2012 NFL Draft Order: Why Top 5 Makes April Excitingly Unpredictable

David DanielsJun 7, 2018

Minus a Roger Goodell speech, the start of the 2012 NFL Draft will so be exciting that the first five picks should just be announced on their own day. In those first few picks, anything can happen.

Here are a few different scenarios of what could go down in picks one through five along with the complete order below.

No. 1 – Indianapolis Colts

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No matter who makes this selection, Andrew Luck must be the player taken. The Colts have three options at this spot. Indy can either turn the reins to the franchise over to Luck now and trade Peyton Manning, allow Luck to develop behind Manning for a couple of years or they can trade the pick.

Whatever ends up happening with Jim Caldwell will be a major clue to what direction the Colts are headed in. If they fire him, it’s more likely that they’ll blow up the team and start from scratch with Luck. If Caldwell keeps his job, though, Manning will most likely return as the starter.

No. 2 – St. Louis Rams

Besides Luck going first overall no matter what, this is the only pick inside the top five in which every single mock draft on the entire World Wide Web will agree on. St. Louis fields the worst pass-blocking offensive line in the NFL and has no other options but to take Matt Kalil out of USC.

No. 3 – Minnesota Vikings

Now this is where things get interesting. Because Matt Barkley returned to USC, there are only two remaining first-round-caliber quarterbacks and only one can’t-miss prospect in Robert Griffin III.

With the Cleveland Browns needing a quarterback at fourth overall, Minnesota’s phones will be ringing off the hook with calls from teams like the Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs.

If the Vikings choose to keep the pick, they will either upgrade Christian Ponder’s arsenal of weapons by selecting Justin Blackmon or attempt to fix their pitiful secondary with Morris Claiborne.

No. 4 – Cleveland Browns

Griffin is the dream selection here. They need a wide receiver more than a quarterback, but the Browns could easily get a solid target with their pick at the back end of the first round.

If Cleveland gets leapfrogged by another team swapping picks with the Vikings, though, they would be forced to choose from selecting Blackmon themselves or trading back for Landry Jones.

No. 5 – Washington Redskins

Washington’s biggest need by far is the quarterback position. Trent Richardson is the best available player and would be a major upgrade for the Skins at halfback, but he doesn’t fill one of the team’s many needs.

They are a candidate for trading up for Griffin, back for Jones…or trading for Manning if the Colts are dead-set on starting Luck from day one.

Yeah, get your popcorn ready.