2012 NFL Draft Preview: Ranking the Top 40 Pro Prospects
The 2011 NFL draft is officially in the books, which means it’s time to start looking toward next year’s draft.
College Football lost a ton of star power due to all of the early entrants in this year’s class, but have no worries, help is on the way.
You’re probably already familiar with players such as Stanford QB Andrew Luck, Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon and Oregon RB LaMichael James. But now it’s time to really start familiarizing yourself with college football’s rising crop of talent.
Here’s a look at 40 eligible prospects who look like they should be playing on Sundays sometime soon.
1. QB Andrew Luck, Stanford
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Some NFL scouts have already been quoted as saying that Andrew Luck is the best college QB prospect of the last 10 years.
By the time September rolls around, Luck is going to be the face of college football and the overwhelming favorite to be the top pick in 2012.
Luck, a 6‘4’’, 235 lb. junior, has a chance to really solidify his status as the top dog if he can lead Stanford to the Pac-12 Championship.
2. WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
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If it weren’t for Cam Newton, WR Justin Blackmon would have been the biggest breakout star of the 2010 season.
Blackmon came out of nowhere to become the nation’s top impact WR, leading the country with 20 receiving TDs.
The 6’1’’, 205 lb. junior is a playmaker in every sense of the word.
If he puts up a season comparable to 2010, Blackmon will almost certainly be a Top 10 pick if he decides to come out.
3. CB Cliff Harris, Oregon
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Cliff Harris may not have the same type of size or breathtaking athleticism as Patrick Peterson, but he does have an edge on Peterson when it comes to pure cornerback skills.
Considering the Ducks are mostly known for their high-scoring offense, Harris very well could be one of the most overlooked commodities in college football.
The 5’11’’, 170 lb. junior is a defensive difference maker who can go toe to toe with any receiver put in front of him.
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4. DT Billy Winn, Boise State
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Recent top-five picks Marcell Dareus, Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy, have shown us how highly valued an elite defensive tackle prospect actually is.
Next year, there a few defensive tackles who could really make a name for themselves, but one player in particular to keep an eye on is Boise State’s Billy Winn.
Winn, a 6’4’’, 290 lb. senior, has looked absolutely dominant against mid-level competition over these last few years.
5. WR Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina
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A.J. Green and Julio Jones are now in the NFL, meaning it’s time for a new receiver to reign supreme in the SEC.
That receiver is South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffery.
Jeffery, a 6’4’’, 230 lb. junior, was a big reason for the Gamecocks’ success in 2010, finishing the season with 88 receptions for over 1,500 yards.
6. OT Matt Kalil, USC
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USC may have to fill the hole that this year’s No. 9 overall pick Tyron Smith leaves at right tackle, but one thing the Trojans certainly don’t have to worry about is the left tackle position.
That’s where Matt Kalil, the younger brother of Ryan Kalil, lines up.
Kalil, a 6’7’’, 295 lb. junior, is a special talent who has the size, strength, footwork and athleticism to develop into the next coveted left tackle.
7. RB Knile Davis, Arkansas
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You wouldn’t think it would be easy for most running backs to stand out in the pass-heavy offense at Arkansas, but then again, most running backs aren’t Knile Davis.
Davis, a 6’0’’, 220 lb. junior, managed to finish second in the SEC with 1,322 rushing yards last season, and he displayed the type of speed and power that would lead you to believe he can be a featured back in the NFL.
8. LB Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State
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My biggest fear when watching Arizona State LB Vontaze Burfict is that one day, he’s going to hit one of these ball carriers so hard that they just can’t get up.
Burfict is one of the most physically intimidating players in college football.
The 6’3’’, 245 lb. junior is already a seasoned veteran who has racked up 160 tackles in his first two years.
9. QB Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
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Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor has gone from star No. 1 recruit to maybe being one of the most underappreciated players in college football.
Pryor has taken some deserved grief for some of his immature actions, but you can’t argue with back-to-back BCS bowl game MVPs and a 23-3 record over the last two years.
