2012 NFL Draft: Ranking Top 32 Prospects Heading into NFL Combine

After enduring the pain of having to sit through a lockout-diminished NFL draft last year, it's going to be great to get back to normal in 2012.

There should be plenty of interesting storylines over the next few months leading up to the start of the NFL draft on April 26. With the NFL combine coming up in a week, there are all types of questions floating out there about some of this year's top prospects. Everyone is waiting with eager anticipation to see what 40-yard-dash times players like Robert Griffin III, Kendall Wright and Justin Blackmon will all put up, but the combine is really only the beginning of the heavy-lifting part of the NFL draft process.

Over the next few months, it'll be time to measure, test and thoroughly evaluate the entire makeup of all the different prospects to figure out who is really the true cream of the crop. This year's group certainly has its fair share of future stars, and draft night is sure to be filled with plenty of drama as teams shuffle around to try to land their ultimate prize picks.

As the football world now gets ready to turn its attention back to Indianapolis for the annual NFL combine, here's a look at the top 32 players to keep an eye on in the coming weeks. Right now, they're the prospects that have the best chance of being a first-rounder in April. 

1. QB Andrew Luck, Stanford

Prototype is a word that's saved for players who are the embodiment of everything you look for at a certain position, and since that's the case, it's no surprise plenty of people have been calling Stanford QB Andrew Luck a prototype these past few years.

It's been said a ton of times before, and it will get said plenty of times in the future, but it's true: Andrew Luck literally has everything you look for in an NFL quarterback.

Rattle off all of the traits you want—arm strength, accuracy, size, pocket presence, athleticism, awareness, coverage recognition, football IQ, leadership ability, intangibles—you can go on and on. Bottom line, Luck's the total package.

There's a reason everyone's been clamoring about this young man for as long as they have. No, he's not perfect, but when it comes to quarterback prospects over the last few decades, there's not one that ever received the kind of hype that Luck has, and the fact is, there may not have been one who even deserved it as much as Luck did.

The 6'4'', 235-pound senior isn't a sure thing, but up to this point he's been as good as advertised, and it's hard to see the Indianapolis Colts passing up the chance to select someone like Luck, who could end up being the highest rated quarterback prospect ever.

2. QB Robert Griffin III, Baylor

If Robert Griffin III chooses to work out at the NFL combine, we could be talking about Griffin as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2012 draft by the time March rolls around.

Griffin is an electric and explosive talent who became the breakout star of the 2011 college football season, outshining consensus No. 1 favorite Andrew Luck and outpacing his cover boy counterpart in the race for the Heisman Trophy.

The question now is, can RG3 steal away Luck's No. 1 pick as well? The resounding opinion seems to be that Luck is the clear-cut No. 1 player, but if Griffin performs like he's capable of at the combine, you could see the tides start to change in favor of the Heisman winner.

And really, why shouldn't they?

Griffin proved last season that he had the strongest arm in college football, as he made completing 50-plus-yard go-routes look like second nature.

The 6'2'', 220-pound junior was also one of the most accurate passers in the country. Griffin completed 72 percent of his passes for more than 4,300 yards, hit 37 touchdown strikes and finished with the second-highest passer rating in the country (189) while adding 699 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.

He's not just a normal dual-threat college signal-caller, either. Griffin displayed the type of pocket presence, accuracy, arm strength and decision-making skills that scouts are looking for in a franchise quarterback.

The fact that he can run real fast is an added bonus.

Griffin's worthy of the No. 1 pick, without a doubt. He's Cam Newton in Aaron Rodgers' body.

Whether Griffin can actually overtake Luck is really inconsequential, though, because whether RG3 goes No. 1 or No. 2, he's going to be a star and a franchise savior for whatever team gets him just like he was the savior for the floundering Baylor football program.

Robert Griffin III was a whole lot of fun to watch these past few years, and it'll be even more entertaining to see what he can do against the best players in the world on a weekly basis.

