NFL Mock Draft 2012: Round-by-Round Picks and Projections

The 2012 NFL Draft has finally arrived. Crazy fans from around the country (myself included) have invaded New York, gotten wrist bands, shaken hands with the likes of Michael Irvin, Roger Goodell and Steve Mariucci, and are at present (myself excluded) asleep dreaming of the new toys their teams will get to play with starting today.

For myself, the end of this weekend represents the crescendo of six months of hard study and film work. While there is no way that months of hard work can possibly be expressed in a simple mock draft, here is my final mock draft of the year.

Round One (Day One)

1. Indianapolis Selects QB Andrew Luck, Stanford

The Draft figures to start off very predictably with an outcome that I have personally seen coming since November of 2009. Andrew Luck will go No.1 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. Any talk of Robert Griffin going above him was never any more than nonsense as Luck is the consensus No.1 quarterback in the Draft with very little disagreement amongst scouts.

2. Washington Selects QB Robert Griffin, Baylor

This is an outcome I did not see coming as recently as a week or so before the Redskins pulled the trigger on this trade. Griffin has the feet and arm to execute the offense that Mike Shanahan likes. His tendency to bail on reads and begin improvising will be coached out of him to the best of the Shanahans’ abilities.

3. Minnesota Selects OT Matt Kalil, USC

I am not necessarily buying recent bluffs about not taking Matt Kalil. The Vikings need Christian Ponder to succeed and Rick Spielman has admitted that Ponder played aggressively early in his starting experience in 2011 because he did not know any better. However he started to feel the rush and pressure more and more and it made him gun shy. The Vikings need to reverse that trend, less they have another Blaine Gabbert on their hands.

4. Cleveland Selects RB Trent Richardson, Alabama

I do not believe the Cleveland Browns are truly entertaining the idea of taking Ryan Tannehill at this pick. However, I do believe they are serious about taking Trent Richardson. He fills a very important role in Pat Shurmur’s offense, as the guy that keeps the first down markers moving closer and closer with regularity. Richardson can also improve red zone performance, which is a must.

5. Tampa Bay Selects CB Morris Claiborne, LSU

Greg Schiano has some experience with some pretty talented corners at Rutgers and I think he knows that Morris Claiborne is the best defensive player in the Draft. Ronde Barber is ancient and Aqib Talib will soon be out the door.

6. St. Louis Selects WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State

There are a lot of games going on in the top ten as teams try and induce other teams to trade up. I am not planning for a surprise this early. I believe the Rams are in a position similar to the Vikings where they have a younger quarterback in jeopardy and need him to succeed in order to sleep better at night. Jeff Fisher took a big chance by trading down and saying no to Robert Griffin. He has to be all in on Bradford and the way to do that is to give him the best weapons possible.

7. Jacksonville Selects LB Melvin Ingram, South Carolina

The Jaguars re-signed Jeremy Mincey but must realize that he is not a player that can consistently generate pressure on the quarterback on his own. He is a high effort player that takes advantage of favorable angles and poor blocks. The Jaguars need a player that can stir the drink on the defensive line and they may envision Melvin Ingram as their own version of Von Miller.

8. Miami Selects QB Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M

There is much debate about what the Dolphins will do at this pick. While continuing to mock Tannehill to the Dolphins knowing Jeff Ireland’s history has the feel of the band continuing to play on as the Titanic sank into the ocean, I will keep this pick the way it has been for months. The opportunity to take a player that scouts have a consensus on as the third best quarterback in the Draft, a guy that notches all of the prototypes for size, arm strength, accuracy, feet, ability to make plays when the play breaks down, not to mention 4.5 speed, and oh by the way he was coached in a pro style west coast offense by your current offensive coordinator…what am I missing? The simple combination of size, arm strength, the quickest release in the Draft, accuracy, feet and ability to beat pressure when it comes in at you makes it almost unfathomable that this player could ever burn out of the league like some of the magnificent first round busts of years past.

9. Carolina Selects DT Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State

The biggest need on the Carolina Panthers’ defense is as the tackle position and the team should have recognized that when their pair of rookie tackles got hurt and they replaced them with veterans, and the defense magically improved.  If you can’t stop the run, you don’t get chances to pass rush. If you can’t generate push up the middle, your pass rushers can be contained. Fletcher Cox can help the team do both.

10. Buffalo Selects OT Riley Reiff, Iowa

Buddy Nix typically marches to the beat of his own drum and he is not particularly concerned over what is considered a reach and what is not. I believe he sees a long term left tackle in Riley Reiff and he will take him even as high as No.10 overall.

