Round 1 | |||||
1 | Indianapolis | Andrew Luck | QB | Stanford | |
All the early drama in this draft appears to be long gone. The Colts will take Andrew Luck as their signal caller of the future. It is a no-brainer and the right thing for Indianapolis to do. They can talk all they want about Robert Griffin III, but it won't happen. | |||||
2 | Washington (from Stl) | Robert Griffin III | QB | Baylor | |
Washington didn't trade the farm for anything but Robert Griffin III. RG III did what he had to do on his pro day, but it didn't really matter anyway. The Redskins will bank a lot of money and a lot of draft picks on RGIII at least putting some butts in the seats. | |||||
3 | Minnesota | Matt Kalil | OT | USC | |
This pick is pretty easy too. Barring a trade, the Vikings should do the smart thing and take the best offensive tackle in this class. Matt Kalil is a stud of a left tackle and as all Minnesota fans know, the Vikings pretty much played without a left tackle last season. | |||||
4 | Cleveland | Trent Richardson | RB | Alabama | |
This is where things will get interesting. This is a little high for a running back these days, but Trent Richardson is one of the best to come along in a while. With Peyton Hillis gone, the Browns certainly have a need. But what don't the Browns need. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is a very serious option, but there will be quarterbacks that can beat out Colt McCoy in the second round...or the seventh for that matter. | |||||
5 | Tampa Bay | Morris Claiborne | CB | LSU | |
The Tampa Bay secondary needs some help, especially with the uncertainty surrounding Aqib Talib. If Talib is gone, Morris Claiborne should definitely be the pick. Even if Talib is back, teaming him up with the best cornerback in this class is not a horrible idea. | |||||
6 | St. Louis (from Was) | Riley Reiff | OT | Iowa | |
It seems like every year we try and figure out if St. Louis wants to protect their quarterback or give him more weapons. With Justin Blackmon still on the board, it is tough to pass up another receiving option, but getting a tackle might be more important. This may be a small stretch for Riley Reiff at the moment, but there will be good wide receivers available early in the second round. | |||||
7 | Jacksonville | Justin Blackmon | WR | Oklahoma State | |
The lucky Jaguars get to take advantage of St. Louis building in the trenches and take Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon. He is a great receiver and has proven it on the field. The only knock on Blackmon is his size, but Jacksonville cannot take another wideout over Blackmon. | |||||
8 | Miami | Ryan Tannehill | QB | Texas A&M | |
Miami missed out on a whole slew of quarterbacks during the offseason. But finally they get a little luck. Well not that much luck, but at least the Browns did not take Ryan Tannehill, giving the Dolphins a legitimate top ten (or so) quarterback in the 2012 NFL Draft. | |||||
9 | Carolina | Jonathan Martin | OT | Stanford | |
The Panthers most glaring need is at defensive tackle, but Dontari Poe will not seem worthy of a top ten selection now that teams are looking beyond his NFL Combine showing and watching game tape. Michael Brockers, on the other hand, had a pretty poor showing at the NFL Combine. So there goes the defensive tackles. Instead, the Panthers should get an offensive tackle and Jonathan Martin is the best on the board and could be a fixture for years at left tackle once he is humbled by the NFL. | |||||
10 | Buffalo | Melvin Ingram | DE | South Carolina | |
Buffalo does not need a pass rusher anymore now that they picked up Mario Williams, but Melvin Ingram is the best player on the board at this point and having Williams and Ingram will turn the Bills pass rush from non-existent to probably one of the best in the NFL. Wide Receiver is also an option, especially with Michael Floyd still on the board. | |||||
11 | Kansas City | Luke Kuechly | ILB | Boston College | |
As odd as it sounds, the Chiefs have the luxury of taking the best player available. They will likely look to the defensive side of the ball and that leaves Luke Kuechly. Kuechly will be productive from day one and is a much safer pick than Donatri Poe. | |||||
