2012 NFL Draft: 25 Most Underrated Prospects

Hype is already beginning to build for certain draft prospects.  Many players who are household names among college football fanatics will not be high draft picks.  Heisman candidates and national champions will go undrafted.

Yet there are other players who aren't getting the hype—players who play at an incredibly high level have hardly even been mentioned in draft discussions.  Some of them will neither win awards nor play in bowl games.

They may not be on good teams, and they may not be the most productive players at their positions.  Yet when draft day comes, they will be early-round selections.

This article is about those players.

Tom Compton, OT, South Dakota

An excellent athlete at the left tackle position, the 6'6" 330-pound left Coyote is extremely raw.  Crompton uses his size and quick feet to his advantage in the pass game but needs to work on his technique.

However, few players possess Crompton's athletic ability and he has the potential to be an excellent pass-rusher.  While he's not an early-round pick, Crompton has great potential for a late-round selection.

Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska

At 6'1" 220 pounds, David is a well undersized linebacker.  The Husker defender uses his athletic ability and speed to make plays over the field.  His instincts are excellent as well, and David seems to constantly be around the ball.

Though he is good in coverage, David needs to bulk up in order to be an effective run-defender.  While he does a good job of avoiding blocks, he is virtually out for the play once a lineman touches him.  David may be limited to a Cover 2 defense due to his size, but he projects as a productive linebacker.

Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

While many are aware of Tannehill's existence, the Texas A&M quarterback remains an underrated pro prospect.  A former wide receiver, Tannehill is an excellent runner and is at his best outside of the pocket.  This is not to say Tannehill is only a runner, however.  He has excellent arm strength and good accuracy as well.

Tannehill remains raw mechanically, but the mental aspects of the game are the biggest issues.  Having only played quarterback for one season, Tannehill is not yet adept at making reads, but this should come with time.  If he continues to develop, the Aggie quarterback could be a first-round draft pick.

Audie Cole, LB, North Carolina State

Cole is an explosive linebacker with good size.  At 6'4" 240 pounds, Cole has the frame to add more weight to his already decent frame.  The North Carolina State linebacker is mostly used in run support, but he can play in coverage as well.

Cole has deceptive speed and good burst.  His five sacks in 2010 show that he has the ability to rush off the edge as well.  While Cole isn't good enough to be a high pick, he could sneak into the early rounds and surprise some people.

Trumaine Johnson, CB, Montana

Trumaine Johnson is a player who lives off of excitement.  The 6'2" 205-pound cornerback has nine interceptions the past two seasons despite only playing in 11 games. 

In fact, Johnson is such an impressive athlete that he will be used some on offense in 2011.  Johnson has the size and athleticism to be an incredible player in the secondary, but he gets burnt fairly often.  It is unlikely that he will be drafted before the middle rounds, but he could be a sleeper to watch out for.

Nathan Williams, DE, Ohio State

Williams is the type of player teams running a 3-4 defense fall in love with.  The 6'3" 255-pound end has experience dropping back in coverage and rushing the passer.  The Buckeye defender plays with a high motor and seems to constantly be in the backfield.

However, Williams isn't incredibly underrated.  Many project him to be selected within the first three rounds of the draft.  Williams has rarely had a chance to shine before, but if he does in 2011, he could be a first-round selection.

Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati

Though Pead lacks ideal size, the 5'10" 200-pound back possesses good speed and the ability to make defenders miss.  After averaging 6.6 yards per carry in 2010, Pead looks to continue to produce and earn his spot in the draft.

Due to his lack of size, the Cincinnati running back probably projects as a third-down player.  His quickness and speed make him a potential weapon in the pass game, and he could end up as mid-round pick.

Logan Link, S, Purdue

Though he is only 6'1" 205 pounds, Link is an intimidating presence in the middle of the secondary.  The Purdue safety had more than 90 tackles in 2010 and many of them were rather impressive.