3. CB Morris Claiborne, LSU

Tyrann Mathieu was the celebrity of LSU's highly talked-about secondary, but ask any receiver that went up against the Tigers and he'll tell you that the best corner in the country was Morris Claiborne—better than former teammate Patrick Peterson, better than Joe Haden, better than DeAngelo Hall, better than Champ Bailey.

Yes, Morris Claiborne is the best cornerback prospect since Charles Woodson.

One of the most physically gifted defensive backs we've seen since the turn of the millennium, Claiborne has the size and speed combination that is a true rarity. The 6'0'', 185-pound junior has the length and athleticism to go toe-toe-toe with any receiver out there, no matter how big or fast they are.

It wouldn't take you long to tally how many times Claiborne got flat out beat on a route in 2011 because it happened about as frequently as Jordan Jefferson connecting a nice-looking deep pass last season.

Claiborne's basically an impossible corner to fool, and he's the type of humble hard-worker who could develop into a future Woodson- or Bailey-type lockdown corner.

4. WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State

Justin Blackmon was unstoppable on just about every route he ran these past two seasons, but the end zone fade route Blackmon ran to perfection proved to be a thoroughly embarrassing experience for many innocent cornerbacks.

Blackmon may not run a 4.4 40, but with his big build, when he jogs it looks like he's running, and when he's actually running it looks like he's playing on All-Pro while all the defensive backs are stuck on the rookie level.

Too big, too fast, too strong—Blackmon is all of those things, and he's also the type of playmaker that can change the complexion of an offense.

We came to learn about the Randy Moss effect, the Terrell Owens effect, the Andre Johnson effect and the Calvin Johnson effect. 

Soon enough, we'll be hearing about the Justin Blackmon effect.

In his final two seasons, the 6’1’’, 215-pound junior caught a total of 232 passes for 3,304 yards and scored 38 total touchdowns, capping his career off with a brilliant performance against Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl.

If he puts up a decent number in the 40, it's hard to see Blackmon escaping the Top 5 of this year's draft.

5. RB Trent Richardson, Alabama

If Tiki Barber and Steven Jackson could somehow produce a child, that mutant offspring would likely bear a strong resemblance to Trent Richardson by the time it reached 21 years of age, especially if it spent most of its life in a weight room.

Physically, Trent Richardson is a thoroughbred—a 5'11'', 220-pound Thoroughbred, yes, but a thoroughbred nonetheless.

Human beings that are his size aren't built to run the way Richardson runs. Richardson looks like something that some mad scientists in the late '80s dreamed up for what the perfect 21st-century running back would look like.

Part Dickerson, part Simpson, part Payton, part Brown—Richardson shares many similar traits to the old greats, but he's also got a new twist in his style. Balance, vision, power and speed all combined into one physically superior bull-like package—that's Trent Richardson.

Adrian Peterson, Darren McFadden, Reggie Bush and Ronnie Brown are some of the recent running back prospects who were able to crack the Top 10, and they'll have some company when Richardson does the same thing on April 26.

6. OT Matt Kalil, USC

Pro scouts have known that Matt Kalil had the size and athleticism to be a starting left tackle in the NFL since Kalil first stepped into the starting lineup as a sophomore back in 2010, but what the scouts had to see from the talented tackle was that he could match his terrific pass-blocking skills with better run-blocking prowess. 

Kalil did just that in 2011, as he rounded into the all-around tackle scouts were hoping he would be, leaving no doubt as to who the best offensive tackle prospect in the country really was.

The 6'7'', 295-pound junior is a better and more complete prospect than Tyron Smith, last year's No. 9 pick, who was forced to man the right side at USC because of Kalil.

Smith may have the higher ceiling, but Kalil has the higher floor, as he seems to have all the tools necessary to be a future Pro Bowl tackle, and, barring injury, it's hard to see him not developing into a long-time protector for some lucky quarterback.

7. LB Courtney Upshaw, Alabama

Leading the charge in Alabama’s dominant defensive performance against LSU in the BCS National Championship Game was linebacker Courtney Upshaw, who politely showed OT Alex Hurst the Alabama defense possessed more than SEC speed; the Tide possessed NFL speed.

