2012 NFL Mock Draft: The Latest Predictions, Post-Conference Championships

Assuming there are no trades, three teams do not have a pick in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft.

Atlanta traded their first-round rights to Cleveland in last year’s draft to move up and take Julio Jones with the No. 6 pick; Oakland traded theirs for Carson Palmer in October; and New Orleans swapped this year’s pick for New England’s No. 28 pick last year (which they used to select Mark Ingram).

Unlike in past drafts, this year there are not many sure picks, with the exception of Luck to Indy.

After that, many different scenarios are possible. And it is that which will be sorted out here, right now. Peruse the upcoming slides and find out who your favorite team should draft and why.

1. Indianapolis Colts

Andrew Luck, Quarterback, Stanford

Luck has been a lock for the top pick since the 2011 draft before he decided to return for his junior year.

Perhaps because he did not like the situation in Carolina, Luck allowed the wind of freedom blow and stayed in Palo Alto, picking up 2011’s Maxwell Award as the nation’s top offensive player in the process.

With the increasing probability of Peyton Manning’s departure from Indy, this is all but a done deal.

Do not be surprised if he is signed before the draft begins.

2. St. Louis Rams

Justin Blackmon, Wide Receiver, Oklahoma State

An obvious choice for some, others believe the best pick here would be USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil.

However, as pointed out by Featured Columnist Andrew Garda, if St. Louis takes the big lineman from Corona, California, there would need to be far too much moving around on the line to fit him in.

That could happen, but that scenario is not one the Rams want to deal with. Surrounding Sam Bradford with talented weapons is priority No. 1 as of now and Blackmon is the best receiver in the draft.

Blackmon is a spitting image of Anquan Boldin on the field and that kind of physical target, together with his ability to stretch a defense, would bring a dimension to the St. Louis offense they have not seen since Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce fooled defenders weekly.

3. Minnesota Vikings

Matt Kalil, Tackle, USC

Minnesota allowed the fifth-most sacks (49) in the league during the regular season and they need about as much help on the line as anyone.

They released longtime Vikings left tackle Bryant McKinney after the lockout because he showed up to camp out of shape.

Whether it is Christian Ponder, Joe Webb or whomever at quarterback in 2012, the protection will need to be far better than that which was provided in 2011.

Kalil gives them that protection and could be the starter for the next decade.

4. Cleveland Browns

Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

The need for a top-flight wide out in northeast Ohio is greater than that of a child’s need for his mother.

Too many years the Browns have been stuck with starting receivers that have no business being No. 1 or No. 2 targets and this pick makes perfect sense; that is, unless for some reason Blackmon is available to them when their turn on the clock arrives.

Floyd is a big, physical receiver with great hands and possesses the ability to use his body to shield defenders on his way to the football. At 6’3” and 229 pounds, he would easily be the biggest non-tight end target on the roster.

That is something the Browns desperately need.

As a rookie, Greg Little led the Browns with 61 receptions for 709 yards (11.6 YPC) and scored two touchdowns.

While that kind of production is good out of a rookie receiver, he could have been more productive had Cleveland possessed a receiver opposite Little who would have taken some pressure off him.

Cleveland has another pick upcoming in the first round; they could be a much-improved offensive unit by the time day one ends.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

The protection of Josh Freeman in 2011 was not great. They allowed the ninth-fewest sacks (32) in the league, which would be solid under normal circumstances.

However, Freeman does a nice job of eluding pressure and squeezing out of a would-be sack, so that number could easily be much higher.

Left tackle Donald Penn has developed into a rock at the quarterback’s blind side, but the right side of the line has been leaky. Reiff is a sure thing at right tackle in the NFL and can start pretty much from day one if Tampa chooses to do so.

We can expect many good years—and probably a Pro Bowl or two—out of Reiff as a right tackle, and the Buccaneers will benefit from taking a leap of faith with this pick.

6. Washington Redskins

Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

This pick makes so much sense it would be—in a word—insensible to pass him up.

The quarterback play in the nation’s capital last season was dreadful and the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner can perform better than Rex Grossman and John Beck right now.

Beck will be 31 in August and Grossman 32, also in August.

