5 Players in 2012 NFL Draft Who Are Sure to Be Busts

The NFL draft is full of surprises. In 1998, the San Diego Chargers selected Ryan Leaf with the second pick. Flash forward two years and the New England Patriots select Tom Brady with the 199th overall pick in the sixth round. Brady is a future Hall of Famer seeking his fourth Super Bowl ring, and Leaf is, well, not.

Simply put, you never know what you’re going to get.

Year after year, we watch hundreds of players enter the NFL draft. While the best talents become undisputed stars of the league, certain players simply cannot live up to the standards that are set for them on day one.

But does that make every forgotten prospect an eventual NFL bust?

Each situation is unique, but there is one thing that every NFL bust has in common: expectation.

Without the expectation of greatness, a player can pursue a modest career and never be bothered. With it, however, nothing less will suffice.

Every draft we expect greatness out of certain picks and, like most years, 2012 is sure to have its fair share of promising talent that simply doesn't pan out.

Robert Griffin III

Whichever team ends up drafting Robert Griffin III is surely going to place the success of its franchise in his hands immediately. An early draft pick on virtually every draft board, Griffin has drawn comparisons to fellow dual-threat quarterbacks Michael Vick and Cam Newton.

Remember that part about expectations?

Newton, who took the NFL by storm in his rookie season, stands at 6'5", weighing 248 pounds. Griffin's body—although nothing to scoff at by NFL standards—is three inches shorter and nearly 30 pounds lighter. His nine touchdown rushes last season as a Baylor Bear were fun to watch, but Newton's 20 rushing scores on the ground at Auburn were downright impressive.

At this point it is safer to assume he more closely resembles the mold of the Tennessee Titans’ Jake Locker.

A dual-threat quarterback, Griffin will need time to adjust to a pro-style offense. Beginning his career on the bench behind a veteran leader would benefit the former Baylor Bears quarterback, who is regarded as having not just a wide skill set, but also a high football IQ.

Griffin may end up becoming a serviceable NFL quarterback down the road, but deeming him a franchise quarterback today isn't helping his cause.

Kendall Wright

Speaking of Baylor Bears bolting for the NFL, welcome Kendall Wright.

Wright is a departing senior who did the right thing in staying four years.

I mean, how else would he have been able to ride the RG3 bandwagon into the first round of the NFL draft?

Wright's size is a major issue. He has the speed to be a threat, but at 5'10" and 190 pounds, he doesn't stack up to the physicality of the NFL game.

In the right system, Wright could be some team's Wes Welker—a small target who makes fast plays for big results and helps spread the field on any given down.

But imagine Welker without Tom Brady.

Welker spent his first two seasons in the league with the Miami Dolphins and caught one touchdown in 32 games played. If Wright ends up in the wrong system, don't expect him to be that big-play receiver any time soon.

Vontaze Burfict

Vontaze Burfict has all the talent in the world—and none of the discipline.

Burfict certainly has the size and intensity to play at the next level. In fact, if you're looking for a player to fill the highlight reels, he's a great pick.

But highlights don't win games.

The combination of his physique, skills and passion should be enough to get him into Pro Bowls on a regular basis. His lack of discipline, however, could very well be enough to prevent it.

There's a fine line between playing aggressively and playing over-aggressively, and in order to be successful on the field, he must learn to contain his emotional outbursts and numerous personal foul calls if he wants to avoid some mandatory time off.

If he makes it big, he won't be the first headcase to do so.

But that's a big if.

Lamar Miller

Lamar Miller has two things going against him when it comes to his NFL future.

First, his size.

At 5'11", 212 pounds, Miller is more of a complementary piece than an every-down back in the NFL. While he's no 5'6" Darren Sproles, players are bigger and stronger once you make it to the next level and every inch helps.

Only a two-year player at the University of Miami, Miller is giving up two seasons of eligibility that would have allowed him to add muscle and technique to a body that lacks NFL size.

Second, and more important, is his placement in the draft.

Miller is likely to go in the first round, leading fans to believe he will be a future NFL star. Should Miller drop later in the draft, he would have his chance to work his way up to stardom or simply find a humble spot on an NFL roster.

Kellen Moore

Now, I'm not sure most people peg Kellen Moore as a great NFL quarterback to begin with. That being said, a great college quarterback should be able to at least compete in the NFL, right?

Despite an illustrious college career at Boise State, Moore simply doesn't have the tools to make it in the NFL.

Moore, standing just under 6'0" tall, lacks the mobility and athleticism that would help propel a shorter quarterback to success in the NFL.

His numbers in college are undeniable. He'll probably go down as one of the greatest college quarterbacks of all time. But consider for a second whom he was playing against. Despite an unprecedented 50 wins as Boise State's starting quarterback, Moore played in only nine games against ranked competition his entire collegiate career.

Moore won't be a first-round pick, don't worry. But wherever he ends up, don't expect greatness.

In fact, don't expect much at all.