2012 NFL Draft Rankings: An Early Look at College Football's Top Prospects

On the weekend of the 2011 NFL draft, we were forced to bid a bittersweet farewell to many of our favorite college football players who made the 2010 season so exciting.

Sadly, we will never get another opportunity to see guys like Cam Newton, Von Miller and Patrick Peterson dazzling us with their skills on the college gridiron.

College football certainly lost some serious star power this offseason, but that doesn’t mean it's time to panic. There are a few rising headliners who will do a fine job ushering the sport into a new season.

Players like Stanford QB Andrew Luck, Boise State QB Kellen Moore, Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon and Oregon RB LaMichael James will be the ones you see on all the magazine covers and television shows this summer. However, they’re not the only players who will keep us fans entertained and keep the pro scouts busy this year.

This year’s senior class may have been severely weakened by the flood of early entrants for this year’s draft, but it’s still a moderately strong crop of talent. Plus, there are a good number of up-and-coming underclassmen who have shown flashes of elite ability.

We all know that it's never too early to start preparing for the NFL draft, so here’s an early look at a few of college football’s top eligible pro prospects.

Quarterbacks

Top 15 Seniors

1. Nick Foles, Arizona
2. Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
3. Kirk Cousins, Michigan State
4. Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State
5. Ryan Lindley, San Diego State
6. Kellen Moore, Boise State
7. Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M
8. Chris Relf, Mississippi State
9. Case Keenum, Houston
10. Dominique Davis, East Carolina
11. Stephen Garcia, South Carolina
12. John Brantley, Florida
13. G.J. Kinne, Tulsa
14. Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois
15. Dan Persa, Northwestern

Top 10 Juniors

1. Andrew Luck, Stanford
2. Landry Jones, Oklahoma
3. Matt Barkley, USC
4. Geno Smith, West Virginia
5. Tyler Wilson, Arkansas
6. Mike Glennon, North Carolina State
7. E.J. Manuel, Florida State
8. Brock Osweiler, Arizona State
9. Darron Thomas, Oregon
10. Jeff Tuel, Washington State

Running Backs

Top 15 Seniors

1. Brandon Bolden, Ole Miss
2. Tauren Poole, Tennessee
3. Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M
4. Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati
5. Doug Martin, Boise State
6. Montel Harris, Boston College
7. Jermaine Thomas, Florida State
8. Jason Ford, Illinois
9. Victor Anderson, Louisville
10. Boom Herron, Ohio State
11. Jeff Demps, Florida
12. Vick Ballard, Mississippi State
13. Bobby Rainey, Western Kentucky
14. Ryan Houston, North Carolina
15. Raymond Carter, Colorado State

Top 10 Juniors

1. Knile Davis, Arkansas
2. Chris Polk, Washington
3. Trent Richardson, Alabama
4. LaMichael James, Oregon
5. Johnathan Franklin, UCLA
6. Ed Wesley, TCU
7. David Wilson, Virginia Tech
8. Stepfan Taylor, Stanford
9. Montee Ball, Wisconsin
10. Edwin Baker, Michigan State

 

Wide Receivers

Top 20 Seniors

1. Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
2. Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M
3. Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma
4. Dwight Jones, North Carolina
5. Greg Childs, Arkansas
6. Kendall Wright, Baylor
7. Juron Criner, Arizona
8. Chris Owusu, Stanford
9. DeVier Posey, Ohio State
10. Marvin McNutt, Iowa
11. Lance Lewis, East Carolina
12. TY Hilton, Florida International
13. Jermaine Kearse, Washington
14. Patrick Edwards, Houston
15. Marvin Jones, California
16. Jarrett Boykin, Virginia Tech
17. Jarius Wright, Arkansas
18. Nick Toon, Wisconsin
19. Travis Benjamin, Miami
20. Damarlo Belcher, Indiana

