Arkansas Razorbacks Top NFL Draft Prospects for 2013 and Beyond

8 Tyler Wilson, Quarterback, Senior  6’3″ 220 pounds

Wilson is looking early on like one of the best quarterback prospects in the entire country heading into 2012. He broke out in 2011 after replacing Ryan Mallett as the starting quarterback for the Razorbacks, and he did not disappoint. He finished the season with 3,638 yards, 24 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. 2012 will be a true test for Wilson, as he will be starting up a new offense and an almost entirely new group of receivers for the 2012 season. What you have to like about Wilson and a big reason why he is considered to be a top 20 prospect heading into this year are his strong arm and his toughness on the field. He is also a pretty solid athlete who could be even more productive in 2012.

2011 Notes:

Pros:

Has a very good arm that can make all of the throws in the N.F.L….has plus ball placement and can put the ball into tight windows…mobile in the pocket, doesn’t rush for a lot of yards…Very tough quarterback, he gets knocked around but keeps throwing…Has pretty good accuracy…Has franchise Quarterback potential

Cons:

Needs to improve his mechanics a bit when he’s rolling out of the pocket…needs to improve his pocket presence and decision making (bit of a gun slinger and doesn’t get rid off the ball well enough against the blitz)…recieved a medical hardship in 2008

Wilson needs some refinement, he doesn’t maintain consistent mechanics when he’s on the move, but he has a  really plus arm to make all the throws. He also does a good job of making plays with pressure in his face and is tough as nails.

7 Knile Davis, Running Back, Senior  6’0″ 226 pounds

Davis is one of the best running backs in the country without a doubt, and he could very well win the Heisman Trophy as a RS junior in 2012. If he doesn’t, which he may obviously not, he will certainly be one of the highest rated running backs in the 2013 NFL draft. Before Bobby Petrino left, he laid out the plan for Davis’ future, which was to play out this 2012 season like it was his Senior year, and then leave for the pros. Unfortunately, Davis probably should have been a first or second round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, but he went down early in 2011 with an ankle injury that forced him to miss pretty much the entire season. When Davis is on the field, he is almost unstoppable. He has excellent size and vision, and packs a nasty punch. He has very, very good speed for a big guy, and he only has nine starts under his belt. For his production, that’s pretty incredible. He finished the 2010 season with six 100 or more yard games out of seven, and the game he had under 100 yards rushing he had 124 total yards and two touchdowns. The expectations are once again high for Davis, and they should be. He is an elite talent with so many physical tools, and he will have NFL scouts drooling come next February. He is a tough inside runner who has speed to burn on the outside, and he is also a home-run hitter in the passing game. Simply an awesome talent who should be a top 32 pick barring another injury or serious setback in production.

33 Dennis Johnson, Running Back, RS Senior  5’9″ 213 pounds

Johnson missed most of the 2010 season with hamstring injuries, but when he is healthy, he is probably one of the most valuable players on Arkansas’ roster, and they are going to hate to see him go after the 2012 season. Whether it’s returning kicks, catching balls out of the backfield, or leading the team in rushing, Johnson does it all. The jack of all trades has great vision with the ball and knows how to put the ball in the end zone. Last year, he had six total touchdowns, three on the ground, two through the air, and one in the kick return game. He went into last season as the active leader in total return yardage, and when Knile Davis went down with an injury, he came out and led the team in rushing. In the NFL, he is going to provide the team with a very valuable overall weapon. I’m not sure there’s really anyone to compare him to. At his size, he is a powerful back but he is also an elite college return specialist. In the last two full seasons he has played, he has returned a kick for a score. He also finished last season with 24 receptions and two receiving touchdowns. This is one of my favorite running back prospects in the class of 2013 because of his toughness and versatility, though age and injury history could push him down draft boards. Both of the last two full seasons he’s had healthy, he has averaged over six yards per carry. He simply makes plays and fights for every yard. When he gets a full head of steam, he looks a lot faster than he will probably time. He could be a better pro than he is/was a college player.

