Wes Byrum (18) capped the 2010 college football season with a title-winning field goal for Auburn on Monday night. It's no surprise that Byrum made the Rivals.com All-Bowl team, but he's not the only Tigers player on the squad. Go inside for all of our picks.[details]
Notes: Had 21 sacks during senior high school season in California. As a true freshman in 2007 (wore jersey No. 91), tallied 15 tackles, two for loss and zero sacks with one forced fumble in 10 games. Started 10-of-13 games in '08 - five at weak-side linebacker, five at rush end to close out the season - and produced 88-6½-3½. Despite breaking a finger on his left hand in Week Two, started all 13 games at rush end in '09 and managed 47-13-5 with one pass breakup and two forced fumbles. In '10, started all 13 games at rush end and notched 55-16½-11 with four forced fumbles. Was a 21-year-old senior.
Positives: Has long arms. Very athletic with disruptive pass-rush skills - quick off the snap and flattens to the quarterback with little wasted movement once he turns the corner. Accelerates through gaps and shows good short-area burst. Gave Wisconsin OT Gabe Carimi fits as a junior. Plays on his feet. Pursues hard and motor always runs. Good tackler. Bench-pressed 225 pounds 27 times and vertical-leaped 36 inches at the Combine. Smart and instinctive. Solid personal and football character.
Negatives: Average speed. Lacks ideal size and needs to improve functional strength. Marginal run defender - cannot dig in vs. the run and stack the corner. Does not play with pop or power in his hands. Can play with more consistent leverage. Does not have extensive experience playing in reverse.
Summary: Undersized, tough, competitive, productive collegiate rush end who likes football and it shows. Looked athletic on his feet during Combine drills and could be converted to strong-side linebacker in the pros. The trick will be finding where his relentlessness plays best while trying to compensate for his weak run defense.
NFL projection: Third- to fourth-round pick.
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