Top 15 Juniors

1. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
2. Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina
3. (QB) Robert Griffin III, Baylor
4. Erik Highsmith, North Carolina
5. Roy Roundtree, Michigan
6. Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers
7. Rueben Randle, LSU
8. (QB) Denard Robinson, Michigan
9. Chad Bumphis, Mississippi State
10. Tavon Austin, West Virginia
11. Tavarres King, Georgia
12. Conner Vernon, Duke
13. Eric Page, Toledo
14. Emory Blake, Auburn
15. T.J. Moe, Missouri

 

Tight Ends

Top 15 Seniors

1. David Paulson, Oregon
2. Michael Egnew, Missouri
3. Ladarius Green, Louisiana
4. George Bryan, North Carolina State
5. Brandon Barden, Vanderbilt
6. Coby Fleener, Stanford
7. Kevin Koger, Michigan
8. Deangelo Peterson, LSU
9. Rhett Ellison, USC
10. James Hanna, Oklahoma
11. Evan Rodriguez, Temple
12. Josh Chichester, Louisville
13. Ryan Deehan, Colorado
14. Eric Lair, Minnesota
15. Kyle Efaw, Boise State

Top 10 Juniors

1. Dwayne Allen, Clemson
2. Orson Charles, Georgia
3. Lucas Reed, New Mexico
4. Jake Stoneburner, Ohio State
5. Phillip Lutzenkirchen, Auburn
6. Michael Williams, Alabama
7. Terrence Miller, Arizona
8. Ryan Griffin, Connecticut
9. D.C. Jefferson, Rutgers
10. Ben Cotton, Nebraska

 

Offensive Tackles

Top 15 Seniors

1. Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State
2. Mike Adams, Ohio State
3. Al Netter Northwestern
4. Nate Potter, Boise State
5. Matt Reynolds, BYU
6. Matt McCants, UAB
7. Landon Walker, Clemson
8. Levy Adcock, Oklahoma State
9. Blake DeChristopher, Virginia Tech
10. Elvis Fisher, Missouri
11. Andrew Datko, Florida State
12. Bradley Sowell, Ole Miss
13. Don Barclay, West Virginia
14. Mitchell Schwartz, California
15. Mike Ryan, Connecticut
 

Top 10 Juniors

1. Jonathan Martin, Stanford
2. Matt Kalil, USC
3. Ricky Wagner, Wisconsin
4. Riley Reiff, Iowa
5. Justin Pugh, Syracuse
6. Brennan Williams, North Carolina
7. Alex Hurst, LSU
8. Bobby Massie, Ole Miss
9. Tanner Hawkinson, Kansas
10. Xavier Nixon, Florida

Interior Offensive Linemen

Top 15 Seniors

1. Ken Plue, Purdue
2. Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin
3. Cordy Glenn, Georgia
4. Ryan Miller, Colorado
5. Ben Jones, Georgia
6. (OT) Rokevious Watkins, South Carolina
7. Austin Pasztor, Virginia
8. Trevor Robinson, Notre Dame
9. Joel Foreman, Michigan State
10. Mike Brewster, Ohio State
11. Chris Jacobson, Pittsburgh
12. David Molk, Michigan
13. Jaymes Brooks, Virginia Tech
14. Tray Allen, Texas
15. Kyle Dooley, TCU

Top 10 Juniors

1. Brandon Washington, Miami
2. Barrett Jones, Alabama
3. Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina
4. David DeCastro, Stanford
5. Larry Warford, Kentucky
6. John Sullen, Auburn
7. Ben Habern, Oklahoma
8. Omeregie Uzzi, Georgia Tech
9. Lane Taylor, Oklahoma State
10. Peter Konz, Wisconsin

 

Defensive Tackles

Top 15 Seniors

1. Billy Winn, Boise State
2. Jared Crick, Nebraska
3. Kendall Reyes, Connecticut
4. Jaye Howard, Florida
5. Kaniela Tuipulotu, Hawaii
6. Kheeston Randall, Texas
7. Mike Martin, Michigan
8. Brandon Thompson, Clemson
9. Josh Chapman, Alabama
10. Mike Daniels, Iowa
11. Tydreke Powell, North Carolina
12. Logan Harrell, Fresno State
13. Alameda Ta’amu, Washington
14. Nick Jenkins, Virginia
15. Devon Still, Penn State 

