Samuel Baker is regarded as the second-best offensive tackle in the 2008 NFL Draft. He has excellent footwork for someone his size. He is also a great pass blocker for he has large hands and a wide reach. However, Baker came from a hamstring injury which is hard to totally heal. Also, his run blocking is not that stellar and he seems to have a ‘leave them alone’ outlook. And at 305 pounds, he is undersized by NFL tackle standards.

After just his 19th collegiate game, Malcolm Kelly became the fastest player in Oklahoma Sooners history to gain 1,000 career receiving yards. Judging by that, he has the speed and skill to have a great career in the NFL.

He is a sure-handed receiver who is not afraid to gain an extra yard or two. His health though is questionable for he missed two Fiesta Bowls due to injury. He is poised to be taken in the late first round or early second round.

In this age of big hitting safeties, Kenny Phillips certainly fits that bill. Standing 6′2″ and weighing 210 pounds, this former University of Miami standout is an extremely aggressive defenseman who has a great pass and run blocking abilities. And because of his size, his big hits will definitely affect the performance of the offensive players.

The only possible downside of Phillips is his tendency to make a big play instead of a reliable one. But with this in mind, expect him to be taken in the top half of the first round.

University of Illinois’ linebacker J Leman underwent surgery last week to repair the damage to his right ankle which was injured in the Rose Bowl. Rick Smith of Priority Sports said that it will take three to four months for him to fully recover.

Because of this, he will be unable to work out for scouts before the NFL Draft on April 26. He will still attend the NFL Combine though but he can only do interviews with team scouts.

The 6′2″, 230-pound Illini registered 132 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks last season.

A playmaker in its purest form, DeSean Jackson is an incredibly dynamic wide receiver and punt returner. He is a great weapon during screen passes although he is at his best when used on long routes due to his multiple moves. He even rarely dropped a pass during his collegiate career.

However, he has a few weaknesses. He has the tendency to lose his focus during games and tends to be cocky at times. Also, he may excessively taunt an opposing crowd as well. Nevertheless, his name can already be called on the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

More than 30 draft hopefuls, including projected number one draftee Glenn Dorsey, started training at the Disney sports complex in Florida training for the NFL Combine which will be held on February 20 in Indianapolis. The training program is handled by Tom Shaw, a former strength and conditioning coach for the New England Patriots.

Recent first-round picks who have worked with Shaw include OT D’Brickashaw Ferguson of the New York Jets, WR Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions and QB JaMarcus Russell of the Oakland Raiders.

A good-sized defensive back with great athleticism, blistering speed and proven cover skills, Mike Jenkins is projected to be a solid cornerback in the NFL. But on the other side, his run support needs to be drilled in footwork and technique. With this, teams might be thinking of playing him as safety.

Also, this South Florida Bull was involved in an off-the-field issue in March 2007 wherein he and USF teammate Carlton Williams were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and opposing an officer with violence. But if this is just a small crease in his 2008 NFL Draft campaign, he can be a quick-impact player in the league.

Ryan Clady has great long arms and upper body strength that helps him keep defenders at bay. Clady also uses his surprisingly quick feet and good technique to win over his offender. He excels on both pass and run blocking schemes and has played left and right tackle before.

The biggest concerns about him playing in the NFL is that he hasn’t played in a pro-style system at Boise State and that he does not play against the highest quality competition in the Western Atlantic Conference.

A fair sized quarterback with great body mechanics, Brian Brohm’s arm is enough for the passing game. He is already an excellent coverage reader and an intelligent passer who makes few bad decisions. His timing, passing accuracy and movement in the pocket is applaudable as well.

His injury status though is less than stellar. Required surgery for a torn ACL in 2005, torn ligaments in his thumb in 2006 and his non-throwing shoulder in January 2007. One thing that can also work against him is that he played under an offensive system that did not ask him to make a lot of difficult throws.

Despite all of these, not picking him may be a bad decision.

Though he is undersized for defensive tackle standards, Sedrick Ellis has tremendous balance and quickness that can earn him a first round selection. A great pass rusher for a nose tackle, he does damage by penetrating the pocket during man-to-man situations.

Also, he gets good leverage due to his size which he can use against opposing linemen. His handwork is one of the best among the interior linemen in the 2008 NFL Draft as well. Ellis’ downside though is his short arms and injury history. He sat out most of the 2003 NCAA season due to a fractured left ankle and missed three games during his junior year because of a torned right knee cartilage.

But despite his fragility, most experts say that he is a Top 10 draftee.