an early run on safeties in this draft — he's the second one off the board, following Goldson at 1.09. Landry's has elite speed for the position at 90 SPD, paired with genuinely excellent hands (78 CTH) and tackling (85 TAK) that would be well above average even for a linebacker. Reports had teams like Miami hoping he'd slide all the way to 1.24, so Washington made sure that scenario never got tested. He's not elite across the board — 64 STR and 82 AGI are good, not great — but the overall blend of size, speed, and physicality makes this one of the safer picks in the entire first round.
Grade: A
1.13 - MLB Jon Beason, Broncos (Miami)
The reigning champs get even scarier, as Denver trades up into the Chiefs' original slot to add another building block on defense. Beason is about as balanced a linebacker prospect as this draft offers, checking in with 86 SPD, 86 STR, and 86 AGI — an unusually even spread across every physical category — to go with 71 AWR, a genuinely strong number for a rookie. His tackling (83 TAK) is right in line with the top linebackers already off the board. Size and a middling 79 INJ rating are about the only nitpicks here, but given the Broncos front office's track record of nailing these evaluations, there's plenty of benefit of the doubt to extend.
Grade: A
1.14 - RG Ben Grubbs, Jets (Auburn)
The Jets get the first guard off the board in Ben Grubbs, and the tape matches the billing at right guard. His power at the point of attack is above average for a Guard (90 STR), and his pass sets (81 PBK) and drive-blocking (79 RBK) both grade out well ahead of most day-one linemen. Awareness (77 AWR) is outstanding for a rookie at any position, showing up as advanced processing at the line of scrimmage. If one had to find a weakness it would be his mobility — 55 AGI is below what teams like to see out of a guard who needs to pull and reach linebackers — but overall this profiles as a plug-and-play starter for years.
Grade: A-
1.15 - RE LaMarr Woodley, Ravens (Michigan)
Baltimore stays home and adds a power/speed rusher off the edge in LaMarr Woodley. He offers a desirable combination of 81 SPD and 80 STR for a defensive end, giving him legitimate juice to win with speed or bull-rush tackles depending on the matchup. His get-off (89 ACC) is a plus trait as well, and his durability (99 TGH) is about as good as it gets. The concern here is tackling — 52 TAK is a soft number for an edge defender who'll need to set the corner in the run game — but the pass-rush traits alone make this a solid value at 1.15.
Grade: B+
1.16 - WR Jacoby Jones, Redskins (LaSalle)
Washington adds a big-play weapon at 1.16 in Jacoby Jones. He offers ideal size for the position paired with elite speed (93 SPD), and his hands (78 CTH) and ability to shed tacklers after the catch (69 BTK) are both well ahead of the rookie curve. Awareness is the clear weak point at 49 AWR, and his agility and acceleration (89 AGI, 89 ACC) are solid without being special, but the physical tools alone make this a good value pick this late in the round.
Grade: B+
1.17 - ROLB Justin Durant, Broncos (Hampton)
Denver goes back to the well a second time, trading into the 49ers' original slot to land another explosive edge piece in Justin Durant. He's a big-bodied outside linebacker with rare speed for the position (91 SPD, 93 ACC), and at 64 AWR he's already ahead of the typical rookie curve for processing the game. Tackling (66 TAK) is solid rather than special, and his biggest weaknesses are his hands (24 CTH) and average range (69 AGI) — not ideal if he's ever asked into coverage, but not a dealbreaker for a pure rush linebacker. Two picks, two disruptive athletes for a Denver front seven that's suddenly loaded.
Grade: A
1.18 - WR Steve Smith, Chargers (USC)
The Chargers stay put and add a home-run threat in Steve Smith, whose 96 AGI and 96 ACC make him one of the most explosive route-runners in the entire class, backed up by legitimate speed (93 SPD) and excellent hands (80 CTH). Awareness (48 AWR) is a real question mark early on, and he'll have to fight for targets in a receiver room that already includes Vincent Jackson, Troy Williamson, and Tight End Jason Witten. Still, the sheer twitch and ball skills give him every chance to carve out a role as a rookie and grow into more.
Grade: A
1.19 - MLB Paul Posluszny, Cardinals (Penn State)
The Cardinals add a defensive piece at 1.19 in Paul Posluszny. He's a big-bodied downhill linebacker with excellent speed for the position (89 SPD) and advanced instincts for a rookie (70 AWR), and his tackling (83 TAK) fits right in with the other linebackers already off the board in this class. Agility (74 AGI) is good, not great, but overall this is exactly the kind of youth infusion an aging Arizona linebacker corps needed.
Grade: A
1.20 - C Ryan Kalil, Jaguars (USC)
Jacksonville trades into the Cowboys' original slot for a rare first-round center in Ryan Kalil, giving their patchwork offensive line an anchor who can line up almost anywhere. His pass protection and run blocking (90 PBK, 93 RBK) both grade out as elite for a rookie interior lineman, and his power (93 STR) clears the bar comfortably for a plus starter up front. It’ll be interesting to see how the team handles the Center position with veteran Andre Gurode on the squad, but the blocking traits are advanced enough that he could push for time at guard or center as a rookie. Mobility (58 AGI) is the only real soft spot in an otherwise excellent value pick this late in the round.
Grade: A-
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