Upshaw and his fellow standout defenders like Dont’a Hightower and Mark Barron were playing at a different speed, a speed that the LSU offense just couldn’t handle.

Upshaw’s been playing at that speed for the past two seasons, though. In 2010, the 6’2’’, 265-pound senior racked up seven sacks and 14. 5 tackles for loss. In 2011, he outdid himself, piling up 9.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss.

With the ability to line up as both a 4-3 defensive end or a 3-4 rush linebacker depending on the situation and the defensive package, Upshaw is the type of versatile impact player that can add a huge boost to a defensive front seven as a consistent, disruptive pass-rushing and penetrating threat.

In my opinion, Upshaw’s a LaMarr Woodley-Ahmad Brooks mash-up, and he should come in and contribute in a big way as a rookie.

8. DT Michael Brockers, LSU

Last season, Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo hogged most of the attention on LSU's defensive line, but DT Michael Brockers played just as big of a role up front for the Tigers.

While Montgomery and Mingo were busy flying off the edges of LSU's line, Brockers occupied the middle and proved to be an immovable object in the interior.

The 6'6'', 305-pound redshirt sophomore plays with a purpose, and he has the type of size, strength, agility and overall football acumen to develop into a consistent Pro Bowl defensive tackle.

Even though he only had one season to really prove himself as a starter, Brockers has the rare physical traits that only elite defensive tackles share, and five years from now he'll likely be one of the biggest names to emerge from the 2012 class.

9. OT Mike Adams, Ohio State

After two years of limited production, many around Columbus started to wonder if highly touted offensive tackle Mike Adams would ever live up to his enormous high school hype, but then Adams finally broke out of his early slump as a junior and helped to calm any concerns some Ohio State fans had.

After earning All-Big Ten honors in 2010, Adams was forced to sit out the first five games of his senior season this past year, but once he hit the field and shook off the rust, the athletic big man looked like the same player we saw as a junior.

The 6'7'', 323-pound senior is built like a big power forward, and he has the size, athleticism, wingspan and footwork to develop into a consistent blindside-protecting left tackle at the NFL level.

10. DE Melvin Ingram, South Carolina

No other player in this year’s draft class opened as many eyes and caused as much of an unexpected buzz as ultra versatile South Carolina defensive lineman Melvin Ingram.

After his memorable fake punt run for a touchdown against Georgia in Week 2, Ingram managed to build on the momentum from that one play and put together a breakout campaign.

The 6’2’’, 275-pound senior displayed the type of quickness and athleticism that proved to be just too much for most offensive lines to handle. Ingram is a freakish kind of athlete for his size, and it’s his combination of agility, size and strength that could allow him to line up at defensive tackle, defensive end or outside linebacker in the NFL.

That type of versatility will make the former Gamecock an attractive prospect for teams that employ a variety of different defensive fronts.

11. WR Kendall Wright, Baylor

Break out the stopwatches, folks, because Kendall Wright is about to take over the NFL combine.

Wright just may be the fastest receiver in this year's draft class, and he's not just a track star who throws on the football pads and acts like a real player (Xavier Carter). No, Wright's got the type of career production that lets you know just how legitimate he really is.

The 5'10", 190-pound senior led the Bears in receiving in all four seasons he played in Waco, and he ended his career with his best campaign, finishing the 2011 season with 108 catches for 1,663 yards and 14 touchdowns.

The super-speedster may have been overshadowed by the emergence of Heisman-winning teammate, Robert Griffin III, but Wright did manage to show onlookers that he enjoys blowing by opposing secondaries on a regular basis and making big, momentum-changing catches. 

If Wright runs like he's capable of running in the 40, he just may end up cracking the Top 15 of the draft.

12. RB Lamar Miller, Miami

Miami has produced some terrific running backs over the last decade, including guys like Frank Gore, Willis McGahee and Clinton Portis. After a few years of failing to produce a coveted rusher, the Hurricanes have now sent another quality running back to the NFL’s doorstep with Lamar Miller.

