2012 NFL Draft Projections: 7 Prospects Who Will Be Diamonds in the Rough

The 2012 NFL draft is loaded with diamonds in the rough, and there is at least one player to be found in each round that fits this description.

It can be tough to project which college players will end up excelling in the NFL, but I'm confident that these players are going to prove themselves to be capable of shining brightly on the biggest stage of them all in the sport of football.

It will be fun to watch these young men discover what they're capable of accomplishing in the NFL in the 2012 season and beyond. 

These are my diamonds in the rough for this year's draft—one player from each round that will prove to be the bright star nobody's talking about.

Lamar Miller, Round 1

Lamar Miller, Running Back, Miami (Fla.)

Trent Richardson is the running back everyone's talking about, and rightfully so. He's the best back to come out of college since Adrian Peterson.

Don't forget about Miller, though, who has a chance to become one of the draft's biggest steals at the bottom half of the first round.

Miller has game-breaking speed (unofficial 4.40 40-yard dash at the combine) to go along with stellar vision, elite shiftiness, soft hands and a durable body. Miller has the skill set and body to become a productive three-down back in the league.

He is the second-best running back in the draft and will end up making one lucky team very happy with its investment.

Kelechi Osemele, Round 2

Kelechi Osemele, Offensive Guard, Iowa State

Osemele is about as raw an offensive lineman as you're going to find in this year's draft class. That being said, he could also turn out to be one of the best linemen to come out this year, as well.

Osemele has elite size for a guard prospect. At 6'5" and 333 pounds, he is a monster of a man that has the physical tools to dominate inside the NFL for years on whichever team is fortunate enough to see past the raw ability to see the hidden gem inside waiting to be polished.

He has quick feet, an essential tool for any pulling guard. Additionally, Osemele is a fiery competitor who plays with a mean streak.

His physical abilities make him the perfect candidate to become a versatile lineman who could play both guard and tackle positions, making him one of the most talented players coming out of the draft nobody's talking about.

Brian Quick, Round 3

Brian Quick, Wide Receiver, Appalachian State

The reason Quick isn't going higher in the draft is due to the fact that he's extremely raw, but in the end he could very well end up as one of the best receivers to come out of the 2012 NFL draft.

His blend of size, speed and athleticism reminds me of Andre Johnson, though it remains to be seen whether Quick will have the same kind of impact on the NFL that Johnson has had over the course of his career.

Quick can chew up yards with his long stride, and once the ball is in the air, he has the rare ability to make coming down with it under tough circumstances look easy. He made a ton of acrobatic catches in college, and that ability alone will be a tremendous boon for the team that picks him up.

Trevor Guyton, Round 4

Trevor Guyton, Defensive End, California

Guyton is going to make a team with a 3-4 defense extremely happy. He played in a 3-4 scheme at Cal, where his size and strength were perfect to anchor the defensive line.

He should make the transition to the NFL with ease.

At 6'3" and 285 pounds, Guyton is a very strong man. He isn't the kind of lineman that is going to get you a ton of sacks, but in the right scheme he won't need to. That's why you have outside linebackers.

Guyton's specialty is similar to that of San Francisco 49ers stud Justin Smith: He can bull-rush with the best of them, and he is stout against the run.

Guyton is also a leader, and he will be a great locker room guy for the lucky team that lands him in the fourth round of this year's NFL draft.

Vick Ballard, Round 5

Vick Ballard, Running Back, Mississippi State

The fact that Ballard is still available in the fifth round shows you how much running backs have been devalued over the years in the NFL.

Ballard is going to be an absolute steal at this point, and he reminds me a bit of Frank Gore, the Pro Bowl back for the San Francisco 49ers.

One of the best qualities Ballard possesses is his patience and vision in the backfield as he waits for holes to develop. He has enough burst to wait until something opens up, and once he sees the hole, he will hit it hard.

Ballard isn't a fantastic pass-catcher, which is one of the reasons he did slip this low, but a team with the need to establish a power running game will find him to be a perfect fit.

Duke, Ihenacho, Round 6

Duke Ihenacho, Strong Safety, San Jose State

Ihenacho is an insane steal here in the sixth round.

One of the reasons he is grading out this low is because he's not particularly fast on the track, recording an average of 4.6 on his 40-yard dash times throughout the pre-draft process.

All you have to do is watch him play to see why he's going to become an excellent safety in the NFL, though.

Ihenacho's best qualities are his instincts and smarts out on the field. Even though he's not the fastest guy on the field, he seems to be in the right place at the right time far too often for mere coincidence. 

The one downside to his game is that Ihenacho is going to be more of an in-the-box type of safety that is better suited to playing the run than the deep pass. Still, the same could be said for San Francisco 49ers strong safety Donte Whitner. 

Give Ihenacho the right scheme and good coaching, and you're going to find a hell of a football player.

Bradie Ewing, Round 7

Bradie Ewing, Fullback, Wisconsin

Ewing reminds me of Chris Cooley, the tight end/H-back for the Washington Redskins. 

He is an excellent all-around football player that makes up for physical limitations by being smarter and tougher than everyone around him. 

Ewing is going to make an NFL roster in 2012 due to the fact that he's a "football guy."

He will excel in special teams, and once he learns his new playbook, he will be a nice weapon on offense who can catch the ball out of the backfield and clear out space for his team's running back.

Don't expect Ewing to do much running as a fullback, though. He is much better suited as a blocking fullback and a checkdown option in the passing game.

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