2012 NFL Mock Draft: Full Pre-Combine First Round with Analysis

The NFL Scouting Combine is upon us, and what better time to take a first crack at a first-round mock draft?

After all, a wise man once told me to freeze player rankings just before the combine because the annual rookie exhibition skews perception of them. 

Team needs heavily influenced these picks, but those will radically change during free agency. Dissecting and analyzing every bit of combine material will invariably affect each player's outlook as well.

1. Indianapolis Colts

Pick: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Despite the speculation that Robert Griffin III will overtake Luck as the No. 1 overall pick, there is no doubt the former Stanford quarterback is going to be a Colt.

Luck possesses everything a quarterback prospect could want, and the only reason Griffin is even in the discussion is because we have had too much time to think about this...that and he is expected to have an excellent combine.

Andrew Luck is a complete quarterback prospect. Aside from the fact he ran a pro-style offense in college (while breaking school records and taking Stanford to great heights, I might add) he has all the tools to succeed in the NFL immediately. His compact delivery, excellent accuracy, vision, decision-making and pocket presence are top notch.

The only concerns surrounding him are his arm strength and mobility, both of which are still good. Just because he does not have Jeff George's cannon or Michael Vick's wheels does not mean he is not a sure thing.

Jim Irsay has floated the notion that Peyton Manning would be welcome back in Indianapolis, which could cast doubt about Andrew Luck being their man. Make no mistake about it, though: with or without Manning, Luck is Indy's future.

2. Cleveland Browns (from St. Louis)

Pick: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Cleveland and Washington might be duking it out for Griffin, but the Browns have more ammunition to move up. The dynamic quarterback is coveted by several needy teams, and Cleveland could use a shot in the arm on offense.

Griffin shows off fantastic arm strength and rushing skills. He has good accuracy, especially on the run, and has a quick delivery. The main concerns about the former Bear are his height (Griffin is listed at 6'2" and there is some speculation he may be shorter than that) and offensive system.

I expect him to measure close to his listed height, if not taller, but should he fall short, that could put a big dent in his draft stock.

As for his system, the Bears ran a spread offense. That may cast some doubt about his ability to play in a traditional offense, but I am confident Griffin will be able to line up under center. Besides, Cam Newton and Andy Dalton came from spread offenses, and they worked out just fine.

Mike Mayock also expressed concerns about Griffin's anticipation as a thrower, though he attributes that to his offensive scheme more than anything. The bottom line here is that Cleveland has waited a painfully long time for a quarterback, and Griffin represents a bright future at the position for the Browns.

3. Minnesota Vikings

Pick: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

Kalil spent his college career protecting Matt Barkley's blindside, to an excellent degree. The junior could not resist the NFL's siren song, and he will reap the benefits of coming out early by being a top 5 pick.

At 6'7", Kalil is already a behemoth, and the word around the scouting community is he has gained 15 pounds ahead of the combine. That would put him somewhere around 310 pounds, an excellent number for his position.

Aside from being an excellent pass protector in college, the Southern California product excels as a run blocker. He also has a good football pedigree, as his brother Ryan was drafted by Carolina and his father played in the USFL.

The Vikings have many needs, but drafting the sure-fire left tackle should be a no-brainer. The only other time Rick Spielman has taken an offensive lineman was Vernon Carey with the Dolphins in 2004, but Kalil is a good bet in the same vein as Jake Long.

Minnesota should have no trouble deciding that Kalil is their man. 

(Photo credit: Image via NFL Trade Rumors.)

4. St. Louis Rams (from Cleveland)

Pick: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

The Rams may take a strong look at Justin Blackmon here, but they also need to prioritize the left tackle position. Jason Smith has been a bust for them, and there are more quality receivers in this draft than offensive tackles.

At 6'6" and 300 pounds, the Iowa tackle has great size for his position. His only real knocks are that he is average against the bull rush and that he is not terribly athletic. He was also arrested for public intoxication after leading police on a 20-minute foot chase, but I chalk that up to freshman stupidity.

This is a tough choice for the Rams as they have a big need at receiver too, but part of the reason Sam Bradford had a bad season was his second-worst pass-protecting offensive line, according to Pro Football Focus.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Pick: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Aqib Talib is a jaywalking citation away from a major suspension, and Ronde Barber is a few years away from AARP eligibility. The Buccaneers need a cornerback, and Claiborne is the head of the class.

