2012 NFL Mock Draft: Projecting the Entire First Round, Pre-Combine

With the combine just a few days away, teams are setting their boards and highlighting the players they want to take a closer look at during the NFL's annual meat market. 

It is easy to over-value the combine results, but at the same time, it does serve as an important part of the evaluation process. The individual drills are used to back up what scouts and coaches saw on tape—for example, if they think a running back was fast on tape, they want to see him run well, or they may need to go back and review the film again. 

More importantly, the combine serves as a central location for all of the top draftees to get their medical evaluations, which could change the draft stock for a lot of players. 

Here is my final mock draft before the 2012 combine. 

Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Standford

The Colts should just focus all of their attention on their later picks, because this is a done deal. Luck is the best prospect in the draft and perhaps the best quarterback prospect ever. 

Whether or not he actually is the best college product ever is up for debate, but he is clearly the best player in this draft.

Luck has the ability to start right away. His best attributes are his football acumen and what he does in terms of recognition and adjustments pre-snap, which has become an increasingly important part of quarterback play over the last decade or so. 

With a new GM and head coach in place, starting over with a new quarterback who will soon be among the NFL's best is an ideal situation for a brand new regime.

TRADE: Cleveland Browns: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Trade Terms: Cleveland sends St. Louis two 2012 first-round picks for St. Louis' 2012 first

The team with the most draft ammo combined with the biggest need for some excitement in its offense decides to roll the dice on college football's most exciting player in 2011. 

Griffin has all of the tools to be an exceptional player at the next level, but he is not the "can't miss" prospect that Luck is. He had some durability issues and is a bit of a one-year wonder. 

However, the Browns need a gifted quarterback in the worst way. Colt McCoy is a good guy who will put the work in, but he is just not a starting-caliber talent at the NFL level. The Browns haven't had any hope at the position since Derek Anderson was throwing bombs to Braylon Edwards. 

Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

The Vikings could possibly use an upgrade at almost every position on the offensive, except for center. Christian Ponder was up and down in his rookie season, but his protection didn't do him any favors. 

Kalil is clearly the best tackle in this draft. He is athletic and quick on his feet and should be able to start right away at left tackle. 

He does have some flaws in his game, but his huge upside in terms of natural athletic ability suggests that his best football is ahead of him.

The Vikings could take a corner like Morris Claiborne at this spot, but Kalil is the better prospect and more important in the development of their young quarterback. 

St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Blackmon is the cream of this year's crop of wide receivers, but he is not on the same level as someone like A.J. Green was in last year's draft. 

Simply put, he lacks elite speed and is not generally regarded as a deep threat. As good of a player as he is, he would normally not be taken in the top five picks. 

However, the Rams' situation at receiver is anything but "normal." Sam Bradford regressed after losing Danny Amendola (along with several offensive linemen). The Rams don't have anyone they can count on to beat man coverage on a regular basis. 

Blackmon is excellent at using his explosion and frame to gain quick separation off the line, which will go a long way in getting Bradford back on track as the future of the Rams' franchise. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

With Ronde Barber considering retirement and Aqib Talib, who had an awful season, facing off-the-field issues this summer, the Bucs need secondary help in the worst way. They gave up way too many big plays and only got worse as the season went along. 

Claiborne is the best corner in a draft that is very deep at the position. With his fluid hips and great change-of-direction skills, he is considered to be a better pure cover corner than his former teammate and top-five pick, Patrick Peterson. 

Washington Redskins: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

With both Blackmon and Robert Griffin off the board, the Redskins find themselves in a tough spot. They could reach for another receiver like Kendall Wright, but at this spot, they get better value out of Jonathan Martin as they continue to rebuild their offensive line. 

Martin has his share of flaws, but he fits the Shanahan mold of quick, athletic linemen, perhaps more than Riley Reiff of Iowa. Shanahan loves to take athletic tackles with more upside and turn them into stars, which he has done with Ryan Clady in Denver and Trent Williams, who appears to be a longtime starter for the Redskins on the left side.  

