2012 NFL Draft Order: Projecting Order and Picks for the Entire First Round

For all but two Super Bowl teams, the 2012 NFL draft is the No. 1 priority on the agenda.

With the calendar soon turning to February, the NFL's second biggest event will be here before we know it. Team needs and the player pool are both clear at this point.

That leaves only the NFL combine and trades to alter the possibilities before April's draft.

Let's see how the first round of the 2012 NFL draft will take shape. 

No. 1 Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, Stanford

All signs are pointing to Peyton Manning leaving Indianapolis this offseason. A new general manager and coach will assuredly mean a brand-new quarterback under center for the Colts.

That man will undoubtedly be Andrew Luck, one of the most anticipated can't-miss prospects in NFL draft history.

 

No. 2 St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State

Cam Newton has Steve Smith. Andy Dalton has A.J. Green. Matthew Stafford has Calvin Johnson.

You get the idea.

An electric No. 1 receiver would be invaluable for young quarterback Sam Bradford. Expectations are that St. Louis will trade down from the second pick.

However, given the current order, the Rams would be best served to help out Bradford with easily the best weapon at his disposal of his young career. 

No. 3 Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, USC

Quarterback Christian Ponder has been assured that the Vikings will not seek a quarterback with their first-round pick.

Instead, the Vikings will help Ponder by picking the best offensive lineman in the draft, Matt Kalil.

Kalil is a an athletic left tackle, standing at 6'7" and with fantastic footwork. Kalil will be protecting Ponder's blind side for years to come in Minnesota. 

No. 4 Cleveland Browns: Robert Griffin III, Baylor

The Cleveland Browns would be nuts to pass on Robert Griffin III if the draft played out this way.

Colt McCoy is an average quarterback, at best, with the potential to be slightly better than average.

Griffin is an instantaneous upgrade over McCoy and has the ability to be a top-10 passer in the NFL.

Accuracy is critical in the professional ranks, and Griffin was a 72.4 percent passer during his final season at Baylor. 

I could easily foresee a Cam Newton-like rookie season for Griffin, which would infuse some energy into the Cleveland Browns organization. 

No. 5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, LSU

The Bucs have a glaring weakness at cornerback, and Morris Claiborne projects as an instant shutdown defender on pass defense.

Former first-round selection Aqib Talib is bordering on bust material and is a constant hassle off the field.

Claiborne hails from a top SEC defense and provides help in the return game as well. Claiborne will provide a similar impact of his fellow LSU Tiger, Patrick Peterson. 

No. 6 Washington Redskins: Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina

Justin Blackmon has surpassed Alshon Jeffery as the best prospect at the wide receiver position. 

Jeffery does have a few advantages over Blackmon, however. Jeffery possesses superior leaping ability and is going to dominate at jump balls in the red zone.

It is expected that the Washington Redskins will trade up for Robert Griffin III. If not, however, it will be of paramount importance to find a No. 1 receiver for Mike Shanahan. 

No. 7 Jacksonville Jaguars: David DeCastro, Stanford

Bleacher Report's own NFL draft expert Matt Miller said David DeCastro, "has the highest grade at left guard since Steve Hutchinson."

In other words, DeCastro is a safe pick at No. 7 for the Jaguars. While a weapon for Blaine Gabbert would be ideal, no receiver will be available here at good value. 

No. 8 Carolina Panthers: Michael Brockers, LSU

Defense will be a huge priority in the 2012 NFL draft. 

Picking a stud defensive tackle from the SEC would be a great start for the Carolina Panthers.

Brockers will be the top defensive lineman by draft day and fills a big gap in the middle of the defensive line for the Panthers. 

No. 9 Miami Dolphins: Riley Reiff, Iowa

The Miami Dolphins will once again lose out on drafting a top quarterback in the 2012 draft. 

As a result, the need at right tackle will be addressed instead. Right tackle Riley Reiff has the ability to step right in and be a starter right out of training camp for the Dolphins.

As for quarterback, it is another year of Matt Moore or free agency for Miami. 

No. 10 Buffalo Bills: Jonathan Martin, Stanford

In a league where left tackles are paramount to franchise success, Jonathan Martin will be a steal at No. 10 for the Buffalo Bills.

Martin is neck-and-neck with fellow Pac-12 prospect Matt Kalil for best left tackle prospect in the 2012 draft.

Martin will be the long-term answer at left tackle for the Bills and is excellent value at No. 10. 

No. 11 Seattle Seahawks: Quinton Coples, North Carolina

The Seattle Seahawks need a speedy, electric pass rusher off the edge, and Quinton Coples fits that mold.

The only issue with Coples revolves around his work ethic and on-field discipline.

Ultimately, Coples will wow the scouts at the combine and make himself a player unable to pass on at No. 11 in the draft. 

No. 12 Kansas City Chiefs: Dont'a Hightower

The Kansas City Chiefs love those SEC defenders. Eric Berry, Glenn Dorsey and Javier Arenas characterize such picks by the Chiefs in drafts past.

Outside linebacker Dont'a Hightower's fantastic showing in the BCS National Championship game elevates his stock going into the combine.

 

No. 13 Arizona Cardinals: Nick Perry, USC

The Arizona Cardinals will have to replace aging veteran Joey Porter at outside linebacker at some point during the offseason.

What better way than to select a fast-rising linebacker prospect in Nick Perry out of USC. Perry will take some time to polish his abilities, but he will eventually become an ideal player in the Cardinals' system. 

No. 14 Dallas Cowboys: Stephon Gilmore

The Dallas Cowboys desperately need to find an answer to the inconsistency at defensive back. A good start would be the selection of corner Stephon Gilmore from South Carolina. 

Gilmore will eventually develop into a shutdown corner on a defense apt at giving up big passing plays. Gilmore will be that answer and may challenge Morris Claiborne as the best corner in the class. 

No. 15 Philadelphia Eagles: Luke Kuechly, Boston College

The Philadelphia Eagles have plenty of weapons on offense to make a deep playoff run. The weakness of the Eagles resides on defense—specifically, the linebacker group.

Luke Kuechly possesses an excellent football IQ and will provide great leadership on a defense that lacked a voice in 2011. 

No. 16 New York Jets: Trent Richardson, Alabama

I have running back Trent Richardson falling a bit further than some draft projections. 

Running back is simply not a priority for most teams in today's passing NFL.

However, the Jets are desperate to find a better answer in the backfield than Shonn Greene. Despite playing behind a strong offensive line, Greene has not made the most of his opportunity in New York.

Richardson will return the Jets to a run-first approach and will be effective in a ground and pound offense. 

No. 17 Cincinnati Bengals: Cordy Glenn, Georgia

The No. 17 overall pick for the Cincinnati Bengals comes from the Oakland Raiders.

The Bengals will use both of their first-round picks to improve the running game behind Andy Dalton. First, they will select huge offensive guard Cordy Glenn out of Georgia.

Glenn stands at 6'5" and 348 pounds and can move mountains at the guard position. 

No. 18 San Diego Chargers: Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State

Some players just seem to fit for certain teams, and Vontaze Burfict is just that for the San Diego Chargers.

The Chargers are in need of a pass rusher at linebacker, and Burfict is a capable candidate. He possesses an excellent motor that, if harnessed effectively, will serve San Diego's defense well down the road. 

No. 19 Chicago Bears: Michael Floyd, Notre Dame

The Chicago Bears couldn't pull the trigger fast enough if stud receiver Michael Floyd fell to them at No. 19 in the draft.

Jay Cutler lacks a No. 1 option at receiver, and Floyd would immediately fill that void.

Floyd is a dual combination of power and speed and will flourish with the strong arm of Cutler. 

No. 20 Tennessee Titans: Melvin Ingram, South Carolina

The Titans struggled to reach the quarterback in 2011, ranking in the bottom 10 of the NFL in sacks.

Former Georgia Tech star Derrick Morgan has been a bust thus far, leaving defensive end as a need for the Titans.

Melvin Ingram will be a perfect choice for the Titans and has the ability to make plays in the backfield during his rookie campaign. 

