2012 NFL Mock Draft: Will Philadelphia Eagles Go Against Recent Draft History?

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid has helped preside over a whopping 13 NFL drafts since becoming the Eagles' top man in 1999.

Every coach/drafter develops his own individual tendencies, especially after 13 drafts. Reid is no exception, as he's mostly avoided drafting linebackers in the first two rounds over those 13 drafts.

Only twice has Reid taken a linebacker in the second round, and he's never pulled the trigger on a player at that position in the first. Twenty-eight picks have been selected in the first two rounds during Reid's time in Philly, and only two have gone to linebacker.  

But that position group just so happens to be among the Eagles' most pressing needs as we inch closer to the 2012 NFL draft. Will Reid break his overwhelming tendency of straying away from linebackers early to address the hole this April?   

Nearly every mock draft thinks so.

The phrases "Luke Kuechly, Boston College" and "Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State" are next to the Eagles at No. 15 overall in a huge number of early mocks, and the one below is no different.

Because in the end, tendencies are eventually made to be broken—and there's no better time for Reid to take a linebacker high than 2012.

That assertion isn't due to the availability of a sure-thing linebacker in the first round. Despite being first-round talents, both Kuechly and Burfict have various flaws and red flags.

It's the fact the Eagles need so badly a presence in the middle of their defense that ignoring the hole because of a tendency to shy away from one position early in the draft simply doesn't add up.

Still, given his draft history, no one should be surprised if Reid ignores the position early this April. Two linebackers in 28 total picks is telling enough.

But there's no doubt in my mind that Reid should look real hard into making that No. 3 out of 30 by the time the Eagles have made their first two picks.

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