2012 NFL Mock Draft: Big Name Prospects That Will Slide Way Down First Round

One of the dangers of the NFL Draft for the prospects waiting to get drafted is all the uncertainty surrounding what the teams are going to do. The players get fed so much information from so many different places that none of them actually know what is going to happen. 

All the uncertainty leads to big name players falling further than they ever expected to, just ask Aaron Rodgers. While things worked out pretty good in that instance, it does not change the fact that he had to wait for hours to hear his name called on draft day. 

So which players will have a Rodgers-like wait this year?

1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14): Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Luck is in no danger of waiting. The Colts are going to start their rebuilding effort, and he will be the cornerstone of the entire thing. He should start from Day 1. 

2. St. Louis Rams (4-12): Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Blackmon is going to be a member of the Rams, but he could have to wait a little longer for it to become official if they are able to find a trade partner for this pick. 

3. Minnesota Vikings (3-13): Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

The Vikings secondary is in desperate need of a young player who can make an impact right away. Claiborne is the best pure cover cornerback in this year's draft. He will be a great pick with the third selection. 

4. Cleveland Browns (4-12): Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Unless another team desperate for a quarterback (Washington) decides to move ahead of the Browns, Griffin is going to be taking his immense talent to Cleveland. 

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12): Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

New head coach Greg Schiano is going to want to instill a tough, physical offense. Richardson might be the best running back to enter the NFL since Adrian Peterson back in 2007. He will make a world of difference for this team right away. 

6. Washington Redskins (5-11): Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

Perhaps this is a reach, but the Redskins are desperate to get a quarterback they can build around. Sadly, the Rex Grossman and John Beck experiment did not work out. Tannehill has the talent to be an impact quarterback in the NFL; he just has to prove he is strong enough mentally to handle the role. 

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11): Matt Kalil, OT, USC

Kalil is the best offensive lineman in this draft, and it is unusual to see someone of his immense talent slide to the seventh overall pick. But circumstances with the Top 6 teams do not dictate them going after an impact lineman. 

The Jaguars have more pressing needs than the offensive line, but as far as value is concerned, it would be hard for them to do better than drafting Kalil. His longer-than-expected wait will be the best thing to happen to this franchise in a long time. 

8. Carolina Panthers (6-10)*: Quinton Coples, DE, UNC

In Coples, the Panthers are getting a pass-rusher off the edge that will actually be able to get the defense off the field a few times to allow Cam Newton to win some more games in his second year. 

9. Miami Dolphins (6-10)*: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

With three quarterbacks off the board, the Dolphins are going to look to the trade or free agent market to address that need. In this draft, they will work on getting their new signal-caller some protection.

10. Buffalo Bills (6-10): Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama

The Bills are desperate for anyone who can play defense. Upshaw is going to be an edge rushing monster in the NFL.

11. Seattle Seahawks (7-9)*: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

Pete Carroll could go in a number of different directions here, but Still's upside and potential will be too much for him to pass up. 

12. Kansas City Chiefs (7-9)*: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Another offensive lineman falling down the draft board, Martin will be happy with his new home in Kansas City. He gets to go into a great situation with Jamaal Charles running and Matt Cassel throwing behind him. 

Martin will help the Chiefs get back to being the power running team that they were in 2010. Waiting is going to be hard for Martin, but he will be a star in this system for a long time to come. 

13. Arizona Cardinals (8-8): Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

The Cardinals are still finding their identity on defense. Pairing Kuechly with Patrick Peterson will give them a good nucleus to build around. 

14. Dallas Cowboys (8-7): David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

Two areas the Cowboys have to address are in the secondary and offensive line. The best value for them at the No. 14 pick is to go with DeCastro. 

15. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8): Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

Floyd is my choice as the best receiver in this draft. He is practically identical to Blackmon in physical attributes, but he was able to put up numbers comparable to the Oklahoma State wide receiver in an offense that doesn't throw the ball nearly as often.

His biggest problem is there are not a lot of teams that need a receiver right now, and there could be some questions about just how fast he is. He will be able to dispel that myth during pro-day workouts. If he does, he will shoot up draft boards. For right now, he is going to be a mid-first round pick. 

16. New York Jets (8-8): Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

One big problem the Jets have is a lack of effective pass-rushers on the defensive line, so Ingram becomes that much more valuable to them. 

