Boise State Broncos Top NFL Prospects for 2012 and Beyond

The Boise State Broncos have been one of the best college football programs in America over the last couple of years, and the winning program has really payed off in terms of recruiting great athletes and guys that can compete at the NFL level. Probably the most notable over the last few seasons has been Pro Bowl left tackle Ryan Clady of the Denver Broncos, who played at Boise State through the 2008 bowl season. This past year, Titus Young and Austin Pettis, two extremely productive receivers at BSU, were drafted by the Lions and Rams respectively.

Now, the Broncos boast arguably the best offensive tackle prospect in the country, and could put a big number of players into the league in the 2012 NFL Draft…

73 Nate Potter (RS Senior), OT, 6’6″ 300

Potter is an All-American and All-WAC first team offensive tackle, and one of the best senior offensive linemen in the entire country. What’s interesting to me about Potter is that the Boise State coaching staff moved him to left guard two years ago because they felt it was the best fit for him, so you have to wonder if he will be better fit for that position at the NFL level. He’s a big, strong offensive lineman who has the athletic ability to play tackle or guard at the NFL level. Boise State fans seemed a bit lukewarm on Potter at the start of last season, wondering whether or not he would be the next Clady or the next Daryn Colledge. Potter is an academic All American, but because of the uncertainty of whether or not he will be a tackle or guard in the NFL, I’m glad that he’s coming back to school for another season to validate his draft status. Still, some are more high on Potter than others. Gil Brandt of NFL.com has him rated as the fourth best player in the entire class of players, underclassmen included. He is one of five pre-season All-Americans coming out of BSU, and he has been the anchor of an offensive line that ranked second in the nation in total offense and scoring.

8 George Iloka (Senior), S, 6’3″ 207

Very productive player ever since he stepped on campus, and a converted wide receiver from high school with a nose for the ball. Since his freshman year, he has compiled 174 tackles, seven interceptions, and a sack to go along with having the requisite size and athletic ability to succeed at the next level. One of the best senior safety prospects in the entire country, and a guy who will come into the NFL and contribute immediately on special teams. He is a ball-hawk and really improving as a tackler.

90 Billy Winn (Senior), DL, 6’4″ 288

Winn is not an extremely productive guy in terms of statistics, but he is a rock on the Boise State defensive line and a guy who is always around the ball. Had 28 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 8 tackles for loss last season as a junior. As a sophomore, he had 44 tackles, 6 sacks, and 12.5 tackles for loss on his way to being named 2nd team All WAC. Freshman All-American according to Phil Steele, and in my opinion, his game translates best as a power end in a 3-4 defensive alignment, where he could be very productive. Not an overly disruptive defensive tackle, but occupies blockers and has great strength. Has really held his own in one of the top defensive units in the country.

22 Doug Martin (Senior), RB, 5’9″ 201

Extremely productive running back and will be in his third year starting for the Broncos. Martin is the type of guy who will be an excellent value pick in the draft. He is not the biggest running back, but he is capable of breaking the game wide open with a big run. Powerful running back who is not afraid to stick his shoulder down and challenge anyone willing to take him on. Probably one of the most underrated running backs in the country because Boise State is not a running offense. As pass oriented as the BSU offense is, this guy has been extremely productive from the RB position, and is a solid receiver to boot. Shifty and speedy with a thick lower body, he will be the kind of guy who NFL teams hate to play against because he gives so much effort and can do so many things for your team. Has incredible potential as a zone runner, and could be a major steal on draft weekend. Over the last two years, he has carried the ball 330 times for 2,025 yards and 27 touchdowns, averaging over six yards per carry in the process. Also had 28 receptions for 338 yards and two more touchdowns last year as a junior. Will not go down without a fight, and seems to pride himself on getting yards after contact.

11 Kellen Moore (Senior), QB, 6’0″ 190

I would venture to say the only thing keeping Moore from being a top tier NFL prospect is his size, and I don’t think there are many that would disagree with me. One of the most prolific quarterbacks in the country and a perennial All-WAC selection as well as a pre-season All American. Moore has an astounding 5:1 career touchdown to interception ratio, and over the last two seasons has only thrown nine picks despite the Boise State offense being predicated on the pass. Has 40 career games under his belt already, including one of the most winning records in all of college football. This is a guy who is really just flat out a winner on the football field and his play reflects it. As the Boise State starting QB, he has 10,867 yards, 99 touchdowns, only 19 interceptions, and has only been sacked 23 times, 10 in the last two seasons combined. He also has three rushing touchdowns, and his only career reception has gone for a touchdown. Not only that, but he has three career punts, and a long of 54 yards! This kid is just an exceptional athlete, and you would love to see him turn out to be like a Drew Brees type of player. He doesn’t have the strongest arm, but he can make any and every throw and is dead-on accurate. He completed over 71 percent of his passes last season, and led the nation with a quarterback efficiency rating of 182.63. He is undersized and his arm strength doesn’t overwhelm, but he should be drafted and will undoubtedly make an NFL roster.

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