2012 NFL Mock Draft: Projecting the Top QBs After the Senior Bowl

Quarterback is the most widely discussed position in all of sports. Because of this, we will hear plenty about quarterbacks prior to the 2012 NFL draft.

Obviously, Stanford's Andrew Luck is the top quarterback in the draft. There are, however, several other early-round options, including Baylor's Robert Griffin III.

Many NFL teams are in need of an upgrade at quarterback, but there aren't enough to go around. Because of this, there will be high demand for the early-round prospects.

Full First-Round Projections

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

2. St. Louis Rams: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

3. Minnesota Vikings: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

4. Cleveland Browns: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

6. Washington Redskins: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

8. Carolina Panthers: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

9. Miami Dolphins: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

10. Buffalo Bills: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

11. Seattle Seahawks: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

12. Kansas City Chiefs: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

13. Arizona Cardinals: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

14. Dallas Cowboys: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

16. New York Jets: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland): David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

18. San Diego Chargers: Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

19. Chicago Bears: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

20. Tennessee Titans: Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta): Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

23. Detroit Lions: Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

25. Denver Broncos: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

26. Houston Texans: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans): Mark Barron, S, Alabama

28. Green Bay Packers: Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

29. Baltimore Ravens: Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

30. San Francisco 49ers: Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

31. New York Giants: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

32. New England Patriots: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

It's all but guaranteed that Andrew Luck will be drafted No. 1 by the Colts. The Stanford star has everything teams are looking for in a quarterback, and there is no reason for Indianapolis not to take him.

At 6'4" and 235 pounds, Luck has perfect size. He can run, he can stand in the pocket and he can throw deep. There's nothing not to like from a physical perspective.

More important, though, are Luck's intelligence and accuracy. Luck ran an NFL offense at Stanford and chose between three plays at the line of scrimmage. Then when it was time to throw the ball, Luck rarely missed. 

Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

In all likelihood, a team will jump ahead of Cleveland to take Robert Griffin III. The Baylor quarterback is an excellent prospect, and there aren't any great options once he is gone.

If he does fall, however, Griffin is the logical pick for the Browns. Colt McCoy has failed abysmally, and the team needs a playmaker on offense. If he is nothing else, Griffin is a playmaker.

Griffin stands at just 6'2" and 210 pounds, but he is incredibly talented. The Heisman winner can run, throw deep or throw short. He needs some work, but with time, Griffin should develop into a star.

Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

With no great options available, Seattle decides to address its biggest need by selecting Ryan Tannehill. Tarvaris Jackson definitely isn't the answer, and Charlie Whitehurst is even worse.

A former wide receiver, Tannehill is still raw at quarterback. The 6'4", 230-pounder is fast and possesses a rocket arm, but he struggles as a decision-maker and is sometimes inaccurate. 

Ideally, Tannehill can sit on the bench for a year before being forced into the starting role. He needs to improve at diagnosing defenses and his mechanics are still raw. But with time, Tannehill could take the NFL by storm.

Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State

The biggest issue with Brandon Weeden is his age—he's 28 years old. A former baseball prospect, Weeden got off to a late start on his college career and isn't a finished product yet, either.

The 6'4", 219-pounder is physically talented but looks downright awful at times. With time, Weeden can develop into a solid starter—that's not the issue.

The problem is that there isn't time to develop Weeden. At 28, he has only a few years before he begins to physically decline. It's hard to say how early a team will take a chance on him, but Washington could be a fit in the second or third round.