(Getty Images)

Since it's draft day, and there are a lot of defensive tackles to talk about, who better to get on the phone that Warren Sapp? We were able to do just that on Thursday morning, and the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders tackle, current NFL Network analyst, and first-ballot Hall of Famer was happy to dish on this draft class. We talked about his favorites (Star Lotulelei, Sylvester Williams), some guys he wonders about (Sheldon Richardson, Sharrif Floyd), and then, we expand the discussion into what makes a great NFL defensive tackle. As always, Warren brings it with a heaping helping of attitude, a great deal of knowledge, and no filter.

The Shutdown Corner Draft Day Podcast: Warren Sapp

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Luke Joeckel will re-define his NFL offensive line. (USAT Sports Images)

With the 2012 NFL season in the books, and the scouting combine in the rear-view, it's time to take a closer look at the 50 players we think will be the biggest difference-makers at the next level from this draft class. To that end, we're happy to continue this year's Shutdown 50 scouting reports (Hint: There may actually be more than 50). You can read last year's group here. The final 50 players were chosen and ranked based on game tape, combine and Pro Day results, overall positional value, and attributes and liabilities on and off the field.

#2: Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M

We continue this year's series with Texas A&M offensive tackle Luke Joeckel, who chose the Aggies over a host of other big schools and established himself as A&M's starting left tackle in his freshman year. From then through his senior campaign, Joeckel kept re-affirming his status as the one constant in an offense that changed schemes and marquee quarterbacks. As the Aggies moved from Ryan Tannehill to Johnny Manziel, Joeckel's ability to block for mobile quarterbacks (which is a lot harder than some think, because mobile quarterbacks tend to create their own pressure) was appreciated as a real asset.

I definitely think it made me better," Joeckel said at the scouting combine about blocking for Manziel. "In practice, you can’t see the way he plays in games because it’s a quick whistle and no contact on the quarterback. We get in that first game against Florida, you can see what he can do with the ball and see how he extends plays, and you got to learn pretty quickly to hold your block longer. I think that definitely made me a better pass blocker. I was trying to hold my blocks as long as I could. It made me a better-conditioned offensive lineman, which I think is huge. Everyone thinks of offensive linemen as big guys who can’t move for very long, aren’t well-conditioned. But at A&M, we had a very well-conditioned line, and I think that helped a lot, blocking with Johnny."

One would struggle to claim that Joeckel lacks any sort of physical conditioning when watching him play. Though I do not see him as the best tackle in this draft class, it's clear that he's a multi-faceted blocker with a great deal to offer at the NFL level.

Pros: Has an effective kick-step in pass-protection -- comes off the ball at a slight angle and backs away, but isn't especially prone to inside moves. Sets back against edge rushers and makes it very difficult for them to get around in the pocket. Mirrors especially well to prevent rushers from getting around him near the end of the play. Not specifically built for lower-body power, but plays with a very wide base and outstanding fundamentals and rarely gets rocked back. Excellent drive blocker through the line and to the second level. Latches on to his target and forces the angle he wants. Pinches in to the tackle effectively and is able to establish good power to the side. Good cut-blocker who doesn't whiff when he aims and lunges. Seals the edge with consistency inside and outside.

Chance Warmack just likes to mess people up. (Getty Images)

With the 2012 NFL season in the books, and the scouting combine in the rear-view, it's time to take a closer look at the 50 players we think will be the biggest difference-makers at the next level from this draft class. To that end, we're happy to continue this year's Shutdown 50 scouting reports (Hint: There may actually be more than 50). You can read last year's group here. The final 50 players were chosen and ranked based on game tape, combine and Pro Day results, overall positional value, and attributes and liabilities on and off the field.

#3: Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama

We continue this year's series with Alabama offensive guard Chance Warmack, the most consistent and dominant player in the NCAA's best power-based offense over the last three years. Like many Crimson Tide players over the last few seasons, Warmack was one of the most highly-ranked high-school recruits at his position in the nation, and he started to realize his potential right away by playing in five games as a true freshman. Over the next three seasons, he started 40 games, and went from second- to first-team All-SEC status over his final two years.

