2012 NFL Mock Draft: How Many Quarterbacks Will Go in the First Round?

Last April, we saw four quarterbacks—Cam Newton, Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder—go in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. This April, it's likely we see one or two less.

Our current 2012 mock draft has just two quarterbacks going in the first 32 picks, and they are the obvious names: Stanford's Andrew Luck and Baylor Robert Griffin III.

However, keep your eye on Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill as the draft draws closer. He is currently dealing with a foot injury that will require surgery and keep him out of Senior Bowl. Despite the injury, Tannehill has the kind of arm and sky-high potential that could make a team reach for him early.

Where might the two quarterbacks that we do have in the first round go? They are the obvious landing locations, too.

Luck is almost a lock to go to Indianapolis, as only a ransom sent Indy's way is going to pry them away from the No. 1 pick. If they stay there, Luck will be a Colt. 

We already knew about Luck, but Robert Griffin is the wild card in the whole deal.

There will be teams that deal heavily with the St. Louis Rams at No. 2 to get that pick, and it wouldn't be surprising to hear that Cleveland, Miami, Washington and Seattle are all making inquiries in St. Louis about what it would take to get the pick.

For the sake of clarity, though, let's assume that St. Louis stays put at No. 2 and takes a receiver. Where would Grifin's likely landing spot be? I'd say Cleveland.

The Browns have been non-commital to Colt McCoy this offseason, and they really have no reason to be. He was a third-round pick that wasn't expected to turn around the franchise.

Griffin, on the other hand, could. Skipping over an electric, franchising-changing quarterback like Griffin would be a hard sell to a fanbase that hasn't been a true winner in a long time.

1.  Indianapolis Colts—Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

2.  St. Louis Rams—Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

3.  Minnesota Vikings—Matt Kalil, OT, USC

4.  Cleveland Browns—Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

5.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers—Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

6.  Washington Redskins—Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

7.  Jacksonville Jaguars—Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa  

8.  Carolina Panthers—Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

9.  Miami Dolphins—Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

10.  Buffalo Bills—Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

11.  Kansas City Chiefs—Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

12.  Seattle Seahawks—Devon Still, DT, Penn State

13.  Arizona Cardinals—Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford 

14.  Dallas Cowboys—Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

15.  Philadelphia Eagles—Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College 

16.  New York Jets—Ronnell Lewis, LB, Oklahoma

17.  Cincinnati Bengals—Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

18.  San Diego Chargers—David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

19.  Chicago Bears—Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

20.  Tennessee Titans—Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

21.  Cincinnati Bengals—Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

22.  Cleveland Browns—Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State  

23.  Detroit Lions—Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

24.  Pittsburgh Steelers—Cordy Glenn, OL, Georgia

25.  Denver Broncos—Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

26.  New York Giants—Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama

27.  Houston Texans—Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis 

28.  Baltimore Ravens—Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

29.  New England Patriots—Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

30.  San Francisco 49ers—Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

31.  New England Patriots—Mark Barron, S, Alabama

32.  Green Bay Packers—Nick Perry, OLB, USC