2012 NBA Draft: 5 College Stars to Watch as March Madness Approaches

With March Madness just a a little over a month away, it's a really big stretch for some NBA hopefuls.

We're not referring to some of the guys that are locks to be taken high in the 2012 NBA Draft, as you can check out in our latest mock draft, but instead the guys that are projected to be taken towards the middle or the end of the first round.

These are five guys that a good tournament can make or break their draft status.

William Buford, Ohio State

Buford is a guy with good length and size and is a very good athlete, but could stand to show scouts that he can create his own shot and attack the rim off the dribble a little bit better.

Overall he's not a great ball handler for a 2-guard, but he's got a very good jumper which should keep teams interested.

Mason Plumlee, Duke

Plumlee started the season ranked among the middle of the pack among big men, but has started to slide down the list almost weekly.

He's a very good athlete with NBA size, but he needs to show he has the strength to handle stronger guys at both ends of the floor.

That and the lack of dominant production could be the things holding him back.

Draymond Green, Michigan State

A good run from the Spartans along with a good finish to the season from Green could up his draft status a great deal.

He can spread defenses out and shoot the ball very well, but as a guy that once wasn't viewed as a prospect, he needs to finish his collegiate career strong.

Green is undersized and not the strongest or fastest guy that will be in the draft but he grows on you as a player.

Kevin Jones, West Virginia

Jones is long and versatile and does a lot of things well on the floor, but he's not the best athlete in the world and must get his shot falling again. He also has the knack of disappearing for length periods, something that a good final month can help erase.

Dion Waiters, Syracuse

Waiters will be a good NBA combo guard if he finishes strong and with Syracuse ranked highly, he can do a lot for his stock with a solid final couple of months.

The only thing to watch for is that he's not going to be an NBA point guard, and matching up against bigger and stronger 2-guards could be an issue.