2012 NFL Mock Draft: Which Teams Must Pick Impact Skill Players?
In the NFL, games are won on defense and in the trenches, but fans are won over at the skill positions.
That said, there's no discounting the impact that quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers can and do have on the fortunes of their respective teams. That philosophy will be on glorious display at the 2012 NFL Draft, wherein teams across the league are bound to reach for players whom they assume will make their offenses run more smoothly.
With that in mind, let's have a closer look at the teams most likely to go after skill players (in Italics), with a full first-round mock in between.
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1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14): Andrew Luck, QB (Stanford)
It's strange to think of any team with Peyton Manning on its roster as being in need of a quarterback, but that's exactly where the Indianapolis Colts find themselves as an organization. The Polians are out, as is Jim Caldwell, leaving team owner Jim Irsay to reshape the franchise as it prepares for a post-Manning future.
Whether that comes next season or some time later down the line remains to be seen. In the meantime, the Colts can hardly afford to rest on their laurels, especially with the best collegiate QB prospect since John Elway ready to fall into their collective lap.
Ideally, Indy would likely love to keep Manning around for another season or two to serve as Luck's tutor and smooth the franchise's transition into a new era. Realistically, though, the cap cost of keeping two highly paid quarterbacks on the roster will be too much to bear, forcing the Colts to trade their long-time superstar for a boatload of picks and players.
2. St. Louis Rams (2-14): Matt Kalil, OT (USC)
Decree No. 1 of the Jeff Fisher era: Protect Sam Bradford.
Decree No. 2 of the Jeff Fisher era: Draft Matt Kalil to provide said protection.
3. Minnesota Vikings (3-13): Morris Claiborne, CB (LSU)
The Vikings' pass-defense ain't what it used to be.
Morris Claiborne is the best corner in the draft.
If Minnesota doesn't deal this pick to a team that's hard after Robert Griffin III, don't be surprised if they end up adding Claiborne to their D.
4. Cleveland Browns (4-12): Robert Griffin III, QB (Baylor)
All signs point to the Browns giving up on the Colt McCoy Project after just two years and two different coaching staffs.
Rightly or wrongly, that likely means Mike Holmgren will do whatever it takes to upgrade Cleveland's situation under center short of stealing Andrew Luck from under the Colts' noses.
In other words, it's RG3 or bust for the Browns, and who could blame them? Griffin's essentially a bigger, smarter version of Michael Vick with a more accurate arm and a more mature, disciplined mindset.
The only drawback? RG3 isn't exactly tailor-made for Pat Shurmur's West Coast offense, though he certainly has all the tools to learn and develop into a spectacular passer in Shurmur's scheme.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12): Trent Richardson, RB (Alabama)
Yeah, I know—Tampa Bay's defense was turrrible, as Charles Barkley would say.
But so was its running game.
The Buccaneers picked up just 91.1 yards per game on the ground—third-worst in the NFL. That should come as little surprise with the likes of LeGarrette Blount, Earnest Graham and Kregg Lumpkin carrying the bulk of the load.
Not exactly a murderer's row of running backs.
Meanwhile, Trent Richardson—far and away the best running back in this draft class—should be available at No. 5, assuming the Browns don't opt for the Heisman Trophy finalist over the guy who actually won the darn thing. The 5'11", 224-pounder is an absolute beast out of the backfield with the size and strength to run over defenders and the speed to scoot right around them.
Certainly Josh Freeman wouldn't mind having a backfield buddy to help him out, either.
6. Washington Redskins (5-11): Dre Kirkpatrick, CB (Alabama)
The Redskins desperately need a quarterback and could very well give away the farm for the chance to grab RG3 a spot or two earlier.
But if they don't, they'd do just as well to improve their woeful secondary.
Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick is the best corner available and, frankly, isn't all that far behind Mo Claiborne in this draft class. Kirkpatrick also happens to have two inches on Claiborne, which should allow him to match up with just about anyone out wide in the NFL.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11): Justin Blackmon, WR (Oklahoma State)
Say what you will about Blaine Gabbert's rookie season, but the kid was thrust into an unenviable situation. He was expected to sit and learn behind David Garrard for at least a half-season or so before seeing snaps thrown his way.