Miller may have only been a redshirt sophomore in 2011, but he still managed to outproduce many of college football’s top backs, finishing the season with 1,272 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. The 5’11’’, 212-pound Miami native isn’t a receiving threat, and he still needs to work on his pass-blocking, but what he offers in the running game is definitely intriguing, as Miller possesses the vision, strength and quickness to burst through holes with power and precision.

As far as physical ability goes, Miller ranks right up there with the top back in the class, Trent Richardson, and it won’t take long before he becomes the main man in an NFL backfield.

13. OT Riley Reiff, Iowa

If I asked you to picture what a typical Big Ten offensive lineman looked like, chances are the first image that would pop into your head would look an awful lot like Iowa's Riley Reiff.

Reiff is built exactly how you would expect a big, strong lineman from South Dakota to look. He's the type of powerful road-grading tackle that can open up huge holes in the running game.

The 6'6'', 300-pound junior is still learning his craft and figuring out what his true strengths and true limitations really are, but once he solves the puzzle, Reiff has the chance to become a versatile and reliable bookend that a team can count on for the next decade.

Like former franchise Big Ten tackle prospects like Jake Long and Joe Thomas, Reiff has all of the tools to develop into the linchpin of a line and a warrior in the trenches at the NFL level.

14. DT Dontari Poe, Memphis

If a team is need of a monster run-stuffer to stick in the middle of its defense, it won’t be able to do much better than Memphis’ Dontari Poe.

Poe may not have been discussed a lot back before the season started, but once teams got a look at what the 6’5’’, 350-pound junior had to offer, it didn’t take long before his name started bouncing around scouting circles.

With the size to eat up space, and the strength to eat up double-teams, Poe seems prepared to develop into the NFL’s next great nose tackle.

Poe’s name has steadily risen up draft boards over the past few months, and if he can show surprising quickness for his size during workouts, there’s no telling how much higher it could go.

15. S Mark Barron, Alabama

It's not hard for a safety to develop into one of the main leaders of a defense, given that he's ultimately the one relied upon the most to prevent mistakes from turning into disasters when things break down on defense.

Alabama's Mark Barron is the type of classic crossover safety-leader that has all of the leadership traits and intangibles to keep a defense in order.

Barron arrived in Tuscaloosa as an athletic, yet raw linebacker-safety tweener, but after four seasons, he left as one of Nick Saban's most polished defensive back prospects ever.

The 6'2'', 210-pound senior has the field smarts, the instincts, the physical demeanor and the natural ability to be a standout, playmaking safety in NFL, and, just as important, he should become one of his team's most trusted locker room leaders.

16. OG David DeCastro, Stanford

Offensive guard may be one of the least glamorous positions on a football team, but it's also one of the most important, and finding an upper echelon guard prospect early in the draft is a rarity.

This year's top interior offensive line prospect is Stanford's David DeCastro, who has been one of college football's silent forces for the past two seasons. DeCastro plays the game with a mean streak, but he's also a fundamentally sound technician, who makes complicated blocks look routine.

The 6'5'', 310-pound redshirt junior could have been a first-round pick if he had decided to enter the 2011 draft, but now that he's had another year to show scouts how viscous he is as a run-blocker, DeCastro will be competing to be a Top 15 pick.

17. LB Nick Perry, USC

Nick Perry is an offensive tackle's worst nightmare.

The 6'3'', 250-pound junior plays bigger and stronger than he appears to be, but he also plays just as fast as you would expect from a lighter outside pass-rusher.

Perry led the Trojans with eight sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 2011, and he looked like he enjoyed abusing overmatched offensive tackles, one of them being Stanford's Jonathan Martin.

He could put on 15 pounds and stay at end, but Perry will most likely be manning an outside linebacker spot in a 3-4 system, as he has the athleticism and physical makeup to make a successful switch.

18. WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame

There haven't been many college receivers in recent years who could track passes and high-point balls like Michael Floyd did at Notre Dame. Floyd displayed a sure pair of hands and the type of pinpoint vision that only the top wide receivers are blessed with.