Pryor may not have the arm strength you’re looking for in a potential NFL signal caller, but he’s a rare caliber of athlete with intriguing developmental upside.
10. DT Jerel Worthy, Michigan State
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Jerel Worthy just has a name that sounds like he should be an awesome defensive tackle.
Not only does Worthy have a fitting name, he more than backs it up with his supreme game.
The powerful 6’3’’, 305 lb. junior is continuing to refine his skills, and once he figures out how to be a complete defensive tackle, the sky is the limit.
11. QB Matt Barkley, USC
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It’s sad that we probably won’t ever get the opportunity to see QB Matt Barkley compete in a major bowl game since Barkley, a 6’2’’, 220 lb. junior, is expected to declare for the draft after this season.
Barkley, who has thrown for over 2,700 yards in each of his first two seasons, has a good chance to be the latest USC first-round QB.
12. WR Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma
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Ryan Broyles probably had a shot to be a first-round pick if he had decided to come out this year but considering the Sooners are going to be the undisputed No. 1 ranked team entering the season, you can’t say that he made a mistake by returning.
Broyles, a 5’11’’, 185 lb. senior, led the country with 131 catches in 2010, and he’s going to be a key factor for Oklahoma’s offense once again.
13. DE Quinton Coples, North Carolina
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The suspensions of Robert Quinn and Marvin Austin may have weakened North Carolina’s defense last season, but they also opened the door for Quinton Coples to really shine.
Coples, who is capable of lining up anywhere along the defensive line, is a special talent who really took his opportunity and made the most of it.
If the 6’6’’, 250 lb. senior continues to bulk up, he could turn out to be a better prospect than former teammate Robert Quinn.
14. OT Jonathan Martin, Stanford
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When you have a quarterback as valuable as Andrew Luck to protect, you can’t just have any scrub off the street blocking for him.
Luckily, Stanford has enlisted Jonathan Martin, one of the most talented tackles in the country, to make sure Luck stays safe.
Martin, a 6’6’’, 305 lb. junior, has all the traits you look for in a top-notch tackle prospect.
15. DE/OLB Brandon Jenkins, Florida State
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The Florida State defense is currently making its way back to respectability, and one of the key pieces in the revival has been DE Brandon Jenkins.
Jenkins, a 6’3’’, 260 lb. junior, proved to be one of the most explosive and disruptive defensive linemen in the country last season, finishing the year with 21.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks.
If he forgoes his senior year, Jenkins has the makeup to be one of the top 3-4 OLB prospects in the 2012 class.
16. CB Chase Minnifield, Virginia
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Ras-I Dowling’s injury-riddled senior season may have cost him a shot at being a first-round pick in the 2011 draft, but it also allowed Virginia teammate Chase Minnifield to finally break out of Dowling’s shadow.
Minnifield, a 6-foot, 180 lb. senior, really stepped his game up in 2010, picking off six passes and shutting down nearly every receiver he had to cover.
17. WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
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Notre Dame has a chance to really take a big step up this season, and the absolute key player to the team’s success will be WR Michael Floyd.
Floyd, who finished the 2010 season with 79 catches for over 1,000 yards, is already a bona fide star, and he likely would have been a first-round pick if had decided to enter the 2011 draft.
The 6’3’’, 225 lb. senior is a dark horse Heisman contender.
18. CB Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska
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It’s scary to think that Prince Amukamara might not have even been the best cornerback on the Nebraska roster last year.
Amukamara’s former teammate, Alfonzo Dennard, is just as good of an athlete, and he's demonstrated better ball skills throughout his career.
Dennard, a 5’10’’, 195 lb. senior, is likely to be a first-round pick in 2012.
19. QB Tyler Wilson, Arkansas
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With new QB Tyler Wilson at the helm, the Arkansas offense has a chance to be superbly potent in 2011.
After a sensational showing in the Arkansas spring game, Wilson has really started to create a buzz around college football as a QB to keep an eye on.
