Kevin Minter generally brings it with force. (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.

#25: Kevin Minter, ILB, LSU

We continue this year's series with LSU linebacker Kevin Minter, who has been the most consistent player over the last two seasons on a defense filled with stars. When the 6-foot-0, 246-pound Minter took over as the starting middle linebacker in 2011, replacing Kelvin Sheppard, he put up 21 solo tackles (61 overall), 3.5 tackles for loss, and a sack. Minter really busted loose in 2012, when he amassed 55 solo tackles (130 overall, and first in the SEC with 75 assisted tackles), 15.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, and an interception. He could have stayed another season and built upon those totals, but he chose instead to depart for the NFL, along with a record number of Tigers.

“You never know what is going to happen from year to year,” Minter said in January. “I had confidence that I would play well next season, but I had to make the decision that was best for my family. I talked with my family (Wednesday), and we decided this was the best fit for us. The best time was right now to take the next step in my life.”

Minter disappointed by running a 4.81 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, but he was able to shave that down to the 4.7 range at his pro day, and speed is not really the key element of Minter's game. Though NFL teams desire range linebackers who can play in space more than ever, table-setting 'backers who bring it with physical force are still important, and nobody does that at his position better, or more often, than Minter.

While Manti Te'o was thought to be the best inside linebacker prospect in this draft class by some, Minter's insistence on adding his name to that list should have upset the applecart even before Te'o's disastrous performance against Alabama in the BCS Championship game and subsequent off-field scandal. He may not explode off the tape like Alec Ogletree or Arthur Brown, but NFL teams in need of a second-level run-stopper with a reasonably relevant overall skill set will be looking hard at Minter's tape. It's not always flashy, but those teams will like what they see.

Pros: Very field-aware defender who reads keys and reacts quickly. Comes downhill with force and tackles with authority. Sheds and spins off blocks in space very well -- keeps running toward the action at linebacker depth as he casts off blocks from bigger men. Plays bigger than he is; a very physically strong player with outstanding musculature for the position. Better in coverage than people give him credit for, at least to intermediate depth -- stays with tight ends pretty well over the middle.

Oregon's Dion Jordan has elite pass-rush potential. (Getty Images)

You didn't think that we were finished doing podcasts with our buddy Greg Cosell of NFL Films and ESPN's NFL Matchup just because the NFL season is over, did you? Well, if you did, fear not -- we're back in the saddle (and Greg's now writing for Shutdown Corner as well) to do a new series of podcasts in which we evaluate the draft prospects by position. We've already discussed the quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and tight ends, offensive linemen, defensive tackles, and defensive ends in this year's class, and how it's time to talk about a very intriguing group of linebackers -- inside, outside, and those hybrid "endbackers" of the pass-rushing variety. Greg has taken his decades of experience, and oodles of coach's tape, and transferred both to the college side just in time for the pre-draft process.

[Also: Mark Sanchez could be part of Darrelle Revis trade package]

The Shutdown Corner Podcast with Greg Cosell: Evaluating the linebackers

On Oregon endbacker Dion Jordan: "He wasn't used primarily as a pass-rusher, and I think everyone sees him primarily as a 3-4 outside linebacker, not a defensive end with his hand on the ground. And that makes sense, because his movement skills are terrific. Very often, in Oregon's defense, he was a coverage player, and he did that exceptionally well. He's really comfortable playing in space. I watched a lot of tape of Oregon's defense, because I wanted to see him rushing the quarterback as much as I could. Ultimately, to be a really good 3-4 linebacker in the NFL, you're going to have to rush the quarterback. And I was impressed. The sample size was not large, but I saw the ability to bend the corner with flexibility, and I saw closing speed. When I saw that, it raised him in my evaluation, and I'm sure it's why he's thought of as a potential top-five pick."

On LSU endbacker Barkevious Mingo: "He played defensive end predominantly for LSU. Clearly, he's long and athletic. He's got long arms, and he knows how to use them. He's deceptively fast in terms of closing speed. In the NFL, he'll be a 3-4 outside linebacker, or he'll put his hand on the ground in sub packages. He's not a starting defensive end. To me, what he needs to work on is the flexibility part. He's fast and quick and all those things you want. But I thought he was a bit stiff in his movement at times. You didn't see the natural bend-the-edge flexibility. He flashed explosive traits, and the kind of movement you can't coach, and that will get him drafted high."

