2012 NFL Mock Draft: First-Round Studs We'll Be Talking About

Nothing against offensive linemen, but we like stars.

The vast majority of people love the NFL for its explosive plays that highlight speed and athleticism. That’s why quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers are all household names, while linemen are nothing more than a big guy who pushes people.

This year there are multiple players who are going to be must-see TV the second they step onto the field. It’s what makes this year’s draft so exciting.

As we go through the latest mock draft, we highlight the players who are going to be the talk of the water cooler on Monday morning.   

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

What an exciting talent.

He is everything you could ever ask for from a No. 1 pick. He has a rocket arm, incredible instincts and is very athletic for a QB…all while standing at 6'4", 235 pounds.

A 4.67 40-yard dash time at the combine reminded us all that his speed is comparable to Cam Newton.

The only issue with Luck is the expectations.

If he goes 4-12 his rookie season, the critics and naysayers are going to be coming at him at a fast and furious rate. We’ve never seen Luck handle adversity, and it’s going to be the big test for him his rookie season.

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

The Rams are going to trade the pick at some point, but who will be the team to mortgage their entire future on a QB who was relatively unknown at this juncture last year?

Cleveland? Washington? Miami?

Regardless of who wins the bidding, RGIII has the potential to redefine the position. His combination of 4.3 40 speed and a strong yet accurate arm hasn’t been seen since the days of Michael Vick. He has the sort of talent that can steal the spotlight away from a prodigy like Luck.

I can’t remember the last time there was a draft with not one, but two QBs who have the ability to dominate the league for the next decade. Exciting times.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

Kalil is a potential all-pro tackle who can start from Day 1.

But it’s not a sexy pick by any stretch of the imagination. Not his fault, just the nature of the position.

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

If the Browns lose out on the bidding war for Griffin III, Blackmon would be one heck of a consolation prize.

Blackmon’s senior season in college (121 receptions, 1,522 yards, 18 TDs) was one for the record books, and he didn’t need to prove himself at the combine because of it. Standing at 6'1" and 215 pounds, Blackmon is a physical specimen that is rarely seen at any level of the game. He holds the speed to run a flawless slant route while owning the height and athleticism to be a deadly threat around the end zone.

Ten touchdowns in his rookie season? I’d say that is a very achievable number for Blackmon. Watching him in space is going to be a blast to watch for years to come.

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

The Bucs were 21st against the pass and 32nd against the run in 2011. Claiborne’s combine performance made it clear he is the best cover corner available in the entire draft.

The Bucs need to strengthen their defense, and Claiborne can be a contributor right off the bat.

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

Coples has major bust potential with his lack of sacks against top notch competition and his tendency to take plays off.

But running a 4.72 40-yard dash can make teams ignore the other stuff.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

The Jags have a long track record of reaching on big, burly defensive linemen, and Brockers certainly fits the mold.

8. Miami Dolphins: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Another non-sexy pick that will end up solidifying a line that has no clue who their QB will be in 2012. Unless they trade up, the ‘Fins should clear up their QB issues via free agency.

9. Carolina Panthers: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

The Panthers must use this pick on the defensive side of the ball, and shoring up their awful linebacker situation is a good start.  

Upshaw wasn’t overly impressive at the combine, but he is still the best linebacker in the draft with his blend of size and speed.

10. Buffalo Bills: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Ryan Fitzpatrick will be on his hands and knees thanking team management for giving him more protection so he has more than three seconds to get rid of the ball before getting smashed.

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

Not every draft pick can be sexy. This is a strong pick, but I’m pretty sure it’s not going to send people dancing in the streets of KC.

12. Seattle Seahawks: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

With the recent knee issues popping up, I’m beginning to wonder if Richardson can handle being the main back on a team for the next decade.

That’s why the Seahawks, who plan on placing the franchise tag on Marshawn Lynch, can slowly ease Richardson into more and more carries as the season goes along while learning from a veteran his rookie season.

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

Forget Brockers, Still is the best defensive tackle in the entire draft. One of the few big D-linemen who has never had any effort questions, Still is going to be a dominate force in the NFL sooner or later.

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

Jenkins is the biggest high risk/high reward in the entire draft. His character red flags are glaring, but so is his ability to cover any player in coverage one-on-one.

He has the athletic ability and ball skills to be a top-10 pick.

With a Cowboys team that ranked 23rd in passing yards allowed in 2011, they can look past the three arrests and hope the 23-year-old learned his lesson while playing his senior season in Division II.

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

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

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.

Floyd, who stands at 6'3" and 225 pounds, can play for the Jets instantly. He is the guy you can rely on to net you a first down when it’s 3rd-and-long, with his outstanding route-running ability and instincts.

He has the explosiveness and strength to be one of the most dangerous players in the league in space. He would make Mark Sanchez’s life much easier.

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

Speed kills, and Miller is the Freddy Kruger of running backs in this year’s draft. He had the fastest 40-yard dash time among running backs, despite weighing over 210 pounds.

Miller is capable of bowling over defenders with his size and blowing by them with his speed. The Bengals aren’t going to re-sign Cedric Benson and need to find a back capable of handling the rock for 20-to-25 carries a game.

With his body frame and durability since redshirting his freshman year, Miller is up to the task.

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

A 4.61 40 extinguished the thought that Wright was one of the fastest players in the draft, and I think he’s going to be one of the biggest busts in the first round.

Anybody can put up good stats when a talent like RGIII is throwing you the ball.

19 Chicago Bears: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

The Bears secondary is getting old, and infusing some new blood at the position is something that needs to happen now.

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

The leading tackler in the country in 2011 had a strong combine to end any doubts about his speed. While his inability to penetrate the line of scrimmage keeps him on the board until pick No. 20, he has the potential to collect 80 tackles his rookie season.

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 and be a fixture on the line for the next decade.

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

Assuming Cleveland loses out on RGIII, they get the next best QB in Tannehill.

I’m not buying him.

Tannehill has an inconsistent release and played in a college system that was very friendly for the QB. He is a project, and I’m not sure the Browns have a ton of patience to watch yet another QB go through rookie-year pains.

23. Detroit Lions: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

With the incredibly poor performance against the Saints still fresh in management's mind, they bolster the secondary with the best safety in the draft.

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 to solidify his status as a first-round pick.

25. Denver Broncos: Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson

The Broncos had almost zero production from their tight ends in the passing game and take the best player at the position with Allen.

26. Houston Texans: Rueben Randle, WR, LSU

Once Andre Johnson went down with a leg injury, the lack of receiver depth was exposed. Randle has first-round value because of his versatility to return kicks.  

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.

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

The Pats need to beef up the pass rush with one of their first-round picks, and Mercilus is the best available at No. 27.

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

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 can fill-in instantly without missing a beat.  

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

He was rated much higher after the season, but a poor showing at both the Senior Bowl and combine makes me wonder if he can compete against the best competition in the world and experience much success.

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

The worst secondary in the league needs help, and Boykin is a strong fit for the Pats’ system.

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

He had a rough combine, but his superb Senior Bowl and 2011 tape in the second half of the season are enough to warrant the last pick of Round 1. 

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