Don’t expect the Razorbacks to miss former QB Ryan Mallett all that much this season.
20. OT Mike Adams, Ohio State
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After two years of waiting for the light to come on, former top recruit Mike Adams finally made the most of his potential as a junior in 2010.
The 6’8’’, 305 lb. offensive tackle finally performed like the player Buckeyes fans had been expecting when Adams first came to Columbus.
Adams has a terrific combination of size, strength and athleticism.
21. WR Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M
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Texas A&M’s Jeff Fuller was one of the few receivers who gave star CB Patrick Peterson trouble last season. Fuller finished with seven catches for 83 yards in a Cotton Bowl loss to LSU.
It’s performances such as that one which give us a better understanding of what Fuller is actually capable of.
If the 6’4’’, 215 lb. senior can put together a full season’s worth of consistent production, he'll be a first-round pick in 2012.
22. LB Travis Lewis, Oklahoma
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Oklahoma LB Travis Lewis flirted with the idea of leaving school after his junior season, but Lewis made the wise to decision to return for his final year as Oklahoma's defensive leader.
Lewis now has a final chance to fully prove that he’s a first-round prospect.
The 6’2’’, 235 lb. senior has led Oklahoma in tackles each of the past three seasons.
23. DT Jared Crick, Nebraska
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Last season, Nebraska's Jared Crick did an admirable job trying to make up for the loss of Ndamukong Suh.
Crick, a a 6’6’’, 285 lb. senior, finished with 9.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss in 2010, and he now has the chance to show his stuff against Big Ten offensive lines this year.
As far as his NFL potential is concerned, Crick falls somewhere in the middle of Ndamukong Suh and Adam Carriker.
24. RB LaMichael James, Oregon
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Oregon’s LaMichael James continued his ascent to star status in 2010, leading the country with 1,731 rushing yards.
The 5’9’’, 185 lb. junior doesn’t have the natural size you look for in a top of the line NFL back, but his speed and agility more than make up for his lack of height.
James would make a perfect complementary back in the NFL.
25. OT Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State
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There haven’t been many reasons for NFL scouts to head down to Ames, Iowa lately but Iowa State’s Kelechi Osemele is about to change that.
Osemele, a 6’5’’, 295 lb. senior, has all the physical tools to be a starting NFL offensive linemen.
If he properly develops his all around game over the summer, Osemele will have the scouts booking their tickets to Ames in no time.
26. QB Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State
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Next year’s Blaine Gabbert?
After a breakout junior campaign, Oklahoma State QB Brandon Weeden has people excited for football in Stillwater. But we still have to wait and see how much Weeden will miss former coordinator Dana Holgorsen’s passer-friendly system.
Weeden, a 6’4’’, 215 lb. senior, threw for over 4,200 yards in 2010.
Let's see what he does for an encore.
27. DT Kendall Reyes, Connecticut
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In today’s NFL, players who can play the defensive end position in a 3-4 defense are a valuable commodity.
One of next year’s top 3-4 defensive end prospects is Connecticut’s Kendall Reyes.
Reyes, a 6’4’’ 295 lb. senior, possesses the type of anchor strength to fit in perfectly in a 3-4 defense in the NFL.
28. LB Courtney Upshaw, Alabama
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There may be no other linebacker unit in America that can rival the one found in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Tide have about six or seven linebackers who could start at most BCS schools this season.
The best of the bunch is Courtney Upshaw, a 6’2’’, 260 lb. senior, who has the versatility to line up all over the field.
Upshaw, who finished with 14 tackles for loss in 2010, knows how to find his way into the backfield.
29. RB Trent Richardson, Alabama
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After rushing for at least 700 yards in each of his first two seasons, Trent Richardson will now have the chance to really rack up yardage as the main man of the Alabama backfield
Richardson, a 5'11'', 220 lb. junior, is a physical specimen who has the pure power to dominate the SEC in 2011.