Things didn't quite work out that way—Garrard hurt his back and was cut in training camp, leaving Gabbert as the only alternative to Luke McCown.
Granted, Gabbert stunk, but it's not like he had much of a support system in the first place with tight end Marcedes Lewis picking up a paltry 460 receiving yards to lead the team in that category.
Still, before the Jags throw the baby out with the bathwater, they'd be wise to give him a competent wide receiver with whom to work. Justin Blackmon is the best there is in this draft class; a 6'1 target with suction cups on his gloves, quick feet for running crisp routes and plenty of afterburner speed to get away from defenders after the catch.
If Gabbert continues to stink with Blackmon by his side, then Jacksonville GM Gene Smith can—and, perhaps should—consider making another change under center.
8. Miami Dolphins (6-10): Riley Reiff, OT (Iowa)
Matt Moore would appear to be entrenched as the starting quarterback in Miami heading into the 2012 season. The Dolphins would do well to upgrade their offensive line—especially at right tackle, where Marc Colombo has been abysmal—to ensure that Moore can stay upright for a full season.
Enter Riley Reiff on the right.
9. Carolina Panthers (6-10): Quinton Coples, DE (North Carolina)
If the Panthers had anything resembling a defense, they probably would've been a borderline playoff team. As it stands, adding a big defensive end of Quinton Coples' caliber should help Carolina improve on that side of the ball, especially across from Charles Johnson.
10. Buffalo Bills (6-10): Devon Still, DE/DT (Penn State)
The Buffalo Bills need help on defense.
Devon Still is good at playing defense.
'Nuff said.
11. Kansas City Chiefs (7-9): Jonathan Martin, OT (Stanford)
Jonathan Martin is everything a team could dream of in an offensive tackle: big, strong, athletic, tough and, with his Stanford education, smart. He'd be a perfect fit along a Chiefs offensive line that's been decimated by injuries and retirements in recent years.
12. Seattle Seahawks (7-9): Ryan Tannehill, QB (Texas A&M)
The drop-off in quality from Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III to Ryan Tannehill is significant, though that's less a knock against Tannehill than it is a word of praise in favor of the two former.
The 6'4", 222-pounder has all the tools to be an excellent NFL quarterback a year or two down the road.
The Seahawks are still in search of a franchise quarterback, but saw enough from Tarvaris Jackson last season to think they may be able to pick a QB and groom him on the bench for a bit before throwing him into the fire. Tannehill's a bit of a reach at No. 12, but if Pete Carroll's going to stick in Seattle, he'll need a trusty signal-caller to for the long haul.
Unless team owner Paul Allen is content with going 7-9 every year, though...
13. Arizona Cardinals (8-8): Luke Kuechly, ILB (Boston College)
Arizona spent a ton of money upgrading its linebacking corps this past summer, and its run-defense still stank up the joint.
Luke Kuechly is the best there is on the inside in this draft class and will make the Cardinals' coaching staff mighty happy.
14. Dallas Cowboys (8-8): David DeCastro, OG (Stanford)
Last I checked, the interior of Dallas' offensive line was flat-out awful. David DeCastro should help to mask the problems posed by playing the likes of Phil Costa and Montrae Holland up front.
15. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8): Dont'a Hightower, ILB (Alabama)
The Eagles' run-defense never quite recovered from the departure of Stewart Bradley, though it did improve significantly as the season went along and Juan Castillo realized he wasn't coaching the offensive line anymore.
Hence, look for Dont'a Hightower, the defensive MVP of the BCS title game, to get the nod here and to bring some serious attitude and athleticism of his own to the middle of the Eagles' D.
16. New York Jets (8-8): Courtney Upshaw, OLB/DE (Alabama)
There's a reason Rex Ryan called blitzes so much this season, and it didn't necessarily have to do with how much he trusted Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie on the outside.