Physically, the 6'3'', 225-pound senior already belongs in the NFL, and if he had opted to come out last year, he likely would have been a first-round pick. But Floyd had something to prove in 2011, and he did just that, reeling in 100 catches for 1,147 yards and nine touchdowns.

Floyd is built like a Vincent Jackson-Braylon Edwards hybrid, and he's got the potential to develop into a team's No. 1 receiver.

19. OT Jonathan Martin, Stanford

A 6'6'', 305-pound athletic specimen like Jonathan Martin doesn't come along very often, and Martin seems to be a legitimate franchise type of offensive tackle prospect.

The junior big man was given the task of protecting Andrew Luck's back for the past two years, and it's a job he performed at a high level at all times.

Martin has the footwork, base strength, wingspan and sheer size to hold any type of pass-rusher in check, and while he still has to improve his run-blocking and overall technique, it shouldn't take long for the coveted former Cardinal tackle to develop into a versatile and reliable battler in the NFL trenches.

20. DE Quinton Coples, North Carolina

After an eye-opening junior campaign in 2010, North Carolina's Quinton Coples could have entered the 2011 draft and likely been a Top 20 pick, but he decided to return to Chapel Hill for one final season, a decision that didn't exactly work out to perfection.

After moving from defensive tackle to his more natural position of defensive end for 2011, Coples became an instant marked man on North Carolina's defense line, as he faced constant double-teams on a routine basis this past season. 

Visibly frustrated, Coples struggled at times, and he didn't look like the star pass-rusher that many were expecting to see. Sure, the 6'6'', 285-pound senior still racked up nice-looking numbers (7.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles), but scouts didn't see the consistency they were hoping to see out of Coples. 

He's a Top 5 talent, that's obvious, but there were times last year when he played like a Day 2 pick instead of the pass-rushing stud everyone was expecting.

GM's will have their questions. Will Coples have the answers?

21. RB David Wilson, Virginia Tech

David Wilson's acceleration and burst sets him apart from the rest of this year's running back crop, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Wilson finish with the best 40-yard dash time in the running back class.

Wilson's speed is his most valuable asset, but the 5'11'', 205-pound junior relied on his full array of physical assets this past season when he led the ACC with 1,709 rushing yards.

Wilson is a better overall prospect than his predecessor Ryan Williams, and he should end up developing into a dynamic offensive playmaker for whichever team manages to nab him.

22. WR Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers

This year's wide receiver class is loaded with prospects who have no trouble going up and snatching the ball out of the air, and it seems like the receiver who does that the best is Mohamed Sanu.

Sanu had to deal with entirely too much inconsistent quarterback play this past season, but he still managed to reel in 115 catches for more than 1,200 yards and score seven touchdowns. The 6'2'', 215-pound junior has a strong pair of hands, and when he tracks a ball and goes up to get it, there aren't many defenders capable of preventing Sanu from coming down with it.

Sanu has the physical makeup to be a No. 1 receiver in the NFL, and if he lights up workouts likes he's capable of, teams in the late first round are really going to pay him a closer look.

23. LB Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State

For the first two years of his career, Vontaze Burfict was one of the most ruthless and reckless linebackers in the country. In 2011, though, Burfict seemed to lack the type of intense energy that he became known for, as he had a tendency to disappear for long stretches during games.

When Burfict is focused, and playing with his heart fully in the game, he's probably one of the best linebackers to come through the college ranks in the last decade. However, the lapses we saw from Burfict this past season are inexcusable for a player who was billed as an elite prospect before the season started.

When the 6'3'', 250-pound junior is hungry, he can gobble up as many ball-carriers as he wants to, but it's getting him to that point of hunger that's the tricky part.

Burfict will need to be coached properly in the NFL if the team that drafts him wants to get what they're paying for, but if the light switch goes on, the tenacious former Sun Devil could become a defensive star soon after he enters the league.

24. RB Chris Polk, Washington

You won't find many college backs that have had the type of consistent and productive college career that Chris Polk put together at Washington.

Polk rushed for more than 1,000 yards for three straight seasons when he was in Seattle, and although he always got overshadowed by conference counterpart LaMichael James, he proved he was still one of the most talented backs in the country.

