clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

2012 NFL Draft: "Playmaker" Big Board

playmaker (n.) - a player who leads the offense for a team (as in basketball or hockey)

What is a playmaker? Is it the above definition from Merriam-Webster? Is it someone with "ball skills?" Is it one of those things that you can't define unless you're Michael Irvin? I dunno.

Van discussed the recent mock draft from NFL Mocks yesterday that had us moving down to take Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd at #12 overall. But is Floyd as much of a playmaker as, say, LSU CB/DB/ATH/HB (Honey Badger, not halfback) Tyrann Mathieu?

There's an aspect of playmaker ability that has to do with pure athleticism, speed and instincts. But there's not a stat that really quantifies that anywhere near a reliable level.

So with that said and without any real definition and having no interest in really explaining how we ranked them, here's a playmaker big board for all potential 2012 NFL Draft prospects from buckeyefan55 and myself after the jump. (h/t to Infemousss for the idea. Thanks, Info)

buckeyefan55 3k
Rank Name Pos. School Name Pos. School
1 *Robert Griffin III QB Baylor *Robert Griffin III
QB Baylor
2 *Trent Richardson
RB Alabama *LaMichael James
RB Oregon
3 *LaMichael James
RB Oregon *Denard Robinson
QB (but not in the NFL)
Michigan
4 *Morris Claiborne
CB LSU *Tavon Austin WR W. Virginia
5 Chris Rainey
RB Florida *David Wilson
RB Va. Tech
6 *Lamar Miller
RB Miami Chris Rainey/Jeff Demps (same little person)
RB Florida
7 Janoris Jenkins
CB N. Alabama *Trent Richardson
RB Alabama
8 Jarius Wright
WR Arkansas Jarius Wright
WR Arkansas
9 Kendall Wright
WR Baylor T.Y. Hilton WR Fla. Int'l
10 Jeff Demps
WR Florida Ryan Broyles
WR Oklahoma
11 Joe Adams
WR Arkansas Bobby Rainey
RB W. Kentucky
12 Brandon Boykin
CB Georgia Kendall Wright
WR Baylor
13 *David Wilson
RB Va. Tech *Lamar Miller
RB Miami
14 T.Y. Hilton
WR Fla. Int'l Jordan White
WR
W. Michigan
15 Jordan Jefferson
QB LSU (just kidding) Melvin Ingram
DE S. Carolina
16 *Cliff Harris
CB Oregon (kicked off) Isaiah Pead RB Cincinnati

* denotes underclassmen

You can see I was almost entirely offense for mine, with the exception of Melvin Ingram, a big play/low-skill DE. I doubt his luck will continue to gush with such regularity at the NFL level. And yes, I have a penchant for the smaller school guys - Bobby Rainey & Jordan White particularly.

Buck had 4 cornerbacks, two of them with serious off-field concerns, though that didn't have anything to do with this board. Interesting that we have Lamar Miller and David Wilson practically flipped.

So have at us? Who did we forget? How do you define a playmaker? What kind of playmaker do the Rams need and is he on this list?

Holler.