A dynamic hard-hitting defender that's somewhere between a safety and linebacker, T.J. Ward presented an enormous problem for opposing offenses. His versatility made him a sound and speedy tackler, as well as a ball-hawking defensive back that could attack the pass and run with equal destructive ability, which earned him Pro Bowl selections in 2013 and 2014.
But because of a ruptured patellar tendon early in his senior year of high school, he wasn't recruited as the blue-chip prospect he should have been. He worked hard to become a starter at De La Salle High School, one of the nation's best high school football programs, but his future became clouded because of the untimely injury, which meant that much of his tape was as a reserve on the team before he became a starter.