Who will be this year's "Big Riser"?

[AvengerRam]

Every year, it seems tehre is one guy who is selected in the top half of the first round that nobody expects to go so high. For example:

2010: Tyson Alualu (10th pick)
2009: Darrius Heyward-Bey (9th pick)
2008: Jerod Mayo (10th pick)
2007: Ted Ginn, Jr. (9th pick)
2006: Donte Whitner (8th pick)

So who is your pick for this year's "Big Riser"?

Mine (as revealed in my final first round mock): Mikel LeShoure, who I have going to the Dolphins with the 15th pick in the draft.

[jerseyramsfan]

Jake Locker at #10 to the Redskins. They cant afford to start the season with John Beck, Rex Grossman or Marc Bulger as thier QB. You heard it here first...

[Alec22]

Jake Locker at #10 to the Redskins. They cant afford to start the season with John Beck, Rex Grossman or Marc Bulger as thier QB. You heard it here first...

lol in all fairness man iv heard that like 10 times now. A lot of sites have the skins going qb. However I do agree with you that locker is probably closer to late 1st value and being 10th overall is certainly high riser material

[richtree]

Kaepernick may be a first rounder, but I think Ryan Mallet will be THE shocker going top 15 ...or in that area for a team either taking a chance or trading up for him....

[Nick]

You could also point to Tyson Jackson (2009) and Amobi Okoye (2007) for your list.

This year, I think it might be Ryan Mallett. I think a lot of people have written him off as a first round prospect due to character and athletic concerns, but I wouldn't be shocked to see him go 15th to the Dolphins or even 12th to the Vikings. Could say the same about Locker, whom some feel is a second round guy at this stage but IMO could still be Top 10-15 material when it's all said and done. Then there's a guy like Kaepernick, who has his supporters and could be taken higher than expected if teams aren't sold on Mallett/Locker.

Of the non-quarterbacks, I wouldn't be surprised to see Aldon Smith or Ryan Kerrigan off the board in the Top 12, given the number of teams in that range that need pass rushers who have some versatility. That would be a bit higher than either of those two are pegged by most, I think. Wouldn't be shocked to Pouncey off the board in the Top 20, which IMO is higher than he deserves to go.

Maybe J.J. Watt becomes that guy as well, as arguably this draft's best five-technique prospect. Could he go as high as nine to the Cowboys? That was a hot rumor this offseason for a couple of weeks.

[mde8352gorams]

If Julio Jones and Aldon Smith are off the board and we're unable to trade down, the Rams may be taking the fastest riser to that point in the draft, Corey Luiget. Given the absence of Free Agency there are likely to be more risers such as Ryan Mallet and Jake Locker as has been indicated already in this thread. I might add Christian Ponder to that group as a late 1st rounder (due to a trade back into the 1st round), when he's clearly a mid-2nd rounder at best.

[lostsoul]

Crazy prediction here but i thik Ahmad Black may crack round 1.

[richtree]

Crazy prediction here but i thik Ahmad Black may crack round 1.

I hope that was sarcasm.....i hope....illl bet u 1000 he doesn't crack the top 100 piks

[RamsSB99]

I am not as high on Corey Liuget as several people I dont see the production from him to warrant more then a mid to late second round pick. However I think the Rams and other teams expectations are increasing on him. I think the Rams will seriously consider him in the first if Jones is gone. To me his stock would really have rised if he is drafted in the middle of the first since he was no where on the radar last year and had good but not outstanding numbers this year.

[Fettmaster]

I don't think it'll be Mallet. I mean, you know who else had a great arm with character concerns coming out of college? Jamarcus Russel. I don't think a team picking in the first round would like to repeat that mistake so soon.

I honestly think the high riser this year will be another QB, Andy Dalton. That kid is a gamer, and has a great head on his shoulders. Wouldn't surprise men if he's take late 1st or early 2nd round this year.

Mallet on the other hand, may fall deep in the 2nd round, perhaps further.

[iStillBelieve]

I don't think the OP meant players that shocked everyone that they were drafted top half of first round, not simply players that we didn't feel deserved to go top 15. So that would rule out players like Liuget, Locker, and Aldon Smith.

I agree with Fettmaster saying Andy Dalton, although Peter King did say he would go surprisingly early, nobody else is mocking him top 15 and I think that is possible.