2012 NFL Draft: Where Will Vontaze Burfict Get Drafted

The months leading up the NFL Draft have not been kind to Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict. After a subpar 2011 season, he did not perform well in the NFL combine and has gone from a projected first rounder in the NFL Draft to perhaps an undrafted player.

The news got worse for him and a former teammate as sources report that Burfict and defensive end Jamaar Jarrett failed drug tests at the NFL Combine.

They were among six players that tested positive for drugs at the combine.

While drug use among college students, especially among athletes, is nothing new or even surprising, it raises questions in this case. All players that go to the combine know that they will be given a drug test.

If Burfict or Jarrett end up in the NFL, this failed test will have them automatically put in their substance abuse program. A future failed test could lead to a four-game suspension.

While Burfict already has done enough damage to himself for his draft stock, this event could completely ruin any chances that Jarrett had of being drafted, even in the late rounds.

The NFL Draft begins on Thursday. We will see if and when either former Sun Devil is selected.

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Vontaze Burfict was considered one of the top talents in the 2012 NFL Draft, but now it appears like he's falling off of draft boards for reasons that might be unrelated to his play on the field. Burfict did have a lot of emotional issues in college, but that shouldn't detract from his overall level of performance. He can play very well when he's wired right and has a lot of physical talent; he just needs to learn how to control it.

Chris Fedor transcribed an audio interview with Burfict, who joined up with Glenn Clark on WNST Baltimore to learn more about the linebacker. How good can he be?

What he would like teams to know about him that they may not already:

"Just hope that they know I’m a soft-spoken guy. The guy I am on the field, I’m not the same guy off the field. When I’m off the field, I’m more sitting down, more of a chill guy, don’t do too much partying, and when I’m on the field I’m just angrier, don’t like to lose, have a passion for the game and love to hit. Me and off the field are just two different things and people have it mixed up. They think I’m the same people off the field and it’s totally different."

You can listen to the Burfict interview by clicking here.

To discuss Burfict with Sun Devil fans to figure out more about him, head on over to House of Sparky.

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Arizona State LB Vontaze Burfict was in the first and second round discussion when it came to the upcoming 2012 NFL Draft for quite some time prior to and during this year's college football season. After the season came to and end, scouts and analysts started grinding tape and seeing some concerns, then Burfict had a poor showing at the NFL Combine. His stock, according to most scouts and analysts, now sits in the late rounds to undrafted free agent range. Mel Kiper had a reporters' conference call on Friday and addressed Burficts extraordinary slide:

We'll go to Burfict first. You think about the year that he had, which wasn't spectacular, for the fact that he ran the five flat 40, the unsportsmanlike conduct penalties we chronicled. I had written about that all year. I think you look at Vontaze Burfict as a guy that has probably dropped as much in this draft in terms of his rating as probably any prospect in recent times in terms of going from an early rounder to being talked about now as a sixth, seventh rounder or undrafted free agent, in an inside linebacker group that frankly is very poor, very weak. There's not that many, so this was a year where if you're an inside linebacker, middle linebacker you thought that you would have had a reasonably good chance.

I'll give you an example. Another Pac-12 inside linebacker who can also play outside, Mychal Kendricks, his stock has soared to the point where he's probably in the early to mid-second round discussion now. So here's a Cal kid, same conference, in the early second, and here's Vontaze Burfict, who's now late round or undrafted free agent, so that's pretty amazing.

It should be interesting to see what happens next weekend - as they say, it only takes one team to fall in love with you - and there might be a front office out there that still sees some major potential and opts to take a chance. It's not looking great right now for the former Sun Devil, who may, after being considered a first-round prospect at one time, have to hang around on practice squads for a year or two before being given the chance to see an NFL field.

For more on the Sun Devils, head over to House of Sparky.

Well, things keep going from bad to worse for former Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who after an hour long conference call ranging on a number of topics, the NFL Network's Mike Mayock claims Burfict is 'non-draftable' after taking part in no workouts from teams and showing less that average skills at both the combine and ASU pro day.

"I put his tape on with absolutely zero preconceived notions," Mayock explained in a Thursday conference call with media. "I watched three tapes and really didn't like him as a football player.

