2012 NFL Mock Draft: Underrated Players Who Will Have Long NFL Careers

When it comes to the NFL Draft, some prospects hog all the attention.

This is especially true this year, as surefire NFL superstars like Andrew Luck, Justin Blackmon and Trent Richardson have been analyzed and broken down ad nauseam by an endless wave of pundits. We know everything there is to know about them, and then some.

But hey, 32 players are going to be drafted in the first round on draft day, and not all of them are going to enter the league with a mountain of expectations awaiting them. That doesn't mean these unheralded players won't have long, productive careers.

Let's take a look at a few examples. Below is a full first-round mock for the 2012 draft, with special attention paid to the more underrated players in the class.

Note: The first 20 picks are set in stone. Picks 21-32 are based off playoff projections.

1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14): Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

You can use a lot of words to describe Andrew Luck, but "underrated" is not one of them. People have put him in the same sentence as John Elway, a hyperbolic comparison that Luck will be hard-pressed to live up to. It's worth it for the Colts to draft Andrew Luck and find out for themselves just how good he is.

2. St. Louis Rams (2-14): Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Justin Blackmon is another guy who is most certainly not underrated. He's an elite receiver who projects as a top-notch possession receiver at the next level. Sam Bradford needs a receiver like that, and Blackmon won't let him down.

3. Minnesota Vikings (3-13): Matt Kalil, OT, USC

All offensive linemen get overlooked, but Matt Kalil has gotten his fair share of attention. He is viewed as an elite left tackle prospect. He'll fit right in with the Vikings, who cut veteran left tackle Bryant McKinnie before the start of the 2011 season. 

4. Cleveland Browns (4-12): Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

I actually think scouts and draft pundits are starting to overrate Trent Richardson a little bit, but he's still legitimate. The Browns are going to need a running back after they cut ties with Peyton Hillis, and Richardson would be an easy pick.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12): Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Morris Claiborne is underrated compared to Tyrann Mathieu, but he still managed to win the Jim Thorpe Award. He's ready to be a top-shelf cover corner in the NFL, and the Buccaneers are going to need one of those with Ronde Barber on his way out and Aqib Talib facing a felony assault trial. 

6. Washington Redskins (5-11): Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Robert Griffin III won the Heisman in 2011, and he's going to be a good quarterback in the NFL. Quarterbacks with his athleticism are rare, and you really can't say enough about RG3's precision throwing the football. The Redskins could be getting the next Cam Newton here.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11): Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

The Jaguars badly need a wide receiver, but they're also going to need a cornerback. Rashean Mathis is due to be a free agent, and he's coming off a season in which he tore his ACL. It's time for the Jags to move on, and Dre Kirkpatrick would be a no-brainer pick here.

8. Carolina Panthers (6-10, subject to coin flip with Miami): Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

Quinton Coples is totally overrated, but his athleticism and his high ceiling will make him a top-10 draft pick in April. I like this pick for the Panthers because they could use Coples at both defensive tackle and defensive end, two areas that they could stand to strengthen.

9. Miami Dolphins (6-10, subject to coin flip with Carolina): Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa*

Okay, let's stop and talk about an underrated player: Iowa tackle Riley Reiff.

I mentioned above that offensive linemen don't get the love they deserve, but Reiff is a guy who has gotten even less love than a couple of his comrades. Matt Kalil is universally regarded as an elite prospect, and Stanford's Jonathan Martin has benefited from keeping Andrew Luck safe in recent seasons.

No scouts think Reiff is on the same level as Matt Kalil, but ESPN's Mel Kiper and Bleacher Report's Matt Miller both have Reiff rated ahead of Martin. 

If you're hearing Reiff's name for the first time, it's probably because he's coming from Iowa. The Hawkeyes don't get much national attention, and they weren't anything special in 2011. 

But Reiff will be special in the NFL. Assuming he stays healthy, he could stick around for well over a decade. If he happens to stick with the Dolphins throughout his career, they won't complain.

10. Buffalo Bills (6-10): Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

Thanks to his great play throughout the course of the season, a lot of people caught on to just how dynamic Melvin Ingram is. He's a guy who could play a couple different positions at the next level, and it just so happens the Bills have needs at a couple positions. He would fit right in.

