2012 NFL Draft
The Freaks of Nature
- The Most Underrated Prospects
- The Most Overrated Prospects
- The Boom or Bust Prospects
- The Unknowns You Must Know
- The Late Round Fliers To Take
- The Freaks of Nature
- The Big Names, Late Picks
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The NFL has a collection of some of the greatest athletes in the world. These ten players are standouts among the standouts. They're either really fast, really athletic, really strong, or all of the above.
10.
DE/OLB Bruce Irvin, West Virginia 6-3, 245
Irvin is really more of a defensive end than a true outside linebacker, but he’ll be at his best as 4-3 rusher. Phenomenal at the Combine, he cranked out a blazing 4.44 even after adding ten pounds of good weight. Throw in his tremendous athleticism and he’s an elite pass rushing prospect with a great burst off the ball. Out of all the outside linebacker/end, tweener types, he’s among the most dangerous playmakers who’s always working to make things happen. Anyone thinking he can be a true end will be disappointed – he can’t get any bigger – and he might only be a specialist and not an all-around playmaker, but he could light up the stat sheet if turned loose. There’s little bust potential as long as he’s expected to get to the quarterback, and that’s it.
CFN Projection: Third Round
9.
RB David Wilson, Virginia Tech (Jr.) 5-10, 206
Really fast and tremendously athletic, the 41.5” vertical was the best among the backs at the Combine and his 11-foot broad jump was the best at the position by far. Explosive, extremely quick, and great at bouncing off tacklers, he’s always making people miss and he’s always able to make things happen in the open field. But is he a better athlete and a collegian than a pro prospect? He needs to have better instincts, has fumbling problems, and he’s not a power runner in any way – he could stand to be a bit better when it comes to the finer points of being a running back. Fortunately, he’ll do all the things he needs to with a great work ethic and tremendous character – the Virginia Tech coaching staff loves him and he’ll be a favorite in the locker room. A returner and a dangerous 15-touch-a-game back, he’ll be productive whenever he touches the ball.
CFN Projection: Second Round
8.
OT Mike Adams, Ohio State 6-7, 323
Every NFL offensive tackle prospect is big, but Adams just looks really, REALLY big. He stands out size-wise on a tape, and then he showed up at the Senior Bowl and was just bigger-looking than everyone else. With his long frame he takes two hours to get around and he uses his arms and size extremely well. Not lumbering for his size, he moves well and can handle speed rushers and bull rushers alike. The problem, though, is his size can be a negative when it comes to getting too high. He never seems to be able to get the right leverage as a run blocker and he doesn’t blast his man off the ball. Throw in the lightweight 19 reps on the bench at the Combine along with his reported immaturity and lack of fire, and there are major warning signs. Even so, the size is rare and the potential is there if he gets a coach willing to keep the heat on.
CFN Projection: Second Round
7. LB Miles Burris, San Diego State 6-2, 246
He’s really strong and he looks the part of an NFL linebacker with the versatility to move around and play in a variety of spots. Extremely strong – lineman strong – he blasted out 31 reps at the Combine and was one of the stars of the leaping drills. A true football meathead, in a good way, he’s the type who appears to love mixing it up and making the tough, physical play on a regular basis, and he doesn’t take a play off. While he’ll miss tackles going for the kill shot, he plays under control. A likely mid-round steal of a prospect, he’ll move around where needed and will do whatever a coaching staff asks of him. Don’t be shocked if he’s a 100-tackle playmaker on a regular basis.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
6.
DT Michael Brockers, LSU (Soph.) 6-5, 302
There’s a lot of work to be done and there are downsides, but he has the quickness and the versatility to become a major factor in a variety of defenses. He was a dominant force in the SEC wars and turned into an anchor of one of the nation’s best run defenses, and while he could sit on the nose if needed, he’ll be terrific as a 5-technique and can be used in several ways. Very big, very athletic for his size, and with a perfect frame, he’s already big and still has room to add good weight without losing a thing. While he was awful at the Combine, he picked it up at his pro day and showed he could do everything an NFL defensive coordinator could want, but that’s part of the problem; can he be consistent? Does he have the maturity and the fire to step up and do the work needed to be special? There’s a limitless upside, but buyer beware with major bust potential if he doesn’t take on a pro attitude.