The Shutdown Corner Podcast with Greg Cosell: Evaluating the linebackers

On Georgia linebacker Alec Ogletree:

So, it would appear that Chris Michaelson, head coach of the Seattle Mist team in the Legends Football League (formerly known as the Lingerie Football League, a re-designation we didn't know about), had a couple of anger management moments when speaking to his players at the half of a recent game between the Mist and the Green Bay Chill. Coach Michaelson was unhappy with his team's effort, and went on the power-rant you can watch at the top of his very post.

A few random thoughts after watching the video:

-- Dude, you're coaching LINGERIE FOOTBALL. Ease up on the gas a bit.

-- Dude, if you were Vince Lombardi or Bill Parcells (who could presumably get away with a rant like this), you wouldn't be coaching LINGERIE FOOTBALL.

-- It's all well and good to go all "SUPERCOACH!!!!!," but in the wake of the Mike Rice abuse scandal, throwing 50 f-bombs per minute and using terms like "retarded" and "stupid" with your own players (something Vince Lombardi would have never done; though Parcells probably would), is not terribly smart. You might want to check yourself before you, you know, wreck yourself.

-- Anyone else have a feeling that this guy has a few marital issues?

-- Anyone else have a feeling that this guy is angling for an NCAA coaching job?

A representative from the LFL told TMZ that "Everything is in line as far as what is expected from a football locker room, but we don't condone the use of the word 'retarded.'”

Yes, Robert Woods made this catch. He will make many more. (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.

#26: Robert Woods, WR, USC

We continue this year's series with USC receiver Robert Woods, the unheralded first-round talent in a batch of top-level receiver prospects. Woods really broke out for the Trojans in 2011, when he caught 111 passes for 1,292 yards and 15 touchdowns. Two things slowed him down in 2012 -- the arthroscopic ankle surgery he had in December, 2011, and Marqise Lee's ascent as a ridiculous offensive threat. But even with a changing role in USC's offense, it was Woods who was there to catch the bail-out screen or crucial slant to extend the drive. He followed up that 2011 season with 74 receptions for 849 yards and 11 touchdowns in his final collegiate campaign, despite the fact that he did look a bit slower on tape, and some evaluators may have pegged him as little more than a "possession receiver" -- a term that is just as limiting and pejorative as "game manager" is for quarterbacks.

Woods' stock started to rise after the season. He ran an official 4.51 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, and improved on his average agility drills at USC's pro day, where he was the unquestioned star. It was there that Woods started to look like the player we saw in 2011 -- he exploded off his breaks, showed straight-line speed, and appeared to put the entire package together just in time for the draft.

The question is, in a league that is more and more about the vertical passing game, does Robert Woods flash enough of the skills needed of the elite receivers selected in the first round? Or, is he a complementary piece of the overall puzzle -- a secondary receiver who will gobble up catches and fail to take it over the top?

Pros: Outstanding straight-line strider who sells head and foot fakes very well. Plants and drives with the ability to get away from defenders in close quarters. Understands the route tree and plays faster than he is with his ability to exploit cuts and angles. Collects his body well on quick cuts and gets around for yards after the catch in a hurry. Natural slot receiver who doesn't hear footsteps and will make the tough catches with defenders moving in on him. Practiced receiver on intermediate routes -- slants, posts, drags, and all manner of comebacks. Looks the ball into his hands and doesn't move his head upfield too quickly.

(Getty Images)Former LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu is on a full rehabilitation kick in a life that was once complicated by substance abuse. A Heisman finalist after the 2011 season, Mathieu missed the Tigers' 2012 season and was kicked off the team when he could not keep himself in line. He's done a stint in rehab, worked with LSU alums and current NFL players Patrick Peterson and Corey Webster, and went to the scouting combine ready to answer all the questions that would be asked of him. Mathieu was honest, humble, and managed to put together a good enough combine workout to allay some of the fears NFL teams may have had about him.

