2012 NFL Mock Draft: 1st-Round Picks Guaranteed to Be Big Busts

The 2012 NFL draft is not only one of the most important days in the lives of the young men drafted, it is a huge day for each and every NFL franchise.

This is the day futures are built and the day legacies are secured. Coaches have been made and broken on this day, and taking the draft lightly will only hurt the organization those coaches work for in the long run.

While many coaches excel in this area, first-round busts are a common problem each season and some of the following teams will face that sad truth this season.

1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14): Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Early comparisons are to Peyton Manning. As hard as those expectations are to match, the talent level Luck already has and the fact the he will be heading to the Colts will bring the comparisons to fruition.

2. St. Louis Rams (2-14): Matt Kalil, OT, USC

Flat out, one of the best offensive line prospects of the last 10 years. Kalil could be a Ram for 15 years, that’s how consistent he is.

3. Minnesota Vikings (3-13): Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

The Minnesota Vikings have one of the best defensive line/run defense combinations in the NFL, but their secondary could be the worst in the league. Morris Claiborne is good enough to become the defensive face of that franchise.

4. Cleveland Browns (4-12): Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

With all signs pointing to Peyton Hillis’ departure, the Browns will take the best running back out of college over the last three seasons.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12): Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

With Ronde Barber getting to the end of his road and plenty of turnover in the Buccaneers secondary, the drafting of Dre Kirkpatrick will secure the cornerback spot for a long time.

6. Washington Redskins (5-11): Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

The first bust of the draft will come courtesy of the Baylor Bears when Mike Shanahan and the goons he has working for him spend the No. 6 pick on Robert Griffin III.

As good as his season was with winning the AP Player of the Year and the Heisman, Griffin is not the kind of quarterback teams will want at the NFL level. He is like another Blaine Gabbert.

Griffin’s passing abilities are not as deadly as everybody has made them out to be and his threat of running will mean nothing at the NFL level. This move will have Shanahan fired within two seasons.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11): Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Speaking of Blaine Gabbert, if the Jacksonville Jaguars want to give their young quarterback a chance to succeed in the NFL, they have to get him protection and they have to get him targets. Simple as that.

8. Carolina Panthers (6-10)*: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

Ron Rivera loves himself some defensive studs, and that’s exactly what he will get when the Panthers take defensive lineman Devon Still. Still will work great next to Charles Johnson and in front of Jon Beason.

9. Miami Dolphins (6-10)*: Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

To perfectly honest, if I were in charge of the Miami Dolphins, I would give Matt Moore the chance to be the starting quarterback of the team next season.

Instead of taking a clearly overrated Landry Jones and having him turn into the inevitable bust he will become, let Moore get an offseason with the new coaching staff and see how he does.

While he may not be the youngest QB in the NFL, Moore showed he has good talent and all those years on the bench keep you healthy. Moore > Jones.

10. Buffalo Bills (6-10): Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

There is no question for the Buffalo Bills in the first round; if Ryan Fitzpatrick is your QB of the future, protect him. Riley Reiff will do that in Buffalo for 13 seasons at least.

11. Seattle Seahawks (7-9)*: Nick Perry, DE, USC

There are plenty of issues for the Seahawks to address this season. While I feel that defensive end is not one of the biggest concerns for the Seahawks, Nick Perry is a stud and will be a great addition.

12. Kansas City Chiefs (7-9)*: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

After being one of the most consistent tackles in college football over the last few seasons, protecting Andrew Luck, Jonathan Martin will be taken by Kansas City to protect the fragile Matt Cassel.

13. Arizona Cardinals (8-8): Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

Melvin Ingram is one of the best defensive end prospects in this draft and Arizona needs a serious pass-rusher. Perfect fit.

14. Dallas Cowboys (8-7): Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

There is no better linebacker this season coming out in the draft than Luke Kuechly, and the Dallas Cowboys need a linebacker in a bad way. Eagles take him with the next pick if he slips.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8): Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

With Philadelphia having enough talent to make it to the Super Bowl but not even making the playoffs, there will be pressure to make the right move in the 2012 draft.

Andy Reid’s response? He will draft a tall wide receiver to replace DeSean Jackson and his childish antics. BAD MOVE!

As good as Michael Floyd is, he is not the difference-maker a team needs to get at the No. 15 spot and the Eagles have plenty of issues to address. I’m looking at you, offensive line and linebackers.

