2012 NFL Mock Draft: Which Second-Round Talent Will Go in the First Round?

The NFL combine has been like an earthquake to mock drafts everywhere. Everything has been shaken up.

Robert Griffin III proved to be faster than a cheetah, Dontari Poe showed he could lift a semi-truck and Vontaze Burfict re-wrote the book on how not to conduct an interview.

The combine doesn’t officially finish until Tuesday, but the majority of the events are finished and now it’s time to read about all of the lesser known players that have vaulted themselves into the first round.

Problem is we must remember that the combine results don’t translate to NFL success. A bad combine doesn’t negate four years of success and vice versa.

But not everybody thinks this way. There are lesser talents that are now looking at a first-round selection who will fail to meet the lofty expectations in a post-combine mock draft.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

A 4.67 40-yard dash was all he needed to do at the combine. On top of all of the other glowing remarks about the Stanford product, we now know he has Cam Newton speed.

Is there anything this guy can’t do?

2. St. Louis Rams: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Nobody was happier with Robert Griffin III’s combine performance than the Rams. A sub 4.4 40 from a QB is as rare as a winning season in St. Louis. It’s now all but certain that the Rams will trade the pick to the highest bidder.

The only question is who it will be. Cleveland? Washington? Miami?

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

It’s not a sexy pick, and Justin Blackmon is very tempting, but the Vikings need to address the protection issues upfront to ensure Christian Ponder’s sophomore season doesn’t end up like Sam Bradford’s.

4. Cleveland Browns: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

The Browns should be the front-runners to land the No. 2 pick since they have two first-rounders but Blackmon would be a stellar consolation prize.

Nobody has a worse core of receivers right now than the Browns.

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

The Bucs were 21^st against the pass and 32^nd against the run. Drafting the best defensive player available is the smart move to make. Claiborne is the best player available.

Sometimes it’s that easy.

6. Washington Redskins: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

His lack of sacks against strong teams is a huge red flag, but he is the most physically gifted pass rusher in the draft and ran a 4.72 40-yard dash.

Motivation is always going to be an issue with Coples, but his potential is too good to pass up.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

The Jags have a long track record of reaching on big, burly defensive lineman that flash loads of potential, only to get cut within three years.

Brockers' production in college was minimal and it remains to be seen if his 6’5’’, 320-pound frame can handle the rigors of being in the trenches in the NFL. He only had two sacks in 2011, proof he is not a natural pass rusher.

He was surrounded by incredible talent and the redshirt sophomore only registered one season of strong play. Brockers is the next Glenn Dorsey or Tyson Jackson.

8. Miami Dolphins: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

The ‘Fins need better protection up front, and Reiff is pro-ready now. His versatility to play either left or right tackle makes him that much more appealing.

9. Carolina Panthers: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

The Panthers have one of the slowest defenses in the league and need to shore up the linebacker position with this pick.

10. Buffalo Bills: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Martin would be an instant impact player in Buffalo. With Steve Johnson likely on his way out, the Bills need to provide QB Ryan Fitzpatrick with plenty of time to search for his mediocre receivers.

11. Kansas City Chiefs: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

Two O-Linemen in a row from Stanford? This is the part of the draft where you take a bathroom break.

12. Seattle Seahawks:Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

It’s a shame Richardson couldn’t participate in the combine. His freakish athletic skills would have stolen the show.

I think the injury setback is enough of an issue to knock him out of the top 10.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

Forget Brockers, Still is the best defensive tackle in the entire draft. Effort has never been a question with him. He has shown improvement every year in college and has the hunger to keep getting better.

14. Dallas Cowboys: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

The sentiments regarding a player with three arrests and four children at the age of 23 aren’t great, but he was very truthful in his interviews over the weekend and has shown some signs of maturity (via SI.com).

He has the athletic ability and ball skills to be a top 10 pick. All it takes is one team to believe he has truly changed the way he lives his life

With a Cowboys team that ranked 23^rd in passing yards allowed in 2011, it shouldn’t be too hard.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Melvin Ingram, OLB, South Carolina

The Eagles are ready to win now and need to ensure they draft a player with the ability to make an instant impact.