12 | Seattle | Quinton Coples | DE | North Carolina | |
If things work out this way, Seattle will be very, very happy to get either Melvin Ingram or Quinton Coples. They need a pass rusher and, most likely, an inside linebacker. With Luke Kuechly gone, it makes the decision all the easier. | |||||
13 | Arizona | David DeCastro | G | Stanford | |
Arizona desperately needs to improve their offensive line. Barring a surprise player dropping this far that they simply cannot turn down, Arizona will nab the top offensive linemen on their board. With the top tackles already gone, that leaves Stanford's David DeCastro, possibly the best guard prospect in years. | |||||
14 | Dallas | Michael Brockers | DT | LSU | |
Even with the average NFL Combine results, Michael Brockers has great game tape. Even on a team filled with defensive studs, he stood out. That should be enough to get Brockers a spot up front in the Cowboys 3-4 defense. | |||||
15 | Philadelphia | Devon Still | DT | Penn State | |
Nothing against Dontari Poe, but he is a mid-round talent. Devon Still may not be much better right now, but he is a very promising defensive tackle. Word on the streets of Philly is that Coach Andy Reid wants to build in the trenches…again. | |||||
16 | New York Jets | Michael Floyd | WR | Notre Dame | |
The Jets fans will like this pick. A pass rusher is a huge need and there are some good ones available, but quarterback Mark Sanchez needs somewhere to throw the ball or this offense is going to be awful. Michael Floyd can't hurt. | |||||
17 | Cincinnati (from Oak) | Cordy Glenn | OT | Georgia | |
Cordy Glenn is shooting up draft boards right now and the Bengals will need to grab him here if they want to get a top offensive lineman. Cornerback is not as huge of a need as it was before free agency, but Cincy can look to the secondary in a few picks. | |||||
18 | San Diego | Dre Kirkpatrick | CB | Alabama | |
The cornerback Cincinnati could have taken will not last long. The Chargers can move Quentin Jammer to safety and plug Dre Kirkpatrick right into the starting lineup. Kirkpatrick is also a great bargain at this point in the draft and could be off the board long before the 18th pick of the 2012 NFL Draft. | |||||
19 | Chicago | Kelechi Osemele | G | Iowa State | |
This is a reach for the Bears, but they do need an interior lineman. They would be hoping for Cordy Glenn to fall to this spot, which is certainly a possibility. The other option would be nab another wide receiver to go along with Brandon Marshall. | |||||
20 | Tennessee | Dontari Poe | DT | Memphis | |
The Titans will be thrilled if Dontari Poe falls to them. Poe had a great NFL Combine and is an amazing athlete. He was not super productive at Memphis and that will even out his draft stock in the end and he should be a late first rounder. | |||||
21 | Cincinnati | Alfonzo Dennard | CB | Nebraska | |
Injuries derailed his senior season, but Alfonzo Dennard could be a top cornerback in the NFL. The Bengals have other options, most notably Stephone Gilmore and Janoris Jenkins, to fill their needs in the secondary, but Dennard is worth the risk. | |||||
22 | Cleveland (from Atl) | Mike Adams | OT | Ohio State | |
Cleveland could go a lot of different directions here. After picking up a running back earlier in the first round, the Browns have needs on the offensive line and at wide receiver. There will be very good wide receivers available later and the best tackles are gone. Mike Adams is a big reach here, but it is hard to ignore his measurables. | |||||
23 | Detroit | Peter Konz | C | Wisconsin | |
Detroit has some needs up front and center is one of them. Peter Konz could replace the aging Dominic Raiola right away or slide over and play some interior line as a backup. But even the Lions wouldn't use a first round draft pick on a temporary backup. | |||||
24 | Pittsburgh | Don'ta Hightower | ILB | Alabama | |
