The NFL Draft is April 23-25. Each day leading up to the first round, the Tribune-Review is compiling a positional preview of the top draft prospects.
1. Derrick Brown
Auburn, 6-5, 326
Brown was a potential first-round pick after the 2018 season, but he opted to return to Auburn for his senior year. He did nothing to hurt his stock by becoming a first-team All-American and finalist for the Bednarik Award and Outland Trophy. Brown totaled 55 tackles, including 12 1/2 for loss, four sacks and two forced fumbles. Brown started three years for the Tigers and had 4 1/2 sacks and 10 1/2 tackles for loss as a junior. He also played in 13 games as a freshman.
2. Javon Kinlaw
South Carolina, 6-5, 324
A junior college transfer, Kinlaw was a three-year starter at South Carolina. He punctuated his career by becoming a first-team All-American with six sacks in 12 starts for the Gamecocks. In 2018, Kinlaw was named the team’s defensive MVP when he recorded 4 1/2 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and five pass breakups. He also started 10 games as a sophomore. Kinlaw did not work out for scouts at the NFL Combine because of knee tendinitis.
3. Ross Blacklock
TCU, 6-3, 290
After missing the 2018 season with an Achilles injury, Blacklock shed 25 pounds, which helped him dominate in the Big 12 as a redshirt junior. In 2019, he was a first-team all-conference pick after recording 3 1/2 sacks and nine tackles for loss in 12 starts. Blacklock was one of the Big 12’s top freshmen when he burst on the scene in 2017 with two sacks and 6 1/2 tackles for loss in 14 starts.
4. Neville Gallimore
Oklahoma, 6-2, 304
For a 300-pounder, Gallimore showed impressive speed at the NFL Combine when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.79 seconds. After a redshirt season as a freshman, Gallimore was a four-year contributor for the Sooners. As a junior, he had 50 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles in 13 starts. He had a strong senior season as well with four sacks, 7 1/2 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in 14 starts.
5. Justin Madubuike
Texas A&M, 6-3, 293
Madubuike emerged as a strong prospect with back-to-back impressive seasons at Texas A&M. He left school with a year of eligibility remaining. As a junior, he had 5 1/2 sacks and 11 1/2 tackles for loss in 11 starts. The previous year, he was named the team’s defensive MVP after producing 6 1/2 sacks, 10 1/2 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles. Madubuike contributed in all 13 games of his freshman year. At the NFL Combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.83 seconds.
6. Marlon Davidson
Auburn, 6-3, 303
Like teammate Derrick Brown, Davidson had a chance to leave school after his junior year but opted to stay so he could get his degree. Davidson became a first-team all-conference pick in 2019 when he matched Brown with 12 1/2 tackles for loss and led the Tigers with 7 1/2 sacks. He also had 48 tackles and forced two fumbles. The previous year, Davidson had 3 1/2 sacks and 4 1/2 tackles for loss while also blocking three kicks. Davidson also was a disruptive force on defense in his freshman and sophomore seasons.
7. Raekwon Davis
Alabama, 6-6, 311
The knock on Davis is his production peaked when he was a sophomore in 2017. He was named first-team all-conference that year after he had 69 tackles, including 10 for loss, and a team-high 8 1/2 sacks in 14 games. He also starred during the Crimson Tide’s run to the national championship. The next season, however, his numbers dipped to 1 1/2 sacks and 5 1/2 tackles for loss. As a senior, it was more of the same as he registered just one-half sack and three tackles for loss.
8. Jordan Elliott
Missouri, 6-4, 302
Elliott began his college career at Texas, but he left the school after missing six games because of an MCL injury as a freshman. He transferred to Missouri and earned a redshirt in 2017. Elliott didn’t start as a junior, yet he had three sacks and eight tackles for loss in 13 games. He broke through as a junior when he was named a second-team All-American after leading Missouri with 10 tackles for loss. He also had three sacks.
9. Davon Hamilton
Ohio State, 6-4, 320
It took a while for Hamilton, a redshirt senior, to crack the lineup at Ohio State. He didn’t start full time until his final season, and he totaled six sacks and 10 1/2 tackles for loss in 14 games. A valuable reserve the previous three years, Hamilton started three games as a junior. Hamilton is viewed as a mid-round prospect.
10. James Lynch
Baylor, 6-4, 289
Lynch left school after a junior season in which he was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-American. He led Baylor with 13 1/2 sacks and 19 1/2 tackles for loss. He also broke up five passes and forced three fumbles. As a sophomore, Lynch led the Bears with nine tackles for loss and five sacks while also breaking up two passes. He contributed three sacks as a freshman and blocked three kicks in his three-year career.
Best fit for Steelers
Leki Fotu, Utah
Defensive line isn’t a priority in the draft for the Steelers, but they could try to groom a successor for Javon Hargrave in the later rounds. Fotu is a 6-5, 330-pound senior who grew up playing rugby. At Utah, he was a two-time first-team all-conference selection. He totaled 4 1/2 sacks and 14 1/2 tackles for loss in those two seasons as a starter.
