Players like Harry Coleman, Al Woods, Perry Riley, Rahim Alem, Chris Hawkins and Charles Alexander didn’t have high profiles while patrolling Tiger Stadium. Yet scouts think this crew could have a distinct impact at the next level. WOODS’ MEASURABLES HAVE HIM MOVING UPWoods, a former LSU defensive tackle, was heralded as the second coming of Glenn Dorsey. But he never reached the hype, only amassing 73 tackles and 3.5 sacks in his Tiger career. LSU coach Les Miles said Tuesday that Woods would be “a wise pick” for any NFL team. Scouts are a little more cautious. Woods’ lack of production, along with a seeming lack of instincts, seem to be a red flag for potential suitors. “Teams are going to pick him on potential, not on production,” said local NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier. “The one thing you see more and more with him is that he’s not the most instinctive defensive tackle around. There’s some hesitation in his play.”Woods’ size and measurables may make up for any instinctual deficit. Standing 6 feet 4 inches and weighing 314 pounds, Woods is an imposing figure. Pair that frame with quick feet and the ability to stuff the run, and Detillier projects Woods as a fourth-round pick. “Physically, he looks the part,” Detillier said. “He’s a really good athlete, he runs the field well, he has a huge wingspan and he ties up blockers real well.”COLEMAN’S VERSATILITY APPEALING TO TEAMS Teams like multi-faceted players. Coleman, a Baldwin native, spent the 2009 campaign playing linebacker after toiling for three seasons at strong safety. It couldn’t have worked out better. Scouts are excited about Coleman’s combination of coverage skills and LaRon Landry-esque hitting brutality. “I think he’s going to get picked in the fourth or fifth round,” Detillier said. “He’s a heck of a football player. He’s going to play strong safety in the NFL.”But Coleman said teams are telling him both linebacker and safety are in play in his professional future. “A lot of teams, when I talk to them, say they’re in between whether to play me at linebacker or safety,” Coleman said. “They keep telling me I’m going to make a living on special teams.”RILEY’S INSTINCTS, COVERAGE IMPRESSRiley doesn’t have prototypical linebacker measurables. At 6 feet 1 inch and 245 pounds, Riley isn’t as tall or as heavy as the Bradie Jameses and Patrick Willises of the world. But he still stands out. “I like Perry Riley a lot,” Detillier said. “He’s really turned out to be a good football player, and he plays bigger than that 6-foot, 245-pound frame. He’s football smart. He’s a downfield guy, and he’s hell on wheels.”Riley’s weak point seemed to be his lack of coverage skills, evidenced by his lack of reps in passing situations last season. But he’s apparently doing something about it. “Somebody’s worked with him on that because he really looks smooth,” Detillier said. “I’ve talked to a lot of different scouts that say he’s really improved in that category. Before, he seemed a little choppy with his footwork.”ALEM TRYING TO FOLLOW WARE’S MOLDAlem was never heralded for his run defense. The former Tiger defensive lineman and brother of fellow draft prospect Chad Jones made a living terrorizing opposing quarterbacks as a pass-rush aficionado. Said specialization, though narrow, could earn Alem a late-round draft pick. Alem will try to emulate Dallas Cowboys defensive terror DeMarcus Ware as a versatile pass-rushing specialist. “He’s not going to be an every-down player in the NFL,” Detillier said. “He’ll probably come off the board in the sixth or seventh round. A big part of this game is to put the quarterback on his keister as many times as possible and give him the best aerial views of stadiums across America.”EXPERIENCE COULD PROVE VALUABLE FOR HAWKINSOpposing quarterbacks used to pick on Hawkins. Playing across from Tiger cornerback Patrick Peterson will do that. It could be an advantage. Hawkins has been tested plenty. “[Hawkins] held up mentally well,” Detillier said. “He’s really developed pretty good coverage skills. Most of these guys don’t get tested in college. The guys who get tested I think make a quicker adjustment to the league for the fact that they’ve been through that.”INJURIES A RED FLAG FOR ALEXANDERAlexander, the elder statesman of the 2009 squad, might only have a physical in the way of his NFL dream. The Breaux Bridge product missed most of his redshirt freshman season and his junior season because of ankle and knee injuries, respectively. Scouts are worried. Detillier thinks the injuries will push Alexander into the free agent realm. “The injuries have mounted up, and he’s not the same player as he was a couple of years back,” Detillier said. “Does he get drafted or not? That’s a good question. He has to pass a physical.”—-Contact Chris Branch at [email protected].