2012 NFL Mock Draft: Looking at Possible First-Round QBs After Andrew Luck

We all know Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck will be the first player taken in the NFL draft. But thanks to guys like USC's Matt Barkley and Oklahoma's Landry Jones deciding to return to school, the class of signal-callers this season is fairly thin. Here is a look at the guys after Luck who could end up as first-round picks.

Robert Griffin III

The Heisman Trophy winner out of Baylor is almost certain to be the second quarterback taken this year. Now that Barkley and Jones decided to return to school, his competition for that spot is considerably weaker. 

Griffin is a little undersized at 6'1" and 218 pounds, but he makes up for that lack of bulk with his incredible athleticism. He has a good arm that has improved and is very accurate. His intangibles are off the charts, as he is smart, dedicated, competitive and comes across as mature and humble. A great kid.

I would be shocked if he lasts past No. 6, as the Washington Redskins are said to love his ability. He's a sure top-10 pick and could be off the board in the top five.

Ryan Tannehill

The Texas A&M quarterback is the only other signal-caller I have with a first-round grade right now. he has prototypical size (6'4" and 222 pounds) and despite only playing the position for one-and-a-half years in college, he may have as much upside as anyone in the draft. 

He was the team's top receiver for two-and-a-half years before switching to quarterback midway through his junior year. This year, the 23-year-old completed 61.6 percent of his passes for 3,744 yards, with 29 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

While those numbers don't jump off the page, considering it was his first full season at the position, there is a lot to like about Tannehill.

While he does have a three-quarters delivery, Tannehill possesses a good arm and his accuracy has continued to improve. He's also a great kid, an outstanding teammate and a leader on the field. As you would expect, his mobility is also excellent for a guy of his size.

I've seen projections claiming he could come off the board in the top 10. I doubt that will happen, but I wouldn't be surprised if a quarterback-needy team traded up into the middle of the first round to grab him.

Brock Osweiler

Osweiler surprised a lot of people when he declared for the draft rather than returning to Arizona State for his senior year. He is more of a project than a ready-made starter, but in the right system, with the right coaches he could emerge as a great prospect.

The ASU product is 6'7" and 240 pounds, and this season he completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 4,036 yards and 26 touchdowns with 13 interceptions. He needs a whole lot of polish, but the kid can throw the ball and with the right support around him, he could turn into a good one.

Osweiler has a huge arm, as you would expect from someone of his size, he also showed improved accuracy this season. He is well-respected by teammates and is a natural leader. That often happens when you're the tallest guy in any room you enter.

He has the maturity to handle the responsibilities of a franchise quarterback in the NFL.

The giant Sun Devil could end up being taken at the back-end of the first round if a team decides it wants a long-term project at the quarterback position. Depending on how his workouts go, Osweiler could be a first-rounder.

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: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

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

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

7.  Jacksonville Jaguars: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

8.  Carolina Panthers: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

9.  Miami Dolphins: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

10.  Buffalo Bills: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

11.  Kansas City Chiefs: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

12.  Seattle Seahawks: Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

13.  Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

14.  Dallas Cowboys: David DeCastro, G, Stanford

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

16.  New York Jets: Alshon Jeffrey, WR, South Carolina

17.  Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland Raiders): Chris Polk, RB, Washington

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

19.  Chicago Bears: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

20.  Tennessee Titans: Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

21.  Cincinnati Bengals: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

22.  Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons): Mark Barron, S, Alabama  

23.  Detroit Lions: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

24.  Pittsburgh Steelers: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

25.  Denver Broncos: Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State

26.  Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

27.  New England Patriots: Michael Brockers, DT/DE, LSU

28.  Green Bay Packers: Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois   

29.  Baltimore Ravens: Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

30.  San Francisco 49ers: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

31. New England Patriots: Andre Branch, OLB, Clemson

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