11. Kansas City Selects LB Luke Kuechly, Boston College

This is tricky because I have wanted to mock Kuechly to the Seattle Seahawks one pick later for months and months. However, there is a buzz building that the Seahawks may not get the opportunity. Scott Pioli can be tough to figure out sometimes but he did take Jerod Mayo this high once and Kuechly is a far better college player than Mayo was at Tennessee.

12. Seattle Selects DE Quinton Coples, North Carolina

The Seattle Seahawks could use a pass rusher opposite Chris Clemons.  They haven’t quite gotten there yet with some of their other value pickups. I believe Pete Carroll will love Coples’ natural ability and be confident that he can get more out of him than North Carolina could with all the turmoil the program went through while Coples was there.

13. Arizona Selects G/T David DeCastro, Arizona

This is a pick I have had pegged for months and I see no reason to come off it. DeCastro could play right tackle for the Cardinals and could help them tremendously on offense.

14. Dallas Selects SS Mark Barron, Alabama

I do not project trades in my mock drafts, generally speaking. For some reason, it appears the Cowboys have got it bad for Mark Barron. They certainly have a need at the position. One way or another I expect them to end up with him, even if they have to manipulate the Draft to do it.

15. Philadelphia Selects DT Michael Brockers, LSU

The Philadelphia Eagles covet defensive tackles in this Draft and even though part of me wants to give them Dontari Poe, I believe they will go with the more proven Brockers.

16. New York Jets Selects DE Chandler Jones, Syracuse

This could be the first big surprise of the Draft as Rex Ryan takes a guy that can help his defensive front be what he wants it to be. He has privately complained about his defensive front, and I believe that in Chandler Jones the Jets may see a player that will not just rush the passer by being fast, but can physically dominate while also having the loose hips to be used creatively.

17. Cincinnati Selects CB Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina

Some will tell me this pick is too low for Stephon Gilmore. They may be right. But the Cincinnati Bengals may also manipulate their Draft so that they can go up and get Gilmore. The NFL is absolutely nuts about these lengthy corners that can move and accelerate like controlled by an Xbox controller. I take some issue with Gilmore’s ability to play the ball in the air while in man coverage. However he can work on that skill at the next level.

18. San Diego Selects OT Cordy Glenn, Georgia

The Chargers’ offensive line is quickly deteriorating and I believe it took a toll on Phil Rivers in 2011 as he did not play anywhere close to his usual standards. You could see them steer toward this tackle that Courtney Upshaw described as the best he ever faced.

19. Chicago Selects DT Dontari Poe, Memphis

Dontari Poe’s combination of size, strength and athleticism make him perfect as a disruptive defensive tackle in Chicago’s system. His get-off from the line is unfair in a player that big. I realize he did not play particularly well at Memphis but he is a moldable piece of clay that has enormous athletic potential.

20. Tennessee Selects DE Nick Perry, USC

That the Titans covet a pass rusher is not necessarily unknown or unpredictable. The question is, which one? In this, I am going to go with the highly athletic and compelling Perry, who could be the team’s primary pass rusher for many years.

21. Cincinnati Selects WR Michael Floyd

Again, this may seem too high for Michael Floyd. However, I believe teams will be scared off by the alcohol history. There have been rumors of him failing to impress during interviews. Substance abuse is a serious issue. The mere whiff of a hint of a rumor of Ryan Mallett’s history with substance abuse caused him to tailspin all the way into the third round a year ago. However, if there’s one thing Mike Brown loves, it is picking up value players that fall for non-football reasons.

22. Cleveland Selects QB Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State

I do not know if the Browns will take Weeden at No.22 overall, but I believe one way or another they end up with him, even if they have to trade up from No.37 overall back into the first round in order to be sure some other team does not try and beat them to the punch. Since I do not project trades, I will go ahead and link player to team here at No.22 overall.

23. Detroit Selects DE Whitney Mercilus, Illinois

The Detroit Lions could covet a pass rusher to play opposite Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden Bosch is clearly starting to slide into the back end of his career. Mercilus fits their style of all-out penetration and speed at the end positions.

24. Pittsburgh Selects CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama

There is a movement to have Dre Kirkpatrick falling out of the first round altogether. I do not know if I buy that. I think his combination of size and physicality will particularly appeal to a team like the Steelers, who covet those attributes in their corners.

25. Denver Selects OC Peter Konz, Wisconsin

The Broncos need a better center to protect Peyton Manning. The team has a lot invested in Manning, and Jeff Saturday did not come with him from the Colts. I do not believe Peyton can trust J.D. Walton to be his second pair of eyes in spotting the defense’s blitz schemes.

