2012 NFL Draft Order: Dallas Cowboys, 3 Teams Whose Mediocrity Will Cost Them

Unless a team improves to mediocrity from below average, it's never a good thing to be lumped in the middle.

As for the NFL Draft, that means a team not only missed the postseason, but is also not getting a top-10 pick. It's a double-whammy that really can cost a team the following season.

So, here are three teams that cost themselves by finishing 8-8 in 2011.

Dallas Cowboys (8-8)

Thanks to their .500 finish, the Dallas Cowboys get the No. 14 overall pick.

Last season the Cowboys finished 6-10 but finished 5-3 after a 1-7 start. This season, they were sitting nicely at 7-4 but finished 1-4, costing them a playoff berth and division title.

To that end, Dallas would have been better off throwing in the towel after beginning the season 3-4.

They would have gotten a top-10 pick and then could have really exploded onto the NFL scene in 2012. But they won four straight, and then once again the month of December ruined their season.

In the draft, Dallas needs to address the pass defense and pass protection for Tony Romo. Defensively, they'll most likely miss out on Morris Claiborne and Dre Kirkpatrick to boost the cornerback position. In turn, that'll leave either Alfonzo Dennard or Janoris Jenkins available.

Additionally, it wouldn't be a bad idea to take a guard or tackle to help out Romo. However, the pass defense is the more concern.

Although a guy like Jenkins is a solid pick, when you're missing out on two elite players at a position needed to improve, the Cowboys cost themselves a big time addition.

2012 looks better, but based on what we see from them virtually every year, don't believe it unless you see it.

New York Jets (8-8)

If there's a definition of a roller-coaster season, the 2011 New York Jets met those exact specifications.

They began 2-0, lost three straight, and then won three straight to reach 5-3 at the midway point. The Jets then lost two games in a row and won another three win a row to stand 8-5 in mid-December.

Closing out the year with three consecutive losses to finish 8-8, the Jets cost themselves another playoff berth and a chance to get over that AFC title game hump.

Well, they're also receiving the No. 16 overall pick and will likely miss out on a few top prospects that could significantly help boost their team.

With a weak ground game a solid offensive lineman like David DeCastro would have been clutch or Alabama's Trent Richardson to takeover for the underachieving Shonn Greene.

Maybe a wide receiver like Justin Blackmon or Michael Floyd to pair with Plaxico Burress since it would be a good idea to part ways with Santonio Holmes. Unfortunately, none of those guys will be available.

That said, addressing the the No. 13 ranked rush defense is a feasible decision. One reason why they rank rather high though, is because most of their games were against pass-oriented offenses.

Therefore, regardless of the matchup implications, opponents didn't run the ball against the Jets too often (451 rushing attempts against the Jets, ranked No. 21), however, Gang Green still allowed almost four yards per carry.

San Diego Chargers (8-8)

Maybe the Chargers shouldn't have made a late season surge.

They ended up with the No. 18 overall pick and after being just 4-7 through 11 games played, they should have packed it in. If so, the Bolts would be getting a top-10 pick for sure and quite possible even a top-five pick.

Well, that didn't happen, and San Diego finished the season 4-1 to get up to mediocrity. You can blame the AFC West for being such a weak division. Otherwise, the hopes of the Chargers winning the division would have been gone after the dismal start.

That being said, the pass defense ranked only No. 13 (allowed 224.4 per game) and the rush defense was No. 20 (allowed 122.2 per game). So, they need a linebacker who'll stop the run and play solid coverage underneath the secondary.

Now, that man could have been Boston College's Luke Kuechly, who's easily the best linebacker in the draft or they could have gone with a stud cornerback provided they had a high enough pick. Alabama's Courtney Upshaw is no slouch and will be a good player for them, but San Diego could have done better.

And we're talking close to top-five pick better.

2012 First-Round NFL Mock Draft

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

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