2012 NFL Mock Draft: Prospects Who Will Out-Perform Andrew Luck in First Year

Andrew Luck is the logical No. 1 pick, but he isn't going to be the best rookie in the 2012 season. If you're looking for symmetry, know that Peyton Manning wasn't the top rookie in 1998; Randy Moss was. 

Top rookies in italics.

1. Indianapolis Colts, Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Luck is the only logical No. 1 pick. That doesn't mean that he'll be the best rookie in 2012, but he is the franchise quarterback the Colts need to build their future around. 

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

The Rams will need to keep Sam Bradford healthy going forward. That means they will need to bring in better protection, which starts with a franchise offensive tackle. 

3. Minnesota Vikings, Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

The explosive receiver is a perfect match in Minnesota. Even if Adrian Peterson has a hard time recovering from his injury, the Vikings have Percy Harvin for opposing defenses to deal with. 

That will mean plenty of favorable matchups for the dynamic Blackmon, who will take advantage of them. Looking way ahead, he is the leading candidate for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Blackmon will be fun to watch.

4. Cleveland Browns, Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

As tempting as Robert Griffin III is, the Browns need to build an offense before giving up on Colt McCoy. Taking RG3 now would only be setting him up to fail.

Richardson is a dynamic runner, capable of running outside and inside. He will give the Browns a nice foundation.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Morris Claiborne, CB LSU

The league's worst scoring defense needs the draft's best defensive back. 

6. Washington Redskins, Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

The Redskins aren't devoid of talent, but they do need a quarterback. Washington hasn't had a franchise quarterback for a long time. That needs to change if they are ever going to seriously compete. 

7. Jacksonville Jaguars, Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

At the end of the season, the Jaguars were bringing defensive backs in off of the street. It is hard to compete in the NFL without consistency in the secondary.

Dennard is a strong defensive back who competed against some of the Big XII's best offenses before the Cornhuskers switched conferences before the 2011 season. 

8. Carolina Panthers, Devon Still, DT, Penn St.*

The Panthers had the 25th best run defense in the NFL in 2011. With a big defensive tackle and a returning Jon Beason up the middle, they would be a top-half unit against the run. 

9. Miami Dolphins, David DeCastro, G, Stanford*

With Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas, the backs are in place for the Dolphins to be a strong run offense. They just need the help up the middle to make that happen. DeCastro anchored Stanford's power offense and will transition well to the NFL.

10. Buffalo Bills, Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

Buffalo recorded fewer sacks than any team in the league last season. Coples is a strong pass rusher who would help take some of the heat off of the secondary and allow them to go at the ball more aggressively.

11. Kansas City Chiefs, Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa*

The Chiefs were in the bottom half of the NFL in sacks allowed in 2011. If they are going to rebound and compete for the AFC West crown next year, that is something that will have to improve. 

12. Seattle Seahawks, Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama*

Statistically, the Seahawks' defense was good last year; they were just burned too often by the deep ball. If that tightens up, contention for a Wild Card spot (or better) is highly likely.

13. Arizona Cardinals, Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Whatever the Cardinals decide to do at quarterback, they will need to protect him. Martin did a good job with Andrew Luck at Stanford. 

14. Dallas Cowboys, Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

The secondary let the Cowboys down in 2012, which is why they didn't make the playoffs. Jenkins is supremely talented and a person the Cowboys must gamble on. 

15. Philadelphia Eagles, Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

A good man in the middle is all that stops the Eagles from being a Super Bowl contender. Burfict was a big-time player at Arizona State and will be so in the NFL. 

Going to the Eagles will allow him the freedom to roam and make plays. With the Wide Nine defense that they run, he may well lead the league in tackles, as the line is more interested in getting to the quarterback than they are defending the run. 

16. New York Jets, Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

Jeffery is a fantastic athlete and has a combination of speed and size not often seen. Who knows where Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes will be next year? The Jets have to find some stability outside. 

That is where Jeffery is a great option for them. He will be a tremendous help for Mark Sanchez and will bring a big-play element that New York lacks. 