The 5'11'', 220-pound senior has the type of compact, stocky and strong build that backs like Ray Rice, Maurice Jones-Drew and Ahmad Bradshaw have used to find major success in the NFL.

As far as stature is concerned, Polk may be bigger than all three of those backs, but he runs with a similar power-based style, and there's plenty of proof from the past three years that he knows how to get the job done when called upon.

25. LB Zach Brown, North Carolina

Some football players are seemingly born to play a certain position in life, and North Carolina's Zach Brown is one of them, as Brown fits in absolutely perfectly as a weakside linebacker in a 4-3 defense.

Brown enjoyed a huge campaign as a senior, leading the Tar Heels with 105 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions and three forced fumbles.

The 6'2', 230-pound senior has the speed and lateral quickness to track ball-carriers from sideline to sideline and he has a great awareness for finding the football.

Brown is a similar prospect to Keith Rivers when he was coming out of USC, and with Brown's kind of rare athleticism, he should be able to turn some heads and cause some buzz during workouts.

26. DT Devon Still, Penn State

Devon Still was just a plain old big bully out on the field this past season, as Still seemed to get great enjoyment out of pushing around opposing offensive linemen and swallowing up ball-carriers that would regularly disappear into his big bear-like arms.

Still was like a destructive wrecking ball that just consistently smashed into opposing offenses in 2011. The 6'5'', 310-pound senior loved to break through the offensive line and blast ball-carriers. Still racked up 4.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss last season, and he earned a reputation around the Big Ten as an intimidating force.

If a team needs a consistent run-stopper that has also shown some pass-rushing prowess, it'll surely be taking a good hard look at Devon Still in the first round of this year's draft.

27. CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama

Dre Kirkpatrick didn't see many balls thrown his way during his three years at Alabama, as quarterbacks rarely had the guts to toss the ball anywhere near the 6'3'', 190-pound junior's long frame.

Kirkpatrick is built in the same long, rangy mold as Chicago's Charles Tillman, and he's shown the same kind of tenacity of a guy like Cortland Finnegan, and he has the skill set to flourish in a Cover 2 system.

With great recognition skills and the tackling ability to be a factor against the run, Kirkpatrick is the type of big, physical and athletic corner that teams covet, and while he's still a little rough around the edges, he has the potential to develop into a disruptive DB at the NFL level.

28. LB Luke Kuechly, Boston College

Luke Kuechly notched more than 500 tackles in his three years at Boston College, but some of his critics are wondering if he was simply a compiler or if he really is as good as his stats would seem to indicate.

While Kuechly isn't an elite physical specimen like some of his fellow linebacker counterparts in this year's class, the 6'3'', 237-pound junior is a fundamentally sound leader who has all the intangibles that teams are looking for in a starting linebacker. 

Kuechly plays the game with passion and intelligence, and he's the type of all-out effort player who will never give up in pursuit and will usually be in the right place to make a key stop.

29. TE Orson Charles, Georgia

Athletic and explosive tight ends who can be major factors in the passing game are becoming valuable commodities in today’s NFL, and the most athletic and explosive tight end in this year’s class is Georgia’s Orson Charles.

Charles may have gotten by mostly on raw ability over the past three seasons in Athens, but it’s that natural talent that really separates him from everyone else in this year’s tight end class. The 6’3’’, 241-pound junior was one of Aaron Murray’s most trusted targets in 2011, finishing the season with 45 catches for 574 yards and five touchdowns.

Charles could be the next Vernon Davis, or he could be the next Richard Quinn—it's hard to tell, but from the looks of things, he should at the very least turn out to be a reliable receiving threat who can fly down the seam and stretch a secondary.

30. WR Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina

You can't draw up a better red-zone receiver than South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery.

Not only does the 6'4'', 230-pound junior have the perfect-sized frame, he also has the leaping ability and strong hands to catch anything thrown in his general direction.

But while Jeffery may present a very threatening target near the goal line, there are questions as to just how effective he'll actually be between the 20s in the NFL.

