2012 NFL Mock Draft: Identifying the Draft's Biggest Medical Concerns

Injuries. 

They happen at every level of football, from Pee-Wee to the NFL. The game is a violent sport, and the medical side of the sport will never go away.

But if there is one level of football (considering you have professional aspirations) where you must avoid injuries, it's college football. With injuries comes the dreaded "medical risk" red flag that plummets the draft stock of players every season.

Let's quickly take a look at some of the big-name players from the 2012 class that will likely find that red flag associated with them come April. 

DL Jared Crick, Nebraska

Crick entered the 2011 college football season as one of the top defensive linemen in the country, but a torn pectoral muscle early in the year cost him the rest of the Cornhuskers' season. Now, Crick is likely a late first-round pick.

He's going to need a run of solid pre-draft workouts, given he's healthy enough to participate, to calm fears over his injury risk. Teams will shy away from previously injured linemen, especially those dealing with ligament or muscle tears.   

WR Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma

Oklahoma receiver Ryan Broyles, who is the all-time receptions leader in FBS history, tore his ACL in October of this year. The injury was a massive hit on what was already a shaky draft status for April.

While Broyles was as productive as you could have asked for in a receiver at OU, his knee injury only compounds worries about his top end speed and burst.

ACL tears today aren't as catastrophic as they once were, but this is still a major worry for any team that looks into adding Broyles.   

RB LaMichael James, Oregon

I'm sure you remember the injury, a gruesome sight which saw James dislocate his right elbow against Cal back in October. While it wasn't a season-ender, that injury is just one in a long line of ailments James has dealt with during his time at Oregon.

There's an obvious reason for his durability concerns.

At 5'9", 185 pounds, James simply doesn't absorb hits as well as bigger backs. For that reason, he's always going to be an injury risk, especially at the NFL level where the players and hits are magnified.  

C Peter Konz, Wisconsin

Wisconsin's starting center dislocated his ankle in a game against Minnesota earlier this season, and he's finally making his way back into the lineup for the UW's Rose Bowl clash with Oregon. 

Keep on an eye on Konz. Most rate him as the best center in the 2012 class and a first-round pick. Any loss of lateral movement because of the ankle could be a major red flag.

Konz has also had various knee problems during his time at UW. 

T Andrew Datko, Florida State

Datko came into the season with an opportunity to vault himself in the first round of the draft, but another shoulder injury has derailed that chance.

Datko, who many considered the top senior tackle, has dealt with a recurring issue in the shoulder throughout his career with FSU.

There's going to be a bunch of NFL teams that see that red flag and take Datko off their boards completely.    

2012 Mock Draft

2012 First-Round NFL Mock Draft

1. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR (Oklahoma State)	17. New York Jets: Brandon Thompson, DE (Clemson)
2. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB (Stanford)	18. Tennessee Titans: Kendall Wright, WR (Baylor)
3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT (USC)	19. Cincinnati (From OAK): Riley Reiff, OT (Iowa)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Trent Richardson, RB (Alabama)	20. Dallas Cowboys: Chase Minnifield, CB (UVA)
5. Cleveland Browns: Michael Floyd, WR (Notre Dame)	21. New York Giants: Jonathan Martin, OT (Stanford)
6. Jacksonville Jaguars: Alshon Jeffery, WR (South Carolina)	22. Houston Texans: Devon Still, DT (Penn State)
7. Miami Dolphins: Morris Claiborne, CB (LSU)	23. Cincinnati Bengals: Jayron Hosley, CB (Virginia Tech)
8. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin, QB (Baylor)	24. Denver Broncos:Stephon Gilmore, CB (South Carolina)
9. Carolina Panthers: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB (Alabama)	25. Detroit Lions: Zach Brown, LB (UNC)
10. Kansas City Chiefs: David DeCastro, G (Stanford)	26. San Francisco 49ers: Mark Barron, S (Alabama)
11. Buffalo Bills: Alfonzo Dennard, CB (Nebraska)	27. Cleveland (From ATL): Vontaze Burfict, LB (ASU)
12. San Diego Chargers: Luke Kuechly, LB (Boston College)	28. Baltimore Ravens: Dont'a Hightower, LB (Alabama)
13. Philadelphia Eagles: Courtney Upshaw, LB (Alabama)	29. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Adams, OT (Ohio State)
14. Arizona Cardinals: Cordy Glenn, G (Georgia)	30. New England Patriots (From NO): Janoris Jenkins, CB (North Alabama)
15. Seattle Seahawks: Quinton Coples, DE (UNC)	31. New England Patriots: Cam Johnson, DE (UVA)
16. Chicago Bears: Nick Toon, WR (Wisconsin)	32. Green Bay Packers: Melvin Ingram, DE (South Carolina)