Among the many talented pass rushers in this year's draft class, NFL analysts seem to talk about two of them, Missouri's Shane Ray and Clemson's Vic Beasley, in the same breath. It's become commonplace, however, thanks to each players' dominating pass-rush ability, and the duo trained together before the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine in February.
Prior to the Combine, NFL Media's Mike Mayock released his top-five rankings by position group, including the edge rushers. Since early February, Mayock's rankings have shifted a bit, yet with Beasley and Ray always in the mix, lately adding Kentucky's Alvin "Bud" Dupree to the list. Here's how the list looks now:
- Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida
- Randy Gregory, Nebraska
3. Vic Beasley, Clemson
4. Bud Dupree, Kentucky
5. Shane Ray, Missouri
Recently a guest on 92.9 The Game, Mayock evaluated the possible fits of each of the three players in Falcons head coach Dan Quinn's system. He views Beasley as a gifted situational pass rusher and Ray as a linebacker, largely due to his length (6-foot-2 and a half).
Mayock described Dupree as a "dark horse" among the group, thanks to his versatility, able to line up as a linebacker or a defensive end.
"He's gifted genetically," Mayock said. "He just needs to play more consistently, and I think a coach like Dan Quinn can probably get it out of him. I think that's high compared to what the people have heard about him, but I wouldn't be surprised if that kid goes before Beasley."
