2012 NFL Draft: Vontaze Burfict and Players to Avoid at All Costs

Some NFL prospects just aren't worth drafting at all, whether character issues, legal troubles or talent concerns make them a risky pick.

Success is too important in the NFL to make bold draft selections in the first few rounds of the draft. Let's look at three players who teams should avoid at all costs in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

Vontaze Burfict was in the top 10 on one of my first mock drafts for 2012 back in the middle of the 2011 NFL season, but he has fallen out of the first round entirely in my most recent one.

Burfict plays with a lot of emotion, but he has a tough time bottling that emotion when he cannot afford to make dumb mistakes, like head-butting opponents.

He has tremendous talent, no question, but unless he's drafted to a team that has great veteran leadership in the locker room, like the Baltimore Ravens and Ray Lewis, then Burfict will be a bust in the NFL.

Quinton Coples

Coples is a top-15 pick in many people's latest mock drafts, but there are some real concerns about his work ethic and willingness to work hard to improve his game.

At a position like defensive end, where a lot of your success comes from hard work and being relentless, not having a high work rate is a real issue.

His inability to be consistently strong in pass rush at North Carolina will scare a lot of NFL teams away from drafting him in April.

Pass rushers are so important in today's passing-driven NFL, so teams cannot afford to swing and miss on a player such as Coples.

Ryan Tannehill

Any team who moves into the top 10 of the draft to take Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill is making a huge mistake.

Tannehill didn't dominate in college, and there's no reason to think he can dominate NFL defenses. Passing accuracy is a major concern for Tannehill because NFL cornerbacks and safeties are much faster and smarter than they are in college.

Unless he has a great team around him, Tannehill will be a bust after his rookie season.