2012 NFL Draft: Position Power Rankings

The college football season is ready to kick into high gear and now that we’re officially settled into the flow of football again, it's time to take a look at which highly regarded stars will pop and which under-the-radar playmakers will breakout in this year's draft class.

If you were to ask most people in the media, the 2012 draft class consists of Andrew Luck and that’s it, but there are actually a ton of talented pro prospects lingering around college football these days.

Luck is the best of the bunch, without question, but there are definitely more players out there who deserve publicity.

Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon, North Carolina DE Quinton Coples, Alabama LB Courtney Upshaw, Iowa OT Riley Reiff and Nebraska CB Alfonzo Dennard are all elite caliber prospects that deserve some room on magazine covers and interviews on Sportscenter like Luck.

Depending on how many underclassmen flood the talent pool, the 2012 class has a chance to be one of the strongest we’ve seen in years.

Be assured that this class runs deeper than just Andrew Luck.

Let’s have a look at college football’s top pro prospects.

Top QB: Andrew Luck, Stanford

The Andrew Luck sweepstakes is underway!

Luck is the Harley Davidson prospect of the 2012 class and he plays the game’s most vital position, meaning he’s a perfect hype storm.

Legendary names like Peyton Manning and John Elway have been getting thrown around a lot, but I think the most obvious comparison for Luck is St. Louis Rams QB Sam Bradford.

They are similar size, similar athletes and similar in mental and physical makeups.

Both are tremendous players and both are tremendous leaders.

They both have every trait you look for—big, athletic, strong-armed leaders.

That’s what NFL quarterbacks are these days—big, athletic, strong-armed leaders.

Luck fits the mold and he has the tools that will entice any NFL GM.

Bradford, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft, was in Luck’s position once but an injury cost him a chance to ride the "Being the No. 1 overall pick favorite for a full season" train.

Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn and Jake Locker all rode that ride and crashed.

What will Luck do?

So far, the golden boy of college football has looked solid against weak competition.

Luck completed 68 percent of his passes for 461 yards and six touchdowns against Duke and San Jose State.

Yes, it’s safe to say that he’s the future.

In five years, Brady-Manning will be Bradford-Luck, the battle for the NFC West.

Quarterbacks: The Top 10 Prospects

1. Andrew Luck, Stanford (Jr.)

2. Robert Griffin III, Baylor (Jr.)

3. Landry Jones, Oklahoma (Jr.)

4. Matt Barkley, USC (Jr.)

5. Nick Foles, Arizona (Sr.)

6. Ryan Lindley, San Diego State (Sr.)

7. Kirk Cousins, Michigan State (Sr.)

8. Kellen Moore, Boise State (Sr.)

9. Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State (Sr.)

10. Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M (Sr.)

Quarterbacks: 10 Seniors to Watch

1. Russell Wilson, Wisconsin

2. Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois

3. Dan Persa, Northwestern

4. John Brantley, Florida

5. Case Keenum, Houston

6. Chris Relf, Mississippi State

7. Stephen Garcia, South Carolina

8. Dominique Davis, East Carolina

9. G.J. Kinne, Tulsa

10. Zach Collaros, Cincinnati

Quarterbacks: 10 Underclassmen to Watch

1. Danny O’Brien, Maryland

2. Tyler Wilson, Arkansas

3. Geno Smith, West Virginia

4. Aaron Murray, Georgia

5. Brock Osweiler, Arizona State

6. E.J. Manuel, Florida State

7. Darron Thomas, Oregon

8. A.J. McCarron, Alabama

9. Denard Robinson, Michigan

10. Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois

Top RB: Trent Richardson, Alabama

I’m glad Mark Ingram left Alabama for the NFL a year early.

If Ingram made the decision to stay, he would have been embarrassed.

Trent Richardson was going to be the starter this year whether his Heisman-winning teammate decided to stay in town or bolt for the pros.

Didn’t matter, no logical coach could keep Richardson off the field at this point in his career now that he’s reaching the apex of his physical maturation.

Too strong for defensive backs and too quick for linemen and defensive backs—He's basically just too good for anybody to handle.

Most powerful back in college football?

Yes.

Richardson has always been better than Ingram. Since he arrived in Tuscaloosa, Richardson has not only been the best dressed player in college football, he’s been the best overall running back as well.

The scary part is, now he’ll have a real chance to prove it.