Overshadowed by Patrick Peterson then Tyron Mathieu over the past couple of seasons, Claiborne will not be overlooked come draft day in 2012.

The dynamic cornerback has good size at 6'0" and 185 pounds, and he was a major part of an excellent LSU defense last season. Being a former receiver, Claiborne has great ball skills; he picked off six passes his junior season.

Some mock drafts have Trent Richardson slotted in here, citing rookie NFL coach Greg Schiano's penchant for pounding the rock with multiple backs at Rutgers.

While that may be true, the Bucs already have LeGarrette Blount and Kregg Lumpkin; even if they are not elite, picking a running back here would be a bit of a luxury. Stocking up at cornerback in today's NFL is a premium nowadays.

6. Washington Redskins

Pick: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

The quarterback-turned-receiver-turned-quarterback is garnering a lot of pre-draft attention, and the Redskins are a good bet to draft him. The problem with drafting Tannehill is that he will likely need time to develop, even if he starts right away, and Redskins fans may not have that kind of patience.

Much has been made about Tannehill's late-game failures at Texas A&M, but the blame should be spread around the team. Despite the Aggies' second-half meltdowns, Tannehill is a talented quarterback who has the potential to grow into a great NFL player.

His biggest problem is that he is raw; he spent just 1.5 seasons as a college quarterback. His athleticism at the position is bar none save Robert Griffin, though, and he could develop into a great quarterback with good coaching.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, depending on how you look at it, Tannehill broke his foot and will not be able to participate in the combine. He will, however, have a pro day in late March, which will give him a chance to show team scouts what he can do.

The Redskins have been starved for a quarterback for years, and they may not be able to pass up Tannehill if Cleveland out-guns them for RGIII. 

7. Jacksonville Jaguars

Pick: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

In the draft's first real surprise, Wright is taken before Justin Blackmon. The latter's stock has been falling, and a poor combine showing might drop him from the top spot. The Jaguars need to address the receiver position badly, and they have their pick of the litter here.

While Wright may lack prototypical size for a receiver at 5'11" (assuming he measures up at the combine), he more than makes up with it with the other facets of his game.

Particularly, his elite speed and acceleration set him apart from the other receivers in the draft when you consider he is an excellent route runner with good hands. The ability to separate is key, speed notwithstanding, and Wright has good skill in that regard.

Gene Smith of the Jaguars has publicly declared that receiver is a priority, both in free agency and the draft. If Wright blows the combine out of the water, as many scouts expect him to do, they may not be able to resist drafting him.

Much like RGIII, though, if Wright measures in shorter than his listed height, he could take a draft day tumble.

8. Carolina Panthers

Pick: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

The Panthers catch a break here with Blackmon falling to them at the eighth pick. Carolina has other pressing needs (namely at defensive tackle) but they cannot pass up the talented receiver who many think will be a top five pick.

The Oklahoma State stud had a fantastic collegiate career, but he lacks elite measurables that may catch up with him at the combine. He has good size at 6'1" and 215 pounds, but he falls short of the Dez Bryant or Calvin Johnson range.

His 40 time is expected to be in the mid-4.5s: still good, but other receivers will blow the doors off his time. While he can make spectacular catches, he also has a tendency to drop the easy ones, a la Brandon Lloyd earlier in his career.

Despite perhaps not being a combine warrior, however, Blackmon is a talented receiver, and the Panthers need to put someone opposite the aging Steve Smith who may eventually supplant him. Carolina had other plans for this pick until Blackmon fell to them; they could not resist in the end.

9. Miami Dolphins

Pick: Quinton Coples, DE, UNC

Scouts are still divided on the big defensive end, with his perceived lack of effort and down numbers during his senior season dragging his draft stock through the mud.

Coples is 6'6" and 281 pounds with long arms. He is a physical specimen with the potential to be a terror off the edge in the NFL. The big defensive end can be a disruptive force against both the run and pass. His problem is his motor, or at least its perception.

Coples is seen as a risk because of motivational issues. He needs to excel at the combine, particularly during the interview process, to solidify himself in the top 10. He may crack the top five if he blows teams away.

The Dolphins are looking to add a good pass rusher opposite Cameron Wake, and Coples is arguably the most talented out of this year's class.