Of course, once he got into the NFL's multi-team pre-draft interview process, everything was going to come out -- because the one thing that will kill you as a prospect with a troubled past is dishonesty. And as Mathieu rolls through a tour that has him checking in with a number of NFL teams, the full range of his previous dysfunction is apparent. According to a report from USA Today's Jarrett Bell, Mathieu told one NFL team that he failed at least 10 drug tests before he was booted off the LSU roster.

[Also: Mark Sanchez could be part of Darrelle Revis trade package]

"I quit counting at 10. I really don't know." said one NFL assistant coach to Bell regarding Mathieu's response in one meeting room.

And this could actually work in Mathieu's favor. As that same coach pointed out to Bell, such a record puts part of the burden on LSU to try and intervene.

"If he flunked 10 tests before they suspended him, it shows that he got no kind of help," the coach told Bell.

But after the article was published, Mathieu contacted LSU and wanted to make it clear that his transgressions were his responsibility alone.

On Dec. 17, 2011, Dekaney High School football coach Alfred "Willie" Amendola was coaching his Wildcats in the 5A Division I state championship game at Cowboys Stadium. After his team won the game (well-done, Coach!), Mr. Amendola was standing at midfield, conducting interviews, when a wayward golf cart bowled him over. Amendola was knocked into the cart, and rolled it off the field after trying to control it. Apparently, the cart developed a mind of its own after workers who were removing pylons from the field accidentally lodged one in a way that got the cart's accelerator going. Several reporters were also affected by the aggressive cart.

Fortunately, nobody was seriously hurt - and as much as this sounds funny on paper, the cart was getting up a head of steam, and this could have been even worse (and weirder) were it not for coach Amendola's quick thinking and lightning reflexes.

[Also: Tyrann Mathieu claims he failed at least 10 drug tests at LSU]

Now, Amendola, the father of New England Patriots receiver Danny Amendola, is suing Cowboys Stadium, L.P. in the District Court of Texas. The suit claims "past and future pain and suffering; past and future mental anguish' physical and mental impairment, past and future; disfigurement, past and future; past and future medical expenses; loss of earning capacity; and loss of enjoyment."

This wouldn't be the first time Cowboys Stadium L.P. was involved in a lawsuit, of course -- there was the seating debacle related to Super Bowl XLV, when a group of ticket buyers claimed that they had to watch the game on television because their temporary seats were not installed in time for the game. One of those suits was dismissed last month, which left four plaintiffs unhappy, through another lawsuit involving hundreds more aggrieved parties will go forward in October.

Eric Fisher ahead of Luke Joeckel? Don't be surprised. (Getty Images)

1. Kansas City Chiefs: Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan. You'll hear all sorts of names surrounding the first overall pick, but new Chiefs head coach Andy Reid knows that his offenses are built from the lines out, and Fisher could well be the tackle with the most upside in a draft full of talent at the position.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars: Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah. With Lotulelei checking out well in all his medical re-tests, let's assume that the NFL takes him on talent alone in draft position. In that case, the Jags, with new head coach Gus Bradley, need a table-setter in the middle of their fronts, and there's nobody better than Lotulelei.

3. Oakland Raiders: Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia. Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie knows that he won't get his ideal quarterback in free agency anytime soon with the Raiders' salary cap bleeding. He's got Matt Flynn as his starter, but he has to know how limiting that is. Here's where we think the Raiders pull an upset and decide to take their future franchise quarterback sooner than later.

4. Philadelphia Eagles: Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida. The thought of Chip Kelly taking former Oregon endbacker Dion Jordan is obvious and appealing in some schematic senses, but when a team moves from 4-3 to 3-4 principles, versatility is the order of the day, and nobody plays more roles on the line with more impact than Floyd.

5. Detroit Lions: Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M. Surprising indeed to see Joeckel fall this far, but there are drafts where athletic potential steals the spotlight from NFL-readiness. The Lions desperately need help at the tackle position, and they'd sprint up to hand in the card with Joeckel's name on it if such an opportunity arose.