Jacksonville Jaguars: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Blaine Gabbert showed little promise as a rookie, but he may have been working with the worst receiving corps in the NFL. The Jaguars have no deep threat and lacked any kind of physical presence outside of tight end Marcedes Lewis. 

Kendall Wright may have the most upside of any receiver in this class. With a ton of burst and speed, he draws a lot of comparisons to DeSean Jackson and Mike Wallace. Having a player who can turn a quick out into a 60-yard touchdown would do wonders for this anemic offense. 

Adding a pass-rusher like Melvin Ingram is certainly a viable option, but upgrading this offense and giving Gabbert as many tools as possible would do much more in improving this football team as a whole. 

Carolina Panthers: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

The Panthers, for all the strides they made in 2011, were still one of the worst defenses in football, particularly against the run. They must get stronger up the middle if they want to continue their ascension. 

Michael Brockers is quite an interesting prospect; he is a physical specimen and a perfect size fit as a 3-technique in a 4-3 system. He has shown that he can play the run and has shown flashes of potential as a pass rusher. 

If he can be coached up, he can wind up being a fantastic player. If not, he can easily be a bust. 

Even if he does disappoint as a pass-rusher, he will still be a better option than anyone else on the Panthers' roster at defending the run. If there is a team that is suited to to roll the dice on a defensive tackle like Brockers, it's Carolina. 

Miami Dolphins: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Of all of the available offensive tackles in this draft, Reiff may be the safest bet as a right tackle. 

He is not going to "wow" scouts at the combine, but Reiff is well-coached and technically sound, a common trait among offensive linemen from Iowa. 

The inevitable departure of Vernon Carey leaves a gaping hole at right tackle, and Reiff will be able to come in right away and fill it.

After taking Mike Pouncey in the first round last year, the Dolphins have a chance to have an excellent offensive line for a long time with this pick. 

Miami is expected to make a move for Peyton Manning, and perhaps try to trade up for Robert Griffin III. Safety help is also needed, but there are no prospects worthy of a top-10 selection. 

Buffalo Bills: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

The Shawne Merriman experiment has all but failed, and Buffalo's inability to generate a pass rush exposed their defense as the season progressed.

With the anticipated move to a 4-3 defense, Melvin Ingram is a nice fit for the Bills. Ingram was very impressive at the Senior Bowl and is probably the best pure 4-3 end is this year's draft class. 

Ingram is a bit raw, but he has long arms and explosiveness that will translate well to the next level. He has shown the ability to get to the quarterback in a lot of different ways and can shed blocks and make an impact in the run game. 

The Bills showed once again that they are just too easy to run the ball on, and adding more meat to the front seven would go a long way in solving their run support and pass rush problems. In addition to Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams, the Bills will have quite a front four on the defensive line that will give them a chance to compete with every team in their division. 

Kansas City Chiefs: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Richardson doesn't necessarily fill a need here, but the value is far too good to pass up. Richardson has a chance to be something special.

Jackie Battle filled in admirably when Jamaal Charles went down in Week 2, but he is not a dynamic player that defenses must game-plan around. 

If Richardson can become the feature back, the Chiefs can keep Charles fresh, which is when he is extremely effective. With this pick, Kansas City would arguably have the best tandem of running backs in all of football. 

Seattle Seahawks: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

Coples is a very scary pick. He had a pretty lousy senior season, but his junior tape, where he played a lot of defensive tackle, was excellent. He was also very impressive at the Senior Bowl, which makes you wonder if he is motivated and playing for the right reasons. 

However, outside of quarterback, Seattle is a pretty complete football team. They can gamble on a player like Coples and will be able to sustain a bust and could really benefit it he turns out to be the great pass rusher we saw in Mobile. 

Raheem Brock is on the wrong side of 30 and is deteriorating quickly. If they can slowly inset Coples as a rotational player, he can prove to be quite effective. 

