2012 NFL Mock Draft: Doug Martin and More Shocking First-Round Picks

Every year the NFL draft features a handful of players that come out of nowhere to end up becoming first-round picks.

This year there are numerous candidates who are still relatively unknown to most fans that will watch their draft stock increase when the combine and pre-draft workouts roll around.

The following three surprise players (highlighted in italics) won’t be top-15 picks, but will sneak into the first-round before this process is all wrapped up.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

It’s all but a certainty that Peyton Manning is gone and the Colts are prepared to start the Luck era. Being the best pro prospect to come around in the last half decade, the upside on Luck should have Colt fans chomping at the bit.

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

This is a popular pick to be traded, but I think the Rams end up keeping it to get Sam Bradford some much-needed protection.

There is little debate that Kalil is the most talented tackle in the entire draft and is worth taking with such a high pick.

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

Blackmon has everything you could ever ask for from a receiver and has put up some of his best numbers on the biggest of stages. The Vikings have to address their issues at wide receiver, and nabbing a surefire star like Blackmon could once again make the Vikings a dangerous offensive team.  

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

The Browns need to realize the Colt McCoy era is over.

He dropped all the way to the third-round for a reason and the sooner team management figures that out the better. RGIII doesn’t have the polish of Luck, but he is hands down the second-best QB available.

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

Claiborne continues to rise up the draft board to the point where he is now a top-five pick. While there isn’t one part of his game that stands out, Claiborne doesn’t have a single weakness to his game. His man coverage skills are something special and the Buccaneers have to shore up their horrific defense that essentially quit by the end of the year.

6. Washington Redskins: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

The 5’11", 225-pound back is going to be a star in the NFL for years. He is going to instantly make the ‘Skins offense better, even if we have no idea who will be under center.

He’s my pick for rookie of the year.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Kirkpatrick has officially been cleared of his marijuana charge and that should help him vault back to the top of draft boards. He has a ton of experience and the ability to cover any wide receiver in the league.

8. Carolina Panthers* (subject to coin flip): Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

Ingram has to play with more consistency if he expects to ever make it to the Pro Bowl, but his pure pass-rushing skills are too good to pass up. I expect Ingram to stand out at the combine to solidify a top-10 selection.

9. Miami Dolphins*: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Dolphins go with the best available pick here with a tackle that can start instantly. His strength is something you can’t teach.  

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

At 6’6’’, few players have the length of Coples and that’s terrific news for his NFL career. The Bills have to beef up a pass rush that struggled yet again.

11. Kansas City Chiefs* (subject to coin flip): Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

The Chiefs must address their O-line, and Martin did a remarkable job of protecting Luck in college. The Chiefs aren’t too far away from competing for another AFC West title, and shoring up the trenches is the way to go.

12. Seattle Seahawks*: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

At 6'4", 230 pounds, Jeffery has the size and athletic ability that’s so coveted at the professional level. I think his stock is only going to rise as the draft process moves forward.

13. Arizona Cardinals: David DeCastro, G, Stanford

The best interior lineman in the draft should help clear up the unpredictability of the Cardinals' running game and take some of the pressure off Kevin Kolb.

14. Dallas Cowboys: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

Upshaw made an instant impact at ‘Bama as a freshman and improved throughout his entire collegiate career. The defensive MVP of the 2012 championship game will be able to start from the first day of training camp because of his SEC pedigree. Dallas certainly needs help on the defensive side of the ball.

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

My personal favorite of the linebacker bunch, Kuechly displays the sort of energy, work ethic and desire that coaches dream about.

The leading tackler in the nation will be helpful from Day 1, but the ceiling on Kuechly isn’t as high as some of the other linebackers available, which is why he doesn’t go higher.

16. New York Jets: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

Nobody is flying up the board faster than Adams right now. His impressive play the entire Senior Bowl week has scouts thinking he can be a valuable commodity for the next decade.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland): Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia

Glenn has quick feet for a tackle and is at his best in a power running scheme, which is the formation Cincinnati implements. The only question is if the Bengals can gamble and wait from him to drop to their second pick at No. 21.

