It’s the year of the defensive lineman for NFL prospects with Chicago-area ties.
Iowa’s Matt Roth from Willowbrook High School, Notre Dame’s Justin Tuck and Northwestern’s Luis Castillo could all go in the first two rounds.
We handicap the local hopefuls below.
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QUARTERBACKS
Name School(HS) RD
Josh Haldi Northern Illinois 7-FA
Jon Beutjer Illinois (Wheaton South) FA
Yancey Vaughan Illinois State FA
RUNNING BACKS
Brandon Jacobs Southern Illinois 3-4
Noah Herron Northwestern 6-FA
Ryan Grant Notre Dame 6-FA
RECEIVERS
Name Pos School(HS) RD
Jerome Collins TE Notre Dame 5-6
Dan Sheldon WR Northern Illinois (Burlington Cen.) 7-FA
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Name Pos School(HS) RD
Duke Preston C Illinois 5-7
Trai Essex T Northwestern 6-7
Bucky Babcock T Illinois 7-FA
AIke Ndukewe G Northwestern 7-FA
Matt Ulrich G Northwestern (Streamwood) FA
LINEBACKERS
Name School(HS) RD
Boomer Grigsby Illinois State 4-6
Mike Goolsby Notre Dame (Joliet Catholic) 5-7
Derek Curry Notre Dame 4-6
John Pickens Northwestern 7-FA
Matt Sinclair Illinois 6-FA
James Kinney Missouri (Kankakee) 6-7
KICKERS
Name Pos School(HS) RD
Justin Langan PK Western Illinois FA
DEFENSIVE Backs
Name Pos School(HS) RD
Kelvin Hayden CB Illinois (Hubbard) 4-6
Dwight Ellick CB Notre Dame 7-FA
Rob Lee S Northern Illinois 7-FA
Tyjuan Hagler S Cincinnati (Bishop McNamara) 6-FA
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Name Pos School(HS) RD
Matt Roth DE Iowa (Willowbrook) 1-2
Justin Tuck DE Notre Dame 1-2
Luis Castillo DT Northwestern 2-3
Greg Pauly DT Notre Dame 6-FA
Jason Jefferson DT Wisconsin (Leo) 6-FA
Mike O’Brien DE Illinois (Marist) 7-FA
Kevin Carberry DE Ohio University (St. Rita) FA
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Edited by the sports staff of RedEye
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