CFN Projection: First Round
5. WR Tommy Streeter, Miami (Jr.) 6-5, 219
Very tall and really, really fast, he brings sub-4.4 wheels in the body of a thin tight end. With the frame to add at least 15 more pounds, he could get bigger and still find a nice niche as a devastating deep threat. No, he’ll never block anyone and yes, he’ll be a one-trick pony, but that one trick could be devastating. He’ll be eliminated by anyone who applies a jam on the line, and he’ll never be a full route tree target, but get him on the field, air it out, and let him go run under it. Along the way, though, expect a lot of drops and plenty of mistakes.
CFN Projection: Third Round
4. WR Stephen Hill, Georgia Tech (Jr.) 6-5, 215
He’s not Demaryius Thomas and he’s certainly not Calvin Johnson, but the tools are way too intriguing to ignore. Not only is he one of the biggest receivers in the draft, but he’s among the fastest clocking in a blazing 4.33. With his upside and talent he should be a mismatch nightmare and he might just be scratching the surface on what he can become. After a rocky start and academic issues he has matured, improved, and is ready to blossom – eventually. He fights the ball way too much and he’s more of a gear-up receiver than a quick one for midrange routes. It might take a little while and a lot of tweaking, but it’s all there to become a dangerous part of any attack. He helped himself in offseason workouts and now will be one of the biggest calls in the first few rounds.
CFN Projection: Second Round
3.
S Sean Richardson, Vanderbilt (SS) 6-3, 216
Will the tremendous performance at the NFL Combine translate into NFL production? Not only is he big with the size to hold up against any receiver, but he’s very, very fast, ripping off a corner-like 4.49 in Indianapolis and proved to be one of the fastest safeties in the short drills. Throw in the 22 reps on the bench, and everything is in place skill-wise. Smart, tough, and a proven veteran, there’s plenty of upside. However, he’s better in workouts than he is an NFL football player. A defensive coach with talent should be able to take Richardson’s ability and turn him into a playmaker, but getting stronger against the run is a must and he isn’t nearly as smooth in pass coverage as he was around the cones.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
2. LB Zach Brown, North Carolina 6-1, 244
Fast, fast, fast. While he might not be an elite all-around football player, linebackers with 4.4 wheels aren’t common, and at the very least Brown can be used as a speed rusher who does nothing but fly into the backfield on third downs. He beefed up a bit for the Combine and wasn’t quite as fast as expected, but he can move. The speed translates to the field, reeling in runners like he’s pulling them in. He’ll need seasoning and he’ll need to have the right coach to maximize his phenomenal athletic skills. Just okay against the run and not quite as productive as he probably should’ve been, there are warning flags and concerns, but on pure speed he’s worth the risk. There’s a good chance he’s just scratching the surface.
CFN Projection: Third Round
1. DT Dontari Poe, Memphis (Jr.) 6-3, 346
Forget about the quarterbacks; Poe is the biggest call in the draft. His skills, upside, and talent are so great that no team will be faulted for taking him too early, and several general managers are going to have to answer why they didn’t go with a potential franchise-making talent. Massive, he’s a true space-eater with the inside presence to swallow up everything against the run and become an anchor for everyone else to work around. Quick for his size, he’s stunningly athletic and could be used as a 3-4 end depending on the situation. With 44 reps on the bench at the Combine, strength isn’t an issue and he should collapse the pocket on a regular basis. However, he didn’t exactly sit on quarterbacks’ heads during his Conference USA career and wasn’t the superstar force he should’ve been in a mediocre league. Even so, this is a once-every-ten-years prospect tools-wise, but it might take a little bit of seasoning to unleash a superstar.
CFN Projection: First Round
- The Most Underrated Prospects
- The Most Overrated Prospects
- The Boom or Bust Prospects
- The Unknowns You Must Know
- The Late Round Fliers To Take
- The Freaks of Nature
- The Big Names, Late Picks