16. New York Jets (8-8): Quinton Coples, DE/DT, UNC

As much as New York jets fans don’t want to hear it, Rex Ryan is taking the best defensive player available in Quinton Coples. That means another year of Mark Sanchez.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (via OAK 8-8): David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

With Oakland trading away their livelihood to acquire Carson Palmer, the Bengals have a great opportunity to improve their young offense. The best way to get the most out of a young quarterback will be to protect him with the best guard in the entry draft.

18. San Diego Chargers (8-8): Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

While I felt the biggest flaw in the San Diego Chargers game was the lack of a player at Darren Sproles' level, the Chargers secondary was terrible and Alfonzo Dennard is the man to fix that.

19. Chicago Bears (8-8): Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

Jay Cutler needs protection. Wisconsin’s Peter Konz is the best center. Enough said.

20. Tennessee Titans (9-7): Vontaze Burfict, LB, ASU

The Tennessee Titans would be smart if they went in a different direction with this pick because the team has shown it handles controversy poorly. And Vontaze Burfict will stir the pot.

There are plenty of off-the-field issues to contend with here, but plenty of on-the-field talent to make the decision tough.

The best comparison I could make to Burfict wouldn’t be from the NFL. The former Arizona State Sun Devil will be the NFL’s equivalent of troubled NBA star DeMarcus Cousins.

21. Detroit Lions (10-6): Janoris Jenkins, CB, Florida

The Detroit Lions are in the perfect position to steal one of the best cornerbacks in the 2012 draft with Janoris Jenkins and fill a need that lost them a few games this season.

22. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7): Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

It will be hard to convince the Bengals management they can’t get the same kind of production free-agent-to-be Cedric Benson that you could out of a rookie like Lamar Miller. The Bengals will continue the youth movement on offense.

23. Denver Broncos (8-8): Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

John Fox will continue his rebuilding process in Denver by drafting the kind of 4-3 tackle the Broncos missed this season. And Cox is one of the best.

24. Cleveland Browns (via ATL 10-6): Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina 

Imagine the Cleveland Browns taking a solid wide receiver here after taking Trent Richardson at No. 4. Browns fans would love it.

As fun as that sounds, that’s not the right way to build an organization. If Cleveland wants to be successful anytime soon, it needs to spend its second first-round pick on a position of greater need.

The Browns should be taking an offensive lineman or a front seven defensive player that can get to the quarterback. Any of those positions are at a greater need than wide receiver.

25. Houston Texans (10-6): Mark Barron, S, Alabama

Wade Phillips will continue his defensive transformation in Houston by filling an area of serious need with the best player at that position in the draft. Mark Barron will start every game for Houston this season.

26. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4): Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

Pittsburgh needs offensive linemen. Don’t believe me? Ask Ben Roethlisberger.

27. New York Giants (9-7): Zach Brown, OLB, UNC

As good as the defensive line is in New York, the Giants need a run-stopping outside linebacker that can also be responsible pass coverage and blitzing when needed. That’s where Zach Brown comes in.

28. New England Patriots (via NO 13-3): Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama

Another Bill Belichick draft pick. Not flashy but fills a need with a strong, efficient player with tons of upside.

29. Baltimore Ravens (12-4): Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama

The Baltimore Ravens taking a linebacker with Pro Bowl potential. Say it ain’t so.

30. San Francisco 49ers (13-3): Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor 

Another victim of the over-glorification of Robert Griffin III will be the San Francisco 49ers when they take the bait on wide receiver Kendall Wright.

With the team taking Michael Crabtree a few years ago and Wright possibly this season, the San Francisco 49ers are becoming the Matt Millen-run Lions of a few years back. Not good.

Instead of addressing their aging and mediocre secondary, they will add another receiver. This was a great plan.

31. New England Patriots (13-3): Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

The New England Patriots love finding a steal and they will get that when versatile wide receiver Mohamed Sanu falls to them at No. 31 in the 2012 draft.

32. Green Bay Packers (15-1): Chris Polk, RB, Washington

After winning another Super Bowl, the Green Bay Packers will finish the first round of the draft with the successor to Ryan Grant’s lineup spot with underrated Washington standout Chris Polk. This is another stellar move in a long line of Green Bay draft successes.

*Order determined by coin flip at NFL Scouting Combine

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