[Related: Feds say multiple NFL, NBA players ensnared in $18M investment scheme]

6. Cleveland Browns: Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama. The Browns' new brain trust has already greatly enhanced the team's defense, and the opportunity to match this draft class' best cornerback with Joe Haden is too good to pass up.

7. Arizona Cardinals: Dion Jordan, OLB/DE, Oregon. The Cardinals' defense has been very stout over the last couple of seasons. But with linebacker Daryl Washington missing four games due to a violation of the league's substance abuse policy, a more defined pass rush in needed. Not only can Jordan provide that, he's also versatile enough in space to cover slot receivers.

8. Buffalo Bills: Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama. The Bills need help at the guard position with Andy Levitre gone, and that need is accentuated by the fact that Kevin Kolb does not react well to pressure. Warmack will fit in from day one with a great level of experience and a nasty on-field demeanor.

9. New York Jets: Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia. Jones is the perfect boom-or-bust pick for a team that certainly likes to take them. When healthy, his on-field speed and turn around the edge make him an elite pass-rusher. And if he can transcend recent concerns related to reports regarding his alleged spinal stenosis condition, he'll provide that pass rush for a Jets team that desperately needs it.

10. Tennessee Titans: Ezekiel Ansah, DE, Brigham Young. Last year, the Titans selected an explosive athlete in the first round in the person of Baylor WR Kendall Wright. With needs in their defense against the pass and the run, we wouldn't be surprised if they took a flyer on Ansah's rawness from a football perspective, and bet on his pure athletic potential.

Alec Ogletree chases down LSU's Tyrann Mathieu in 2011. (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.

#27: Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia

We continue this year's series with Georgia linebacker Alec Ogletree, who undoubtedly scares NFL teams with his off-field record just as much as his on-field exploits will have those same teams sure of his first-round talent. Ogletree was suspended from his first-ever game with the Bulldogs after he was caught stealing a scooter helmet, was suspended the first four games of the 2012 season after a failed drug test, and was arrested for a DUI just a few days before the scouting combine. Not at all smart.

At the combine, Ogletree tried to explain his past.

"I’m a good person at heart," he said. "Everybody makes mistakes. I feel real bad about the situation. I’m learning from it and I’m moving forward. I don’t really know what it’s going to do. But, like I said, I feel bad about it and I’m very sorry about it. I just have to move forward and take whatever I get."

Ogletree was one of a few players trying to re-do his image at the combine -- LSU's Tyrann Mathieu and Notre Dame's Manti Te'o were two more -- but Ogletree did himself no favors when he ran a 4.68 40-yard dash at the Indianapolis event. Ogletree, who looks much more like a 4.5 athlete on tape, didn't do much better at his pro day, though he was better in the agility drills.

NFL teams will still take a good look at him in the first round, though, because he's precisely the kind of half-field defender required at the next level. With so many teams playing much more nickel and dime coverage, range linebackers are the new prototype, while the old-school thumpers are on their way out to a degree. And though he switched from the safety position after the 2010 season (giving him just two years experience at linebacker) and missed those first four games in 2012, Ogletree still amassed 63 solo tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, and an interception in his final collegiate season.

There's no question that the 6-foot-3, 243-pound Ogletree has everything it takes from a pure football perspective to join Seattle's Bobby Wagner, Tampa Bay's Lavonte David, and Carolina's Luke Kuechly as a star-level optimal range defender. But his off-field question marks may take him out of the first round entirely -- especially when there are more players like him in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Pros: Former safety who plays with that kind of range -- can run quickly to just about any area on the defense from linebacker depth. Reads keys and diagnoses backfield action well -- will patiently wait from his position and then unleash his speed to make plays. Has the height and jumping ability to cover tight ends in the seam. Outstanding half-field defender who seems made to play in nickel -- will close quickly to either sideline. Surprisingly good wrap tackler for his size. Doesn't bounce off a lot of plays and doesn't get dragged too often by power backs. Zeroes in on the ballcarrier with accuracy and doesn't misdirect, which is impressive for all his velocity.