18. San Diego Chargers: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

Floyd had a storied college career and has the size at 6’3’’, 225 pounds to be a Vincent Jackson clone. Considering Jackson is likely going to leave via free agency, this pick makes plenty of sense.

19. Chicago Bears: Doug Martin, RB, Boise State 

You may have never heard of Martin, but you will soon.

Sure, other backs like Lamar Miller and Chris Polk are still on the board, but they lack the durability of Martin. There was no question he was the best back at the Senior Bowl and has a playing style that’s awfully similar to Maurice Jones-Drew. At 5’9’’ and 215 pounds, he stays low to the ground and is able to absorb more contact.

With the chance that Matt Forte isn’t back next year, Martin is the perfect replacement.

20. Tennessee Titans: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

Still has the raw strength that translates instantly to the pro level. If he continues to develop in the weight room, there’s a chance Still becomes the strongest player in the league at some point. He’s at No. 20 for now, but expect him to move up as we get closer to the draft.  

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

Jenkins was a top-10 pick last year but ruined his senior season with a marijuana bust. Nobody likes taking high-risk/high-reward players quite like the Bengals. They need to bring in help for Leon Hall, and Jenkins can start instantly.  

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

The Browns addressed their QB issues at No. 4, now they draft the best receiver on the board. Wright is a burner that is extremely familiar with RGIII and is arguably a first-round pick because of the Heisman winner. The killer college combination is capable of having similar success in college.

23. Detroit Lions: Vontaze Burfict, ILB, Arizona State

Burfict has incredible athletic ability and has the coverage skills to hang with receivers.

Physically, there is no doubt he can dominate in the league for the next decade, but it’s his mental state of mind that needs the most work.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis

Casey Hampton is only going to last for another year or two and Poe can help the Steelers make a seamless transition. Poe takes up a ton of space and can allow their deadly linebackers the opportunity to rush the passer without as many large tackles in the way.

25. Denver Broncos: Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

Sanu may not be very well known, but he did set a Big East record with 210 career receptions. Not bad considering he only played for three years and has never had a formidable QB. He excels at creating separation and rarely gets jammed at the line of scrimmage.

The Broncos have to go receiver or corner here and I think they take a stab on a player with the potential to be an excellent possession receiver for Tim Tebow. The Broncos don’t need a guy that has an off-the-charts 40-yard dash, they need a bigger guy that can help bail out Tebow when he’s in trouble.

26. Houston Texans: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

He didn’t impress at the Senior Bowl and needs to have a strong showing at the combine to stay in the first round. His status could change drastically in the coming weeks.  The Texans need to add depth at corner and Dennard is the best available.

27. New England Patriots (from Saints): Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

His technique is still raw and the redshirt sophomore doesn’t have a ton of experience, yet Brockers has exceptional speed and quickness that justifies first-round status. Here is another guy that will continue to climb up the draft board after the combine.

28. Green Bay Packers: Markelle Martin, S, Oklahoma State 

Adding depth to the secondary is no question the most important aspect to address in the offseason for Green Bay.

29. San Francisco 49ers: Rueben Randle, WR, LSU 

The 49ers had a grand total of three yards from their receivers in the NFC Championship Game. That’s completely unacceptable.

Randle is currently a mid-second-round pick on most experts' mocks, but they are forgetting he had 917 receiving yards with eight TDs in an offense that ranked 109th in the nation.

He averaged over 17 yards per reception because of his elusiveness in space. He would make Alex Smith’s life a heck of a lot easier.

30. Baltimore Ravens: Dont’a Hightower, ILB, Alabama

Ray Lewis is reaching the end of his career, and grooming a potential replacement is the right move.

Hightower is a freak athlete who can run a 4.6 40-yard dash and has the necessary size to make an instant impact. He would be the perfect fit for the Ravens.

31. New England Patriots: Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska

Crick is a perennial Pro Bowler because of his lighting fast first move. He catches tackles off guard and has the strength to push them aside.  

32. New York Giants: Zach Brown, OLB, UNC

Brown is a borderline first-round pick because of his outstanding instincts, foot quickness and blazing fast speed. His decisiveness comes in handy when he’s rushing the passer.  

At 6’2", 232 pounds, Brown is rising up the board rapidly and could easily jump up another 10 spots with a strong combine showing.