A spry young signal caller would help fans forget about the atrocity that was the 2011 season in a hurry and would greatly increase their chances at success in the “vaunted” NFC East.

Griffin has good arm strength, is surprisingly accurate and can avoid a sack when he needs to. In fact, he throws on the run just about as well as his top-10 counterpart, Andrew Luck.

That will come in handy while playing in DC.

The group formerly known as the Hogs that consisted of massive men such as Mark May, Russ Grimm, George Starke and Jeff Bostic, now is a minor inconvenience for defenders to traverse in pursuit of the QB.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars

Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

Jacksonville has one of the youngest receiving corps’ in all of football, but there is not much talent there.

Kassim Osgood is their largest receiver, standing 6’5” and weighing 220 pounds, but he is more useless than a horse carriage in a drag race (thank you, Seth MacFarlane).

Jeffery is big and strong and will fight for a jump ball—as witnessed at the end of the first half of South Carolina’s 30-13 drubbing of Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl on January 2. (See it here.)

With young quarterback Blaine Gabbart struggling to succeed with the weapons—or lack-thereof—on the roster, Jeffery would fit nicely into the starting lineup and make an immediate impact for the Jags.

8. Carolina Panthers

Michael Brockers, Defensive Tackle, LSU

Hide your wife and kids, it is time for the big boys to come out and play.

Brockers is a large individual and he moves extremely well considering his 6’6”, 306-pound frame. He is strong enough to handle a single lineman’s block and penetrate with ease, and will eventually command a double team fairly regularly.

ESPN Scouts Inc.’s Player Evaluation states that he has a “powerful upper body. Flashes ability to ragdoll some OL.”

Carolina can use his services right about now. They were dominated up front in 2011 and Brockers would help free up linebackers Jon Beason and Dan Connor, ultimately improving the pass rush.

9. Miami Dolphins

Morris Claiborne, Cornerback, LSU

Miami had many problems defending the pass in 2011.

As a team, they surrendered 249.5 passing yards per game, ranking them No. 25 in the league.

They even gave up 517 yards passing to Tom Brady on the opening Monday Night Football game of the season.

Vontae Davis lead the team with eight passes deflected and four INT, so conventional wisdom says they need Claiborne’s athleticism to counter the AFC East’s array of talented receivers any given Sunday.

Claiborne is the best corner in the draft and he will be a star at the next level. Dolphins’ fans should be very excited if he ends up in South Beach.

10. Buffalo Bills

Quinton Coples, Defensive End, North Carolina

Coples is the best defensive end in the draft.

Buffalo used its No. 3 pick last year on the best defensive tackle available.

The combination of Coples and Marcell Dareus in the front four is scary to think of, especially if linebacker Shawne Merriman can finally return to form and rookie inside linebacker Kelvin Sheppard improves on what was a solid first professional campaign.

If that happens, the Bills’ defense could start reminding people of the days when Bruce Smith, Cornelius Bennett and Darryl Talley roamed the front seven in frosty Buffalo.

11. Kansas City Chiefs

David DeCastro, Offensive Guard, Stanford

Aging center Casey Wiegmann is contemplating retirement and last year’s second-round pick, guard Rodney Hudson, did not get much playing-time his rookie year.

Ryan Lilja will start at left guard, so DeCastro could step in immediately and man the right guard spot—he played both left and right at Stanford.

With Wiegmann ready to hang up the cleats, Hudson would play center, as he played both guard and center at Florida State throughout college.

With the return of Jamaal Charles from injury and a young, beefed up offensive line, the Chiefs could see shades of the old days when they pounded it with Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson while being led by the best offensive line in football.

Big men like Willie Roaf, Brian Waters, the aforementioned Wiegmann, Will Shields and John Tait made up the most feared unit of the early century.

12. Seattle Seahawks

Devon Still, DT, Penn State

Seattle’s defensive front seven was bad in 2011.

Other than defensive end Chris Clemons and his 11.0 sacks, there was not much successful pass rushing going on. With a capable big body in the middle to help free the linebackers, things could be different in 2012.

Still can make an impact early.

He has a great burst off the line and reads plays quickly. He is more than just a catchall for offensive linemen, though. He will break a double team and is a violent tackler.

