2012 NFL Draft: Andrew Luck and the 5 Early Rookie of the Year Candidates

The 2012 NFL draft is finally in the books, and teams all over the league are ready to develop their young talent. Some teams draft their players for the future, and others hope their young talent can contribute right away.

Given the circumstances of some teams, their odds of making immediate impacts are more likely than others. There are also some sleepers who will float under the radar until making a big splash, surprising everybody on the field.

The highest honor for any first-year player is winning Rookie of the Year. With a boatload of talent in the 2012 draft class, it could land in anyone's hands.

Here are five candidates most capable of winning Rookie of the Year.

1. Andrew Luck

Andrew Luck will be in this discussion all offseason, and for good reason, too.

The Indianapolis Colts are starting over after a rich history of success behind Peyton Manning. The Colts aren't looking at Luck to slowly develop and hopefully revive this franchise; they're expecting an immediate return to their glory days with their new franchise quarterback.

Luck will be the starter for the Colts right away, and he will be given the seal of approval to run the entire offense. The Colts re-signed Reggie Wayne to a three-year deal to provide veteran leadership and help Luck produce.

Indianapolis also spent four draft picks on tight ends or wide receivers to give Luck some weapons to throw to. Most of those picks aren't elite-caliber players, but Luck is used to that after playing at Stanford.

Luck's rookie numbers might not jump off the chart, but he'll have a chance to make that happen. Big things could be in the future for the new Colts quarterback.

2. Robert Griffin III

It might be a bit typical, but it's only right to put RG3 on this list.

Griffin is coming into a similar situation as Luck in Indianapolis, except the amount of pressure is way lower in Washington. Mike Shanahan loves the opportunity to get his hands on a franchise quarterback whenever he can, and to his luck, he landed a special talent in Griffin.

Washington added some talented receivers in free agency, bringing in Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan. Neither are top-flight options, but they can make a difference with RG3 at quarterback. The Redskins also have very little to offer at running back, meaning the pass attack will give Griffin a good chance to pad his stats.

The Redskins might struggle in their first year under Griffin in the NFC East, but expect Washington to put up big numbers. RG3 has a great chance to electrify the NFL.

3. Trent Richardson

Yes, all top three picks will be a part of this conversation. They all present compelling cases for Rookie of the Year, especially Trent Richardson.

Richardson was one of the most complete prospects in the draft. This running back defines the perfect combination of size, speed, and strength. Strong enough to push the pile up the middle, and quick enough to shift gears in the open field, the sky is the limit for Richardson in Cleveland.

The Cleveland Browns also drafted quarterback Brandon Weeden in the first round, but don't expect Weeden to throw the ball a ton with the lack of receivers and weapons on offense. Cleveland will more than likely give Richardson a heavy workload right away, and bring Weeden along slowly.

If Richardson stays healthy, he could become one of the better running backs in the league. However, his physical style of running puts a giant question mark on his health and long-term durability. If Richardson can keep his jersey clean, watch out for him in 2012.

4. Whitney Mercilus

The Houston Texans needed an edge-rusher to replace the departed Mario Williams. The Texans debuted their 3-4 defense as one of the best in the entire league, and they hope to stay on top of that platform with the addition of Whitney Mercilus.

Mercilus' main responsibility in Houston will be getting to the quarterback, and that's exactly what he's best at. The Illinois product is a pass-rusher with a nice arsenal of moves that can get him past tackles and into offensive backfields. 

J.J. Watt made quite a splash in his rookie season last year, putting himself on notice to opponents. Watt may see plenty of double-teams on his side, creating holes and favorable one-on-one matchups for Mercilus.

Expect another fierce Texans defense, and a strong Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign from Mercilus.

5. Mark Barron

On top of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' draft wish list was LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. Tampa Bay missed out on the Claiborne sweepstakes when the Dallas Cowboys traded up eight spots to draft him. The Buccaneers then acquired a quality backup plan in safety Mark Barron. 

Barron is a ball-hawk safety who can cover and hit with the best of the league. As the NFL is a passing league today, it's vital to have a playmaking safety in the defensive backfield, and Barron is a quality plug for Tampa Bay.

The Bucs were looking to improve with an aging Ronde Barber, a troubled Aqib Talib and not much to offer at safety. Tampa Bay might not be significantly improved right away, but Barron has a great chance to stuff the box score every Sunday, as he is always around the ball. 

Tampa Bay is much improved this offseason and has a great chance to rebound after last season's disappointment. Barron could make an immediate, significant impact and become one of the best young safeties in the NFL.