30. DE/OLB Bruce Irvin, West Virginia
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Last season, Bruce Irvin came right out of junior college and turned out to be one of the most dominating pass rushers in the country, leading the Big East with 14 sacks.
Irvin, a 6'3'', 235 lb. senior, showed the type of speed off the edge that's needed to be a 3-4 OLB in the NFL, and with a more expanded role this season, he should really have a great shot to impress evaluators.
31. TE Michael Egnew, Missouri
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Michael Egnew is a member of the new breed of tight ends, which basically means he’s a wide receiver in a tight end’s body.
Last season, Egnew, a 6'6'', 235 lb. senior, led all tight ends with 90 receptions, and he has a chance to repeat that feat this season as the top threat in Missouri's pass-based offensive attack.
32. LB Manti Te'o, Notre Dame
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Manti Te’o has already been likened to fellow Samoan LB Rey Maualuga. And given the way the two play the game, it seems like a pretty fair comparison.
If you’re a running back, Te’o is one of the last people you want to see lining up across from you, staring you down.
The 6'2'', 245 lb. junior racked up an absurd 129 tackles in 2010.
33. LB/S Kenny Tate, Maryland
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New Maryland coach Randy Edsall has decided to move Kenny Tate to linebacker this season, and it could end up being a switch that pays major dividends.
Tate, a 6'4'', 220 lb. senior, fits into the freakish athlete category, and he has the size and versatility to excel at either linebacker or safety in the NFL.
34. RB Chris Polk, Washington
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There are a bunch of talented running backs in the new Pac-12 conference, and Washington’s Chris Polk is right at the top of the list.
Polk, a 5'11'', 215 lb. junior, rushed for over 1,400 yards in 2010, and he's sure to now have an expanded role this year after the departure of QB Jake Locker.
35. WR Erik Highsmith, North Carolina
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North Carolina has a chance to be a national title contender this season, and their talented group of wide receivers is one of the main reasons why.
Erik Highsmith, Dwight Jones and Jheranie Boyd make up quite a trio, but it’s Highsmith, a 6'3'', 175 lb. junior, who could turn out to be the true star of the show.
36. WR Chris Owusu, Stanford
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If injuries hadn’t slowed him down last season, Stanford’s Chris Owusu would probably be one of the most well known receivers in college football right now.
Owusu, a 6'2'', 200 lb. senior, now has a chance to be Andrew Luck’s No. 1 target, and the two should make quite a passing pair.
37. S T.J. McDonald, USC
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T.J. McDonald may not have the same type of raw natural ability as former USC safety Taylor Mays, but that hasn't stopped the 6'3'', 205 lb. junior from outplaying and outperforming his predecessor.
Unlike Mays, McDonald has actually lived up to his lofty recruiting reputation, and he'll be counted on to be one of the defensive leaders for the Trojans this season.
38. DT Kawann Short, Purdue
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Kawann Short will now have the opportunity to step out of Ryan Kerrigan’s shadow and really make a name for himself as one of the top defensive linemen in the Big Ten this year.
Short, a 6'3'', 305 lb. junior, finished the 2010 season with 4.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss.
39. DE/OLB Jacquies Smith, Missouri
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Aldon Smith may be a 49er now, but Missouri fans need not worry too much. There’s another star DE named Smith who’s ready to make some noise this season.
Jacquies Smith, a 6'4'', 250 lb. senior, has a similar skillset to his former teammate, and he should wreak havoc in opposing backfields this season.
40. RB Johnathan Franklin, UCLA
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Johnathan Franklin has been one of the lone bright spots for the UCLA Bruins over the last few years.
Last season, Franklin rushed for over 1,100 yards and displayed home-run type speed.
The 5'10'', 195 lb. junior still remains an under-the-radar prospect at this point, but that should change if he has another solid campaign in 2011.