That would be a welcome trait to a soft defense.

13. Arizona Cardinals

Melvin Ingram, Outside Linebacker, South Carolina

There are many mocks out there right now that keep pushing the fact that Arizona needs a left tackle and that Levi Brown is the worst LT in the league.

Brown improved dramatically over the second half of the season, allowing only one sack over the final eight contests.

Defensively, the Cardinals also showed much improvement from the first half of 2011 to the second. They were among the more stingy groups over that time and finished the year ranked No. 7 in the NFL in total sacks (42).

Rookie linebacker Sam Acho started 10 games for Arizona and provided 7.0 sacks off the edge.

There is some doubt in the valley about the long-term ability of the other outside rusher, O’Brien Schofield, so this pick makes a lot of sense.

Ingram is a ferocious and relentless pass rusher with amazing speed and agility for how large he is (6’2”, 272 pounds).

This would not be a depth pick; he would likely learn in OTAs and camp, then get a crash course on life in the NFL during preseason and ultimately start from day one.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt would normally tend to wait on a young player to make sure he is ready, but he would have to make an exception with this tremendous athlete.

14. Dallas Cowboys

Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

The Cowboys’ secondary was worse than terrible in the second half of the season on its way to losing out on the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

Dallas’ corners were lit more often than Snoop Dogg on a Caribbean party cruise in 2011 and Jerry Jones will not tolerate such inferiority again.

Kirkpatrick did not record an interception this season, but he is like a glove on a hand in coverage and has quick hips when turning in coverage.

While this may not be the most popular pick for Cowboys’ fans, it sure is what they need.

15. Philadelphia Eagles

Luke Kuechly, Linebacker, Boston College

In 2011’s draft, the Eagles selected Clay Matthews’ younger brother, Casey, in the fourth round out of Oregon.

He struggled as a rookie and is not the long-term replacement for departed free agent Stewart Bradley, who left in August for Arizona. This pick is a nice fit for all parties concerned (except maybe Matthews).

Kuechly is a sure tackler and has great football instincts. He is small for a middle linebacker, however that seems to be the cool thing to be in Philly; they have been known for having undersized linebackers in the past.

16. New York Jets

Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

No, the Jets will not take a wide receiver with this pick.

They have far greater worries than a whining diva that may or may not be back in 2012. Like at right tackle.

Wayne Hunter is possibly the worst right tackle in the AFC and Martin can play either tackle position.

Martin is an instant upgrade, and though the likelihood of him actually being around at No. 16 is slim, they may move up if they feel someone else is going to grab him.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland Raiders)

Mark Barron, Safety, Alabama

Reggie Nelson is a free agent and is not likely to return.

Cincinnati’s other safety, Chris Crocker, will be 32 by the time the draft gets underway, so it is about time the Bengals start thinking about the future of the secondary.

Barron is versatile and strong; he looks like Adrian Wilson on the field, and may develop into the type of player that Wilson—a perennial Pro Bowler—is. This is a perfect fit for Barron and the city of Cincinnati.

18. San Diego Chargers

Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

San Diego is in great need of a pass rushing linebacker.

Upshaw gives them that, and has the ability to drop into pass coverage when called upon to do so.

He is one of the most instinctual defenders in the draft and ultimately will be a James Harrison-type player—perhaps better and without the fines and penalties.

Upshaw is an impressive tackler with good closing speed and sideline-to-sideline range and is a leader in the huddle.

19. Chicago Bears

Cordy Glenn, OL, Georgia

Glenn gives the Bears something they have needed on the line for years: Versatility.

He played left tackle all four years in college, however, he would likely move to guard should Chicago take him at No. 19. He is long and durable and is a class act off the field. He possesses the strength to devour defensive linemen at times and will only get stronger as he moves to the professional game.

With how bad the offensive line play has been in Chicago in recent years, Glenn would be a welcome addition in the Windy City.

20. Tennessee Titans

Andre Branch, DE, Clemson

The Titans are another team in need of help in the pass rush. They totaled only 28 sacks all season, and seven of them were from rookie Karl Klug.

Branch is athletic enough at 6’5” 260 to stand up and play the outside linebacker position at times and could flourish either way.

