2012 NFL Mock Draft: College Stars Whose Stock Will Plummet on Draft Day

The leap from college football to the NFL is never an easy one, even (and perhaps especially) for those who achieve stardom before their leap to the pros. Even for "can't-miss" prospects like Andrew Luck and Trent Richardson, the road to NFL stardom is filled with pitfalls—so many of which make the draft the crapshoot it so often is.

That's not to say that success at the collegiate level is at all a bad thing for those looking to make the leap. Rather, putting up gaudy numbers while in college just doesn't necessarily equate to being a top draft pick. In many cases, piling up yards and touchdowns in college is as much about the system a guy plays in as it is his particular abilities.

For these five prospects, their play on Saturdays—while impressive and fun to watch in its own right—won't keep them from making a living on Sundays, but it won't exactly make the path getting there any less treacherous to travel.

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Kellen Moore, QB (Boise State)

What's not to like about Kellen Moore?

He was a four-year starter at Boise State, where he was a Heisman Trophy finalist, an All-American and a 50-game winner—the first in the history of college football.

Not to mention he threw for nearly 15,000 yards and 142 touchdowns against just 28 interceptions while wearing Bronco Blue.

Well, as it turns out, even that's not enough to earn a meal ticket into the NFL. Scouts and GMs look for size and arm strength, which Moore purportedly doesn't have.

Okay, so being six feet tall and less than 200 pounds isn't exactly ideal for anyone looking to call signals on Sundays, but if there's anything we've learned in the NFL this year, it's that size isn't everything. Just look at Drew Brees, who—at a size similar to Moore—broke Dan Marino's single-season passing record and may be the league MVP.

Moore may be small, but the guy is smart enough and can make all the throws to play at the next level. Expect someone to snag him with a sixth- or seventh-round pick, if not invite him to camp as an undrafted free agent.

Case Keenum, QB (Houston)

Now, if you're looking for a guy who can shatter passing records, look no further than Case Keenum.

The sixth-year senior reset the bar in just about every quarterbacking category during his illustrious career at Houston. With one game (the TicketCity Bowl) to go, Keenum is already the NCAA's all-time leader in career passing yards, passing touchdowns, total offense, 300-yard games, 5,000-yard seasons and completions.

So what's the downside for scouts, you ask?

Well, aside from his reconstructed knee, his poor performance against Southern Miss' defense in the Conference USA Championship Game, his relatively slight size (6'2", 210 pounds) and the fact that he's coming out of the same system that produced Kevin Kolb—errr, there is no downside!

To his credit, Keenum is an incredibly accurate passer and a gutsy leader who came back for one final run after tearing his ACL in the first game of what was supposed to be his senior season.

Still, don't be surprised if Keenum's name isn't called at all this spring and he's instead forced to fight his way onto a 53-man roster.

Brandon Weeden, QB (Oklahoma State)

And you thought Case Keenum was old—have a look at Brandon Weeden's birth certificate!

Weeden spent five years bouncing around the minor leagues as a pitcher before giving up baseball and pursuing a new path as a quarterback in his home state. The move proved to be a smart one for Weeden, as he's led Oklahoma State to back-to-back 11-win seasons and the first BCS bowl game in school history.

At 6'4", Weeden is certainly big enough to play on Sundays and has proven himself to be a mature leader of men on the football field and in the locker room.

Then again, he should be more mature than his college teammates, seeing as how he's just 10 weeks past his 28th birthday. Playing in a pass-happy system under Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy doesn't exactly help his case, either.

However, the fact that Weeden will be coming into the NFL at his athletic prime should make him an intriguing option in the third or fourth round for teams in search of a stop-gap under center.

Russell Wilson, QB (Wisconsin)

Speaking of two-sport stars, Russell Wilson spent some time playing baseball in the minors, albeit for far less time than Weeden did and while playing football at North Carolina State.

Wilson was a rousing success during his lone season as a senior transfer at Wisconsin, leading the Badgers to the Big Ten championship and their second Rose Bowl appearance in as many years.

Even so, Wilson didn't get much publicity after 'Sconsin lost to Michigan State in October and didn't put up particularly gaudy numbers, due in large part to the tremendous play of backfield-mate and Heisman finalist Montee Ball.

Wilson is small for a signal-caller (5'11", 201 pounds), but there's no denying what a tremendous athlete he is at the position. He can make all the throws, make plays with his feet and deliver the ball from within or outside the pocket.

Someone will pick Wilson up in the third round or later and be glad they did not too far down the road.

Vontaze Burfict, LB (Arizona State)

Okay, enough with all these quarterbacks.

How about someone who'll make his living crushing signal-callers rather than playing as one?

Vontaze Burfict fits the bill quite perfectly, actually. From a purely athletic standpoint, college linebackers don't get much better than this Arizona State star. He's big (6'3", 250 pounds), he's fast, he hits hard and he's got the mean streak of a prototypical linebacker to boot.

Unfortunately for Burfict's draft status, that nasty attitude—while a huge asset when harnessed properly—has gotten the kid in a spot of trouble during his days in Tempe. Burfict was benched by then-Sun Devils coach Dennis Erickson in 2010 for racking up too many personal foul penalties and made headlines this year when he ended up in a war of words with USC quarterback Matt Barkley.

Those issues won't likely keep Burfict out of the first round, though it will allow a good team to steal a top 10 talent late in the first round.