Prospects to Watch

The NFL Draft is long gone and with the lockout still in full swing, there really isn't too much going on in the football world. Instead of getting depressed about the NFL lockout, I have turned my attention to the upcoming college football season.

I have put together a list of 25 prospects that I will be watching very hard this season. These are some of the top prospects (in no particular order) for the 2012 NFL Draft.

I know that it is still very early and that all of these players may not be first round prospects come next year. However, it is fun to look forward to something and it is a good distraction from all trouble that the NFL is going through now. Please feel free to shoot me any comments or questions.

Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
Luck took a risk not declaring last year, but he is still currently the favorite to be the number 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. He has good decision making and the arm to make every NFL throw. I know a lot will change with these prospects from now till the 2012 NFL draft but myself, along with most other scouts will be surprised if Andrew Luck's name isn't called in the top 5 picks. He is a franchise QB.

Matt Barkley, QB, USC
Barkley has pretty good stats from the last two seasons and if he makes more strides this season he will be a strong first round pick. I need to watch more tape on him but as of right now, it is looking like Barkley and Luck are my top 2 QBs for the 2012 QB class.

Matt Kalil, OT, USC
Kalil has the size and could afford to even gain more weight and get bigger. He had a terrific season last year for USC and is now gaining a ton of hype now. Hopefully he won't disappoint this year. As of right now he is considered a top 5 pick.

Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
If you watched North Carolina last year, you noticed Coples. He is the DE with a brand budging out of his arm. Seriously, how intimidating is that? I would take him early just to intimidate people. All joking aside, Coples really came into his own last year with Robert Quinn gone. He racked up 10 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss. Pass rushers are almost always in demand so if he repeats the type of year he had last season, he will be an early pick.

Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford
Martin is a big OT who did an amazing job at protecting Luck last season. One of my favorite prospects in the country, I will be looking very hard at him this season. He is a contender to be one of the best linemen in the country.

Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
Kirkpatrick is one of the most intriguing players in America. I absolutely love his size for a corner (6'3). He played very well in my opinion last season, and if he takes the same great strides this year he will be a top 10 pick. Corners with his size don't come around often; some team will fall in love with him.

Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina
Alshon Jeffery looked like an elite player last season for the Gamecocks. He put up some good stats and was a playmaker for the South Carolina offense. I love his size and his experience; he is currently the number 1 WR in his class, but Justin Blackmon is right behind him.

Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma St.
Blackmon would have been a first round pick in the 2011 draft if he would have declared. He was one of those players that really impressed me last season and I have high expectations for him this year. If he dominates like he did last year, he could be a top 10 pick.

Manti Te'o, ILB, Notre Dame
A terrific athlete; Te'o is a big linebacker who can play with great quickness and agility. He had 129 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss last season. He is one of the top middle linebackers in his class.

Donte Paige-Moss, DE/OLB, North Carolina
Donte Paige-Moss will be one to keep an eye on. He is an extremely athletic pass rusher and we just saw how high the 49ers took the athletic pass rusher Aldon Smith, so Paige-Moss could be one who will rise after this season. Right now, I have him as a mid first round pick, but I need to do more research and watch more film. In a couple months this list will change a ton.

Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State
Burfict is a player with a ton of experience and talent. He's got the size and the playmaking ability to be a real leader for any defense. If he has another strong season, he will be a hot commodity next April; consistency is hard to find.

Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
I love how much experience Gilmore has. Starting as a true freshmen in the SEC is very impressive. That is something that immediately stands out to me. I am excited to see what kind of hype he gets this year if he performs well like he did last season.

Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan St.
Worthy has great size and the talent to go along with it. When he plays you can see that this young man isn't afraid of the weight room; he plays with great strength simply throwing linemen out of his way. That caught my eye, and I'm sure it caught the eyes of NFL teams. As of now, Worthy and Forston (from Miami) are heading the DT class.

D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama
He will be a redshirt sophomore this season, so he may not be a 2012 NFL Draft prospect but for now, I will add him to my list. He is a monstrous OT, standing at 6'6 and weighing around 340. Despite his big size, he is surprisingly athletic. His weight definitely concerns me; if he can keep it down and still be dominate he will be a first round pick for sure.

David DeCastro, G, Stanford
DeCastro is a three year starter for the Cardinal. He did a fantastic job last season, but he needs to repeat his perfromance this year to be a first round pick. He has good experience and size but he needs to stay consistent to keep his first round grade.

Michael Brewster, C, Ohio St.
Michael Brewster will have his work cut out for him this year with all the crap that is going on at Ohio St. The coaching change and the suspensions will be tough for the entire team. However, this will give Brewster a chance to really show what he is worth. He needs to rise above everything and be a leader for the Buckeye offense.

Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama
Another pass rusher. Upshaw has a ton of potential and he can play in any scheme. I would like him best at the 3-4 OLB because he can rush the passer big time. I am excited to see him this season.

Zack Brown, OLB, North Carolina
Yet another talented player from North Carolina. Zack Brown is an elite athlete with terrific quickness and acceleration. This season he has a chance to really improve his draft stock.

Travis Lewis, OLB, Oklahoma
Lewis is one of the top 4-3 players in this draft. He had a mediocre season last year, so he really needs to bounce back strong in 2011. If he can, he will be a first round pick.

Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College
Kuechly is a tackling machine. He is a tough linebacker who has great football I.Q. He is the heart and soul of the Boston College defense. When I watch Kuechly, I see a smart and instinctive leader. I am very interested in seeing how Kuechly does this season.

Jayron, Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech
Hosley had nine interceptions last season; that's incredible. My expectations for him are high coming into this season so I am rooting for him to impress me. He has decent size, and great instincts.

Cliff Harris, CB, Oregon
Harris is a playmaker. He can return punts and intercept the football. He is definitely a threat when he is on the football field; whether offense or defense.

Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
Richardson will get his chance this year to really shine with Mark Ingram out of the backfield. He needs to take the reins and not look bad. He has good size and speed and he looked good in action last season. This year will give us all a good look at what kind of player he really is.

Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma
Jones has done a nice job since Sam Bradford left and has established himself as one of the top QB prospects in the country. He had a solid season last year and will look to continue to improve this season. I will be watching him very closely.

Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa
I will be honest, I need to do more research on Reiff. From what little I have seen from him I can tell you that he is a big OT who can afford to gain a little bit more weight and strength. He is quick though and extremely athletic. He is currently behind Kalil, Martin and Fluker in this OT class.