16. New York Jets: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

After an incredibly productive collegiate career, Floyd solidified his status with a strong combine. He ran a 4.42 40 and was able to get 16 reps on the bench press.

There is little doubt this guy is going to be an instant contributor.

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

With Cedric Benson all but gone, the Bengals desperately need an every down back. Miller had one of the fastest 40 times among backs and is 210 pounds.

This guy can do it all.

18. San Diego Chargers: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Wright was supposed to be one of the fastest receivers on the board, but a 4.61 40 extinguished those thoughts.

I’m under the firm belief that Wright was the prime beneficiary of the greatness of RGIII and his numbers were incredibly inflated in college.

His technique and burst on routes at the combine were lackluster and he failed to make many adjustments on the fly (via Yahoo! Sports).

The Chargers are likely to lose Vincent Jackson via free agency and end up landing a second-round talent with the 18^th pick.

19 Chicago Bears: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

The Bears secondary is aging before our eyes and grooming a young replacement for Charles Tillman needs to begin now.

20. Tennessee Titans: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

The leading tackler in the country in 2011 had a strong combine to officially put to bed any doubts about his speed. While his inability to penetrate the line of scrimmage keeps him on the board until pick 20.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

Glenn is the perfect addition to the power running scheme the Bengals incorporate. He can eventually replace the aging Bobbie Williams.

22. Cleveland Browns: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

The Browns have to draft a QB at some point in the first round, and Tannehill, despite skipping the combine, is still regarded as the third-best QB on the board. It's almost like he is more intriguing now.

I’m not buying him.

Tannehill has an inconsistent release and played in a quick-read system with the Aggies. What happens when the first two options on a play aren’t open?

His decision-making skills were never fully displayed in college and that’s going to take time to develop. Do the Browns have that sort of patience?

23. Detroit Lions: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

I have no idea what the Lions are thinking right now, but there is no doubt the secondary’s poor performance against the Saints in the playoffs is still fresh on the minds of the coaching staff.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

Poe models his game after Casey Hampton, so he might as well replace him. Poe won the bench-press competition and ran a surprisingly fast 40.

He had a great weekend, something that was important considering he played in the lesser known Conference USA.

25. Denver Broncos: Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson

The Broncos had almost zero production from their tight ends in the passing game. With Tim Tebow firmly entrenched as the starter, he needs a reliable check down guy and Allen is more than capable.

26. Houston Texans: Rueben Randle, WR, LSU

Once Andre Johnson went down with a leg injury, the lack of receiver depth was exposed in a big way. This team is more complete than most at the moment, but landing another receiver should be the top priority.

Which is why they reach for Randle. The junior left school early and doesn’t possess the polish of Blackmon or Floyd. He ran a mediocre 4.55 40 and scouts have to be concerned with the way his production declined after the first half of the 2011 season.

He hasn’t shown me enough to warrant a first-round selection.

27. New England Patriots: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

The Pats need to beef up the pass rush in a big way and Mercilus is the best available.

28. Green Bay Packers: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi St.

The Packers were gashed up the middle last year, and Cox has the size to shore up the run defense in a hurry.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

Matt Birk is on the cusp of retiring, and Konz has displayed the ability to start from Day 1.

30. San Francisco 49ers: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

He has stiff hips, which makes back peddling much more of a chore than it needs to be. Because of this he can get turned around rather easily, a death sentence for a corner. He takes too many chances and is going to get burned regularly early in his career.

Whoever drafts him is going to need a whole lot of patience.

The 49ers need to shore up the secondary, and they’ll be reaching with Dennard.

31. New England Patriots: Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the Patriots are in desperate need of help in the secondary.

32. New York Giants: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

He had a rough combine, but his superb Senior Bowl and 2011 tape towards the end of the year should be enough to snag the final spot in the first-round.