LSU Football: 2012 NFL Draft Projections for 8 LSU Players

Can't you just smell it in the air?

The NFL Draft is quickly approaching and as players prepare for their respected Pro Days, they will have one last month to impress NFL scouts before draft day is finally here.

The LSU Tigers were one of the best college football teams in the nation in 2011, and an eye-popping eight players from that SEC title team are looking to take their skills to the next level and be selected in the upcoming NFL Draft.

But now we ask, where will these former LSU standouts be drafted?

Will all eight be selected?

Let's put on our thinking cap as we go ahead and project in what round each of these LSU players will be selected.

Bleacher Report Style!

Ryan Baker

Ryan Baker has been a two year starter for the Tigers, and while his numbers don't pop out at you, he is a gifted athlete who has the size, speed and athleticism to play outside linebacker at the next level.

Standing at only 5'11", Baker doesn't have great height, but his speed makes up for it.

Realistically, this isn't a guy who is going to come in and start right off the bat in his rookie season. But he does have the experience playing against top-notch competition, and the natural football instincts to be an impact player on special teams and work his way into the linebacker rotation after a few years of playing at the NFL level.

Look for Baker to be a second-day pick, likely somewhere in the middle-to-lower rounds.

Projection: Fifth Round Selection

Michael Brockers

Michael Brockers didn't do himself any favors with his poor testing performance at last month's NFL Combine. However, his pure size and talent make him worthy of a high draft selection, regardless of how many bench press reps he did or didn't do.

Brockers has a massive body frame, standing at 6'5", 322 pounds. He has great size for a defensive tackle, and his arm length and large hands are a plus for the defensive tackle position.

Heading into this past college football season, Brockers was somewhat under the radar. But after a solid SEC season and a great showing in the National Championship Game, his stock began to rise and NFL scouts began to take notice of just how good this kid is.

I'd be shocked if Brockers wasn't a top-20 pick.

Prediction: First Round 

Ron Brooks

Ron Brooks is a kid who probably would have been a starter for any other team in the nation this past season other than LSU.

Brooks is a bit undersized, standing at only 5'10", 190 pounds, but he is one of the fastest players in this entire NFL Draft, being timed at 4.37 seconds in the 40 yard dash at the combine. He also has great jumping ability, leaping 38 inches in the vertical jump testing portion.

When it comes to corners, having elite speed and jumping ability are two of the most important aspects of playing the position. What Brooks lacks is simply playing experience.

If Brooks does get selected in the draft, it will be in the later rounds, but don't be surprised to see him make an NFL roster in 2012.

Projection: Seventh Round Selection

Morris Claiborne

Morris Claiborne is the creme of the crop when it comes to LSU players and cornerbacks in general in this year's NFL Draft class.

Claiborne has exceptional height (6'0"), speed (4.4-4.5 40 yard dash) and experience playing at one of the top programs in the country against the top competition in the country.

But what makes Claiborne so attractive to NFL teams is his superior athleticism that allows him to be such a fantastic shutdown cover corner. He can run with his back to the quarterback and still turn around at the ideal time to make a play on the ball.

Tyrann Mathieu may have been the most exciting defensive back in college football this past season, but have no doubt about it, Morris Claiborne was the best.

Projection: First Round, Top-Five Pick

Jordan Jefferson

Jordan Jefferson is not good enough to be an NFL quarterback.

There is it-- I said exactly what everyone reading this slideshow was probably already thinking.

The bottom line here is that Jefferson is an exceptional athlete, who does have good speed for the quarterback position. But his mechanics are terrible, his decision making is a slight step above that, he does not have great arm, and he tends to fade away in big games, which became more than evident in his poor performance in this year's National Championship Game.

Jefferson's best chance at making an NFL roster would be as a wild-cat quarterback specialist or if he changes positions. But chances are, that is going to have to come as a free agent.

Projection: Free Agent 

Deangelo Peterson

This is a very interesting year for tight ends because there really isn't one dominant tight end in this group, as there has been in past years.

Deangelo Peterson is a guy who dosen't have elite size for a tight end, but he does have good hands and descent speed, which makes him an attractive option to be used in passing situations.

The good news for Peterson is that that NFL game is evolving, and a 6'3", 250 pound tight end does have value in this day and age if he can catch the ball and create mismatches down the field, which Peterson has done throughout his college career.

Look for him to lock on somewhere, most likely as a free agent and not as a draft selection.

Projection: Free Agent

Rueben Randle

Some people may argue that this is a very strong wide receiver class in this year's NFL Draft, but personally, I don't see it that way.

Next to Justin Blackmon, it is anyone's guess who will be the next receiver taken off the board, and it's possible that No. 2 receiver might not be selected until the second round.

One guy who is in that mix is Rueben Randle, who was the Tigers' top receiver this past season.

At 6'3", Randle has great size and he can stretch the field. The issue here is that his numbers weren't very good against top-notch competition, but that has more to do with the poor play from Jordan Jefferson in those games.

I don't think Randle will slip into the first round, but it wouldn't shock me if it happened.

Projection: Second Round

Brandon Taylor

Brandon Taylor is one of the most underrated prospects in this year's entire draft class, and he certainly has the resume to back it up.

Taylor was a three-year starter for one of the top defenses, if not the top defense in all of college football. He is a guy who loves to hit and loves to go up and make a play on the ball.

Given those two attributes, NFL scouts have to like the potential of this guy at the next level.

Taylor didn't do anything spectacular during the combine, but he posted solid scores in every category.

This is a guy on whom some team will want to take a shot and have on their roster in 2012. Look for him to be a middle-round selection in this April's 2012 NFL Draft.

Projection: Third Round