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WITH THE NFL draft behind us, I'm here to offer some insight and predictions into the top two picks for the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech, plus another player from the commonwealth who could be a sleeper pick.
CHRIS LONG
I may be a bit biased, being a fellow Wahoo and all, but defensive end Chris Long, chosen with the second pick overall by the St. Louis Rams, projects as a solid NFL player.
He is a better tackler than the other top defensive lineman in the draft, LSU's Glenn Dorsey. Long also has a good work-ethic, which is almost always a harbinger of pro success. Many times, top prospects who enter the NFL will flame out because of a distorted sense of entitlement; they think that they do not have to work as hard now that they have reached the highest level. Long has been a run-stopper his whole career, and he blossomed as a pass- rusher his senior year, with 14 sacks.
That kind of versatility, combined with his tremendous athleticism, could lead to Long's becoming a linebacker in the pros. However, I think the Rams would be better served to keep him at his natural position, as a transition can be tough for a young player to make--and the team has equally big holes at both positions.
DUANE BROWN
Virginia Tech's top draftee went to the Houston Texans with the 26th overall pick. Duane Brown has the athleticism and quickness that are typical of many Hokie football prospects. However, his blocking technique is still developing and is still a bit sloppy.
Bad technique can be corrected with a good coach, as long as he brings Brown along slowly and doesn't make him do too much too soon. But that may be difficult for the Texans, because they have been in dire need of offensive line help for their entire existence as a franchise. One of the reasons David Carr did not work out as their quarterback was that he simply was sacked too many times, and his body could not handle the wear and tear.
Brown's learning ability has also been cited as a concern by many scouts, but he did score a 29/32 on the Wonderlic intelligence test--which is above average for his position, according to Sports Illustrated writer Paul Zimmerman.
I think that Brown will probably take a few years to hit his stride as a consistent, effective blocker. But once he does, he will be able to provide solid pass-protection for years to come.
KENDALL LANGFORD
Hampton University has become a nice small-school pipeline for NFL talent. Linebacker Justin Durant was taken in the second round last year by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Kendall Langford was taken with the 66th overall pick in the third round of this year's draft by the Miami Dolphins.
Langford faces an uphill battle to make it in the NFL, as Division I-AA (I still refuse to call it the Football Championship Subdivision) prospects are often overlooked. Many coaches and scouts view them as lesser prospects because they do not face the same competition that their bigger-school counterparts do.
The biggest knock on Langford is his hands. He often was able to get by in college by strong-arming other tackles into submission, because he was so much stronger than many of them. That's not going to work in the NFL.
Langford's aggressiveness and ability to quickly respond to situations are the biggest indicators of his future NFL success. The Dolphins are set at defensive end with Jason Taylor and Vonnie Holliday, but Langford could bulk up and play defensive tackle, where there is a much bigger need.
J. P. Stroman is a student
