2012 NFL Draft Big Board: The Top 32

The college football season has started, and that means scouting season is officially underway. Over the course of the next 13 weeks, my job is to track, analyze, rank and predict the future for over 500 college juniors and seniors.

It's not easy, but no job could be more fun.

Players are considered for the big board if they are in their final year of college eligibility or if they are three years removed from their high school graduation and have a very strong potential to leave school early for the NFL draft.

32. Bruce Irvin, LB, West Virginia

Senior, 6'2", 235 lbs

It's difficult to weed out the other 150-some players and pick No. 32 for our first big board, but Bruce Irvin deserves it.

Irvin is a perfect weak-side linebacker prospect for the 4-3 defense, especially the Cover 2 variety.

31. Nate Potter, OT, Boise State

Senior, 6'6", 300 lbs

I'm aware of the fact that I like Nate Potter much more than others, but watching him move around the Georgia defense Saturday night did more to convince me that he's a legitimate late first-round pick.

I see Potter as a perfect left tackle in a zone scheme very soon.

30. Lamar Miller, RB, Miami (FL)

Redshirt Sophomore, 5'11", 212 lbs

You don't see many redshirt sophomores in the NFL draft, but Lamar Miller is not only good enough to play in the big leagues right now, but it may be a smart move to leave Miami before the program crumbles.

Miller would be a great fit in many of the zone/one-cut blocking systems used in the NFL today.

29. Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama

Redshirt Junior, 6'4", 258 lbs

Now that he's healthy again, Dont'a Hightower should regain his throne as the best linebacker in the SEC.

A very active middle linebacker, Hightower is very similar to former Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain, who went on to be a first-round pick of the Oakland Raiders.

28. Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

Junior, 6'1", 195 lbs

A long, lean, athletic cover corner like Stephon Gilmore will not last long in the first round of the NFL draft. In fact, I may need to move Gilmore up next week.

He has caught my eye this summer in film study, and did so again versus East Carolina. Expect to see a lot more of Gilmore.

27. Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

Senior, 6'5", 338 lbs

If I'm ever in a bar fight, I want Cordy Glenn by my side. He's built like a brick wall and has impressed with his agility and balance for such a huge man.

Glenn might be the most complete guard we've seen out of college in quite some time. His senior season will be a money maker for him as he moves into the first round on NFL boards.

26. Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama

Senior, 6'2", 268 lbs

Athletic linebackers who can play inside or outside are always valuable, which is why Courtney Upshaw is a damn-near lock to be drafted in the first round of the 2012 draft. He's big enough to handle the middle linebacker position in either a 3-4 or 4-3 defense, but he's shown great potential as a pass-rusher, too.

Upshaw would be a good problem for almost any NFL team to have.

25. Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

Senior, 6'3", 228 lbs

If Michael Floyd had the record of Jeff Fuller off the field, he may be a top-10 player right now. Instead, he's barely hanging on to the top 32 after his arrest for a DUI this summer.

Floyd is talented, but his off-field issues and speculation of bad character are scaring me away.

24. Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia

Redshirt Senior, 6'0", 188 lbs

I know some have Chase Minnifield higher than this, and some much lower. While he does have good NFL talent, I neither love nor hate his game.

Minnifield is very safe to me, a lot like Devin McCourty was in the late first round of the 2010 draft.

23. Jeff Fuller, WR, Texas A&M

Senior, 6'3", 215 lbs

Many expect the Texas A&M passing game to dominate this year. If it does, the stock of Jeff Fuller will shoot through the roof.

A great possession receiver with consistent hands and top-notch instincts, Fuller will be a steal in the mid-to-late first round. Fuller went for six catches and 52 yards in a blowout Opening Week win versus SMU.

22. Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

Junior, 6'3", 237 lbs

Lost in the limelight of Mark Herzlich's senior season was the amazing play of Luke Kuechly.

A strong, consistent player, Kuechly may lack the theatrics of a Vontaze Burfict, but his ability to shut down the run from sideline to sideline will catch the eye of smart NFL general managers.

21. Cliff Harris, CB, Oregon

Junior, 5'11", 170 lbs

One potential first-round pick who did not make a big impact in Week 1 was Cliff Harris. Off-field issues plagued Harris' summer, leaving him suspended at one point.

Love Harris' athleticism and raw ability, dislike his character issues.

20. Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Junior, 6'0", 185 lbs

Claiborne showed in the LSU opener versus Oregon why he's the real deal and why we had him top 25 on our preseason big board.

Claiborne is a feisty cover corner who is able to line up in press coverage, stop the run and crash the backfield. His versatility could move him way up the list.

19. Brandon Jenkins, LB, Florida State

Junior, 6'3", 254 lbs

A defensive end in the Seminole defense, Brandon Jenkins looks like the ideal player to make a move to outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. He's quick off the edge and shows natural pass-rushing skills in space.

His stock could really rise this year.

18. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Junior, 5'11", 224 lbs

Trent Richardson is as electric as they come. A surefire Heisman Trophy candidate, Richardson is an amped-up version of 2010 teammate and first-round pick Mark Ingram.

Richardson is the better prospect thanks to his game-breaking speed. Where Ingram was a pound-it-out back between the tackles, Richardson can break a defense with long runs. He should be drafted higher than Ingram, too.

Richardson's speed and ability as a receiver make him the best back in the class.

17. Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson

Senior, 6'2", 308 lbs

Teams needing a plug in their defensive line will fall in love with Clemson's Brandon Thompson.

