NFL Draft 2012: Reviewing the 10 Riskiest Picks

The NFL draft is the ultimate practice of risk and reward. With each pick, an NFL team risks a draft selection and more. 

Risky picks aren't always bad. Often, with great risk comes great reward. There's a reason NFL teams frequently make these decisions.

Fans don't like risky picks, and for good reason. Try convincing a Detroit Lions fan from the Matt Millen era that risky picks are good. It won't be so easy.

So what makes a pick risky? Investment is obviously an issue—there isn't much risk if there isn't much of a wager on the line—but the type of player is the overriding issue. 

Who were the riskiest picks of the 2012 NFL draft? 

Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

The risk here doesn't stem from the player but rather from the investment. Washington sent St. Louis the No. 6 pick, the No. 39 pick, their 2013 first-round selection and their 2014 selection. That's a lot to give up for a quarterback that is still unproven at the professional level.

Sure, Robert Griffin is a special talent worthy of a No. 1 pick, and the trade could turn out great for Washington. But no prospect is a sure thing, and if Griffin doesn't pan out, the Redskins will be regretting the move for years to come.

Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

A good but not great college player, Ryan Tannehill is an upside pick. The former wide receiver has a ton of upside but lacks the body of work to go with it.

Tannehill made far too many bad decisions at Texas A&M, and he showed spurts of inaccuracy. The risk is lessened somewhat because Tannehill will be playing under his former head coach Mike Sherman and former Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philibin.

That's a good situation for any quarterback.

Kansas City Chiefs: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

A 6'4", 346-pound physical freak, Dontari Poe has as much upside as any player in the draft. He does not, however, have a history of production.

At Memphis, Poe didn't play against many top-tier teams, and he failed to dominate like an elite prospect should. So while Poe has tremendous upside, he has many signs of being a bust.

St. Louis Rams: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

Michael Brockers showed flashes of brilliance during his sophomore campaign at LSU. However, he is still incredibly unrefined, and didn't produce much as a pass-rusher.

Brockers is a fantastic athlete, but he isn't a great football player just yet. Projects like him are always risky picks, and, at best, Brockers will need time to develop into a productive tackle.

Seattle Seahawks: Bruce Irvin, OLB, West Virginia

A pass-rusher with an explosive first step, Bruce Irvin is a bit of a one-trick pony. He lacks the strength to disengage from blocks in the run game and doesn't have much in the way of pass-rush moves.

In time, Irvin could capitalize off his explosiveness and become a great rusher off the edge. He is a massive project, though, and is far from a sure bet to develop into a complete player.

New York Jets: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

A terrific athlete, Quinton Coples never produced at North Carolina like he should have. The 6'6", 284-pounder is full of upside, but he needs to play up to his ability.

As a defensive end in New York's 3-4 scheme, Coples could be a solid run-stopper and a great pass-rusher. His questionable motor makes him far from a safe pick, though.

Cleveland Browns: Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State

A big pocket passer with great arm strength and accuracy, Brandon Weeden struggles under pressure and will have to transition to a pro-style offense. Sound risky?

Well, that's not even the full story. Because he initially tried his hand at pro baseball, Weeden is now 28 years old.

Essentially, the Browns drafted a quarterback whose skill set may not transition to the NFL and who will probably need time to develop. And he's old. 

There isn't much time for Weeden to develop before his skills begin to deteriorate, and it's far from guaranteed that he will.

Houston Texans: Whitney Mercilus, OLB, Illinois

An extremely productive player at Illinois, Whitney Mercilus has upside. He is a relatively explosive athlete off the edge but needs time to develop pass-rush moves and improve against the run.

He doesn't possess elite abilities, so the Texans are gambling on a potentially above-average player.

Green Bay Packers: Nick Perry, OLB, USC

Though he is a terrific athlete, Nick Perry has never shown much flexibility off the edge and has struggled at times. In order to produce in the NFL, he will need to develop football skills to match his physical skills.

Perry isn't a great fit in a 3-4, either. He will struggle in coverage and is still raw as a pass-rusher. Hopefully for Green Bay, Perry's athleticism translates to production at the NFL level.

St. Louis Rams: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

Janoris Jenkins is a legitimate top-10 talent in this draft class. His character and off-the-field issues are the sole reason for him falling to the second round.

Jenkins had multiple arrests at Florida and was eventually kicked off the team. He reportedly continued smoking marijuana at North Alabama.

Simply put, Jenkins has to stay out of trouble. If he can keep his nose clean, he should be a great player. The question is whether or not he is capable of doing so.