Jeffery's stock will hinge a lot on how well he times in the 40-yard dash. If the big, bulky receiver can show scouts he's got the deep speed to go along with his big frame, it will really help repair his damaged stock.

Once thought of as a future Top-10 pick last summer, Jeffery's lack of production in 2011 will have some scouts wondering if he's even worthy of a first-round pick at this point.

31. LB Chandler Jones, Syracuse

Finding versatile college edge-rushers who are capable of making the transition from 4-3 defensive end to 3-4 rush linebacker in the pros is becoming increasingly important in today’s 3-4 heavy NFL.

One end who fits the bill in this year’s class is Syracuse’s Chandler Jones, the younger brother of Arthur Jones of the Baltimore Ravens.

Over the last two years, Jones has racked up 8.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss, as he proved he has the type of strength and quickness to be effective as both a pass-rusher and run-stuffer.

Jones is one of the most athletic defensive linemen in this year’s class, and his stock will only continue to rise as he shows off his immense physical ability in workouts.

32. DT Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State

Fletcher Cox had showed plenty of glimpses of his potential in 2010 when he helped Mississippi State finish 15th in the country in rush defense.

Cox really stepped up his game in 2011, though, as he developed into a dominant, disruptive force for the Bulldogs' defensive front.

The 6'4'', 300-pound junior racked up five sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss as he proved he could penetrate into the backfield and make plays at the line of scrimmage.

Cox is one of the many tackles in this year's class that has the size, athleticism and power to fit in as either a three-technique tackle in a 4-3 scheme or as a defensive end in a 3-4 system.

