2012 NFL Draft: The 10 Most Valuable Players in the Class 

With several draft prospects emerging from the 2012 NFL Draft, Andrew Luck, Trent Richardson, and Robert Griffin III will top the class.

The talent pool in this draft is deep, and down the road when fans look back at this draft, they will realize how many NFL stars were in it.

Years from now, Luck and RGIII will be two of the better quarterbacks in the league and Richardson will be a premier running back, but which player will top this class?

These are the 10 players from the draft that will make the most impact in the NFL during their careers.

10. Melvin Ingram

LSU's Honey Badger wasn’t the only player in the SEC that made big-time defensive plays this season.

Melvin Ingram had an astounding 10 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and recorded 48 tackles this season. But that’s not all Ingram did, as he recorded two interceptions and made game-changing plays like scoring two touchdowns against the Georgia Bulldogs.

Ingram showed off his athleticism with a 68-yard run coming off of a fake punt and scooped up a fumble for a touchdown in the victory.

Offensive tackles will have their hands full with Ingram’s athleticism for years to come.

9. Janoris Jenkins

If Janoris Jenkins can get his life together, he can be one of the league’s best, but that’s a big "if".

Jenkins was kicked off the team by the Florida Gators before the season and has been arrested multiple times, but man, does this guy have talent.

In a league that had Mo Claiborne and Dre Kirkpatrick, Jenkins was thought to be the best cornerback in the SEC.

In his career at Florida, Jenkins had 106 tackles, two sacks, and eight interceptions. The talent is there, and if Jenkins can put it all together mentally, he’ll have unlimited success in the NFL.

8. Ladarius Green

Relatively unheard of because he played at ULL, Ladarius Green is going to be the steal of the draft.

In case you haven’t noticed, more and more teams are going with multiple tight end sets in the NFL and it has led to tremendous success.

That’s basically the New England Patriots offense with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez catching Tom Brady’s passes.

A great tight end has turned out to be essential for an offense in the league, and that’s just what a team would be getting with Green.

Green had 51 receptions, 606 yards, and eight touchdowns in 2011, and he possesses the speed and athleticism to cause mismatch after mismatch.

7. Luke Kuechly

All Luke Kuechly does is tackle.

In his career, Kuechly recorded 516, yes 516, tackles and seven interceptions. That’s absolutely incredible, and in 2011, he recorded 191 tackles and three interceptions.

Kuechly was one of the best defensive players in college football for a couple of years, and once he lands with an NFL team, he’ll emerge as one of the best defenders in the league.

6. Courtney Upshaw

Courtney Upshaw’s versatility makes him a scary man to scheme against.

Upshaw can play linebacker in a 3-4 defense and play defensive end while still creating havoc in the backfield and impacting the game.

Upshaw recorded 52 tackles, 9.5 sacks, and an interception this season, with one of those sacks coming in the national championship game.

Upshaw will be a force to be reckoned with at the next level, and offenses will have to prepare for his movement around the defense.

5. Mo Claiborne

Shut down corners can have a tremendous impact on a game.

That’s why a shut-down corner like Darrelle Revis can make a defense go from good to great, and Mo Claiborne will do just that when he’s drafted in April.

Claiborne is a great corner that possesses the athleticism to intercept passes thrown his way and return them all the way to house with his speed and shifty moves.

In his senior season, Claiborne recorded six of his 11 career interceptions.

4. Justin Blackmon

A powerful receiver with great size and ability can alter an entire defenses’ game plan. Just ask Calvin Johnson.

Justin Blackmon has the potential to become an elite receiver at the next level, but you already knew that if you’ve watched a glimpse of Oklahoma State this season.

Blackmon recorded 1,522 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior and recorded 1,782 and 20 touchdowns the previous season.

Blackmon is a real freak that can alter a game with a catch, broken tackle, or burst of speed down the sideline.

3. Robert Griffin III

Is this guy exciting to watch or what?

Not only is he so efficient in the passing game, but he makes plays with his feet while showing a calm, cool demeanor.

Robert Griffin III winning the Heisman was no fluke because he had a miraculous season and made the Baylor Bears relevant.

RGIII passed for 4,293 yards, completed 72.4 percent of his passes, and threw 37 touchdowns with six interceptions.

Griffin made an improvement from last year’s 67 completion percentage, 22 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, and you can expect RGIII to improve his game even more in the pros.

2. Andrew Luck

Andrew Luck could be the most-hyped prospect of all-time, and he’ll live up to most of the hype.

If you look at the season Luck had with limited weapons at the wide receiver position, it was pretty remarkable. Luck threw for 3,517 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.

Luck was talked up as the perfect prospect, and really those expectations were unfair. Make no mistake about it though, this guy is going to be a great quarterback at the next level with his arm and brain doing most of the work.

1. Trent Richardson

There’s not a doubt in my mind that Trent Richardson will be the best running back in the league in three years.

He’s built like a truck, and like a truck, this guy can run you over.

Richardson rushed for 1,679 yards this season with 21 rushing touchdowns, and he did that in the SEC where they play defense.

Richardson possesses the speed to create separation once he gets outside and possesses the strength to break tackle after tackle. Richardson has the potential to be one of the best running backs of all time.