2012 NFL Draft: 4 Prospects That Gained Most from Wild Card Weekend

Tim Tebow and Drew Brees were the headliners of Wild Card Weekend in the NFL. However, from a 2012 draft angle, a few prospects saw a considerable boost in their stock after what occurred in the opening round. 

Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

Cornerbacks are going to be highly sought-after in the 2012 draft and beyond. We can thank Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Brees and a handful of other deadly quarterbacks for that. 

While Morris Claiborne will most likely be the first defensive back selected, after watching the Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons get shredded through the air, Alfonzo Dennard should rest easy knowing he'll, at worst, find a home somewhere between the 21st and 25th picks.

Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia

Minnifield is a late-first or early-second round prospect in the eyes of many, but similar to Dennard, his stock was boosted after the Wild Card Round. 

The case can even be made for the Denver Broncos to draft a cornerback, with Champ Bailey in the twilight of his career.

The 6'0'', 185-pound corner, who intercepted nine passes over the last two years for the Cavaliers, should sneak into the first 32 picks.

Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia 

The Falcons and Steelers had an extremely difficult time protecting their quarterbacks in their losses over the weekend. 

Although Ben Roethlisberger is in a class of his own in terms of improvising out of the pocket, he needs a more reliable offensive line in front of him to allow deep routes to develop. 

The same goes for Matt Ryan. 

After Stanford's stalwart David DeCastro, Glenn is the next best guard prospect. At 6'6'' and 330 pounds, he'd be an ideal fit in Pittsburgh or Atlanta. He played tackle during his time at Georgia and could even slide over to right tackle in the NFL if need be.  

Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois 

After watching the immense and continual pressure the Broncos put on Big Ben and the Giants put on Ryan, it's safe to say that pass rush is the greatest equalizer in football. 

A total game-changer. 

Mercilus, and any premier pass-rusher for that matter, saw his stock elevate a bit over the weekend. Teams know that, with quarterbacks ruling today's NFL, they need elite edge rushers to be successful. 

The junior from Illinois had a ridiculous 16 sacks in 2011, and at 6'4'' and 265 pounds, he isn't a liability in run support.

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