Running Backs: The Top 10 Prospects

1. Trent Richardson, Alabama (Jr.)

2. Andre Ellington, Clemson (Jr.)

3. David Wilson, Virginia Tech (Jr.)

4. LaMichael James, Oregon (Jr.)

5. Lamar Miller, Miami (R. Soph)

6. Vick Ballard, Mississippi State (Sr.)

7. Chris Polk, Washington (Jr.)

8. Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M (Sr.)

9. Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati (Sr.)

10. Doug Martin, Boise State (Sr.)

Running Backs: 10 Seniors to Watch

1. Brandon Bolden, Ole Miss

2. Tauren Poole, Tennessee

3. Montel Harris, Boston College

4. Bobby Rainey, Western Kentucky

5. Roddy Jones, Georgia Tech

6. Jason Ford, Illinois

7. Jeff Demps, Florida

8. Victor Anderson, Louisville

9. Boom Herron, Ohio State

10. Davin Meggett, Maryland

Running Backs: 10 Underclassmen to Watch

1. Johnathan Franklin, UCLA

2. Stepfan Taylor, Stanford

3. Edwin Baker, Michigan State

4. Montee Ball, Wisconsin

5. Ray Graham, Pittsburgh

6. Cameron Marshall, Arizona State

7. Bryce Brown, Kansas State

8. Ed Wesley, TCU

9. Kenjon Barner, Oregon

10. Zach Line, Southern Methodist

Top WR: Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State

It’s as if Dez Bryant, Terrell Owens and Vincent Jackson had a baby!

Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon is the best receiver prospect we’ve seen since Calvin Johnson.

Better than A.J. Green and Julio Jones.

Better than his former teammate Dez Bryant.

Better than Michael Crabtree.

Blackmon is the ultimate playmaker.

Although he doesn’t possess true 4.4 speed, he still finds a way to burn every defensive back that gets in his way.

The junior receiver has gone for over 100 yards receiving in 14 straight games.

14 straight games.

Yes.

14 straight games.

You read that right.

Now process that for a minute and try to realize that no other receiver in the history of college football has ever done that.

That’s how you can best appreciate how special of a player Justin Blackmon really is.

Blackmon is a physical specimen who catches everything and those kinds of receivers are at a high premium in today’s NFL.

Even with the DUI on his record, if he keeps up his current pace of production, I just can’t see Blackmon falling out of the Top 3 if he does decide to come out after this season.

Wide Receivers: The Top 10 Prospects

1. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State (Jr.)

2. Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina (Jr.)

3. Michael Floyd, Notre Dame (Sr.)

4. Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M (Sr.)

5. T.Y. Hilton, FIU (Sr.)

6. Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma (Sr.)

7. Kendall Wright, Baylor (Sr.)

8. Chris Owusu, Stanford (Sr.)

9. Greg Childs, Arkansas (Sr.)

10. Juron Criner, Arizona  (Sr.)

Wide Receivers: 10 Seniors to Watch

1. Nick Toon, Wisconsin

2. Joe Adams, Arkansas

3. Jermaine Kearse, Washington

4. DeVier Posey, Ohio State

5. Marvin Jones, California

6. Dwight Jones, North Carolina

7. Brian Quick, Appalachian State

8. Marquis Maze, Alabama

9. Chris Rainey, Florida

10. Lance Lewis, East Carolina

Wide Receivers: 10 Underclassmen to Watch

1. Rueben Randle, LSU

2. Josh Gordon, Utah (Ineligible)

3. Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers

4. Cobi Hamilton, Arkansas

5. Roy Roundtree, Michigan

6. Chad Bumphis, Mississippi State

7. Tavarres King, Georgia

8. Emory Blake, Auburn

9. Markus Wheaton, Oregon State

10. Erik Highsmith, North Carolina

Top TE: Michael Egnew, Missouri

Michael Egnew can’t block and nobody cares.

He’s big, he’s fast and he can catch, and that means he’s got the capability to be a matchup nightmare for any offense that loves to throw the ball.

Last season, Egnew led all tight ends with 90 catches, and although he hasn’t gotten off to a similar tear just yet, once new QB James Franklin gets comfortable, he should continue to produce at a high rate this season.

Egnew plays the tight end position with that power forward style and he looks like the new breed of tight end that we’re seeing in the NFL today.

Making plays in the passing game is a priority, not blocking skills.

Sure, it helps if you’re a versatile all-around tight end, but if you can get up the seam and corral the attention of a defense, franchises will come calling for your services no matter what.