This is good news for Tennessee.

Branch and Klug on the defensive line—whether in a 4-3 or a 3-4—can develop into a serious problem for offenses; especially a year or two down the road. His ability to drop back into pass coverage or stand up and rush will keep offenses on their toes.

21. Cincinnati Bengals

Trent Richardson, Running Back, Alabama

Cedric Benson is a solid running back. He can get three and four yards per touch with a 15-yard burst sprinkled in for good measure every so often.

What he does not have—and what Cincy needs—is speed.

Richardson is not a blazer, but he is quick enough to take it the distance at any time. His touchdown run against Ole Miss this season in which he stopped in his tracks then started again was ridiculous. (See it here.)

His running power is tremendous and he plays low to the ground, making it difficult to be tackled by just one defender.

At No. 21, you may find this pick far too late in the round to be conceivable because of how touted he is.

The NFL is changing, and teams now have a greater need for weapons on the outside and less of a need for the next great running back.

While Richardson is the best back in the draft, he may fall victim to the changing tides and free fall into the lap of Cincinnati.

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons)

David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech

With one-hit-wonder Peyton Hillis likely leaving via free agency and no other formidable talent at the position, Wilson has a great chance to start right away in Cleveland.

With the big, physical offensive line the Browns have and the overall lack of weapons on the outside, he also has the chance to succeed in Cleveland.

Wilson is considered a speed back, but he has the best balance of any running back in the draft and also will not hesitate to lower his shoulder and run through a linebacker.

It is unknown how that would work against Ray Lewis or James Harrison, but if given the opportunity, he will not back down from anyone. Miller is a competitor and will not quit until he is either too exhausted to move or has to be removed from the field on a stretcher.

He would fit right in with the great people of Cleveland.

23. Detroit Lions

Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

The Lions made the playoffs for the first time in 12 years in 2011, and they did it with great quarterback play and a front seven that features the controversial Ndamukong Suh on the line.

The secondary was atrocious, however.

Although they finished fifth in the NFL with 21 interceptions, they gave up 27 touchdown passes in the regular season—and that was before Drew Brees torched them for 466 yards and three TD in the playoffs.

Dennard is short but stout. He stands at only 5’9” but is a hefty 204 pounds, and he uses it well.

He is physical at the snap of the ball and has the speed to run with any receiver down the field. Sometimes he finds himself out of position, but he is quick enough to recover when needed.

Pairing him in the Motor City with Chris Houston could be a good thing.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers

Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

This pick could be just to annoy Baltimore, who nearly everyone thinks will draft Burfict if given the chance.

To annoy or not, it would be a fitting place for a player like Burfict. If Baltimore is the perfect spot for him, he may be the perfect player to personify what it means to be part of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense.

He’s mean; he’s nasty; he’s got an attitude problem that, if in the right place (i.e. the Steel City), would be embraced rather than shunned.

Burfict would bring that 1970s feeling back to the Steelers’ defense; back to a time when they had the brothers’ Jack—Ham and Lambert.

25. Denver Broncos

Nick Foles, QB, Arizona

Believe it or not, Tim Tebow is not a long-term starter at quarterback for the Denver Broncos. He may not even be in the league in five years if he chooses to stay at quarterback.

For what John Elway wants out of the team and its future, Foles is the ideal fit into an offense that likes to spread the defense and throw deep often.

Foles has a huge arm and is unafraid of taking shots down the field. He threw for 10,011 yards and 67 touchdowns in three years as the Wildcats’ starter, throwing only 33 interceptions in that time.

He is a big kid, at 6’5” and 240 pounds, and he looks as if he can put on some weight; he is a thin 240.

He comes from a spread offense in Tucson. However, with Tebow in Denver forcing the offense to dabble with the spread in 2011, John Fox and Co. would likely not have an issue with allowing Foles to spread his receivers out from time to time.

That said, there would be a learning curve as he adapts to a more pro-style offense.

26. Houston Texans

Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Houston played much of the season without star receiver Andre Johnson because of nagging leg injuries and they were exposed because of it.

Lucky for them, they have the best one-two punch at running back and the best blocking fullback in football or they may have crumbled and missed the playoffs altogether.

