2012 NFL Draft Projections: Where Will Robert Griffin III Land?

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck has been all but guaranteed to be the top pick in the 2012 NFL draft for over a year now. But with USC's Matt Barkley and Oklahoma's Landry Jones deciding to return to college, Baylor's Robert Griffin III has solidified himself as the No. 2 signal-caller in this year's class.

Now that Griffin is almost certain to be the second quarterback to come off the board, it's time to take a look at the teams that could target the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner. As of now the teams with quarterback needs towards the top of the draft are the Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks. 

The Browns have the No. 4 pick and after this season they can't be convinced that Colt McCoy is a legitimate franchise quarterback. The draft likely hinges on what Cleveland does with the fourth pick, since there are a number of directions it could choose to go in. Frankly, I think the Browns should target Alabama running back Trent Richardson and give McCoy one more year to prove himself. Next year's draft should be a deep one for quarterbacks and if the Texas product fails to produce in 2012, they could make a move for a signal-caller at that point.

I have the Redskins taking Griffin at No. 6 in my latest mock draft and still think that is his most likely destination. Washington has been linked to both Peyton Manning and Matt Flynn, and head coach Mike Shanahan might prefer to add a veteran instead of being forced to develop a rookie. Still, Griffin's talent and intangibles are hard to overlook. He would make a great face for the Redskins' franchise. 

While Matt Moore had a pretty good year for the Dolphins in 2011, virtually no one views him as a long-term solution under center in Miami. The Dolphins will have either the No. 8 or No. 9 pick in the draft, depending on a coin flip to break a tie with the Carolina Panthers. At that point, Griffin may be gone, so Miami will likely have to work a trade to move up and grab him. 

Seattle is the last destination listed, but I think it is a long shot Griffin ends up there. The Seahawks will get either the 11th or 12th pick in the draft (again based on a coin flip) and Griffin almost surely won't last past the top 10. The Seahawks are also unlikely to have the will to trade up, since there are enough holes on their roster that they need as many draft picks as possible.

At this point I believe Griffin will land at No. 6 with the Redskins, but I could easily see him ending up in Cleveland at No. 4.