2011 Bowl Predictions: NFL Draft Prospects Who Will Shine in BCS Bowls

You can love them and you can hate them, but you know as well as I do that you're going to watch each of the BCS bowls this year.

Or next year. Whatever. 

The point is that, for all their flaws, BCS bowls can be exciting. For recent examples, all you need to do is think back to last year's Rose Bowl and last year's BCS National Championship Game, both of which were instant classics. Teams are put in these bowls by a faulty system, but they will show up to play when the time comes.

That shouldn't be the only reason you tune in to watch the BCS bowls, though. There are plenty of players who will be playing their last games at the collegiate level, and they will be looking to make one last impression before departing for the NFL draft.

For some of these players, it will be mission accomplished. Let's take a quick look at five in particular.

5. LaMichael James, RB, Oregon

I'm admittedly a little hesitant to include LaMichael James in this countdown. He hasn't yet declared for the 2012 draft, and I think there's a good chance he'll return to Oregon, seeing as how his 2011 season was marred by a significant elbow injury. He also may figure he can improve his stock.

But what the heck. I'll make an exception.

I'm making this exception for two reasons. The first is that James is an intriguing player as far as the NFL is concerned, and the second is that he's going to dominate at the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin.

With Oregon and Wisconsin going at it, you just know a lot of points are going to be scored. Both teams boast dangerous offensive weapons, and both defenses are going to be overwhelmed.

The Badgers defense has its work cut out for when it comes to facing James. He's got a unique set of skills, and he's proven time and again that it's virtually impossible to contain him. The Badgers will fail where everyone else has failed.

Dominating the Badgers likely won't convince James to turn pro, and it won't put him in the first round if he does. But whenever he turns pro, somebody will remember what he was able to do in the Rose Bowl.

4. Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

The Crimson Tide boast several players who could go in the first round on draft day, but Courtney Upshaw could very well be the first one off the board.

Upshaw is a guy who typifies what we think of when we're thinking about the athletes you see on SEC defenses. He's a big dude, but he's also fast, a man perfectly suited to terrorize opposing offenses.

Alabama's second dance with LSU in the BCS National Championship Game is likely going to be a carbon copy of the first, which was a defensive struggle that chewed up the turf in between the 20s.

Upshaw made his presence felt in that game, totaling six tackles and a sack, helping Alabama hold LSU to a mere 239 yards of offense.

It was an impressive performance by both Upshaw and Alabama's defense, even if the Tide fell short. It's my guess that Alabama is going to come up short again, but LSU will know that it was in a fight.

As a result, Upshaw will keep his first-round grade.

3. Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

You know how I mentioned that Courtney Upshaw could be the first Alabama defender off the board?

Well, Dre Kirkpatrick is another guy who could snag that honor. He's one of several top-tier corners who are slated to go in the first round, and the thinking is he's one of the best.

Kirkpatrick definitely proved his worth against LSU. He was matched up against Rueben Randle for much of the game, and it reflects well on Kirkpatrick that Randle ended the game with just two catches for 19 yards.

What Kirkpatrick proved is that he is fully capable of handling a taller wide receiver (Randle is 6'4"), and that's not exactly a surprise seeing as how Kirkpatrick is pretty tall for a corner at 6'2."

You can rest assured that Kirkpatrick will be charged with keeping a lid on Randle again in the title game. When he succeeds, his stock will take yet another hike.

2. Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

One of the big debates concerning the NFL draft at this point is which top-flight wide receiver should be the first one off the board: Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon or South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery?

It's a tough call. Jeffery has a high ceiling, but his stock has taken a slight dip this season thanks to South Carolina's quarterback issues. Blackmon, on the other hand, projects as a good possession wide receiver, and not much more.

But against Stanford, Blackmon has a golden opportunity to show just how reliable he can be at the next level. Stanford's defense is very good at stuffing the run, but it can be beaten through the air. Luckily for the Pokes, attacking through the air is what they do.

Blackmon just has to be himself. If he can do that, Brandon Weeden will find him early and often, and the Cardinal defense will be frustrated in a hurry as a result.

When Blackmon is finished, we may have a definitive answer to the Blackmon/Jeffery debate.

1. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

It's going to be a little weird, but the Fiesta Bowl will be the last time we see Andrew Luck in a Stanford uniform. If you haven't heard, he's ready for the NFL.

Luck is poised to end his college career on a high note. Stanford's matchup with Oklahoma State is easily the most appealing matchup among the five BCS bowls, and it's a game that could very well turn into a shootout.

What better way for Luck to prove that he is worthy of the No. 1 pick than by winning said shootout?

Luck will do it. Oklahoma State's defense will pick the ball off, but Luck is more precise than any quarterback the Pokes have faced this season. He'll be able to keep the football out of enemy hands, instead exploiting the fact that Oklahoma State's pass defense is on the leaky side.

When all is said and done, Luck will earn a victory in a BCS bowl for the second year in a row. He doesn't need to in order to cement himself as the No. 1 overall pick, but it can't hurt.