"I think he's a non-draftable kid. For me, he's a free agent."

Burfict was somehow seen as a top pick towards the end of last season, but continually starting to show chinks in the armor throughout the season and into the offseason. Hopefully there he can change the minds of someone out there in the NFL, but at this moment, his future in the NFL is about as bright as a black hole.

For more on the Sun Devils, head over to House of Sparky.

Scouting gurus around the web have said for weeks that Vontaze Burfict's draft stock has dropped more than anyone else's. Once projected to be an early round selection, many are wondering if Burfict will even have his name called come draft weekend. This latest report should be very concerning for the talented-yet-troubled linebacker.

#ArizonaState LB Vontaze Burfict has not had a single pre-draft visit or workout, or at least not any reported by media. Bad sign for him.

— Evan Silva (@evansilva) April 14, 2012

It is almost guaranteed now that Burfict won't be drafted until the sixth or seventh round at the very earliest. He'll be labeled a sleeper by most, and his potential is limitless should he get the right guidance and coaching -- maybe in Baltimore or New England? -- but the chances of his amounting to nothing are also high. I'm sure a team somewhere with a few extra late-round picks will take a chance on him, but he isn't exactly helping himself by not getting interviews with potential employers.

The 2012 NFL Draft is scheduled for two weekends from now.

For more on the Sun Devils, check out House of Sparky.

One of the major stories in the pre-Draft scouting period, when it comes to Arizona State football, is the massive stock slide that ASU ILB Vontaze Burfict has had to endure. Burfict already had some questions attached to his name with regard to character, and a poor showing at the Combine, coupled with some reportedly less than stellar interviews, has taken him from the First Round discussion earlier in the year to a probable late round or priority free agency signing.

Sports Illustrated and TFY Draft Insider have teamed up to bring a very comprehensive draft prospect database and grading scale, and have Burfict as their 12th rated inside linebacker, with a score of 2.50 out of 5.00. They note:

Negatives: Displays a lot of indecision in coverage. Does not play hard on every down. Called for bad penalties on multiple occasions in a single game. All too often complains to officials rather than worrying about making plays. Has off-the-field issues and work ethic is questioned. Performed terribly at the combine.

And the scouting report ends ominously with...

Projection: 7-FA

Head over to SI.com to peruse the rest of their prospect rankings.

For more on the Sun Devils, make sure you check out House of Sparky.

After being part of a locker room fight during the preseason, having a less than stellar showing on the field in 2011, and executing poorly in both interviews and events at the NFL combine have all been part of the recipe that has had Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict watch his draft stock take a serious tumble over the past few months.

But according to one source close to the situation, the Cleveland Browns are somewhat interested in bringing in the troubled linebacker, as ESPN Cleveland reports that the team just may end up drafting Burfict.

"It would be a late round value pick," one source noted, and that anywhere higher for a player with all of his 'red flags' would be out of the question. Do the Browns feel that they could make use of a project player like Burfict? It may take a season or two, but if they see value, they certainly should jump on it.

Burfict blamed coaches for his poor junior year at pre-combine interviews, attempting to justify punching teammate Kevin Ozier in the face after practice earlier in the year. He also had the second worst vertical leap among linebackers and the worst broad jump at the combine, and was a no-go in both the bench press and shuttle run.

For more on the Sun Devils, make sure you check out House of Sparky.

The 2012 NFL Draft has been on the horizon ever since the 2011 NCAA football season wound down. It's now April and the draft is just over a month away. NFL teams have their scouts and evaluators working overtime to determine which players they will target and which opposing teams will be thinking likewise.

Heading into the offseason, the Arizona St. Sun Devils and those watching their woeful underperformance during the season believed that their linebacker Vontaze Burfict would be the prospect drawing the most attention during the NFL Draft and the hype leading up to it. Now it seems that quarterback Brock Osweiler will be ASU's top prospect in the draft.

Burfict's stock has been in steady decline and is currently at an all-time low. In the latest mock draft at Draft Tek, the website suggests that Burfict will not be selected until the fourth round of the draft. They theorize that the LB will head to the Cincinnati Bengals as the No. 116 overall pick.