17. Cincinnati Bengals (via OAK 8-8): Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Two weeks ago, Kirkpatrick seemed like a lock to go in the top 10. He played at the premier college program, showed great skills during his time there and has the physical attributes needed to become a great cornerback. 

However, his arrest for possession of marijuana is going to hurt his draft stock a lot. Teams are more conscious of bringing in high-character people, in addition to being a great player.

Time will tell when figuring out whether he is going to be a problem long-term, but he is going to sit a lot longer than he was supposed to as a result of his arrest.

18. San Diego Chargers (8-8): Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

The Chargers have been searching for a dominant pass-rusher since the end of the Shawne Merriman era. Perry may not be that good, but he will be an effective edge rusher. 

19. Chicago Bears (8-8): Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

No matter what happens with Matt Forte, the Bears have to keep finding bodies to fill the holes in their offensive line. 

20. Tennessee Titans (9-7): Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

Brockers is a rising star in this draft. He may not make until the 20th pick, but until the evaluation process is over, he stays near the bottom of the round. 

The Titans are searching for any help they can find on the defensive line, and Brockers has the versatility to play two positions if asked. The only thing holding him back right now is that he hasn't been properly evaluated by scouts in person yet. 

21. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7): Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

Miller is one of my favorite players in this draft, and the Bengals will be happy to add him to the offensive mix. 

22. Cleveland Browns (via ATL 10-6): Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

Jeffery has more upside than Floyd, which is why some might prefer him going in the top 10-15 picks when the draft rolls around. The problem for him is that he does not possess elite speed, and we know how much teams love rely strictly on 40-yard times. 

The Browns will be more than happy to see Jeffery slide to them with the 22nd pick. They have to find playmakers on the outside to support Griffin if they do, in fact, end up drafting him. He is a big body who can go out and catch the ball under any circumstance. 

23. Detroit Lions (10-6): Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

The Lions secondary got exposed in the final two games of the season, so they will be desperate to find anyone to plug into their lineup who can contribute right away. 

24. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4): Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

Ben Roethlisberger is going to love seeing Glenn lining up in front of him for the next decade. 

25. Denver Broncos (8-8): Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

Despite their playoff appearance, there is still much work to be done for the Broncos to succeed long-term. Their defensive line has two great pass-rushers off the edge, and Cox will give them the big body in the middle they so desperately need. 

26. Houston Texans (10-6): Mark Barron, S, Alabama

Barron does not have prototypical size, but he is a ball-hawk who will make plays with Wade Phillips coaching him. 

27. New England Patriots (via NO 13-3): Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

The Patriots don't care about past issues as long as you can play football. Jenkins was going to be a first-round pick last year at Florida, but he decided not to declare. He was kicked off the team for an arrest for misdemeanor marijuana charges and wound up going to Division-II North Alabama. 

Jenkins, on talent alone, should not last this long. His past legal woes are going to push him down, possibly out of the first round. Knowing the way that Bill Belichick loves to hoard talent more than anything else, Jenkins will find a home in New England. 

28. Green Bay Packers (15-1): Vontaze Burfict, LB, ASU

Burfict is a freakish athlete with some baggage due to his attitude. The Packers will be happy to pair him alongside Clay Matthews for a long time. 

29. Baltimore Ravens (12-4): Mike Adams, OT, OSU

The Ravens are the hardest team to get a read on, because they have no pressing needs. They could stand to get younger at a few positions, so they get Adams on the offensive line. 

30. San Francisco 49ers (13-3): Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

The 49ers are guaranteed to get a wide receiver between now and the start of the 2012 season. Sanu has tremendous hands and plays far better than the skills suggest he should. 

+31. New York Giants (9-7): Jared Crick, DT, Nebraska

Right now, Crick will be lucky to be a first-round selection thanks to a torn pectoral muscle he suffered in October. The Giants will be happy to pounce on him if he is available. 

The G-Men have built a terrific defensive line around their pass-rushers off the edge, but they are missing a big body to plug into the middle to stop the run. Just imagine how much better they would be if they have a good defensive tackle.

Crick was one of the top defensive players in this draft class when the year started, and a freak injury does not diminish the obvious talent he still has. 

+32. New England Patriots (13-3): Kendall Wright, WR, Rutgers

To be honest, the Patriots are probably going to trade at least one of their two first-round picks. I don't think they will take Wright, but he is the best player available, and that's usually how the Patriots conduct their drafts. 

*Order determined by coin flip at NFL Scouting Combine

+Determined by Super Bowl

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