NFL Draft 2012: Justin Blackmon and the 6 Most Draftable Big 12 Prospects

Year after year, NFL teams look to the Big 12 to restock their teams with fresh talent. The conference consistently produces more high end talent than any conference in college football, save the SEC.

The variety of talent is also staggering. Each year, the Big 12 boasts highly drafted players at nearly every position.

Even with two fewer teams in the conference now, this year will be no different. Many Big 12 players will have their names called early on in the draft.

Let's get into which players we should expect to see taken earliest in 2012 from Big 12 schools.

Justin Blackmon: WR Oklahoma State

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STILLWATER, OK - SEPTEMBER 05: Wide receiver Justin Blackmon #81 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys warms up before the college football game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Boone Pickens Stadium on September 5, 2009 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Cowboys defe

Justin Blackmon flirted with entering this past season's NFL draft before deciding to come back for one more season in Stillwater.

Blackmon filled in nicely after Dez Bryant's departure in 2010. He caught 111 passes for 1,782 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Blackmon is an explosive receiver that excels at grabbing jump ball passes over opposing cornerbacks. He can make inaccurate quarterbacks look good with his ability to bring down overthrown balls or catch balls in traffic.

Some will warn against taking a receiver early in the first round. The thought is that any receiver is only as good as the guy throwing him passes. That logic sells Blackmon short, though. It's a huge boost to an offense to have a receiver you can simply throw the ball up to.

Blackmon will be off the board in the first 10 picks.

Landry Jones: QB Oklahoma

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GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 01: Landry Jones #12 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks to throw the ball against the Connecticut Huskies during the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on January 1, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ronald M

It's easy to overlook Landry Jones because of who he followed at Oklahoma. Almost no amount of passing yards or touchdown passes will put Landry Jones in the same breath as Sam Bradford in the minds of college football fans.

The fact of the matter is that Jones is putting up numbers very similar to what Bradford put up at OU. Last season, Jones put up over 4,700 passing yards and had 38 touchdown passes.

He measures up to all the quarterback standards as well. He stands 6'4" and weighs 219 pounds and has good arm strength.

Right now, many mocks have Jones going in the middle of the first round. With another season like his last at Oklahoma, Jones may find himself shooting up mock drafts into the first five picks or so.

Kelechi Osemele: G/T Iowa State

It's certainly a surprise to see an Iowa State Cyclone this high on a list like this.

Make no bones about it, though, Kelechi Osemele is a big-time draft prospect. He is playing left tackle at Iowa State, but he can play both guard and tackle well.

Osemele profiles as the exact size you want in an offensive line prospect. He stands 6'5" and weighs 335 pounds.

Like Jones, Osemele is an upwardly mobile prospect. He is currently thought of as a mid to late first-round pick. He stands to gain though, as the buzz around him increases.

Jeff Fuller: WR Texas A&M

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BOULDER, CO - NOVEMBER 07: Jeff Fuller #8 of the Texas A&M Aggies catches a one yard touchdown pass against the defense of Jalil Brown #23 of the Colorado Buffaloes for the first score of the game in the first quarter during NCAA college football action

Jeff Fuller has made a living rewriting the Texas A&M record books. The Jerrod Johnson to Jeff Fuller connection has been the most prolific in the Aggies' history.

Fuller hopes to continue that with Ryan Tannehill at quarterback, and there's no reason to believe it won't. Fuller is explosive off the line of scrimmage and does a great job of using his 6'3" frame to reach over opposing defenders.

In his flirtations with the 2011 NFL draft, Fuller ran the 40-yard dash as fast as 4.42. That will be fast enough to burn just about any corner that tries to cover him, even in the NFL.

Fuller has been a consistent performer at A&M, but really exploded last season as a junior. If he takes another step forward in his senior season, he will find himself challenging Blackmon for top receiver honors not just in the Big 12 but in the NFL draft.

Ryan Broyles: WR Oklahoma

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GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 01: Ryan Broyles #85 of the Oklahoma Sooners runs after a catch against the Connecticut Huskies during the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on January 1, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Pet

Ryan Broyles is another in a great class of receivers in the Big 12. Broyles isn't as big as the others, but he has been the most productive of the trio. 

Broyles has 226 career receptions for 3,429 yards and 35 touchdowns. Whereas Blackmon and Fuller are down field targets that quarterbacks can throw jump balls to, Broyles is a receiver that likes to catch the ball on short routes out in space.

Broyles has run the 40-yard dash in as fast as 4.42 seconds. Once he gets the ball out in open space, he is nearly impossible to chase down.

With Landry Jones throwing the ball to him for another season, Broyles' stock can only rise from here.

Travis Lewis: LB Oklahoma

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COLUMBIA, MO - OCTOBER 23: Travis Lewis #28 of the Oklahoma Sooners in action against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on October 23, 2010 in Columbia, Missouri. The Tigers beat the Sooners 36-27. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Imag

The sheer number of Oklahoma Sooners on this list should tell you about the type of team they are expected to have in the coming season. They have to be an early favorite to be playing for the national championship come January.

Linebacker Travis Lewis is the glue of the defense. In his three seasons at Oklahoma, Lewis has piled up 343 tackles. He has great instincts and is quick to react to the play in front of him.

Beyond the production, Lewis is simply an incredible athlete. He is a stout 6'2" and 232 pounds, but that doesn't keep him from being among the faster linebackers in the country. He has been timed as fast as 4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

Lewis is seen as a fringe first-round prospect, but with a big season at OU, he could move safely into the first round. Scouts will want to see him play the ball more and find his way to the passer more often.