Egnew may just be a big wide receiver playing tight end, but the bottom line is he makes things happen.

He’ll never be a Top 10 Vernon Davis-type pick but he’s got the type of talent that will force every team to give him a strong look-over.

Tight Ends: The Top 10 Prospects

1. Michael Egnew, Missouri (Sr.)

2. Dwayne Allen, Clemson (Jr.)

3. Jake Stoneburner, Ohio State (Jr.)

4. Ladarius Green, Louisiana-Lafayette (Sr.)

5. Orson Charles, Georgia (Jr.)

6. Coby Fleener, Stanford (Sr.)

7. Deangelo Peterson, LSU (Sr.)

8. Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame (R-Soph.)

9. David Paulson, Oregon (Sr.)

10. George Bryan, North Carolina State (Sr.)

Tight Ends: 10 Seniors to Watch

1. Brandon Barden, Vanderbilt

2. Eric Lair, Minnesota

3. Rhett Ellison, USC

4. Brian Linthicum, Michigan State

5. Kevin Koger, Michigan

6. Evan Rodriguez, Temple

7. (WR) Tyler Urban, West Virginia

8. Tim Biere, Kansas

9. Beau Reliford, Florida State

10. Josh Chicester, Louisville

Tight Ends: 10 Underclassmen to Watch

1. Phillip Lutzenkirchen, Auburn

2. Kyler Reed, Nebraska

3. Michael Williams, Alabama

4. Lucas Reed, New Mexico

5. Justin Jones, East Carolina

6. Colter Phillips, Virginia

7. Jordan Reed, Florida

8. Joseph Fauria, UCLA

9. Ryan Griffin, Connecticut

10. Chris Pantale, Boston College

Top OT: Riley Reiff, Iowa

In the mold of guys like Nate Solder and Anthony Castonzo, Iowa’s Riley Reiff is an athletic left tackle who knows how to use his athleticism to his benefit.

Reiff is one of the few franchise left tackle prospects available this year.

He’s a better and more polished all-around prospect than former Hawkeye Bryan Bulaga and he could garner the same type of intense interest that Iowa great Robert Gallery did back in 2004.

Reiff is aggressive enough to dominate smaller defensive linemen in the run game and strong enough to anchor against bull-rushers in the passing game.

Reiff is in the Joe Thomas and Jake Long class as the type of left tackle prospect that you take to build an offensive line around.

He’s that good at what he does.

The 6’6’’, 300-pound junior says he wants to return for his senior season, but if he puts together the type of head-turning campaign that his potential warrants, he may have to rethink that idea.

Offensive Tackles: The Top 10 Prospects

1. Riley Reiff, Iowa (Jr.)

2. Jonathan Martin, Stanford (Jr.)

3. Matt Kalil, USC (Jr.)

4. Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State (Sr.)

5. Cordy Glenn, Georgia (Sr.)

6. Andrew Datko, Florida State (Sr.)

7. Nate Potter, Boise State (Sr.)

8. Mike Adams, Ohio State (Sr.)

9. Jeff Allen, Illinois (Sr.)

10. Levy Adcock, Oklahoma state (Sr.)

Offensive Tackles: 10 Seniors to Watch

1. Al Netter, Northwestern

2. Matt Reynolds, BYU

3. Marcel Jones, Nebraska

4. Brandon Mosley, Auburn

5. Matt McCants, UAB

6. Bradley Sowell, Ole Miss

7. James Brown, Troy

8. Mitchell Schwartz, California

9. Don Barclay, West Virginia

10. Markus Zusevics, Iowa

Offensive Tackles: 10 Underclassmen to Watch

1. D.J. Fluker, Alabama

2. Morgan Moses, Virginia

3. Xavier Nixon, Florida

4. Justin Pugh, Syracuse

5. Bobby Massie, Ole Miss

6. Ricky Wagner, Wisconsin

7. Jeremiah Sirles, Nebraska

8. LaAdrian Waddle, Texas Tech

9. Cyril Richardson, Baylor

10. Alex Hurst, LSU

Top IL: Brandon Washington, Miami

There are a few very interesting guard prospects this year like Alabama’s Barrett Jones and Stanford’s David DeCastro, but one prospect who deserves the most attention is Miami’s Brandon Washington.

Washington is basically Ben Grubbs in Davin Joseph’s body.