Rather, Ryan realized just how poor his front seven was at getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Enter Courtney Upshaw, an athletic specimen at linebacker with plenty of prior experience playing in a 3-4 scheme. He and Muhammad Wilkerson will comprise one heckuva pass-rushing tandem in the AFC East for years to come.
Tom Brady will be none too happy about it.
17. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7): Janoris Jenkins, CB (North Alabama)
Thanks to the generosity of the Oakland Raiders, who so desperately shelled out draft picks to pick up Carson Palmer, the Bengals will have the opportunity to draft Janoris Jenkins, the most notorious bad boy in the class of 2012.
Jenkins will fill Cincinnati's need at corner beautifully while fitting in just as comfortably in Marvin Lewis' locker room that's full of social deviants.
18. San Diego Chargers (8-8): Nick Perry, OLB/DE (USC)
San Diego's pass-rush dropped off considerably in 2011, with only one guy on the roster (Antwan Barnes) registering more than four sacks.
Nick Perry is still a bit raw, but with a bit of coaching and refinement, the USC product has the potential to be a defensive star thanks to his tremendous physical gifts.
19. Chicago Bears (8-8): Alfonzo Dennard, CB (Nebraska)
Tim Jennings will be a free agent come March, leaving Chicago's secondary untenably thin in a division with Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford. Alfonzo Dennard isn't particularly tall for a corner, but he has the strength and speed to cover just about anyone who'd dare challenge him.
20. Tennessee Titans (9-7): Melvin Ingram, DE (South Carolina)
Is it just me, or are there a ton of teams that need help pursuing the quarterback?
The Titans certainly fall into that category, seeing as how they managed just 24 sacks this season—seven of which came courtesy of Karl Klug.
Yes, Karl Klug—Tennessee's defensive tackle.
Melvin Ingram should help quite a bit in that department, Klug or no Klug.
21. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7): Cordy Glenn, OG (Georgia)
So long, Nate Livings! Helloooo, Cordy Glenn!
22. Detroit Lions (10-6): Peter Konz, C, (Wisconsin)
Dominic Raiola has been a good sport, sticking with the Lions through 10 terrible seasons before finally sniffing the playoffs this time around.
Unfortunately, the guy's 33, is owed $4 million and isn't particularly good anymore.
Meanwhile, Peter Konz is the best center to enter the draft in the last few years.
As heartwarming as it would be for Detroit to reward Raiola's loyalty, the team must remain more concerned with winning football games than sticking with sentimentality—especially with the young core currently at its disposal.
23. Cleveland Browns (4-12): Alshon Jeffery, WR (South Carolina)
Ah, yes. Julio Jones—the gift that keeps on giving to the Cleveland Browns.
Assuming the Browns snatch up RG3, they'll need to find a top-notch receiver to pair with him, just as the in-state rival Bengals did last year with A.J. Green and Andy Dalton.
Now, it's not every year that you find a wide receiver who can run as fast or fly as gracefully at linebacker size as Alshon Jeffery. Of course, 2012 is a special year, so there are two such receivers (Michael Floyd being the other).
But Jeffery is bigger (6'4", 229 pounds) than Floyd, and he doesn't come saddled with Floyd's considerable baggage. Jeffery will be an excellent pitch-and-catch partner for RG3 or whoever else ends up under center in Cleveland.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4): Zebrie Sanders, OT (Florida State)
One of these days, Ben Roethlisberger will go down with an injury and won't be able to just get back up and keep playing.
The Steelers don't ever want to see that, so they'll do the smart thing and upgrade their offensive line, starting with Zebrie Sanders at tackle.
25. Denver Broncos (8-8): Michael Floyd, WR (Notre Dame)
Nobody would mistake Tim Tebow for a great passer, but neither would anyone suggest his receivers are any good, save for the occasional big game from Demaryius Thomas.
Adding a pass-catcher of Michael Floyd's caliber would change all of that. The 6'3", 224-pounder is big enough, strong enough and fast enough (and gosh darnit, people like him) to haul in the ball wherever and whenever Tebow may choose to throw it.
