2012 NFL Draft Position Rankings: College Football's New Best Of The Best

Waving goodbye is never easy.

Parting ways with the people we've grown accustomed to over time is something that always seems to present a challenge for us humans. 

For sports fans, and in this case college football fans, saying goodbye just happens to be an annual right of passage. 

After each and every season, the sport of college football loses most of its star power to the professional ranks, and each summer we are presented with the task of finding out which up and coming players are worthy of carrying the torch.

This year, we wave goodbye to many great young athletes who spent the last four months filling our Saturdays with thrills. 

A.J. Green, Patrick Peterson, Cam Newton, Mark Ingram—the list of big superstar names who are exiting the college game is way too long as usual.

Now that the season has concluded, all of them will be leaving us for the bright and shiny pastures of the National Football League. 

So now, once again, it's time to find the new names that will fill our Saturdays with excitement in 2011. 

While many eligible underclassmen made the decision to jump ship early for the millions the NFL has to offer, there were some stellar, established stars such as Stanford QB Andrew Luck, Oregon RB LaMichael James and Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd, just to name a few, who made the decision to stick on the college circuit for one more year. 

Let's take a very preliminary look at some of the top NFL prospects that the college game will have to offer next season. 

Quarterbacks

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MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 03: Andrew Luck #12 of the Stanford Cardinal celebrates after he threw a 38-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter against the Virginai Tech Hokies during the 2011 Discover Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium on January 3, 2011 in Miam

Top 10 Seniors
1. Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State

2. Nick Foles, Arizona

3. Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State

4. Kirk Cousins, Michigan State

5. Kellen Moore, Boise State

6. Dominique Davis, East Carolina

7. Ryan Lindley, San Diego State

8. John Brantley, Florida

9. Jordan Jefferson, LSU

10. Steven Threet, Arizona State

Top Five Underclassmen
1. Andrew Luck, Stanford
2. Matt Barkley, USC
3. Landry Jones, Oklahoma
4. Geno Smith, West Virginia
5. Darron Thomas, Oregon

Running Backs

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NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 04: Knile Davis #7 of the Arkansas Razorbacks runs the ball against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on January 4, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Im

Top 10 Seniors
1. Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M

2. Brandon Bolden, Ole Miss

3. Doug Martin, Boise State

4. Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati

5. Montel Harris, Boston College

6. Vick Ballard, Mississippi State

7. Boom Herron, Ohio State

8. Marc Tyler, USC

9. Jeff Demps, Florida

10. Bobby Rainey, Western Kentucky

Top Five Underclassmen
1. Knile Davis, Arkansas
2. LaMichael James, Oregon
3. Trent Richardson, Alabama
4. Chris Polk, Washington
5. Bryce Brown, Kansas State

Wide Receivers

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NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 20: Michael Floyd #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish rushes against the Army Black Knights at Yankee Stadium on November 20, 2010 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Top 10 Seniors
1. Michael Floyd, Notre Dame

2. Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma

3. Greg Childs, Arkansas

4. Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M

5. Kendall Wright, Baylor

6. Juron Criner, Arizona

7. DeVier Posey, Ohio State

8. Chris Owusu, Stanford

9. Jarrett Boykin, Virginia Tech

10. Marquis Maze, Alabama

Top Five Underclassmen
1. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
2. Erik Highsmith, North Carolina
3. Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina
4. Rueben Randle, LSU
5. Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers

Tight Ends

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COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 27: Jake Stoneburner #11 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs with the ball against the Michigan Wolverines at Ohio Stadium on November 27, 2010 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Top 10 Seniors
1. Michael Egnew, Missouri

2. Ladarius Green, Louisiana Lafayette 

3. George Bryan, North Carolina State

4. Deangelo Peterson, LSU

5. Coby Fleener, Stanford

6. David Paulson, Oregon

7. Kevin Koger, Michigan

8. Anthony Miller, Cal

9. Brian Linthicum, Michigan State

10. Ryan Deehan, Colorado

Top Five Underclassmen
1. Jake Stoneburner, Ohio State
2. Dwayne Allen, Clemson
3. Philip Lutzenkirchen, Auburn
4. D.C. Jefferson, Rutgers
5. Ryan Griffin, UCONN

Offensive Tackles

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MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 03: (L-R) Jeremy Stewart #34 and Jonathan Martin #55 of the Stanford Cardinal celebrate after Stewart scored a 60-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter against the Virginai Tech Hokies during the 2011 Discover Orange Bowl at Sun

Top 10 Seniors
1. Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State

2. Nate Potter, Boise State

3. Al Netter, Northwestern

4. Mike Adams, Ohio State

5. Levy Adcock, Oklahoma State

6. Matt Reynolds, BYU

7. Andrew Datko, Florida State

8. Bradley Sowell, Ole Miss

9. Anthony Parker, Western Michigan

10. Blake DeChristopher, Virginia Tech

Top Five Underclassmen
1. Jonathan Martin, Stanford
2. Matt Kalil, USC
3. Tanner Hawkinson, Kansas
4. Riley Reiff, Iowa
5. D.J. Fluker, Alabama

Interior Offensive Lineman

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COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 26: Offensive lineman Mike Brewster #50 of the Ohio State Buckeyes prepares the snap the ball against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Ohio Stadium on September 26, 2009 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Top 10 Seniors
1. Mike Brewster, Ohio State

