TOP OF THE CROP
E Keith Rivers, OLB, 6-feet-2, 241 pounds, USC
A top-15 pick with best linebacker combination of speed, strength and aggression.
Jerod Mayo, ILB, 6-1, 242, Tennessee
Came out early after switching from weakside to middle as a junior.
Dan Connor, ILB, 6-3, 231, Penn State
Scouts are all over the board with this guy. Some love his quickness. Others question his strength.
Xavier Adibi, OLB, 6-2, 232, Virginia Tech
Played inside linebacker in college, but has too much range to stay there.
Curtis Lofton, ILB, 6-0, 246, Oklahoma
Another junior prospect, he made recent switch from strongside to middle.
SLEEPER
Jordon Dizon, OLB, 6-0, 229, Colorado
Supposedly too small for inside and too slow for outside. So how come he can play?
OVERRATED
Quentin Groves, OLB, 6-3, 259, Auburn
Has great pass-rushing speed, but a bit of a DE-OLB tweener who is coming off toe injuries.
BRONCOS’ NEEDS
They are stacked on the outside, with D.J. Williams and Boss Bailey the starters for at least the next two seasons. The Broncos also like Jamie Winborn as a backup. There is a question mark in the middle, if only because newcomer Niko Koutouvides was not a starter in his first four seasons in the NFL. Nate Webster, the Broncos’ starting Sam (strongside) linebacker last year, will again become a backup Mike (middle). If the Broncos see an inside linebacker they like in the second or fourth rounds, they will consider taking him.
TEAMS WITH NEEDS
Giants
Defending Super Bowl champs lost Kawika Mitchell and Reggie Torber to free agency.
Lions
They lost Bailey on the strong side and have been trying to upgrade on Paris Lenon in the middle.
Colts
Speed-oriented defense needs upgrades at outside linebacker.
Patriots
They have some serious age, and fading skills, at their linebacker core.
Eagles
Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson needs an inside linebacker with a big motor.
Area prospects
D Jordon Dizon, OLB, 6-0, 229, CU, second rd.
Drew Fowler, ILB, 6-2, 228, AFA, free agent
John Rabold, OLB, 6-3, 241, AFA, FA
Asa Matthews, OLB, 6-2, 239, UNC, FA