No. 21 Cincinnati Bengals: Lamar Miller, Miami

The second piece of the ground-game puzzle comes in the form of Lamar Miller from Miami for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Miller is the prototypical successful running back in today's NFL. Like LeSean McCoy and Ray Rice, Miller has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and break big runs.

 

No. 22 Cleveland Browns: David Wilson, Virginia Tech

Speedster running back prospect David Wilson will shoot up draft boards after the combine.

Wilson has the ability to shock scouts with his 40 time. He will add quickness to a backfield sorely lacking speed with the likes of Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty.

No. 23 Detroit Lions: Peter Konz, Wisconsin

Peter Konz represents the ideal pick for the Detroit Lions at No. 23. The talented center will provide leadership on a team that needs only a little bit of discipline to make a Super Bowl run.

Konz will be an immediate upgrade at center and will be top five at his position before his career is said and done. 

No. 24 Pittsburgh Steelers: Courtney Upshaw, Alabama

The Pittsburgh Steelers love to draft for the future at linebacker, and Courtney Upshaw would be a steal at this point in the first round.

Upshaw could prove to replace aging James Harrison on the defensive side of the ball.

At 265 pounds, Upshaw has tremendous size and fits the typical mold of a Steeler linebacker. 

No. 25 Denver Broncos: Jerel Worthy, Michigan State

The Denver Broncos certainly have their fair share of speed on the defensive edge with Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil. 

Now its time to shore up the interior of the defensive line. The Broncos will do so by selecting Jerel Worthy out of Michigan State.

Worthy will draw double teams, making it easier for the pass rushers to excel on the outside. 

No. 26 Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, Baylor

There is a chasm in talent between No. 1 receiver Andre Johnson and the second-best receiver on the Houston Texans' roster.

Drafting Kendall Wright from Baylor would immediately close that gap. Wright is a speedster who can stretch the field and give more room to Johnson and running back Arian Foster. 

No. 27 New England Patriots: Andre Branch, Clemson

The New England Patriots will focus their first pick on improving the aging pass rush. Andre Carter and Mark Anderson simply are not long-term answers, leaving defensive end as a big need.

Branch showed signs of being a star on the defensive line during his final season at Clemson. He will impress at the combine and find himself in a favorable situation with the New England Patriots. 

No. 28 Green Bay Packers: Dre Kirkpatrick

The secondary of the Green Bay Packers was consistently exposed during the latter part of the 2011 season.

The Packers will assuredly address this void by drafting Dre Kirkpatrick late in the first round. Kirkpatrick's talent projects him as a mid-round selection. However, off-the-field issues make him a risk.

Given the state of the Packers' defense, it's a risk Green Bay is willing to take. 

No. 29 Baltimore Ravens: Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers

Joe Flacco needs consistency at the wide receiver position if fans and experts expect him to enter the class of the elite.

The Baltimore Ravens could go a long way in helping Flacco's cause by selecting Sanu with the 29th overall pick.

Sanu is a rising prospect with speed and size that can potentially be a sleeper pick down the road. Sanu would be a weapon that could stretch the field with reliable hands, something the Ravens do not currently possess. 

No. 30 San Francisco 49ers: Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska

The best senior corner in the 2012 NFL class comes from Nebraska in the form of Alfonzo Dennard. 

Dennard is a physical corner who likes to play tight at the line of scrimmage. Assuming Carlos Rogers re-signs with the Niners, Dennard would be an ideal No. 2 corner for a stingy San Francisco defense. 

No. 31 New York Giants: Zach Brown, North Carolina

With tight ends becoming so prevalent in the passing game, fast linebackers such as Zach Brown will be big commodities come draft day.

Brown can match up with fast tight ends because of his speed and elite coverage ability. The outside linebacker can move sideline to sideline with the best of them.

In fact, the Giants probably wish they had Brown for the Super Bowl in a week and a half, come to think about it. 

No. 32 New England Patriots: Whitney Mercilus, Illinois

Did I mention the Patriots will be searching for sacks this offseason?

What better place to look than the leading sack man in college football during 2011, Whitney Mercilus. Mercilus is still somewhat of a raw talent who will need to prove he can be a consistent force to the scouts.

That being said, he could be a steal this late in the round for the Pats.