Football smarts and stellar character raise LB's value

STEVE KIRK/NEWS STAFF WRITER

There are plenty of bigger, stronger and faster linebackers than DeMeco Ryans available in this weekend's NFL Draft.

Not too many of them will be picked higher.

"Everybody's interested in a guy like DeMeco Ryans," said longtime NFL executive Gil Brandt of NFL.com.

Ryans, a 6-foot-1, 236-pound athlete, didn't just lead the University of Alabama's defense in tackles. He led it in respect. READ MORE