NFL Draft 2012: Players NFC North Teams Must Select with 1st-Round Picks

Barring injury, the NFC North should send three teams to the playoffs in 2012; and there are players in the first round of the draft that can help ensure this happens.

Those playoff bound teams are: the Green Bay Packers of course, the Detroit Lions are certainly up and coming, and the Chicago Bears would have made the playoffs were it not for injuries to Jay Cutler and Matt Forte.

That only leaves the Minnesota Vikings, who have too many holes to fill to predict a playoff berth in 2012.

Here are the players each team should select with their top pick:

Minnesota Vikings - 3rd overall, OT Matt Kalil 

Even though the Vikings are more than one offseason of moves away from contending, selecting Kalil is a move in the right direction. One of the many issues the Vikings had last season was protecting the QB.

Vikings’ QB were sacked an amazing 49 times last season, only four teams allowed more. The Vikings seem to be content to take one more look at Christian Ponder at QB. Keeping him upright is essential to completing that evaluation.

He needs a big-time receiver, and though players like Justin Blackmon and Michael Floyd may be available, the free-agent receiving market is deep. The Vikings could go after Vincent Jackson, Marques Colston, Dwayne Bowe, Stevie Johnston and others to fill that void.

Kalil is 6’7” 300 pounds and he is far and away the best offensive lineman prospect in the draft.

The Vikings are better off drafting a solid tackle to protect their QB and assist their running game. Kalil is the safest and most sensible pick the Vikes can make to rebuild a respectable offense.

Chicago Bears - 19th overall, WR Kendall Wright

The Bears need playmakers who are complete receivers. Sure Johnny Knox and Devin Hester are fast, but they aren’t refined receivers, and Knox suffered a serious back injury late last season. Wright has game-breaking speed accompanied with good route running, hands and agility.

Contrary to popular beliefs, the Bears offensive line was not that bad after Mike Martz was dragged kicking and screaming into formations that better suited the personnel. The team shouldn't overreact and select another offensive lineman in the first round. They selected Gabe Carimi in 2011, he was hurt, but is expected back this year to help make the line even better. 

Players like Mike Brewster of Ohio State should be available in the second round. In free agency, players like the Packers’ Scott Wells and Texans’ Chris Myers could be options at center. Any acquisition of a center would allow Roberto Garza to move back to guard. 

The tackle options are scarce through free agency, but Andrew Datko of Florida St and Levy Adcock of Oklahoma State are options through the draft.

In the first round, the player that could help the Bears and Jay Cutler most is Wright. Matt Forte led the Bears in receptions with 52 despite the fact that he’s a RB, and he missed four games. No receiver had more than 37 catches.

The Bears can’t win that way. Wright would give them a dependable speed threat to go with the underrated Earl Bennett, and the Bears could still chase the same group the Vikings will pursue to build a solid receiving corp.

Detroit Lions, 23rd overall, CB Chase Minnifield Virginia

The Lions’ defense was terrible against the pass. Despite their young and talented pass rushers Ndamukong Suh and Cliff Avril, the team ranked 23rd in the NFL against the pass. They were worse against the run, ranking 24th there.

They need an upgrade at CB, and Minnifield is a solid and experienced collegiate CB. He is a fifth year senior, son of a former NFL player (Frank Minnifield) and a solid athlete.

He has the size at 6’1” 195 pounds to play with the bigger receivers in the league and his 40” vertical leap makes him play even bigger.

He will provide the type of presence on the outside the Lions’ defense needs. With a CB the defense can trust in coverage, the Lions’ front seven and safeties will be able to commit to stopping the run.

Minnifield could be the type of corner that helps to strengthen the entire defense.

Green Bay Packers, 28th overall, C Peter Konz Wisconsin

I expect the Packers will lose center Scott Wells in free agency, he’s due a big payday, and the Packers will probably use the franchise tag on Jermichael Finley, even though they should do the opposite.

Konz is the best center prospect in the draft, and once Wells bolts, it’ll be a major need. Konz is huge for the position at 6’5” 315 pounds, but he has good athleticism. 

Most importantly for the Packers, he is versatile, equally effective at run-blocking and pass blocking. This is a balance the Packers would be better off pursuing. In 2011, the Packers had the largest disparity between passing yards and rushing yards in the NFL.

Drafting Konz helps the Packers prevent a fall off at a crucial position and adds strength to the running game. 

The team still has needs in the secondary, as they need to get younger at corner. Charles Woodson is 35, so the fall off is certainly coming.

Still, this can be addressed in later rounds, the Packers’ can’t afford to let a top flight center like Konz go with Wells return looking less likely.