2012 NFL Mock Draft: Latest Projections with Colts, Rams Vying for Andrew Luck

Now that the Indianapolis Colts have won two straight, the St. Louis Rams having lost six straight and Matt Barkley returning to USC, all eyes are on how the first few picks of the 2012 NFL draft will pan out.

Not to mention these occurrences raise stock for prospects such as Baylor's Robert Griffin and Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon, among others.

So, who ends up going where? Well to say the least, teams needs are addressed.

St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR (Oklahoma State)

If the Rams decide not to trade down and get something for the No. 1 pick, Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon should be the pick.

Right now St. Louis has arguably the NFL's worst offense.

They can't move the ball effectively and when the chains are moved, the results have been minimal. Considering their 11.1 points per game average (ranks No. 32) and the offense gaining just 281.7 total yards per game (rank No. 31), they really need some help.

Blackmon plays for one of the most prolific offenses in college football and is the focal point of Oklahoma State. In accounting for over 3,000 receiving yards the past two seasons, he is an ideal selection for St. Louis.

Other than Brandon Lloyd they have no established receiving targets. So naturally, a defense will double team Lloyd and stack the box to stop RB Steven Jackson. With Blackmon out wide, that opens up the playbook, derives attention from Lloyd and Jackson, and forces a defense to not blitz as much.

Simple as it may appear, it's amazing how one player can have such an affect on a team game.

Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB (Stanford)

Regardless of what the Colts do in this draft, they must get Andrew Luck.

And regardless of what happens with Peyton Manning, they need a QB to take his place one day so again, draft Andrew Luck.

Worst case-scenario is that the two-time Heisman Trophy finalist sits behind Manning for a few years and learns to transition into the NFL at a gradual pace.

We tend to forget that sitting a star rookie prospect is not a bad idea. Obviously with the numbers put up by Cam Newton this season starting a rookie from day one isn't the wrong choice either. However, Newton didn't have someone like Peyton Manning to learn from.

Like Steve Young from Joe Montana and Aaron Rodgers from Brett Favre, watching and learning from a legend can only benefit the next guy in line.

In order for the Colts to take advantage of the opportunity in front of them, they will reload as opposed to rebuild whenever Andrew Luck becomes the starter. As for his abilities, Luck is more mobile than Manning, has the potential to be just as accurate and has just as strong of an arm.

The receiving core is already solid and well-established as are their RBs. The offensive line protects well, so all that's missing is the general under center.

Cleveland Browns: Michael Floyd, WR (Notre Dame)

Although it would not be surprising to see the Cleveland Browns trade down once again, they need a standout WR a lot more than a new QB.

Colt McCoy has thrown for over 2,700 yards with 14 TDs to 11 picks however, he's been sacked 32 times and his targets have not been sure-handed.

Also, none of the Browns WRs are good enough to beat single coverage on a consistent basis and none can really stretch the field. If Cleveland can get a guy like Michael Floyd lined up outside, that takes a lot of pressure off everyone else.

With their current receiving core, Greg Little can be a solid No. 2 opposite of Floyd and Mohamed Massaquoi is a decent No. 3. Add in Josh Cribbs at the slot with Peyton Hillis in the backfield and the Browns can become dangerous.

Not to mention the offensive line can get healthy.

In turn Floyd adds depth. Currently he holds virtually every Notre Dame receiving record (271 receptions for 3,686 yards and 37 TDs) ahead of guys like Tim Brown, Jeff Samardzija and Golden Tate, so the numbers are there.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Alshon Jeffery, WR (South Carolina)

It's definitely reasonable to argue that the Jacksonville Jaguars should draft Robert Griffin/trade up to get him and replace Blaine Gabbert.

For one, Gabbert has not taken advantage of defenses when stacked up in the box to stop RB Maurice Jones-Drew. And yet since defenses couldn't stop MJD, there's also not much of a reason to throw is there?

Include the Jaguars lack of talent, depth and reliability at the WR position and it's no surprise that Gabbert struggled when dropping back. That being said, we got to at least give him one threatening target to see if he can develop.

