NFL Draft Coverage: Defensive Position Rankings (DEs, DTs, LBs, DBs)

Everybody knows that in the NFL, defense wins championships. While big name offensive players like Blaine Gabbert and Cameron Newton will dominate most of the conversations about the upcoming NFL Draft, most of the true immediate impact players will line up on the defensive side of the ball. These are the names that you may not have noticed when they were playing on Saturday's but will try to make their mark playing on Sundays. 

Defensive Ends 
1. Robert Quinn - North Carolina
2. DaQuan Bowers - Clemson
3. JJ Watt - Wisconsin
4. Ryan Kerrigan - Purdue
5. Adrian Clayborn - Iowa
6. Cameron Heyward - Ohio State
7. Aldon Smith - Missouri [pictured]
8. Cameron Jordan - California
9. Allen Bailey - Miami FL
10. Greg Romeus - Pittsburgh
11. Christian Ballard - Iowa
12. Jeremy Beal - Oklahoma
13. Sam Acho - Texas
14. Jabaal Sheard - Pittsburgh
15. Cliff Matthews - South Carolina
16. Brandon Bair - Oregon
17. Ugo Chinasa - Oklahoma State
18. Pierre Allen - Nebraska
19. Pernell Mcphee - Mississippi State
20. Ryan Winterswyk - Boise State
21. Rick Elmore - Arizona [pictured]
22. Eddie Jones - Texas
23. Karl Klug - Iowa
24. Markus White - Florida State
25. Lazarius Levingston - LSU

Defensive Tackles
1. Marcell Dareus - Alabama
2. Nick Fairley - Auburn
3. Marvin Austin - North Carolina [pictured]
4. Muhammad Wilkerson - Temple
5. Stephen Paea - Oregon State
6. Corey Liuget - Illinois
7. Drake Nevis - LSU
8. Jarvis Jenkins - Clemson
9. Phil Taylor - Baylor
10. Jurrell Casey - USC
11. Jerrell Powe - Ole Miss
12. Ian Williams - Notre Dame
13. Terrell McClain - USF
14. Kenrick Ellis - Hampton
15. Lawrence Guy - Arizona State
16. Sione Fua - Stanford
17. Chris Neild - West Virginia
18. David Carter - UCLA
19. Sealver Siliga - Utah
20. Ladi Ajiboye - South Carolina
21. Cedric Thornton - Southern Arkansas
22. Martin Parker - Richmond
23. Zach Clayton - Auburn
24. Mike Blanc - Auburn
25. Ollie Ogbu - Penn State

Outside Linebackers
1. Von Miller - Texas A&M
2. Akeem Ayers - UCLA
3. Bruce Carter - North Carolina
4. Dontay Moch - Nevada [pictured]
5. Justin Houston - Georgia
6. Brooks Reed - Arizona
7. Mark Herzlich - Boston College
8. Lawrence Wilson - Connecticut
9. Ross Homan - Ohio State
10. Doug Hogue - Syracuse
11. Brian Rolle - Ohio State
12. Eric Gordon - Michigan State
13. Jonas Mouton - Michigan
14. Mason Foster - Washington
15. Michael Morgan - USC
16. Adrian Moten - Maryland [pictured]
17. Brian Smith - Notre Dame
18. Malcolm Smith - USC
19. KJ Wright - Mississippi State
20. Chris Carter - Fresno State


Inside Linebackers
1. Martez Wilson - Illinois
2. Quan Sturdivant - North Carolina
3. Greg Jones - Michigan State
4. Casey Mathews - Oregon
5. Nate Irving - North Carolina State
6. Kelvin Sheppard - LSU
7. Colin McCarthy - Miami FL
8. Mike Mohamed - California
9. Nick Bellore - Central Michigan
10. Mario Harvey - Marshall [pictured]
11.  Bruce Miller - UCF
12. Akeem Dent - Georgia
13. Scott Lutrus - Connecticut
14. Obi Ezeh - Michigan
15. Brian Duncan - Texas Tech
16. Josh Bynes - Auburn
17. Chris White - Mississippi State
18. Alex Wujciak - Maryland
19. Orie Lemon - Oklahoma State
20. Greg Lloyd - Connecticut

Cornerbacks
1. Patrick Peterson - LSU
2. Prince Amukamara - Nebraska
3. Brandon Harris - Miami FL
4. Jimmy Smith - Colorado [pictured]
5. Aaron Williams - Texas
6. Ras-I Dowling - Virginia
7. Curtis Brown - Texas
8. Brandon Burton - Utah
9. Chimdi Chekwa - Ohio State
10. Shareece Wright - USC
11. Kendric Burney - North Carolina
12. Davon House - New Mexico State
13. Brandon Hogan - West Virginia
14. Johnny Patrick - Louisville
15.  Marcus Gilchrist - Clemson
16. Curtis Marsh - Utah State
17. Jalil Brown - Colorado
18. Rashad Carmichael - Virginia Tech
19. Chris L Rucker - Michigan State
20. DeMarcus Van Dyke - Miami FL
21. Chykie Brown - Texas
22. Buster Skrine - Chattanooga
23. Devon Torrence - Ohio State
24. Richard Sherman - Stanford
25. Cortez Allen - The Citadel [pictured]

Safeties
1. Rahim Moore - UCLA
2. Quinton Carter - Oklahoma
3. Tyler Sash - Iowa
4. Deunta Williams - North Carolina
5. DeAndre McDaniel - Clemson
6. Ahmad Black - Florida
7. Joe Lefeged - Rutgers
8. Da'Norris Searcy - North Carolina
9. Shiloh Keo - Idaho [pictured]
10. Jeron Johnson - Boise State
11. Robert Sands - West Virginia
12. Jerrard Tarrant - Georgia Tech
13. Jermale Hines - Ohio State
14. Chris Culliver - South Carolina
15. Chris Conte - California
16. Will Hill - Florida
17. Mark Legree - Appalachian State
18. Jaiquawn Jarrett - Temple
19. Tejay Johnson - TCU
20. Jay Valai - Wisconsin
21. Zac Etheridge - Auburn
22. Brian Lainhart - Kent State
23. Jai Eugene - LSU
24. Eric Hagg - Nebraska
25. Keanemana Silva - Hawaii
26. Colin Jones - TCU
27. Chris Prosinsky - Wyoming
28. Dejon Gomes - Nebraska
29. David Sims - Iowa State
30. Troy Woolfork - Michigan