2012 NFL Draft Projections: Defensive Prospects Who Will Have Biggest Impact

After the tremendous first-season success of defensive studs like Aldon Smith, Von Miller and Patrick Peterson, every NFL team will be looking for the college prospect who can impact their defense.

The New York Giants' formula for a second Super Bowl win in four years will only increase the desire of teams to stockpile multiple pass-rushers. The pass-happy nature of today's league also means standout cornerbacks will remain in high demand.

Given the hybrid nature of many of the game's current defensive schemes, coaches will always be on the lookout for versatile, playmaking linebackers. With these considerations in mind, here is a list of the 2012 NFL draft prospects who can best answer the needs of NFL franchises and have a big impact in the pros.

10. Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

The combination of a history of off-field troubles and character concerns isn't enough to keep cover ace Janoris Jenkins out of first-round consideration. There is a reason why many would be prepared to take such a risk on the 5'9", 177-pounder.

Jenkins is a natural playmaker with the acceleration, hip fluidity and instincts to stick with any receiver. Jenkins is able to shadow a receiver all across the field in every direction, giving him true shutdown skills. Being able to lock down one side of the field is a huge advantage for a defense and is why Jenkins remains too good to pass up despite a shady past.

The kind of talent Jenkins possesses is innate and unlikely to desert him at the next level. His awareness and athleticism will offset any size issues he will encounter in the NFL and ensure that if he stays out of trouble, Jenkins will be an elite cover man.

9. Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson

It's hard to understand exactly how and why Brandon Thompson has fallen down so many draft boards. The hulking Clemson defensive tackle has the skill set to be a disruptive force in the pros.

He is a stout physical specimen who excels at destroying an opponent's running game. Thompson plays with excellent leverage and combines raw strength and tenacity with deceptive first-step quickness.

Thompson is a natural at splitting double-teams and collapsing the pocket. He also has possibly the cleanest technique of any interior lineman in this draft class.

Thompson has refined his game and is an underrated athlete. He would form the focal point of a run defense for a 4-3 front that played him in the shade technique opposite the center.

If Thompson does fall to the second round, the rebuilding St. Louis Rams would be insane not to take him. 

8. Mark Barron, S, Alabama

The proliferation of explosive tight ends has only increased the need for flexible safeties who can match up with them. Alabama's Mark Barron is the kind of versatile safety who would find a place in most defensive schemes.

An extremely intelligent player, Barron reads the game very well and has the instincts to consistently get himself around the ball. He is capable in coverage and has a good understanding of zone concepts.

Barron also has the size to be an effective box safety and supplement a run defense or blitz scheme. The 6'1", 223-pounder is a fierce hitter and possesses good timing as a pass-rusher.

Barron will make a lot of highlight-worthy plays in the NFL, and the more he learns, the more disciplined and sound his overall game will become.

7. Vontaze Burfict, ILB, Arizona State

Vontaze Burfict simply has too much natural talent and pure athleticism not to succeed at the pro level. If it weren't for concerns about his fiery temperament, Burfict would be a certain first-round selection.

He combines prototype MIKE linebacker size at 6'3", 253 pounds, along with blazing sideline-to-sideline speed. This means Burfict is an active presence on every down. Not many linebackers offer this kind of versatility.

It will be important for whichever pro coach ends up working with Burfict to strike the right balance between toning down his aggression enough without taking away what makes him such such a disruptive player. If this can be achieved, Burfict will make a big difference in the NFL. 

6. Quinton Coples, DL, North Carolina

Quinton Coples has the versatile skill set to satisfy the hybrid requirements a lot of schemes have for defensive linemen in the NFL. In the right kind of system, Coples could be an active playmaker.

At 6'6" and 272 pounds, he has the size and range to be a force either on the outside or at the interior of a four-man line. His speed means Coples is adept at attacking from either a two- or a four-point stance.