With a forceful Grubbs-like mentality, Washington can dominate in the running game but he also has the athleticism and footwork to more than hold his own as a pass blocker.

The 6’4’’, 320-pound junior has grown into a leader, developed into a tenacious tone-setter along Miami’s front line and become the type of balanced lineman that coaches covet.

He doesn’t stand out because he’s matured into a technician who goes about his business in efficient fashion and rarely makes glaring mistakes.

Washington is the type of guard you plug in on day one and let grow into a steady standout player.

Interior Linemen: The Top 10 Prospects

1. Brandon Washington, Miami (Jr.)

2. David DeCastro, Stanford (Jr.)

3. Barrett Jones, Alabama (Jr.)

4. (OT) Rokevious Watkins, South Carolina (Sr.)

5. Ken Plue, Purdue (Sr.)

6. Ben Jones, Georgia (Sr.)

7. Larry Warford, Kentucky (Jr.)

8. Ryan Miller, Colorado (Sr.)

9. Quentin Saulsberry, Mississippi State (Sr.)

10. Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin (Sr.)

Interior Linemen: 10 Seniors to Watch

1. Mike Brewster, Ohio State

2. Jaymes Brooks, Virginia Tech

3. Joel Foreman, Michigan State

4. Moe Petrus, Connecticut

5. Joe Looney, Wake Forest

6. (OT) Senio Kelemete, Washington

7. David Molk, Michigan

8. William Vlachos, Alabama

9. Ben Bojicic, Bowling Green

10. Lucas Nix, Pittsburgh

Interior Linemen: 10 Underclassmen to Watch

1. Peter Konz, Wisconsin

2. Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina

3. Omoregie Uzzi, Georgia Tech

4. Lane Taylor, Oklahoma State

5. Patrick Lewis, Texas A&M

6. Braden Hansen, BYU

7. Ben Habern, Oklahoma

8. Khaled Holmes, USC

9. T.J. Johnson, South Carolina

10. Travis Swanson, Arkansas

Top DT: Jared Crick, Nebraska

The Nebraska defense is absolutely loaded with star power this season, and players like LB Lavonte David and CB Alfonzo Dennard should quickly make a name for themselves in the Big Ten Conference.

One player in particular who will have Big Ten offenses shaking with fear is DT Jared Crick.

This season, Crick will be the face of college football’s most imposing defensive line.

The 6’6’’, 285-pound senior assumed Ndamukong Suh’s role as a dominant defensive force last year, racking up a team-high 9.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss.

Even though he’s not as overwhelmingly destructive as Suh, Crick has all the same traits—he’s strong, he can shed blocks and he can cause havoc.

Crick is stout at the point of attack and he knows how to find his way into the opponent’s
backfield and disrupt plays before they can materialize.

Although he’s versatile enough to play in any type of defensive front, Crick has the type of size,
strength and surprising lateral quickness to be a perfect 3-4 defensive end in the mold of this year’s No. 11 pick J.J. Watt.

Defensive Tackles: The Top 10 Prospects

1. Jared Crick, Nebraska

2. Billy Winn, Boise State

3. Jerel Worthy, Michigan State

4. Alameda Ta’amu, Washington

5. Brandon Thompson, Clemson

6. Kawann Short, Purdue

7. Jaye Howard, Florida

8. Kheeston Randall, Texas

9. Devon Still, Penn State

10. Josh Chapman, Alabama

Defensive Tackles: 10 Seniors to Watch

1. Mike Martin, Michigan

2. Kendall Reyes, Connecticut

3. Tydreke Powell, North Carolina

4. Kaleb Ramsey, Boston College

5. Travian Robertson, South Carolina

6. Mike Daniels, Iowa

7. Armond Armstead, USC

8. Dominique Hamilton, Missouri

9. Kaniela Tiupulotu, Hawaii

10. Logan Harrell, Fresno State

Defensive Tackles: 10 Underclassmen to Watch

1. Marcus Forston, Miami

2. Michael Brockers, LSU

3. Kwame Geathers, Georgia

4. Dontari Poe, Memphis

5. Everett Dawkins, Florida State

6. Josh Boyd, Mississippi State

7. Akeem Spence, Illinois

8. Omar Hunter, Florida

9. Baker Steinkuhler, Nebraska

10. Justin Washington, Arizona

Top DE: Quinton Coples, North Carolina

Robert Quinn and Marvin Austin were supposed to be two of the star defensive linemen in the ACC last year, but their season-long suspensions fittingly opened the door for teammate Quinton Coples to step up and show the conference what he had to offer.