10 Other Quarterbacks to Watch
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1. Geno Smith, West Virginia
2. Mike Glennon, North Carolina State
3. Landry Jones, Oklahoma
4. Kellen Moore, Boise State
5. Nick Foles, Arizona
6. Kirk Cousins, Michigan State
7. Ryan Lindley, San Diego State
8. Brock Osweiler, Arizona State
9. Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M
10. Case Keenum, Houston
10 Other Running Backs to Watch
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1. Brandon Bolden, Ole Miss
2. Montel Harris, Boston College
3. Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M
4. Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati
5. Doug Martin, Boise State
6. David Wilson, Virginia Tech
7. Boom Herron, Ohio State
8. Kenjon Barner, Oregon
9. Jeff Demps, Florida
10. Stepfan Taylor, Stanford
10 Other Wide Receivers to Watch
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1. DeVier Posey, Ohio State
2. Kendall Wright, Baylor
3. Juron Criner, Arizona
4. Greg Childs, Arkansas
5. Dwight Jones, North Carolina
6. Jarrett Boykin, Virginia Tech
7. Tavon Austin, West Virginia
8. Marquis Maze, Alabama
9. Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers
10. Marvin McNutt, Iowa
10 Other Tight Ends to Watch
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1. David Paulson, Oregon
2. Ladarius Green, Louisiana
3. Lucas Reed, New Mexico
4. Phillip Lutzenkirchen, Auburn
5. Brandon Barden, Vanderbilt
6. George Bryan, North Carolina State
7. Jake Stoneburner, Ohio State
8. James Hanna, Oklahoma
9. Dwayne Allen, Clemson
10. Kevin Koger, Michigan
10 Other Offensive Linemen to Watch
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1. Brandon Washington, Miami
2. Levy Adcock, Oklahoma State
3. Al Netter, Northwestern
4. Nate Potter, Boise State
5. Barrett Jones, Alabama
6. Matt Reynolds, BYU
7. Bobby Massie, Ole Miss
8. David DeCastro, Stanford
9. Cordy Glenn, Georgia
10. Morgan Moses, Virginia
10 Other Defensive Tackles to Watch
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1. Mike Martin, Michigan
2. Kheeston Randall, Texas
3. Marcus Forston, Miami
4. Josh Boyd, Mississippi State
5. Jacobbi McDaniel, Florida State
6. Tydreke Powell, North Carolina
7. Brandon Thompson, Clemson
8. Josh Chapman, Alabama
9. Logan Harrell, Fresno State
10. Jamarkus McFarland, Oklahoma
10 Other Defensive Ends to Watch
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1. Alex Okafor, Texas
2. Devin Taylor, South Carolina
3. Donte Paige-Moss, North Carolina
4. Adrian Robinson, Temple
5. Vince Browne, Northwestern
6. Cameron Meredith, Nebraska
7. Andre Branch, Clemson
8. Chandler Jones, Syracuse
9. Vinny Curry, Marshall
10. Armond Armstead, USC
10 Other Linebackers to Watch
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1. Nigel Bradham, Florida State
2. Danny Trevathan, Kentucky
3. Zach Brown, North Carolina
4. Lavonte David, Nebraska
5. Dont’a Hightower, Alabama
6. Keenan Robinson, Texas
7. Luke Kuechly, Boston College
8. Shayne Skov, Stanford
9. Tank Carder, TCU
10. Sean Spence, Miami
10 Other Cornerbacks to Watch
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1. Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama
2. Coryell Judie, Texas A&M
3. Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina
4. Janoris Jenkins
5. Shaun Prater, Iowa
6. Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech
7. Josh Robinson, Central Florida
8. Brandon Boykin, Georgia
9. Keith Tandy, West Virginia
10. Desmond Trufant, Washington
10 Other Safeties to Watch
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1. DeVonte Holloman, South Carolina
2. Delano Howell, Stanford
3. Mark Barron, Alabama
4. Sean Cattouse, Cal
5. Ray Ray Armstrong, Miami
6. Lance Mitchell, Oregon State
7. George Iloka, Boise State
8. Robert Lester, Alabama
9. Tony Dye, UCLA
10. Aaron Henry, Wisconsin
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