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

The 2012 NFL draft got a big shake-up when the St. Louis Rams traded the second overall pick to the Washington Redskins for Robert Griffin III. As always, B/R's draft jedi Matt Miller was on the scene with his latest mock as soon as the trade went down.

Let's take a look at how he sees things shaking out in the AFC East.

8. Miami Dolphins: Nick Perry, Defensive End, USC

Matt says: "Nick Perry ranks as the best defensive end in the 2012 draft class. His combination of size (271 lbs), speed (4.50 in the 40) and strength (34 bench press reps) make him a prospect worth a top-10 pick. Perry leaves USC as an unfinished product. He has one move, a speed rush off the edge and will need to develop slightly at the next level. What is promising is that Perry has the athletic ability to be a stud off the edge."

My slant: The Miami Dolphins are getting set to transition to a 4-3 defense, and adding a book-end to go opposite Cameron Wake could be a great way to get started.

It may not be a quick fix, but Perry is a good pick as a developmental prospect, as Matt says.

Oftentimes, the athletic ability earns too much weight, but it should help that Perry was one of the top-rated pass-rushers before the combine, and not much changed besides his projected position; originally touted as a 3-4 outside linebacker at the next level, his increase of 20 pounds in muscle mass gives him a shot to contribute as a traditional end in a 4-3.

10. Buffalo Bills: Michael Floyd, Wide Receiver, Notre Dame

Matt says: "Head coach Chan Gailey loves speed, and he loves playmakers. Floyd is both. With Floyd, [Stevie] Johnson and Scott Chandler working the secondary, and Fred Jackson back pounding defenses, the Buffalo Bills have the offensive threats to keep from a second-half fall down the standings like they experienced in 2011."

My slant: Adding another big-play threat to put opposite Stevie Johnson would give the Bills two respectable threats in the passing game.

There were some questions about Floyd's speed before he ran a 4.42 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, so teams that are interested may have to go back and watch the tape on him to see how much slower he is in pads as opposed to the "track meet" setting of the combine. One thing is for sure: Floyd has a knack for making big plays, and at 6'2.5" and 220 pounds, he'll be a matchup nightmare for most secondaries. 

If the Bills go with a wide receiver here, they'll have to find another way to acquire top talent for their new-look 4-3 defense.

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

Matt says: "Many have said that Tony Sparano will want running backs in New York, but it's clear that Mike Tannenbaum is building this team, not the new offensive coordinator. Tannenbaum is invested in Sanchez and will want to use the team's first pick to find a red-zone threat who can open up the offense. Alshon Jeffery continues to rank as my No. 1 wide receiver. His deep-threat ability will allow the Jets to create more on offense and open up the red zone for Sanchez."

My slant: More than any positional need, the Jets need to make sure they add strong character guys to their locker room. He showed up to the combine "in shape" at 216 pounds, but exactly how in shape he was, we may never know; he didn't participate in a single drill.

It may not seem like much of a big deal, but for a team that needs guys with a competitive attitude and who want to be the best without putting themselves first, that's a big red flag.

Jeffery's 6'3", 216-pound frame will be enticing for a team that needs threats in the red zone. He's no good to the Jets without speed—if they wanted a big body who can't run, they could re-sign Plaxico Burress. There are too many reasons to look elsewhere for help at receiver than to take the risk on Jeffery.

27. New England Patriots: Peter Konz, Center, Wisconsin

Matt says: "Dan Koppen is a free agent, as is Dan Connolly. The Patriots have not reached out to either player to date. After Koppen missed the 2011 season with injury, it's becoming more likely that he won't be back. The youth movement is on for the Patriots line. If Konz is drafted, they'll feature youngsters at left tackle (Nate Solder), possibly at guard (Marcus Cannon), center and right tackle (Sebastian Vollmer)."

My slant: The Patriots would like to have center Dan Koppen back in 2012, but that may not happen as he recovers from an ankle injury he suffered in Week 1. He will be 33 years old at the start of the 2012 season, and although he wants to be back, the Patriots should begin looking at their future at the position.

Konz is universally considered the top center in this class, and although he doesn't have quite the power you look for at the position, he moves very well. The Patriots haven't run the screen as frequently as in year's past, but with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in the mix, they could return to it sooner than later.

The Patriots rarely use high picks on linemen, preferring to utilize the incredible coaching prowess of the best OL coach in the game, Dante Scarnecchia, to help them develop talent. Vollmer and Solder are recent exceptions to the trend, though, so perhaps we're beginning to see a new trend forming where the Patriots equip Tom Brady with only the finest talent on the OL.

31. New England Patriots: Courtney Upshaw, Outside Linebacker, Alabama

Matt says: "Let's be real—Bill Belichick will most likely trade this pick away for future choices in the draft. That's what the Patriots do. If they keep the pick, look for Belichick to tap into the Alabama pipeline to find an outside linebacker who is ready to start from day one in his versatile schemes. Courtney Upshaw has the football IQ to be a factor early on in New England's difficult systems. He's not a flashy playmaker, but Upshaw is among the more solid, safer picks in this class."

My slant: Glad you agree, Matt. I've been saying for awhile that this pick is as good as gone, unless Bill Belichick absolutely can't resist whoever falls to him at 31. Upshaw would be one of those exceptions, with the experience in Nick Saban's 3-4 defense that should give Belichick some measure of confidence in his ability to translate to outside linebacker in the NFL.

The "football IQ" part is so underrated in terms of Belichick's draft decision-making, and it is often a reason why it's so hard to figure out what he's going to do.

The only problem I see with this pick is that most mock drafts have Upshaw off the board at this point. From a need perspective, though, the pick is a slam dunk.

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