2014 NFL Draft outside linebacker rankings

The gap between Anthony Barr of UCLA and Khalil Mack of Buffalo is narrowing. Don’t be surprised if by the time the 2014 NFL Draft starts in May several teams have Mack rated as the higher player.

Of the two, Barr is the better pure athlete. He can close on the play and change direction faster. Mack is the more complete player. He can stack and shed against the run, smoothly drop into coverage and his pass rush skills are obvious. The debate about these two is coming to come down to potential versus immediacy.

Trent Murphy of Stanford has vaulted himself into the first-round discussion. Some teams will like him as a linebacker while others will consider him a defensive end. The best pure 4-3 outside linebacker is Ohio State’s Ryan Shazier. He’s the classic sideline-to-sideline linebacker with instincts.

Depending on whether or not Shazier and other underclassmen go pro will determine the depth of the class. As it stands, it’s conceivable the first 10 players ranked should be top 100 picks.