2012 NFL Mock Draft: 4 Bold Predictions, Post-Super Bowl Edition

The New York Giants have taken down the Super Bowl for the second time in four years, and the question for many now is what happens next?

The New England Patriots are licking their wounds and trying to figure out what they can do differently to change the outcome if they find themselves in the big game again soon.

Just like many other teams in the NFL, the draft in April may hold the answers to the questions that are keeping the Patriots from achieving the ultimate goal.

Here are four bold predictions for teams in April's draft that might make or break their playoff chances.

Washington Will Make the Move for RGIII

The sweepstakes for Matt Flynn is all but over considering that the Miami Dolphins hired former Packers coach (and known Matt Flynn fan) Joe Philbin. Flynn would be crazy to accept more money to go somewhere and start from scratch with a new head coach.

With that being the case, and Mike Shanahan's leash growing tighter than Jessica Simpson's pants in Washington, it makes sense that the Redskins will make this move. A dynamic player at quarterback could be the difference between playoffs and no playoffs for the Redskins.

For those who don't believe that statement, remember that the Skins beat the Super Bowl champion Giants this season...twice.

The Patriots Will Move Way Up for Richardson

If the Patriots learned one thing in this Super Bowl, it was that it is much easier to have a great running game to try and salt away the clock than a precision passing game. Wes Welker's drop in the waning minutes of the Super Bowl allowed Eli and the Giants to post their second victory over the Patriots on the NFL's grandest stage, and both times, the Pats were devoid of a running game that could chew clock.

New England will realize that in order to maximize the benefit of having an aging Tom Brady on their squad, they need to give him some help in the rushing attack. Enter, Trent RIchardson who helped to make AJ McCarron look like an all star the entire NCAA football season.

New England has two first-round picks to part with and will gladly turn them over to the Cleveland Browns for a chance to add a player to their roster that could have been the difference between a ring and an apology to the fans in 2012.

The Jets Will Draft a Replacement for Sanchez in Round 1

There was a lot of speculation in the early going that the Jets were going to draft a player named "Nick" in the first round, but many expected it to be Nick Perry the DE from USC. 

The truth of the matter is that coming off an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl, Arizona Wildcat record-holder Nick Foles will be the man tasked with supplanting the "San-chize" on Broadway.

Gang Green is looking for someone to take the reigns of this team, and it probably won't be Peyton Manning who will look to avoid the media circus of sharing New York with is brother...not to mention the AFC East with Tom Brady.

Foles showed some poise in his game time of the Senior Bowl, and without Landry Jones and Matt Barkley in the mix, he may be the third-best QB in the draft.

Isaiah Pead Is Returning Kicks for San Francisco

Nobody shined brighter on offense and special teams in the Senior Bowl than Isaiah Pead of Cincinnati. His multipurpose yardage was a revelation and helped his team to victory.

The San Francisco 49ers had to watch the Super Bowl and think that they also would have stymied the Patriots and potentially won the big game had Kyle Williams not had a rough day returning kicks in the NFC Championship.

The Niners will answer that need early in the 2012 draft and snag a player in Pead who can shore up the special teams and offer a change of pace in the backfield vastly different from Frank Gore, or even Kendall Hunter.

32-Pick First-Round Mock Draft

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford 

2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor (From St. Louis Rams) 

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OG, USC 

4. New England Patriots: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama (From Cleveland) 

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

6. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State (From Washington) 

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

8. Carolina Panthers: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

9. Miami Dolphins: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford 

10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa 

11. Kansas City Chiefs: Jonathan Martin, OL, Stanford 

12. Seattle Seahawks: Dre' Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama 

13. Arizona Cardinals: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina 

14. Dallas Cowboys: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska 

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College 

16. New York Jets: Nick Perry, DE, USC 

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Courtney Upshaw, DE, Alabama (from Oakland Raiders) 

18. San Diego Chargers: Fletcher Cox, DT, Miss. State 

19. Chicago Bears: Alshon Jeffrey, WR, South Carolina 

20. Tennessee Titans: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina 

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia 

22. Cleveland Browns: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami(from Atlanta Falcons)

23. Detroit Lions: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama 

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State 

25. Denver Broncos: Donta' Hightower, ILB, Alabama 

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor 

27. Cleveland Browns: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis(from New England Patriots) 

28. Green Bay Packers: Zerbie Sanders, OT, Florida State 

29. Baltimore Ravens: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois 

30. San Francisco 49ers: Jared Crick, DT, Nebraska 

31. Cleveland Browns: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama (from New England Patriots) 

32. New York Giants: Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina