2012 NFL Draft Position Rankings

The NFL season is officially over. It seemed to go by very quickly. It feels like it was just yesterday that the players and the owners were trying to come to an agreement to save the season. Luckily both sides did just that without losing any games and we had a great season ending in my Giants winning the Super Bowl in fantastic fashion. But just because the season is over on the field doesn’t mean football is done. In my eyes, its only just beginning again. Here are the top college players at each position in the upcoming NFL Draft.

QUARTERBACK

1. Andrew Luck, Stanford – Luck is the consensus top overall pick and a can’t miss prospect. He’s got the height and arm strength needed to be successful in the league and what separates him from most other prospects is what he can do outside of the pocket. He’s a versatile player and I can see why scouts say he’s the best quarterback coming out of college in the last 20 years.

2. Robert Griffin III, Baylor – RG3 is a great player. He literally put the Baylor offense on his back this season and led them to a bowl game while winning the Heisman. He’s quick, he’s got a great arm and this past year he’s shown that he’s a winner.

3. Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma St – I give this guy a lot of credit. He tried playing baseball and when it didn’t work out he decided to go back to school and play football. A lot of teams will be scared off because of his age but why not just look at that as maturity? At the end of the day, he can play. He might be be 10 year vet in the league but he can and will contribute right away in my opinion.

4. Brock Osweiler, Arizona St – This dude is athletic for someone his height. He’s pretty accurate and I think he’s got room for potential. I wish he’d stay in school another season. I think this year’s quarterback class is deeper than usual. There are a few guys that could have an immediate impact, especially considering how the league has become to pass-happy.

5. Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M – I’ll be completely honest. I haven’t watched too much of this guy. I know he’s got a lot of athleticism because he used to play wide receiver. He’s got good size but the only question mark is his mechanics which I’m sure he’ll work on once he’s healthy enough to do so.

6. Kirk Cousins, Michigan St – This guy made himself look really good at the Senior Bowl and might keep rising on draft boards as we get closer to the Pro Days and Combine.

7. Nick Foles, Arizona – I like Nick Foles a lot. His numbers aren’t eye-popping but people have to look at the entire body of work. He did what he could with the talent around him, including a young offensive line. There’s no reason to believe that he can’t produce at the next level with his size and athleticism.

8. Russell Wilson, Wisconsin – To be honest, I’m not sure why he left NC State in the first place but going to Wisconsin worked out for him because he played very well. He might be short for quarterback but Drew Brees should be the biggest example of shorter quarterbacks playing well in the league.

9. Kellen Moore, Boise St – He’s another quarterback without the ideal height but the difference is that his arm isn’t as strong as scouts would like it to be. He had a great college career and the knock on him might be that he didn’t play against a lot of great teams but he was still productive. The common comparison is former Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel, now in the New Orleans Saints organization.

10. Case Keenum, Houston – I don’t think he’s going to be all that great. He’s pretty accurate but has a weak arm. He’ll have to really do well during the pro days and combine workouts to get drafted.

RUNNING BACK

1. Trent Richardson, Alabama – This guy is as good as any back I’ve ever seen coming out of college. I don’t understand how he didn’t win the Heisman Trophy over RG3. The numbers he put up against SEC opponents should have been enough to win him the award. He’s quick, explosive out of the backfield and loves contact.He can also block and catch out of the backfield.

2. Lamar Miller, Miami – I’m a little biased when it comes to the Hurricanes but this guy can play. He’s got some issues with durability and he’s not all that explosive but the talent is there and it’ll be up to him to put the work in to get better.

3. Chris Polk, Washington – I like this guy a lot. He’s a great blocker and he can return punts and kickoffs. He’s extremely physical and has the ability to break tackles to get into the secondary.

4. David Wilson, Virginia Tech – I saw a lot of Wilson over the past season in the ACC and he can play. He can return, block and catch of the backfield. He broke the single season record for rushing yards and his 1700 yards were the best in the conference.

5. Doug Martin, Boise St – Running backs from BSU are tough to evaluate because they have such a pass-happy offense. Martin showed great change of direction ability and he can break tackles. The question mark might be whether he has breakaway speed.

6. LaMichael James, Oregon – The knock on James is his size but he’s very quick and elusive. He has decent hands and he has shown the ability to block. It’ll be interesting to see how he runs in between the tackles against NFL defenses.

7. Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati – I think this guy is only going to rise on draft boards. He’s really fast, he can catch and block in the field and he’s explosive. Sky’s the limit.

