Cliff Russell
Seeking NFL position as: wide receiver
Personal: 23 years old, 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, 4.29 speed
Previous job: Senior wide receiver, Utah
Experience: A three-year starter and two-year second-team all-MWC honoree. The Utes' fastest ever. He finished his career with 124 receptions, 1,862 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Skills: The need for speed has the NFL scouts giving Russell "A's" athleticism, acceleration and adjustments in midair. The speedy leaper knows how to get open and can spread a defense.
Concerns: Still raw, with improvement sought in his hands, speed after catching the ball and blocking. Some worries about durability and past injuries.
Referrals: Russell enjoys a top 10 ranking among wide-outs in three projections — No. 7 by The Sporting News, No. 9 by Pro Football Weekly and No. 10 by NFL.com's Gil Brandt, the former long-time Dallas Cowboy scout. CNNSI.com drops him all the way to No. 15, while ESPN's Len Pasquarelli puts him among "others" after a 14-deep ranking.
Projection: Likely late second round but could drop to as late as the early fourth.
Ryan Denney
Seeking NFL position as: defensive end
Personal: 24 years old, 6-foot-7, 276 pounds, 4.86 speed
Previous job: Senior defensive end, BYU
Experience: Two-year starter, with 156 tackles, 16 sacks, 13 deflections. A two-year all-Mountain West Conference honoree.
Skills: Large and lean; physical and quick pass rusher; disciplined instincts and intelligence, relentless, blue-collar lineman who had good pre-draft workouts.
Concerns: Lacking acceleration and a top speed; overpowered by top opponents; sometimes driven off at point of attack.
Referrals: The Sporting News labels Denney as "undervalued" among defensive ends and ranked him second behind North Carolina standout Julius Peppers. CNNSI.com and Pro Football Weekly place him seventh among DEs, while NFL scouting expert Gil Brandt and ESPN's Len Pasquarelli both rank Denney 11th among all defensive linemen in the draft.
Projection: A late second- or early third-round draftee.
Doug Jolley
Seeking NFL position as: tight end
Personal: 23 years old, 6-foot-4, 251, 4.66 speed
Previous job: Senior tight end, BYU
Experience: A rotating receiver as a junior and starter as senior who earned first-team all-MWC honors. Caught 32 passes for 492 yards and seven TDs.
Skills: An NFL pedigree — father played seven years; above-average size with great hands and extension; focused and a good jumper; may be a better fit at H-back in the NFL.
Concerns: Blocking not a strength, nor is his tendency to shy away from contact across the middle.
Referrals: NFL scout Gil Brandt, The Sporting News and CNNSI.com all rank Jolley as the No. 3 prospect at tight end. Pro Football Weekly has him at No. 4, and ESPN's Len Pasquarelli drops him to fifth. Also, Brandt tabs Jolley as the top deep snapper in the draft.
Projection: Likely third-round pick, with late second a possibility.
Luke Staley
Seeking NFL position as: running back
Personal: 21 years old, 6-foot-2, 227 pounds, 4.42 speed
Previous job: Junior running back, BYU
Experience: The consensus All-American and Doak Walker winner led the nation in scoring (15.15 points a game) and rushing average (8.1 yards per carry). Rushed for 1,582 yards and 24 scores. Career numbers: 2,507 rushing yards, 48 TDs.
Skills: Runs with a lean. Balance, burst of speed and good vision. Catches well. Could excel in a West Coast offense.
Concerns: Durability. Are gaudy stats more a product of a spread, potent offense? Lacks pro-level corner speed. An average blocker.
Referrals: ESPN's Len Pasquarelli rates Staley as the fifth-best back, while CNNSI.com and Pro Football Weekly have him sixth and The Sporting News 10th. Calling him a "wild card" because of his 10 surgeries from 1995 to 2001, NFL.com's Gil Brandt opted not to rank Staley among his top 15, adding he could go as high as No. 7 if teams feel confident.
Projection: Probably a fourth-round pick, possibly late third.
