2012 NFL Draft: The 25-Player All-Undrafted Team

The 2012 NFL draft is now complete, with some very surprising names that were not included among the 253 players selected. That leaves some high-quality talent still available in the undrafted free-agent market.

As members of the 2012 All-Undrafted team, each of these players is analyzed as to why they should have been drafted, how they can help a team as an undrafted free agent and why they did not end up being drafted.

Quarterback: Kellen Moore, Boise State

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 176

Positional Rank: No. 9

It did not come as any major surprise that Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore went undrafted. While he is the all-time winningest quarterback in NCAA history, he is small for the NFL and has a weak arm by league standards.

Moore is a smart passer, great decision-maker and natural leader. He has the ability to pick up a system quickly and throws the ball accurately, so he should make for a very good backup quarterback in the NFL.

Due to his positive traits, Moore would have been worthy of a selection in the later rounds of the draft.

According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, Moore has signed with the Detroit Lions, where he will be in the line to be the team’s third quarterback on the depth chart.

Running Back: Chris Polk, Washington

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 53

Positional Rank: No. 6

For Chris Polk to go undrafted was stunning. While Polk was overrated early on in the draft process, he was expected by many to be selected within the first two rounds of the draft.

Polk is a powerful running back who also has speed, and ran for more than 1,400 yards in each of the past two seasons at Washington. He is also a good receiver out of the backfield and a good pass-protector.

Polk is a solid all-around back who should have at least been selected in the middle rounds, and should be a productive runner at the next level with his combination of size and athletic ability.

Polk tweeted that he will be joining the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles already had a deep stable of running backs, and actually drafted Kansas State running back Bryce Brown ahead of Polk in Round 7. That said, Polk should be able to beat out Brown and have a good chance at earning a roster spot as the biggest and most powerful back on their roster.

Polk may have dropped due to injury concerns, but even so, it comes as a surprise that those concerns dropped him all the way out of the draft.

Fullback: Emil Igwenagu, Massachusetts

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 211

Positional Rank: No. 3

Emil Igwenagu had strong showings as a fullback and tight end at the Shrine Game and Senior Bowl, which seemed to have pushed him into being a likely late-round selection in the 2012 NFL draft.

Igwenagu is undersized to play tight end, but as a reliable receiver and good lead blocker, Igwenagu has value as an H-back as well as a special teams player.

Coming from the FCS ranks as a fullback, Igwenagu may have always been a longshot to get drafted, but he should have a good opportunity to make a roster if he shines on special teams.

According to Tony Pauline of draftinsider.net, Igwenagu has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. In order to earn a roster spot, he will most likely have to beat out Stanley Havili in training camp, as the Eagles are unlikely to keep both fullbacks on their roster.

Wide Receiver: Dwight Jones, North Carolina

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 72

Positional Rank: No. 11

Dwight Jones was a very productive receiver at North Carolina, with 85 receptions for 1,196 yards and 12 touchdowns highlighting his senior season. That said, Jones’ stock began falling when he was banned from UNC’s own pro day for a team violation, and that likely led to him falling completely out of the draft.

Jones is a tall, vertical receiver, but he lacks top-end speed and can struggle with drops. That said, Jones’s productivity should have made him worth a pick in the middle rounds, but teams may have determined that his talent was not worth the character concerns.

As of the time of publication, no news on Dwight Jones signing with a team had broken. Jones' talent should be enough for a team to take a chance on him, but his future is not looking nearly as bright as it once did.

NEPatriotsDraft.com has reported that Jones will sign with the Texans. The Texans drafted two wide receivers in DeVier Posey and Keshawn Martin, so he will have steep competition to make the roster. He may be the most talented of the trio, but he will have to stand out.

Wide Receiver: Eric Page, Toledo

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 131

Positional Rank: No. 23

When asked following the Military Bowl if he would return for his senior season, Page indicated that he would. He probably wishes now that he had stuck with his original decision, as the projected mid-round pick ended up going undrafted.

Page seemed to be a solid mid-round pick. He was very productive for three years at Toledo, both as a wide receiver and kick/punt returner. Page is a quick and smooth route-runner with reliable hands.