8. Ronnie Hillman, San Diego St – Had back to back great seasons despite fumbling a lot more than he should. Not the best blocker in the world and doesn’t really seek contact to break tackles.

9. Bernard Pierce, Temple – For a guy his size, he runs upright and doesn’t have much power. He definitely doesn’t like contact and shows way too much east/west running.

10. Chris Rainey, Florida – If you like LeSean McCoy, you’ll love Chris Rainey. He can catch out of the backfield, line up at receiver and of course play running back. He’s probably got the fastest 40 yard dash of all the running backs in the draft.

WIDE RECEIVER

1. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma St – Another great receiver coming from the Oklahoma St Cowboys. He’s got great hands, he goes up and gets the ball at its highest point and he’s strong enough to get separation from defensive backs. Despite what people say, he’s not Calvin Johnson 2.0 because he’s not as big physically but Blackmon is just as much of a playmaker.

2. Kendall Wright, Baylor – Despite being under 6 feet tall, this guy plays bigger. He was the go to guy at Baylor since his freshman year. He runs good routes, he goes up and gets the ball and he’s a production machine. He’ll make an impact in the league.

3. Michael Floyd, Notre Dame – Floyd had some off the field issues but when he’s healthy, he’s great. If he can run a 40 yard dash under 4.5, I think it’ll push him into the top 10.

4. Mohammed Sanu, Rutgers – Mo Sanu put up huge numbers for the Scarlet Knights. He’s a great blocker, he’s got great receiving skills and he’s very physical. He might turn out to be a better receiver out of Rutgers than Kenny Britt.

5. Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina – I strongly believe that this guy will keep rising on draft boards. He dominated the SEC for two seasons. His performance against Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl is evidence enough of his skills.

6. Rueben Randle, LSU – Randle led the team in receptions, yards and touchdowns but a lot of people will remember that he was a non-factor in the BCS title game. A lot of that should be attributed the great Alabama defense.

7. Nick Toon, Wisconsin – All that really needs to be said is that he’s Al Toon’s son. The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.

8. Juron Criner, Arizona – Criner had some health issues before his senior year but I don’t think they’ll be a problem moving toward the draft. Some scouts don’t think he’s got enough straight line speed but he silenced some of the doubters during the Senior Bowl practices.

9. Tommy Streeter, Miami – Streeter has a lot of room to improve but his history will show that he’s got tons of potential. Before his junior year, he only had 5 catches but he exploded for a huge, yet disappointing season for the Hurricanes as he became his quarterback’s favorite target.

10. Joe Adams, Arkansas – I like Joe Adams’ return ability and he showcased that in the Razorbacks Cotton Bowl victory over Kansas St. I think he’ll make a great slot receiver in the league.

TIGHT END

1. Dwayne Allen, Clemson- This guy is NFL ready. He’s got good hands, he runs good routes and he blocks well.

2. Coby Fleener, Stanford – He’s basically a really big wide receiver. He had the game of his life in the Orange Bowl as he went off for over 170 yards and three scores.

3. Orson Charles, Georgia – He’s an all conference player who moves well for a guy his size. He’s young but he’s productive.

4. Brian Linthicum, Michigan St – The numbers aren’t very impressive, especially in his final year at Michigan St. He’s also had some off the field issues.

5. DeAngelo Peterson, LSU – Another guy who put up limited numbers but it was due to injury and offensive scheme. LSU targeted the guys on the outside.

6. Kevin Koger, Michigan – He only played 9 games this past season but still doubled his season high in touchdowns.

7. George Bryan, NC State – He’s more of blocker than a receiver and has limited speed but he can get open when he needs to. He’s got great hands.

8. Rhett Ellison, USC – Doesn’t have great hands but he can make catches. He’s got decent speed for his size and he can block. He’ll be good on special teams in the league.

9. Chase Ford, Miami – He didn’t great things at Miami but do you know who else didn’t? Jimmy Graham. Ford will find his place in the league.

10. Tyler Urban, West Virginia – We’ll learn more about him as we get closer to the Pro Days and Combine but he’s got ideal hands and has had success with the Mountaineers.

OFFENSIVE LINE

1. Matt Kalil, USC- The last two USC tackles (Sam Baker and Tyron Smith) were both drafted in the top 10. This guy is a better prospect than both of them. Expect him to be a top five pick.

