2012 NFL Draft: One Player at Each Position with the Highest Bust Potential

One of the most highly discussed aspects of the NFL draft is busts.

Everyone wants to avoid them. They set back franchises for years. JaMarcus Russell and Ryan Leaf are the two most famous, but teams are dealt devastating blows every year with one bad draft pick.

There are safe draft picks, and there are risky draft picks. Sometimes these risky prospects have higher upside, and sometimes they don't.

The fact that a prospect is more likely to bust does not suggest he is a bad prospect. Teams need to take risks in order to develop into good franchises. Jason Pierre-Paul was a risky draft pick. So was Vernon Gholston.

Many of these 2012 prospects are sure-fire first-round picks, as they should be. Others I wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole.

Quarterback: Brock Osweiler, Arizona State

The problem with Brock Osweiller is where he is going to be drafted. In the late second or third round, I have no problem with Osweiler. I think he's a high-upside player who needs some time to develop, but I like him.

Unfortunately, it looks like Osweiler will be drafted in the first or second round. At 6'8", 240 pounds, Osweiler is a great athlete with fantastic size and a strong arm. He's inaccurate at times, and his decison-making is shaky, but he possesses the tools to succeed.

However, Osweiler is basically a hit-or-miss prospect. Either he will develop the skill necessary to play at a high level or he won't. There aren't any other options.

Running Back: David Wilson, Virginia Tech

David Wilson is a great athlete and a high-upside player, but he isn't a great running back. The 5'11", 205-pounder is fast, shifty and explosive; however, he has a lot to learn about the running back position.

Wilson doesn't have great vision, and he lacks a feel for the position. Odds are a team will draft Wilson in the second round, and he may become a stud, but he could also be out of the NFL in two years.

Wide Receiver: Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina

Of all the wide receivers in the 2012 NFL draft, Alshon Jeffery has the most ability. The 6'3", 230-pounder can catch almost any pass, is incredibly smooth and does a good job with the ball in his hands.

On the other hand, Jeffery has some serious issues. The South Carolina star isn't very fast and looked out of shape during the 2011 season.

If he keeps his weight down, Jeffery could easily be a legitimate No. 1 wideout for years to come. That's a big if, though.

Tight End: Orson Charles, Georgia

Freakish tight ends are the latest and greatest trend, and Orson Charles is riding the coattails of the Jimmy Graham hype train. Charles is definitely a fantastic athlete, but he has question marks.

One of Charles' biggest problems is his history of drops. Drops will knock any receiver out of the draft, and Charles is not a blocker. The Georgia star isn't all that big either, and he will have to rely entirely on his athletic ability in the NFL.

Offensive Tackle: Mike Adams, Ohio State

I'm a big Mike Adams fan. I think he's one of the most underrated players in the 2012 NFL draft, and he's a first-round talent. None of this changes the fact that he is an extremely risky pick.

Prior to his senior season, Adams was an underachiever at Ohio State. The 6'8", 320-pounder has all the physical ability in the world, but he often looked lazy and didn't perform at a high level until his senior year.

In the NFL, Adams could be an elite left tackle. Matt Kalil is the only other tackle in this draft with that type of upside.

Offensive Guard: Cordy Glenn, Georgia

It's easy to see why people love Cordy Glenn. He's a 6'5", 350-pound tackle with incredible strength and run-blocking ability. Glenn will play guard in the NFL, and people drool over his fit in a power-blocking scheme.

But there's no way around it: Glenn is slow. Many massive linemen—Shawn Andrews, Jason Peters, Carl Nicks—have been able to play in the NFL. However, they all have one thing Glenn doesn't—speed.

The biggest reason I see Glenn busting is that I don't see a scenario in which he will succeed.

Center: Michael Brewster, Ohio State

I don't know that Michael Brewster will actually bust, but I definitely don't think he will be a starting-caliber lineman. The 6'5", 305-pound Brewster isn't big or strong enough to handle powerful nose tackles, and he can't even snap the ball.

Brewster is a smart player, but he was accused of tipping the snap counts during his senior season. If Brewster was unable to master something this simple after starting at center for four years at Ohio State, there isn't too much hope for him.

Defensive End: Whitney Mercilus, Illinois

Everyone loves sacks, and Whitney Mercilus picked up 16 of them in 2011. Mercilus weighs in at 6'4", 265 pounds—great size for a pass-rusher—and has produced at an elite level.

However, Mercilus isn't a great prospect. The Illinois star isn't overly explosive and doesn't have many great pass-rush moves. His production will make him a first-round pick, though, and he will face high expectations in the NFL.

Defensive Tackle: Jerel Worthy, Michigan State

Jerel Worthy was hyped before the 2011 season, but he disappointed everyone. The 6'3", 310-pounder has a good first step...and that's about it.

Worthy doesn't have any great moves, and he isn't strong or stout against the run. Maybe Worthy can develop some skills to complement his burst and become a star penetrator in the NFL.

I wouldn't count on it though.

Outside Linebacker: Bruce Irvin, West Virginia

An explosive pass-rusher with the size to play outside linebacker, Bruce Irvin is one of the most heavily debated prospects in the draft. Irvin's first step is fantastic and leads to Von Miller comparisons, but he isn't good at much else.

At 6'3", 245 pounds, Irvin is much too small to play at defensive end and will have to move to linebacker in any defensive scheme. Irvin is almost useless against the run, and he will be drafted because of his speed and pass-rushing skills.

These one-tool players don't have an overly high success rate in the NFL.

Inside Linebacker: Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State

Vontaze Burfict is the epitome of high-risk/high-reward players. The freakish linebacker is a terror on the field, destroying quarterbacks, running backs and even linemen. Few, if any, players are more feared.

Burfict has some huge flaws though. It may surprise you to learn that Burfict is actually a bit too aggressive and is one of the most heavily penalized players in all of football. The Arizona State star also overruns too many plays, and he can be taken advantage of.

If Burfict is able to find the balance between aggressive and too aggressive, he should be a fantastic player in the NFL. If he doesn't, he will probably be a huge bust.

Cornerback: Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama

Janoris Jenkins' issues have been well documented. The former Florida star has been arrested multiple times, twice for marijuana-related offenses, and he was kicked off the Gators football team.

But Jenkins is a great player. The 5'11", 195-pounder was better than Joe Haden when both were at Florida, and Jenkins could be a star in the NFL. 

It looks like Jenkins will be a first-round pick, and his NFL team will either regret the pick or love it.

Safety: Mark Barron, Alabama

There really aren't too many risky safety prospects this year, so I went with Mark Barron, the most highly-ranked safety. I went with Barron not only because he is the top safety, but also because I don't love him.

The key to being a successful safety in the NFL is versatility. All the best safeties can defend the run or play the pass. Barron can defend only the run.

The 6'2", 218-pounder isn't a great athlete, but he is strong and good at tackling. His speed doesn't do him any favors in coverage, though, and he is limited to playing in the box.

That doesn't sound like a future star to me.