Jerry Franklin, Senior, Linebacker, Arkansas
Overview:
When somebody for Arkansas was making a tackle over the last few years, there is a pretty good chance it was Jerry Franklin. As a redshirt freshman in 2008, the inside linebacker led the Razorbacks with 87 stops. He even recovered two fumbles and picked off two passes. Wherever the ball is, Franklin is not far away. Franklin again led the team in tackles in 2009, this time tallying 94. He again proved his awareness by intercepting three passes and recovering two fumbles.
Franklin was already a well known commodity in the Southeastern Conference as an underclassman, but he hit the national stage in 2010. Of course he led the Razorbacks with 100 tackles, but he also proved to be a very effective pass rusher and had 13.0 tackles-for-loss and 6.5 sacks.
Final Projection:
Franklin is such an interesting prospect because of his versatility. He can obviously sit back and read the play and attack the ball very effectively. But in 2010 he showed that he can also use his big 6-1, 241 pound frame to fight his way into the backfield. The perceived lack of a specialty may actually hurt his draft stock in the end, but it will open him up to more NFL teams and he would be a great bargain in the third round.
See all NFL Draft Profiles and Rankings
