2012 NFL Mock Draft: Alabama S Mark Barron Could Slip If Injury Reports Are True

Joe Everett of RookieDraft.com reported via Twitter Tuesday that Mark Barron, the top safety prospect in the 2012 NFL draft, has a double sports hernia and could miss significant time, with a timetable set for July/August.

Here is the tweet: 

If this report turns out true—the claim has yet to be confirmed officially—Barron would miss both the NFL Combine and his Alabama Pro Day, which together has the ability to drop a player's stock considerably as April approaches. Even in a diluted safety class, Barron could see his name drop in the early second round range.

At the current moment, most mock drafts—including the one below—have Barron as a mid-to-late first rounder. The safety position has been weak in back-to-back drafts, so most held out hope that Barron could break through as a top player there during the pre-draft process.

Without combine numbers and a second look at a pro day, which Everett's timeline rules out, Barron would have to rely on his tape from four years at Alabama to pave the way to April's draft.

Plus, when you add in the fact that Barron could miss OTAs and part of training camp, you get a growing risk factor. Teams want impact players in the first round, and Barron might not fit that profile if reports of his injury turn out to be correct.

Stay tuned for more on this developing story.

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 – Mark Barron, S, Alabama

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 England Patriots – Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

32.  New York Giants – Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama