2012 NFL Mock Draft: Which Teams Need to Make a Big Splash in Round 1?

With Super Bowl weekend just around the corner, teams are starting to envision what it would feel like to be there. If they plan on making it anytime soon, they will need to start by making a big splash at this year's NFL draft.

There are going to be a lot of great players available in the first round, and teams will be looking to take whatever pieces they can to put themselves a step closer to going over the top.

Here is a breakdown of how the first round could turn out:

1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14)

The obvious pick here for the Colts is quarterback Andrew Luck out of Stanford. It will remain to be seen what owner Jim Irsay decides to do with Peyton Manning, but this team should definitely be ready to win with either man under center.

2. St. Louis Rams (2-14)

With quarterback Sam Bradford ready to return next season, the addition of Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon will put this team in a great position to win.

Coach Jeff Fisher needs a big, playmaking wideout to pair with his quarterback of the future, and the first move in doing so is adding a legit deep play threat.

This past season, Blackmon had 121 receptions for 1,522 yards with 18 touchdowns. He is also coming off a huge game in the Fiesta Bowl against the Stanford Cardinal, where he had eight receptions for 186 yards and three touchdowns.

The NFC West will be a little more difficult with the quick turnaround from the San Francisco 49ers, so the Rams need to start adding players who can threaten their possible reign.

3. Minnesota Vikings (3-13)

The Vikings need to do a lot, but adding an offensive tackle like the USC Trojans' Matt Kalil will be a great addition to protect quarterback Christian Ponder.

This will get the team one step closer, but they still need to find many more pieces until they can return to contender status.

4. Cleveland Browns (4-12)

It is hard to imagine the Browns already looking to replace starting quarterback Colt McCoy, but it is becoming more and more apparent that the team may have struck out once again after drafting quarterback Brady Quinn out of Notre Dame.

In this draft, the team needs to take quarterback Robert Griffin III out of Baylor. The Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback is a game-changer, and that is something the team needs.

The Browns looked like a potential force to be reckoned with a few seasons back, but they are now back to figuring things out again.

The addition of Griffin will open up the field for this offense, giving them a dual-threat QB who can really throw the opposition for a loop.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12)

The Bucs need to improve in a lot of areas after this season's collapse, but one place they could look to improve for the future through this draft is in their secondary.

With Ronde Barber approaching 37 years old, they need to start focusing on the future of this defense. With that in mind, the addition of LSU Tigers cornerback Morris Claiborne will be the key piece to improving this team's defense. 

6. Washington Redskins

The Redskins may fight their way toward the top of this draft to land Griffin, but for now they sit with the sixth overall pick.

This team is nowhere close to being a contender, but one area where they need to improve is at running back. No player will stick out better for them than Alabama Crimson Tide running back Trent Richardson.

The addition of Richardson will finally give the team a young running back who could make this offense move through things other than underachieving quarterbacks.

While the Redskins will remain a few big moves away from making some noise in the NFC East, they have a chance here to take a step in the right direction of what seemed to be a winnable division this past season.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Crimson Tide had a shutdown cornerback in Dre Kirkpatrick. He would be a great piece to add to this Jaguars' defense that was among the 10 best defenses this past season.

With his recent drug charges, though, it will remain to be seen if he will continue standing this high on the board.

8. Carolina Panthers (6-10)

The Panthers are looking like a team in the making with their No. 1 overall pick from last year's draft looking like a future MVP candidate.

Cam Newton could use some more protection, though, and Jonathan Martin of the Stanford Cardinal will be the guy to come in and help out immediately.

9. Miami Dolphins (6-10)

It will remain to be seen whom new head coach Joe Philbin will decide to go with under center between quarterbacks Chad Henne and Matt Moore, but one place he will need to continue improving upon is offensive tackle.

Riley Reiff of the Iowa Hawkeyes could come in and provide starter minutes right away.

10. Buffalo Bills (6-10)

The Bills started out the season hot, but they fizzled toward the end. There is no reason to shake up things on the offensive side of the ball; quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, wide receiver Stevie Johnson and running back Fred Jackson are all huge playmakers.

The Bills could use some help on defense, though, and adding linebacker Vontaze Burfict from Arizona State will be a huge upgrade to the team.

Burfict has potential dripping out of his pores, but he will need to play well. More recently, he has had bust written all over him, but early on he was considered a favorite to be a Top Five pick.

The Bills need a serious playmaker on defense, and Burfict is the kind of player who could potentially do a lot for them.

11. Kansas City Chiefs (7-9)

If quarterback Matt Cassel, running back Jamal Charles and cornerback Eric Barry didn't go down this season, who knows how good this team could have been. In what is already a great run-defense, the Chiefs could benefit from bringing in a guy like defensive tackle Devon Still from Penn State.

12. Seattle Seahawks (7-9)

Coach Pete Carroll needs a lot of pieces to get this team back on the right track, but bringing in a defensive end like Melvin Ingram of the South Carolina Gamecocks will give the Seahawks the playmaker they need on the defensive side of the ball.

13. Arizona Cardinals (8-8)

Even though they turned things around late in the season, the Cardinals still have much work to do.

