Cincinnati vs. Vanderbilt; Liberty Bowl NFL Draft watch notes

It seemingly took all season, but people are finally taking notice of Cincinnati defensive tackle Derek Wolfe. Few players project better to 3-4 end than Wolfe. He's long and has quickness off the snap. This season Wolfe has 19.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks and will often require multiple blockers.

Bearcats running back Isaiah Pead leads the Big East with 14 rushing touchdowns to go along with 1,110 yards. He's a quick speed back who is dangerous when he gets the edge and works the open field. The trouble Pead faces at the next level is his inability to gain yards up the middle. It's true Pead does a good job of following his blockers to the outside, but he won't have as many open lanes in the NFL. Because of that, it's hard to view Pead as little more than a secondary back who can be a threat to catch the ball.

Vanderbilt senior cornerback Casey Hayward put together another good season, earning second-team all-conference marks. He was third in the SEC with five interceptions, giving him 14 total passes defended. Hayward has better hands than most cornerbacks and doesn't give up position. He's not the biggest or the fastest, but gets a lot out of his ability. He should be a solid No. 2 or a nickel back in the NFL.

Vanderbilt strong safety Sean Richardson strongly considered entering this year's drat and wisely chose to stay in school. He's a solid all-around safety with good size.