Top 5 draft prospects by position
Ranking the best players at every position in the 2012 draft class
Originally Published: April 11, 2012
By
Mel Kiper Jr. | ESPN Insider
A lot of moves were made here this week as I get close to wrapping up all evaluations for this class. This is a good primer to check on depth at each position and players that will be drafted into Day 3. (Note: Two players on this list -- North Alabama's Janoris Jenkins and Missouri Western State's Greg Zuerlein -- don't have team logos in our system, which is why those spots are blank. Juniors and draft-eligible sophomores are noted with an asterisk.)
More Kiper NFL draft content:
Overrated/underrated prospects | Mock 4.0 | Latest Big Board | Top 5 players by position | Regrading the 2011 NFL draft
To get full access to the top five players at every position in the 2012 NFL draft as well as all Mel Kiper content leading up to the draft, sign up to become an ESPN Insider.
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NFL DRAFT ON ESPN
- Round 1: 3 hours
- Day 2: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN & WatchESPN
- Day 3: 12 p.m. ET, ESPN & WatchESPN
NFL DRAFT PROFILES
- Merrill: How dad molded Andrew Luck
- The Mag: Burfict fighting perception
- Mag: Griffin III is no ordinary QB
- Chadiha: Kuechly looks like a sure thing
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HOT BUTTON: KIPER-MCSHAY DEBATES
- Who's the second-best RB in the draft?
- Which player is getting too much hype?
- Which team has toughest call in top 10?
- Which probable 2nd-rounder belongs in 1st?
- Which Day 2 QB will have best career?
NFL DRAFT TEAM NEEDS
- Horton: NFC East needs | W | N | S

- Horton: AFC East needs | W | N | S

MORE NFL COVERAGE
- Fox: Skins create another QB controversy
- Clayton: Players control Pro Bowl's fate
- Clayton: Draft drama starts at No. 3
- Fox: The draft is just the beginning
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- TMQ: Annual mock draft mockery
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- Clayton mailbag: Jags, Fins in tough spots
- Fox: Vikings could shake up draft, more
- Williamson: Plenty of draft intrigue here

- Fox: Reaching in draft is a mistake
- Walker: Dolphins are no easy fix
- Polian: Ranking best-drafting teams

- Next Level: Risk of drafting a top-10 QB
- Mag: Stanford four could make history
MORE NFL DRAFT
- Mocks: Kiper 5.0
| McShay 6.0
- Ranks:
McShay top 32 | Kiper Big Board - Cheat Sheets:
QB | RB | WR | TE | OL - More Cheat Sheets:
DL | LB | DB - Kiper's 'Grade A' drafts:
AFC | NFC - McShay: Stacking the 2012 draft board

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McShay: Seven tiers of draft talent

- Gallery: Top offensive prospects
- Gallery: Top 10 defenders
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- Schefter: What New York Jets will do at QB
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- Offseason Grades: AFC | NFC | Kiper on draft