Arizona Cardinals: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

Levi Brown may be the worst starting offensive tackle in football, and luckily for Cardinal faithful, he is a free agent. Even if he weren't a free agent, I would cut him immediately if I were in charge of the Cardinal team. 

Meanwhile, Mike Adams was perhaps the most impressive player at the Senior Bowl, stonewalling the best pass-rushers at the event. With a good frame and base, Adams can mirror and use his hands well. 

With so many tackles available in this draft, one of them is bound to fall to Arizona here. With his upside, Adams may actually end up being the best player of his class. 

Dallas Cowboys: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

With as much talent as they have on the front seven, to be as mediocre as they were on defense is indicative of how bad the Dallas secondary was in 2011.

Being able to select Dre Kirkpatrick at this spot in the draft provides great value. He has ideal size and length and is very instinctive, making him an excellent zone corner. He is also patient and physical at the line of scrimmage when in press man coverage. He is also regarded as the best tackling corner in the draft. 

Dre has all of the measurables to excite scouts at the combine, and as long as he has been staying in shape, he should help his stock in Indianapolis. 

Philidephia Eagles: Luke Kuechly, MLB, Boston College

Few teams had a season as disappointing as the Eagles had, but they finished strong and figure to contend in 2011 with just a few more pieces. 

Luke is not the most physically intimidating of linebacker, but the Eagles have a history of taking smaller defensive players, hoping to get value. He is instinctive and consistently wraps up while getting early jumps on the football on a consistent basis. 

North Carolina's Zach Brown may be the more physically impressive player, but Kuechly is more instinctive, and more importantly, shows more toughness and grit, which is exactly what the Eagles need. 

The Eagles tried Casey Matthews at middle linebacker to start the season, and the run stats against the Eagles showed how big of a mistake that was. The Eagles were just too easy to run on last season and allowed opponents to control the game, and need to force opponents into 3rd-and-long situations to let their speed rushers loose. 

New York Jets: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

The Jets have been looking for a pass rusher since they whiffed on Vernon Gholston in the 2008 draft. They have been able to use their great coverage to hide their deficiencies at outside linebacker, but at some point you have to put your hand in the dirt and get after it. 

Mario Williams will probably be too expensive for them, especially with their bleak cap situation. Going after a young, cheaper guy in the draft is the smart way to go about filling this need that never seems to go away for the Jets. 

Upshaw is a very versatile player, capable of playing in a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme, making him a perfect fit in Rex Ryan's multiple looks. He plays well in space and sheds blocks easily. 

He's not quite the terror off the edge like, say, Melvin Ingram is, but he can start right away and still be a much better option as a pass rusher than anyone else on the Jets' roster. 

Cincinnati Bengals: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

When you look at the Bengals' roster, they really don't have a ton of needs. With two first-round picks, they can focus on adding pure talent rather than reaching to fill needs. 

DeCastro is the most flawless offensive lineman in this draft. Simply put, the kid just doesn't make mistakes. That fact that he plays guard is the only reason why he is not regarded as a top-five pick. 

Eleven-year veteran guard Bobbie Williams is a free agent, and the Bengals will want to get younger at the position. They will need to replace him with top-level talent, as the running game is a vital part of what the Bengals do on offense. 

San Diego Chargers: Nick Perry, OLB, USC

Perry is a bit of a scary pick, as he was inconsistent on tape. But the Chargers are in desperate need of another outside linebacker outside of Shaun Phillips, and this year's draft class is a bit thin in terms of pass rushers. 

Perry is also a little smaller for his position and is a bit stiff at times when rushing. But he has a lot of power and explosion to his game, which will make coaches think they can coach every ounce of talent out of this kid. 

If the Chargers can't find a pass rusher in free agency, they will have to take one in the draft. 

Chicago Bears: Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

The Bears' line made some strides in 2011, but they could still certainly use more talent on the line. 

Glenn played tackle at Georgia, but he may be better suited as a guard, where he can use his raw power to push defenders around, which was on display at the Senior Bowl. 

