Yeah, they're ready... to make some money.

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Author: Hayes, Matt mhayes@sportingnews.com

INSIDER

RB LenDale White, Southern California. He's the best player in the draft. You can have Bush or Young or anyone else. White will be a 25-carry back, a bulldozer of a runner with deceptive speed and a knack for finding the end zone. He usually carried some extra weight at USC, but think of the payoff if a team can get him in optimum shape.

DE Mario Williams, N.C. State. The best pure rush end in college in 2005, Williams intrigues scouts because he has the size (6-7,290) to hold up against the run and is a force off the edge in passing situations.

WR Santonio Holmes, Ohio State. If you're a wide receiver with elite speed, leave school early. NFL teams are desperate for receivers who can stretch defenses, and wide receiver is a panic position on draft day â€" once the first receiver is picked, teams scramble to move up and get deep speed.

DT Haloti Ngata, Oregon. He benefits from playing the most important position in the draft. Teams will take chances on guys who might take a couple of years to develop (see: Dewayne Robertson, Marcus Stroud), and Ngata fits in that category. Although he missed all of the 2003 season with a knee injury and didn't return to full strength until this season, Ngata is a big run stuffer with fantastic lower-body leverage.

CB Antonio Cromartie, Florida State. He's the classic case of a player who no longer wanted to be in school. Cromartie has potential, but he missed this season rehabbing after reconstructive knee surgery. The big question: How will his knee respond once training camp rolls around in July? He also has played only one full season as a starting cornerback.

QB Omar Jacobs, Bowling Green. There probably are too many questions about his throwing motion and durability for him to go in the first two rounds. He has NFL size (6-4,225), but another year in college could have made him a first-round pick.

TE Anthony Fasano, Notre Dame. His yardage numbers were better this season, but he was more efficient in 2004 â€" and he hasn't solved a nagging fumbling problem. This is an odd decision â€" coach Charlie Weis makes good use of his tight ends, and the draft is loaded at that position.

WR Devin Hester, Miami. I'm guessing he's a receiver because there's no way he's a cornerback. He didn't play wideout at Miami because he couldn't run disciplined routes and couldn't/wouldn't block. He's fast and can return kicks and punts, but if he had gone back to Miami and become more disciplined, Hester could have been the Troy Williamson of the 2007 draft.

PHOTO (COLOR): White has decided to cash in, but if he loses some weight, his NFL team will be the one making out like a bandit.

PHOTO (COLOR): Cromartie didn't play this season, but he didn't let that detail keep him from declaring for the draft.

PHOTO (COLOR)

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By Matt Hayes