Top 10 Juniors

1. Kawann Short, Purdue
2. Jerel Worthy, Michigan State
3. Marcus Forston, Miami
4. Josh Boyd, Mississippi State
5. Jacobbi McDaniel, Florida State
6. Baker Steinkuhler, Nebraska
7. Jamarkus McFarland, Oklahoma
8. Dontari Poe, Memphis
9. John Simon, Ohio State
10. Terrence Stephens, Stanford

 

Defensive Ends

Top 15 Seniors

1. Quinton Coples, North Carolina
2. (DT) Malik Jackson, Tennessee
3. Vince Browne, Northwestern
4. Jake Bequette, Arkansas
5. Andre Branch, Clemson
6. Armond Armstead, USC
7. James Brooks, Arizona State
8. Vinnny Curry, Marshall
9. Julian Miller, West Virginia
10. Adrian Robinson, Temple
11. Eric Latimore, Penn State
12. Cam Johnson, Virginia
13. Broderick Binns, Iowa
14. Ryan Van Bergen, Michigan
15. Louis Nzegwu, Wisconsin

Top 10 Juniors

1. Devin Taylor, South Carolina
2. Brandon Jenkins, Florida State
3. Donte Paige-Moss, North Carolina
4. Nick Perry, USC
5. Cameron Meredith, Nebraska
6. Kapron Lewis-Moore, Notre Dame
7. Chandler Jones, Syracuse
8. Alex Okafor, Texas
9. Jonathan Massaquoi, Troy
10. Travis Long, Washington State

 

Linebackers

Top 20 Seniors

1. Travis Lewis, Oklahoma
2. Kenny Tate, Maryland
3. (DE) Bruce Irvin, West Virginia
4. Courtney Upshaw, Alabama
5. (DE) Brandon Lindsey, Pittsburgh
6. Keenan Robinson, Texas
7. Zach Brown, North Carolina
8. Nigel Bradham, Florida State
9. Tank Carder, TCU
10. Lavonte David, Nebraska
11. (DE) Jacquies Smith, Missouri
12. Danny Trevathan, Kentucky
13. Emmanuel Acho, Texas
14. Garrick Williams, Texas A&M
15. Jerry Franklin, Arkansas
16. Sean Spence, Miami
17. Mychal Kendricks, California
18. Miles Burris, San Diego State
19. Ryan Baker, LSU
20. James-Michael Johnson, Nevada
 

Top 15 Juniors

1. Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State
2. Dont’a Hightower, Alabama
3. Luke Kuechly, Boston College
4. Manti Te’o, Notre Dame
5. Shayne Skov, Stanford
6. Kevin Reddick, North Carolina
7. Nico Johnson, Alabama
8. (DE) Ronnell Lewis, Oklahoma
9. Zaviar Gooden, Missouri
10. Tanner Brock, TCU
11. Demetrius Hartsfield, Maryland
12. Bruce Taylor, Virginia Tech
13. Jonathan Bostic, Florida
14. Chris Galippo, USC
15. Michael Mauti, Penn State

 

Cornerbacks

Top 20 Seniors

1. Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska
2. Chase Minnifield, Virginia
3. Tavon Wilson, Illinois
4. Coryell Judie, Texas A&M
5. Keith Tandy, West Virginia
6. Casey Hayward, Vanderbilt
7. Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama
8. Brandon Boykin, Georgia
9. Shaun Prater, Iowa
10. Omar Bolden, Arizona State (Injured)
11. Gary Gray, Notre Dame
12. Cameron Chism, Maryland
13. Donnie Fletcher, Boston College
14. D’Anton Lynn, Penn State
15. Trevin Wade, Arizona
16. Antonio Fenelus, Wisconsin
17. Emanuel Davis, East Carolina
18. David Garrett, Kansas State
19. Tashaun Gipson, Wyoming
20. Jamell Fleming, Oklahoma (Academics)
 

