2012 NFL Draft: 10 Players That Boosted Their Stock During Bowl Season

The 2012 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, and many teams are now beginning to move players into positions on draft boards. One thing many teams look at is how players performed during bowl season.

Bowl season is a rare opportunity for potential draft picks to showcase their talent on a national stage. An impressive performance in one game could mean the difference between the first and second round, and also a difference in millions of dollars.

The players on this list utilized the bowl game opportunity to the fullest. Some players are small-school players most would have otherwise never heard of until the draft. Others are bigger names that reinforced their draft stock.

The players will be scrutinized in events such as the NFL combine and pro days, but how the players performed in the biggest games of their collegiate career will be the most important to NFL teams.

Here are 10 players that boosted their draft stock during the bowl season:

Chris Polk, RB, Washington

Chris Polk led Washington into the Alamo Bowl against Robert Griffin III and Baylor. While Polk’s team didn’t come out victorious, Polk showed the national spotlight why he deserves to be taken high in the draft.

Polk carried the ball 30 times for 147 yards and a touchdown. On the season Polk had 1,488 yards and 12 touchdowns, but the Alamo Bowl really showed Polk’s strengths.

Polk has a great frame and all the intangibles of an NFL back. 2011 was his best season yet, and the Alamo Bowl helped introduce Polk to NFL fans and scouts across the globe.

Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Another player that was vastly helped by the Alamo Bowl, Wright was a major reason Baylor was able to fend off Washington in a shootout. Wright has been hidden on draft boards behind big names like Michael Floyd and Justin Blackmon, but not anymore.

In the Alamo Bowl Wright had seven catches for 91 yards and a touchdown.  Wright recorded 108 receptions for 1,663 yards and 14 touchdowns in the regular season but failed to receive high praise from NFL scouts.

Now it’s hard to ignore Wright. He is drawing comparisons to the Carolina Panthers’ Steve Smith, and rightfully so.

Doug Martin, RB, Boise State

It shouldn’t surprise many Boise fans to see Doug Martin on this list. For the rest of the nation, the Maaco Bowl was a coming-out party for one of the best running backs in the nation.

Martin carried the ball 31 times for 151 yards and a touchdown as Boise State embarrassed Arizona State. Martin’s performance is nothing new. He rushed for 1,299 yards and 16 touchdowns in the regular season.

Martin is a criminally underrated prospect that is now beginning to get the recognition he deserves thanks to the Maaco Bowl. His stock is rising higher than anyone’s right now, and Martin could potentially sneak into the first round thanks to his impressive bowl performance.

Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas

Jake Bequette is a seriously underrated defensive end from Arkansas. While playing in the AT&T Cotton Bowl against Kansas State, Bequette improved his draft stock immensely.

In the game Bequette recorded three tackles and two sacks. He was a force that caused the Kansas State offense to be inefficient. Accounting for Bequette on every down opened up opportunities for other Arkansas players as the game went on.

Bequette is a solid player who has the size and ability to transition to outside linebacker in the NFL. Before his bowl game it seemed as if no one knew who he was, now he is rising on every board across the country.

Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State

Jerel Worthy hasn’t exactly been one of the best kept secrets of the upcoming draft. However, his performance in the Outback Bowl against Georgia solidified his status as a first-round pick and a must-have for teams that need help on the defensive line.

Worthy had five total tackles, but the statistics are the most impressive part of his performance. Worthy was essentially unblockable all game and frustrated the Georgia offense on every down.

Worthy is as good against the run as he is the pass. He is now one of the bigger names in the draft, and rightfully so. As long as Worthy can consistently produce, he should be worthy of the money he will receive as a high draft pick.

Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

Michael Floyd, the highly scrutinized receiver for the Irish, used the Champs Sports Bowl against Florida State as a way to let the nation know he is a high first-round pick in the draft.

Floyd only had 41 yards and a touchdown in the game, but was a mismatch for anyone he lined up against. He was stretching the field with ease and opened up other opportunities for his offense because the FSU defense had to account for him.

There isn’t much left to say about Floyd. He is eerily similar to the Miami Dolphins’ Brandon Marshall, and the Champs Sports Bowl was a way to show teams that Floyd is worth the huge risk of an early pick because of the rewards he can offer.

Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

Whitney Mercilus had a breakout season this year, but many weren’t sure if he could consistently put up impressive numbers. Mercilus silenced his doubters with an incredible performance in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl against UCLA.

Mercilus was a dominant force against UCLA, recording five tackles and 1.5 sacks. His constant pressure from the outside disrupted the timing of the UCLA offense as Illinois squeaked by with a 20-14 victory.

Mercilus is arguably the quickest player off the snap in the NFL draft. His relentless motor makes him an attractive option for teams that run either a 4-3 or 3-4. Mercilus should be able to come in and make a difference right away if his bowl game performance was any indication.

Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati

Isaiah Pead hasn’t received much national attention at all this year despite an amazing season. Pead utilized the Liberty Bowl against Vanderbilt to show the nation that he is an NFL-caliber running back.

Pead ran the ball 28 times for 149 yards and a touchdown against Vanderbilt. He compiled 1,259 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in the regular season, so his performance in the Liberty Bowl shouldn’t come as a huge surprise.

Pead is a blazing fast back that has the ability to cut outside and burn any defense he encounters. Pead turned heads in the Liberty Bowl and is now one of the biggest risers on all big boards.

Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina

Zach Brown hasn’t been receiving enough attention as one of the best linebackers in this draft class. The senior used the Independence Bowl against Missouri as a way to show the nation he belongs in the first round.

Brown recorded four total tackles and an interception in the loss to Missouri. Brown had massive stats all season, and his three interceptions for a linebacker are very appealing to potential NFL teams.

Brown is a decent-sized linebacker that has the potential to transition to the NFL with relative ease. His unique skill set displayed in the Independence Bowl moved him up on most big boards.

Jordan White, WR, Western Michigan

Jordan White isn’t exactly the biggest name entering the NFL draft this year. He should be soon once the nation realizes he had an outstanding season while shattering several of Greg Jennings’ records at WMU.

In the Little Caesars Bowl White caught 13 passes for a jaw-dropping 265 yards and a touchdown despite losing to Purdue. White was simply uncoverable, and had been all season. For his senior season White caught 140 passes for 1,911 yards and 17 touchdowns.

White did exactly what a small-school player must do—capture the attention of the nation during a bowl game. Now that he has done this, White should be taken higher than expected in the draft.

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