As with any position there are a few big names leading this group, and given the mass exodus from Florida, there is a Gator rated very high at the ILB position. There is always a debate on whether these guys will play inside, or outside in the NFL, but for our purposes we are ranking the best ILB’s here, and we will rank the top OLB prospects at a later date.

With that being said here is a look at the top 10 ILB prospects for the 2010 draft:

1. Rolando McClain, Junior, Alabama-He has the gift of size and speed and may be the biggest tackler in College Football. He is a virtual lock to be a top 15 selection, and best guess has him entering the NFL as a Miami Dolphin
2. Brandon Spikes, Senior, Florida-Maybe he is not #2 but #1a. The knock on him is he isn’t the premier athlete NFL team drool over, but he is an excellent all around player. He makes plays in every aspect of the defense. Right now he projects out as a late first round pick
3. Darryl Washington, Senior, TCU-He can make plays sideline to sideline, and has explosive speed to get to the ball. I would bet that he impresses many at the scouting combine. Right now he projects a second round pick
4. Sean Lee, Senior, Penn State- His big downside is his inability to stay healthy, otherwise he may have been the top LB prospect in this draft, He is smart, aware, and has the hands to quickly shed blockers. He has some work to do at the scouting combine, but projects right now, as a second round pick
5. Donald Butler, Senior, Washington- Given his frame some teams may see him as an OLB, but his quickness will allow him to rack up a ton of tackles.
6. Darryl Sharpton, Senior, Miami-Again his biggest asset is versatility, he can play all the Lb spots, and he was invited to the scouting combine. He is also a very capable pass rusher
7. Micah Johnson, Senior, Kentucky- He has the size, and not must work on his speed. He is a big hitter, but struggles at times to change directions. He will get a shot to impress scouts at the Combine, but projects as a fifth round pick
8. Pat Angerer, Senior, Iowa- A second year starter, and the anchor of the Iowa Defense. He is a solid player and like most players from Iowa knows how to play the game of football.
9. Jamar Chaney, Senior, Mississippi State- His biggest upside is that he can play all the LB spots. For a team looking for LB depth he is the perfect pick. Look for him to be selected in the 6th round
10. Reggie Carter, Senior, UCLA- He is going to suffer from not have been invited to the combine, but he is a solid LB prospect hat someone will take a chance on. However he is a late round selection

Related Links:

• 2010 NFL Draft Top 10 players by position
• Examiner.com’s top 50 prospect big board
• 2010 NFL Mock Drafts
• NFL Complete.com
 

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