2. Riley Reiff, Iowa – He can contribute right away and he’s more athletic than his predecessor, Brian Bulaga.

3. Jonathan Martin, Stanford – He was a part of a great offense and an impressive offensive line. Protecting Andrew Luck is definitely part of what made his stock rise.

4. David DeCastro, Stanford – He’s another great Stanford lineman who will be selected in the first round. He blocks well in both the run game and the pass game.

5. Cordy Glenn, Georgia – A standout wherever the Georgia Bulldogs needed him, Cordy Glenn enters his senior campaign having started 36 games at left guard, right guard and left tackle. Scouts aren’t only impressed with his versatility, they’re left in awe at the athleticism demonstrated by the 6-5, 338 pound mountain of a man.

6. Mike Adams, Ohio St – He’s got a lot of potential to be a top tackle in the league. He’s got the ideal size for a guy to protect a quarterback’s blind side and should contribute right away.

7. Zebrie Sanders, Florida St – He might have the most upside of all the offensive lineman in this draft. He’s got great size and athleticism, strong hands, he slides his feet and he can play on both sides.

8. Brandon Washington, Miami – I like Washington a lot but I’m a biased Hurricanes fan.

9. Kelechi Osemele, Iowa St – He gets a lot of comparisons to Michael Oher and he’s versatile enough to play both inside and outside.

10. Peter Conz, Wisconsin – He can play center and guard but he has some issues staying healthy.

DEFENSIVE LINE

1. Quinton Coples, North Carolina- He draws a lot of comparisons to Julius Peppers and they may be right. This guy is huge and fast plus he was the star of a very good Tar Heels defense.

2. Devon Still, Penn St – He comes from a family of players that played in the league, he’s a big, strong kid who fights through double teams often.

3. Michael Brockers, LSU – I hope this guy doesn’t flame out in the league the way Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey have. Just like them, he had one dominant year at LSU and declared for the draft. That being said, he played extremely well on a great defense.

4. Nick Perry, USC – He’s a great pass rusher who can play both outside linebacker as well as defensive end. He’d be the type of guy who would excel in a 3-4 defense.

5. Jerel Worthy, Michigan St – This guy is really smart, he’s a great leader and leads by example. He’ll need to work on his conditioning. He’s very strong and quick off the snap and even though he doesn’t get a lot of sacks and tackles, he’s always around the play.

6. Whitney Mercilus, Illinois – There are question marks about being only a one year starter. Jason Pierre-Paul of the New York Giants did the same at South Florida and he was recently named to the Pro Bowl in only his second year in the league. He’s a good kid too. He left school early to help his family financially. They’re immigrants from Haiti.

7. Andre Branch, Clemson – He’s got good speed and power but he’s not strong enough to fight off a double team. He’s very athletic so he can use that to his advantage where lack of strength could hold him back.

8. Jared Crick, Nebraska – He’s decent against the rush but better against the pass. He’s a strong guy who can play both inside and outside and he’s a hard worker.

9. Fletcher Cox, Mississippi St – Capable of lining up inside as a defensive tackle or outside as a strong-side defensive end, Cox has the size, strength and athleticism to fit in any NFL defense.

10. Kendall Reyes, Connecticut – He’s another guy that can play both inside and outside making him extremely versatile.

LINEBACKERS

1. Courtney Upshaw, Alabama- Courtney Upshaw can be a game-changer at his best with his ability to get after the passer. He can play inside and outside but he might not be quick enough to be a full time outside linebacker in a 3-4.

2. Melvin Ingram, South Carolina – He can
line up outside either tackle, move to tackle on third down, and rush the passer standing up inside or off the edge.

3. Luke Kuechly, Boston College – This dude is a tackle machine. One more game and he might have crossed the 200 tackle threshold. He’s the kind of guy that can and will be able to captain a defense at the next level.

4. Dont’a Hightower, Alabama – If Courtney Upshaw is the best linebacker in this year’s draft, Hightower is 1a. He might not get after the quarterback as much as his teammate did but that’s saying he can’t.

5. Zach Brown, North Carolina – He has shown explosive quickness with the rare fluidity and change of direction skills that make him so special athletically. He needs to show better read and react skills.

6. Vontaze Burfict, Arizona St – I like Burfict a lot. The best case scenario is that he ends up in Baltimore and takes up where Ray Lewis leaves off after he retires after next season. This kid is Ray Lewis 2.0.

7. Lavonte David, Nebraska – He’s not the biggest guy in the world as he stands just above 6 feet, but he can tackle and get after the quarterback.