Top 15 Juniors

1. Cliff Harris, Oregon
2. Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama
3. Johnny Adams, Michigan State
4. Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina
5. Travis Howard, Ohio State
6. Morris Claiborne, LSU
7. Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech
8. Josh Robinson, Central Florida
9. Corey Broomfield, Mississippi State
10. Greg Reid, Florida State
11. Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Connecticut
12. Jeremy Brown, Florida
13. Desmond Trufant, Washington
14. Leon McFadden, San Diego State
15. Micah Hyde, Iowa

 

Safeties

Top 15 Seniors

1. Mark Barron, Alabama
2. Delano Howell, Stanford
3. Lance Mitchell, Oregon State
4. Brandon Taylor, LSU
5. Sean Cattouse, California
6. Trenton Robinson, Michigan State
7. George Iloka, Boise State
8. Tony Dye, UCLA
9. Markelle Martin, Oklahoma State
10. Neiko Thorpe, Auburn
11. Kelcie McCray, Arkansas State
12. Blake Gideon, Texas
13. Harrison Smith, Notre Dame
14. Aaron Henry, Wisconsin
15. Winston Guy, Kentucky
 

Top 10 Juniors

1. T.J. McDonald, USC
2. DeVonte Holloman, South Carolina
3. Ray-Ray Armstrong, Miami
4. Robert Lester, Alabama
5. Prentiss Waggner, Tennessee
6. Jarred Holley, Pittsburgh
7. Rashard Hall, Clemson
8. Baccari Rambo, Georgia
9. John Boyett, Oregon
10. Orhian Johnson, Ohio State
 

Top Kickers

1. Blair Walsh, Georgia
2. Carson Wiggs, Purdue
3. Danny Hrapmann, Southern Miss
4. Grant Ressel, Missouri
5. Will Snyderwine, Duke
 

Top Punters

1. Bryan Anger, California
2. Drew Butler, Georgia
3. Brad Nortman, Wisconsin
4. Kyle Martens, Rice
5.  Chris Hagerup, Indiana
 

The Senior Sleeper Team

QB: Austin Davis, Southern Miss

RB: Ralph Bolden, Purdue

WR: Rishard Matthews, Nevada

TE: Tim Biere, Kansas

OT: Yoshi Hardrick, Nebraska

IOL: Ben Bojicic, Bowling Green

DT: Jewhan Edwards, Minnesota

DE: Matt Broha, Louisiana Tech

LB: Audie Cole, North Carolina State

CB: Jordan Mabin, Northwestern

S: Matt Merletti, North Carolina

The Junior Sleeper Team

QB: Ryan Katz, Oregon State

RB: Cameron Marshall, Arizona State

WR: Tyshon Goode, Kent State

TE: Chris Pantale, Boston College

OT: Mark Popek, South Florida

IOL: Khaled Holmes, USC

DT: Scott Vallone, Rutgers

DE: Collins Ukwu, Kentucky

LB: Sio Moore, Connecticut

CB: Aaron Hester, UCLA

S: Cody Davis, Texas Tech

Redshirt Sophomore Watch List

• QB Danny O’Brien, Maryland
• QB Brynn Renner, North Carolina
• QB Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois
• QB Aaron Murray, Georgia
• RB Lamar Miller, Miami
• RB Eddie Lacy, Alabama
• RB Michael Ford, LSU
• WR Stedman Bailey, West Virginia
• WR Geraldo Hiwat, Boise State
• WR Devin Street, Pittsburgh
• TE Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame
• OT Cyril Richardson, Baylor
• OT D.J. Fluker, Alabama
• OT Taylor Lewan, Michigan
• OT Morgan Moses, Virginia
• DT Kwame Geathers, Georgia
• DT Justin Washington, Arizona
• DE Barkevious Mingo, LSU
• DE Ryne Giddins, South Florida
• DE Stansly Maponga, TCU
• LB Jelani Jenkins, Florida
• LB Arthur Brown, Kansas State
• CB Xavier Rhodes, Florida State
• CB Gabe Lynn, Oklahoma
• CB Jarvis Phillips, Texas Tech
• S Hakeem Smith, Louisville