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Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson looks at AFC North players on the verge of a breakout in 2011.

Emmanuel Sanders could be poised to go right past Hines Ward on Pittsburgh’s depth chart next season. Both Sanders and Ward project well to the slot, and both should see close to equal playing time next year, but the arrow is clearly pointing up for Sanders’ career and pointing down on the reliable and tough Ward.

Sanders isn’t the biggest wideout around, but he is extremely quick and an excellent space player. He is very good after the catch and isn’t bashful about attacking the ball in the air or going over the middle into the teeth of the defense.

As Sanders received playing time, he consistently showed up on tape. Much like Mike Wallace a year ago, Sanders could be primed for a big jump in production during his sophomore season. Sanders also doesn’t give up on a play and continues to work to get open, which is a good fit with Ben Roethlisberger -- a master at extending the play and torturing a defense late in the down.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.

Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson looks at AFC North players on the verge of a breakout in 2011.

T.J. Ward and Joe Haden would fit for this series as well, but I already consider Haden a star. Ward, who still has some deficiencies in coverage, isn’t as far along in his development as Mack.

Mack is what you look for at the center position and should quickly establish himself as one of the best few players at the position before long. He moves very well and is excellent at getting to the second level and making key blocks away from the line of scrimmage in the run game.

He isn’t a massive player, but he still handles big power nose tackle-types well in the run game. He isn’t a liability at all as a pass-protector, and he should only improve with his protection.

Mack was exceptional as a rookie in 2009 and followed that up with a strong sophomore season, even though he often had to compensate for the player on his immediate right. But the best is yet to come from this 25-year-old franchise cornerstone.

One last player to keep an eye on for Cleveland is Marcus Benard. He would have been my choice for this piece if the Browns were still running a 3-4 scheme. Now, I am not sure where he fits, other than being a designated pass-rusher. Chris Gocong is the better option as a strongside linebacker in the new scheme.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.

Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson looks at AFC North players on the verge of a breakout in 2011.

Carlos Dunlap is the more likely candidate of these two young impressive defensive linemen to truly become a star for Cincinnati, but Geno Atkins is less well-known and deserves to be discussed thoroughly.

This is one of the quickest interior defensive linemen off the ball in the league. Atkins is an exceptional penetrator overall. His pass-rush skills jump off the tape, and he is already among the best interior situational pass-rushers in the league.

The next step that Cincinnati needs from Atkins is improvement in his run defense, although he isn’t terrible in this regard now. Atkins isn’t the biggest player for the position and needs to show that he can hold up to the pounding when given additional snaps. If he continues to impress -- and I expect he will -- Atkins should pair with Pat Sims to make for very solid starting defensive tackles. Maybe the most encouraging thing about Atkins is that he left college as a very young player and will be 23 this year.

Many have projected Cincinnati to take a defensive linemen with the fourth overall selection, but with the emergence of Atkins to pair with Sims and outside edge players Dunlap and Michael Johnson, it might make more sense to draft a quarterback with that pick or someone like Georgia’s A.J. Green or LSU’s Patrick Peterson -- especially if Johnathan Joseph departs in free agency.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.

Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson looks at AFC North players on the verge of a breakout in 2011.

The Baltimore Ravens are one of the best organizations in the NFL and have an excellent roster. But I had a very hard time coming up with a name to feature for this series. There was not an offensive player who really qualified, but there are two lesser-known defenders who have played well while still showing upside. Those two are cornerback Lardarius Webb and defensive tackle Brandon McKinney.

I don’t know that either will truly be a star, but Webb and McKinney should play major roles in what is now an aging defense for the foreseeable future. McKinney needs to get more snaps, and that seems like a logical progression for him in 2011. But the Ravens are very strong at defensive tackle, and Baltimore might be more apt to give Terrence Cody the additional playing time.

Webb, 25, could be starting next season -- Josh Wilson and Chris Carr are up for free agency. Webb, a small-school player from Nicholls State, has really come into his own. He should be a starter for years to come.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.