Perhaps Burfict will end up being selected in the first couple rounds, but the latest speculation has to be disappointing both for the player and the school.

For all news and information regarding the Arizona State Sun Devils, please visit House of Sparky. For updates and perspective on the Cincinnati Bengals, head on over to Cincy Jungle. For lots more on the 2012 NFL Draft, check out Mocking the Draft.

Will Vontaze Burfict be drafted by an NFL team come April 26th? There are serious doubts on whether the former Arizona State Sun Devil will be a productive player at the next level. Once considered a top-ten pick at this time in 2011, Burfict's draft stock has been sliding since then, and slid even further after an underwhelming Pro Day performance in early March.

ESPN.com's Bill Williamson speculated on Burfict's fit with different AFC West teams. The best fit for Burfict? The Kansas City Chiefs.

This is an interesting fit. The Chiefs could use an inside linebacker for their 3-4 system. Burfict would benefit from playing for Romeo Crennel. The Chiefs gambled and scored with outside linebacker Justin Houston in the third round last year. (Via: ESPN.com)

According to NFL Network's Steve Wyche, Burfict has been removed from some team's NFL draft boards already:

NFL Network's Steve Wyche said on Path to the Draft Friday that Arizona State ILB Vontaze Burfict has already been removed from some teams' draft boards after a red flag-filled offseason. (Via: Rotoworld)

To read Burfict's and other Arizona State NFL draft prospects, head over to House of Sparky.

Arizona State's Vontaze Burfict participated in the Sun Devils' pro day on Friday. With over 40 NFL scouts and coaches in attendance, the middle linebacker prospect tried his best to impress after a lackluster showing at the NFL Combine.

Burfict said this to reporters on Friday about his perceived weaknesses:

"I'm not a track star," said Burfict, coming off a disappointing junior season. "I'm better in pursuit of a running back than just running by myself. I'm not the fastest, but if I get a running back in front of me, I will get him." (Via: Arizona Republic)

According to NFL scouts, Burfict failed to rebound on his Pro Day at Sun Devil stadium:

According to SI.com draft analyst Tony Pauline, Burfict was "not good in position drills" at the Sun Devils' Friday workout, and Pauline acknowledged that he's "watering that down." One scout told Pauline he "actually felt bad for [Burfict]." (Via: Pro Football Talk)

Burfict is currently ranked as the No. 45 overall prospect in SB Nation's Mocking the Draft's prospect rankings.

To read more about Burfict's performance and the performance of other Arizona State NFL draft prospects at Pro Day, head over to House of Sparky.

Arizona State University's talented but frustrating junior linebacker, Vontaze Burfict, has made his intentions official. After posting a message on his Facebook page on Monday, he followed up with a prepared statement indicating his desire to leave school and head for the 2012 NFL Draft.

Burfict's prepared statement said:

"After thoughtful and in-depth discussions with my family, I have decided to skip my final year of eligibility at Arizona State University and make myself eligible for the 2012 NFL Draft. I would like to thank every one of my coaches and professors at ASU. I plan to return to ASU and get my degree and I will always support the university and its football program. I cherish the memories and great times I had as a student-athlete at ASU and I hope to make the university proud of my future accomplishments on and off the field."

To discuss Burfict and the Sun Devils, go to House of Sparky

Even though SBNation's mock draft is the first in a long trek towards the NFL Draft, if where Arizona State's Vontaze Burfict is slotted to go comes to fruition, Burfict would be one happy man.

The stud middle linebacker for the Sun Devils is slotted at no. 31 to the Baltimore Ravens in the SBNation mock draft. What better place to learn the middle linebacker position than behind the great Ray Lewis. Burfict isn't lacking in physical gifts but his mental game could use some sharpening. Playing with Lewis for a year or two would be the perfect bridge to getting him to reach his full potential.

But not mentioned among the first round picks is Arizona quarterback, Nick Foles. Foles has thrown for 4,334 yards and 28 touchdowns against 14 interceptions this season. He was rated as the second-best quarterback heading into this season behind Stanford's Andrew Luck by ESPN's Mel Kiper. But a 4-8 season for the Wildcats and some inconsistency in his play now has him looking at the first round from the outside in. Foles has some work to do.