What may have hurt Page is that there is not one thing that stands out about his game.

He is a small receiver, does not have great speed and is not much of a deep threat. Additionally, while his receiving yardage was consistently between 1,100 and 1,200 yards in each of his three seasons, he did not show improvement, as his receptions totals went up each year but his yards per catch went down.

Update: The Toledo Free Press originally reported that Page would sign with the Buccaneers, but he actually signed with the Broncos, where he will have an opportunity to catch passes from Peyton Manning.

Tight End: Brian Linthicum, Michigan State

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 192

Positional Rank: No. 6

For the second consecutive year, a Michigan State tight end takes his place on the All-Undrafted team. Following in the footsteps of Charlie Gantt (who failed to make the Chiefs’ roster last season), Michigan State’s Brian Linthicum was the top tight end to go undrafted this year.

The problems that Gantt faced last year could be the same that kept Linthicum out of the draft this year. Linthicum is a big tight end with reliable hands and blocks well, but he is not a spectacular athlete and would not provide much as a downfield receiving threat.

Linthicum tweeted that he has signed with the New York Jets. Joining a roster that is thin at tight end behind Dustin Keller, Linthicum should have a good shot at making the roster if he can play well on special teams and prove his value in short-yardage and goal line situations.

Offensive Tackle: Levy Adcock, Oklahoma State

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 109

Positional Rank: No. 8

As a big left tackle with good feet, Levy Adcock was once viewed as a top offensive line prospect for the 2012 draft class. However, while Adcock has displayed strong ability as a pass-protector, his lack of strength and weakness as a run-blocker likely kept him undrafted.

Adcock has developmental potential to play the left tackle position in the NFL, but needs to get stronger. If Adcock is to make a roster, he will have to be able to provide solid depth on the offensive line and prove to a team that he is worth being patient while developing.

Oklahoma State media relations director Gavin Lang confirmed via Twitter that Adcock has agreed to terms with the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys are very thin at offensive tackle behind their starters Tyron Smith and Doug Free, so it could be a good opportunity for him to earn a roster spot.

Offensive Tackle: Markus Zusevics, Iowa

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 190

Positional Rank: No. 13

Markus Zusevics was a very solid right tackle at Iowa, but he could have fallen into a bad trap for lower-rated right tackles that caused him to go undrafted.

While Zusevics has the overall blocking game to kick inside and play guard, his lack of proven versatility hurt him as teams do not often keep a player as a backup right tackle without the versatility to fill in at numerous other spots. Zusevics also had an unfortunate incident in tearing his pectoral muscle at the combine, which also hurt his stock.

That said, Zusevics could turn into a quality offensive lineman at the next level. According to a tweet from his agent, Jack Bechta, he has signed with the New England Patriots, a team that could use additional depth on the offensive line and did not draft any linemen.

Guard: James Brown, Troy

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 95

Positional Rank: No. 8

It came as a major surprise that Troy’s James Brown did not get drafted at all. Brown, a first-team All-Sun Belt left tackle, has very good potential as a guard.

Brown has very good feet for a 307-pound lineman, along with long arms and being a good technician. Brown is skilled enough to potentially develop into a starting guard, but should at least be good enough to make an NFL roster and provide depth.

With many lower-rated guards including Oregon’s Mark Asper, Penn State’s Johnnie Troutman and SMU’s Josh LeRibeus and Kelvin Beachum all getting drafted, it came as a real surprise that Brown’s name was not among the 253 called.

According to NEPatriotsDraft, Brown has signed with the Chicago Bears. Considering that the Bears needed to address their offensive line and failed to do so during the draft, Brown should have a very good opportunity to make their roster.

Guard: Matt Reynolds, Brigham Young

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 197

Positional Rank: No. 13

Matt Reynolds was a solid four-year starter at BYU, a tough and physical run-blocker. However, while Reynolds was a very good left tackle in college, he lacks the athleticism or pass-protection ability to play on the edge in the NFL, and would have to kick inside to guard.

A horrible showing in the Shrine Game, where Reynolds lined up mostly at tackle and was dominated by speed rushers on the edge, likely doomed his stock to the point of going undrafted.