For those across the country who didn't understand Warmack's true greatness, the 2013 BCS Championship against Notre Dame was as decisive in a positive sense for Warmack as it was for Notre Dame linebacker Manto Te'o in a negative sense. Play after play, Warmack dominated at the point of attack and proved, more than anyone else on the field, that he was ready for prime time.

“I like being physical and explosive," Warmack said about his playing style when asked about is at the scouting combine. "I like that word a lot, explosive. I consider myself to be very explosive. In terms of where I want to be, I want to be the definition of that word.”

No problem there. Warmack has defined that term for his team over the last four years, and he's more than ready to do the same for the NFL franchise fortunate enough to benefit from his play.

Pros: Has the perfect build for a power guard -- compact frame with excellent musculature, big arms, and a wide lower body. Size 17 feet. Tremendously effective drive blocker who takes an aggressive approach to pushing defenders back, but doesn't get reckless when he attacks. Surprisingly light and quick feet allow him to turn and pull -- also has a decent kick-step in pass protection. Able to deal with speed rushers from the outside in combination concepts. Agile when playing zone and forcing one defender out of the play to deal with another upfield. Plays wide enough to get one hand out each to deal with two defenders at times.

(Getty Images)

With the 2013 NFL draft right around the corner, it's time to project, select, and open myself up to ridicule with my final mock draft of the year.

This is one of the most unusual drafts I can remember. Not only are there no "sexy" picks at the top as there were last year, but you can even pick the guys at the top apart if you look long and hard enough. The primary position of need for many of the teams at the top of any draft is quarterback, but the talent at that position this year is questionable, at best. You've seen how some of those teams have responded -- the Chiefs picked up Alex Smith, the Raiders got Matt Flynn, the Cardinals acquired Carson Palmer, and the Bills nabbed Kevin Kolb.

None of these players really excite a fan base, but many of them have the potential to act as bridge starters for two different scenarios: Either their new teams will select developmental quarterbacks later in the draft, or they'll shine it on to 2014 and hope someone pops out as an elite prospect. As a result, and despite the fact that quarterbacks are overdrafted all the time, I am projecting just one quarterback taken in the first round -- West Virginia's Geno Smith, who in my mind is the only player at the position currently worthy of a first-round grade.

From there, things get very interesting positionally. I don't remember a draft class in which so many safeties could go in the first round as legitimate game-changers, and that reflects current defensive trends in the NFL. More and more teams are playing nickel and dime as their base packages very frequently, which has them looking at players that would once be called fringe defenders as functional starters. In addition, those multi-positional playmakers who were once thought to be jacks of all trades and masters of none are now highly valued precisely because of their full-field versatility.

And with all that said, this draft is strongest in the two most fundamentally important parts of any NFL team. If you're looking to improve on either side of the line, this is the draft for you. Here is the draft for me, based more on player value than what I think teams will actually do, though that does factor in. One thing I'm not doing is projecting trades, though I could easily see several of them happening in the first round.

1. Kansas City Chiefs: Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan

While Luke Joeckel would also be a very solid pick here, the Chiefs would be wise to go with the player with the most pure athletic upside, and that may well be Fisher. Mauling as a run blocker and with a great deal of potential as a pass-protector, Fisher could be the best overall player in this draft class.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars: Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU

The former track star from Ghana has done a lot in a football sense in a very short time. He still needs a lot of developmental work, but new head coach Gus Bradley needs an anchor-point pass-rusher who can also move inside and play tackle. Gap versatility is an underrated part of Ansah's game, and he fits Bradley's prototype.

3. Oakland Raiders: Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida

The Raiders are in need of ... well, just about everything, but what could really benefit their defense is the kind of versatile disruptor Richard Seymour once was. Floyd has similar traits to Seymour when Seymour came out of Georgia, and the upside for Floyd could land him in similarly rarefied air over time.

4. Philadelphia Eagles: Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M

The Eagles' pass protection issues have been clear and obvious as Jason Peters' body has been breaking down, and in Chip Kelly's high-volume offense, they'll be in need of a multi-faceted blocker who can not only hold up in a high-volume offense, but establish physical dominance at the point.