26. Houston Selects OT Jonathan Martin, Stanford

The Texans need another receiver, however with the loss of Eric Winston on the offensive line, they arguably need a tackle even more. Martin would seem a good fit in the Texans’ zone scheme, although one could argue that Martin is not valuable enough to be picked this high.

27. New England Selects DE Courtney Upshaw, Alabama

Courtney Upshaw may slide down the board on draft day, but I have a tough time believing he would slide beyond Bill Belichick’s picks in the first round. Belichick has a special relationship with Nick Saban and Saban will personally vouch for Upshaw. Belichick will have as good an idea how to use a player with Upshaw’s natural violence and instincts for angles as any other coach in the NFL.

28. Green Bay Selects DT Kendall Reyes, Connecticut

This pick is a little dicey but it fits what the Packers need very badly on defense. Yes, they could use an extra pass rusher. However they had nobody on the defensive line outside of B.J. Raji and even he did not have a good year because there was nobody around him. The Packers need to strengthen their terrible defense up front.

29. Baltimore Selects LB Dont'a Hightower, Alabama

The Ravens need to start thinking a little more seriously about life after Ray Lewis. They have gotten away with playing linebackers like Dannell Ellerbe and Jameel McClain, but that can’t last. Hightower is a versatile player that can even play a role similar to the one manned by Jarrett Johnson before he defected via free agency. Eventually, he could take over for Lewis.

30. San Francisco Selects OG Amini Silatolu, Midwestern State

The secret is out that the 49ers are looking toward the best available guard prospect in the late first round, and I believe they will rate Amini Silatolu ahead of Kevin Zeitler or Brandon Brooks.

31. New England Selects WR Stephen Hill, Georgia Tech

With the Denver Broncos, Josh McDaniels selected another Georgia Tech wide receiver with enormous physical gifts, even if he had not been taught the full route tree. He determined that Thomas’ big play ability outweighed his lack of experience. He has since watched as Thomas caught fire late in the 2011 season, and into the playoffs. This could translate into the Patriots reproducing that experiment, hoping for similar success.

32. New York Giants Selects WR Kendall Wright, Baylor

The Giants need to replace Mario Mannningham and may find a player available that they had not considered to be available to them.

Round Two (Day Two)

33. St. Louis Selects RB Doug Martin

34. Indianapolis Selects TE Coby Fleener

35. Minnesota Selects DT Devon Still

36. Tampa Bay Selects LB Mychal Kendricks

37. Cleveland Selects WR Rueben Randle

38. Jacksonville Selects OG Kevin Zeitler

39. St. Louis Selects OT Kelechi Osemele

40. Carolina Selects CB Janoris Jenkins

41. Buffalo Selects CB Alfonzo Dennard

42. Miami Selects DE Vinny Curry

43. Seattle Selects QB Brock Osweiler

44. Kansas City Selects CB Josh Robinson

45. Dallas Selects OG Brandon Brooks

46. Philadelphia Selects OT Bobby Massie

47. New York Jets Selects OT Mike Adams

48. New England Selects LB Shea McClellin

49. San Diego Selects TE Dwayne Allen

50. Chicago Selects DE Andre Branch

51. Philadelphia Selects DT Jerel Worthy

52. Tennessee Selects LB Bobby Wagner

53. Cincinnati Selects WR Alshon Jeffery

54. Detroit Selects CB Jayron Hosley

55. Atlanta Selects DT Brandon Thompson

56. Pittsburgh Selects LB Zach Brown

57. Denver Selects RB David Wilson

58. Houston Selects DE Jared Crick

59. Green Bay Selects OT Jeff Allen

60. Baltimore Selects OG Philip Blake

61. San Francisco Selects NT Alameda Ta'amu

62. New England Selects DT Billy Winn

63. New York Giants Selects SS Harrison Smith

Round Three (Day Two)