Don'ta Hightower fills a big need for Pittsburgh and is a decent bargain at this point in the draft. Hightower played in Alabama's 3-4 defense, so he is ready to step right in at Pittsburgh and make a big impact. | |||||
25 | Denver | Kendall Wright | WR | Baylor | |
Whatever Peyton Manning wants, Peyton shall get. That will likely be a wide receiver. Kendall Wright's stock dropped big time after the NFL Combine, but he ran much, much better at Baylor's pro day and is late first rounder. | |||||
26 | Houston | Rueben Randle | WR | LSU | |
Houston wants a wide receiver and Rueben Randle is the best on the board. Houston may prefer Kendall Wright, but Randle is a fine option as well. Randle never put up great numbers at LSU, but that is the way it is at LSU. | |||||
27 | New England (from NO) | Mark Barron | SS | Alabama | |
Mark Barron is a great deal this late in the first round and fills a need for the Patriots. The Patriots have a long history of moving around in the draft, so do not be surprised if they bundle their two first rounders and move up to grab somebody else instead. | |||||
28 | Green Bay | Stephon Gilmore | CB | South Carolina | |
The Packers have a couple options here, but getting a solid cornerback like Stephon Gilmore is too good to pass up. Green Bay could grab a pass rusher here too, but they could wait until the second round as long as Gilmore is available here. | |||||
29 | Baltimore | Courtney Upshaw | ILB | Alabama | |
Alabama's Courtney Upshaw is a great talent, but he kind of falls in-between a 4-3 and a 3-4 defense. However, he is a pretty good fit in Baltimore and that makes him a great pickup for the Ravens. | |||||
30 | San Francisco | Dwayne Allen | TE | Clemson | |
Would Coach Jim Harbaugh pass on his old tight end at Stanford and take Dwayne Allen over Coby Fleener? Harbaugh will use multiple tight ends so it comes down to who is a better fit with Vernon Davis. Allen is not the down field threat that Fleener is, but he is a better all around tight end. | |||||
31 | New England | Fletcher Cox | DT | Mississippi State | |
Fletcher Cox is a steal this late in the first round. With players like Michael Brockers and Dontari Poe sporting some concerns, Cox could be long gone by now, but it is very possible that one of those defensive tackles will fall to the Patriots at the 31 spot. | |||||
32 | New York Giants | Whitney Mercilus | DE | Illinois | |
Whitney Mercilus does not fill a need for the Giants and he has been falling a little down draft boards, but he is the best player on the board and the Giants have the luxury of taking the best player on their board. | |||||
Round 2 | |||||
33 | St. Louis | Zach Brown | OLB | North Carolina | |
Picking up Reily Reiff and Zach Brown will not excite the fan base, but this team now has extra first round picks to work with in the future and this is a good start to building a solid base. | |||||
34 | Indianapolis | Alshon Jeffery | WR | South Carolina | |
It is time to give Andrew Luck a new target and Alshon Jeffery will do just fine. | |||||
35 | Minnesota | Dwight Jones | WR | North Carolina | |
Christian Ponder needs targets, especially one who can get downfield a little bit. Dwight Jones is big enough and fast enough to make an immediate impact. | |||||
36 | Tampa Bay | David Wilson | RB | Virginia Tech | |
LeGarrette Blount is not the long term answer at running back. The Bucs need to do something in the backfield and David Wilson is not a bad option at this point in the draft. | |||||
37 | Cleveland | Mohamed Sanu | WR | Rutgers | |
Now it is time for Cleveland to get their wide receiver and Mohamed Sanu is a good one. | |||||
38 | Jacksonville | Nick Perry | DE/OLB | USC | |
Jacksonville will be very lucky if Nick Perry falls to them. It fills their need for a pass rusher. | |||||
39 | St. Louis (from Was) | Janoris Jenkins | CB | North Alabama | |
There are some concerns about Janoris Jenkins, but the Rams can keep stocking up on young talent. | |||||
40 | Carolina | Jerel Worthy | DT | Michigan State | |
Not long ago Jerel Worthy was an obvious first-rounder. He didn't blow anybody away at the NFL Combine, but he's still a borderline first rounder. | |||||