He represents less risk at the eighth or ninth pick than in the top 5, though. Hopefully the coaching staff can knock the motivational issues out of him, if they truly exist.

10. Buffalo Bills

Pick: Courtney Upshaw, OLB/DE, Alabama

The Bills need help in a lot of places, and one of those is the pass rush. They have many options here, but the former Alabama linebacker is at the top of the pass-rushing heap at this point in the draft.

Upshaw's biggest issue is his size. Listed at 6'2" coming out of college, he actually measured 6'1" at the Senior Bowl.

That may not sound great for a pass rusher, but LaMarr Woodley is about the same height, and he is a good NFL comparison for Upshaw. The incoming rookie is a force to be reckoned with as a pass rusher despite being a bit undersized for the position.

In the end, the talented linebacker represents talent the Bills cannot pass up with the 10th pick. They may be looking to go with an offensive lineman here, but their board should have Upshaw at the top.

11. Kansas City Chiefs

Pick: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

The Big Enigma makes his way into the top 15 of the draft on talent and potential, but the Chiefs assume a considerable amount of risk in picking the Ohio State product over the safer Jonathan Martin.

At 6'8" and 320 pounds, the massive former Buckeye fits the bill as an NFL offensive tackle. Adams is hugely talented, but work-ethic issues and technique breakdowns have scouts scratching their heads.

He was also suspended for a total of seven games throughout his collegiate career, calling his off-the-field decision-making into question. 

Still, Adams has the potential to be a perennial Pro Bowl force for Kansas City, and that is too good to pass up. He has the room to grow into a franchise left tackle while bulking up and getting his licks in at right tackle, replacing Barry Richardson. 

12. Seattle Seahawks

Pick: Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

The Seahawks need a pass rusher to complement Chris Clemons. Raheem Brock was simply not getting to the quarterback and big Red Bryant is more defensive tackle than end.

The two combined for five sacks and 44 quarterback pressures last season. Enter Nick Perry, whom Pete Carroll recruited at USC in 2008.

The former Trojan is a burner off the edge at defensive end. He is a bit undersized for a DE at 6'3", though. His biggest issue may be his limited repertoire of pass-rushing moves; Perry largely thrived on his speed off the edge in college.

Seattle has options here (Melvin Ingram and Whitney Mercilus are possibilities outside Perry), but ultimately Pete Carroll opts to stick with the Pac-12 and his former team, the Trojans.

13. Arizona Cardinals

Pick: David DeCastro, G, Stanford

The Cardinals lose out on some talented defenders at this point, but DeCastro addresses a big area of need for them: the offensive line. Arizona can plug him in for the next 12 years without worry, assuming they can hold onto him for that long.

DeCastro is the best guard prospect to come out since Steve Hutchinson, by many accounts. He is solid in all aspects of his game, and he is a particularly good run blocker. DeCastro's stock is on the rise, and he has even cracked the top 5 on some experts' big boards.

If it were not for the "rule" that drafting a guard at the top of the draft is taboo, DeCastro would likely go sooner than this. Indeed, the new rookie wage scale is changing those rules, so the former Cardinal may not be there this late come draft day. 

14. Dallas Cowboys

Pick: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

This is one of the easier picks to make in this mock draft. The Cowboys and their 23rd-ranked passing defense need secondary help more than anything, and Kirkpatrick is the best player available for them at this stage.

Kirkpatrick was part of the top-ranked pass defense last year that ultimately won a national championship. An arrest briefly dogged his draft stock, but he has since been cleared and his value has been restored.

The 6'2" cornerback has excellent size for competing with the likes of Hakeem Nicks. He does not have elite athleticism, but his instincts make up for that. 

The Alabama product is practically a lock to the Cowboys here barring free agency. Given that the cornerback free agent market is thin, I would say this pick will continue to make the most sense through the combine and free agency, aside from Andrew Luck.

15. Philadelphia Eagles

Pick: Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College

The Eagles need a middle linebacker, and Kuechly fills that slot nicely. Philadelphia overdrafted and started Casey Matthews last season because of his NFL pedigree, later inserting Jamar Casey at inside linebacker.

Neither were effective, and the Eagles rush defense suffered. Kuechly will help remedy this right out of the gate.

Mark Herzlich's former teammate had a stellar college career, leading the nation in tackles as a sophomore and junior.

