The 2012 draft class has plenty of promise, however uncertain that might be, and there are some players with Hall of Fame potential, even if it's been untapped to the point where it's unseen to this point. And the chances are strong that there's a Hall of Famer somewhere in the mix, as there are only three draft classes between 1970 and 1995 that have yet to send someone to Canton. (The 1995 class is the most recent one with a Hall of Famer.)
So here's what this top-10 list is all about: Let's roll out the 10 players who have the most Hall of Fame potential, even if they've got a higher probability of busting rather than booming.
Keep three things in mind. First, the 1983 draft class has seven Hall of Famers, which is the most in any class since the 1970 merger, and there are only three other classes (1974, 1976, 1981) with at least five Hall of Famers. Point is, there won't be 10 Hall of Famers in the 2012 class.
Second, the players in the top-10 list are projected as first-rounders, but there will obviously be some players who greatly exceed their potential in the later rounds. From the 1970-95 draft classes, 46 of the 73 Hall of Famers (63 percent) were selected in the first round.
Finally, this isn't a list that strictly consists of the 10 best players in the draft. These are the 10 players who are perceived to have the highest ceilings, even if they've got a big chance to bottom out.
Click here to see the 2012 NFL Draft picks with the highest ceilings >>
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