Wright would be an enormous upgrade over Kevin Walter, and the tandem of “Johnson and Wright” would be easily the best in the AFC’s Southern division with the impending departure in Indy of Reggie Wayne and/or Pierre Garçon to free agency.

He is one of the fastest options at receiver in this year’s draft and has drawn comparisons to Santonio Holmes and Carolina’s Steve Smith. Wright is certainly not selfish and “me first” like the two he has been compared to, however he is a mix of the two on the field; faster, as well.

27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans Saints)

Nick Perry, DE, USC

Perry plays bigger than his 6’3”, 250-pound frame and he has room to add bulk. Expect his NFL playing weight to be somewhere closer to 260-265.

The Patriots were a middle-of-the-pack squad in terms of getting to the quarterback in 2011 and Perry would help them get over the hump and become a better pass rushing team.

He is lightning quick off the ball and has great edge speed, so the added muscle mass will only add to his arsenal.

28. Green Bay Packers

Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

As good as they were in rushing the passer in 2010, they were that bad in 2011.

The Pack generated only 29 sacks during the regular season, ranked No. 27 in the league. In their Super Bowl year of 2010, they were second only to Pittsburgh—their SB opponent—in sacks with 47.

Not much about the defense changed, all except for one key piece: Cullen Jenkins signed with Philadelphia through free agency. Having a second dominant body on the line helped free the linebackers—Clay Matthews, especially—on their way to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

Matthews was hit hardest with the loss of Jenkins; he saw his sack production drop from 13.5 to just six in 2011.

Poe is gargantuan, tipping the scale at 340 pounds. But he is quick for his size, also. The attention he will command on Sundays should aid in the pass rush by default, because having to deal with him alone is one thing; dealing with two of him in the middle of the line is something completely different.

B.J. Raji also weighs 340 pounds (and that may be light). Two athletic men in the middle totaling 680 pounds would be a nightmare for offensive lines to handle over the length of a single drive, let alone an entire game.

29. Baltimore Ravens

Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

The Ravens could use a good pass rusher opposite Terrell Suggs and Mercilus is just that. He has a ton of room to get bigger and, though he is listed at 265 pounds, he looks to be closer to 250.

He spent much of his time in Champaign with his hand in the dirt, however, in the Ravens’ scheme he will likely stand up and move to outside linebacker to fully utilize his talents. He is another rusher who is quick off the edge and powerful in taking down a ball carrier, though he can use some work on staying home. He tends to over-pursue at times in an effort to get to the quarterback.

Getting too far up the field in the NFL can be devastating to a defense; just one slip and it’s “goodnight Charlie.”

He should be around for a while in the league and getting your start learning from T Sizzle is not a bad thing at all.

30. San Francisco 49ers

Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida St.

You can never have too much help on the offensive line. Sanders is one of the rising stars of the pre-draft hoopla and he would play on the right side in San Francisco.

Though Sanders would not start immediately, he could end up in that role by 2012 season’s end if he keeps doing what he is doing.

The 49ers have one of the best young offensive lines in the NFL and this pick would bring further truth to that. Sanders is durable and handles blitzing linebackers well. He is light on his feet and changes direction in enough time to cut off rushers.

31. New York Giants

Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

A great place for offensive linemen to develop, New York is a perfect fit for Adams.

He is still developing and has the potential to be great down the road, so for now he would sit and learn behind David Diehl.

What he brings is brute strength and size. He is 6’7” and 323 pounds and engulfs defenders when run blocking. He may have problems in the pass rush at times on account of his footwork needing to be quickened, but is willing and able to fix that with hard work on and off the field.

32. New England Patriots

Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina

More help in the pass rush for New England as we wrap up this mock draft.

Brown is one of the fastest linebackers in the draft and can be good in getting to the quarterback at the next level. He has issues with wasted movements and over-pursues the ball far too often to be an immediate impact player.

His tackling needs work. Perhaps due to the over-pursuit of ball carriers, he tends to use a lot of arm in his tackles. He also attempts too many knockout hits instead of wrapping up in the open field.

But he has the potential to be a solid linebacker at the next level with some hard work.