Reynolds’ toughness and tenacity should make him at least a solid backup guard, but moving him inside is a projection. Additionally, at the age of 25 Reynolds is old for a draft prospect.

According to Jay Drew of The Salt Lake Tribune, Reynolds has signed with the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers drafted a guard in Amini Silatolu, but Reynolds will have a chance to earn a role as a backup.

Center: Mike Brewster, Ohio State

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 153

Positional Rank: No. 4

Coming into the year, some considered Mike Brewster to be the best center in the 2012 draft class, and a potential first- or second-round pick. Unfortunately for Brewster, his stock regressed over the course of a disappointing senior season, and he ended up going undrafted.

Brewster is a good run-blocker, but he struggles as an interior pass-protector. He was a solid four-year starter for the Buckeyes, starting 49 games, but he was never dominant. He also had a poor showing at the Senior Bowl, where he struggled with snapping the ball and was mostly dominated in one-on-one drills.

That said, Brewster has the skill set to be at least a solid backup center. Brewster tweeted that he has signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Brewster will have a good chance of earning the position as the backup center in Jacksonville.

Defensive End: Julian Miller, West Virginia

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 131

Positional Rank: No. 11

West Virginia defensive end Bruce Irvin was drafted at No. 15 overall, but he was not even the best defensive end on his team last year. While Irvin was the best pure pass-rusher, Julian Miller is a well-rounded defensive end who was productive as both a pass-rusher and in run defense.

While Miller does not have nearly the upside that Irvin does, he certainly deserved to be drafted. Miller is undersized, but he showed his ability at the Shrine Game where he was completely dominant.

Miller had the talent that should have warranted a fourth- or fifth-round selection, but unfortunately he was overshadowed by Irvin, which in turn hurt his stock.

Miller tweeted that he will be signing with the Cincinnati Bengals. Miller is best suited to play defensive end in a 4-3 scheme, so the Bengals should be a good fit for him. The Bengals could use depth at defensive end, and Miller will be able to provide that.

Defensive End: Cordarro Law, Southern Miss

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 136

Positional Rank: No. 13

Cordarro Law burst onto my draft radar during the Hawaii Bowl vs. Nevada, where Law had the most dominant performance of the entire bowl season. Law’s game that night included 4.5 tackles for loss to lead the Golden Eagles to victory, as Law showed his ability to take over a game on the line of scrimmage.

Law does not fit the size prototype for an NFL defensive end and is not a great athlete, which likely caused him to be low on many teams’ boards. That said, Law’s productivity at the collegiate level was tremendous: He had 22 tackles for loss last season, which tied for third in the NCAA. He has the game to be a solid rotational player in the NFL.

As of the time of publication, no news on Law signing with a team had broken.

Nose Tackle: Nicolas Jean-Baptiste, Baylor

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 83

Positional Rank: No. 9

In his one year replacing Phil Taylor as Baylor’s lead nose tackle, Nicolas Jean-Baptiste never got the credit he deserved. Jean-Baptiste is a big, powerful defensive lineman who has the potential to develop into a very good nose tackle for a 3-4 defense.

Jean-Baptiste actually put up better numbers in his senior season than Taylor had the year before. That said, Jean-Baptiste needs to become stronger to play nose tackle; he is not an explosive athlete and he lacks the endurance to be a three-down lineman.

All of these areas in which he must improve likely caused him to go undrafted, although he also never got the attention he deserved.

Jean-Baptiste tweeted that he will be signing with the Baltimore Ravens. This should be a good opportunity for Jean-Baptiste, as he will be joining a great defensive team who could use depth at nose tackle.

Honorable Mention: Hebron Fangupo, Brigham Young

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 100

Positional Rank: No. 11

Fangupo does not have as much potential as Jean-Baptiste, but like him is a big, powerful defensive lineman who could play nose tackle in a three-man front. His lack of height at only 6’1’’ and lack of explosiveness likely caused him to go undrafted, but he has the skill set to be a solid backup nose tackle for a 3-4 team.

BYU announced that Fangupo has signed with the Houston Texans. Nose tackle may be the team’s biggest lingering weakness, giving Fangupo a very good chance to make the roster.

