NFL Draft 2012 Start Time: First-Round Players to Keep an Eye on

The NFL draft is just hours away (tonight at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN and NFL Network) and aside from the first two picks in the first round, most teams' picks are still up for debate. There is speculation that the Rams could trade Steven Jackson, the Browns have two first-round picks they can use as trade bait and what will the Minnesota Vikings do with their third overall pick?

There will be a few interesting players to keep an eye on as the draft unfolds. Let's take a look at some players who will have possibly an exciting draft day and be players to watch.

Ryan Tannehill: QB

The quarterback from Texas A&M has gotten a lot of attention over the last two weeks. With all the talk going to the first two quarterbacks that will be taken in this year's draft, Tannehill was all but forgotten. Now his draft status has risen dramatically, and he is a popular pick for the Miami Dolphins.

The Dolphins have many needs with quarterback being one of them. Will they grab Tannehill in the first round just because they need a quarterback? He was not a popular pick a month ago but is now on everyone's radar screen. If the Dolphins feel that Tannehill is not a franchise quarterback and pass on him it will be interesting to see where he lands.

There is even a possibility that a team may trade up to the third or fourth spot to grab Tannehill. The hype has moved him from a second-round pick to possibly a top-five pick. It is obviously yet to be seen how this will play out but Tannehill does seem to be getting a bigger deal then he is worth.

If the Dolphins don't draft him and no one trades up for him, expect him to be taken by the Arizona Cardinals, or maybe the New York Jets can use another quarterback.

Michael Floyd: WR

Floyd has had his fair share of off-the-field troubles at Notre Dame but is still expected to be a first-round pick this year. On the field he is quite a talent. He is tall, strong and has a great ability to go up and get jump balls. He is projected by some experts to go to the Jets, which would be interesting to watch.

The Jets are already full of dysfunction with the way their season ended, coupled with trading for Tim Tebow. They need to carefully weigh whether they can add a player who can be a trouble maker.

Right now the Jets need someone who can be a leader or someone who is quiet in their locker room. If Floyd is still on the board when it is the Jets' turn to pick, keep your eyes glued to the TV and see if the Jets want to get another bad apple on their team.

Doug Martin: RB

Martin had a solid career at Boise State and is a potential first-round draft pick. Mike Mayock of nfl.com has an interesting mock draft involving Martin. He has Cleveland taking Justin Blackmon fourth and then Martin at No. 22 with its second first-round pick.

Also in need for a running back is the New York Giants. Ahmad Bradshaw will be their starter, but the Giants have been using a two-back system for a while now and would probably like to keep up with that. Martin would be a perfect fit for them and add more depth to the Super Bowl champs roster.

Martin has compared himself to Maurice Jones-Drew and can also be compared to Ray Rice. Martin is short yet powerful and has good cutting ability. It will be interesting to see if any team that needs a running back grabs Martin in the first round before anyone else gets him.