He's stout at the point of attack, but also has a good initial burst and can be very disruptive. Pencil him in as your 3-technique for the next decade if your team can land this stud in Round 1.

16. Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska

Redshirt Senior, 6'4", 285 lbs

It feels like Jared Crick has been on my radar for five years now. He's been a highly productive defensive tackle at Nebraska for the last three seasons and was projected as a first-round pick for the 2011 draft.

Now that he'll be in the 2012 class, Crick should have no trouble cracking the top 20. He's eerily similar to 2011 No. 11 pick J.J. Watt.

15. Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Junior, 6'3", 192 lbs

Were it not for the beatdown that Alshon Jeffery put on Dre Kirkpatrick last year, he may be higher on my list.

However, Jeffery was exceptional versus Kirkpatrick, and that game worked to expose flaws in his game. He's still very good, but not elite.

14. Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Redshirt Junior, 6'6", 300 lbs

Some schools do a great job of producing NFL talent.

Iowa, under Kirk Ferentz, is one of those schools.

Riley Reiff is next in a long line of linemen produced by the Hawkeyes. He's a classic lunch-pail offensive tackle and will be a great fit in the NFL.

13. Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State

Redshirt Junior, 6'3", 305 lbs

The 2011 NFL draft gave us a surprise first-round defensive tackle when Auburn's Nick Fairley went from a largely unknown player to first-rounder. Jerel Worthy is a disruptive 3-technique defensive tackle built in the same mold.

Worthy has scary talent. His quickness and burst for a man his size is impressive.

12. Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

Senior, 5'10", 205 lbs

The one player I think will move up most this week is Nebraska's Alfonzo Dennard.

Right now, he’s the best cornerback on my board, but I have trouble not placing him in the top 10. A big season for Dennard and he'll be a top-10 pick come April.

11. Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Senior, 6'1", 212 lbs

Justin Blackmon made one hell of a name for himself during the 2010 season when he torched Nebraska's Prince Amukamara for 157 yards and two touchdowns on just five catches.

He's already at it again this year, as he opened the season with eight catches for 144 yards.

10. Matt Kalil, OT, USC

Redshirt Junior, 6'6", 295 lbs

During the 2011 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys used the No. 10 overall pick on right tackle Tyron Smith from USC.

The player keeping Smith on the right side was Matt Kalil, who should also be a top-10 pick in the 2012 draft.

9. Donte Paige-Moss, DE, North Carolina

Junior, 6'4", 258 lbs

The third North Carolina defender represented in the top 10, Donte Paige-Moss may have the most potential.

For those who can remember DeMarcus Ware from his days at Troy, DPM may be scary familiar to you. While nowhere near Ware's ability right now, Paige-Moss has that type of potential.

8. Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina

Senior, 6'2", 230 lbs

Your prototypical outside linebacker in the 4-3 defense, Zach Brown is an exceptional athlete and a smart playmaker at outside backer for North Carolina.

You could easily say he was the leader of the defense in 2010, a position he's filling again this year. He doesn't have Von Miller-type ability, but he's as good of an all-around outside linebacker as there is in the country.

7. Matt Barkley, QB, USC

Junior, 6'2", 220 lbs

If you want to talk about a quarterback with less-than-ideal size, Matt Barkley is your man. At barely 6'2", he may struggle to see over NFL linemen, which will require a scheme that moves the launching pad to the left and right on obvious passing downs.

His college production is nasty, but Barkley may be limited to certain systems in the NFL.

6. Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

Junior, 6'4", 233 lbs

Last week I compared Alshon Jeffery with NFL stud Calvin Johnson.

That's the ceiling for Jeffery. Johnson was selected No. 2 overall in the 2007 NFL draft, and while that may be a tad high for Jeffery in what could be a loaded draft class, he certainly has the potential.

5. Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

Senior, 6'6", 278 lbs

Prepare for the Julius Peppers comparisons, because there will be plenty of them.

Quinton Coples is an exceptional athlete for the defensive end position. A true 4-3 right end, Coples was an impressive defender on a loaded 2010 Tar Heel team. With another standout year, he'll find himself selected early in Round 1.

4. Jonathan Martin, LT, Stanford

Redshirt Junior, 6'6", 304 lbs

Today's left tackle in the NFL is a lean, athletic big man who can not only stonewall defenders bull-rushing off the edge, but also slide out to take on blitzing linebackers or pull on traps and counters.

To play left tackle in the NFL, you must be an athlete, and that's what Jonathan Martin is. If Andrew Luck leaves for the NFL, so will his personal bodyguard at left tackle.

3. Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

Redshirt Junior, 6'4", 230 lbs

A prominent scout recently said that Landry Jones lacked ideal size to play quarterback in the NFL.

That scout is clueless. Jones is a prototypical quarterback who is playing very well in the same system that produced 2010 No. 1 pick Sam Bradford. There's nothing to worry about here. Jones looks like a surefire top-five pick.

2. Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

Junior, 6'3", 252 lbs

I don't expect many people to agree with me here, but few agreed when I had Von Miller in my preseason top 10 last year.

Burfict is very much in the same mold of Miller in terms of athleticism and playmaking ability…but he's meaner. Burfict is a violent tackler and all-around badass. Some may not like that, but I want my linebackers to scare the opposing quarterback.

Burfict does that.

1. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Redshirt Junior, 6'4", 235 lbs

No player in the country has higher NFL potential than Andrew Luck.

If you were to ask NFL general managers to describe the perfect quarterback prospect to you, Luck is what you would get. He's smart, mobile, strong and has a rocket arm. If he's not the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft, it's because a team with an established quarterback has the selection.