17. Cincinnati Bengals (via Oakland Raiders), Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

Floyd would be a fine slot receiver to line up on the other side of A.J. Green. He also brings a big-play element that when combined with Green, would make opposing secondaries cringe. 

The Bengals with an explosive offense would be a hard team for even the Steelers and Ravens to compete with. 

18. San Diego Chargers, Cordy Glenn, G, Georgia

The Chargers dealt with a lack of depth up front all year, and it cost them dearly. Philip Rivers was rushed, which forced bad passes, which led to interceptions. 

A good guard would help stem that rush and also would make a big impact on the running game. Glenn is a massive man that the Chargers can't pass on. 

19. Chicago Bears, Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

I can't help but see an Aldon Smith comparison here. Upshaw is a great speed rusher who would be going to a team with other top defensive studs. In Chicago, he would be lined up against the weaker lineman, like Smith often was in San Francisco.

As a result, Upshaw would drive opposing quarterbacks crazy. He would be an instant threat to lead the league in sacks. 

20. Tennessee Titans, Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

With Cortland Finnegan in free agency, the Titans have to rebuild the secondary. Gilmore is a strong player who would help ease the transition away from Finnegan. 

21. Cincinnati Bengals, Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

There is no way that the Bengals can let Miller slide. He is a strong playmaker who will help the Bengals get the ball away from Cedric Benson, if he returns. 

22. Cleveland Browns (via Atlanta Falcons), Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

With a real passing game, the Browns can finally analyze Colt McCoy fairly. Wright was RG3's top option, which seemed to work out well. Wright is a real scoring threat any time he's on the field, which the Browns haven't had in a long time. 

23. Detroit Lions, Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

A lot of the same logic that applied to Burfict works here, too. Kuechly is a tackling machine, and that is a lost art in the NFL. The Lions pass rush goes at the quarterback and eats up blockers, which will allow Kuechly to attack the running backs. 

24. Pittsburgh Steelers, Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama

This would be more of a project pick, as the Steelers don't need a lot more. They need to bring in some guys to spell the older players, and Hightower would do just that. 

25. Denver Broncos, Mark Barron, S, Alabama

It is hard to not be impressed with Barron and his hitting ability. The Broncos were still one of the worst defenses in the league this season, and Barron is a good run stuffer and pass defender. 

He will step in and make an instant impact on the league. The Broncos will do well to land him here. 

26. Houston Texans, Mohamed Sanu, WR Rutgers

The Texans need a little depth at the receiver position, which Sanu would provide. He is a strong receiver who works well in the slot. That would create favorable matchups for Andre Johnson. 

27. New England Patriots (via New Orleans Saints), Jamell Fleming, CB, Oklahoma

If the Patriots develop a more reliable secondary, they're going to be much better. Considering they're in the Super Bowl as it is, that is a scary thought. 

28. Green Bay Packers, Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

The Packers need to get at the quarterback better. That was missing without Cullen Jenkins this year. Ingram is stellar pass rusher who the Packers have to take here. 

29. Baltimore Ravens, Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

Konz is a nasty center ready to step in immediately. A team like the Ravens that runs first would do well to embrace that with a strong offensive lineman. 

30. San Francisco 49ers, Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

The 49ers need to keep the strong pass rushing teams out of their backfield. If they did a better job of that, San Francisco would be in the Super Bowl right now. 

31. New York Giants, Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech**

The Giants do need to improve the secondary. If they do, quarterbacks won't be able to get rid of the ball early. That will make their already elite pass rush even better. 

32. New England Patriots, Zach Brown, OLB North Carolina**

With a need in the secondary addressed, the Patriots need a guy who can pressure the quarterback. They were a middle-of-the-road team in terms of getting to the quarterback. Brown would help New England develop a strong defensive foundation. 

* Picks 8/9 and 11/12 will be decided by coin toss.

** Picks 31 and 32 will be decided in the Super Bowl. The loser will get No. 31, the winner No. 32. 

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