NFL Draft 2012: Ranking the 7 Best Defensive Prospects

Offense scores points, and defense wins championships. As football fans, we have heard that long since the days of Lombardi, Shula and Halas.

While the talk of the 2012 NFL draft appears to be about the offensive talent, there are some pretty stellar players who are graduating or have made it clear of their decision to come out early in this year's talent party.

And the talent isn't limited to the defensive line or any one particular area.

Looking at the schools who will be losing these players, it could be just as good a year for the defensive side of the ball as it is for the offense, and that includes the likes of Andew Luck of Stanford, Trent Richardson of Alabama and Riley Reiff of Iowa.

These players could certainly make some noise in the NFL this season and have a direct impact on the team that drafts them.

Quinton Coples, Defensive Tackle/End, North Carolina

He is not as talented as Julius Peppers, but not many defensive ends are. Still, Coples may be the best defensive talent on the board and the top lineman selected this season.

At 6'6" and 285 pounds, Coples can play on the end or in the middle at tackle, as he is listed as a defensive tackle on some boards.

His speed (4.76 in the 40-yard dash) makes him an attractive choice as a pass rusher for a team that needs to attack the quarterback.

Morris Claiborne, Defensive Back, LSU

I have seen Claiborne listed on some websites as the top defensive prospect in this draft. I am always skeptical of defensive backs being selected that high when there have been so many misses early in past drafts.

Still, there is no doubt Claiborne is a talent, and he is one of the reasons the LSU defense is so good this year.

He is 6'0" and 185 pounds and has good speed to cover receivers deep (4.45 in the 40). He could also aid a team in the return game.

Whether he is the top talent or just a notch below, he will be a top-10 selection.

Dre Kirkpatrick, Cornerback, Alabama

The leader of a tough Crimson Tide secondary, he has a chance to be the best defender coming out of this draft.

Kirkpatrick has played against the best talents in the country in the SEC and was a major reason why LSU and Alabama could not score more than field goals in their first contest in November.

At 6'2" and just under 200 pounds, he is a tall and rangy defensive back who can cover receivers down the field and in the end zone.

Devon Still, Defensive Tackle, Penn State

The question is, will he be a better prospect and player coming out than former Penn State player Courtney Brown?

Still is mammoth at 6'4" and 310 pounds. He would plug the middle of a defense. Some draft boards have him ranked in the top 10 in terms of talent.

If he plays like a top-10 talent, the team that selects him in the middle of the first round will have a steal and a defensive lineman for the next decade.

Melvin Ingram, Linebacker, South Carolina

He is a beast. Ingram, a red-shirt senior for the Gamecocks is huge at 276 pounds. He is listed as an outside linebacker, but I could also see him on the line as an end in rushing situations.

Like Coples, he has tremendous speed for his size (4.82 in the 40) and could easily be the best lineman selected out of this draft in a few years.

He gave Gamecocks defensive coach Ellis Johnson some flexibility in the South Carolina defense.

He could be a Terrell Suggs-type player in the right system.

Janoris Jenkins, Defensive Back, North Alabama

I am still going to ride this one.

He was an great talent at the University of Florida before off-the-field troubles got the best of him. He decided to come back for his senior season and was kicked off the team for those transgressions.

Does that take away from his talent? I don't think so.

Jenkins would have been a first-round selection in the 2011 draft. And a year at North Alabama may have made him more mature.

He should be a late first round selection, which will give some playoff team a good cover corner. And you cannot have too many of those in this day of passing offenses.

Vontaze Burfict, Linebacker, Arizona State

Where does he fit in this draft?

While Jenkins has off-field question marks, Burfict has on-field questions to be answered.

As a junior coming out, he might be the most-ready linebacker in the draft.

His temper and attitude are a question mark. But if the right team can help him control that (Baltimore and Ray Lewis?), then Burfict could be the gem of this draft and the one that 31 other teams let get away.