Coples, a natural defensive end who was forced to man Austin’s spot inside at defensive tackle, didn’t let his weight disadvantage stop him from destroying opposing offenses.

The 6’6’’, 270-pound senior racked up 10 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss and was a constant menace to quarterbacks throughout his breakout 2010 campaign.

Coples has now moved back to defensive end where he should get to flash his elite pass-rushing skills on a more consistent basis.

With explosive quickness, terrific body control and the strength to overpower almost any blocker he goes up against, Coples is the type of complete defensive lineman that can change the way offenses have to scheme in both the passing and the running games.

Coples is a natural 4-3 edge-rusher who has the athletic ability to develop into a consistent 10-plus-sacks-per-year type of defensive end in the NFL.

Defensive Ends: The Top 10 Prospects

1. Quinton Coples, North Carolina (Sr.)

2. Brandon Jenkins, Florida State (Jr.)

3. Devin Taylor, South Carolina (Jr.)

4. Alex Okafor, Texas (Jr.)

5. Vinny Curry, Marshall (Sr.)

6. Jake Bequette, Arkansas (Sr.)

7. Brad Madison, Missouri (Jr.)

8. Andre Branch, Clemson (Sr.)

9. Melvin Ingram, South Carolina (Sr.)

10. Trevor Guyton, California (Sr.)

Defensive Ends: 10 Seniors to Watch

1. Vince Browne, Northwestern

2. Cam Johnson, Virginia

3. (DT) Malik Jackson, Tennessee

4. Ethan Johnson, Notre Dame

5. (DT) Julian Miller, West Virginia

6. Frank Alexander, Oklahoma

7. Jason Peters, Georgia Tech

8. Broderick Binns, Iowa

9. Ryan Van Bergen, Michigan

10. Tyrone Crawford, Boise State

Defensive Ends: 10 Underclassmen to Watch

1. Stansly Maponga, TCU

2. Chandler Jones, Syracuse

3. Cameron Meredith, Nebraska

4. Collins Ukwu, Kentucky

5. Wes Horton, USC

6. Tyler Hoover, Michigan State

7. (DT) John Simon, Ohio State

8. Kapron Lewis-Moore, Notre Dame

9. Quinton Dial, Alabama

10. Izaan Cross, Georgia Tech

Top 3-4 Rush Linebacker: Courtney Upshaw, Alabama

With the continued growth and popularity of the 3-4 defense in this NFL era, the 3-4 rush linebacker is becoming one of the draft’s premium positions.

If you can find an elite young-pass rusher to set loose off the edge in a 3-4 front, you better snag him up.

In recent years, we’ve seen a rising trend in converting smaller pass-rushing defensive ends into rush linebackers and we witnessed that this year with top rush linebacker pick Aldon Smith.

While there are now defensive end prospects like Brandon Jenkins, Bruce Irvin, Donte Paige-Moss and Brandon Lindsey who could all potentially fit that mold, this year's best rush linebacker prospect is actually a real linebacker, and it’s Alabama’s steady defensive star, Courtney Upshaw.

At 6’2’, 265-pounds, Upshaw not only has the size, he also has the edge speed to be a an impact player in a 3-4 defense in the NFL.

Last year, Upshaw was one of the most consistent performers on a superbly talented Alabama defense.

He made a living in the opponent’s backfield, racking up 14.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks.

He doesn’t have the spectacular athletic package like Aldon Smith offered up this year, but Upshaw makes up for it with his physical demeanor and ability to make crucial stops when it counts.

3-4 Rush Linebackers: The Top 10 Overall Prospects

1. Courtney Upshaw, Alabama (Sr.)

2. Donte Paige-Moss, North Carolina (Jr.)

3. Bruce Irvin, West Virginia (Sr.)

4. Brandon Lindsey, Pittsburgh (Sr.)

5. Nathan Williams, Ohio State (Sr.)

6. Ronnell Lewis, Oklahoma (Jr.)

7. Jacquies Smith, Missouri (Sr.)

8. Adrian Robinson, Temple (Sr.)

9. Jonathan Massaquoi, Troy (Jr.)

10. Barkevious Mingo, LSU (R-Soph.)

3-4 Rush Linebackers: 10 Seniors to Watch

1. Darius Fleming, Notre Dame

2. Kentrell Lockett, Ole Miss

3. Kyle Wilber, Wake Forest

4. Manny Abreu, Rutgers

5. Darius Johnson, Indiana

6. Matt Broha, Louisiana Tech

7. Tank Wright, Arkansas

8. Richetti Jones, Oklahoma State

9. Jack Crawford, Penn State

10. Josh Biezuns, Wyoming

3-4 Rush Linebackers: 10 Underclassmen to Watch

1. Michael Buchanan, Illinois

2. Nosa Eguae, Auburn

3. Chase Thomas, Stanford

4. Nick Perry, USC

5. Sam Montgomery, LSU

6. Cornelius Washington, Georgia

7. Devon Kennard, USC

8. Toben Opurum, Kansas

9. Ryne Giddins, South Florida

10. Jesse Joseph, Connecticut

Top 4-3 Linebacker: Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State

Vontaze Burfict is going to be one of the true hot-cold prospects of the 2011 season.

There will be games when he just completely shuts things down and comes up with at least two highlight reel hits, however, there will also be games when he disappears from the forefront and gets caught in the background.

When Burfict is playing at his best, he’s one of the most dangerous defenders in the country.

The 6’3’’, 250-pound junior can track any ball carrier from sideline to sideline, yet even though Burfict can make tackles with the best of them, he’s still rough around the edges.

You’ll see the lapses in technique at different points of the game when Burfict will start to fade a little.

The point is, If he ever figures out how to harness all his energy properly for four quarters, he could develop into one of the top young linebackers in the NFL.

Burfict has to learn how to control his emotions if he ever wants to reach his full potential.

4-3 Linebackers: The Top 10 Prospects

1. Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State

2. Luke Kuechly, Boston College

3. Kenny Tate, Maryland

4. Zach Brown, North Carolina

5. Manti Te’o, Notre Dame

6. Dont’a Hightower, Alabama

7. Travis Lewis, Oklahoma

8. Keenan Robinson, Texas

9. Lavonte David, Nebraska

10. Tank Carder, TCU

4-3 Linebackers: 10 Seniors to Watch

1. Danny Trevathan, Kentucky

2. Mychal Kendricks, California

3. Emmanuel Acho, Texas

4. Nigel Bradham, Florida State

5. Chris Marve, Vanderbilt

6. Jerry Franklin, Arkansas

7. Korey Williams, Southern Miss

8. Bobby Wagner, Utah State

9. Sean Spence, Miami

10. Sammy Brown, Houston

4-3 Linebackers: 10 Underclassmen to Watch

1. Nico Johnson, Alabama

2. Zaviar Gooden, Missouri

3. Jelani Jenkins, Florida

4. Shayne Skov, Stanford

5. Gerald Hodges, Penn State

6. Tanner Brock, TCU

7. Arthur Brown, Kansas State

8. Bruce Taylor, Virginia Tech

9. Terrell Manning, North Carolina State

10. Demetrius Hartsfield, Maryland

Top CB: Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska

Some of the top corners in this year's crop will be trying to outdo their highly touted predecessors.

LSU’s Morris Claiborne will be trying to outdo Patrick Peterson.

Virginia’s Chase Minnifield will be trying to outdo Ras-I Dowling.

But one top corner who has already proven that he can outdo a highly coveted teammate is Nebraska’s Alfonzo Dennard.

Dennard outplayed former Cornhusker cornerback counterpart Prince Amukamara throughout 2010 and stole the spotlight away, as he showed the scouting community that Amukamara wasn’t the only player with first-round potential in the Nebraska secondary.

Very few players can match Dennard’s natural athletic gifts. His hops, speed, and strength combination is one that you don’t see often.

And Dennard is more than just a great athlete who happens to play corner.

His coverage skills are top-notch.

Dennard blanketed almost every receiver he faced last year.

He can play bump-and-run, he can turn his hips and go and he has the type of recovery speed that allows him to take some chances on the ball.

Dennard isn’t quite Patrick Peterson, but he’s in that Joe Haden category of being a great athlete who has the potential to turn into a Pro Bowl cornerback down the line.

He started the year banged up but if Dennard can get out on the field and perform as well as he did last season, he has a great shot to be the first cornerback off the board in the 2012 draft.

Cornerbacks: The Top 10 Prospects

1. Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska (Sr.)