The BC middle linebacker has a nose for the ball and excellent instincts. Mike Mayock considers Kuechly the best inside linebacker in the draft.

You do not have to go very far to find what went wrong last year for the Eagles: defense. Kuechly will go a long way toward bringing that unit back up to snuff.

16. New York Jets

Pick: Melvin Ingram, OLB/DE, South Carolina

The Jets need a pass rusher, and Ingram fits the bill. They have a couple of need-positions to choose from here (Michael Floyd and Alshon Jeffery at receiver, and Jonathan Martin at offensive tackle), but they cannot pass up a good pass rusher to go up against Tom Brady and the pass-happy NFL.

At just under 6'2", Ingram is not terribly big for a pass rusher, but he is thickly built at 278 pounds, which gives him plenty of leverage.

His main weakness as a linebacker might be his trouble sticking with opponents in coverage; he is not the fastest prospect, expected to run in the 4.8 range. 

With Calvin Pace and Aaron Maybin in the fold, Ingram may see some work at defensive end opposite Muhammad Wilkerson. The South Carolina graduate is a versatile pass rusher, giving the Jets the kind of flexibility they crave on defense.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland)

Pick: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Alabama prospects are piling up in the first round, as the Bengals snag their running back of the future here in Richardson. He will be able to step in and contribute right away.

By many accounts, Richardson is the best running back prospect to enter the draft since Adrian Peterson. The trouble is running backs are being shunted into committee roles in today's NFL.

As such, their value in the draft has dropped precipitously over the last several years; just look at his former teammate Mark Ingram from a year ago. Richardson may be a top-5 talent, but he falls to the Bengals here because of the trend.

The stud running back brings big-time power and quickness to the table along with excellent vision, patience, and pass-blocking skills. The Bengals need someone to replace the plodding Cedric Benson, and Richardson is the perfect replacement.

Having two first-round picks gives them the flexibility to pounce on the talented running back while still addressing another need with first-round talent.

18. San Diego Chargers

Pick: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

This may not be the sexiest pick for the Chargers, but they will not be able to pass up Andrew Luck's blindside protector if he falls this far.

Martin has great size at 6'6" and 305 pounds, though he has room to bulk up. His biggest strength is run blocking. He is not a workout warrior, and a pedestrian combine may cause him to fall a bit.

The Chargers were noticeably better after they signed Jared Gaither last season. It would behoove them to keep Philip Rivers clean and happy on that offense, and Martin is a solid bet to do that for years.

19. Chicago Bears

Pick: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

Wide receiver has not exactly been a position of strength for the Bears (they have not had a 1,000-yard receiver since Marty Booker) and Floyd is picked here to rectify that. Johnny Knox may not play football again after his horrific neck injury, and Devin Hester is best left to return kicks for a living. 

Floyd's off-the-field issues have stuck with him as a prospect, despite cleaning his act up for his final season. Those issues aside, the former Fighting Irishman may be the safest receiver prospect in the draft. Floyd has great size for a receiver at 6'3" and 225 pounds.

He has phenomenal hands, runs clean, crisp routes and blocks very well for his position. All in all, the one real knock on his skill set is that he does not possess elite speed. 

The draft shaped up nicely for the Bears, who need talent at receiver and may just be getting the best of the bunch in Floyd. They mystified pundits last year by avoiding receivers in the draft, but having addressed needs on the line back then, it may be time for them to focus on their receiving corps.

20. Tennessee Titans

Pick: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

The Titans need a defensive end in a bad way, and Mercilus is the last of the pass rushers in the first round.

Mercilus has good size for his position at 6'4" and 265 pounds. He has relentless speed off the edge, which helped him lead the country in 2011 with 16 sacks and nine forced fumbles.

The problem with those numbers is that he had just two career sacks prior to last season. The Illinois product carries some risk that he is a one-year wonder.

Tennessee needs a sack artist at defensive end, though, and Mercilus may be their best bet at this juncture of the draft. Dave Ball was their most productive pass rusher with four sacks and 17 quarterback pressures. Needless to say, the position needs an upgrade.

21. Cincinnati Bengals

Pick: Cordy Glenn, G, Georgia

Now that they have their running back of the future, the Bengals need an upgrade at guard. Glenn is their best bet at this point in the draft.

They could also go with a cornerback here, but the former Bulldog fits their mold as an offensive lineman, at least according to Joe Goodberry of Cincy Jungle. 

