2012 NFL Draft: Late-Round Steals for Each NFC East Team

NFC East teams have done a good job of finding gems in the late rounds of recent NFL drafts. The Dallas Cowboys found Jay Ratliff in the seventh round and the Philadelphia Eagles waited until the fifth round to land Brent Celek.

The 2012 NFL draft class contains plenty of intriguing late-round prospects who should appeal to NFC East teams. Arch rivals the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins could both use Boston College cornerback Donnie Fletcher, while Wisconsin's pint-sized passing ace Russell Wilson would answer the Eagles' need for a quarterback to groom behind Michael Vick.

Here are eight late-round steals NFC East teams could use.

New York Giants: Jacquies Smith, DE, Missouri

Smith is the kind of high-energy edge-rusher the Giants can never seem to have too many of. The 6'3" 253-pounder is raw, but has some attributes Big Blue could utilize well in their defense.

Smith has outstanding first-step quickness and works hard to defeat blocks and close on the quarterback. He has the frame and agility to drop off into zone coverage when needed, something the Giants still require their defensive ends to be able to do on occasion.

Although he can sometimes be fooled by bootleg and counteractions, Smith is a hard-working pass-rusher who plays bigger than his natural size. He should be there at the end of the sixth round and would make a great replacement for Dave Tollefson.

New York Giants: Chris Owusu, WR, Stanford

A litany of injuries has damaged Owusu's draft stock, but the diminutive Stanford speedster could tempt the Giants to use a sixth or seventh-round pick to take him.

The 6'0", 196-pounder overcame a disappointing season, despite Andrew Luck throwing the passes, and turned in a fine performance at the combine. He has elite speed, both going across the middle and stretching the field vertically.

With a hole at third wide receiver, the G-Men could justify taking a chance on Owusu. If healthy and motivated, he could become a useful deep threat.

Philadelphia Eagles: DaJohn Harris, DT, Southern California

Harris had his draft stock plummet after he was unable to workout at the combine due to the discovery of a heart defect. The condition will likely make some teams shy away and leave Harris on the board until the sixth or seventh round.

However, the USC standout is a talented interior lineman who could become an effective member of the Eagles' front four rotation. At 6'3" and 306 pounds, Harris is the ideal size to man the three-technique position line coach Jim Washburn likes to have his tackles play.

He plays with awesome upper body strength and is tough to move at the point of attack. Harris also possesses great initial quickness to penetrate gaps and make plays in the backfield.

As a fleet-footed inside rusher, Harris could thrive if given a chance in Philadelphia's one-gap line schemes.

Philadelphia Eagles: Russell Wilson, QB, Wisconsin

Andy Reid's search for a quarterback to develop behind Michael Vick should simply begin and end with Russell Wilson. The Badgers star has the athleticism, timing and accuracy to thrive in Reid's offense.

Wilson is a decisive touch passer, able to make every kind of throw with a high degree of precision. His lack of prototype size could mean the 5'11", 210-pounder has to wait the fifth round to hear his name called.

However, Wilson's talent far exceeds his prospective draft status. He has the footwork and scrambling ability to make countless plays outside the pocket. Reid could develop Wilson without changing the parameters of the playbook already in place for Vick.

Dallas Cowboys: Markus Kuhn, DT, North Carolina State

Instead of foolishly concentrating on alternatives to the great Jay Ratliff at nose tackle, the Cowboys could use the late rounds to add a young and powerful five-technique defensive end to the ranks.

North Carolina State's Markus Kuhn has all the attributes to be a fine two-gap lineman in Rob Ryan's base schemes. At 6'5" and 299 pounds, Kuhn has the strength to take on and hold up blockers at the point of attack.

His long arms help Kuhn to absorb and split double-teams, which would give Ratliff more one-on-one rush opportunities. The Cowboys have grabbed plenty of serviceable 3-4 linemen in the draft's later rounds, and Kuhn would be another excellent find.

Dallas Cowboys: James Hanna, TE, Oklahoma

Hanna would be a true steal for the Dallas offense in Round 6. He is an excellent receiving tight end who would give Tony Romo another useful weapon and could even be groomed to eventually succeed veteran Jason Witten.

Hanna is an intelligent and resourceful pass-catcher in the mold of Witten. He lacks top-level athleticism but has excellent hands and will move the chains all day in the underneath areas.

The Cowboys lost a good blocker in Martellus Bennett, but John Phillips can assume that role. With Witten approaching 30, Dallas would be wise to begin looking for a younger player who can offer the same receiving skills.

Washington Redskins: Donnie Fletcher, CB, Boston College

As a sixth-round choice, Fletcher would offer great value to the Redskins. He is a big and physical defensive back with exceptional zone instincts, who would make a good third corner behind DeAngelo Hall and Josh Wilson.

Fletcher has good size at 6'0" and 201 pounds, something the Redskins' current cornerbacks lack. He has the physicality to utilize press techniques but truly excels in zone schemes thanks to keen awareness and anticipation.

The Redskins play a lot of zone concepts in the secondary and could certainly use a corner with Fletcher's intelligence and physical skill set. With offensive line, inside linebacker and safety also high on the team's draft needs, Washington could risk waiting to the penultimate round to take Fletcher.

Washington Redskins: Jaymes Brooks, G, Virginia Tech

Brooks is the kind of late-round lineman Mike Shanahan could develop into an effective player in the Redskins' blocking schemes. A lack of elite pro size and physical range has damaged Brooks' draft stock.

However, he played in a zone-based system for Virginia Tech and is a particularly effective run-blocker. The Washington Post recently highlighted Brooks' flexibility and size comparisons to some of the Redskins' current linemen, as evidence of his suitability for Shanahan's scheme.

He would be a good swing backup all along the interior of Washington's front five. His running-blocking expertise could even elevate Brooks into starting contention under Shanahan.

NFC East Teams Could Make Stars out of Late-Round Finds

There is plenty of talent for NFC East teams to plunder in the late rounds of the 2012 NFL draft. The division has produced many stars from the draft's latter stages in recent seasons.

All four franchises have shown a willingness to quickly give chances to promising late-rounders. Players such as Redskins running back Evan Royster, a 2011 sixth-round pick, could be set to experience similar success to the likes of Celek and Ratliff.

The players on this list are all good scheme fits and would have the same chance to quickly make an impact in the division.