Defensive Tackle: Marcus Forston, Miami

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 111

Positional Rank: No. 12

Marcus Forston is a explosive penetrator as a defensive tackle, but his career was consistently plagued by injuries. Therefore, injury concerns made it no major surprise that Forston ended up going undrafted, even though his talent warranted a selection in the middle rounds.

Forston does not stand out in any one area, but he has the game to be a disruptive rotational defensive tackle if he can stay healthy.

ProCanes.com reported that Forston will sign with the Patriots. The Patriots are always looking for more talent on the defensive line, but he will have to beat out a veteran for a roster spot.

Outside Linebacker: Sammy Brown, Houston

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 160

Positional Rank: No. 18

Sammy Brown led the NCAA with a whopping 30 tackles for loss last season, but even his tremendous success at getting into opposing backfields and making tackles was not enough to get him drafted.

Brown is a developmental prospect who needs to add bulk, but his productivity speaks for itself, as Brown averaged more than two tackles for loss per game. Why Brown never garnered much attention as a draft prospect is puzzling, but he has potential as a situational linebacker, especially as an edge-rusher in a 3-4 defense.

Houston head coach Tony Levine confirmed that Brown signed with the St. Louis Rams. While Brown is better suited to play in a 3-4 scheme, the Rams are very thin at outside linebacker, and could use a playmaker like Brown. He will have a good shot to make the roster.

Outside Linebacker: Adrian Robinson, Temple

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 161

Positional Rank: No. 19

Adrian Robinson was a very talented pass-rusher at Temple who could have been a top-100 prospect with more consistent play. Inconsistency hurt his stock, but Robinson has big upside as a situational pass-rushing outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.

Robinson is athletic and tackles well in space. He is not as stout at the point of attack as he needs to be, and may not be a three-down player, but his upside should have made him at least worth a late-round pick. Lesser-rated outside linebackers, including his teammate Tahir Whitehead and Notre Dame’s Darius Fleming, were drafted while Robinson was not.

The Steelers announced via their website that they signed Robinson. Robinson will have to compete with another undrafted outside linebacker, Pittsburgh’s Brandon Lindsey, for a roster spot.

Inside Linebacker: Jerry Franklin, Arkansas

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 119

Positional Rank: No. 4

It is puzzling why Jerry Franklin received little attention as a draft prospect, for he was a productive four-year starting linebacker in the SEC. There is nothing special about his game athletically, but he is an instinctive player and consistent tackler.

Franklin should at least become a solid backup inside linebacker in the NFL, and would have been worth a late-round draft selection. Franklin tweeted that he has signed with the Denver Broncos, where he will have to battle with a tough group of linebackers to earn a roster spot.

Honorable Mention: Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 162

Positional Rank: No. 7

No player fell harder in the 2012 NFL draft than Arizona State’s Vontaze Burfict. Once a top-10 prospect early in the season, he ended up going completely undrafted.

Burfict has serious character concerns. He was benched late in the season due to his failure to get along with coaches, he has a poor attitude and he looked very out of shape at the combine and at his pro day.

Burfict’s potential to be a cancerous figure in the locker room along with his other concerns, which also included a positive drug test at the combine, caused him to scare away every NFL team.

Joe Reedy of The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Burfict signed with the Bengals. Under Marvin Lewis’ tenure as head coach, the Bengals have not shied away from players with baggage, so it is no surprise they are taking a chance on Burfict.

If they can keep his head straight and cultivate his talent, he could be a big player for their defense, but he could just as easily be released once he makes any mistake.

Cornerback: Chase Minnifield, Virginia

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 44

Positional Rank: No. 7

Once it was reported that Chase Minnifield had offseason microfracture surgery on his knee, I knew that Minnifield’s draft stock would be in trouble. That said, a team still should have taken a chance on him even with his injury concern, since he was a legitimate second-round choice prior to the injury.

Instead, Minnifield’s injury caused one of the most well-rounded cornerbacks in the draft class to go completely undrafted. While Minnifield’s numbers went down in his senior season, he is a good all-around cornerback. He is smooth and disciplined, instinctive, tackles well and has great length for the position.

