Pro Bowl Roster 2012: Glaring Snubs with Promising Futures

Hey, there's always next year.

Several promising youngsters were snubbed from the Pro Bowl rosters this season, but the good news is they have plenty of years left in them to make up for it.

Here are three glaring snubs who have promising futures.

QB: Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions

Yes, the Lions have an improved defense, but they wouldn't have clinched a playoff spot this season without Matthew Stafford.

Stafford, in just his third pro season, made everyone around him better and he did so without much of a running game.

He's passed for over 4,500 yards and 36 touchdowns to 14 interceptions this season, and has tossed nine touchdowns to zero interceptions in the Lions' last three games.

Lions fans should be ecstatic about this kid.

WR: Victor Cruz, New York Giants

What a revelation rookie Victor Cruz has been for the Giants.

Undrafted out of Massachusetts, Cruz opened up the Giants' offense this season and gave them a true deep threat, catching 76 balls for 1,358 yards and eight touchdowns.

And he's not done yet. Expect him to make his mark against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday as the Giants win the NFC East.

LB: Aldon Smith, San Francisco 49ers

We all know about inside linebacker Patrick Willis.

But rookie Aldon Smith has been spectacular this season, racking up 14 sacks. He's one sack away from breaking Jevon Kearse's all-time rookie record.

If you watched the 49ers' game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, in particular, Smith was a menace, continually making his way into the backfield and roughing up quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Smith looks like an All-Pro for years to come and teams will soon wise up and start double-teaming him.