10 Breakout Sports Stars of 2012

He could go all the way! For every sports prodigy or phenomenon, many athletes trend to go under the radar and sneak through the backdoor into superstardom. Kaboom! Magazine has compiled a list of 10 athletes that you may not know now, but will in 2012. So grab a front row seat and look at who will be new household names in 2012.

10. Vontaze Burfict, 2012 NFL Draft Prospect: Andrew Luck isn’t the only can’t miss athlete in the 2012 NFL draft class. In 2011, the Arizona State linebacker had 130 tackles in his junior season and is considered by Mel Kiper Jr. to be the 1^st defensive player taken in 2012 NFL draft. Many experts have compared the California native to current Baltimore Ravens star Ray Lewis. His monster tackles have earned him youtube fame and soon Burfict monster hits will earn him millions of dollars in the NFL.

9. Christina McHale, U.S. Tennis Player:  The 19 year-old New Jersey native, is currently ranked 43^rd in the world. McHale is the second-highest ranked American female tennis player only behind Serena Williams and has already beaten the current No. 1 ranked WTA player Caroline Wozniacki. In 2011, she advanced to the second round of Wimbledon and the third round of the U.S. Open. It only a matter of time until Christina is in the finals at a Wimbledon and putting U.S. tennis players back on the map.

8. Lolo Jones, U.S. 100 Meter Hurdler: Everyone loves a comeback and no one will have a better comeback in 2012 than Lolo Jones. In 2008, Jones was a favorite to medal in the 2008 Olympic games, but she accidently tripped and fell during the 100 meter hurdle finals causing her to place 7th. Jones has waited four long years to be able to get that elusive Olympic medal. Lolo is favored again to place in the 100 meter hurdles in London and doesn’t plan to disappoint at these Olympics.

7. Jesus Montero, New York Yankees: The 6'3" 235-pound catcher put up impressive stats (.328/.406/.590 in 69 plate appearances) in 2011. He is projected to hit 25 to 30 home runs in 2012 and is already a front-runner for AL Rookie of the Year. He has all the makings of an offensive stud, and being in a lineup featuring A-Rod and Jeter for a full year will certainly pay dividends for the young catcher.

6. Austin Rivers, Duke Blue Devils: In 2011, Rivers won a 2^nd state title and committed to Duke as their No. 1 recruit. The son of Boston Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers, has been a youtube sensation all year long highlighted by 45 point game that he said he was gonna have before even stepping on the court. Many expect the former McDonalds All-American to enter the 2012 NBA Draft, but first Austin wants to win a national championship. Rivers has already shown the swagger and killer instinct need to win a national championship in March and is expected to lead Duke in scoring, earning him all-american consideration in 2012.   

5. Brandon Belt, San Francisco Giants: Belt hit nine home runs in 60 games for the Giants in 2011. He was sent back down by the Giants to AAA to help build his confidence for the major leagues. Brandon took AAA by storm hitting .444 and 16 home runs for two minor league teams. In 2012, Belt is expected to be the opening day starter at 1^st base for the Giants and add offensive firepower to an already stellar pitching staff.

4. Brek Shea, U.S. Men’s Soccer Player: In 2010, Shea made his debut on the U.S. Men’s soccer team. In 2011, the 21 year-old Shea became a star in MLS earning Team MVP honors for FC Dallas scoring 11 goals. Many are expecting Brek to be a major contributor for the U.S. Men’s team in London for the 2012 Olympics. With rock star looks and all-star game, Brek Shea will more than likely take Landon Donovan spot as the face of U.S. soccer.

3. Robert Woods, USC Trojans: Robert Woods established himself as the most elusive player in college football in 2011. Woods caught 111 balls and scored 15 touchdowns for USC this season making him a 1^st team all-american selection. In 2012, Woods will be entering his junior season as the best offensive weapon in the country and a Heisman candidate. USC has waited a long time for the 2^nd coming of Reggie Bush, expect Robert Woods to fill that void and have the Trojans back into the BCS National Title picture in 2012.

2. Matt Moore, Tampa Bay Rays: Moore started Tampa Bay’s AL division series opener against Texas, throwing seven shutout innings to become the youngest pitcher to start and win a team’s first game of the postseason. During the offseason, Moore agreed to a deal that guarantees him $14 million over five years. The Rays are counting on Moore to be part of a talented pitching rotation that will enable them to remain competitive with the big-spending New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the AL East.