11. Kansas City Chiefs (7-9, subject to coin flip with Seattle): Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

I'll clarify that I wasn't picking on Jonathan Martin in my discussion of Riley Reiff. Martin is slightly overrated, but he's still a good player who will be solid at the next level. The Chiefs need a solid tackle more than anything, so Martin would be a no-brainer pick here.

12. Seattle Seahawks (7-9, subject to coin flip with Kansas City): David DeCastro, G, Stanford

David DeCastro is pretty much in the same boat as Jonathan Martin. Nonetheless, he's the best interior lineman in the 2012 draft class, and he would fit well on a Seahawks team that has a number of issues to work out with its offensive line.

13. Arizona Cardinals (8-8): Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

Depending on who you ask, Alshon Jeffery is either overrated or underrated. I personally think he's rated just right. The Cardinals need a wide receiver to take some pressure off of Larry Fitzgerald, and they would be stealing Jeffery if he were to fall this far in the draft. He belongs in the top 10.

14. Dallas Cowboys (8-8): Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

No player on Alabama's defense is underrated. Especially not Courtney Upshaw, who might be the most dangerous playmaker the Crimson Tide have. If the Cowboys drafted him, they would immediately have one of the best linebacking corps in the league.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8): Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College*

Luke Kuechly has the same problem as Riley Reiff in that he's been overlooked because of the team he plays on.

Boston College is going through a rough spell at the moment, but Kuechly has been a rock in the Eagles' defense for three years now. He lives to tackle people, and it's something that he does very well.

Here's all you need to know about Kuechly: 142 tackles in 2009, 183 tackles in 2010, 191 tackles in 2011.

That kind of production is hard to match, and there's no reason to think Kuechly won't be productive in the NFL.

Especially if he lands with the Philadelphia Eagles. They let a few too many runners through the trenches in 2011, and they didn't have anybody to clean up. Kuechly would be that somebody, and he will have a home in the league for a long time.

16. New York Jets (8-8): Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

Michael Floyd is definitely not underrated. He's rated just right, and I have him down as a lock to go somewhere between pick No. 11 and pick No. 20 on draft day. Plaxico Burress is done in New York and Santonio Holmes may also be done after the stunt he pulled in Week 17. The Jets may need Floyd.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (from 8-8 Oakland Raiders): Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

Lamar Miller is totally underrated, but I'm not one to assume that any running back is going to have a long NFL career. Serious injuries tend to find them and destroy them. Still, the Bengals are going to need a running back after waving goodbye to Cedric Benson, and Miller would be an easy pick.

18. San Diego Chargers (8-8): Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia

Cordy Glenn hasn't gotten the attention he deserves, but I wouldn't go so far as to call him underrated. He projects as a rock-solid right tackle in the NFL, and the Chargers could use one of those. 

19. Chicago Bears (8-8): Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

Mike Adams should probably go lower in the first round, but it's worth it for the Bears to reach for him. Their offensive line needs work, and Adams would be a fitting complement to 2011 first-round pick Gabe Carimi.

20. Tennessee Titans (9-7): Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina*

There seems to be a difference of opinion on Zach Brown. Matt Miller has him as the No. 2 outside linebacker in the 2012 draft class, Mel Kiper has him rated No. 20 overall, and ESPN's Todd McShay doesn't have Miller on his big board at all.

I'll say this about Zach Brown: He could end up being one of the four or five best players in the 2012 draft class a couple years down the road.

You can tell by looking at Brown's numbers from the past two seasons that he has improved as a football player. He made plays in 2010, but he emerged as a much more complete player in 2011, totaling over 100 tackles, racking up 5.5 sacks, forcing two fumbles and picking off three passes.

Part of the reason Brown is able to have such an impact on a given game is because of his speed. He's the fastest linebacker in the 2012 draft class, an asset that makes up for his relatively small frame.

On the Titans, Brown would fit in alongside fellow youngsters Colin McCarthy and Akeem Ayers. The three of them would be a formidable trio for years to come.

21. Denver Broncos (8-8): Devon Still, DT, Penn State

Devon Still is hands down the best defensive tackle in the 2012 draft class. The Broncos have been putting up with a weakness at defensive tackle since the start of the season, and drafting Still would allow them to remedy the situation.

22. New York Giants (9-7): Vontaze Burfict, ILB, Arizona State

Vontaze Burfict is the biggest question mark in the 2012 draft class. My guess is that he will go in the first round, but only if a team feels confident that it can correct Burfict's assorted problems. Tom Coughlin would be up to the task.

23. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7): Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

Alfonzo Dennard is rated just right. He'll be a solid pick in the latter third of the first round, and he would fit with the Bengals pretty well. They need a long-term solution to take the place vacated by Johnathan Joseph.

24. Detroit Lions (10-6): Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

Stephon Gilmore is slightly underrated, but it's not like teams are missing out on a surefire Pro Bowler. Gilmore will be a serviceable player, and he would fit well on the Lions. They need a rover in their secondary to make plays.

25. Houston Texans (10-6): Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor*

I'm going to be honest with you about this one. Kendall Wright is not regarded as an elite wide receiver prospect, but he's going to be a productive player if he ends up on the right team.

It's hard to think of a more perfect team for Wright than the Texans. As long as Andre Johnson is around, there wouldn't be too much pressure on Wright to be the guy in Houston's passing attack, and the Texans also have Arian Foster and Ben Tate to keep the pressure off him.

All Wright would have to do is go deep. That's what he did best at Baylor playing with Robert Griffin III, and it's what he would do best playing with Matt Schaub in Houston.

What we would see, however, is that Wright isn't just a DeSean Jackson-like deep threat. Wright has speed, to be sure, but he's also a savvy receiver who knows how to create separation and make plays in times of need.

He strikes me as more of a Victor Cruz-type player. These days, that's high praise.

26. Cleveland Browns (from 10-6 Atlanta Falcons): Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer reported on Tuesday that there is going to be a quarterback battle in Browns camp in 2010. Assuming he's still there for the taking, I'm thinking this QB battle will involve fallen star Landry Jones.

27. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4): Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis*

Just like offensive linemen, nose tackles don't get enough love.

Thus, I'd like to pause and give a very deserving shoutout to Memphis nose tackle Dontari Poe. He's the best nose tackle in the 2012 draft class, and he simply hasn't gotten the attention he deserves because he plays at Memphis.

At 6'3" and about 335 pounds, Poe definitely has the size to handle nose tackle duties at the next level. He also has the strength and the motor, meaning he will be a terror for opposing linemen.

But the reason I like Poe's prospects in the NFL is because he would be a perfect fit for the Steelers here. Their top need is offensive line help, but they would also be wise to find an heir apparent for Casey Hampton. He's getting up there in years.

If Poe were to take Hampton's place down the line, he would be surrounded by some pretty great defenders. If he does his thing, they would do their thing, resulting in a long Hampton-like career for Poe.

28. San Francisco 49ers (13-3): Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

I'm really on the fence about this pick, but I think the 49ers would make it. They may lose Carlos Rogers to free agency, but they could use a corner even if they don't. Janoris Jenkins would come with plenty of character concerns, but Jim Harbaugh would keep him straight.

29. Baltimore Ravens (12-4): Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama

It would be cool to see the Ravens replace Ray Lewis with Vontaze Burfict, but they probably won't get a shot at him. Thankfully, Dont'a Hightower will be around, and he'll be a much safer pick. He's not as athletic as Burfict, but he's less wild.

30. New England Patriots (from 13-3 New Orleans Saints): Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska

I've been mocking Jared Crick to the Patriots for a couple weeks now. They need defensive line help, and Crick is a guy they could use anywhere no matter which scheme they decide to go with in 2012. Crick likely would have been a top-10 pick if it hadn't been for a torn pectoral muscle, so getting him here is a steal for the Pats.

31. New England Patriots (13-3): Markelle Martin, S, Oklahoma State

The Pats would love to draft a corner here, but there are none worth reaching for. They need safety help too, and Markelle Martin is a guy who could help out immediately. He's a solid free safety, and he's more ready for the pro game than Alabama's Mark Barron.

32. Green Bay Packers (15-1): Chris Polk, RB, Washington*

I'll repeat that you can't take long careers for granted when it comes to running backs, so I'll keep this discussion of Chris Polk brief.

The reason I do want to single Polk out is because he might just be the most underrated player in the 2012 draft class. He's had a very productive career at Washington, and he boasts a skill set that will translate perfectly to the NFL.

Transitioning into the league will be even easier for Polk if he ends up on the Packers. He would immediately upgrade their lackluster rushing attack, but defenses would be too worried about Aaron Rodgers to worry about him.

Polk would fly under the radar with the Packers, but he would produce.