20 Ronnie Wingo Jr., Running Back, 6’2″ 232 pounds

Wingo has yet to really break out for the Razorbacks. He is a massive running back prospect with a ton of upside, but he really has yet to show it. His impressive size translated to only 4.4 yards per carry in 2011 with three touchdowns, though he did catch 20 passes and have two more touchdowns through the air. Overall though, I think Wingo’s production in 2011 was disappointing considering the fact that Knile Davis went down with injury, and he really should have stepped up and been a thousand yard type of back despite receiving about half the carries. I am interested to see how he does in 2012 with Davis back in the fold. His production could take a hit even as low as it was a year ago, but if he receives a good amount of carries, he needs to show NFL scouts that he doesn’t just look like Tarzan.

11 Cobi Hamilton, Wide Receiver, Senior  6’3″ 209 pounds

Hamilton is potentially one of the best, most dangerous receivers in the entire draft. He doesn’t have Calvin Johnson like size, but he is a very well-built receiver prospect with good speed and vertical potential. He should break out in 2012 as one of Arkansas’ best receiver prospects to come along, despite the fact that they had three of their top receivers drafted last year. He was a solid big play producer in 2011, but he struggled to produce consistently over the course of the season and he needs to be more than just a big, change of pace deep threat. As of the time of this writing, this is a guy who is relatively unproven, but he has a ton of ability and should emerge as one of the top senior receivers in the country with Tyler Wilson as his quarterback. Playing in the SEC will also be very beneficial for him. He has probably seen some of the best defensive backs the game has to offer playing at Arkansas.

80 Chris Gragg, Tight End, Senior  6’3″ 236 pounds

Gragg is an interesting tight end prospect who broke out as a receiver in 2011 with 41 receptions for 518 yards and two touchdowns, doubling his career touchdown total. In terms of his blocking, he uses his hands well and extends his arms with a good base, and does a solid job of sealing the edge for backs. However, he will really get noticed by scouts for his ability to catch the ball and make plays down the field. Gets off the line really quickly and does a good job of making plays after the catch. Big target who can play in-line as a tight end, out wide as a receiver, or in the backfield as a fullback. I like his upside at the next level, and he looks like a great athlete who could be a starting tight end in the NFL. Doesn’t have great overall size in terms of being a full-time tight end, but he can be an excellent and very dangerous H-back option for some team. He will be an interesting weapon at the next level.

64 Travis Swanson, Center, Junior  6’5″ 305 pounds

Swanson is one of the best centers in the country and only a junior in 2012. He has a lot of room to grow as a player, but he could be one of the first players taken at his position whenever he decides to come out. He will once again be on the Rimington Trophy watch list as one of the top players in the country on the offensive line, and should be an anchor for the Razorbacks’ offensive front. He has really good overall size for an interior line prospect, and could find himself at guard in the NFL as well if some team chooses him with an established center. He has started 26 straight games and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team in 2011. Never missed a game for the Razorbacks.

45 Alonzo Highsmith, Linebacker, Senior  6’1″ 234 pounds

Highsmith had a pretty awesome junior season that will be hard to match, at least statistically. He finished the year with 80 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, an interception, and a fumble returned for a touchdown. The Missouri City, Texas native returns for his senior season as a leader of the Arkansas defense, and will be a huge part of their team in 2012. Unfortunately, Highsmith tore a tendon in his pectoral muscle in a weight lifting accident, but he should be okay to start the season. He has solid overall size for a linebacker and could play inside or outside at the next level. His father played in the NFL for seven years, and his brother is currently a quarterback at Miami, so he’s got football bloodlines. Before arriving at Arkansas, Highsmith was a junior college All-American in 2010 where he had 94 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four sacks, and two forced fumbles. He showed he can make the transition to the big time with Arkansas in 2011, and he is an exciting prospect for 2012.