2012 NFL Draft Grades: Assessing the Draft's Biggest Steals

The 2012 NFL draft is now in the rearview mirror, and now that the dust has settled after another wild weekend of draft action, fans across the National Football League are examining how their favorite team fared.

Every year, there are some players that go much earlier than was expected in the draft, while others would seem to be excellent values for their teams given that they went quite a bit later than was originally believed.

The following trio of players belong to the latter category, and if these collegiate standouts can live up to the potential they displayed while in school, then the teams that drafted them will be sitting pretty when all is said and done.

Rueben Randle, WR, New York Giants (second round, 63rd overall)

Wide receiver Rueben Radndle didn't exactly tear up the stat sheet last season for the Tigers, reeling in 53 catches for 917 yards and eight touchdowns. However, Randle's rather pedestrian statistical production in 2011 was as much a result of inconsistent quarterback play in Baton Rouge as it was any deficiency in Randle's game.

The 6'4", 210-pound junior has a fantastic combination of speed and size, and given that many experts had Randle pegged as a first-round prospect, it was something of a surprise when Randle was the last player remaining among the 26 players invited to attend the draft in New York City.

With that said, the New York Giants had to be very pleased when Randle was still sitting in the green room when their turn came back around a second time, and Randle should go a long way towards addressing the hole in the New York receiving corps created by Mario Manningham's departure.

Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida State (fifth round, 144th overall)

The Buffalo Bills were very aggressive in free agency, making defensive end Mario Williams the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history. However, the Bills' team needs aren't confined to that side of the ball, and Buffalo took steps to strengthen the offensive front with the addition of offensive tackles Cordy Glenn of Georgia and Zebrie Sanders of Florida State.

At 6'5" and 320 pounds, Sanders is a capable and versatile blocker with 50 college starts under his belt and experience playing both left and right tackle, and although Sanders struggled somewhat at the Senior Bowl and combine, he plans to use those struggles as motivation in the NFL, according to The Orlando Sentinel.

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"I see the fifth round as an opportunity, just like anybody else," Sanders said. "I feel like it is going to give me a fair shot. It’s definitely something to look forward to and something to work on. I feel like I have to go up there and earn my respect. I cannot wait to get up (to Buffalo) and have a shot."

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Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska (seventh round, 224th overall)

Nebraska cornerback Alfonzo Dennard was the Big Ten defensive back of the year in 2011, but a terrible Senior Bowl performance, so-so combine and recent arrest for assaulting a police officer sent the 5'10", 204-pound senior's draft stock into free-fall. 

That fall didn't end until the draft's final round, when the New England Patriots selected the former Cornhuskers standout to help improve a pass defense that was the worst in the AFC a year ago. 

Dennard doesn't possess ideal size or elite speed, but he is solid in man coverage and stout against the run. At the very least, Dennard should see the field quite a bit in passing subpackages as a rookie, and it wouldn't be all surprising if New England flipped Dennard to free safety at some point in the not-too-distant future.

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