Hot 100 + 25: Luke Joeckel, Ziggy Ansah still top 2013 draft class

By Gil Brandt
Senior Analyst
Published: April 24, 2013 at 02:45 p.m.
Updated: April 24, 2013 at 05:11 p.m.

A months-long stretch of pontificating and speculating and guessing is about to end. Soon, the 2013 NFL Draft will begin; soon we'll know exactly where each hotly debated prospect will be for the next phase of his football life. Until then, though, all the questions we've asked and projections we've made remain up in the air.

We've talked about this draft class extensively since the final whistle blew in Super Bowl XLVII -- and even before that. Through the NFL Scouting Combine and the pro-day circuit, we've hashed 'em out and mashed 'em up -- and frankly, there isn't much more to say.

My final Hot 100 reflects that. As you'll see when comparing this list to the previous edition, little has changed since earlier this month. Cordarrelle Patterson dropped from No. 8 to No. 21, while Justin Hunter jumped from No. 57 to No. 33. But other than that tandem of Tennessee receiver prospects, few players moved much. Luke Joeckel and Eric Fisher are still the best offensive talents; Ziggy Ansah and Dion Jordan are still the most promising defensive prospects.

Again, these prospects are ranked according to the grades they received using time-tested benchmarks. Also, as I did with my final Hot 100 before last year's draft, I've extended the list to include an extra 25 prospects -- a bonus, if you will, before the draft begins.

NOTE: Rankings from the previous edition of The Hot 100 are in parentheses.

1) Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M (1) Jags #2 overall
2) Ezekiel "Ziggy" Ansah, DE, BYU (2) Lions #5 overall
3) Dion Jordan, DE/OLB, Oregon (3) Miami #3 overall
4) Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida (4) Vikings #23 overall
5) Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan (5) Chiefs #1 overall
6) Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama (6) Jets #9 overall
7) Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia (7) Jets #39 overall
Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma (11) Eagles #4 overall
9) Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB, LSU (10) Browns #6 overall
10) Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State (9) Vikings #25 overall

11) Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama (13) Titans #10 overall
12) Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina (14) Cardinals #7 Overall
13) Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri (15) Jets #13 overall
14) Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah (22) Panthers #14 overall
15) D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama (16) Chargers #11 overall
16) Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame (12) Bengals #21 overall
17) Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia (17) Rams #8 overall
18) Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina (18) Broncos #28 overall
19) Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia (19) Rams #30 overall
20) Manti Te'o, LB, Notre Dame (20) Chargers #38 overall

21) Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee (8) Vikings #29 overall
22) Matt Barkley, QB, USC (21)
23) Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State (23) Raiders #42 overall
24) Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas (24) Saints #15 overall
25) Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama (25) Packers #61 overall
26) Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State (26) Colts #24 overall
27) EJ Manuel, QB, Florida State (27) Bills #16 overall
28) Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia (28) Steelers #17 overall
29) Kawann Short, DT, Purdue (36) Panthers #44 overall
30) Desmond Trufant, CB, (30) Falcons #22 overall

31) Darius Slay, CB, Mississippi State (31) Lions #36 overall
32) Margus Hunt, DE, SMU (29) Bengals #53 overall
33) Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee (57) Titans #34 Overall
34) Robert Woods, WR, USC (34) Bills #41 overall
35) Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford (33) Eagles #35 overall
36) Eric Reid, S, LSU (35) 49ers #18 overall
37) Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State (38) Bucs #43 overall
38) John Jenkins, DT, Georgia (39) Saints #82 overall
39) Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M (32) Giants #81 overall
40) Kyle Long, OG, Oregon (40) Bears #20 overall

41) Cornellius "Tank" Carradine, DE, Florida State (42) 49ers #40 overall
42) DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson (37) Texans #27 overall
43) D.J. Hayden, CB, Houston (51) Raiders #12 overall
44) Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor (48) Cowboys #74
45) Keenan Allen, WR, Cal (41) Chargers #76 overall
46) Vance McDonald, TE, Rice (72) 49ers #55 overall
47) Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State (44) Giants #49 overall
48) Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin (46) Broncos #58 overall
49) Travis Frederick, C, Wisconsin (45) Cowboys #31 overall
50) Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse (50)

51) Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB, Connecticut (49) Titans #70 overall
52) Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU (47) Texans #95 overall
53) Matt Elam, S, Florida (54) Ravens #32 overall
54) David Amerson, CB, N.C. State (58) Redskins #51 overall
55) Terron Armstead, OT, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (52) Saints #75 overall
56) John Cyprien, S, Florida International (53) Jaguars #33 overall
57) Justin Pugh, OT, Syracuse (59) Giants #19 overall
58) Brian Winters, OG, Kent State (64) Jets #72 overall
59) Le'Veon Bell, RB, Michigan State (55) Steelers #48 overall
60) Christine Michael, RB, Texas A&M (56) Seahawks #62 overall

61) Kevin Minter, LB, LSU (61) Cardinals #45 overall
62) Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State (69) Dolphins #54 overall
63) Gavin Escobar, TE, San Diego State (63) Cowboys #47 overall
64) Dallas Thomas, OT, Tennessee (65) Dolphins #77 overall
65) Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma (66)
66) Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU (62) Cardinals #69 overall
67) Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State (70) Steelers #79 overall
68) Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama (67)
69) Barrett Jones, OG/C, Alabama (73)
70) Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn (74) 49ers #88 overall

71) Mike Glennon, QB, N.C. State (76) Bucs #73 overall
72) Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers (77)
73) Kiko Alonso, LB, Oregon (60) Bills #46 overall
74) Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State (79) Ravens #56 overall
75) Brandon Williams, DT, Missouri Southern State (84) Ravens #94 overall
76) Jamie Collins, LB, Southern Miss (83) Patriots #52 overall
77) Robert Alford, CB, Southeastern Louisiana (80) Falcons #60 overall
78) Datone Jones, DE, UCLA (92) Packers #26 overall
79) Andre Ellington, RB, Clemson (81)
80) D.J. Swearinger, S, South Carolina (78) Texans #57 overall

81) Quinton Patton, WR, Louisiana Tech (75)
82) Larry Warford, OG, Kentucky (91) Lions #65 overall
83) Phillip Thomas, S, Fresno State (82)
84) Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia (88) Rams #92 overall
85) Johnathan Franklin, RB, UCLA (NR)
86) Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia (68)
87) T.J. McDonald, S, USC (71) Rams #71 overall
88) Dwayne Gratz, CB, Connecticut (43) Jaguars #64 overall
89) A.J. Klein, LB, Iowa State (85)
90) Michael Buchanan, DE, Illinois (98)

91) Kevin Reddick, LB, North Carolina (96)
92) Marquise Goodwin, WR, Texas (99) Bills #78 overall
93) Chase Thomas, LB, Stanford (87)
94) Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas (89)
95) Leon McFadden, CB, San Diego State (86) Browns #68 overall
96) Tharold Simon, CB, LSU (94)
97) Matt Scott, QB, Arizona (90)
98) Stansly Maponga, DE, TCU (95)
99) William Gholston, DE, Michigan State (97)
100) Sio Moore, OLB, Connecticut (NR) Raiders #66 overall

101) Alex Okafor, DE, Texas (NR)
102) Emmett Cleary, OT, Boston College (NR)
103) Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee (NR)
104) Jordan Poyer, CB, Oregon State (NR)
105) J.J. Wilcox, FS, Georgia Southern (NR) Cowboys #80 overall
106) Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers (NR) Patriots #83 overall
107) Sanders Commings, CB, Georgia (NR)
108) David Bakhtiari, OT, Colorado (NR)
109) Giovani Bernard, RB, North Carolina (93) Bengals #37 overall
110) Brennan Williams, OT, North Carolina (NR) Texans #89 overall

111) Michael Mauti, ILB, Penn State (NR)
112) Ryan Swope, WR, Texas A&M (NR)
113) Levine Toilolo, TE, Stanford (NR)
114) Dion Sims, TE, Michigan State (NR)
115) Denard Robinson, WR, Michigan (NR)
116) Kenjon Barner, RB, Oregon (NR)
117) Cornelius Washington, OLB, Georgia (NR)
118) Chris Harper, WR, Kansas State (NR)
119) Khaled Holmes, C, USC (NR)
120) Hugh Thornton, OG, Illinois (NR) Colts # 86 overall

121) Alvin Bailey, OG, Arkansas (NR)
122) Bennie Logan, DT, LSU (NR) Eagles #67 overall
123) John Simon, DE, Ohio State (NR)
124) Aaron Dobson, WR, Marshall (NR) Patriots #59 overall
125) Jeff Locke, P, UCLA (100)