Janoris Jenkins and 5 Questionable 2012 NFL Draft Picks That Will Shine

Janoris Jenkins saw his draft stock plummet because of character concerns, but that won't stop him from being one of the best rookies of the season in 2012.

The NFL draft can be a funny thing. Experts dissect these prospects for months and months, and professional scouts do nothing but rate and rank these players year-round—yet every year there are busts and sleepers that shock us.

What the experts sometimes forget is that it all comes down to football. Guys with character issues are certainly to be drafted with caution—after all, they can blow up in your face. However, you are bringing these players in to play football, not to run for mayor.

Another reason picks can be hard to predict is the transition from the college game and the vastly different schemes to the schemes and speed of professional football. It's hard to tell the value of a wide receiver like Stephen Hill when he played on a triple-option offense in college and it can be difficult to rate an outside linebacker prospect who played defensive end at the college level.

Because character issues can be overrated and the transition from college to the pros can be unpredictable, many "questionable" picks turn out to be stellar. Here are a few "questionable" picks that will shine in 2012.

A.J. Jenkins, WR, San Francisco 49ers

Why the pick was questionable

When the 49ers went on the clock with the No. 30 selection, no one was surprised to see that they took a wide receiver. One of the team's greatest weaknesses in 2011 was an obvious lack of offensive playmakers outside of Vernon Davis. 

What did surprise everyone was that they took A.J. Jenkins out of Illinois with the pick. Most draft experts didn't have Jenkins graded as a first-round pick and it was puzzling that the 49ers took him over the likes of Stephen Hill, Alshon Jeffery or even Rueben Randle.

Why he will shine

Jenkins is coming into a great situation. The 49ers have one of the best running games in the NFL, Vernon Davis commands double coverage, and the pressure is on newly acquired receivers Mario Manningham and Randy Moss to perform.  

Jenkins doesn't have to be the man to be successful; instead, he'll get to take advantage of mismatches when he is on the field as the 49ers did a good job of turning a weakness into a strength, and teams will still struggle to stop their running game.

Mitchell Schwartz, OT, Cleveland Browns

Why the pick was questionable

The Cleveland Browns needed a right tackle in this draft, there's no doubting that. When they were on the clock with the No. 22 pick and every offensive lineman not named Matt Kalil was on the board, it was surprising they went another direction with the pick.

Then the Browns were on the clock at No. 37 and only missed out on Riley Reiff in terms of tackles, yet they still managed to go low on the experts draft boards and take California product Mitchell Schwartz. They passed on highly touted prospects Cordy Glenn and Jonathan Martin for Schwartz, which was unexpected.

Teams also wondered if Schwartz, who has struggled with some back injuries in the past, can go through the rigors of an NFL career.

Why he will shine

The Browns desperately need help at the position, and Schwartz will be expected to play right away. Regardless of whom the experts had graded ahead of Schwartz, he is an excellent tackle with a great track record. He was a four-year starter at Cal and, perhaps more impressively, he started every game.

For a player whose stock dropped because of injury concerns, that's pretty impressive.

Schwartz was a captain at Cal and was named to the Pac-12 All-Academic first team in 2011. The Browns are getting a quality player and teammate in Schwartz.

The last time the Browns drafted an offensive lineman from Cal it worked out pretty well for them—center Alex Mack has been a consistent starter for them since being drafted.

Janoris Jenkins, CB, St. Louis Rams

Why he was questionable

Janoris Jenkins was your classic case of a player with dynamite skills on the field but a less-than-stellar record off it. If Jenkins had a squeaky-clean record and were able to stay at the University of Florida, he could have been a top-10 pick. That's how good he is.

The fact that he dropped all the way to No. 39 is telling of the issues he has. He was arrested three times while at Florida and was dismissed from the team after two of those arrests occurred in a three-month span.

Fun fact: Jenkins also has four children to three different mothers.

Jenkins was also thrown out of a game in 2011 while playing at North Alabama for fighting. Needless to say, the Rams took a huge gamble by taking Jenkins in the second round.

Why he will shine

Jeff Fisher is no stranger to taking chances on a troubled rookie cornerback. He was with the Tennessee Titans when they rolled the dice on Adam "Pacman" Jones. Jones' character issues did end up catching up with him, but not before he put together two solid seasons for the team as he contributed right away.

Character issues or not, Jones is an impressive athlete with outstanding cover skills. He has an SEC pedigree and shut down a lot of NFL-bound wide receivers during his time with the Gators. Jenkins should also be a candidate to make some play in the return game for the Rams.

In the end, the Rams brought in a great football player. Snagging a top-10 talent in the second round may have been a risk, but it will pay immediate dividends.

Ryan Broyles, WR, Detroit Lions

Why the pick was questionable

Ryan Broyles was one of the most productive receivers in college football history at Oklahoma, but no one expected the Sooner star to be taken this high.

Firstly, Broyles tore his ACL during his final season at Oklahoma, so it is unclear when he will be able to come back and contribute for the Lions.

Secondly, Broyles is a bit undersized and isn't the typical burner you would think he is with his frame. Even if healthy, Broyles' stock would not have been high as Justin Blackmon and Michael Floyd's.

This pick was exceptionally questionable considering it was the Lions that made it. The team has a tradition of overdrafting wide receivers, and with Calvin Johnson, Titus Young and Nate Burleson already on the roster, it is confusing why they didn't address other needs.

Why he will shine

The Lions may be stacked at the wide receiver position, but when Broyles comes back he has tremendous potential. At 5'10" and 192 pounds, Broyles doesn't have tremendous size and his straight-line speed is lacking, but he was extremely good at getting open in college and is a great route-runner.

Wes Welker comparisons are becoming cliche for any receiver with good potential in the slot, but Broyles could live up to those comparisons.

With Calvin Johnson and Nate Burleson demanding attention on the outside and the blooming Brandon Pettigrew becoming a threat at tight end, Broyles could have plenty of space to work with when he can get on the field. The pick of Broyles make seem a bit less confusing when he is consistently getting open and providing Matthew Stafford with yet another target.

LaMichael James, RB, San Francisco 49ers

Why the pick was questionable

After taking A.J. Jenkins in Round 1, the 49ers topped themselves in the questionable draft pick area with their selection of Oregon running back LaMichael James.

The 49ers already have one of the best running backs in all of football in Frank Gore and they used a high pick in the 2011 draft to get another small running back, Kendall Hunter. They also went out and signed former Giants running back Brandon Jacobs. For most teams, grabbing a fourth running back is not high on the list of priorities.

James does have great return skills, but the 49ers are already covered in that are, too. Ted Ginn is a great returner, and with the addition of Mario Manningham, Randy Moss and A.J. Jenkins, it's assumed less will be expected of him as a receiver and more as a returner.

Spending a second-round pick on James was one of the more questionable picks in the draft.

Why he will shine

James is a unique player—questions about his size (5'8", 194 lbs.) dropped his draft stock and the system he played in college was vastly different than what he will see as a 49er. Realistically, James never had the skill set or frame to be an every-down back in the NFL.

What he does have is speed—blazing speed. He ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the combine, and it is evident in his film that he doesn't just have track speed, he flies on the field. James' speed and elusiveness make him the kind of player that doesn't need many touches to have an impact on the game.

While Gore, Hunter and Jacobs are all physical, downhill runners, James is an entirely different kind of runner. With James' athleticism, it wouldn't be hard to see him occasionally splitting out wide. If the 49ers can get James five to 10 touches a game, he will have an immediate impact on this offense.