2012 NFL Draft: Ranking the 5 Best Players at Every Position

As we approach the NFL's conference championship weekend, that means we get one step closer to the 2012 NFL Draft.

The NFL combine is just a little bit over a month away, while the draft is just three months away—how crazy is that? Before we know it, it will be officially draft season.

In that spirit, let's take a look at the five best players at every position for the 2012 NFL draft. 

Quarterbacks

1. Andrew Luck

2. Robert Griffin III

3. Nick Foles

4. Brandon Weeden

5. Ryan Tannehill

There's no surprise here: Andrew Luck is the top quarterback prospect that we have seen in years. Behind Luck, we have quite the intriguing player in Robert Griffin III. RG3 is the most athletic quarterback in this class and is one of the most well-rounded, balanced dual-threat quarterbacks that I have ever seen. 

Running Backs

1. Trent Richardson 

2. Lamar Miller

3. Chris Polk

4. LaMichael James

5. David Wilson

Atop of the running back class in 2012 is Alabama's Trent Richardson. He is a balanced runner that has the elite breakaway speed while being a very powerful runner.

One of the more interesting prospects listed is Oregon's LaMichael James. He is listed as 5'9" and weights 195 lbs. and has explosive speed, but is a tad bit undersized to our pleasings. 

Full Backs

1. Bradie Ewing

2. Rhett Ellison

3. Cody Johnson

4. Chad Diel

5. Taylor Gentry

It's kind of interesting that the top-rated full back did not receive any carries this past season with Wisconsin, but Bradie Ewing has all the tools to be a successful blocker in an NFL power-run offense. The remaining guys simply could just go undrafted. 

Wide Receivers

1. Justin Blackmon

2. Michael Floyd

3. Kendall Wright

4. Alshon Jeffery

5. Mohamed Sanu

The only "elite" wide receiver in this group is Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon. He has all the talent in the world to be the next great wide receiver. All the others listed should go as high as the middle of the first round and as low as the end of the second round. 

Tight Ends

1. Dwayne Allen

2. Coby Fleener

3. Orson Charles

4. Michael Egnew

5. Ladarius Green

The only tight end that I could see being selected in the first round is Clemson's Dwayne Allen—he could be that next great tight end, as the NFL tends to lean towards a two tight end offensive system. 

Offensive Tackles

1. Matt Kalil

2. Riley Reiff

3. Jonathan Martin

4. Mike Adams

5. Zebrie Sanders

The standout in this is USC's Matt Kalil, a prospect that I figure should be selected in the top five. The others could all be selected in the first round and as late as the middle of the second round, so the 2012 draft class for tackles is actually pretty deep. 

Offensive Guards

1. David DeCastro

2. Cordy Glenn

3. Brandon Washington

4. Kevin Zeitler

5. Ryan Miller

This isn't necessarily the greatest class of offensive guards, but Stanford's David DeCastro and Georgia's Cordy Glenn both figure to go in the first round. For the other guys listed, they could go as low as the fourth or fifth rounds. DeCastro is the standout here, as he's an immediate starter at the NFL level. 

Centers

1. Peter Konz

2. David Molk

3. Mike Brewster

4. Ben Jones

5. Quentin Saulsberry

The 2012 class of centers is actually very good, as it's quite top-heavy. The top four listed all figure to be solid starters in their future, and Peter Konz is the most attractive option. Konz is a guy that would start immediately and flourish at the NFL level. 

Defensive Ends

1. Quinton Coples

2. Melvin Ingram

3. Andre Branch

4. Nick Perry

5. Whiteny Mercilus 

Quinton Coples is the best available defensive end entering the 2012 draft. Coples can play 4-3 defensive end and could also make the switch to a 3-4 outside linebacker. Melvin Ingram is another attractive option, as he could easily make the transition to a 3-4 outside linebacker. 

Defensive Tackles

1. Devon Still

2. Michael Brockers

3. Jerel Worthy

4. Dontari Poe

5. Fletcher Cox

This a very solid class that's filled with talent. Penn State's Devon Still will be the best defensive tackle available, as he can dominate in numerous positions in either the 3-4 or the 4-3 defensive fronts. My personal favorite in this group is Dontari Poe, who is a true nose tackle in the 3-4 alignment. 

Inside Linebackers

1. Luke Kuechly

2. Vontaze Burfict

3. Dont'a Hightower

4. Audie Cole

5. Mychal Kendricks

There's no debate here: Luke Kuechly is the best available linebacker, as he was an absolute tacking machine during his career at Boston College. Vontaze Burfict would the be second best available entering the draft, as he had a very successful run at Arizona and should be drafted in the first round. 

Outside Linebackers

1. Courtney Upshaw

2. Zach Brown

3. Bruce Irvin

4. Lavonte David

5. Ronnell Lewis

Courtney Upshaw is the perfect fit for a 3-4 pass-rusher and should be selected in the middle of the first round—he is an immediate starter that can make an impact his rookie year. Zach Brown is also a solid outside linebacker, but he's a bit more of a run-stopper rather than a pass-rusher. However, he can still get after the quarterback. 

Cornerbacks

1. Morris Claiborne

2. Alfonzo Dennard

3. Stehpon Gilmore

4. Janoris Jenkins

5. Dre Kirkpatrick

Morris Claiborne is the obvious choice for the cornerback in the 2012 class, as he will likely be a top-five draft pick. The most notable player on this list is Dre Kirkpatrick, who should be ranked at No. 2, but has slid down the list due to his recent arrest involving marijuana. 

Safeties

1. Mark Barron

2. Antonio Allen

3. Markelle Martin

4. Harrison Smith

5. Aaron Henry

Alabama's Mark Barron is the best available, as he is the only safety that I could see being selected in the first round. Other than that, there's nothing really special for any first-year impact players.