NFL Draft 2012: Top Storylines to Watch as April's Draft Approaches

The NFL draft will be here before we know it. Between now and then, a lot of questions are going to be asked. Some will be answered before the draft, while we'll have to wait to know the answers on others.

These are some of the top questions that will have the intrigue of the NFL and its fans before going into the draft. Keep an eye on these questions as the draft gets closer.

When will quarterback No. 3 go?

In the last mock draft that I did, I had Andrew Luck going No. 1 to the Colts, and Robert Griffin III going No. 6 to the Redskins. It's going to take something like a trade for me to back off of that, and absolutely nothing will change the fact that those will be the first two taken.

But what about the elusive third quarterback? Who will he be, and where will he go? It's not impossible that a quarterback like Nick Foles (Arizona) or Ryan Tannehill (Texas A&M) could sneak into the first round, but it's highly unlikely. 

It's certainly noteworthy to have a draft where only two quarterbacks will go in the first round. After Luck and Griffin go, it will be fun to see how teams position themselves for the next group of signal callers.

What will the Broncos do?

While we're on the subject of quarterbacks, no football discussion would be complete without a little Tim Tebow talk. The Broncos have a decision to make. What are they going to do with Tim Tebow? The team's record has improved over him, but his passing ability leaves a lot to be desired.

So, will they bring in a quarterback to pressure him in Training Camp, or will the job be Tebow's with no dispute going into 2011? This is something to keep an eye on through the playoffs. The performance of Tebow and the Broncos will tell us a lot.

My prediction is that they will take a quarterback, but some time after the first two rounds. The job will be Tebow's in 2012.

What will the Colts do with Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck?

There's no way around the fact that the Colts have the No. 1 pick, and Andrew Luck is far and away the top player available. There's also no getting around the fact that the Colts have Peyton Manning under contract. 

Will the Colts try to move this pick? If so, what team will pay the ransom for it? What will that ransom be? 

If the Colts keep the pick, what do they do with Manning? Even though he's old and just missed a season, this is Peyton Manning we're talking about. Best guess is that they will part with Manning at some point and rebuild with Luck.

Who will be the first WR taken after Justin Blackmon?

Between Michael Floyd and Alshon Jeffery, there's plenty of star power at the position. If you're focusing on who had the better year, it's Floyd. If you're looking at who will have the more impressive combine stats, it's Jeffery. 

The combines are often overblown by scouts and coaches around draft day, so look for Jeffery to go surprisingly high. Floyd will go somewhere in the middle of the first round. Another name to keep an eye on is Kendall Wright. He's undersized, but an explosive target that will thrive at combine drills. 

Where will the top running backs be taken?

Trent Richardson is a top-10 pick, while Lamar Miller will go in the second half of the first round. But after that, there are some intriguing names. 

Chris Polk is a name that could easily slide into the first round. The same could be said about LaMichael James. According to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian, James will enter the draft.

Look for James to fall and be an absolute steal. His size and injury history this season will keep teams away, but James is a playmaking back that reminds me a lot of Darren Sproles.

Polk is a little bigger, and I like him to slide into the first round. Of the two, James will have the better pro career.  

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