64. Indianapolis Selects CB Jamell Fleming

65. St. Louis Selects CB Trumaine Johnson

66. Minnesota Selects LB James-Michael Johnson

67. Cleveland Selects LB Ronnell Lewis

68. Tampa Bay Selects FS Markelle Martin

69. Washington Selects OT Mitchell Schwartz

70. Jacksonville Selects WR Mohamed Sanu

71. Buffalo Selects QB Kirk Cousins

72. Miami Selects WR Chris Givens

73. Miami Selects TE Michael Egnew

74. Kansas City Selects FS George Iloka

75. Seattle Selects DE Cam Johnson

76. Houston Selects OT Zebrie Sanders

77. New York Jets Selects WR Juron Criner

78. San Diego Selects SS Brandon Taylor

79. Chicago Selects DT Kheeston Randall

80. Arizona Selects WR Greg Childs

81. Dallas Selects CB Brandon Boykin

82. Tennessee Selects LB Sean Spence

83. Cincinnati Selects TE Orson Charles

84. Atlanta Selects CB Dwight Bentley

85. Detroit Selects OG James Brown

86. Pittsburgh Selects CB Ron Brooks

87. Denver Selects NT Mike Martin

88. Philadelphia Selects RB Bernard Pierce

89. New Orleans Selects DE Malik Jackson

90. Green Bay Selects RB Lamar Miller

91. Baltimore Selects RB Isaiah Pead

92. San Francisco Selects CB Casey Hayward

93. New England Selects WR Ryan Broyles

94. New York Giants Selects RB Robert Turbin

95. Oakland Selects DE Tyrone Crawford

Round Four (Day Three)

96. St. Louis Selects RB LaMichael James

97. Indianapolis Selects WR Nick Toon

98. Minnesota Selects CB Trevin Wade

99. Houston Selects LB Tank Carder

100. Cleveland Selects OT Brandon Mosley

101. Jacksonville Selects LB Nigel Bradham

102. Washington Selects LB Audie Cole

103. Miami Selects WR Devon Wylie

104. Carolina Selects OG Donald Stephenson

105. Buffalo Selects OT Tony Bergstrom

106. Seattle Selects OT Tom Compton

107. Kansas City Selects OG Brandon Washington

108. Denver Selects OG Senio Kelemete

109. Washington Selects OC Ben Jones

110. San Diego Selects RB Chris Polk

111. Chicago Selects OT Andrew Datko

112. Arizona Selects OG Lucas Nix

113. Dallas Selects TE Ladarius Green

114. Philadelphia Selects QB Russell Wilson

115. Tennessee Selects FS Trenton Robinson

116. Cincinnati Selects WR Brian Quick

117. Detroit Selects SS Antonio Allen

118. Cleveland Selects CB Chase Minnifield

119. Pittsburgh Selects LB Josh Kaddu

120. Denver Selects CB Omar Bolden

121. Houston Selects TE Chase Ford

122. New Orleans Selects DT Marcus Fortson

123. Green Bay Selects LB Jake Bequette

124. Buffalo Selects LB Travis Lewis

125. San Francisco Selects DE Derek Wolfe

126. New England Selects SS Winston Guy

127. New York Giants Selects OT Matt McCants

128. Minnesota Selects WR Marvin Jones

129. Oakland Selects TE Drake Dunsmore

130. Baltimore Selects LB Kyle Wilbur

131. New York Giants Selects LB Terrell Manning

132. Green Bay Selects OC Michael Brewster

133. Green Bay Selects FS Aaron Henry

134. Minnesota Selects OT Desmond Wynn

135. Dallas Selects SS Duke Ihenacho

Round Five (Day Three)

136. Indianapolis Selects DT Jaye Howard

137. Denver Selects QB B.J. Coleman

138. Minnesota Selects SS Eddie Pleasant

139. Cleveland Selects OG Josh LeRibeus

140. Tampa Bay Selects RB Ronnie Hillman

141. Washington Selects CB Shawn Prater

142. Jacksonville Selects CB Josh Norman

143. Carolina Selects WR Tommy Streeter

144. Buffalo Selects TE Evan Rodriguez

145. Miami Selects OT Jeff Adams

146. Kansas City Selects CB Ryan Lindley

147. Buffalo Selects OG Quentin Saulsberry

148. Oakland Selects FS Janzen Jackson

149. San Diego Selects OG Ryan Miller

150. Chicago Selects OG Jaymes Brooks

151. Arizona Selects CB Coryell Judie

152. Dallas Selects LB Jerry Franklin

153. Philadelphia Selects WR Rishard Matthews

154. New York Jets Selects DT Brett Roy

155. Tennessee Selects TE DeAngelo Peterson

156. Cincinnati Selects OG Rishaw Johnson

157. Atlanta Selects DE Olivier Vernon

158. Detroit Selects FS Brandon Hardin

159. Pittsburgh Selects QB Nick Foles

160. Cleveland Selects WR Chris Rainey

161. Houston Selects CB Leonard Johnson

162. New Orleans Selects LB Demario Davis

163. Green Bay Selects QB Chandler Harnish

164. Baltimore Selects OT Levy Adcock

165. San Francisco Selects DE Tim Fugger

166. Cincinnati Selects SS Sean Cattouse

167. New York Giants Selects DT Hebron Fangupo

168. Oakland Selects CB Ryan Steed

169. Baltimore Selects WR Joe Adams

Round Six (Day Three)

