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Wednesday, March 1
 
PFW: Rating the defensive backs

By Joel Buchsbaum
Pro Football Weekly

Other ratings: QBs | RBs | WRs and TEs | OL | DL | LBs | Kickers

A look at how the prospects at wide receiver and tight end rate for the 2000 NFL draft on April 15-16:

CORNERBACKS
Rank, player College Grade Note
1. Ike Charlton Virginia Tech 5.95  
2. Rashard Anderson Jackson State 5.91 S
3. Ahmed Plummer Ohio State 5.85  
4. Deltha O'Neal California 5.85 RS
5. Lewis Sanders Maryland 5.80  
6. Hank Poteat Pittsburgh 5.70  
7. Ben Kelly Colorado 5.70 RS
8. Mario Edwards Florida State 5.59  
9. Dwayne Goodrich Tennessee 5.55 X
10. Jason Webster Texas A&M 5.55  
11. Jacoby Shepherd Oklahoma State 5.55 MI
12. Lloyd Harrison North Carolina State 5.51 OLB
13. Kareem Larrimore West Texas A&M 5.50 S
14. David Macklin Penn State 5.50  
15. Ralph Brown Nebraska 5.25  
16. Pat Dennis Louisiana-Monroe 5.20  
17. Sedrick Curry Texas A&M 5.20  
18. Reggie Austin Wake Forest 5.19  
19. William Bartee Oklahoma 5.15 S
20. Rodregis Brooks Alabama-Birmingham 5.15  
21. Robert Bean Mississippi State 5.10  
22. Michael Hawthorne Purdue 5.10 X
23. David Barrett Arkansas 5.09  
24. Evan Howell Oklahoma State 5.09  
25. David Byrd Syracuse 5.05 XXX
26. Tony Scott North Carolina State 5.02 S
27. Anthony Midget Virginia Tech 5.00 S
28. Mike Woods Oklahoma 5.00 X
29. Jeff Harris Georgia 5.00  
30. Terrance Parrish Southern Mississippi 5.00  
31. Carlos Posey Missouri 5.00 XXX
32. Isaac Harvin NW Oklahoma State 5.00 S
33. Tarig Holman Iowa 5.00 S
34. Jerard White Massachusetts 5.00 S
35. Damen Wheeler Colorado 5.00 S
36. Ian McIntosh Syracuse 5.00 S

SAFETIES
Rank, player College Grade Note
1. Deon Grant Tennessee 5.95  
2. Rogers Beckett Marshall 5.61  
3. Mike Brown Nebraska 5.60  
4. Aric Morris Michigan State 5.50  
5. Mark Roman Louisiana State 5.48 cb
6. Kenoy Kennedy Arkansas 5.45  
7. Brian Gray Brigham Young 5.44 CB
8. Tyrone Carter Minnesota 5.35 CB
9. Gary Berry Ohio State 5.30  
10. Travares Tillman Georgia Tech 5.25  
11. Todd Franz Tulsa 5.25 CB
12. Ashley Cooper Mississippi State 5.25  
13. Arturo Freeman South Carolina 5.25 CB
14. Sean Key Florida State 5.20 CB
15. Lamar Chapman Kansas State 5.10 CB
16. Pedro Cirino Boston College 5.10  
17. Bobby Myers Wisconsin 5.10  
18. Matt Bowen Iowa 5.05  
19. John Keith Furman 5.02  
20. Rashidi Barnes Colorado 5.01  
21. Aaron Gray Florida A&M 5.00  
22. George White Boston College 5.00  
23. Dwyte Smiley Youngstown State 5.00 XXX
24. Ainsley Battles Vanderbilt 5.00  
25. David Gibson USC 5.00  
26. Brandon Jennings Texas A&M 5.00 S
27. Tommy Hendricks Michigan 5.00  
28. Eric Whitfield UCLA 5.00  

Grading scale for NFL prospects
8.00-9.00: Franchise player. (Any quarterback who grades over 7.50 is considered a potential franchise player.)
7.00-7.99: Future All-Pro.
6.50-6.99: Has a good chance to become a Pro Bowl-caliber player.
6.00-6.49: Should become a quality NFL player with Pro Bowl potential.
5.50-5.99: Has a chance to become a quality NFL player.
5.10-5.49: Has a better-than-average chance to make an NFL roster.
5.01-5.09: Has a slightly better than 50-50 chance to make a roster.
5.00-below: Has a 50-50 chance to make a roster.

Explanation of notes
Age: Player is overaged.
BB: May play professional baseball.
Elig.: This player's draft eligibility has not been finally determined.
Status: Pending off-the-field factors could influences where this player is drafted.
MI: More information needed for accurate grade.
RB: Can also play running back (applies to other position abbreviations, too, such as S for safety, RS for return specialist, etc.).
X: May have a medical problem, past or present, that could impact where player is drafted.
XX: More serious injury concern.
XXX: Definite injury concern.




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