At tackle, he may take some time to develop, as he really struggled against some of the quicker rushers at the Senior Bowl. But his versatility will allow the Bears to pick him this early because he will be an upgrade at some position on their line; whether that is at tackle or guard remains to be seen. 

Tennessee Titans: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

The Titans don't have a lot of holes on their team, but their interior line play has been a glaring weakness for several years now. Eugene Amano has not turned out to be the player the Titans hoped he would become. 

Konz is another product of a Wisconsin line that has produced high draft picks and dominated college football over the past few seasons. He is a smart player who can gain leverage and get to the next level, finding his assignments in a hurry. 

If the Titans are going to make the transition to Jake Locker next season, ensuring that he will not see a lot of interior pressure is key to his development. Drafting a solid interior lineman like Konz will pay dividends in that regard. 

Cincinnati Bengals: Janoris Jekins, CB, Northern Alabama

The Bengals defense thrives when they have two cornerbacks who can hold their own on islands, as they like to use calculated blitzes and put more pressure on their defensive backs in coverage. They thrived in this system when Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph were teammates. 

Now that Joseph is in Houston, they need to add more talent to the secondary that got worse as the season went along. When Leon Hall went down in the middle of last season, the Bengals defense when from elite to mediocre.

Jenkins is a very talented player, but he has some character concerns that led to his transfer to Northern Alabama. However, the Bengals are known for taking chances on guys with character issues, and with two first-round picks, they can afford to take another chance on Jenkins. 

St. Louis Rams (from Cleveland): Devon Still, DT, Penn State

With an extra pick in the first round, the Rams can add pieces to both sides of the ball. 

St. Louis was awful in defending the run, and they need younger blood to get stronger up the middle. There are a lot of different opinions on Still; I have seen him go in the top-10 picks in some mocks, while some analysts have him out of the first round entirely. 

He has the size and talent, but he tends to disappear at times on tape. However, a good showing at the combine can solidify his status as a first-round pick. 

Detroit Lions: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

The Lions have a ton of talent on offense, but their lack of a consistent running back led to an inconsistent offense that put a ton of pressure on the right arm of Matthew Stafford. 

Many in the Lions' organization are skeptical as to whether or not Jahvid Best will ever be able to continue his NFL career. Even Kevin Smith, who was brought in mid-season, battled injuries. 

Miller doesn't have a huge sample size of tape as a feature back, but his starts were impressive enough to warrant a first-round pick. He has the top-end speed to be a threat to take it to the house on every play. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama

The Steelers have a pedigree of taking the best player available, regardless of need.

In this case, the best player available also matches up well with their need at inside linebacker. James Farrior is not getting any younger, and Lawrence Timmons was forced to play out of position due to injuries to their outside linebackers. 

Adding a talent like Hightower, while moving Timmons back to his more natural position, will make a huge impact on a Steeler defense that desperately needs to get younger. 

Denver Broncos: Orson Charles, TE, Georgia

I am not Tebow believer, but not having a reliable target at tight end did him (and Kyle Orton) no favors. 

In an era where tight ends are dominating the game, the Broncos need to add one of their own who can be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. 

At 6'3'', Orson looks more like a receiver than a tight end, but he certainly held his own in the blocking aspect of the game. He does, however, run some sloppy routes and does not have the most reliable hands. 

With some coaching and development, Charles has a good chance of becoming a very good player down the line for the Broncos. 

Houston Texans: Alameda Ta'amu, DT, Washington

The Texans made remarkable improvements on the defensive side, but they could still use an upgrade at defensive tackle. 

At about 340 lbs, Ta'amu has the ability to be the anchor in the middle of a 3-4 defense. He is not going to give a team a ton in terms of pass rush, but he knows how to eat up blockers and occupy defenders. He has a great motor and shoves off blockers with great strength. 

He lacks ball awareness and takes himself out of plays at times, but he has all off the tools to develop into a quality nose tackle at the next level. 

