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

We all know Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck will be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. After that, things are a bit wide open.

No one knows where the draft's second-best quarterback, Baylor's Robert Griffin III, will end up.

As things stand right now, there are three teams that have picks within the top 10 that really need help at the quarterback position. Right now the Cleveland Browns (No. 4), Washington Redskins (No. 6) and Miami Dolphins (No. 8/9 based on coin flip) all have an immediate need under center. In fact, one of those three teams could certainly work a trade with the St. Louis Rams for the No. 2 overall pick in order to get Griffin.

This week, Browns head coach Pat Shurmur implied that Colt McCoy would be the team's quarterback in 2012 and that he expected the Texas product to improve greatly this offseason. If that wasn't just posturing, that sets Cleveland up well to take Alabama running back Trent Richardson with the fourth pick.

I'm not convinced the Browns are actually sold on McCoy, but I could see them passing on Griffin, simply because they have other needs that could be addressed and there is still an outside shot that McCoy could be at least serviceable in the NFL.

If Cleveland passes on Griffin, that would leave him for the Washington Redskins at No. 6, because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (who have the fifth pick) already have their franchise quarterback in Josh Freeman.

If the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner out of Baylor falls to the Redskins, you can bet the team's management will be jumping for joy. 

I don't see any way Griffin falls past Washington at No. 6, which means the Dolphins almost certainly have to trade up to have a shot at him. If Miami can somehow put together an attractive package, I think the Rams will certainly be willing to move down and stockpile picks and players to fill out a thin roster.

At this point in my projection, I have the Browns deciding to give McCoy one last shot under center, which means Griffin will drop to the Redskins.

2012 NFL Mock Draft      

1.  Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

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

3.  Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC  

4.  Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

5.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU 

6.  Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

7.  Jacksonville Jaguars: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

8.  Carolina Panthers: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

9.  Miami Dolphins: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

10.  Buffalo Bills: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

11.  Kansas City Chiefs: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

12.  Seattle Seahawks: Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

13.  Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

14.  Dallas Cowboys: David DeCastro, G, Stanford

15.  Philadelphia Eagles: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

16.  New York Jets: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

17.  Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland Raiders): Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

18.  San Diego Chargers: Cordy Glenn, G, Georgia 

19.  Chicago Bears: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

20.  Tennessee Titans: Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

21.  Cincinnati Bengals: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

22.  Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons): Mark Barron, S, Alabama  

23.  Detroit Lions: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

24.  Pittsburgh Steelers: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

25.  Denver Broncos: Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State

26.  Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

27.  New England Patriots: Michael Brockers, DT/DE, LSU

28.  Green Bay Packers: Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois   

29.  Baltimore Ravens: Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

30.  San Francisco 49ers: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

31. New England Patriots: Andre Branch, OLB, Clemson

32.  New York Giants: Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina