Boston College’s Luke Kuechly enters 2012 NFL Draft field

Following Manti Te’o’s return to Notre Dame, Kuechly is unquestionably the best inside linebacker in the draft. At a news conference where he announced his intentions, Kuechly wouldn’t reveal where the NFL Draft advisory committee projected him.

Kuechly was far and away the nation’s leading tackler this season with 191 stops. That’s almost 16 a game.He had 23 alone in the third game of the season against Duke. As a junior, Kuechly won both the Lott IMPACT Trophy, and the Butkus, Nagurski and Lombardi awards.

To say Kuechly’s instincts are NFL-ready is an understatement. He is the kind of player who will get drafted and plugged into the starting lineup in his first game.

Kuechly is always near the football because he takes good angles and knows where the play is going to develop. He is a textbook perfect tackler and rarely misses. While Kuechly may not have optimum athleticism, he’s been good enough when asked to drop in pass coverage.