ESPN College Football

Originally Published: November 15, 2004

Virginia juniors impressive

Ahmad Brooks leads a group of standout juniors at Virginia, while a pair of SEC defensive linemen are making noise.

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By Mel Kiper Jr.
Special to ESPN Insider
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This week we start with an examination of the junior class at Virginia, where coach Al Groh has assembled a collection of players who could make things interesting when the 2005 NFL draft rolls around.

Inside linebacker Ahmad Brooks gets the most publicity thanks to his size (6-foot-3½, 260 pounds) and tremendous speed and athleticism. He leads the Cavaliers with 74 tackles and is a gifted athlete with the ability to play on the inside or outside, and he could also be converted to a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme.

Brooks is not a true junior but is three years removed from his original high school and thereby eligible for the draft, and while he's not a dominant collegiate player in the mold of Ray Lewis he has the skills and potential to reach that level.

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