2012 NFL Mock Draft: Why Washington Redskins Need a Trade Up to No. 2 Most

While hundreds of mock drafts have made their way through the Internet over the past couple of weeks and months, a couple of common trends have emerged near the top of almost every mock. 

For one, the Indianapolis Colts take Andrew Luck with the first pick. Of course. Luck to the Colts is the no-brainer of the 2012 draft and you'd be off your rocker to put anyone else in that slot. 

But the second theme comes just a pick later, and it involves the St. Louis Rams executing a trade down to a quarterback-needy team that wants to draft Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. In every mock that allows trades (mine below does not), there's one of those needy teams picking Griffin at No. 2.  

There's the usual suspects moving up: Cleveland Browns from No. 4, Miami Dolphins from No. 9 and the Washington Redskins from No. 6. 

While each team has pros and cons of making such a move, let me make one thing about the scenario very clear: The Washington Redskins are the one team that should do anything and everything it takes to make the trade with the Rams on or before draft day.

The reasons are pretty simple.

No team in the NFL has a worst situation at quarterback than Washington, and that includes the Seahawks (who start Tarvaris Jackson with backup Charlie Whitehurst), Dolphins (Chad Henne and Matt Moore), Jets (Mark Sanchez and Mark Brunell) and Browns (Colt McCoy and Seneca Wallace).

A good portion of those teams listed have a guy that is young or has some room to grow. Not the Redskins. Rex Grossman and John Beck have about maxed out their NFL potential, and there's no youngster waiting in the wings for a chance to take over.

And here's the scary part: If the Redskins don't trade up, what are they going to do at the quarterback position? Luck and Griffin are the clear-cut No. 1 and 2 quarterbacks in this draft, but the gap from No. 2 to 3 is substantial.

Would Washington really want to reach at No. 6 after Griffin and Luck are gone? Do they want to take a chance on a second-rounder or worse to be the franchise's future at the position?

The Redskins aren't a bad football team through and through. Having a game-changer at quarterback could make all the difference. Having any kind of the future at the position, like the majority of the teams in the NFL currently do, is something management owes its fans. 

Considering they now have that golden opportunity staring them in the eyes, it's time for Daniel Synder to make that jump up to No. 2.

Take Griffin and start a new era of Washington Redskins football.

That fresh start is long overdue.

2012 NFL Mock Draft 

1.  Indianapolis Colts—Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

2.  St. Louis Rams—Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

3.  Minnesota Vikings—Matt Kalil, OT, USC 

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

5.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers—Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

6.  Washington Redskins—Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

7.  Jacksonville Jaguars—Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina  

8.  Carolina Panthers—Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

9.  Miami Dolphins—Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa 

10.  Buffalo Bills—Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

11.  Kansas City Chiefs—Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

12.  Seattle Seahawks—Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

13.  Arizona Cardinals—Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

14.  Dallas Cowboys—Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

15.  Philadelphia Eagles—Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

16.  New York Jets—Nick Perry, LB, USC 

17.  Cincinnati Bengals—Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

18.  San Diego Chargers—David DeCastro, OG, Stanford 

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

20.  Tennessee Titans—Zach Brown, OLB, UNC

21.  Cincinnati Bengals—Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

22.  Cleveland Browns—Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor  

23.  Detroit Lions—Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

24.  Pittsburgh Steelers—Cordy Glenn, OL, Georgia 

25.  Denver Broncos—Devon Still, DL, Penn State

26.  Houston Texans—Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis

27.  New England Patriots—Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin 

28.  Green Bay Packers—Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois   

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

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

31.  New York Giants—Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama    

32.  New England Patriots—Mark Barron, S, Alabama