2012 NFL Draft: Analyzing Mid-Round Wide Receivers to to Be Viewed Cautiously

It never hurts to have an abundance of receivers for a quarterback to target, especially in a pass-happy league.

That way, if a player gets injured, traded or simply lacks in production, replacing him with another reliable receiver is a cinch.

Franchises have to be careful, though, because despite there being solid mid-round talent in the NFL Draft, there are those who are rated high without having much consistent success.

So, here are some receivers of whom to be cautious in late April.

(Round 2) New York Jets: Stephen Hill, Georgia Tech

Considered a mid to late second-rounder, Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill stands at 6'5" and weighs over 200 pounds.

In other words, a great size for a No. 1 receiver along with strength and leaping ability.

The major concern with Hill is that he only had one decent college season. In 2011, Hill caught just 28 passes but compiled 820 yards and scored five touchdowns.

So, he averaged almost 30 yards per reception which is insane. That said, we also have to remember that the Yellow Jackets rarely throw the ball in their triple-option offense.

Therefore, Hill's opportunities were significantly limited by his own offense but then again, it also made him a reliable downfield stock-blocker.

He's definitely a player the New York Jets could use as the size his comparable to Plaxico Burress and Hill's ability run block certainly increases the appeal. Gang Green just must be careful, since they can't expect Hill to quickly develop into a No. 1 receiver.

It will take longer simply because of the offensive system he played in for three years.

(Round 3) Detroit Lions: Tommy Streeter, Miami (Fla.)

Although the Miami Hurricanes certainly threw the ball more than Georgia Tech, Tommy Streeter had Jacory Harris tossing him the rock, so, in short, he didn't have a legit quarterback under center.

Still, Streeter is expected to go by no later than Round 3, and he is a suitable candidate for the Detroit Lions.

Last season was Streeter's only somewhat productive college year in catching 46 passes for 811 yards, including eight touchdowns.

In Detroit, Streeter will have the luxury of being Matthew Stafford's No. 2 target behind Calvin Johnson and the getting old soon-Nate Burleson can play the slot target. Streeter's size (6'5", 215 pounds) is something that would simply enhance the Lions offense. At the very least, he'd add receiver depth.

Titus Young could then be the No. 4 man in a four-wide set and eventually take over for Burleson in due time. But that question of consistency has yet to be seen as Streeter had just six total passes when 2011 kicked off.

Streeter is by no means a bad pick. It's just going to be interesting how he transitions considering he could have played for the Hurricanes in 2012.

(Round 5) Washington Redskins: Marvin Jones, California

Of those mentioned on this list, California's Marvin Jones has easily been the most consistent.

The previous three seasons he's averaged 51 receptions for 754 yards and scored a total of 13 touchdowns. These numbers are not indicative of a top prospect, but at least the consistency over the three-year span is there.

Plus, it's not like Jones was surrounded with talent on the Golden Bears.

He will, however, be a solid late-round selection for the Washington Redskins if they happen to land Baylor's Robert Griffin III. RG3 would easily make Jones better considering how well he did at Baylor with limited help.

And in our nation's capital, Jones' 6'3", 200-ish pound-frame would be close to an ideal No. 2 target. Thing is, Washington doesn't have an impressive ground game, so Jones will need to rise above his college production.

Luckily for Jones, the NFC East isn't known for its overly dominant pass defenses. With a mobile quarterback, he'll have that extra time to get separation when singled up or to find the zone's soft spot.

(Round 5) Denver Broncos: Gerell Robinson, Arizona State

Other than Tim Tebow needing to improve his mechanics and become more accurate, it wouldn't hurt to get the guy another viable receiver.

Demaryius Thomas has begun to develop and Eric Deck is a reliable No. 3 target. Keeping Eddie Royal in the slot and drafting Arizona State's Gerell Robinson in Round 5 would be good moves for the Denver Broncos.

One thing to remember about Robinson is that his quarterback, Brock Osweiler, was only under center for one season. Hence, the two were able to quickly build a chemistry as Robinson caught 77 passes for almost 1,400 yards and scored seven touchdowns.

However, in the years prior, although it was without Osweiler, Robinson only caught 58 passes for 654 yards. So, as with each of the other receivers mentioned, consistency on an annual basis remains to be seen.

But Robinson does have great size at 6'4", 220-ish pounds. So, putting him opposite of Thomas will suffice. However, Robinson isn't too well-known for his ability to run block. After all, that's the Broncos forte, and if he doesn't develop that facet of his game, Robinson wouldn't last in The Mile High City.

2012 First-Round NFL Mock Draft

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB (Stanford)	17. Cincinnati Bengals (From OAK): Janoris Jenkins, CB (Northern Alabama)
2. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR (Oklahoma State)	18. San Diego Chargers: Riley Reiff, OT (Iowa)
3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT (USC)	19. Chicago Bears: Dwayne Allen, TE (Clemson)
4. Cleveland Browns: Morris Claiborne, CB (LSU)	20. Tennessee Titans: Alshon Jeffery, WR (South Carolina)
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Trent Richardson, RB (Alabama)	21. Cincinnati Bengals: Cordy Glenn, OG (Georgia)
6. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB (Baylor)	22. Cleveland Browns (From ATL): Vontaze Burfict, LB (ASU)
7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Michael Floyd, WR (Notre Dame)	23. Detroit Lions: Zach Brown, LB (UNC)
8. Miami Dolphins: David DeCastro, G (Stanford)	24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Adams, OT (Ohio State)
9. Carolina Panthers: Quinton Coples, DE (UNC)	25. Denver Broncos: Alfonzo Dennard, CB (Nebraska)
10. Buffalo Bills: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB (Alabama)	26. Houston Texans: Jerel Worthy, DT (Michigan State)
11. Kansas City Chiefs: Nick Perry, DE (USC)	27. New England Patriots (From NO): Whitney Mercilus, DE (Illinois)
12. Seattle Seahawks: Devon Still, DT (Penn State)	28. Green Bay Packers: Melvin Ingram, DE (South Carolina)
13. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT (Stanford)	29. Baltimore Ravens: Dont'a Hightower, LB (Alabama)
14. Dallas Cowboys: Luke Kuechly, LB (Boston College)	30. San Francisco 49ers: Kendall Wright, WR (Baylor)
15. Philadelphia Eagles: Courtney Upshaw, LB (Alabama)	31. New England Patriots: Mark Barron, S (Alabama)
16. New York Jets: Michael Brockers, DT (LSU)	32. New York Giants: Coby Fleener, TE (Stanford)

John Rozum on Twitter.