5. Detroit Lions: Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma

The Lions throw the ball more than any other NFL team, and with Jeff Backus retired, Matthew Stafford needs consistent protection on his blind side. Johnson still needs some technique work, but he's the most purely athletic tackle I've seen since Joe Thomas came out of Wisconsin, and he fits a fast, multiple offense the Lions would like to create over time.

6. Cleveland Browns: Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama

New Browns defensive coordinator Ray Horton loves physical defensive backs, and Milliner fits the bill. He's not the best pure pass defender at the position this year (that honor goes to Houston's D.J. Hayden), but he's the most well-rounded player. And in the tough AFC North, Milliner's ability to jack people up in the run game is an important attribute.

7. Arizona Cardinals: Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia

Star Lotulelei brings a special level of power to the game. (Getty Images)

With the 2012 NFL season in the books, and the scouting combine in the rear-view, it's time to take a closer look at the 50 players we think will be the biggest difference-makers at the next level from this draft class. To that end, we're happy to continue this year's Shutdown 50 scouting reports (Hint: There may actually be more than 50). You can read last year's group here. The final 50 players were chosen and ranked based on game tape, combine and Pro Day results, overall positional value, and attributes and liabilities on and off the field.

#4: Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah

We continue this year's series with Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, Shutdown Corner's highest-rated defensive player in the 2013 draft class. Though he was often completely dominant in 2012, drawing comparisons to some of the best defensive linemen of the last 25 years, Lotulelei's road to the draft process wasn't exactly straight. Born in Tonga, he developed a love for football at Bingham High School in South Jordan, Utah, and BYU was a natural next step -- but he wound up attending Snow College in Utah for two years and playing for just one instead after his effort for the game was questioned and he failed to qualify for BYU. He also spent time as a furniture mover, a job he hated, and he eventually got it together enough to find himself on Utah's radar.

He started the final three games for the Utes at defensive tackle in 2010, and really exploded onto the scene the following season, when he won the Morris Trophy as the Pac-12's most outstanding lineman. He decided to stay in school for the 2012 season -- a wise move, as he appeared to play even more effectively, upping his tackle for loss, sack, and forced fumble totals. Going into the pre-draft process, Lotulelei was thought to be a lead-pipe lock as a top-5 draft pick.

However, an irregular cardiogram reading at the scouting combine prevented him from working out there and complicated his NFL prospects. Lotulelei subsequently passed a battery of tests, and his heart readings may have been related to dehydration. At his pro day on March 20, Lotulelei was cleared to work out by cardiologist Josef Stehlik, referred to Lotulelei's agent, Bruce Tollner, by the San Francisco 49ers. The 6-foot-3, 311-pound Lotulelei put up 38 reps on the 225-pound bench press, had a 30-inch vertical leap, ran the three-cone drill in 7.76 seconds, and the short shuttle in 4.65 seconds. Though Tollner didn't want Lotulelei to run 40-yard dashes due to conditioning issues, he did anyway, clocking in at 5.31 and 5.36.

Those pro day numbers would have tied Lotulelei for first among defensive linemen at the combine with SMU's Margus Hunt and Missouri Southern's Brandon Williams in the bench press, tied with Florida's Sharrif Floyd in the middle of the pack on the vertical, and on the high side for defensive tackles in both agility tests.

Lotulelei's past "motor" issues, along with the residue of the heart tests, may have some teams pushing him down their boards. But the game tape tells a very clear story -- this is a potentially franchise-defining defensive player.

Pros: Displays tremendous power, burst and suddenness as a nose tackle -- either shading to the guard or with his head over center, which makes him a potential force in multiple fronts. Comes off the snap with alarming speed, pushes back with superior leverage and a wide base, and makes bad things happen to enemy blockers. Gets his hands out right away to attack the pads and chest of his opponent. Has the power to bull-rush and push blockers back, but his first instinct is to disrupt. At times, displays freakish upper-body strength and will throw a blocker aside to advance in the pocket.

No matter where he started, Sharrif Floyd will get where he wants to go. (Getty Images)

With the 2012 NFL season in the books, and the scouting combine in the rear-view, it's time to take a closer look at the 50 players we think will be the biggest difference-makers at the next level from this draft class. To that end, we're happy to continue this year's Shutdown 50 scouting reports (Hint: There may actually be more than 50). You can read last year's group here. The final 50 players were chosen and ranked based on game tape, combine and Pro Day results, overall positional value, and attributes and liabilities on and off the field.