Ed Ta' Amu
Seeking NFL position as: offensive guard
Personal: 22 years old, 6-foot-2, 335 pounds, 5.3 speed
Previous job: Senior guard, Utah
Experience: A two-year Ute starter who started his college career on the defensive line. All-Mountain West Conference second team in 2001.
Skills: Strong, powerful widebody who excels off the snap and in his punching and driving abilities. Considered a strong pick for run-oriented offenses. Boasts strong hands and good balance.
Concerns: Can improve his technique and overall talent — he's raw but still effective. Limited mobility a concern. Pass protection also needs some work.
Referrals: Among offensive guards, The Sporting News ranks Ta'Amu seventh, while Pro Football Weekly comes in at No. 10 and CNNSI No. 11. ESPN's Len Pasquarelli places him among "others" after ranking a dozen linemen overall.
Projection: A likely fifth rounder; along a round earlier or later wouldn't surprise.
Justin Ena
Seeking NFL position as: inside linebacker
Personal: 24 years old, 6-foot-3, 247 pounds, 4.71 speed
Previous job: Senior linebacker, BYU
Experience: Two-year all-MWC first-team selection. Led the team in tackles as a junior and senior and finished with a career total of 279.
Skills: good range; Plays the angles well and holds his own against linemen. An emotional, intense and competitive leader who loves to play. Great size; possibly a future fixture on special teams.
Concerns: Lacks explosiveness and a top-gear speed. Sometimes misses keys and bites on pumps and fakes. Limited in deeper pass protection.
Referrals: CNNSI.com placed Ena third among inside-linebacker prospects. Pro Football Weekly follows with him at No. 4 and The Sporting News at No. 5. ESPN's Len Pasquarelli rates Ena seventh among all linebackers.
Projection: Mid-fifth round to sixth.
Brett Keisel
Seeking NFL position as: defensive end
Personal: 23 years old, 6-foot-5, 279 pounds, 4.89 speed
Previous job: Senior defensive end, BYU
Experience: Logged 66 tackles, nine sacks and 19 tackles for losses as a senior starter.
Skills: Good size with growth potential; good hands and long arms; strong in battle and pursuit; has been compared to ex-Cougar and current NFLer Travis Hall.
Concerns: Sometimes a stiff, rigid and upright player. Lacks explosion. May over-pursue at times. Can improve against the run.
Referrals: The Sporting News ranked Keisel as the 15th-best prospect at defensive end, while CNNSI.com graded him out to No. 32 at the position. ESPN's Len Pasquarelli lists him as among "others" after rating the top dozen-plus defensive linemen.
Projection: Somewhere in the last three rounds.
Brandon Doman
Seeking NFL position as: quarterback
Personal: 25 years old, 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, 4.81 speed
Previous job: Senior quarterback, BYU
Experience: A 15-game starter who earned all-MWC as a senior. Career stats include 4,354 yards passing, 35 TDs, 14 interceptions and 62.1 completion rate.
Skills: Think Ty Detmer — a perfect fit for a West Coast offense and a player with the smarts, toughness, awareness, presence and all the QB intangibles.
Concerns: Think Ty Detmer — undersized and without a big arm from the deep throws. Sometimes lacks patience; may float the ball or throw off the back foot.
Referrals: The Sporting News ranks Doman No. 8 among QB draft prospects, while Pro Football Weekly places him 10th and CNNSI.com No. 17. ESPN's Dan Pasquarelli says Doman's worth "a late-round look."
Projection: Late seventh round or free agent.
Jason Scukanec
Seeking NFL position as: center
Personal: 23 years, 6-foot-2, 304 pounds, 5.33 speed
Previous job: Senior center, BYU
Experience: Two-year starter with all-MWC honors — first team as a senior, second team as a junior. Some playing experience at guard.
Skills: Aggressive player with good anticipation and a knack for picking up stunts and blitzes. Pluses include work ethic, line leadership and intangibles. Quick off the snap.
Concerns: Marginal size and a need for better body adjustment and development. Long snapping could improve. Hurt knee last year.
Referrals: Pro Football Weekly ranks Scukanec as the sixth-best center prospect; CNNSI.com at No. 7.
Projection: Seventh round.