"When it comes to defensive tackles and base defensive ends, no one in this draft can begin to compare to Boston College's B.J. Raji and Louisiana State's Tyson Jackson.

In an imperfect pool of players, Raji has the possibility of turning out like Warren Sapp if he goes to a team using a 4-3 defense or Vince Wilfork if he goes to a 3-4 team.

"Raji can play any way he wants to play," said Bill Polian, president of the Indianapolis Colts. "He's probably more like Sapp in a 350-pound body. Raji isn't that fast, but he's fast. Or he would be a moving-type nose tackle."

Many personnel people are of the opinion that Raji has more value than Jackson, who was described by Polian as "made to order" to play end in a 3-4.

"Tyson is a prototypical 5-technique if you're using New England as a model with those 295- to 305-pound guys," Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. "He sets the edge well and runs to the ball very well."

The squatty Raji, who stands 6 feet 1½ inches and weighed 330 pounds a month ago, is the only legitimate candidate to play nose tackle in the draft, according to Phil Savage, former general manager of the Cleveland Browns. Another personnel man said Jackson was the only end in the draft with the size to anchor in the 3-4.

"It's not a big body draft," said Trent Baalke, director of player personnel for the San Francisco 49ers. "So if you want one, you're going to have to go get him."

In an attempt to combat the proliferation of spread offenses in college football, schools appear to be using faster and faster players on defense.

"So you get smaller guys up front who can run and chase," said Tom Modrak, vice president of player personnel for the Buffalo Bills. "You get defensive ends that can turn into linebackers but the down side is there aren't as many big people for the 5-technique and the nose."

Twenty personnel men with national orientation were asked by the Journal Sentinel to rank the defensive tackles on a 1-to-5 basis, with a first-place vote worth five points, a second worth four and so forth.

Raji was first on 15 ballots and finished with 95 points. After Mississippi's Peria Jerry (four firsts, 74½ points) and Missouri's Evander "Ziggy" Hood (one first, 65½), the supply of capable inside players grows thin."