If Minnifield becomes fully healthy and returns to his old form, he has the skill set to be a starting cornerback in the NFL. Minnifield tweeted that he has signed with the Redskins, which is a great opportunity for him. The Redskins are weak at the cornerback position and did not draft any cornerbacks, which should give him a great opportunity to make the roster and earn playing time if he is healthy.

Cornerback: Coryell Judie, Texas A&M

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 181

Positional Rank: No. 18

Coryell Judie is a gifted athlete with huge upside. Whether he intercepts a pass or is returning punts, Judie is a big-play threat when the ball is in his hands.

That said, it does not come as a huge surprise that he went undrafted. Judie was very inconsistent and overaggressive in coverage, and gave up way too many big plays at Texas A&M. Judie also struggled with tackling, and will need to be developed patiently to be a quality contributor in the NFL.

The Broncos announced in a post-draft press conference that they signed Judie, as reported by broncotalk.net. Judie joins a team deep with cornerbacks, but his best chance to make the roster will be as a punt returner if he can also excel in kick and punt coverage.

Free Safety: Aaron Henry, Wisconsin

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 76

Positional Rank: No. 2

Wisconsin’s Aaron Henry was one of the most solid, well-rounded safeties in the 2012 draft class, but even in a weak class of safeties, he still fell into the ranks of the undrafted.

While Henry is not an exceptional athlete and is short for the position, he covers well, tackles consistency and has good ball skills. His productivity in the Big Ten should carry over into the NFL, where a team should at least end up with a solid backup safety and special teams player.

Henry should have been selected over multiple free safeties who were drafted in the middle rounds, including Oregon State’s Brandon Hardin and South Carolina State’s Christian Thompson.

Henry tweeted that he signed with the Oakland Raiders, where he should have a chance to make the roster as a backup free safety to Michael Huff. Regardless of where he ends up, he should be able to be productive.

Strong Safety: Matt Daniels, Duke

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 148

Positional Rank: No. 4

For a strong safety with such an intriguing combination of size, athleticism and tackling ability, it is surprising that Matt Daniels went completely undrafted. He was very much an oversight, as he should have been selected over lesser-rated safeties such as Mississippi State’s Charles Mitchell and Maine’s Jerron McMillan.

Daniels is a hard-hitting safety and also has very good speed and ball skills. He has stiff hips and needs to become more consistent in coverage, but he would have been well worth a late-round selection as a developmental safety prospect and special teams contributor.

Daniels tweeted that he has signed with the St. Louis Rams. Strong safety is a weak position on the Rams, so he will have a chance to not only earn a roster spot but also to compete for immediate playing time.

Kicker: Dave Teggart, Connecticut

Overall Prospect Rank: Not in Top 400

Positional Rank: No. 2

Dave Teggart was not expected to be drafted, but for a team looking to bring in an undrafted free agent to compete for their place-kicking job, he would be a good choice.

Teggart is a consistent and accurate place-kicker with a good leg.

At the time of publication, no news of Teggart signing with a team had broken.

Punter: Shawn Powell, Florida State

Overall Prospect Rank: No. 224

Positional Rank: No. 1

While the Jacksonville Jaguars used a third-round pick to draft California’s Bryan Anger, another team could get much better value on Florida State’s Shawn Powell, who was the best punter in college football last season and deserved to be drafted.

Powell is a big punter with a strong leg, and led the nation with a 47.04 yards-per-punt average last season.

Powell tweeted that he signed with the Buffalo Bills. Powell is unlikely to beat out veteran punter Brian Moorman, but a strong preseason could give him a shot with another team if their punter gets injured.

Long Snapper: Josh Harris, Auburn

Overall Prospect Rank: Not in Top 400

Positional Rank: No. 1

No specific long snappers were drafted this year, leaving Auburn’s Josh Harris out of the mix. That said, he is the best all-around long snapper in this year’s draft class.

Harris tweeted that he signed with the Falcons, where he will have to beat out Joe Zelenka to make the roster.

Thanks for reading!

While the 2012 NFL draft is now complete, I will be reviewing the draft thoroughly over the course of the month of May, and will have much more football coverage this summer. Follow me on Twitter @Dan_Hope.