2014 NFL Draft's Top 5 prospects at every position| Defense

I listed my Top 5 prospects on offense for next year's draft. Now, let's take a look at the defensive side of the football.

Defensive Tackle:
1. Louis Nix III, Notre Dame- Nix deserves a lot of credit for Manti Te'o's incredible season in 2012, demanding double teams and making life easier for his former teammate. At 6'3" 340lbs Nix is huge but has rare quickness for his size. He reminds me of Patriots' defensive tackle Vince Wilfork in that regard. If Nix doesn't regress in 2013 he should be penciled in as the first defensive tackle drafted.
2. Will Sutton, Arizona State- At 6'1" 288lbs Sutton is considered undersized for a defensive tackle. But there's no denying his talent. He's a terrific pass rusher; he piled up 13 sacks last season. If he's not an anchor against the run teams may look to play him at end and move him inside to rush the passer.
3. Anthony Johnson, LSU- Johnson has great speed for his size earning him the nickname "The Freak". He's force at the line of scrimmage and very explosive off the snap. If he can be a force in his junior year it would do wonders for his draft stock.
4. Daniel McCullers, Tennessee- McCuller is a mountain of a man at 6'6" 377lbs. He is still raw and has to improve in several areas but he has a lot of upside.
5. Calvin Barnett, Oklahoma St.- Barnett was very disruptive up front for the Cowboys. In 2012 he was named the Big XII Defensive Newcomer of the Year. With his first season in the Big XII under his belt Barnett should have a better senior season.

Defensive End:
1. Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina- Unless you've been under a rock for the past year you know who Jadeveon Clowney is. This young man is a freak of nature. His size and athleticism draws comparison to Julius Peppers when he came out of college in 2002.
2. Stephon Tuitt, Notre Dame- Tuitt is a beast. His 6'6" 300lb frame has surprising quickness and burst. He's extremely talented as we saw last season when he recorded 12 sacks. If Tuitt decides to enter the draft next year he's an automatic first rounder.
3. Trent Murphy, Stanford-
4. Aaron Lynch, South Florida- It's scary to think that Notre Dame once had Aaron Lynch, Stephon Tuitt, and Louis Nix as their defensive line. Unfortunately for the Irish, Lynch was homesick and transferred to South Florida. Having to sit out 2012 due to the transfer rules Lynch is expected to come right in and wreak havoc. He's got the skill to do it.
5. Scott Chrichton, Oregon St.-

Outside Linebacker:
1. Kyle Van Noy, BYU- Van Noy excels in each aspect of the position; playing the run, rushing the passer, and pass coverage. He's especially good at the latter. He's an overall exceptional linebacker.
2. Anthony Barr, UCLA- Barr was an unknown Bruins fullback until the UCLA coaching staff decided to move him to defense. Barr totaled 83 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, and 13.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles in his first season on defense. He is a terrific pass rusher who explodes off the snap and punishes the quarterback, just ask Matt Barkley.
3. C.J. Mosley, Alabama- Mosley plays sideline to sideline and is a leader on the Crimson Tide's stellar defense. He's solid in pass coverage (5 career interceptions) and always seems to be around the ball.
4. Ryan Shazier, Ohio St.- Shazier will be viewed as a "tweener" due to his size (6'2" 225lb) but I don't believe it's going to be problem for him. He's explosive and aggressive. He had a terrific sophomore season posting 115 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, five sacks, 11 pass break ups, one interception, and three forced fumbles.
5. Adrian Hubbard, Alabama- Hubbard looks like the quintessential 3-4 outside linebacker. He's big (6'6" 252lb) and gets after the quarterback. He recorded seven sacks last year, his first season as a starter.

Inside Linebacker:
1. Andrew Jackson, Western Kentucky- Jackson is a thumper in its truest sense. The 6'1" 265 pound linebacker stones anybody who gets in his way. He also plays well against stronger competition like LSU, Alabama, and Kentucky.
2. A.J. Johnson, Tennessee- Johnson shone on a poor Volunteers squad in 2012. The sophomore tallied 138 tackles, good for fifth in the country. He was also their short-yardage running back too, scoring six rushing touchdowns.
3. Eric Kendricks, UCLA- Kendricks burst onto the scene last year and put up a heck of a season; 151 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, three fumble recoveries (2 TDs), and four forced fumbles. He's the Bruins' middle linebacker and can also plat outside. If he wants to be in the middle in the pros he's going to have add weight to his 6'0 228lb frame.
4. Shayne Skov, Stanford- Skov surprised many by returning for his fifth year at Stanford. His play doesn't "wow" anyone but he's a solid run defender and pretty good blitzer. A good 2013 season would really help his draft stock.
5. Max Bullough, Michigan St.- Bullough is a tough and physical run-stuffing linebacker. He put up a solid junior campaign for the Spartans and returns for his senior year in 2013. There are questions about whether or not he is a three down linebacker.

Cornerback:
1. Bradley Roby, Ohio St.- Roby is an aggressive corner who has good instincts. He's got good speed and should continue to improve in his junior year.
2. Loucheiz Purifoy, Florida- Purifoy has great size to be a press man corner at the next level. He had a good sophomore season for the Gators often being assigned to cover receivers one on one. He's such a talent that the Gators plan on using him at wide receiver as well as cornerback in 2013.
3. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregon- Ekpre-Olomu was a turnover machine for the Ducks last season as he picked off four passes and forced six fumbles. He has good instincts and should build off a solid sophomore season but still has some things to work on.
4. Aaron Colvin, Oklahoma- Colvin has good size at 6'0 181lb and is a good press man corner. He could lament himself into first round consideration with a solid senior season.
5. Deshazor Everett, Texas A&M- Everette was impressive in his first season as a starter, also the Aggies' first season in the SEC, as he recorded 56 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions.

Safety:
1. Ty Zimmerman, Kansas State- Zimmerman isn't the biggest or fastest guy but he's smart and instinctive. He's had a productive career at Kansas State and looks to add to that with another good year as a senior. He's recorded 10 interceptions in his career as a Wild Cat.
2. Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix, Alabama- Better known as Haha Clinton-Dix, the Crimson Tide safety had a great sophomore season that saw him intercept five passes. He should be even better this season now that he'll be a starter.
3. Ed Reynolds, Stanford- Reynolds broke out last year as he lead the nation in interception return yards with 361 off of six picks. He has a nose for the football and should build off his stellar sophomore season and continue to be listed as one of the top safeties in college football.
4. Kenny Ladler, Vanderbilt- Ladler really pops out when watching the Vanderbilt defense. He throws himself at ball carriers and plays from sideline to sideline.
5. Dion Bailey, USC- Bailey played safety and outside linebacker for the Trojans. He excels in pass coverage and the ability to play safety and linebacker will help him when he goes to the pros.