Where will they go?
By: rmacrae@bellsouth.net February 24, 2015

By Will Vandervort.

No one improved their stock for the upcoming 2015 NFL Draft better than Clemson’s Vic Beasley.

The Tigers’ former defensive end, already considered a lock for the first round before last weekend’s NFL Scouting Combine, might have lifted himself into a guaranteed spot in the top 10 with his performance over the weekend.

But Beasley was not the only former Clemson player to help himself at the NFL Scouting Combine. Linebacker Stephone Anthony and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett had good performances as well and could move up in the draft as well.

So which Tigers that participated in the combine will get drafted and who might select them?

Vic Beasley, 6-foot-3, 246 pounds: Beasley can play as either an end in a 4-3 or as a 3-4 outside backer. In the combine he weighed in at 246 pounds and then followed that up with a 4.53 in the 40, proving he can still have the speed teams’ desire despite bulking up. Teams still question whether he is strong enough to take on tackles and tight ends in the running game, but his 35 reps on the bench along with extra size and speed have squads thinking he might be worth a top 10 selection. Potential Round: 1. Teams that could take him: Oakland (No. 4), Washington (No. 5), Chicago (No. 7), Atlanta (No. 8), New York Giants (No. 9), Miami (No. 14), Philadelphia (No. 20), Pittsburgh (No. 22), Arizona (No. 24), Carolina (No. 25), Baltimore (No. 26) and Denver (No. 28).

Stephone Anthony, 6-foot3, 243 pounds: Anthony has good downhill speed and strength. He is a good tackler in open space. He will play either middle linebacker in a 4-3 scheme and insider backer in a 3-4 defense. He ran the second best-time for an inside linebacker with a 4.56 in the 40. Potential Round: 3. Teams that could take him: New York Giants, Cleveland, Arizona and Indianapolis.

Grady Jarrett, 6-foot-1, 304 pounds: Jarrett is powerful and uses his frame to get into linemen fast. He has natural power and leverage. He potentially can play the nose in a 3-4 scheme, but some question whether he lacks the size to challenge guards and centers on a consistent basis. Potential Round: 4. Teams that could take him: Cleveland, San Diego and Pittsburgh.

Tavaris Barnes, 6-foot-4, 282 pounds: Barnes just ran the 40 and benched at the combine. And though his numbers were not bad, they were not great either. He ran a 4.80 in 40 and benched 22 reps. Clemson’s Pro Day on March 5 will be a big day for him because NFL teams are intrigued by his potential. He will be a project player, but someone in the later rounds might give him an opportunity to prove himself. Again, the Clemson Pro Day will tell a lot. Potential Round: 6. Teams that could take him: Cleveland, San Francisco, Detroit, Dallas and Seattle.

Garry Peters, 6-foot, 191 pounds: Peters could be a project player for someone especially if he runs a better 40-time at Clemson’s Pro Day. His 4.61 40 did not help things. However, a better time might make scouts reconsider him and give him a shot as a Cover 2 guy or nickel back. Potential Round: 7. Teams that could take him: Tennessee, Chicago, Atlanta, Minnesota, Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Carolina.