NBA Draft 2012: Jared Sullinger and 7 Prospects Sliding Down Draft Boards

As always at this time of the year, several potential NBA prospects vault up the draft board due to solid performances against quality competition.

The opposite holds true as well for those guys not getting the job done, as a host of guys have begun sliding down draft boards as well.

To check out some of the guys whose stock is up, you can check out our latest mock draft.

But here's a quick look at seven guys whose stock has been falling by the week.

Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

Sullinger entered the season as one of the top big men available, but has been passed by the likes of Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond and Thomas Robinson.

He's also behind Arnett Moultrie right now on most big boards, and the likes of Cody and Tyler Zeller, John Henson and Meyers Leonard are coming on strong.

There's been questions as of late about Sullinger's athleticism, especially when it comes to running the floor and his ability to deal with more athletic defenders.

Defensively, athletic and perimeter-oriented guys that can put the ball on the deck have given him big problems.

His athleticism is the big question going forward.

One other disturbing fact is the mere 14.0 PPG and 8.8 RPG he's averaged in five Ohio State losses, nearly becoming invisible against good competition.

Perry Jones III, Baylor

Jones III has all the tools necessary to become a great NBA player and began the season almost certain to be one of the top picks in the 2012 Draft.

But while the tools are there, the production isn't, and it seems with each passing game more scouts are jumping off his bandwagon.

He's never produced the way his talent suggests he should, and his 2011-12 numbers (13.1 PPG, 7.2 RPG) suggest he's an underachiever.

In a five-game stretch from February 8 to February 20 against good competition, Jones was nearly invisible.

In key losses to Missouri, Kansas and Kansas State, Jones was a combined 5-for-26 from the field and pulled down just 14 rebounds. Even more shocking is the fact that, despite Jones' length and athleticism, he hasn't had a blocked shot in eight games.

He likely could benefit from another year of school as maturity is an issue both on and off the court.

Marquis Teague, Kentucky

Around a month ago, Teague was the top point guard on the board, but he's since been leap-frogged by the likes of Kendall Marshall, Tony Wroten and Damian Lillard.

His biggest issue has been valuing the ball and not trying to do too much each trip down the floor, as his decision-making is suspect at times.

He doesn't have the floor vision needed to be an NBA point guard, and some question if he's not better suited off the ball (his shooting has a long way to come for that to happen). He's only averaging 9.8 PPG, but the disturbing fact is he's only averaging 4.6 APG on the No. 1 team in the nation.

Teague is another guy that could benefit from another year of school.

Mason Plumlee, Duke

There's no knocking the athletic or leaping ability of Plumlee, but the fact that he's never been very dominant at any time during his collegiate career raises some questions.

With such a deep class of quality big men, the fact that Plumlee doesn't play a major role in the Duke offense could scare off some scouts.

He needs to add strength and some post moves to open some eyes in the summer. His overall numbers of 10.7 PPG and 9.7 RPG don't suggest someone who can step in and contribute at the NBA level.

His stock has slipped from a projected possible late lottery pick to a guy that's likely a late first-rounder and fading fast.

Quincy Miller, Baylor

Miller started the season as a potential lottery pick, but his inconsistent season has him on the verge of potentially being out of the first round altogether.

He's averaged only 11.7 PPG and 5.1 RPG and has only scored in double figures in 16 of Baylor's 30 games on the season.

Miller is very athletic and could be one of the best small forwards in the draft, but he needs to get much stronger and improve his ability to finish at the rim and his overall defensive game.

He's drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant in the past, and while he's got a nice perimeter shot, his overall game needs improvement—he's shooting 41 percent behind the arc and under 50 percent from inside it.

Fab Melo, Syracuse

Depending on who you talk to, Melo is either a mid-first-round guy or out of the first-round completely.

There's also a good chance that he could return to school, which is likely a cause for the fluctuation in his projections.

Melo's a guy I think will become a good NBA player, but right now could use another year of school.

Right now he has the size and length you look for in a prospect, but he's still raw and needs to work on every offensive aspect of his game.

Offensively he has some basic post moves, but the explosiveness in his execution is too slow. He needs to work on much better post moves to become more of an offensive threat in the NBA.

Melo's not the greatest athlete and can get lost in an offensive set as he adjusts to playing in a faster and more up-tempo game, which he will see in the NBA.

Of all the guys on this list, he's the one I'm highest on if he returns to Syracuse for another season.

Doug McDermott, Creighton

The high school teammate of North Carolina's Harrison Barnes, McDermott's a scorer, averaging 23.1 PPG and 8.1 RPG.

He's a tweener though and has gone from a possible late first-rounf pick to a guy that needs to impress at summer camps to likely get drafted.

McDermott can flat out play and has first-round talent, which some compare to that of Danilo Gallinari, but he needs to find a position and work on his leadership skills or he's going to slide completely off the board.