NFL Draft 2012: Vontaze Burfict and Defensive Studs Who Will Make Instant Impact

In our fast-paced, short attention span society, we crave instant results for everything. We need our NFL rookies to produce right away, or else we are going to ask if they are complete failures. 

While there are a number of players in this year's draft class who will start from Day 1, not all of them will be successful. 

Defense is definitely the strength of this class, and there are great athletes ready to make their mark on the NFL in Week 1. 

Here are the defensive studs that are going to shine right away. 

Vontaze Burfict, Linebacker

Never underestimate the power that great athleticism can have on a player being a success right away. Burfict is one of the best pure athletes in this class—he can run and tackle, has size and strength and plays with a reckless abandon. 

His biggest problem has been his work ethic and taking plays off while in college at Arizona State. Eventually, that will catch up to him, but as the league adjusts to his skills, there is no reason to think he won't have his way with everyone he goes up against. 

Linebackers are a unique breed, and Burfict is the most unique and interesting player in the NFL draft this year. 

Fletcher Cox, Defensive Tackle

Defensive tackles are a lot like eighth-inning setup guys in Major League Baseball: Their role is important and the team would be lost without them, but they only get credited with a hold instead of a save. 

Translating that to the NFL, most defensive tackles open up holes for their fellow linemen to get sacks. 

Cox has the talent to make an impact right away because he has prototypical size and strength for a player at his position, but he does not have to put up huge sack totals to prove his effectiveness. 

Putting him on a team like Denver, that desperately needs a presence in the middle to stop the run and make life easier on Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil to get 25-30 sacks combined. 

Morris Claiborne, Cornerback

The shutdown cornerback is the rarest of all commodities in the NFL, even more than elite quarterbacks. 

Claiborne may not be the dominant, shutdown defender right away, but he has the talent and makeup to come really close. He can run with any receiver in the league today, has size and isn't afraid to go after the ball. 

If his defensive skills don't work for you, Claiborne can also return punts. Think of him as this year's Patrick Peterson. 

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