#5: Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida

We continue this year's series with Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, whose life story reads like the defensive version of "The Blind Side." Michael Lewis' book about Michael Oher's nightmarish upbringing.

As NFL.com's Jeff Darlington recently revealed in an outstanding profile, Floyd tried to spend as much as time alone as possible in the North Philadelphia neighborhood where he grew up -- away from the man who abused him. The man he thought was his father.

"It was just me, you know?" Floyd told Darlington. "And it was great. I mean, I had a lot of time to think to myself. No one really asked how I felt about anything or how I was doing about anything. But if I could change anything in my life, honestly, I wouldn't change a thing."

Floyd was fifteen years old when he finally discovered that the man who had abused him mentally and physically throughout his childhood wasn't even his biological father. His real father was dead, and his mother had acquired a drug habit.

"People want to make excuses, saying some guys are just the products of their environment," Florida head coach Will Muschamp told Darlington. "Sharrif Floyd defies that theory. There is no reason he should be the kid he is right now. His background is as tough as anyone I've been around."

Floyd found help and a way to a new life through football and the care of a lot of people from high school into college. Though he didn't watch a football game until 2007, he went to Florida as perhaps the top high school defensive lineman in the country, and once he got a chance to shine at the NCAA level, there was no turning back.

At 6-foot-3 and 297 pounds, Floyd is a surprisingly advanced player for his experience level (just one full season as a starter), and after starting the final 11 games of the 2011 season at defensive end, he anchored inside in 2012 and dominated nearly every opponent he faced. He put together 46 tackles, 13.0 tackles for loss, one sack in the regular season, and two in the Sugar Bowl against Louisville. The third-ranked Gators lost that game in a 33-23 upset, but Floyd had made his mark. Stack all that on top of a combine performance in which he clocked a 4.92 in the 40-yard dash, and it's easy to see why he's at or near the top of the list at his position.

Pros: Produces legitimately and consistently from everywhere on the defensive front -- Floyd is a potential game-changer from end to one-tech shade tackle, though his NFL future is most likely inside for the most part. Hits the line with great speed and an outstanding hand-strike, which allows him to stay active against protection. Stack-and-shed player who bounces off initial contact and moves to make the play. Has perhaps the best overall array of hand moves of any defensive lineman in this draft class -- will use rip and swim moves to get free from wrestling matches. Presents an outstanding bull-rush when he uses leverage correctly. Accelerates quickly to full speed and can move through a pocket in a hurry.

Lane Johnson is an avalanche of NFL potential. (Getty Images)

With the 2012 NFL season in the books, and the scouting combine in the rear-view, it's time to take a closer look at the 50 players we think will be the biggest difference-makers at the next level from this draft class. To that end, we're happy to continue this year's Shutdown 50 scouting reports (Hint: There may actually be more than 50). You can read last year's group here. The final 50 players were chosen and ranked based on game tape, combine and Pro Day results, overall positional value, and attributes and liabilities on and off the field.

#6: Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma

We continue this year's series with Oklahoma left tackle Lane Johnson, who's been through quite the positional merry-go-round since he arrived in Norman in 2009 after a while playing quarterback at Kilgore College the year before. He explained the switches at the scouting combine:

"In high school I was playing quarterback. I was around 6-foot-6, 220. I didn’t really get many offers out of high school. I was kind of under the radar. I came from a small school. So I went to junior college and played quarterback there for a semester, then switched over to tight end during the following spring. I was weighing about 255 and ran a 4.5 40. Oklahoma ended up offering me, and I took it. I redshirted my first year as a tight end.

"Then the following year, I beefed up a little bit. I was around 280, playing tight end and defensive end. During that next spring, Jarvis Jones, our right tackle, went down. [Oklahoma head] Coach [Bob] Stoops asked me if I wanted to play it. I told him no at first. Then, in one of the pass-rush drills they switched me there, and I’ve been stuck there ever since."