2. Chase Minnifield, Virginia (Sr.)

3. Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama (Jr.)

4. Morris Claiborne, LSU (Jr.)

5. Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina (Jr.)

6. Xavier Rhodes, Florida State (R-Soph.)

7. Cliff Harris, Oregon (Jr.)

8. Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech (Jr.)

9. Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama (Sr.)

10. Coryell Judie, Texas A&M (Sr.)

Cornerbacks: 10 Seniors to Watch

1. Brandon Boykin, Georgia

2. Shaun Prater, Iowa

3. Casey Hayward, Vanderbilt

4. Keith Tandy, West Virginia

5. Tavon Wilson, Illinois

6. Omar Bolden, Arizona State (Injured)

7. Donnie Fletcher, Boston College

8. Jamell Fleming, Oklahoma

9. Leonard Johnson, Iowa State

10. Tashaun Gipson, Wyoming

Cornerbacks: 10 Underclassmen to Watch

1. Greg Reid, Florida State

2. Johnny Adams, Michigan State

3. Corey Broomfield, Mississippi State

4. Josh Robinson, Central Florida

5. Darius Winston, Arkansas

6. Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Connecticut

7. Leon McFadden, San Diego State

8. Jeremy Brown, Florida

9. Kenny Okoro, Wake Forest

10. Eric Gordon, Tennessee

Top S: Markelle Martin, Oklahoma State

Eric Berry was one of the few Top-Five caliber safeties to come along in a while.

We don’t get too many elite safeties anymore, and I’ll admit, Oklahoma State’s Markelle Martin is not one of them.

Martin, in my view, is the top safety prospect available this year but he’s got some competition.

Alabama’s Mark Barron and Robert Lester, USC’s T.J. McDonald and Miami’s Ray Ray Armstrong are all worthy adversaries but Martin has the talent that truly stands out from the rest.

Martin isn’t the next Eric Berry, but he might be the next Rahim Moore.

He’s got the speed and physicality combo that you look for in a top tier safety.

Martin is on track to lead the Cowboys in tackles this year and he’s ready to tell the college football world that there’s more prospects to pay attention to on Oklahoma State than just star receiver Justin Blackmon.

At this point, Martin plays the pass better than he does the run, but he’s getting better in the box and developing into a more versatile player.

He’s aggressive, instinctive and plays with good fundamentals.

Martin is the type of safety you fall for as the process wears on.

He’s not Eric Berry, but he doesn’t have to be to get the job done.

Safeties: Top 10 Overall Prospects

1. Markelle Martin, Oklahoma State (Sr.)

2. T.J. McDonald, USC (Jr.)

3. Mark Barron, Alabama (Sr.)

4. Ray-Ray Armstrong, Miami (Jr.)

5. Robert Lester, Alabama (Jr.)

6. Delano Howell, Stanford (Sr.)

7. Trenton Robinson, Michigan State (Sr.)

8. Winston Guy, Kentucky (Sr.)

9. Charles Mitchell, Mississippi State (Sr.)

10. Eddie Whitley, Virginia Tech (Sr.)

Safeties: 10 Seniors to Watch

1. Lance Mitchell, Oregon State

2. George Iloka, Boise State

3. Tony Dye, UCLA

4. Harrison Smith, Notre Dame

5. Aaron Henry, Wisconsin

6. Tramain Thomas, Arkansas

7. Robert Golden, Arizona

8. Sean Cattouse, California

9. Duke Ihenacho, San Jose State

10. Tysyn Hartman, Kansas State

Safeties: 10 Underclassmen to Watch

1. DeVonte Holloman, South Carolina

2. Prentiss Waggner, Tennessee

3. Vaugnn Telemaque, Miami

4. Jarred Holley, Pittsburgh

5. Micah Hyde, Iowa

6. Courtney Osborne, Nebraska

7. Hakeem Smith, Louisville

8. Bacarri Rambo, Georgia

9. John Boyett, Oregon

10. Jon Lejiste, South Florida

Top 5 Kickers

1. David Ruffer, Notre Dame

2. Will Snyderwine, Duke

3. Danny Hrapmann, Southern Miss

4. Blair Walsh, Georgia

5. Derek Dimke, Illinois

Top 5 Punters

1. Drew Butler, Georgia

2. Shawn Powell, Florida State

3. Bryan Anger, California

4. Kyle Martens, Rice

5. Brad Nortman, Wisconsin