New York ? Notable defensive and special teams players in the NFL draft, grouped by projected NFL positions.

Defense

Defensive end

Position outlook: One of the NFL positions where raw ability can best be shaped, this spot frequently sees some head-scratching picks on draft day, when players with great measurables or workout performances are taken early. There’s some real value here this year.

¢ Chris Long, 6-foot-4, 275 pounds, Virginia: A versatile prospect at the position who could be a three-down player due to his array of pass-rush moves and nose for the football. Strong and athletic enough to fight off blocks, his one weak spot is a lack of edge-rush speed. Still, his quickness and anticipation usually are enough for him to overwhelm all but the most massive OLs.

¢ Vernon Gholston, 6-4, 258, junior, Ohio State: Has the speed to get upfield and past blockers in a hurry, but is less effective against the run. Raw, with plenty of potential.

¢ Derrick Harvey, 6-5, 252, junior, Florida: Quick to read and react, he could be a linebacker project. Either way, he shows excellent acceleration and speed, as well as football IQ.

¢ Phillip Merling, 6-5, 272, Clemson: Excellent at back-side pursuit, as well as blowing linemen back. Has the proverbial good motor. Struggles when blockers can get into his pads.

¢ Calais Campbell, 6-8, 282, Miami: Nimble and quick, especially for his size. Quick to react, especially to screens and flares.

¢ Quentin Groves, 6-3, 250, Auburn: Explosive quickness that could make him a star, but lack of size means he’s a tweener project.

Defensive tackle

Position outlook: A decent amount of talent, though teams tend to draft this position based on scheme, so one team’s must-have player could be way down another team’s board.

¢ Glenn Dorsey, 6-2, 316, LSU: Explosive and violent, he makes up for lack of size with his strength and energy. Astonishingly quick off the ball, and strong. Quick to diagnose plays and find the ball. Demands attention from blockers, but production could be limited. Also some durability issues.

¢ Sedrick Ellis, 6-1, 305, Southern Cal: Sudden off the ball, he can disrupt plays before they develop. Good at sniffing out the ball and pursuing. Probably not ideal for a two-gap scheme.

¢ Pat Sims, 6-2, 310, Auburn: Relentless and tough, he sometimes gets out of position or confused by misdirection. Shoots into backfield and uses hands well, but footwork is lacking.

¢ Andre Fluellen, 6-2, 285, Florida State: Penetration is his forte, as befitting an undersized but strong prospect. Needs to work on stuff like pad level, hands, and adding as much strength as he can.

¢ Marcus Harrison, 6-3, 310, Arkansas: Lots of potential, especially as a run-stuffer, but lots of issues, too. Questions regarding durability, desire and some off-field stuff.

¢ Kentwan Balmer, 6-5, 298: Good off the snap, and shows impressive ability when the effort is there. Possible underachiever, though.

Linebackers

Position outlook: Modern NFL linebackers need to do it all. They’re graded on play versus the run, pass coverage and blitzing ability. LBs that are versatile are a great use of scarce roster spaces, and highly valued.

Inside Linebacker

¢ Curtis Lofton, 6-0, 238, junior, Oklahoma: Great instincts and ability to read the play, he’s a hard-hitter who can shed blocks to reach the ball carrier. Lacks elite speed, but his quick reads help give him a jump anyway.

¢ Dan Connor, 6-3, 233, Penn State: Seems best suited to being a stay-at-home type, as he’s more quick than fast, and is not a sideline-to-sideline pursuer. Takes on and defeats lead blockers well. Might struggle in coverage.

¢ Tavares Gooden, 6-1, 233, Miami: Can drop into coverage or close on ball carriers quickly, but he doesn’t turn fast enough to make him a top coverage option.

¢ Beau Bell, 6-2, 248, UNLV: Strong, powerful player who picks up plays and accelerates to the ball carrier quickly. Can be washed out when blockers get into his pads.

Outside Linebacker

¢ Keith Rivers, 6-3, 235, Southern Cal: Excellent athletic ability, but sometimes can get neutralized, especially in traffic. Persistent effort. Shows promise in pass coverage.

¢ Jerod Mayo, 6-1, 242, Tennessee: Smart and agile athlete who shows good ability to change direction and stay with RBs and TEs in coverage, as well as avoid blockers. Not great in tight spaces.

¢ Xavier Adibi, 6-2, 220, Virginia Tech: Athletic ability can only make up so much for his lack of size, but his speed makes him an asset in pass coverage. Struggles to shed blockers.

¢ Jordon Dizon, 6-0, 228, Colorado: Plays with passion and verve, dodging blockers and reading plays well. Drops into coverage well and can stay with RBs. Size will always be a drawback.

Defensive backs

Position outlook: A good lock-down cornerback is hard to find, though this year less than others, with several potential stars available. The safety position is less stocked.

