2012 NFL Draft: Projecting Where College Football's Big Award Winners Will Land

In two weeks, the NFL draft will begin at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and over 250 collegiate standouts will officially begin their pursuit of football's ultimate prize...a Super Bowl ring.

However, many of these players have already gathered quite a collection of hardware, including Heisman Trophy recipient Robert Griffin of Baylor and the winners of college football's other major awards last year.

Winning a shiny trophy doesn't guarantee a fat in contract in the NFL, though (although it doesn't hurt either), so here's a look ahead at where the big winners of 2011 could hear their names called at the NFL draft in 2012.

Heisman Trophy: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin was on nobody's Heisman Watch list entering the 2011 college campaign, but that certainly didn't last long.

After gaining nearly 5,000 total yards and leading the Bears to a 10-win season, Griffin not only brought home college football's biggest individual honor, but also added the Davey O' Brien trophy as the nation's top signal-caller to boot.

Griffin's not going to be sneaking up on anyone in 2012. The spotlight on the 6'2", 223-pound junior is going to be exceedingly bright in Washington given the steep price the Redskins paid to move up in this year's draft, presumably to select Griffin, whose potential ESPN analyst Jon Gruden recently lauded in an interview with the Washington Post.

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“I think it’s real exciting for the Redskins because of Mike Shanahan’s expertise with mobile quarterbacks,” Gruden said during a teleconference Wednesday. “Some of the best tape that I’ve ever studied was Mike Shanahan and John Elway in Denver, back-to-back Super Bowl win teams. They took advantage of Elway’s mobility.

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Walter Camp Award: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

I say that Robert Griffin will "presumably" be the Washington Redskins choice at No. 2, because the Indianapolis Colts, who own the first-overall pick in April's draft, have made it pretty clear that Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck will be their pick, especially after this tweet by Colts owner Jim Irsay Tuesday.

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Met with A Luck#12 n Indy 2day for 3 hrs;it's easy 2c why the #1 pick n this Stanford phenom has been synonymous with each other 4over 2 yrs

— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) April 10, 2012

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The 6'4", 234-pound senior lost out in the Heisman voting to Griffin after throwing for over 3,500 yards in 2011, but Luck brought home the Walter Camp and Maxwell Awards as college football's top player a year ago. Jeff Legwold of the Denver Post came away from Stanford's recent pro day very impressed with Luck's poise.

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Before a big crowd of NFL talent evaluators, Luck went through his paces in Palo Alto, Calif., and gave the people what they wanted, a rare quarterback prospect who comes into the league as ready as a passer can be to start his pro career.

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Doak Walker Award: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Alabama running back Trent Richardson was an integral part of the Crimson Tide's march to the national championship last year, as the 5'11", 219-pound wrecking ball rolled for over 2,000 total yards and won the Walker Award as college football's top ballcarrier.

Former Indianapolis Colts vice-chairman Bill Polian is apparently a big fan of Richardson's combination of speed and power, and Polian recently told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that he views Richardson as one of the draft's safest prospects.

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Appearing as a guest on Sirius XM NFL Blitz on Sirius XM Radio on Monday, former Indianapolis Colts vice chairman Bill Polian—now an analyst for ESPN—called Luck, Griffin and Alabama running back Trent Richardson the "three sure-thing players" in the class of 2012.

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The Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and St. Louis Rams have all expressed interest in Richardson, but I can say as a Browns fan that I desperately hope that Richardson doesn't make it past the fourth pick.

Biletnikoff Award: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Winning the Biletnikoff Award as college football's top wide receiver is nothing new for Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon, as the 6'1", 207-pound junior now has a pair of the awards that should make for a sweet set of bookends.

Blackmon enjoyed a ridiculously productive collegiate career in Stillwater, tallying over 3.300 receiving yards over the past two seasons. Russ Lande of The Sporting News sees no reason why Blackmon can't carry that success over to the professional level:

"Blackmon's ability to make big plays as an aggressive and powerful runner after the catch is why he is the top wideout on the board."

Quarterback Sam Bradford and the St. Louis Rams desperately need help at the wide receiver position, and Blackmon is the logical fit for the Rams at sixth overall.

Mackey Award: Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson

Named in honor of Hall-of-Fame tight end John Mackey, the Mackey Award is given annually to the top collegiate tight end, and this year, that honor went to Dwayne Allen of Clemson, who hauled in 49 catches for 592 yards and eight touchdowns.

An athletic pass-catcher and capable blocker who creates mismatches over the middle, Allen is a solid NFL prospect whose stock is on the rise, according to Bleacher Report's own Sigmund Bloom.

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Allen ran in the 4.7/4.8 range at the combine, but his game isn't predicated on speed. He is the best two-way TE in the draft, and he looked more than good enough catching the ball at his pro day to merit a second-round pick.

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The Chicago Bears are the sort of team that could definitely use both another weapon in the passing game and Allen's blocking ability, and he would be a quality addition in the middle of the second round.

