NBA Draft 2012: Ranking This Year's Top Big Men

More than ever before, big men are at a premium in the NBA.

Virtually every team in the upcoming 2012 NBA Draft is seeking added frontcourt depth, or is in need of a major frontcourt upgrade.

With such emphasis being placed on these massive centerpieces, let's take a quick look at how the top 10 big men of this season's draft stack up against each other.

10. Meyers Leonard (PF/C)

The 7'1" Meyers Leonard is coming off a season in which he showed great improvement from his freshman year.  He turned into one of the Big Ten's more effective shot blockers, and ran the floor well. 

What makes him such a valuable pick is his possible upside.  If Leonard keeps improving at the rate he showed last season, the sky is his limit.

On the flip side, not many teams in the Big Ten last season had an intimidating inside force.  With his size, Leonard should have been able to take more advantage of his matchups.  Instead, he averaged just 13 points per game, and looked a bit soft at times.

Bottom Line: Flashes promising skills, but likely two or three years away from being a factor in the NBA.

9. Terrence Jones (PF)

Blessed with a massive 7'3" wingspan, Terrence Jones can do virtually everything on the court.  Last season the Kentucky Wildcats went as Jones did, showing why his skill set is such a vital one.

With a little bit of polish on his jump shot, Jones could become quite an offensive force. Plus his rebounding and defensive ability are already on an NBA level.

The only knock that the scouts have on Jones is his consistency.  There were games last season where Jones was noticeably absent, which he can't get away with at the NBA level.

Bottom Line:  Jones can fill many roles, and should provide an immediate spark to the bench of any team that drafts him.

8. Royce White (PF)

One of my favorite players to watch in the NCAA this season, the 6'8", 270 pound star from Iowa State can play every position on the court.

This year, Royce White was the only player in the nation to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. And let's not forget, the Cyclones were a very good team.

The biggest knock on him is that NBA executives are fearful of his fear of flying.  With the amount of travel in the typical NBA schedule, not being able to fly would be a monumental issue.

However, White did fly to all of his road collegiate games, and even recorded a triple-double on the road at Texas A&M.  I think this flying concern makes him undervalued.

Bottom Line:  Draft with confidence.  This ultra-talented big man is poised to soar to new heights.

7. John Henson (PF/C)

The freakishly long John Henson projects to be an immediate factor in the NBA because of his fantastic shot blocking ability. 

While his offensive skill set could use some development, his upside is tantalizing if he is able to put on some muscle and really work on his face up game.

Bottom Line:  Upside: Think Serge Ibaka. Downside: Think Hasheem Thabeet.

6. Tyler Zeller (PF/C)

Following Henson is his Tar Heel teammate, Tyler Zeller.

Even though his younger brother would most likely have been a higher pick than him, Cody decided to return to Indiana.

But let's focus on Tyler.  He can run the floor, truly play the center position and simply knows how to put the ball in the basket.  The only knock is that (like Henson) he needs to put on some extra muscle.

Bottom Line: No one is expecting him to be the go-to scoring option in the post, but he should prove to be a serviceable starter in the years to come.

5. Jared Sullinger (PF)

Coming into his freshman season, Jared Sullinger was thought to be a likely No. 1 overall pick whenever he declared for the draft, but after two seasons at Ohio State, that is no longer the case.

While Sullinger is still an elite talent with a scoring knack in the low post, he struggled to score last season whenever he faced a defender who was longer or taller than him. 

There are lot of post defenders in the NBA who are longer and taller than Sullinger is.

Bottom Line: Built in the mold of DeJuan Blair.

4. Perry Jones lll (PF)

Anytime you find a 6'11" player who can slash and attack the basket like wing player, it's hard to ignore him.

Meet Perry Jones lll.

Like Terrence Jones, Perry seemed to pick and choose which games he showed up for and which games he didn't (maybe it has something to do with the last name).  But when he did—it was special to behold.

Bottom Line: Will be worth the lottery selection.  I think his game is better suited for the NBA than it was for Baylor.

3. Andre Drummond (C)

If you look up the definition of inconsistent, you should find Andre Drummond's picture plastered right in the middle of it.

So frustrating because of his immense potential talent, Drummond projects as one of the top picks of the draft, despite posting a mediocre stat line (10 PPG, 7 RPG) during his freshman campaign—simply because of that massive upside.

Interesting side note: even with his extreme inconsistency, Drummond still posted the most double-doubles for any Jim Calhoun freshman in the history of the program.

Bottom Line: A project for sure, but give him five years, and I bet he makes his first All-Star team.

2. Thomas Robinson (PF)

Thomas Robinson would have collected large quantities of prestigious college basketball hardware last season—if it wasn't for one Anthony Davis.

A solid 6'10" with an NBA-ready body, Robinson should be a serious candidate for NBA rookie of the year in 2013.  The only detraction from his game is an inconsistent jump shot, which seems fixable.

Even if the jump shot doesn't become immediately silky, this relentless rebounder will be on the attack enough to warrant serious defensive attention as soon as his NBA career begins.

Bottom Line: A worthy consolation prize for those who missed out on the Anthony Davis sweepstakes.

1. Anthony Davis (PF/C)

Well, this must be a surprise.

Yes, Anthony Davis is the No. 1 rated big man in the 2012 NBA Draft.  With so much said about Davis already, I'd be wasting your time if I just restated the obvious.

Would you have even considered my article legitimate if I had picked anyone else?

Bottom Line: We all know who the No. 1 pick is, and Davis's game-changing ability will give instant hope to the New Orleans Hornets franchise starting on June 28th.