2012 NFL Draft Projections: Landing Spots for This Year's Top Corners

As the NFL continues its current paradigm shift away from the run and toward pass-heavy offenses, it becomes more and more clear that you can never have too many talented cornerbacks.

As in year's past, the 2012 Draft will see several cornerbacks selected in the fist round. But how many will be selected? Who will end up where, and why?

Questions, so many questions. Let's get to the answers.

No. 4: Indianapolis Colts—Morris Claiborne, LSU

I think I'm one of the few people that feel the Colts should consider trading the right to draft Andrew Luck for a boatload of draft picks, keep Peyton Manning and select a quarterback later in the draft.

Though Cleveland Browns fans have disagreed with me, I think the Browns are in position to make a move for Luck. They could potentially trade their fourth and 26th picks in the first round, along with their second and fourth round pick this year and first and second round picks next year.

It's a lot to give, but Luck is a lot to get in return. He would give the Browns a face of the franchise they've lacked for years.

Finally, I think in this scenario, the Redskins will trade up to the No. 2 selection to snag Robert Griffin III.

All this leads to the Colts—who could really use a talented cornerback—drafting LSU stud Morris Claiborne.

(If all of my crazy trades don't happen, I would expect Claiborne to only drop one spot to Tampa Bay with the fifth pick.)

No. 7: Jacksonville Jaguars—Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama

Jacksonville would love to give Blaine Gabbert some help and snag one of the two top wide receiver prospects, Justin Blackmon or Alshon Jeffery.

But there's a very strong possibility that neither will be on the board when Jacksonville picks, and the Jaguars could certainly do worse than to select Kirkpatrick from Alabama.

After a season in which they saw an incredible amount of defensive backs hit the IR, adding a player like Kirkpatrick who would probably come into camp as a starter would provide stability at the position.

No. 17: Cincinnati Bengals—Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina

With the first of the draft picks they got from the Oakland Raiders in the Carson Palmer trade, the Bengals will add the talented Gilmore to pair with Leon Hall, giving the Bengals the formidable one-two punch at corner they lost when Jonathan Joseph left for the Houston Texans via free agency.

Gilmore will instantly upgrade a unit that was forced to turn to the aging Nate Clements and the erratic Adam Jones.

No. 27: New England Patriots—Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska

The Patriots were pretty porous against the pass this year, finishing 31st in pass yards allowed.

They could use some help at the cornerback position, and the steady senior for Nebraska fits the bill.

No. 29: New York Giants—Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama

Lost in the shuffle of the Giants' defensive rebirth is the fact that the defense could use, at the very least, additional depth at the cornerback position.

Certainly they could use an infusion of talent at the position.

Jenkins brings a whole lot of talent, and for all of the questions about his off-the-field issues, (he was dismissed from Florida after being arrested on two occasions for marijuana possession) Tom Coughlin and the veteran Giants locker room could show the young man the ropes.

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