Cornerback

¢ Mike Jenkins, 6-0, 200, South Florida: Has the speed to stay with anyone and the strength to play good press coverage. He’s the top CB in the draft, though he needs to improve tackling, especially in run support, as well as ability to read routes.

¢ Leodis McKelvin, 5-11, 190, Troy: Elite returner, who shows willingness, if not ability, in run support. Agile and quick. Standout kick returner.

¢ Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, 6-2, 182, Tennessee State: Hard worker with good game instincts and the athletic ability to stick with WRs or close on the ball. Technique is raw.

¢ Brandon Flowers, 5-10, 189, junior, Virginia Tech: Confident, aggressive player with an excellent skill set. Works hard, plays hard, but can occasionally get reckless and overpursue.

¢ Aqib Talib, 6-1, 202, Kansas: Great athleticism and ball skills, he has the ability to see time at WR, not to mention in the return game. Needs to improve footwork and technique. Has some off-field issues.

Safety

¢ Kenny Phillips, 6-2, 208, junior, Miami: Good speed and ability to read plays. Makes plays in the running game and in coverage, though isn’t great in man coverage. A playmaker.

¢ DaJuan Morgan, 6-0, 205, junior, N.C. State: Like a lesser Phillips, but only just. Plenty of talent here, especially on special teams.

¢ Tyrell Johnson, 6-0, 207, Arkansas State: Good feel for the ball, as well as agility and tackling skills. Prone to overpursuit. Best with the play in front of him.

¢ Thomas DeCoud, 6-2, 196, California: Can play any DB position, can make big hits and does better against the run than the pass, where he’s prone to backfield peeking. Good kick blocker.

Kicker

¢ Taylor Melhaff, 5-10, 185, Wisconsin: Left-footer who never had a kick blocked in college. Has shown good concentration in tough spots.

Punter

¢ Durant Brooks, 6-0, 204, Georgia Tech: Excellent leg strength and hang time, he watches film to gauge returners’ tendencies. Getting better with placement, though it’s still a work in progress.

Offense

Notable offensive players in the NFL draft, grouped by projected NFL positions.

Quarterback

Position Outlook: There’s no golden boy for everyone to drool over this year, but lots of teams will be hoping to unearth their franchise cornerstone among some of the good, but not flawless, prospects.

¢ Matt Ryan, 6-foot-5, 224 pounds, Boston College: Has all the tools to succeed in the modern NFL. Is tall enough to see over defenses, quick to check down through receivers, and can avoid the rush and throw on the run. His one weakness is the deep ball. Calm under pressure. Showed toughness when dealing with left foot injuries in junior year, but had surgery in January 2007 and a successful senior year.

¢ Brian Brohm, 6-3, 227, Louisville: Sharp, quick to digest offenses. Makes all throws accurately, but lacks elite arm strength. Some injury and durability concerns.

¢ Chad Henne, 6-2, 225, Michigan: Four-year starter with good arm strength and vision. Not an improviser; accuracy degrades with any pressure.

¢ Joe Flacco, 6-7, 236, Delaware: Raw ability is there, but footwork and mechanics need improvement. Comes from shotgun system (after transferring from Pittsburgh). Elite arm strength, and improving vision moved him up boards at workouts and postseason games.

¢ Andre Woodson, 6-5, 224, Kentucky: Has the smarts and physical tools to be an NFL starter. Was given freedom to call own plays at the line in college. Slow release and quiet huddle presence are drawbacks, as are occasionally crossed-up mechanics.

¢ John David Booty, 6-3, 213: Southern Cal: Efficient and effective on short and intermediate passes, but to make deep throws he must be flawless in technique. Still learning to make reads effectively. Some injury history there.

Running back

Position Outlook: After Darren McFadden, there’s plenty of choice, including a player named Tashard Choice (Georgia Tech). McFadden’s Arkansas teammate, Felix Jones, is a budding star in his own right, as could be Jonathan Stewart and Rashard Mendenhall.

¢ Darren McFadden, 6-2, 210, junior, Arkansas: Has the speed and acceleration to make defenders look foolish, as well as the strength to defeat tacklers and make a strong second effort. Good vision and can run between the tackles or outside them. Excellent skills receiving – and throwing – the ball. Has developed a nice cut move for blitz pickups, but will need to improve stand-up blocks. Possible contributor on special teams, though ball-security was an issue there in college.

¢ Rashard Mendenhall, 5-11, 210, junior, Illinois: A load who relies on superb vision more than quick cutting or outright speed. Downhill, one-cut style runner, but not totally a runaway truck type.

¢ Jonathan Stewart, 5-11, 235, Oregon: Compact, agile bowling ball of a back who doesn’t fear contact and doesn’t get brought down easily. Decent speed, but not going to blow people away. Struggled with nagging injuries.

¢ Felix Jones, 6-0, 200, junior, Arkansas: If he didn’t play on the same team as McFadden, he’d be much more known. As it is, he’s an explosive, shifty back who does his best work in open space. Needs to run with a lower pad level, gain strength to shake initial tacklers. Could be factor on kick returns.

