NFL Draft 2012: Late Prospects Worth the Gamble in Middle Rounds

Last year it was surprising to see the Carolina Panthers take Cam Newton at No. 1 overall. Fortunately, the gamble paid off and you can bet we'll see some franchises take similar chances in the 2012 NFL draft.

Here, though, we look at expected late-round prospects that are worth mid-round consideration.

Certainly, this would not be as big of a move like the Panthers made with Newton, but still a gamble nonetheless. However, if a team wants to make a quick turnaround or remain postseason contenders, high risk does call for high reward.

Asa Jackson: CB, Cal Poly

It's not shocking to see a small-school corner like Asa Jackson be a projected late-rounder. After all, the cornerback position is deep and loaded with tons of BCS talent.

Still, a developed player such as Jackson is worth a mid-round selection. He possesses great top speed, acceleration, body control and maintains a low center of gravity when changing directions. So, it's no surprise that Jackson accounted for 54 tackles and nine defended passes in 2011.

Jackson has good size and solid field awareness to blanket No. 2 receivers as a rookie. Now, he does need to build some muscle and get acclimated to the speed and competition of the NFL, but his ability to make plays and change the field position after a pick will create a smooth transition.

Through a development, Jackson can contribute as a nickel/dime back in 2012, but trying him at free safety must also be considered.

Tank Carder: LB, TCU

TCU linebacker Tank Carder goes overlooked as he is undersized for the middle of the front seven. The good news, though, is that Carder has top-of-the-line instincts and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

From 2009 through 2011, Carder recorded 219 tackles, defended 22 passes, intercepted four and took three back for touchdowns.

He reads well against the run, is a sure tackler and has the better-than-given-credit-for athleticism to make plays between the tackles. In the NFL, Carder is a better fit as a 4-3 outside linebacker, but could move to the inside in strict passing situations.

The man just knows how to defend the pass, and provided that Carder loses 10 to 12 pounds, strong safety is a feasible option as well.

Nick Foles: QB, Arizona

Currently, Nick Foles is an expected sixth-round selection. He's not the most impressive passer, but Foles wasn't surrounded by an abundance of talent at Arizona either.

Through three good seasons, however, Foles had a completion percentage of 66.6 and had 67 touchdowns to just 33 picks. In 2011, Foles topped over 4,300 passing yards and the Wildcats averaged almost 31 points per game.

With great size and field vision, Foles was able to spread defenses quite well. Last season he had five receivers catch at least 39 passes and three had 65-plus. Now, he didn't come from a pro-style offense, so setting up in the pocket and improving mechanics is needed.

Regardless, Foles possesses a strong arm and has the accuracy to make any NFL throw; and he had a solid Senior Bowl going 11-of-15 for 136 yards and a touchdown.

Bobby Rainey: RB, Western Kentucky

Despite coming from an FBS conference, Bobby Rainey goes way overlooked because the Sun Belt isn't the most well-known conference, even when compared to other non-BCS conferences.

That said, Rainey is an undersized ball-carrier that's a dual-threat out of the backfield. He was responsible for 4,283 rushing yards, 674 receiving yards and 39 total touchdowns the past three seasons.

Not to mention, but Rainey also acted as a solid return man by gaining over 1,000 yards on kickoffs in 2009. He was a consistent performer on a weekly basis and proved his talent against elite BCS competition (he gained 100 total yards against LSU in 2011).

He'll likely begin as a third-down back, but Rainey has the potential to take over as the main Brahma Bull since he possesses impressive vision and patience.

John Rozum on Twitter.