2012 NFL Draft: 7 Most Overrated Players in the First Round

The NFL Draft always tends to have way too much to do with pre-draft hype and little to do with on-field performance. 

For this reason, players' projections are sliding all over the place as analysts, scouts, coaches and owners jockey for position on the rising players. 

Just like every year, there are players with way too much hype that don't quite match up to the demands of the NFL. As similar as the rules are, college football and professional football are completely different. 

April 26th instills hope in all 32 teams that they can improve their roster. But beware, the teams that select these seven players will be taking a step backwards.   

Who in this year's group of first-round projectors is being given too much bang for their buck?

Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

Defensive end Quinton Coples has the highest bust potential on this list.

Coples burst onto the scene in 2010 when Tar Heels defensive star Marvin Austin was suspended for the whole year. In Austin's place, he notched 10 sacks and 59 tackles.

However, he lacks the speed and elusiveness to rip through the outside of offensive lines and will struggle at the defensive end position due to that weakness. He also tends to play high, a weakness considering the value of leverage for defensive lines.

Coples is considered to be a top-10 draft pick and will prove after the 2012 season that he should have been a second or third rounder. 

He excelled as an interior defensive lineman at North Carolina, but a 281-pound weigh-in at the Senior Bowl raises questions about his usefulness—especially in this year's weak defensive lineman class.

Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers has bloomed into one of the top-two players at his position for this year's draft and is shaping up to be a top-10 or top-15 pick. 

More than anything, it's a result of a weak draft pool of D-liners, his immense size (6'6", 305 pounds) and the defensive system he played in.

Don't get me wrong, Brockers will be an asset to whatever team he lands on and could be a good, not great, player. But he will by no means be a game-changer unless he takes his kick-blocking skills with him.

His expertise is in stopping the running game, and players at his position who don't have elite pass-rushing skills are a dying breed. He only registered two sacks in 2011.  

Alshon Jeffrey, WR, South Carolina

Alshon Jeffrey isn't a clear-cut first-round pick at this point, but his immense upside and flashes of greatness have many whispering that he could be nabbed early in this year's draft.

If anyone takes him in the first round, it will be a huge mistake.

Jeffrey was an absolute beast in the SEC for his first two seasons, as he burst onto the scene with 88 catches for 1,517 yards as a sophomore in 2010, but a lackluster junior season has many wondering whether or not he can endure the rigors and pressure of being a star wide-out in the NFL. 

At 6'4" and 229 pounds, Jeffrey put up only 49 catches for 762 yards in 2011, approximately half of his output in the prior year. He didn't come close to living up to his lofty expectations, finishing out of the NCAA's Top 75 in receiving yards. 

One unsportsmanlike episode usually doesn't ruin your reputation (unless you're Metta World Peace), but if I were a scout I'd be weary of his role in the Citrus Bowl fight during his last collegiate game. We've all seen how moments like this are magnified in the NFL (see Ndamukong Suh).   

Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

Look up "Vontaze Burfict" on YouTube search. The second recommendation that pops up is "fight."

Burfict's upside as a linebacker has been compared to that of Ray Lewis. But he's grown the reputation as one of the most hot-headed players at the college level, and there are plenty of egos in the NFL that are ready to get in his ear. 

Burfict's aggression and bone-headed actions have been well documented. He will have to get on a team with a strong locker room and a disciplined head coach (i.e. not the Detroit Lions) to develop the potential that he has.

If he ends up at the wrong place, he could become the next Pacman Jones. 

Rueben Randle, WR, LSU

Rueben Randle isn't a lock for a first-round pick, but teams are looking at making a move for him. It'd be wise to pass on Randle for the first round.

Despite playing on a 13-1 team in 2011, Randle was a no-show for LSU's biggest games. One catch for 10 yards against Oregon. Two catches for 15 yards against Georgia in the SEC Championship. And five catches for 32 yards combined for both games against Alabama.

Randle's inability to produce against good teams will be his downfall in the NFL. People love to point out the size of receivers and immediately compare them to Calvin Johnson, but players of his pedigree are becoming more and more common.

Randle's career high is 134 yards in a game; top NFL receivers get that in their sleep. He won't stand out among this year's elite group of WRs. 

Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

Luke Kuechly relied on his raw intelligence and anticipation to succeed in the college system at Boston College, but the NFL is a whole different beast. 

His numbers have been some of the most impressive that we've seen in a while with a jaw-dropping 191 tackles in his 2011 campaign (one that didn't even include a bowl game). But at 6'2", 237 pounds, he's undersized for a modern middle linebacker and doesn't have the physical tools to compete at the next level.

Kuechly is considered the top linebacker prospect and a mid-first-round pick.  

He has a good chance of being a genius captain while making smart plays, but Kuechly will need a plethora of speed and strength around him in order to succeed in the NFL. 

Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

Ryan Tannehill looks so happy in this photo because he's sneaking into the first round of this year's NFL Draft.

With Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III most likely off the board by the fifth pick and the quarterback position's high value, Texas A&M slinger Tannehill might be picked in the first round.

Tannehill lacks the ability to read defenses well; this is a must to succeed in the NFL. He's also noted as having an inconsistent release. 

The Aggies were a projected top-10 team at the start of 2011; he led them to a dismal 7-6 record and an appearance in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. I don't know about you, but I'd rather stay home. 

Tannehill threw an eye-popping 15 interceptions in 2011, including three games throwing three or more picks. Imagine if the Aggies played in the SEC last year?

With the Colts and Redskins most likely taking the two hot commodities, Tannehill will probably go to the Seahawks or Dolphins. However, both teams have their eye on probable movers Peyton Manning and Matt Flynn.