Link isn't great in coverage, but he is smart and can hit.  While he isn't big for an enforcing safety, he is bigger than many who play the position and his size is not an issue.  Link doesn't have the athletic ability to be a high draft pick, but he could be a solid player.

Carmen Messina, LB, New Mexico

The 6'2" 236-pound Messina has decent size but lacks athletic ability.  The New Mexico linebacker isn't a pass-rusher at all and doesn't excel in coverage either.  What makes Messina a good player are his superb instincts.

Messina may not ever be a star linebacker, but he can be a solid player who will make tackles.  He is fundamentally solid and plays as well as his ability allows.  If he continues to produce good numbers, Messina could be drafted as high as the third round.

Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State

Weighing only 232 pounds and lacking great speed, Wagner doesn't possess the physical tools that many linebackers do.  The Utah State linebacker does, however, have good instincts and rarely misses a tackle.

Wagner is a smart player who is rarely out of position and will excel in the mental aspect of the game.  Despite these strengths, Wagner is unlikely to be a three-down player at the next level and will likely be selected in the middle of the draft.

Juron Criner, WR, Arizona

Criner's great size and good hands make him a potentially excellent possession receiver.  The 6'4" 210-pound Wildcat has decent speed but lacks the burst to be an explosive target.  Despite already having good size, Criner could stand to add more even more weight.

However, even Criner's good size does not make him a good blocker, and he struggles in the run game.  Criner has good ability with the ball in his hands but isn't overly exciting.  While he is more athletic than a typical possession receiver, the Arizona wide receiver still lacks the ability to be anything more than a late first-round selection.

Da'Jon McKnight, WR, Minnesota

Weighing in at 6'3" 215 pounds, McKnight is a big receiver with tons of athletic ability.  The Golden Gopher receiver averaged 15 yards per catch in 2010 and demonstrated huge big-play potential.  While McKnight is still raw, he has an extremely high ceiling.

McKnight didn't start playing football until his senior year of high school and still needs a lot of work, but his play suggests promise.  If the young wideout can become more consistent, he could develop into a solid prospect and legitimate player.

Rodney Stewart, RB, Colorado

At just 5'6" 175 pounds, Stewart obviously isn't an every-down back.  The Colorado running back projects as a Darren Sproles-type player with a specific offensive role.  Stewart isn't overly fast, but he is deadly quick and has a great eye for cutback lanes.

It is incredibly difficult to tackle the young runner in the open field, and he has great burst as well.  Stewart isn't a great receiver, but he has decent hands and can make plays out of the backfield.  His lack of size will cause him to be a late-round pick, but he could be very successful on the right team.

Patrick Edwards, WR, Houston

Edwards is an exciting player who has put up more than 1,000 yards each of his last two seasons.  Due to his small size, the 5'9" 175-pound receiver will likely be limited to the slot, but this isn't necessarily a huge knock.

Edwards has great speed and quickness and is always a threat for a big play.  If Edwards is drafted by a team that will utilize his playmaking ability, he could make a huge impact in the NFL.

Adonis Thomas, RB, Toledo

Adonis Thomas is another extremely productive but undersized running back.  Thomas has good speed and quickness, but is small at only 185 pounds.  It is unlikely but not impossible that Thomas can handle an NFL beating as the primary ball carrier.

With that said, Thomas is a good receiver and an exciting player, so he will likely get a chance to contribute somewhere.  Thomas could gain weight and afford to lose some quickness, but too much would take away his effectiveness.

Kamar Jorden, WR, Bowling Green

Jorden was extremely productive in 2010, catching 96 passes for 1109 yards.  Jorden has consistent hands and runs precise routes, but he isn't very fast or explosive.  At 6'1" 205 pounds, Jordan's size isn't a big issue, though it is not ideal.

The Falcon wideout isn't very fast at all and will struggle to get open in the NFL.  However, he plays physically and will be a valuable player on third downs and in the red zone.  He may not be a No. 1 or No. 2 wide receiver, but it seems likely he will find his niche somewhere.

Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas

While he is no Ryan Mallet, Tyler Wilson is no scrub either.  The 6'3" 220-pound quarterback has good size and decent physical tools.  Wilson also plays in a pro-style offense where he has to make reads similar to an NFL quarterback.

Wilson could have a big season in his first year as a starter and become a solid early-round draft pick, or he could struggle and disappear.  But Wilson's earlier performances have been promising and he has the talent to succeed.

Lamar Miller, RB, Miami (FL)

Weighing over 210 pounds, Miller has a rare size and speed combination for a running back.  With his breakaway speed and burst, few players have more playmaking ability and Miller has the size and strength to pound the rock as well.

In order to solidify his status as a prospect, Miller will need a big year in 2011, but he has the talent to be a first-round selection.

Donnie Fletcher, CB, Boston College

Fletcher has good size at 6'1" 195 pounds, but struggles to keep up with fast and shifty wide receivers.  Fletcher has good ball skills and was able to record five interceptions in 2010, but he is not a huge playmaker.

Due to the Eagles cornerback's lack of speed, he may move to safety at the next level.  Fletcher has good enough size and tackling ability to be a mid-round pick as a coverage safety or situational cornerback.

Frank Trotter, DE, Memphis

Trotter recorded 16.5 tackles for a loss in 2010, but recorded zero sacks.  The 6'2" 275-pound defensive end does a great job of playing the run but doesn't have the quickness to be a good pass-rusher. 

The Memphis defender has decent speed, but it's nothing special.  In order for Trotter to take the next step as a player, he will have to improve his first step and develop pass-rush moves.  If he fails to do this, he projects as a situational run-stopping defensive end.

Cameron Marshall, RB, Arizona State

At 5'11" 215 pounds, Marshall has ideal size for the running back position.  The Arizona State runner has good power but also possesses quality speed.  With above-average burst and top-line speed, Marshall can hit a hole hard and run away from defenders.

Marshall isn't explosive enough to be a great prospect, but he is a solid player and could be a mid-round pick with the potential to eventually start. 

Casey Hayward, CB, Vanderbilt

Hayward is a good, but not great, athlete with solid size.  The 6'1" 185-pound cornerback has great ball skills and caught six interceptions during the 2010 season.  The biggest concern about the Vanderbilt defender is his speed.

While Hayward is expected to run a 4.5 40-yard dash, he isn't a burner and can struggle to keep up with quick receivers.  With the emphasis placed on cornerbacks, Hayward could end up as an early-round draft pick.

Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

The freakishly large and athletic Poe is hardly a name to know with many draft fans.  However, the 6'6" 350-pound lineman has the ability to be a top-10 draft selection.  Poe's problem, like many defensive linemen, is an occasional lack of motivation.

The Memphis lineman is every bit as talented as Shaun Rogers, but he needs to show consistency.  If the run-stopping tackle has a good season, he could easily be a top pick in the draft due to his athleticism and size.

Kelechi Osemele, OL, Iowa State

While not a true blindside tackle, Osemele is huge and surprisingly nimble on his feet.  While he may be better at guard, the 6'6" 350-pound lineman is capable of playing any position along the offensive line except center.

Osemele gets a huge push in the run game and absolutely dominates defenders.  If Osemele's quickness improves, he can play offensive tackle.  But even if it doesn't, the Iowa State lineman is a worthy first-round pick as a guard.

Miles Burris, LB, San Diego State

Burris is a phenomenal athlete who plays with incredible strength and speed.  The 6'2" 240-pound Aztec accumulated 9.5 sacks and 80 tackles in 2010.  Burris has limited experience in coverage, but he has the athleticism to be good at it.

Burris does a great job of attacking the line of scrimmage and making plays in the backfield.  Few players possess the San Diego State linebacker's athleticism and he can play from sideline to sideline.  If he hones his instincts, Burris could even be a first-round selection.