¢ Ray Rice, 5-8, 199, junior, Rutgers: Size is biggest concern, but durability and lack of top gear are also issues. Keeps legs driving and can change directions quickly. Not easy to bring down.

¢ Jamaal Charles, 5-11, 200, Texas: Built like a sprinter, and accelerates like one, too. Too easy to bring down right now, but has the frame to add size and strength.

¢ Chris Johnson, 5-11, 195, East Carolina: Explosive outside runner with natural hands and plenty of experience running routes; he even lined up at WR some. Could be a nice weapon in the right scheme and on kick returns.

Wide Receiver

Position outlook: Judging future booms and busts at this position is difficult, but there’s no doubting the depth at this position. With the pass so in vogue in the NFL these days, look for several wideouts to come off the board in the mid-to-late first round.

¢ Early Doucet, 6-0, 212, LSU: Long strider with excellent hands and the vision to adjust to the ball in flight. Can come down with the jump ball and stay focused in traffic. Not the greatest deep threat, and occasionally rounds off his cuts. Strong, and hard to bring down. Can be an aggressive blocker. Missed half of senior season due to injuries.

¢ Devin Thomas, 6-2, 215, junior, Michigan State: Major threat after the catch due to superior speed and strength. Needs to improve deep-ball skills and coverage reading.

¢ Malcolm Kelly, 6-4, 218, junior, Oklahoma: Weak workouts, followed by his complaining about conditions, dropped his value. Can change direction quickly, but more a long strider than actually fast. Great hands. Excellent, aggressive blocker.

¢ Desean Jackson, 6-0, 178, junior, California: Speedster who is a threat after the catch as well as on deep balls. Good agility, he can cross up defenders who would otherwise overwhelm his because of his small size. Some injury history. Terrific punt returner.

¢ Mario Manningham, 6-0, 181, Michigan: Wiggly, elusive receiver who’s at his best on deep and outside routes, where he can use his burst to create separation and avoid taking hits. Not a great blocker. Turned off some teams during interviews.

¢ Limas Sweed, 6-4, 212, Texas: Big receiver who uses his body and arms well, going up for jump balls and overpowering defenders rather than attempting to juke.

Tight end

Position outlook: This position lacks the game-changers of drafts past, but teams with specific holes to fill might find their man here.

¢ Martellus Bennett, 6-6, 259, junior, Texas A&M: Played basketball for the Aggies as well, and has the athletic ability to be a nice red-zone target. Lack of speed means he’s not a deep threat, but once he improves his routes, his strength and size should make him an asset. Needs to improve zone recognition, too. Good, aggressive blocker.

¢ Fred Davis, 6-4, 248, Southern Cal: Has the burst off the line and eye for defenses to consistently get open, and especially long arms help him snare off-target passes. A strong prospect to develop into a weapon in the passing game.

¢ Dustin Keller, 6-3, 242, Purdue: Can develop into a productive receiver with more reps. Hands, speed and athletic ability are there. Some durability concerns.

¢ John Carlson, 6-5, 251, Notre Dame: Uses his body and jumping ability well enough to become a productive short-area receiver. Blocking needs work.

Offensive linemen

Position Outlook: A deep and talented tackle class features two blue-chippers in Jake Long and Ryan Clady, and a couple more players just a small step below them. Guards and centers, especially centers, are going to be harder to find.

¢ Jake Long, 6-7, 315, Michigan: Bulldozer of a tackle in the run game who can also be a solid insurance policy for any franchise QB. Has the strength to move the pile and aggressiveness and smarts to clear out second-level blockers. Lacks the nimbleness of the truly great LTs, as he’ll occasionally get beat by quick edge rushers or a strong second move. Could be the first overall pick.

¢ Ryan Clady, 6-6, 316, junior, Boise State: This tackle’s strengths are mostly the opposite of Long’s. Clady is quick and nimble, but not a great drive blocker. Long arms, intelligence also pluses.

¢ Jeff Otah, 6-6, 340, Pittsburgh: Bulk and lack of athleticism point to his future as a right tackle for a run-heavy team. Raw, but has the tools (including nearly 3-foot long arms) to become a nice choice.

¢ Chris Williams, 6-6, 315, Vanderbilt: Nimble feet help tackle in pass protection, but needs to get more aggressive and physical in running game. Smart player who uses good technique.

¢ Branden Albert, 6-6, 309, junior, Virginia: Guard who is strong in the upper body but needs to add leg strength to be at his best. Skilled at trap-blocking, but struggles to get out to the second level. Could wind up at tackle.

¢ Gosder Cherilus, 6-7, 315, Boston College: Four-year starter at tackle (first three on the right side) who is better in the running game. Huge arms and hands. Needs coaching to fix poor technique in pass protection.

¢ Mike Pollak, 6-4, 299, Arizona State: The best center prospect of a thin group. Strong, but limited vs. bigger NTs and struggles to find LBs.