The 'Fringe' First-Round Prospects

QB Nick Foles, Arizona

QB Brock Osweiler, Arizona State

QB Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M

RB Bernard Pierce, Temple

RB LaMichael James, Oregon 

RB Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati

RB Doug Martin, Boise State

WR Rueben Randle, LSU

WR Chris Givens, Wake Forest

WR Jarius Wright, Arkansas

TE Coby Fleener, Stanford

TE Dwayne Allen, Clemson

OT/OG Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State

OT/OG Cordy Glenn, Georgia

OT/OG James Brown, Troy

OT Zebrie Sanders, Florida State

OG Amini Silatolu, Midwestern State

C Peter Konz, Wisconsin

DT Brandon Thompson, Clemson

DT Jerel Worthy, Michigan State

DT Billy Winn, Boise State

DT Kendall Reyes, Connecticut

DE Jonathan Massaquoi, Troy

DE Andre Branch, Clemson

DE Whitney Mercilus, Illinois

LB Ronnell Lewis, Oklahoma

LB Lavonte David, Nebraska

LB Dont'a Hightower, Alabama

LB Keenan Robinson, Texas

CB Casey Hayward, Vanderbilt

CB Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama

CB Chase Minniefield, Virginia

CB Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska

CB Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina

CB Jamell Fleming, Oklahoma

S Markelle Martin, Oklahoma State

The Top 10 Quarterbacks

1. Andrew Luck, Stanford

2. Robert Griffin III, Baylor

3. Nick Foles, Arizona

4. Brock Osweiler, Arizona State

5. Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M

6. Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State

7. Russell Wilson, Wisconsin 

8. Kirk Cousins, Michigan State

9. Ryan Lindley, San Diego State

10. Kellen Moore, Boise State

The Top 10 Running Backs

1. Trent Richardson, Alabama

2. Lamar Miller, Miami

3. David Wilson, Virginia Tech

4. Chris Polk, Washington

5. Bernard Pierce, Temple

6. LaMichael James, Oregon

7. Doug Martin, Boise State

8. Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati

9. Robert Turbin, Utah State

10. Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M

The Top 10 Wide Receivers

1. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State

2. Kendall Wright, Baylor

3. Michael Floyd, Notre Dame

4. Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers

5. Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina

6. Rueben Randle, LSU

7. Chris Givens, Wake Forest

8. Jarius Wright, Arkansas

9. Juron Criner, Arizona

10. Nick Toon, Wisconsin

The Top 10 Tight Ends

1. Orson Charles, Georgia

2. Coby Fleener, Stanford

3. Dwayne Allen, Clemson

4. Deangelo Peterson, LSU

5. Ladarius Green, Louisiana-Lafayette

6. Michael Egnew, Missouri

7. Brian Linthicum, Michigan State

8. Rhett Ellison, USC

9. David Paulson, Oregon

10. George Bryan, North Carolina State

The Top 10 Offensive Tackles

1. Matt Kalil, USC

2. Mike Adams, Ohio State

3. Riley Reiff, Iowa

4. Jonathan Martin, Stanford

5. Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State

6. Cordy Glenn, Georgia

7. Zebrie Sanders, Florida State

8. James Brown, Troy

9. Jeff Allen, Illinois

10. Matt McCants, UAB

The Top 10 Interior Linemen

1. David DeCastro, Stanford

2. Peter Konz, Wisconsin

3. Amini Silatolu, Midwestern State

4. Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin

5. Senio Kelemete, Washington

6. Brandon Washington, Miami

7. Lucas Nix, Pittsburgh

8. Philip Blake, Baylor

9. Joe Looney, Wake Forest

10. Ryan Miller, Colorado

The Top 10 Defensive Tackles

1. Michael Brockers, LSU

2. Dontari Poe, Memphis

3. Devon Still, Penn State

4. Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State

5. Brandon Thompson, Clemson

6. Jerel Worthy, Michigan State

7. Billy Winn, Boise State

8. Kendall Reyes, Connecticut

9. Jared Crick, Nebraska

10. Alameda Ta’amu, Washington

The Top 10 Defensive Ends

1. Melvin Ingram, South Carolina

2. Quinton Coples, North Carolina

3. Jonathan Massaquoi, Troy

4. Andre Branch, Clemson

5. Whitney Mercilus, Illinois

6. Cam Johnson, Virginia

7. Vinny Curry, Marshall

8. Trevor Guyton, Cal

9. Donte Paige-Moss, North Carolina

10. Derrick Shelby, Utah

The Top 10 Rush Linebackers

1. Courtney Upshaw, Alabama

2. Nick Perry, USC

3. Chandler Jones, Syracuse

4. Ronnell Lewis, Oklahoma

5. Bruce Irvin, West Virginia

6. Brandon Lindsey, Pittsburgh

7. Frank Alexander, Oklahoma

8. Shea McClellin, Boise State

9. Jacquies Smith, Missouri

10. Dezman Moses, Tulane

The Top 10 Traditional Linebackers

1. Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State

2. Zach Brown, North Carolina

3. Luke Kuechly, Boston College

4. Lavonte David, Nebraska

5. Dont’a Hightower, Alabama

6. Keenan Robinson, Texas

7. Audie Cole, North Carolina State

8. Sean Spence, Miami

9. Terrell Manning, North Carolina State

10. Bobby Wagner, Utah State

The Top 10 Cornerbacks

1. Morris Claiborne, LSU

2. Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama

3. Casey Hayward, Vanderbilt

4. Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama

5. Chase Minnifield, Virginia

6. Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska

7. Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina

8. Jamell Fleming, Oklahoma

9. Leonard Johnson, Iowa State

10. Trumaine Johnson, Montana

The Top 10 Safeties

1. Mark Barron, Alabama

2. Markelle Martin, Oklahoma State

3. Antonio Allen, South Carolina

4. George Iloka, Boise State

5. Harrison Smith, Notre Dame

6. Trenton Robinson, Michigan State

7. Phillip Thomas, Syracuse

8. Winston Guy, Kentucky

9. Duke Ihenacho, San Jose State

10. Aaron Henry, Wisconsin

The Top 5 Kickers

1. Randy Bullock, Texas A&M

2. Blair Walsh, Georgia

3. Carson Wiggs, Purdue

4. Dave Teggart,Connecticut

5. Derek Dimke, Illinois

The Top 5 Punters

1. Shawn Powell, Florida State

2. Bryan Anger, California

3. Kyle Martens, Rice

4. Drew Butler, Georgia

5. Brian Stahovich, San Diego State