170. Indianapolis Selects TE Taylor Thompson

171. St. Louis Selects OG Joe Looney

172. Philadelphia Selects WR T.Y. Hilton

173. Washington Selects OG Adam Gettis

174. Tampa Bay Selects DT DaJohn Harris

175. Minnesota Selects TE Adrien Robinson

176. Jacksonville Selects LB Emmanuel Acho

177. Arizona Selects LB Miles Burris

178. Buffalo Selects DE Bruce Irvin

179. New Orleans Selects CB Micah Pellerin

180. Carolina Selects DE Trevor Guyton

181. Seattle Selects SS Cyhl Quarles

182. Kansas City Selects LB Noah Keller

183. San Diego Selects WR Dwight Jones

184. Chicago Selects CB Charles Brown

185. Arizona Selects LB Chris Galippo

186. Dallas Selects DT Akiem Hicks

187. New York Jets Selects CB Asa Jackson

188. Denver Selects LB Alex Hoffman-Ellis

189. Oakland Selects OT Nate Potter

190. Tennessee Selects TE Kevin Koger

191. Cincinnati Selects QB Austin Davis

192. Atlanta Selects TE Josh Chichester

193. Pittsburgh Selects OT Matt Reynolds

194. Philadelphia Selects TE Garrett Celek

195. Houston Selects OG David Molk

196. Miami Selects FS Tavon Wilson

197. Green Bay Selects CB DeQuan Menzie

198. Baltimore Selects WR Marvin McNutt

199. San Francisco Selects OG Al Netter

200. Philadelphia Selects DE Jonathan Massaquoi

201. New York Giants Selects OT Markus Zusevics

202. New York Jets Selects RB Michael Smith

203. New York Jets Selects CB Chris Greenwood

204. Cleveland Selects DT Travian Robertson

205. Cleveland Selects OT Lamar Holmes

206. Indianapolis Selects FB Emil Igwenagu

207. Carolina Selects CB Larry Parker

Round Seven (Day Three)

208. Indianapolis Selects DE Jamie Blatnick

209. St. Louis Selects SS Matt Daniels

210. Minnesota Selects RB Cyrus Gray

211. Cleveland Selects CB Donnie Fletcher

212. Tampa Bay Selects LB Keenan Robinson

213. Washington Selects OG Antoine McClain

214. Indianapolis Selects FS Neiko Thorpe

215. Miami Selects OG Garth Gerhart

216. Carolina Selects DT Tydreke Powell

217. Buffalo Selects DT Micanor Regis

218. Kansas City Selects WR Dale Moss

219. Detroit Selects WR Keshawn Martin

220. Chicago Selects DT Markus Kuhn

221. Arizona Selects LB Adrien Cole

222. Dallas Selects WR Jarius Wright

223. Minnesota Selects DE Frank Alexander

224. Green Bay Selects CB Keith Tandy

225. Seattle Selects WR Chris Owusu

226. San Diego Selects WR LaVon Brazill

227. Tennessee Selects WR Junior Hemingway

228. Jacksonville Selects SS Kelcie McCray

229. Atlanta Selects WR Danny Coale

230. Detroit Selects DE Jacquies Smith

231. Pittsburgh Selects WR Eric Page

232. New York Jets Selects CB Mike Harris

233. Houston Selects RB Tauren Poole

234. New Orleans Selects QB G.J. Kinne

235. Green Bay Selects FS Christian Thompson

236. Baltimore Selects QB Aaron Corp

237. San Francisco Selects OT Chandler Burden

238. Kansas City Selects LB Brandon Lindsey

239. New York Giants Selects QB Case Keenum

240. Pittsburgh Selects TE Brian Linthicum

241. Green Bay Selects OG Derek Dennis

242. New York Jets Selects TE Brad Herman

243. Green Bay Selects RB Edwin Baker

244. New York Jets Selects LB Tahir Whitehead

245. Cleveland Selects FB Brad Smelley

246. Pittsburgh Selects DE Scott Solomon

247. Cleveland Selects LB Braylon Broughton

248. Pittsburgh Selects OG Rokevious Watkins

249. Atlanta Selects QB Darron Thomas

250. San Diego Selects RB Dan Herron

251. Buffalo Selects OC William Vlachos

252. St. Louis Selects SS Johnny Thomas

253. Indianapolis Selects CB Coty Sensabaugh