Glenn is absolutely massive at 6'4" and 346 pounds, and he uses his size and strength to drive defenders back. He also has good athleticism for a guy his size.

By taking Richardson and Glenn in the first round, the Bengals set themselves up to have a great running game to take the pressure off Andy Dalton.

22. St. Louis Rams (from Atlanta Via Cleveland)

Pick: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

The Rams need a receiver like college football needs a playoff system, and the big South Carolina product might be the answer. With Blackmon, Wright, and Floyd off the board, the next best option may be Jeffery, one of the draft's more polarizing players. 

One of the chronic problems Sam Bradford had last season was receivers dropping the ball far too often. That is not a problem he should have with Jeffery. The 6'4" receiver has great hands and a huge catching radius.

He will need to improve his route-running to excel in the NFL. Jeffery needs to dispel rumors of weight gain and a 4.9 40-yard dash at the combine, though, otherwise his stock will go into free fall.

All in all, the Rams improve the receiver position to go along with the upgrade at tackle with Reiff. While St. Louis miss out on the top players at those positions, they get better at two instead of one in the first round because of their trade with Cleveland.

23. Detroit Lions

Pick: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

In case you missed Matt Flynn's record-breaking performance in Week 17 against them, the Lions secondary showcased that they needed help. Enter Janoris Jenkins, a man who could have merited a higher draft slot a year ago were it not for off-field trouble.

What Jenkins lacks in size at 5'10" he makes up for in just about everything else. The former Gator-turned-Lion is very athletic and has a nose for the ball.

He may not be quite tall enough for the Calvin Johnsons of the NFL, but he can stick with his receiver off the line. His biggest knocks are over-aggression and off-the-field issues that got him kicked off the Florida Gators. 

Much like Dallas, Detroit's front seven is solid. If they can shore up their secondary, the defense will close the gap with their offense and they will be real contenders for the crown.

(Photo credit: Image via NEPatriotsDraft.Com.)

24. Pittsburgh Steelers

Pick: Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama

James Farrior and Larry Foote are no spring chickens in the middle of that Steelers defense. 

Hightower anchored a fantastic Alabama defense at middle linebacker. He possesses prototypical size at 6'4" and 260 pounds, and he has good speed for the position.

Pittsburgh has some holes on the offensive line, but the best offensive guards and tackles have been scooped up, and Hightower is too good to pass up.

25. Denver Broncos

Pick: Devon Still, DT, PSU

The Broncos practically jump for joy that Still fell this far, and they run up to the podium well before the pick timer runs out. Jacksonville's pick of Kendall Wright caused the dominoes to fall in the particular way it did for Still to make it to Denver's pick.

At 6'5" and 310 pounds, the former Nittany Lion brings a lot of beef to the front four. About the only thing he needs to work on is his array of pass-rush moves.

The big defensive tackle is very strong and excels at shedding blocks. He may not have the hype around Michael Brockers or Dontari Poe right now, but he is probably the safest defensive tackle to pick.

Still is an ideal pick for the Broncos defense, particularly if they can pair him with Broderick Bunkley. Denver curiously did not address the defensive-tackle position in last year's draft, but if Still or Michael Brockers are sitting there for the taking, they may not be able to resist.

26. Houston Texans

Pick: Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis

Poe could be the last key component in a fantastic front seven for the Texans. In a draft bereft of good nose-tackle prospects, Poe stands out just above Alameda Ta'amu.

The 6'5", 350-pound mountain in the middle could be one of the combine's big risers. Poe is big, strong and long, and he has good athleticism for a guy his size. He is a good tackler to boot. His draft stock is high on speculation of potential, but a good combine might permanently put him on the first-round map.

Houston's defense reached new heights last season, and they can go even further with the right pieces. Poe makes a ton of sense, particularly because there are so few nose-tackle prospects in this year's draft.

Stupidity is a talent for misconception, but the Texans can rest assured in drafting this Poe.

27. New England Patriots

Pick: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

Who knows what the Patriots will do with their draft picks? Bill Belichick could very well turn this pick into a second round pick, a 2013 first-round pick, and a bucket of gold.

They find themselves in an excellent position here to bolster their defensive line, however, which was buoyed by big Vince Wilfork and the great-yet-unsustainable play of aging Andre Carter.