2. Ryan Miller, Colorado

3. Ken Plue, Purdue

4. Jermarcus Hardrick, Nebraska

5. Rokevious Watkins, South Carolina

6. Joel Foreman, Michigan State

7. Chris Jacobson, Pitt

8. William Vlachos, Alabama

9. Trevor Robinson, Notre Dame

10. Cordy Glenn, Georgia

Top Five Underclassmen
1. Barrett Jones, Alabama
2. David DeCastro, Stanford
3. Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina
4. Peter Konz, Wisconsin
5. Omoregie Uzzi, Georgia Tech

Defensive Tackles

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LINCOLN, NE - NOVEMBER 13: Jared Crick #94 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers wraps up Angus Quigley #22 of the Kansas Jayhawks during their game at Memorial Stadium on November 13, 2010 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Nebraska Defeated Kansas 20-3. (Photo by Eric Francis

Top 10 Seniors
1. Jared Crick, Nebraska

2. Tydreke Powell, North Carolina

3. Alameda Ta'amu, Washington

4. Jaye Howard, Florida

5. Billy Winn, Boise State

6. Mike Martin, Michigan

7. Mike Daniels, Iowa

8. Travian Robertson, South Carolina

9. Kheeston Randall, Texas

10. Josh Chapman, Alabama

Top Five Underclassmen
1. Jerel Worthy, Michigan State
2. Kawann Short, Purdue
3. Marcus Forston, Miami
4. Jacobbi McDaniel, Florida State
5. Jamarkus McFarland, Oklahoma 

Defensive Ends

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CHAPEL HILL, NC - OCTOBER 11: Quinton Coples #90 of the North Carolina Tar Heels celebrates after sacking Jimmy Clauson #7 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Kenan Stadium October 11, 2008 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty

Top 10 Seniors
1. Quinton Coples, North Carolina

2. Bruce Irvin, West Virginia

3. Adrian Robinson, Temple

4. Jake Bequette, Arkansas

5. Vince Browne, Northwestern

6. Armond Armstead, USC

7. Shea McClellin, Boise State

8. Adewale Ojomo, Miami

9. Kendall Reyes, UCONN

10. Frank Alexander, Oklahoma

Top Five Underclassmen
1. Brandon Jenkins, Florida State
2. Devin Taylor, South Carolina
3. Donte Paige-Moss, North Carolina
4. Cameron Meredith, Nebraska
5. Kapron Lewis-Moore, Notre Dame

Outside Linebackers

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ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 04: Linebacker Travis Lewis #28 of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrate a pass interception against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the Big 12 Championship at Cowboys Stadium on December 4, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald M

Top 10 Seniors
1. Travis Lewis, Oklahoma

2. Zach Brown, North Carolina

3. Emmanuel Acho, Texas

4. Nigel Bradham, Florida State

5. Lavonte David, Nebraska

6. Keenan Robinson, Texas

7. Sean Spence, Miami

8. Audie Cole, North Carolina state

9. Danny Trevathan, Kentucky

10. Greg Williams, Pitt

Top Five Underclassmen
1. Demetrius Hartsfield, Maryland
2. Ronnell Lewis, Oklahoma
3. Nico Johnson, Alabama
4. Cornelius Washington, Georgia
5. Michael Mauti, Penn State

Inside Linebackers

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ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 01: Courtney Upshaw #41 of the Alabama Crimson Tide accepts the MVP award after winning the Capitol One Bowl against the Michigan State Spartans at the Florida Citrus Bowl on January 1, 2011 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrm

Top 10 Seniors
1. Courtney Upshaw, Alabama

2. Garrick Williams, Texas A&M

3. D.J. Holt, Cal

4. Tank Carder, TCU

5. Korey Williams, Southern Miss

6. Jerry Franklin, Arkansas

7. James Michael-Johnson, Nevada

8. Derek Earls, Arizona

9. Chris Marve, Vanderbilt

10. Will Ebner, Missouri

Top Five Underclassmen
1. Manti Te'o, Notre Dame
2. Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State
3. Shayne Skov, Stanford
4. Dont'a Hightower, Alabama
5. Devon Kennard, USC

Cornerbacks

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JACKSONVILLE, FL - JANUARY 1: Alfonzo Dennard #15 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers runs for yardage during the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl against the Clemson Tigers at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium January 1, 2009 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Gree

Top 10 Seniors
1. Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska

2. Janoris Jenkins, Florida

3. Omar Bolden, Arizona State

4. Coryell Judie, Texas A&M

5. Chase Minnifield, Virginia

6. Shaun Prater, Iowa

7. Brandon Boykin, Georgia

8. Tashaun Gipson, Wyoming

9. Keith Tandy, West Virginia

10. Donnie Fletcher, Boston College

Top Five Underclassmen
1. Josh Robinson, Central Florida
2. Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina
3. Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech
4. Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama
5. Cliff Harris, Oregon

Safeties

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TUSCALOOSA, AL - OCTOBER 02: Mark Barron #4 of the Alabama Crimson Tide against the Florida Gators at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 2, 2010 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Top 10 Seniors
1. Mark Barron, Alabama

2. Delano Howell, Stanford

3. Kenny Tate, Maryland

4. Lance Mitchell, Oregon State

5. George Iloka, Boise State

6. Brandon Taylor, LSU

7. Charles Mitchell, Mississippi State

8. Aaron Henry, Wisconsin

9. Harrison Smith, Notre Dame

10. Sean Cattouse, Cal

Top Five Underclassmen
1. Janzen Jackson, Tennessee
2. DeVonte Holloman, South Carolina
3. Robert Lester, Alabama
4. Vaughn Telemaque, Miami
5. Jon Lejiste, South Florida