Adding a threat like linebacker Courtney Upshaw of the Crimson Tide will be a step in the right direction toward restoring this team's defense.

14. Dallas Cowboys (8-8)

The Cowboys need to add some protection to their line, so offensive guard David DeCastro out of Stanford will be a great piece to add to protect quarterback Tony Romo and open up the run game for the Cowboys in 2012.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8)

This team doesn't need a whole lot. They have a ton of great players on their roster, and they could make some serious noise next season like they were expected to this season.

Coach Andy Reid can never have too many defensive threats, though, and defensive end Quinton Coples of the North Carolina Tar Heels will be a piece Reid could use right away.

Coples will give the team a huge threat in the rushing defense, as well as stopping opposing quarterbacks. He is a huge man, and he could make some serious noise in the NFL for years to come.

16. New York Jets (8-8)

Coach Rex Ryan needs to improve his secondary, and no one will fulfill that role better than Crimson Tide safety Mark Barron. This pick would give the Jets a potential budding star to partner with cornerback Darrelle Revis—especially in this pass-heavy division.

17. Cincinnati Bengals, from Oakland (8-8)

The Bengals are looking like contenders after making the playoffs this season, but they will still be able to grab a great pickup in linebacker Luke Kuechly from Boston College. This will give the team more depth to a defensive that still needs to improve for the 2012 season.

18. San Diego Chargers (8-8)

The addition of a cornerback threat like the Nebraska Cornhuskers' Alfonzo Dennard will give the team some youth in their secondary.

19. Chicago Bears (8-8)

The Bears were looking like a playoff team until they lost both quarterback Jay Cutler and running back Matt Forte—who was looking like a MVP candidate.

The team has moved on from offensive coordinator Mike Martz, and they would really benefit from drafting a big, playmaking wide receiver in Notre Dame's Michael Floyd.

With the NFC North being tight between the Bears, Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, coach Lovie Smith is really in need of bringing in a piece that will put his offense over the top.

This Bears team could be in the playoffs for many years to come, but they won't make any noise without a legit wide receiver.

20. Tennessee Titans (9-7)

The Titans will continue to look for ways to improve their defense, so look for them to grab USC defensive end Nick Perry. 

21. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7)

The Bengals will be looking for another option than running back Cedric Benson, so the University of Miami's Lamar Miller will be a solid piece to add as a serious big-play threat in their backfield.

22. Cleveland Browns, from Atlanta (10-6)

After already selecting Baylor Bears star quarterback Griffin, the Browns will be looking to pair him up with his favorite target: wide receiver Kendall Wright.

The addition will give Griffin plenty of options down the field, as well as a piece that could possibly translate to immediate success.

23. Detroit Lions (10-6)

While the Lions made great strides this season, their linebacker corps was sometimes lacking the ability to stop their opposition.

The addition of Tar Heels linebacker Zach Brown will give the team some much-needed relief behind their strong front four.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)

Ben Roethlisberger is going to get some much-needed help in terms of protection when the Steelers add Georgia Bulldogs offensive guard Cordy Glenn.

25. Denver Broncos (8-8)

Coach John Fox had a great defense for the majority of this past season, but he could add some depth to the rushing attack.

Enter Fletch Cox, a defensive tackle from Mississippi State. This should give the team a young threat to get into the opposing backfield at will.

26. Houston Texans (10-6)

This is already a great team for years to come, but it is about time they get someone else to help out quarterback Matt Schaub other than wide receiver Andre Johnson.

Rutgers wideout Mohamed Sanu would be an excellent addition to what is already an explosive offense.

27. New England Patriots, from New Orleans (13-3)

It just wouldn't be the NFL draft if the Patriots didn't have at least two first-round draft picks.

Look for them to grab defensive tackle Dontari Poe of Memphis to give the team some depth for their aging defensive line.

28. Green Bay Packers (15-1)

The Packers don't really need a whole lot, but one place where they could improve is on the defensive end of the ball.

University of Illinois linebacker Whitney Mercilus will give them another threat to get into the backfield.

29. New York Giants (9-7)

The Giants have a great defense, but they could really benefit from adding another threat on their defensive line in LSU defensive lineman Michael Brockers.

Brockers would give the Giants some youth at the position to keep this defense fresh and a huge strength for years to come.

30. Baltimore Ravens (12-4)

One thing that's evident is that quarterback Joe Flacco needs a good-sized wide receiver option.

A guy like Alshon Jeffrey out of South Carolina will give the Ravens yet another solid piece in what is a complete team.

31. San Francisco 49ers (13-3)

Looking to increase their protection on the offensive line, the 49ers will look to grab Florida State Seminoles offensive tackle Zebrie Sanders.

Sanders will give running back Frank Gore more opportunities to break through, while also giving quarterback Alex Smith (if brought back) much more protection and time to throw the ball.

32. New England Patriots (13-3)

The Patriots will close out the first round by adding linebacker Andre Branch of the Clemson Tigers. Coach Bill Belichick could really get a lot of use out of him after having 10.5 sacks this past season.