Getting Draft Ready: Mike Mayock Speaks

Those of you with the NFL Network are, no doubt, familiar with Mike Mayock. For those of you separated from the NFL Network by the unenlightened management of some cable company, think Mel Kiper without the pompadour.

Anyway, here are Mr. Mayock's top twenty players, irrespective of position, as released at NFLMedia.com:

1. Matt Ryan - QB, Boston College


2. Sedrick Ellis - DT, USC


3. Chris Long - DE, Virginia


4. Glenn Dorsey - DT, LSU


5. Vernon Gholston - DE, Ohio State


6. Jake Long - OL, Michigan


7. Ryan Clady - OL, Boise State


8. Keith Rivers - LB, USC


9. Phillip Merling - DE, Clemson


10. Leodis McKelvin - CB, Troy


11. Brandon Flowers - CB, Virginia Tech


12. Rashard Mendenhall - RB, Illinois


13. Jeff Otah - OL, Pittsburgh


14. Derrick Harvey - DE, Florida


15. Kentwan Balmer - DT, North Carolina


16. Aqib Talib - CB, Kansas


17. Chris Williams - OL, Vanderbilt


18. Mario Manningham - WR, Michigan


19. Limas Sweed - WR, Texas


20. Branden Albert - OL, Virginia

The surprise here is that the highest rated running back is Rashard Mendenhall not Darren McFadden of Arkansas. According to Mr. Mayock Rashard Mendenhall's superior strength "translates better to the NFL game."

Finally, if Jeff Otah is really the 13th best player available it's unlikely that the Steelers will get a crack at choosing him.