Brockers has risen on draft boards recently, but his draft stock may be a house of cards. The 6'6", 305-pound defensive lineman had just two sacks last season, and there are questions about being a one-year wonder.

He is a versatile lineman with a high motor and good technique, though, and he fits the Patriots in a position of need.

NFL Draft analyst Ryan Lownes predicts Brockers and Fletcher Cox will have an excellent combine all around, which could take them well above this spot in the draft. If the Patriots find themselves staring at Brockers this late in the first round, they may be thanking their lucky stars.

28. Green Bay Packers

Pick: Fletcher Cox, DT/DE, Mississippi State

The former Bulldog makes it a run of four on defensive tackles late in the first round. While Cox is not a pass-rushing linebacker, he will upgrade the defensive end position, something the Packers need.

Cox is a disruptive force in the middle. If he and Brockers have a great combine per Ryan Lownes, as I previously alluded to, all bets are off.

He is a bit raw and needs to develop his pass-rushing repertoire, but he is highly athletic and explosive. His combination of speed and power may rocket him up draft boards before all is said and done.

Green Bay's defense left a lot to be desired last season, especially after playing so well during their Super Bowl run. Their pass rush, or lack thereof, put a lot of pressure on a secondary that was banged up all season long.

C.J. Wilson, Ryan Pickett and Jarius Wynn were not very good for the Packers at defensive end last season, particularly as pass rushers. The trio combined for three sacks and 17 QB pressures. 

29. Baltimore Ravens

Pick: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

The Ravens need a center to replace the aging Matt Birk, and Konz is a great pick for them this late.

Konz is well-built for a center at 6'5" and 315 pounds. Coming from the perennial rushing powerhouse in Wisconsin, the former Badger is a predictably good run blocker. This could be great news for Ray Rice.

Konz is more of a straight-line blocker, however, and he needs to work on his pass protection.

Rumors about Birk's retirement have swirled, though he says he has not made that decision yet, and he remains an unrestricted free agent. Even if the Ravens re-sign the 14-year veteran, Konz makes sense as their center of the future.

30. San Francisco 49ers

Pick: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

Carlos Rogers had a nice season for the 49ers, but his great first half masked a dropoff after Week 10. He is a free agent, and he may command too much money to be worth the cost in San Francisco.

Gilmore is another eristic prospect, being named alongside Claiborne and Kirkpatrick by some while barely cracking the top 10 at his position by others.

The cornerback prospect from South Carolina has great size at 6'1", and he is a physical defensive back who does not shy away from tackling.

He does not have elite speed, however; he is expected to run a 4.5 40-yard dash, and he does not have good ball skills.

The 49ers had a fantastic defense last season, and adding Gilmore could make them even nastier if he develops quickly. 

31. New England Patriots

Pick: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

A sports hernia set back the talented safety from Alabama. All for the better for the Patriots, who snag Barron late in the first round and solidify their secondary.

The former Crimson Tide defensive back is a highly versatile player, having played all over the field in college. Like Kirkpatrick, he was a big part of the top-ranked pass defense at Alabama last season. He does not have elite athleticism, but he puts together a lot of talent into a nice package for the position.

James Ihedigbo led all Patriots safeties with 756 snaps last year according to Pro Football Focus, and all he did was allow opposing quarterbacks a 133.5 NFL rating on throws made in his direction.

Patrick Chung was injured most of the year, and the Patriots do not really have a strong safety. Mark Barron plugs a big hole in the Patriots defense.

32. New York Giants

Pick: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

Losing two tight ends to torn anterior cruciate ligaments is tough, but winning the Super Bowl must have been excellent consolation for the Giants.

Jake Ballard and Travis Beckum will be hard-pressed to make it back for most of next season with the timing of their injuries, leaving a gaping hole at tight end for the Giants.

Sadly, Fleener was just ruled out of the combine because of an injured foot. Scouts were looking forward to seeing what he could do (he was expected to run in the 4.5s, among other things) but it will have to wait until he can have a pro day. The big tight end was a favorite target for Andrew Luck at Stanford.

The reality is that the tight-end injuries in Indianapolis may have been a blessing in disguise for the Giants. Ballard had a nice sophomore season, but he is not in the upper echelon of NFL tight ends.

Fleener fits the mold of a great pass-catching tight end, and the Giants will wind up with a great tandem once Ballard returns.