College Football 2011: 9 Most Intimidating 2012 NFL Draft Prospects

The NFL draft is always a crapshoot for NFL teams. Franchises never know what they are going to get from the players they draft. A supposed sure thing coming out of college might turn out to be a bust. However, there's one factor that can translate from the college ranks to the NFL for players: the intimidation factor.

Intimidation consists of different attributes. A player can be intimidating due to his demeanor on the field, his ridiculous size or his ridiculous athletic ability. 

The nine players on this list of most intimidating draft prospects differ widely in their style of play on the football field, but they all strike fear into opponents in their own way.

Here are the nine most intimidating draft prospects that you should hope that your favorite NFL franchise drafts in the 2012 NFL draft.

Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

This one is a no-brainer. Vontaze Burfict is seen by some as certifiably crazy. He's almost too intense of a football player.

Prior to this season, coaches and fellow teammates praised Burfict as being extremely calm off the field. However, Burfict punched his teammate Kevin Ozier and knocked him out following a preseason practice. I doubt teammates still believe that he's calm.

If Burfict can keep his attitude in check, his intensity can help him become one of the best linebackers in the NFL. If he cannot, then he might be out of the league in a few years. 

Manti Te'o, LB, Notre Dame

Manti Te'o might not possess the same craziness as Vontaze Burfict, but he is just as talented.

Te'o is extremely quick to the ball on defense and he easily sheds would-be blockers to make tough tackles. Notre Dame's opponents have struggled to find players strong and quick enough to block Te'o. Plays usually result in Te'o getting double-teamed or Te'o making the tackle.

Te'o's ability to shed blocks sets him apart from Luke Kuechly of Boston College. While Kuechly can make tough tackles, he cannot get off blocks as easily as Te'o. Te'o can toss blockers out of the way like they aren't even there to make the big play.

Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Trent Richardson is a freak of nature. He can bench 475 pounds, squat 600 pounds and power clean 365 pounds. Considering he can lift so much weight, he still maintains a smallish frame at 5'11" and 220 pounds. 

Couple Richardson's power with his 4.4 40-yard dash and you have a ridiculous athlete at running back. Whoever is lucky enough to draft Richardson will be getting one of the best combinations of power and speed in the history of professional football.

Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

Alshon Jeffery is an absolute beast. Standing at 6'4" and weighing 239 pounds, Jeffery's is size is similar to that of Calvin Johnson and Andre Johnson. Not only does he share their size, but he can also go vertical and grab the ball in traffic like them.

Jeffery might not have the same college production as Justin Blackmon, but his size and skills translate far better to the NFL than Blackmon. The primary reason Jeffery doesn't have the same level of production as Blackmon is because his quarterback situation at South Carolina has been terrible.

Once Jeffery dons an NFL uniform, he will be a nightmare for opposing defensive backs to defend. He doesn't have top-level speed for a receiver, but he does have good burst off of the line of scrimmage which will help him beat any cornerback attempting to play bump-and-run coverage.

Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Andrew Luck isn't intimidating in the same vein as the other players on this list. He doesn't have off-the-chart measurables and he isn't a freak of nature athletically, but he is the best player in football.

Luck might be the best college quarterback prospect to come into the NFL since Peyton Manning was drafted out of Tennessee. 

Once Luck becomes acquainted with his offensive playbook in the NFL and the different defenses, there's no doubt that opponents will have to game plan to stop Luck from tearing them apart. Luck will be a joy to watch play in the NFL.

Alameda Ta'amu, NT, Washington

Any time you see a human being that stands 6'3" and weighs 337 pounds, you have to be intimidated. Alameda Ta'amu's size makes him the prototypical NFL nose tackle in a 3-4 defense.

Ta'amu's blend of size and surprising quickness off of the line of scrimmage will be difficult for any offensive lineman to stay in front of in the NFL. 

If Ta'amu can stay in shape, he will be commanding double teams and terrorizing NFL backfields for a long time.

Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

Quinton Coples has had a disappointing season thus far, but his measurables and size (6'6", 290) add up to make a talented NFL player. Add in the fact that he has a nasty-looking brand on his right arm of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and he is a pretty intimidating guy.

Coples has been compared to former UNC defensive end Julius Peppers, but his production this year has made scouts back off of that comparison.

If Coples gets placed with a solid coaching staff, then his athletic ability can be harnessed and he should wreak havoc in the NFL. Until then, he'll just be a scary looking dude. 

Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State

Any time a college football gets a tattoo of his mascot stomping on his rival's mascot, you know that he wants opponents to be scared of him. Jerel Worthy's tattoo of a Spartan stomping a wolverine is pretty intimidating.

However, the most intimidating thing Worthy possesses is his amazing power. He is able to throw around 300-pound linemen like rag dolls. The one huge negative about Worthy is that he has played extremely inconsistent this season.

The power that Worthy has shown at the college level will definitely transfer to the NFL. Worthy has several things he needs to improve upon, but his power will always be difficult for NFL linemen to neutralize.

Ronnell Lewis, DE/LB, Oklahoma

The fact that Ronnell Lewis is nicknamed "The Hammer" is enough to gain him entry on this list. Lewis has earned the nickname, as he can constantly be seen laying the wood on opposing defenders.

Lewis is one of the hardest hitters in college football and one of the best pass-rushers as well. Additionally, his blend of size and speed has made him an ace on special teams for Oklahoma.

Lewis still has some kinks in his game to workout, but he would excel in the NFL coming off the edge as a rush linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Also, teams that need help on covering kicks would love to stick "The Hammer" on their special teams and watch him lay out opposing kick returners.