2012 NFL Mock Draft: 3 Prospects Who'll Be Drafted Far Too High in Round 1

Every year, the pre-draft process elevates the stock of a handful of prospects who are ultimately selected much higher in the first-round than they should be.

Their game tape suggests teams should wait to draft them, but they parlay interviews, the combine and pro-day workouts into being picked in Round 1. 

Here are this year's candidates. 

Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis 

Poe was the talk of the combine after running a sub 5.0 40-yard dash at 6'4'' and 345 pounds.

I have him going No. 6 overall to the St. Louis Rams, not because I believe he's worthy of going there, but because I think new head coach Jeff Fisher will look to fortify the interior of the defense with his "Albert Haynesworth-type" man in the middle.

If you watch Poe's tape, you'll see a huge presence that isn't undoubtedly dominating. He has the potential to become a disruptive player and will almost certainly command double teams on nearly every snap. I just believe it may take him a while to transition from Memphis to the NFL.

He's not as impressive on tape as he was in Indy.

Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB Alabama 

Upshaw is a good prospect, there's no questioning that. Is he worth top-10 selection?

No.

I have him going No. 8 overall to the Dolphins, as the hype surrounding him being one of the leaders on Alabama's top-ranked defense will be the reason as to why he's picked that high. 

However, at 6'2'' and 272 pounds, Upshaw's somewhat of a tweener. He doesn't possess the burst or quickness off the edge you'd like in a game-changing defensive end or outside linebacker.

While he has the talent, experience and motor to become a quality starter, I'd like my first round pick, especially one in the Top 15, to fundamentally alter how the opposition prepares for my team.

I don't think Upshaw will necessarily do that.  

Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

There's some buzz surrounding Tannehill saying he could be picked in the early stages of Round 1 if quarterback-needy teams like the Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins or Seattle Seahawks don't land Robert Griffin III, Peyton Manning or Matt Flynn prior to April 26th.

You could even throw the Cleveland Browns into the equation. 

While Tannehill has an interesting, athletic skill set as a converted wide receiver with a good arm, he has made only 19 career starts under center for the Aggies.

I'd like my future franchise quarterback to be more experienced than that. He didn't exactly shred the defensively-challenged Big 12 last season, throwing 29 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

Tannehill should be picked up in somewhere in the second round, but anything before that would be an unnecessary reach.  

2012 NFL Mock Draft (March 1, Post-Combine Update)

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

2. Washington Redskins (trade with St. Louis Rams): Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, Southern California

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

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

6. St. Louis Rams (trade with Washington Redskins): Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame  

8. Miami Dolphins: Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama

9. Carolina Panthers: Michael Brockers, DL, LSU

10. Buffalo Bills: Nick Perry, DE, Southern California 

11. Seattle Seahawks: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

12. Kansas City Chiefs: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

13. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

14. Dallas Cowboys: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford 

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama 

16. New York Jets: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina 

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

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

19. Chicago Bears: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina 

20. Tennessee Titans: Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama 

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta): Fletcher Cox, DL, Mississippi State  

23. Detroit Lions: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa 

25. Denver Broncos: Devon Still, DT, Penn State 

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor 

27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans): Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

28. Green Bay Packers: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

29. Baltimore Ravens: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

30. San Francisco 49ers: Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech 

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

32. New York Giants, Kelechi Osemele, OL, Iowa State

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