Top 10 2010 Favorite NFL Draft Prospects: Picks 6-10

6. Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford
There is no pretending, football still has racism involved. NFL teams and analysts are still trying to project Toby Gerhart as a fullback. Last time I checked, Gerhart was 6-0, 231 lbs and looked more like Michael Bush than a Mike Alstott. CBS Sports compares Gerhart to Brian Leonard of the Cincinnati Bengals who is currently considered the top white running back in the NFL. Outside of skin color, I do not see the comparison. Leonard is a 3rd down specialist who is known for his receiving skills. Gerhart on the other hand looks to be more of an every down player who only had 11 receptions in 2009. You got to root for a guy like Gerhart who is trying to change stereotypes. In high school, USC wanted him to play fullback, but Gerhart wanted to play running back, which is why he chose Stanford. The year is 2010, I thought the color of a person's skin was an afterthought. When was the last time a white defensive back did not get compared to John Lynch or Jason Sehorn? I look at Toby Gerhart and I do see a white man, but I also see an NFL running back.

7. Eric Norwood, OLB, South Carolina
Many of the prospects on this list are on it because of their academic achievement in college. After graduating from high school with a 1.8 GPA and being rejected three times by South Carolina's admissions office, graduating from college would be a miracle, let alone graduating with close to a 3.0 GPA. But Eric Norwood did just that. He also has been rather successful on the football field, earning All-American honors this past year. At 6-1, 252 lbs, Norwood is a pass rushing specialist. In his college career, he recorded 29 sacks and 54.5 tackles for loss (both South Carolina records). Norwood spent his first two years in college playing defensive end before making the successful transition to outside linebacker. He looks to be an ideal 3-4 OLB and should be drafted between the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Norwood was the vocal leader on the Gamecocks' defense last year. He originally declared for the 2009 NFL Draft, but came back to improve his draft stock and earn his degree in Criminal Justice.

8. Alterraun Verner, CB, UCLA
As an FWAA member, I got to make 4 picks at the defensive back position for the FWAA All-American team. I chose Eric Berry, Earl Thomas, Joe Haden, and Alterraun Verner. The first three players are household names and all could be top 15 picks in this year's draft. Verner, on the other hand, is hoping to be drafted in either the 3rd or 4th round. He lacks the ideal speed of a top cornerback, but makes up with his solid hands, ideal size, and technique. This past season he had five interceptions and two touchdowns. He finished his career at UCLA with 12 interceptions. Verner is also an honor roll student who is a Mathematics-Applied Science major. With that, an NFL playbook should not be too difficult for a Verner to understand. A hardworking player with brains, Verner has a chance to be a solid player and a mid round steal.

9. Blair White, WR, Michigan State
Most readers are familiar that I am a huge Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger fan. I have an autographed framed picture from Rudy on my desk with the title: Dream Big, Never Quit. Just like Rudy, Blair White was a walk-on. To add to the storybook comparison, it was current NFL player and Michigan State star running back Javon Ringer who stood up for White and praised him for his terrific work ethic. Ringer's words helped get White a scholarship for his last two years of college. White truly has taken that scholarship in stride. He finished the 2009 football season with 70 receptions for 990 yards and 9 touchdowns. At 6-2, 200 lbs, White has the physical tools to be an NFL player, unlike Rudy. However, what White has done on the field, is nothing compared to what he down off it. He earned first-team Academic All-American honors for his 3.89 GPA in human biology. After football, he looks to become a dentist. White is projected to be drafted around the 5th round, mostly due to his subpar 40 speed. However, he should be able to make an NFL squad with his experience on special teams. Dentistry school will have to wait for now.

10. Myron Rolle, SS, Florida State
The Myron Rolle story is known to about every football fan: an All-American football player graduated college with a 3.75 GPA in 2.5 years, takes a year off of football to study in England as a Rhodes Scholar. After studying at Oxford for a year and earning a M.A. in medical anthropology, Myron is ready to get back to playing football. Some NFL teams are skeptical of drafting Rolle because he could leave football at anytime to pursue other opportunities. I think this is hogwash, and believe teams should jump at a chance to take Rolle. Teams also may be scared that he was away from the game for a year. First round prospects like Jermaine Gresham and Rob Gronkowski didn't even play the 2009 season because of injury. Besides all the off the field honors, awards, philanthropy, Rolle is still one heck of a player. Out of high school, he was the number one prospect in the country. At 6-2, 223 lbs, Rolle has protypical size for an NFL safety, but lacks ideal speed (projected 4.60). Because he graduated college early, Rolle is still only 23 years old. Expect Rolle to be drafted in the mid rounds. Rolle is good for the NFL and will be a great addition to whichever city drafts him.

2009 Favorite NFL Draft Prospects

Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss.
James Casey, TE, Rice
Chase Coffman, TE, Missouri
Connor Barwin, DE, Cincinnati
Pat White, QB, West Virginia
Alex Mack, C, California
Louie Sakoda, K/P, Utah
Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State
Scott McKillop, ILB, Pittsburgh
Sammie Stroughter, WR, Oregon St.

2008 Favorite NFL Draft Prospects

Wesley Woodyard, LB, Kentucky
Mark Bradford, WR, Stanford
Martin Rucker, TE, Missouri
Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
Harry Douglas, WR, Louisville
Chris Long, DE, Virginia
Josh Barrett, S, Arizona St.
J Leman, ILB, Illinois
Kory Lichtensteiger, C, Bowling Green

2007 Favorite NFL Draft Prospects

Patrick Willis, WR, Ole. Miss
Eric Weddle, S, Utah
Joe Newton, TE, Oregon St.
Brian Leonard, FB, Rutgers
Jarvis Moss, DE, Florida
Joe Staley, OT, Central Michigan
Marcus Hamilton, CB, Virginia
Garrett Wolfe, RB, Northern Illinois
Johnnie Lee Higgins, WR, UTEP
Dan Bazuin, DE, Central Michigan

2006 Favorite NFL Draft Prospects

Joe Klopfenstein, TE, Colorado
Mike Kudla DE/LB, Ohio State
D'Brickashaw Ferguson, OT, Virginia
Mike Hass, WR, Oregon St.
Elvis Dumervil, DE, Louisville
Manny Lawson, DE/LB, NC State
Garrett Mills, H-Back, Tulsa
Thomas Howard, OLB, UTEP
Max Jean-Gilles, G, Georgia
Devin Hester, ATH, Miami

Michael Abromowitz has been quoted in numerous publications, both internet and print and is a proud member of the Football Writers Association of America.