2012 NFL Draft Projections: 10 Possible Draft Picks That Could Surprise Everyone

Now that we've turned our focus from the season that just ended to the one that's just begun, the first order of business is this month's NFL combine, where players from across the nation will gather to work out for scouts in an attempt to bolster their stock in April's NFL draft.

Some of those players will be endeavoring to achieve the lofty goal of boosting themselves all the way into the draft's first round, among them this group of incoming rookies who could somewhat surprisingly hear their names called on Thursday, April 26.

Or not.

Ryan Tannehill: QB, Texas A&M

Our first candidate isn't so much a player whose workout at the NFL combine could get him into the draft's first round as much as it is one whose absence from it might knock him out.

The foot injury that kept Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill from participating in last month's Senior Bowl could also keep him from working out in Indianapolis, and even if he is there he may be well less than 100 percent.

If he misses the combine altogether or has a bad showing, Tannehill's pro day will become an absolute deal breaker, and a player who was once projected as a top-10 shoo-in could potentially fall from the round completely.

Doug Martin: RB, Boise State

Running back Doug Martin enjoyed a wildly successful collegiate career, rushing for more than 3,300 yards and scoring 47 career touchdowns while helping lead Boise State to national prominence.

Martin also enjoyed a very solid showing at the Senior Bowl, after which at least one draft expert predicted the 5'9", 219-pounder may have already worked his way close to the first round, so a strong week in Indianapolis could solidify that status.

Mohamed Sanu: WR, Rutgers

Rutgers wide receiver Mohamed Sanu has the sort of 6'2", 215-pound frame NFL scouts covet, and Sanu is also a quality route-runner with good hands and an excellent collegiate resume.

There are, however, questions regarding Sanu's straight-line speed, so if Sanu wishes to hear his name called on the first day of the NFL draft, he'll need to run the 40-yard dash in the 4.46 range at the combine.

Tommy Streeter: WR, Miami (FL)

Tommy Streeter of Miami somewhat surprisingly declared for the NFL draft after a junior season that saw the 6'5" wide receiver reel in 46 receptions for 811 yards and eight touchdowns.

Streeter is a bit raw in his route running, but if he can wow scouts at the combine and at Miami's pro day, his height and 215-pound frame may be enough for a team drafting late in the first round to roll the dice that the shiny package isn't full of rocks.

Kelechi Osemele: OT, Iowa State

A 6'5", 333-pound offensive lineman from Iowa State, Kelechi Osemele excelled along the Cyclones offensive front last year, earning All-Big 12 honorable mention honors in 2011.

Should Osemele perform well at the combine, this one really won't be much of a shocker at all, as several teams drafting towards the back end of Round 1 could use the sort of help up front that Osemele might be able to provide.

Alameda Ta'amu: DT, Washington

Washington defensive tackle Alameda Ta'amu is another player who boosted his draft stock with a good showing at the Senior Bowl, with analysts praising his ability to dominate blockers at the line of scrimmage.

At least one pundit took things even further, as Russ Lande reported recently that he views Alameda as a potential top-10 pick, and while that outlook may be overly optimistic, Ta'amu's rocket is taking off.

How they got 'er off the ground I'll never know. That's one big fella.

Vinny Curry: DE/OLB, Marshall

Defensive end Vinny Curry was a force at defensive end for the Marshall Thundering Herd in 2011, racking up 77 tackles and 11 sacks en route to being named to the All-Conference USA first team.

Curry will have some work to do at the combine, showing 4-3 teams that he has the strength to play end at only 242 pounds and showing 3-4 teams that he has the speed to move to OLB.

Should Curry allay those concerns, it's not out of the realm of reason a team with a defensive need up front late in Round 1 would pull the trigger.

Luke Kuechly: LB, Boston College

This one could be a surprise on two fronts.

There's one camp that feels middle linebacker Luke Kuechly, the NCAA's leading tackler and winner of the 2011 Butkus and Nagurski awards, is an elite talent and would be shocked if he fell out of the top 15.

There's yet another that thinks the 6'3", 237-pound Kuechly is a bit undersized, not overly athletic and that his high tackle numbers were inflated by playing on a bad Boston College defense.

The second group will be just as surprised if Kuechly is selected in the first round of April's draft as the first one would be if he isn't.

Only time will tell who's "right."

Zach Brown: OLB, North Carolina

Of all the players who stood out at the Senior Bowl, it's very possible that none shined more than North Carolina linebacker Zach Brown, who was all over the field and wowed scouts in attendance with his athleticism and speed to the ball.

However, Brown's best fit by far at the next level is as a 4-3 weakside linebacker, and a worst-case scenario of a soft market at the position and few teams in a reasonable position to select him that do have a need there may well make Brown the most talented player that falls from the draft's first round.

Alfonzo Dennard: CB, Nebraska

Beating this drum is getting a bit old, but there's likely no prominent college football player whose stock has dropped more since the first of the year than Nebraska cornerback Alfonzo Dennard.

First Dennard got roasted by South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery in the Capital One Bowl for more than 140 yards and a touchdown before the two players got into a fight.

Then Dennard had a miserable Senior Bowl, getting abused by small-school receivers and looking slow before pulling out of the game with a hip injury.

If Dennard has any hopes of salvaging the first-round pick status he held in December, the Big Ten defensive back of the year will desperately need a home-run combine and pro day.