SDOGO

With the draft less than a week away, it's crunch time. Most team's draft boards won't change much over the last few days, but we have a list of players we feel have a high chance of being busts. There are tons of players who can be classified as potential flops, but here are 10 players who likely will be selected on Day 1 (though it is possible one or two might slip into the fourth round) but will struggle to become productive NFL players.

1. Alan Branch, DT, Michigan, likely to be drafted in the 1st round

Branch is massive. He has the physical ability to be a dominant interior force and could be productive in either a 4-3 or 3-4 defense. He has the strength, long arms and athletic ability to clog the middle and shut down inside running games. He can drive offensive linemen backward and pressure the quarterback as a bull rusher. He also can chase down ballcarriers in pursuit between the offensive tackles.

That said, Branch does not stay in the best of shape, does not play with a high level of intensity on every snap and plays with poor technique and leverage way too often. Branch must greatly change his conditioning habits and on-field effort to become a quality NFL starter.

2. Kareem Brown, DT Miami, 3rd round

Brown ended the '06 season as one of the more intriguing defensive tackles because of his size, natural strength, quickness and athleticism. However, he goes long stretches of game time without making plays despite flashing the ability to be an impact player against the run and the pass. This really showed up at the Senior Bowl, where he was great on the first day of practice but didn't show the same passion, intensity or production the rest of the week.

Brown has the tools to be a good NFL starter but must play more aggressively on every snap.

3. Tim Crowder, DE, Texas, 2nd/3rd round

Crowder is a top athlete and really showed it at the Senior Bowl, where he was unblockable in one-on-one pass-rush drills and landed two hard hits on the quarterback during the game. He has the strength to bull rush through the offensive tackle and can beat his man to either side with quickness and agility, but Crowder is somewhat mechanical and does not show natural instincts.

Crowder does not explode off the snap and often is standing around trying to locate the ball or figure out the play before attacking. Bottom line: Crowder has the size, strength, athleticism and quickness to be a good starting end in the NFL, but we believe he always will struggle to be anything more than an inconsistent backup.

4. Trent Edwards, QB, Stanford, 2nd round

Edwards' stock has gone way up since the end of the college season, as scouts and coaches have had the chance to really break down his physical tools. He is tall and athletic and can make plays with his feet; he also has the arm strength to make all the NFL throws with zip. He is accurate when not facing pressure and able to stride into throws. He also has good touch on deep throws and puts good air under the ball.

When Edwards does not have a clean pocket, however, he tends to get up on his toes and does not stride into throws, limiting his zip and accuracy. He is much more accurate throwing touch passes. He does not consistently see or feel the pass rush and takes a lot of sacks despite being willing to throw the ball away.

Overall, Edwards has all the physical tools to be a good NFL starter, but we do not believe he will develop the consistency to maximize his physical skills. It is essential he go to a team with a quarterbacks' coach who is a great teacher -- and there are only a few who teach the fundamentals well.

5. Doug Free, OT, Northern Illinois, 3rd round

Doug is tall and athletic and really impressed scouts and coaches during pre-draft workouts. He has proved he has the athleticism to start at left tackle in the NFL, but the concern is that he was not even a good starter in college.

Despite his natural athleticism, once the games began he did not play like a good athlete, often looking stiff. He was beaten too easily by defensive ends who never will play in the NFL. That makes one really wonder what is going to happen when he has to block Michael Strahan or Dwight Freeney.

Free is one of those players who looks like Tarzan but rarely plays like Tarzan in games. He will struggle to become an NFL starter despite his size and athleticism.

6. Michael Griffin, S, Texas, 2nd round

Griffin is a tremendous physical talent who has the size, athleticism, quickness, speed and strength to be productive in all areas. He is well built and does not hesitate to make strong, physical tackles in run support, and he has the speed to cover tight ends all over the field man-to-man.

The trouble is that Griffin is not nearly as productive as he should be. There are three big reasons for his lack of production: 1) He gets out of control and misses too many tackles; 2) he is so eager to make plays against the run that he bites hard on play-action fakes; 3) he does not consistently read plays correctly and gets caught out of position or flat-footed.

Griffin has trouble recovering in these situations, which leads to a lot of big plays. Overall, he has the physical tools to be a top safety but is limited by his instincts and will struggle to become a good starter.

7. Dwayne Jarrett, WR, USC, 1st/2nd round

Jarrett is tall with long arms, excellent hands and a knack for catching off-target passes. He was tremendously productive in college, USC's go-to receiver in the red zone. Despite his great hands, he will drop some easy passes and he does not run as aggressively with the ball after the catch or break tackles like a big receiver.

Additionally, Jarrett is an upright route-runner who lacks quickness in and out of cuts. He will struggle to separate from NFL cornerbacks and have trouble consistently beating jams at the line.

Jarrett has the talent to be a top-notch possession receiver, a la Keyshawn Johnson, but never will be an elite, game-changing receiver. He should not be drafted too high -- possession receivers of his talent always can be found in the middle rounds.

8. Brian Robison, DE, Texas, 2nd/3rd round

At the end of the '06 season, most scouts said Robison was a tough, hard-nosed end who could challenge for a spot as an NFL backup -- worth a pick in the final two rounds. However, he had an amazing workout at the NFL Scouting Combine and likely will be one of the first 50 players drafted Saturday.

Game film, however, shows that Robison is a good athlete with quick feet and good speed, but he is not an explosive pass rusher -- most of his plays come from sheer effort and hustle. He is best suited to being a backup who can contribute as part of a rotation, but he will not be the impact end who consistently pressures the QB -- which is what you want from somebody drafted in the first two rounds.

9. Brandon Siler, ILB, Florida, 3rd round

When Siler first announced he was leaving school early, many projected him as a first-round pick. He still likely will be Day 1 pick, but the game film shows he isn't nearly as productive as many other inside linebackers in the '07 draft class.

Siler is a smart and instinctive and plays with the tough, hard-nosed attitude you want in an inside linebacker, but he is not a good athlete and will be a two-down 'backer in the NFL. Siler definitely should have stayed in school for his senior season, but he will struggle to become more than a run-stuffing linebacker.

10. Joe Staley, OT, Central Michigan, 1st/2nd round

Before the season, we at the War Room and a great deal of other scouts viewed Staley as a good, raw athlete who likely would be a third- or fourth-round pick. His outstanding on-campus workout -- where he ran the 40-yard dash in about 4.8 seconds and performed the offensive line drills like an elite athlete -- caused him to rocket up draft boards.

However, Staley played against a lower level of competition in college and still was beaten more often than you would expect. At the Senior Bowl, he was inconsistent blocking some of the better college defensive ends.

There is no doubt that Staley has rare athletic ability, height and arm length, but it is a shot in the dark to think the raw Staley is certain to become a good NFL tackle. He needs a lot of technique work, especially pass blocking. Staley will be drafted way too high and will struggle his first two seasons. He probably will become a solid starting tackle in his third or fourth season, but he will never be dominant.

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