8. Bobby Wagner, Utah St – Scouts were most impressed when he weighed in at the Senior Bowl above all else. He’s very athletic and has a lot of ability.

9. Sean Spence, Miami – Spence was one of the best players on a very good Hurricanes defense that has play-makers at every level. He’s shorter than you’d like but he makes big plays all around the field.

10. Ronnell Lewis, Oklahoma – He’s the prototypical outside linebacker. He’s 6’2, 244lbs and at times he’s been known to sport a mohawk. I really like this guy. He reminds me a lot of Shawne Merriman.

CORNERBACKS

1. Morris Claiborne, LSU – This could be the second straight year LSU sends a top flight defensive back to the league. Claiborne has great ball skills, good speed and his coverage skills are second to none. He can also play receiver.

2. Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama – He’s got some questions marks from his off the field issues. He’s been arrested for drug possession but if he can prove that his legal trouble is behind him, he’ll be a great defensive back in the league because he’s bigger than most corners and he’s a lot more physically gifted.

3. Janoris Jenkins, Florida – He is a fluid athlete with very light feet and swivel hips to turn and run downfield, but also shows the closing burst and physical nature to attack what’s in front of him.

4. Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska – Dennard is a great played on and off the field, he’s a hard worker and he’s tough. He had a shoulder injury early on in his sophomore year and played through it.

5. Stephen Gilmore, South Carolina – Many scouts say that he’ll be a great corner in the league. He was highly recruited out of high school and played every game since he was a freshman. He’s a little on the lighter size and might have to put some weight on. NFL wide receivers will push him around unless he gets up over 200lbs.

6. Leonard Johnson, Iowa St – When I see this guy, I think of Ellis Hobbs. He’s shorter than most corners but he’s speedy and also has the ability to return kicks and punts. He once held Justin Blackmon to under 100 yards. Use that information anyway you want.

7. Chase Minnifield, Virginia – He comes from a good football pedigree as his dad also played in the NFL. He was a shutdown corner at UVA and he was a great returner.

8. Brandon Boykin, Georgia – This guy is one of the fastest corners in the draft and he showed how physical he can be during the week of the Senior Bowl. He was very aggressive, especially at the line of scrimmage.

9. Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech – I think Hosley’s stock is only going to rise. He’s got tremendous ball skills, he’s very quick and he’s one of the better cover corners I’ve seen play this past season.

10. Jamell Fleming, Oklahoma – He demonstrates good quickness, agility and physicality. He’s got a good burst and can stick with most receivers.

SAFETIES

1. Mark Barron, Alabama – I’m not going to lie…this is a terrible draft for safeties. If a team needs one, they better take Barron early or wait and hope Trenton Robinson slips. That being said, Barron is easily the best safety in this year’s draft.

2. George Iloka, Boise St – Iloka is a natural safety who looks big enough to play linebacker so if he’s versatile enough that could make him more valuable. He’s athletic and he has good ball skills but like I said, its a down year for safeties.

3. Antonio Allen, South Carolina – Allen is a solid safety, especially if he’s selected in the 2nd or 3rd round. He can play all over the field and is capable of getting after the quarterback as well as stopping the run at the line of scrimmage.

4. Harrison Smith, Notre Dame – Smith won’t do well as a starting safety early on so there’s no reason to think he’ll contribute in any way other than on special teams. He can hit and he’s fast for a guy his size but he makes a lot of mistakes in coverage.

5. Markelle Martin, Oklahoma St – He’s a poor man’s Earl Thomas.

6. Aaron Henry, Wisconsin – He was originally a corner so there’s some versatility there. He’s a bit of a ballhawk as he plays all over the field. He’s also played well on special teams.

7. Sean Catttouse, California – I don’t think this guy will be anything more than a special teams guy. He was part of a really bad Cal pass defense.

8. Eddie Whitley, Virginia Tech – I’ll say this about this year’s safeties – a number of them can play multiple positions. You name it, Whitley’s done it for the Hokies. Corner, nickel, dime and both safety spots.

9. Tremain Thomas, Arkansas – This guy played all over the field in high school. Quarterback, wide receiver, corner…its surprising he wasn’t more highly recruited. He was part of a solid Razorback defense although I don’t know what that will count for.

10. Trenton Robinson, Michigan St – I’m going to be completely honest with you. I drafted this guy in Madden and I like him a lot. He eventually became my starting safety. Thats all I’ve got. These safeties aren’t that good. If you’re an NFL team and you’re desperate for a safety and there are none in free agency…you’re screwed.