2012 NFL Draft: Analyzing Matt Miller's Latest Mock for Every AFC East Team

With the NFL Scouting Combine firmly in the rearview mirror, teams can now start assembling their draft boards with nearly every component of the pre-draft process now complete.

Matt Miller went above and beyond by delivering a fresh seven-round mock draft Tuesday morning. Here, we'll just break down the first round's worth of AFC East picks.

8. Miami Dolphins: Quinton Coples, Defensive End, North Carolina

Matt says: "With Miami making a change to a 4-3 defense this year, defensive end will be a big need early on in the draft. Coples is an ideal fit at left defensive end, where he will line up opposite Cameron Wake at left defensive end."

My slant: If the Dolphins are able to find their answer at quarterback in free agency, they're either going with a defensive end or an offensive lineman with the eighth-overall pick. Nothing else makes sense, given the makeup of their roster.

Two defensive ends like Cameron Wake and Coples paired together is the stuff a defensive coordinator's best dreams are made of. Coples oozes raw athleticism and has proven he can dominate when he wants to, but those last four words are the key.

10. Buffalo Bills: Nick Perry, Defensive End, USC

Matt says: "A left defensive end at USC, Perry is ready to step into an NFL defense and be a starter. Playing next to [defensive tackles] Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus will help draw attention away from the rookie defender, at least early in the season."

My slant: Adding a pass-rusher like Perry next to Dareus and Williams should probably land the Bills in court for cruel and unusual punishment of quarterbacks. Perry has a ton of raw ability and can add some edge to the teeth of the pass-rush.

He was projected by most to be a 3-4 outside linebacker; that is, until he showed up at the combine at 271 pounds, having put on 20 pounds of muscle. It looks like the Bills are going full-bore in the transition to a 4-3, and drafting pass-rushers off the edge is a priority for Dave Wannstedt. 

16. New York Jets: Alshon Jeffery, Wide Receiver, South Carolina

Matt says: "After a combine weigh-in of 216 lbs., Jeffery's stock among those in the media is at a season high. Jeffery has long been the No. 1 wide receiver on my draft board. Barring a 4.65 running at his Pro Day, Jeffery has solidified himself as a top player in the 2012 class."

My slant: The Jets need a wide receiver, but is Alshon Jeffery the right fit for a team trying to build a motivated group of selfless individuals? He showed all kinds of potential on the field, but his questionable-at-best work ethic is a red flag.

Jeffery may have weighed in at 216 pounds, but either maroon is the most fattening color he could ever wear, or he put on some weight during the season. Work ethic concerns are a beast the Jets have already prodded with a stick, and they can't afford to turn around and look while they run away.

27. New England Patriots: Vinny Curry, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, Marshall

Matt says: "Vinny Curry is a Trent Cole-like pass rusher who is strong at the point of attack and quick enough off the ball to catch tackles sleeping. Playing in a stand-up role, Curry could be a nightmare for offensive lines."

My slant: Anyone who knows the Patriots' draft history knows that this is an unlikely pick, simply for the position Curry plays; the Patriots tend not to value pass-rushers enough to take them in the first round. Depending on the future for defensive ends Mark Anderson and Andre Carter, both set to become free agents, the Patriots could have a big need there.

Curry is a little less than the prototype Bill Belichick typically looks for at outside linebacker or rush defensive end, but others have succeeded despite those limitations, and there aren't many (if any) prospects this year that match the full buffet of measurements the Patriots look for. Curry may be the closest thing.

31. New England Patriots: Mohamed Sanu, Wide Receiver, Rutgers

Matt says: "Sanu doesn't have great speed—just 4.65 in the 40—but anyone who has watched him play knows he's a great all-around athlete who runs crisp routes and has the burst to separate. In New England, he's needed to stretch the field and open up the defense."

My slant: I'd be surprised if the Patriots use the 31st pick (Miller allows the possibility of trades with his pick of Robert Griffin III to the Redskins at No. 2). I'd be even more surprised if the Patriots use the pick on Sanu.

He's not a typical Patriots receiver and is pretty slow for the Patriots, who typically like receivers to run a fast time in the 3-cone drill. Sanu ran a 6.88, right around the middle of the pack. He may give the Patriots an option to win matchups on the outside, but the Patriots would value a guy like that more in the second or third round.

Follow @ErikFrenz