Rimington Award: David Molk, C, Michigan

The Rimington Award is the equivalent of the Heisman Trophy for centers in college football, and last year's recipient was David Molk of Michigan, who anchored a Wolverines offensive line that helped spur Michigan back to prominence in the Big Ten.

The 6'1", 298-pounder led all offensive linemen at February's NFL scouting combine with 41 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, and as Molk recently told Yahoo! Sports, he has no doubt who the top center prospect in the 2012 class is.

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On draft experts not having him ranked as the top center:

"The fact they could consider any center better than me is pretty stupid."

On center Peter Konz of Wisconsin:

"I have skills he doesn't have. Obviously, my strength is far better, I'm faster, I would say I'm smarter. Obviously, he's an intelligent person, I've talked to him, but I just think I have a technique that's unmatched (by him)."

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However, most draft experts aren't quite as enamored with Molk's skills as he is, and he'll likely be a third or fourth-round selection by a team such as the Tennessee Titans, who have a need at the position.

Hendricks Award: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

There was little question who was going to take home the Hendricks Award in 2011 as college football's best defensive end, as Whitney Mercilus of Illinois led all FBS players with 16 sacks en route to being named a first team All-American.

Mercilus had only two career sacks prior to last season, leading some to question whether he was a "one-year wonder," but Dominique Blanton of ChicagoNow points out that Mercilus' combination of speed and strength is opening eyes across the NFL.

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Mercilus is hands-down the best pass rusher in this draft. He’s fully stocked with pass rush moves that he combines with raw speed, strength, and the ability to sink his hips and shoulder to get either around the corner or dip inside if the OT is overplaying the speed rush. Mercilus also can threaten with his strength on a bull rush, so he’s not just all about athleticism. Not only does he get to the QB, he also looks to force fumbles.

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There are any number of NFL teams employing both 4-3 and 3-4 defenses that pick in the middle of the first round that need pass-rush help. The San Diego Chargers, who select 18th, managed only 32 sacks as a team last year and would greatly benefit from the selection of Mercilus, who has demonstrated the speed to play outside linebacker in the 3-4.

Butkus Award: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly had to make a trip to Home Depot for shelving after the 2011 season, as not only did the Eagles standout win the Butkus Award as the country's top linebacker, but he was awarded the Nagurski and Lombardi Awards as well.

The 6'3", 242-pound All-American led the nation with a ludicrous 191 tackles last year, but as Rich Thompson of the Boston Herald recently reported, Kuechly hasn't been resting on his laurels since his collegiate career ended.

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Since leaving BC, Kuechly has worked full time toward securing a favorable position on draft boards. He enrolled at the IMG Madden Football Academy in Bradenton, Fla., to enhance his standing. Kuechly also made an impressive showing at the NFL combine in February.

Pro day at BC amounted to combine lite for Kuechly, who was clocked at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash, a time he was pleased with.

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Kuechly is an athletically-gifted player with great football instincts, but a soft market for inside linebackers in this year's draft makes it possible that Kuechly could fall all the way to the back of the first round. If that turns out to be the case, the New York Giants would likely do cartwheels over the prospects of drafting him.

Thorpe Award: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

No defensive back was a bigger pain in the can last year for opposing quarterbacks than LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne, who tallied 51 tackles and six sacks on his way to winning the award named for the man known as "The World's Greatest Athlete."

The 5'11", 188-pound junior is absolutely smothering in coverage and is widely considered a top-five prospect in this year's draft despite a woefully low Wonderlic score. This assessment is shared by ESPN's Mel Kiper, who predicts that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will select the Tigers standout with the fifth-overall selection in April's draft.

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A great player, an instinctive corner, a high-character kid and a guy who can make a sagging pass defense better from the day they draft him. What's not to like? Claiborne is hands down the best cover corner available in the draft, and the Bucs still need plenty of help with age and uncertainty dotting their secondary. This is a safe pick and a guy who should be very good for a long time.

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Walter Payton Award: Bo Levi Mitchell, QB, Eastern Washington

The Walter Payton Award is given to the most outstanding player in college football at the FCS level, and this year's winner was quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell of Eastern Washington, who topped 4,000 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes in 2011.

Interest in Mitchell at the NFL level has been minimal to this point, but that hasn't stopped the 6'0", 200-pound Mitchell, who played two years at SMU, from working on his game according to Jim Allen of The Spokesman-Review.

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“All I can do,” says Mitchell, “is fine-tune things and stay consistent. Keep my arms in the right spot, and do the little things right.”

Much of his time is spent throwing for scouts from other leagues, fielding phone calls, and working on improving his game.

“The main thing is I’m smart, accurate and mobile,” says the 6-foot, 210-pound Mitchell.

He credits much of his success to being a student of the game and “knowing where every person is on the field and where they are trying to get to.”

Mitchell has read scouting reports, which generally mark him down for “marginal height” and “below-average arm speed” – in other words, things that are out of his control.

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However, anything's possible at the end of the NFL draft, and given the success that Mitchell had at the collegiate level, it's a distinct possibility that a team such as the Cleveland Browns could roll the dice on Mitchell with their compensatory seventh-round selection.