| Rank |
Player |
Team |
Bye |
Comments |
| 1 |
Julius Peppers |
CAR |
7 |
The most dominate DL in the game. Started last year with a bang, then fizzled. Expect more in 2007 |
| 2 |
Jason Taylor |
MIA |
9 |
The phins have been tinkering with the idea of moving Taylor to OLB. Watch this situation closely. |
| 3 |
Terrell Suggs |
BAL |
8 |
Suggs progression, should make this his best season to date. Expect double digit sacks. |
| 4 |
Aaron Schobel |
BUF |
6 |
Sometimes a slow starter, but by seasons end will have the stats. Finished last season with a bang. |
| 5 |
Aaron Kampman |
GBP |
7 |
Kampman was a beast last year, leading all DL. He was also unstoppable in the fantasy playoffs. |
| 6 |
Osi Umenyiora |
NYG |
9 |
Osi wasn’t healthy a season ago, but we all know the talent he has. Draft him with confidence. |
| 7 |
Jared Allen |
KCC |
8 |
Allen's suspension was reduced to 2 games, and he should still outscore every DL below this point. |
| 8 |
Charles Grant |
NOS |
4 |
Grant returned to elite status in 2006. But he's not back to where he was 3 seasons ago. |
| 9 |
Tamba Hali |
KCC |
8 |
Hali showed his greatness early on, and could struggle a bit with Jared Allen suspended 4 games. |
| 10 |
Ty Warren |
NEP |
10 |
Warren finally joined the party a season ago, and showed why he was taken so high in the draft by NE. |
| 11 |
Derrick Burgess |
OAK |
5 |
Burgess regressed a season ago, but the Oakland D as a whole, got better. Expect Burgess to rebound. |
| 12 |
John Abraham |
ATL |
8 |
Abraham is a player many wont touch. When he is healthy he is a beast, but he is seldom healthy. |
| 13 |
Jamaal Anderson |
ATL |
8 |
Anderson goes to a great situation, lining up opposite of John Abraham. He should be the top rookie DL. |
| 14 |
Robert Mathis |
IND |
6 |
Mathis has become a more consistent option at DL than great teammate Dwight Freeney. |
| 15 |
Michael Strahan |
NYG |
9 |
Word out of Giants camp, Strahan is about to report, and could start week 1. |
| 16 |
Kyle Vanden Bosch |
TEN |
4 |
Vanden Bosh reverted a bit a season ago, but still has the talent to be a top 15 defensive lineman. |
| 17 |
Mario Williams |
HOU |
10 |
Williams is a talented player and will only get better. Expect a big jump in his 2nd season in the NFL. |
| 18 |
Trent Cole |
PHI |
5 |
Cole is a overachiever, and is making himself into a solid player. This guy has a relentless motor. |
| 19 |
Leonard Little |
STL |
9 |
Little is generally a feast or famine player. One week he might get 3 sacks, the next not a single stat. |
| 20 |
Will Smith |
NOS |
4 |
Smith is a classic underachiever. This guy has more talent than Charles Grant, but seldom plays like it. |
| 21 |
Justin Smith |
CIN |
5 |
Smith had a very productive contract year, and was franchised. So we may be in for another stellar yr. |
| 22 |
Mark Anderson |
CHI |
9 |
The Bears are shopping DE Alex Brown because of the talent of Mark Anderson. |
| 23 |
Patrick Kerney |
SEA |
8 |
Kerney moves to the great northwest, and should help an already solid pass rush. |
| 24 |
Dwight Freeney |
IND |
6 |
Freeney is a lot like Leonard Little, He is another feast or famine player. |
| 25 |
Gaines Adam |
TBB |
10 |
Gaines Adams was the first defensive player taken in the draft, but it could take him time to succeed. |
| 26 |
James Hall |
STL |
9 |
Hall moved from Detroit to St Louis and could be a nice sleeper playing opposite of Leonard Little |
| 27 |
John Henderson |
JAC |
4 |
Henderson is never going to be a huge sack guy, but he is a plugger, who racks up tackles. |
| 28 |
Kelly Gregg |
BAL |
8 |
Gregg is a similar, though less dominate version of John Henderson. Excellent tackle numbers from a DT. |
| 29 |
Bert Berry |
ARI |
8 |
Berry is a player with superb talent, but he is rarely healthy to take advantage of his ability. |
| 30 |
Reggie Hayward |
JAC |
4 |
Hayward is a sack specialist who missed most of the 2006 season. He should be considered a sleeper. |
| 31 |
Trevor Pryce |
BAL |
8 |
Pryce came from no where to put up huge sack numbers last season. I wouldn’t expect a repeat of 2006. |
| 32 |
Vonnie Holliday |
MIA |
9 |
Holliday isn't spectacular, but he seems to get the job done with tackles and assists each week. |
| 33 |
Cory Redding |
DET |
6 |
Redding was a pleasant surprise a season ago, and could continue to improve his stats this coming year. |
| 34 |
Tommy Kelly |
OAK |
5 |
Kelly became a player a season ago, and was helped by the presence of Warren Sapp next to him. |
| 35 |
Dewayne White |
DET |
6 |
Dwyane White is moving from Tampa to Detroit. His talent may be better suited for turf than grass. |
| 36 |
Shaun Ellis |
NYJ |
10 |
Ellis is the top rushing DE for the Jets, but hasn’t been the same player since John Abraham left. |
| 37 |
Darren Howard |
PHI |
5 |
Howard will start at DE in the early down, and move inside on the obvious passing downs. |
| 38 |
Marques Douglas |
SF |
6 |
Douglas isn't impressive if you watch every play. But by games end he fills up the stat sheet. |
| 39 |
Andre Carter |
WAS |
4 |
Carter is a nice hybrid DE/OLB. If he is DE eligible, get him. He should have nice tackle numbers. |
| 40 |
Matt Roth |
MIA |
9 |
Roth finally gets his chance to start, and he should be a excellent compliment to fellow DE Jason Taylor. |
| 41 |
Jevon Kearse |
PHI |
5 |
Kearse has been cursed since he left Tennessee. He is a shell of the player he was as a rookie. |
| 42 |
Aaron Smith |
PIT |
6 |
Smith is a excellent NT, who creates a nice inside pass rush. Also has nice tackle numbers. |
| 43 |
Robert Geathers |
CIN |
5 |
Lining up opposite of Justin Smith on the defensive line is an added bonus for Geathers. |
| 44 |
Adewale Ogunleye |
CHI |
9 |
Adewale isn't the same player he was in Miami, but has the talent to be dominant when he wants to. |
| 45 |
Luis Castillo |
SDC |
7 |
Castillo is an excellent DT, who has surprising speed. He wont be confused with Freeney, but he is solid. |
| 46 |
Warren Sapp |
OAK |
5 |
Sapp seemed rejuvenated when I watched him play last yr. Tommy Kelly may be freeing him up more. |
| 47 |
Richard Seymour |
NEP |
10 |
Seymour has loads of talent, but is hard to put a finger on. He should be ranked higher on this list. |
| 48 |
Jamal Williams |
SDC |
7 |
Williams is another talented DT, who is excellent in run support. I wouldn’t expect many sacks though. |
| 49 |
Cornelius Griffin |
WAS |
4 |
Griffin can’t seem to stay healthy, but when he is, he racks up huge tackle numbers for a DT. |
| 50 |
Cullen Jenkins |
GBP |
7 |
Jenkins has a leg up on the competition, with DE Kampman wrecking havoc on the other side of the DL. |