He had a relatively quiet season, which may have harmed his draft stock in some quarters. But Coples produced a fine showing at the Senior Bowl to remind everyone he can be a difference-maker up front.

The best fit for Coples would undoubtedly be the New Orleans Saints. New defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo loves hybrid linemen and could turn Coples into the next Justin Tuck.

5. Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama

Dont'a Hightower offers ideal pro size, keen instincts, plenty of scheme versatility and a nose for the ball. Hightower could capably plug the middle of either a 3-4 or 4-3 front.

The Crimson Tide standout would be a great addition as a more dynamic plugger for a 4-3 front with a weakness for stopping the run. Hightower excels at attacking downhill and would relish shooting through both A-gaps and stuffing ball-carriers in the backfield.

He can be an effective blitz man and can be moved around the formation to attack from a variety of positions. Hightower helped direct a complex and varied system in college. He is a studious and committed player, and these attributes can help him succeed at the next level.

If he can stay healthy, the 6'4", 260-pounder has the right characteristics to quickly make a major impact in the NFL.

4. Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State

When motivated, Jerel Worthy is an exceptional talent. Few interior linemen in this draft class—if any—can match Worthy's ferocity and explosiveness.

He has outstanding first-step quickness and the lateral speed to be a very effective inside rusher. He combines his quickness with raw power, allowing him to apply consistent pressure on the pocket.

Many mock drafts have Worthy going to the Denver Broncos, and this would be a perfect fit. Broncos head coach John Fox has always produced superb four-man lines and values active and disruptive play from the interior.

Fox coaxed stellar years from Kris Jenkins and Brentson Buckner during his tenure with the Carolina Panthers. He also made Keith Hamilton and Robert Harris a fearsome duo as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants in the late '90s.

With this kind of coaching, Worthy can realize his full potential, and then he will be a dominant force in the NFL.

3. Devon Still, DT, Penn State

Powerful Penn State defensive anchor Devon Still has the potential to dominate at the next level. He is an intimidating force against the run who will solidify either a three- or four-man front.

Still has the brute strength and quick takeoff to regularly push offensive linemen back into the face of a quarterback or runner. He routinely clogs the middle and commands double-teams, making him the ideal player to build a run defense around.

What sets Still apart is that he is often able to match his size and strength with underrated technique. He uses his hands very well and is able to employ a number of moves to shed blockers and penetrate the line of scrimmage.

Still will succeed in the pros because his skills are universal and transferable to any scheme. Every defense wants a player who can control a blocking scheme and take away the running game. Still is that player.

2. Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

LSU cover ace Morris Claiborne will instantly give whichever team drafts him an elite corner capable of matching up with the opposition's best receiver. Claiborne has the size and tenacity to compete with the physical wide receivers in the NFL.

He is able to play as a press corner or be equally effective in off-coverage. Claiborne's excellent hands, anticipation and timing make him a natural ball-hawk and a dangerous player to test in man coverage.

The 6'0", 185-pounder will take some chances, but a cornerback afraid to take any risks is no use to anyone. A team could feel comfortable leaving Claiborne isolated one-on-one and aligning the rest of the secondary in zone.

Teams are beginning to incorporate more man coverage concepts in their defensive game plans to force quarterbacks to be both quick and accurate. Claiborne could soon become a star thanks to this kind of scheming. 

1. Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

The recent success of raw but physically gifted defensive ends Aldon Smith and Jason Pierre-Paul bodes well for Illinois edge-rusher Whitney Mercilus. Teams will take a long look at Mercilus in the hope that he can use his natural attributes to dominate at the next level.

There's every reason to believe he can. Mercilus has the explosive speed and tremendous range to destroy the perimeter of any blocking scheme. He is a highly athletic and relentless pass-rusher who notched 16 sacks in 2011.

Like Smith, Mercilus can also be a force inside thanks to an underrated bull-rush move and the quickness to effectively run stunts and twists. An athlete with these physical skills only needs to add technique and discipline to his game in order to dominate, a la Pierre-Paul.