41 | Buffalo | Lavonte David | ILB | Nebraska | |
Buffalo can keep upgrading their defense with the addition of Lavonte David. | |||||
42 | Miami | Brandon Thompson | DT | Clemson | |
Miami could get a receiver or lineman to help out their new quarterback, but Brandon Thompson is a good player who fills a need. | |||||
43 | Seattle | Ronnell Lewis | DE/OLB | Oklahoma | |
He may not be the best fit in Seattle's scheme, but Ronnell Lewis can get to the quarterback and that is what the Seahawks need. | |||||
44 | Kansas City | Alameda Ta'amu | DT | Washington | |
Alameda Ta'amu went under the radar during his collegiate career, but he is big lineman who can make a huge impact right away. | |||||
45 | Dallas | Andre Branch | DE | Clemson | |
The Cowboys can keep building up their defensive line by adding Andre Branch. | |||||
46 | Philadelphia | Shea McClellin | DE/OLB | Boise State | |
At some point Philadelphia has to pick up a linebacker and Shea McClellin is the best on the board at this point in the draft. | |||||
47 | New York Jets | Bobby Massie | OT | Mississippi | |
The Jets have some issues, but if the quarterback situation is going to work with Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow, they'll need a new right tackle. | |||||
48 | New England (from Oak) | Josh Robinson | CB | UCF | |
New England knows that no team can ever have too many corners. Josh Robinson can return kicks too. | |||||
49 | San Diego | Nate Potter | OT | Boise State | |
San Diego needs a new offensive tackle and few have as much experience as Nate Potter. | |||||
50 | Chicago | George Bryan | TE | North Carolina State | |
George Bryan is a superb all-around tight end and the Bears could use an extra blocker who can get out and catch some passes. | |||||
51 | Philadelphia (from Ari) | Kirk Cousins | QB | Michigan State | |
Kirk Cousins is a poised, experienced quarterback who should be a solid career backup at the least. | |||||
52 | Tennessee | Stephen Hill | WR | Georgia Tech | |
Stephen Hill is shooting up draft boards, but he could settle back into the second round. | |||||
53 | Cincinnati | Lamar Miller | RB | Miami (FL) | |
Lamar Miller is the third best back on the board and he could easily fall this far. | |||||
54 | Detroit | Zebrie Sanders | OT | Florida State | |
The Lions need more help, and more importantly youth, on the offensive line and Zebrie Sanders will do the job. | |||||
55 | Atlanta | Matt Reynolds | OT | Brigham Young | |
The Falcons need a running back, but they also need to help out the running backs they have with an influx of talent on the line. | |||||
56 | Pittsburgh | Kevin Zeitler | G | Wisconsin | |
Kevin Zeitler is a smart, talented guard who will be a great fit in Pittsburgh. | |||||
57 | Denver | Kendall Reyes | DT | Connecticut | |
Kendall Reyes is shooting up draft boards and by late April he could move into the first round. | |||||
58 | Houston | Bruce Irvin | DE | West Virginia | |
Houston got their wide receiver. Now it is time to pick up some help on the other side of the ball. | |||||
59 | New Orleans (forfeit) | ||||
60 | Green Bay | Jared Crick | DT | Nebraska | |
Jared Crick slipped after dealing with injuries during his senior season, but he can play on the end for Green Bay and get to the quarterback. | |||||
61 | Baltimore | Jayron Hosley | CB | Virginia Tech | |
Jayron Hosley is a fine cornerback and should not last past the second round. | |||||
62 | San Francisco | Ryan Miller | G/OT | Colorado | |
The 49ers need help on the right side of their line. Whether he ends up at guard or tackle, Ryan Miller will at least add some quality depth. | |||||
63 | New England | Vinny Curry | DE | Marshall | |
The Patriots can keep building up their defense with their fourth pick in the first two rounds. | |||||
64 | New York Giants | Coby Fleener | TE | Stanford | |
The Giants do not have many options at tight end, so grabbing one of the few good ones in this class is not a bad idea. | |||||
Joel Welser NFL Mock Draft - 22 March 2012
1. Andrew Luck 2. Robert Griffin III 3. Matt Kalil 4. Trent Richardson 5. Morris Claiborne
Thu, 03/22/2012