We know MJD is going to roll on the ground no matter what, so Jacksonville needs to take some pressure away from him and bring in South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery. The man stands at 6'4" and weighs 230 pounds, so first thought is a fade route.

MJD is good enough to get the Jags' near and/or inside the red-zone, but with defenses tightening when backed up, it's harder to pound the rock. The fade route with Jeffery on the outside opens up the playbook and the Jaguars will score more.

How much more depends on Gabbert's development. Blaine is not Cam Newton (and no one is), so another year is needed to make a more fair and objective assessment. Give him a receiver who accounted for over 1,500 yards and averaged over 17 yards per reception in 2010 and there will be improvements.

Alshon's numbers are down in 2011 (614 yards on 45 catches) because South Carolina doesn't have a legit QB under center, as well a suffering ground game with Marcus Lattimore being out.

Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin, QB (Baylor)

Whether the Redskins trade up to get him or risk the chance of Robert Griffin dropping to them, Washington needs him, badly.

We know neither Rex Grossman nor John Beck is the long-term answer, so a QB like RG3 is needed.

On Thursday, Griffin led Baylor to another win (10-3 season) and accounted for 350 total yards and two TDs. Not his most insanely productive day but that gives him a total of almost 4,300 passing, 700 rushing, and 47 total TDs this season.

Without Griffin Baylor would be lucky to get bowl eligible. The man threw just six picks all season, had a completion percentage of 72.4 percent and sliced every defense he faced. Perhaps even more impressive was that he never threw more than eight picks in a single college season.

In our nation's capital, Griffin will have a solid defense backing him up as well as a capable rushing attack. He's a true pocket-passer that happens to be a great scrambler, almost Steve Young-esque.

Let's put it this way, if he made the Baylor Bears a relevant college football program, the Heisman Trophy winner can remove the Washington Redskins from the depths of the NFC East, arguably the NFL's worst division.

2012 First-Round NFL Mock Draft

1. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR (Oklahoma State)	17. New York Jets: Brandon Thompson, DE (Clemson)
2. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB (Stanford)	18. Tennessee Titans: Kendall Wright, WR (Baylor)
3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT (USC)	19. Cincinnati (From OAK): Riley Reiff, OT (Iowa)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Trent Richardson, RB (Alabama)	20. Dallas Cowboys: Chase Minnifield, CB (UVA)
5. Cleveland Browns: Michael Floyd, WR (Notre Dame)	21. New York Giants: Jonathan Martin, OT (Stanford)
6. Jacksonville Jaguars: Alshon Jeffery, WR (South Carolina)	22. Houston Texans: Devon Still, DT (Penn State)
7. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin, QB (Baylor)	23. Cincinnati Bengals: Jayron Hosley, CB (Virginia Tech)
8. Miami Dolphins: Morris Claiborne, CB (LSU)	24. Denver Broncos: Stephon Gilmore, CB (South Carolina)
9. Carolina Panthers: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB (Alabama)	25. Detroit Lions: Zach Brown, LB (UNC)
10. Kansas City Chiefs: David DeCastro, G (Stanford)	26. San Francisco 49ers: Mark Barron, S (Alabama)
11. Buffalo Bills: Alfonzo Dennard, CB (Nebraska)	27. Cleveland (From ATL): Vontaze Burfict, LB (ASU)
12. San Diego Chargers: Luke Kuechly, LB (Boston College)	28. Baltimore Ravens: Dont'a Hightower, LB (Alabama)
13. Philadelphia Eagles: Courtney Upshaw, LB (Alabama)	29. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Adams, OT (Ohio State)
14. Arizona Cardinals: Cordy Glenn, G (Georgia)	30. New England Patriots (From NO): Janoris Jenkins, CB (North Alabama)
15. Seattle Seahawks: Quinton Coples, DE (UNC)	31. New England Patriots: Cam Johnson, DE (UVA)
16. Chicago Bears: Nick Toon, WR (Wisconsin)	32. Green Bay Packers: Melvin Ingram, DE (South Carolina)

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