1. Alex Morgan, U.S. Women’s Soccer Team: The U.S. Women’s soccer team youngest member came off the bench and help the U.S. to a 2^nd place finish in the 2011 Women’s World Cup. Morgan scored her first goal in World Cup final against France, even though it was a loss effort; Morgan proved to the world that she is someone to watch out for in years to come. Morgan will play a big role in the team’s chances at gold at the 2012 London games. Alex Morgan will be the brightest star of the 2012 London Olympics and will become the new face of U.S. Women’s Soccer.

  ESPN's Dan Rafael explains:

  Manny Pacquiao has agreed to terms to defend his welterweight title against junior welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley Jr. on June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Michael Koncz, Pacquiao's adviser, told ESPN.com on Monday.

The Bradley side still needs to finalize its deal with promoter Top Rank.

"From our end, the fight is done," Koncz said. "I just got off the phone with (Top Rank's) Bob Arum and Manny, so we're done. I don't assume there will be a problem from the Bradley side. We came to terms with Top Rank on the fight and Manny has approved everything. This morning I had a number of conversations with Bob negotiating the June 9 fight and I relayed everything to Manny."Top Rank president Todd duBoef told ESPN.com that he is still working to finalize Bradley's end of the deal.

"We are going to be having further conversations with Bradley and his management early this week and hopefully finalize the deal," duBoef said. "But the truth is my (promotional) agreement with Bradley lays out certain parameters for a Pacquiao fight, so there is a framework already."

The hopes for a long-anticipated Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight ended last week when, after the sides once again did not come to terms, Mayweather announced he would challenge junior middleweight titlist Miguel Cotto on May 5. Cotto had also been in the running to face Pacquiao in a rematch, but Pacquiao and Cotto could not agree on the weight for the fight. Pacquiao wanted the 147-pound welterweight limit, which Cotto said was too low for him, and he accepted a deal from Mayweather.

The other names in the running to face Pacquiao in the pay-per-view fight were junior welterweight titlist Lamont Peterson and Juan Manuel Marquez, who is 0-2-1 in three incredibly close and exciting fights with Pacquiao, including a majority decision loss to him in November.

Bradley would move up in weight to challenge Pacquiao for his title.

"We've been talking about this for over a month and we always had a Plan B in case Mayweather didn't happen," Koncz said. "Last time I went to the Philippines, I took Manny tapes of all of the opponents we were talking about and he watched them with his wife, Jinkee. Bradley was one of them, as everybody knows."

There is a chance Marquez will fight Peterson next, with the winner of that bout getting a fall match against Pacquiao if a Mayweather fight still is not made.

Koncz flew to San Antonio last weekend to meet with Arum, who was there promoting Saturday night's Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.-Marco Antonio Rubio middleweight title fight at the Alamodome, about the Bradley fight. Cameron Dunkin, Bradley's co-manager, was also in San Antonio and met with Arum.

Bradley (28-0, 12 KOs), 28, of Palm Springs, Calif., does not have the kind of profile as the other opponents who were in the running, although he is widely considered one of the top 10 fighters in the world even though his most recent fights have not been hits.

Thirteen months ago, he won a sloppy, head butt-induced 10th-round technical decision in a heavily hyped junior welterweight unification fight against Devon Alexander. It did poorly at the gate and did not come close to the ratings expectations HBO had hoped it would achieve, despite spending millions on the fight and its marketing.

Then Bradley rejected a July fight he had called for with Amir Khan to further unify the 140-pound division, even though Khan, who brought far more economic muscle to the fight, offered him a 50-50 deal.

Bradley then split with co-promoters Gary Shaw and Ken Thompson and, despite litigation, signed with Top Rank, knowing a Pacquiao fight was possible.

Top Rank gave Bradley the high-profile co-feature slot on the Pacquiao-Marquez III pay-per-view card in November. Bradley stopped faded former lightweight champion Joel Casamayor in the eighth round of an uncompetitive, foul-filled fight.

But Bradley is in his prime, fast and experienced against good opponents, and he could give 33-year-old Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KOs) a competitive fight.

"Bradley is a young, undefeated fighter who deserves a chance," Koncz said. "Manny is excited. Until we name an opponent, boxing is out of Manny's mind. He's busy working in (the Filipino) congress. But he gets interested in boxing again when he has an opponent and a fight. Now we know we have a date (and) an opponent and he's excited."

Koncz, who lives in Southern California, said he is flying to the Philippines on Tuesday night to meet with Pacquiao and go over logistics for the media tour for the fight.