So, few expected Johnson to enter the 2013 NFL draft class as one of the best players on the board, much less as a 305-pound offensive tackle. And given his limited experience at the position, it wasn't really until the Senior Bowl week that he became a real force in the eyes of many analysts. There, in direct comparative competition with Central Michigan's Eric Fisher and Texas A&M's Luke Joeckel, he proved to be every bit as convincing in his NFL future.

Johnson hammered that home at the scouting combine, because he was able to show off his freakish athleticism. Terron Armstead of Arkansas-Pine Bluff set a record for offensive linemen with a 4.71 40-yard dash, but Armstead looks like a fourth-round player on tape. It was when Johnson, with his first-round tape in tow, ran a 4.72 40 that people really stood up, took notice, and started ranking him with the Joeckels and Fishers of the world. More importantly to his position, Johnson's 1.61-second 10-yard split was the best among all offensive linemen, and he aced the agility drills. NFL teams may have already had him in rarefied air, but there was little doubt when he left Indianapolis that Johnson was going to be a top-10 player.

Most encouragingly, a closer look at Johnson's tape reveals that this is no mere workout wonder -- though he's still got some finishing work to do, there's no question about his NFL potential.

Pros: Very quick and athletic tackle who gets in his set off the snap in a hurry. Has the best pass-blocking kick-step in this draft class -- smooth, thorough, and economical when he's moving to establish the edge of the pocket. Pesky blocker at the line -- mirrors exceedingly well and matches counter-moves and foot-fakes. Uses his long arms (35 inches) to keep pass-rushers at bay and out of the octagon. Creates knockdowns with leverage; he's more powerful in one-on-one matchups than he's given credit for. Plays left and right tackle with equal aplomb. Hits to pull and shift to the second level -- he chips well and creates areas for backs by sealing the edge to linebacker depth and beyond.

As a space blocker, Jonathan Cooper has no peers in this draft class. (AP)

With the 2012 NFL season in the books, and the scouting combine in the rear-view, it's time to take a closer look at the 50 players we think will be the biggest difference-makers at the next level from this draft class. To that end, we're happy to continue this year's Shutdown 50 scouting reports (Hint: There may actually be more than 50). You can read last year's group here. The final 50 players were chosen and ranked based on game tape, combine and Pro Day results, overall positional value, and attributes and liabilities on and off the field.

#7: Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina

We continue this year's series with North Carolina offensive guard Jonathan Cooper, who has been battling Alabama's Chance Warmack for the title of best interior lineman in this draft class. After redshirting in 2008, Cooper was named to the Sporting News All-ACC Freshman team in 2009 after he started 10 games at left guard, earned a 73 pecent grade from his coaches, and led the team with 40 knockdown blocks. Though his grades would rise throughout his collegiate career (83 to 86 to 93 percent over the next three seasons), one thing stayed the same -- Cooper always led his line in knockdowns, which outlines the most underrated aspect of his play.

Cooper is a very physical blocker, and the only reason that fact gets second billing is because he's so very athletic. At 6-foot-2 and playing anywhere from 290 to 310 pounds, Cooper comes into the NFL as athletically gifted as any guard currently playing in the pros. It's why he's gaining momentum among the analysts are studying him, and it's also why some seem to believe that he might be able to switch to center at the next level.

"I’d say I’m a combination of power and athleticism," he said at the scouting combine. "I can, especially with the addition of weight, I can run power. You can look at it from my first three years of film where we’re a pro-style offense where power was our staple play. And then this year it really showed my athletic ability, getting out in space. We ran a bunch of screens and a lot of things where I was on the second and third level getting on linebackers and defensive backs and such."

The tape proves every one of Cooper's points -- whoever selects him in the upcoming draft could very well have themselves a franchise anchor from Day 1.

Pros: Amazingly quick, agile athlete for his size. Sets up in his pass pro like a tackle -- comes up from excellent leverage, establishes a side base, gets a good kick-step going, and stones defenders with an outstanding hand-strike. Pulls with impressive speed and agility from left guard all the way around to seal the right edge, and has the ability to read, stop, and block along the way. Also pulls with great speed and agility from left guard outside left tackle and into space upfield. Tremendous lateral agility and power allows him to excel in slide and zone slide protection. Gets upfield to linebacker depth in a hurry, but with leverage and power, to beat defenders downfield.