New England Patriots: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

The Patriots strike gold here with this pick, as Floyd has the potential of a top-10 pick. He had some major off-field issues at Notre Dame, but he was able to clean it up for his last season, as he spent the year in a freshman dorm to stay out of trouble (which may seem a bit contradictory to those who have ever experienced a freshman dorm).

Either way, the Patriots are desperate for a deep threat. Adding Floyd to their set of tight ends can make this offense almost unstoppable, especially if they are able to keep Wes Welker. 

Green Bay Packers: David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech

The Packers are not expected to retain Ryan Grant, and James Starks is best used as a complementary player. 

However, David Wilson has the ability to become one of the best backs in football. He is quick on his feet between the tackles and is a special player on outside runs and stretch plays. David has top-end speed and is a threat to score on any play. 

For his size, he has a lot of power in his lower body and is not afraid to take on contact. 

He could use some help with pass protection and reading his holes, but those are somewhat common in rookie runners. Adding a talent like Wilson could really pay off for the Packers. 

Baltimore Ravens: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

Few players have more riding on their combine results than Alshon Jeffery. The difference between being a first and third-round pick rides on how well he runs in the next week. 

Meanwhile, the Ravens desperately need another target for Joe Flacco; he was asked to make far too many difficult throws to covered receivers this season. 

Jeffery had serious weight issues and did not respond well to quarterback issues at South Carolina, but his talent in undeniable. When in top shape, he is one tough guy to cover. Again, how he looks in shorts and spandex will tell us a lot about his character and ability to run. 

Putting him in the close-knit Ravens locker room would be the perfect environment for him to flourish. Ozzie Newsome rolled the dice on Jimmy Smith last year, who has worked out so far in terms of character issues. What suggests that Ray Lewis can't solve Jeffery's love for food?

San Franscisco 49ers: Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

The 49ers don't have a lot of needs, but outside of Vernon Davis, they don't have enough downfield threats. Their lack of talent at the receiver position was on display during the NFC Championship game, where all of their big plays came from the tight end position. 

Sanu is not going to get a ton of separation, but he has an ideal frame and shows a knack for "plucking" the ball out of the air.

For a team that struggled mightily in the red zone, adding a long-armed receiver who can win jump balls would go a long way in their efficiency on offense. 

New England Patriots: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

Barron, unfortunately, will not be able to work out at the combine due to injury, which won't help his stock. How his medical prognosis grades out will be the difference between him being a first or second-round pick. 

Either way, Barron is clearly the best safety in a weak class, and the Patriots could use all the talent they can get for their secondary. 

Barron is an extremely physical player who will shoot like a cannon to make plays in the backfield. He can cover a lot of ground in a hurry and has great instincts and ball skills.He has experience lining up at linebacker in nickel situations, and he has the ability to be a cover-1 center fielder. 

The issue with Barron is that his hips are somewhat stiff and he has a tough time recovering from wasted movement. 

I do believe, however, that with some coaching, Barron can turn out to be a heck of a player. Even if he fails to progress as much as I think he can, he is still an upgrade over anything the Patriots currently have.

New York Giants: Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina

With all of his athletic gifts, Brown is going to dominate at the combine. His 40-yard dash is going to be in the same range as wide receivers.

However, he lacks the toughness scouts look for in a linebacker. He is not going to run through blocks and impose his will. But his athletic makeup and instincts will intrigue decision makers.  

Either way, adding a player like Brown makes a lot of sense for the Giants. First, it gives the Giants more depth at a position that had a lot of injuries in 2011 and will give them another player with a lot athleticism, which they lack outside of Michael Boley. 

Second, should Osi Umenyiora leave via free agency, the Giants will be able to move Mathias Kiwanuka back to his natural spot at defensive end and move Zach Brown into the lineup. Kiwanuka was forced to move to linebacker a few seasons ago, due to the lack of athleticism the Giants had at outside linebacker and the glut of talent they had at defensive end.