Demarcus Ware at #11

Here is what Scouts Inc. says about Demarcus Ware:

Strengths: Is a fine athlete with a nose for the ball. Has very good initial quickness and top-end speed. Anticipates the snap count well and wins a lot of battles with his first-step quickness. Shows the ability to turn the corner with good body lean and explosiveness as an edge rusher. Shows good closing burst to the quarterback as a pass rusher. He is active and instinctive versus the run. He is at his best in space, plays with a high motor, and makes a lot of plays in pursuit from behind. Shows enough athleticism to make the move to "rush LB" in the NFL. Hips are smooth for his size and he has adequate COD skills and speed to occasionally drop in coverage. He also is a powerful tackler when he can line up his hit.

Weaknesses: Is a 'tweener DE/OLB. He improved his bulk and has the frame to continue to still get bigger, but he remains vastly undersized at DE. Gets pushed around too much when reached. He must improve his overall bulk and lower body strength. He plays without leverage and allows too many blockers to get into his body. He also gets too far upfield at times and will take himself out of plays. Also needs to improve his consistency as a tackler. He has power, but misses too many open-field tackles.

Overall: Ware dominated the lower Division IA collegiate competition his final three seasons at Troy, as he finished his sophomore season with 19.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks, his junior season in 2003 with 16 TFL and six sacks and his senior season in 2004 with 18 TFL and 10 sacks. Ware has bulked up to 253 pounds but he is still a 'tweener DE/OLB prospect that will either have to move to linebacker in the NFL or play a role as a situational pass rusher. In our opinion, Ware's best fit would be as a rush linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. Ware is somewhat unpolished and he needs to continue to get bigger and stronger. However, his athletic ability, top-end speed and flair for making the big play as a pass rusher and run-defender makes him an attractive prospect. With so many NFL teams currently playing or moving to at least a hybrid version of the 3-4 defensive scheme, it's conceivable for Ware to come off the board late in the first round.