10 Things I Think I Know About the 2012 NFL Draft: Linebackers

1. South Carolina's Melvin Ingram and Alabama's Courtney Upshaw look like they can handle the diverse skill set required to be 3-4 outside linebackers. Ingram can even rush from a defensive tackle position. USC's Nick Perry and Illinois' Whitney Mercilus are much dicier calls to convert well and are better bets to go to 4-3 teams to play defensive end. Because of that, I expect Ingram and Upshaw to go off the board first and in the top 20 picks.

2. Boston College's Luke Kuechly could indeed fall into the late teens or early 20s, but not simply because of the lower positional value of linebacker overall. Kuechly isn't an accomplished blitzer, so his big-play potential makes it harder to go to bat when pass rushing is so important in today's NFL.

3. California's Mychal Kendricks is another reason Kuechly could fall. He can rush the passer, even from outside, and his blitz timing is the best in this class. He is also a terrific two-way linebacker, so teams thinking about Kuechly in the mid-first could instead hope for Kendricks to fall to them in the mid-second.

4. Dont'a Hightower is a unique player who could go in the 20s or even as high as the late teens despite a lack of outstanding measureables because of his rare combination of stout run defense between the tackles and a strong edge rush on passing downs. The Steelers and Packers defenses would benefit from the addition of a player like Hightower.

5. James-Michael Johnson (Nevada) and Bobby Wagner (Utah State) are hot sleepers, especially for 4-3 defenses, but I don't see the instincts and motor to translate to the next level. 

6. Demario Davis (Arkansas State) doesn't have as much buzz as Johnson or Wagner, but looks like a better player. He moves and changes direction very well, including in coverage, and his long arms help him corral offensive players when they have the ball. He should eventually be a starter even though he will go in the third round or later.

7. Terrell Manning (NC State) is such an excellent outside blitzer that he could get drafted in the mid-rounds on that skill alone.

8. Zach Brown (North Carolina) has a delicate approach to tackling that is almost laughable. He can cover with the best linebackers in this class, but what do you with a linebacker who can't tackle? His physical attributes may get him drafted on the second day, but I wouldn't bother.

9. Even before the combine and pro day failures, Vontaze Burfict (Arizona State) never looked that sudden, strong, or instinctive on tape with consistency. His whole NFL career won't produce as much talk about him as the last three months have.

10. Lavonte David (Nebraska) is an ideal weak side Tampa 2 linebacker, and he could be very productive in that scheme. He is as good in coverage as any linebacker in this draft, and flies around the field as long as he isn't getting blotted out by a larger blocker in the run game.