Floyd's almost a mirror image of Thomas, which could hurt his appeal to the Broncos. Then again, with the way Thomas performed against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wild Card weekend, having two of him might actually appeal to the folks in Denver.
26. Houston Texans (10-6): Kendall Wright, WR (Baylor)
If you watched either of the Texans' playoff games, you probably noticed that Jacoby Jones is the football equivalent of a black hole across from Andre Johnson. As such, Houston could use as legitimate No. 2 receiver—someone to elevate the team's passing game from an afterthought to a reliable, if not downright effective, Plan B behind Arian Foster and the Texans' ground game.
Kendall Wright just so happens to be a native Texan and a pretty darn good receiver in his own right. The 5'10", 190-pound speedster played a big part in RG3's Heisman Trophy campaign, catching 108 balls for 1,663 yards and 14 touchdowns while torturing defenses with his incredible quickness.
He'd be a perfect complement to Johnson, regardless of whether Matt Schaub or T.J. Yates ends up under center for the long haul.
27. New England Patriots (13-3): Whitney Mercilus, OLB/DE (Illinois)
The Patriots should have three words posted on their big board come draft day: Defense, defense, defense.
First up, the pass-rush, which was practically nonexistent in New England this season. Whitney Mercilus, the leading sack artist in college football, can play linebacker in a 3-4 and end in a 4-3, and he has the sort of size at the position that Bill Belichick so covets.
28. Green Bay Packers (15-1): Jerel Worthy, DE/DT (Michigan State)
The Packers' worst fears came to fruition in a rather devastating fashion with their 37-20 loss to the Giants.
No, not ball security—though that proved to be a huge problem for Green Bay. I'm referring, instead, to a defense that was among the worst in the NFL this season, plummeting from fifth in total yards allowed in 2010 to dead last in 2011.
The line in particular never seemed to recover from the loss of Cullen Jenkins, as B.J. Raji seemed to spend more time filming awkward State Farm commercials than plugging running lanes.
Jerel Worthy would take care of that problem quite nicely.
29. New York Giants (9-7): Lamar Miller, RB (Miami)
The Giants finished dead last in the NFL in rushing this season, thanks to subpar seasons from Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Sure, they've come on strong as of late, helping to carry Big Blue to the brink of Super Bowl XLVI, but Jacobs isn't likely to return and Bradshaw can't exactly be counted on to carry the load every down.
Lamar Miller, on the other hand, is big enough to carry the ball 20-25 times a game, and he's fast enough to make people miss. The 5'11", 212-pounder played just two seasons at The U, but is eligible for the draft on account of spending his first year in Coral Gables as a redshirt.
30. Baltimore Ravens (12-4): Vontaze Burfict, ILB (Arizona State)
Ray Lewis isn't getting any younger, and Burfict has the freakish athletic ability and nasty streak on the field to play right away and fill the Hall of Fame linebacker's shoes when he decides to hang 'em up.
31. San Francisco 49ers (13-3): Mohamed Sanu, WR (Rutgers)
Sooo, Braylon Edwards happened. Michael Crabtree hasn't exactly set the world ablaze with his play as an NFL sophomore, either.
Think Alex Smith would look better with a guy like Mohamed Sanu to throw to?
The New Jersey native exploded for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns during his junior year at Rutgers. Adding Sanu to the mix—along with Crabtree, Vernon Davis and the healthy returns of Kyle Williams and Josh Morgan—would turn the wide receiver position from a black hole to a strength for the 49ers.
32. New England Patriots (13-3): Mark Barron, SS (Alabama)
Kudos to Rob Ninkovich, James Ihedigbo and Julian Edelman for taking up space in New England's vacuous defensive backfield.
That said, Bill Belichick isn't likely to twiddle his thumbs and hope his secondary magically improves on its own. Instead, expect him to add Alabama's Mark Barron, the best safety in the draft, if/when he's presented with the opportunity to do so.
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