2012 NFL Mock Draft: Players Who Will Watch Stock Skyrocket Before Draft Day

The NFL Draft is still six weeks away, which means the opportunity for a player to improve his stock is still there.

Some players have already flown up the big board with strong performances in the Senior Bowl, combine or both.

Now all that’s left is pro day, which is the final opportunity for scouts to get a look. There are also six more weeks to get in trouble (just ask Georgia TE Orson Charles).

In my latest mock, I focus on players who still have the opportunity to skyrocket up the big board as the countdown to April 26 continues to get closer.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Luck is already on top of the world, and I’m pretty sure it’s impossible for him to improve his draft status at this point.

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

The Redskins are banking their franchise on a QB with 4.3 speed and an accurate arm on the run. The combine was the perfect showcase for his blend of talents, and it caused Washington to spend a ridiculous three-first round picks in exchange.

The Heisman winner really improved his draft stock not only during combine drills, but because of his terrific personality. By all accounts he killed the interview process with his outgoing and energetic nature that should seamlessly translate into being a strong leader in the locker room.

Not every QB has that trait, but RGIII does. Nobody has watched his stock rise more than Griffin III.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

This pick is all but set in stone unless a team desperate for Justin Blackmon shocks the world and trades up. Not likely.

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

My pick for Offensive Rookie of the Year is ready to play now and may be the only person who can save Colt McCoy in Cleveland. Registering 10 TDs in his rookie season is certainly in the realm of possibilities.

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

The best cover-corner in the league has incredibly fluid hips and athletic ability that are necessary for any elite corner. He is the remedy for a horrific Bucs defense that quit on their coach the last half of the season.

6. Washington Redskins (St. Louis Rams): Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

The Rams need more pressure up front, and Coples has the best pure pass-rushing skills in the entire draft. While motivation is always going to be an issue, Coples has the skill set to be a dominate pass rusher for the next decade.

He also has the potential to be a complete bust. This is a risky pick, but now that the Rams have so many of them…I guess they can afford to roll the dice.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

The Jags need to shore up the teeth of their defensive line, and Brockers, who is only a redshirt sophomore, has plenty of potential. He ran a slow 5.36 40-yard dash, so his pro day is going to be huge.

I think once scouts get to see him in action at pro day, they will see his explosiveness off the snap and ability to clog the middle. After entering the combine a tad overweight, he has a chip on his shoulder and will have a strong outing to convince the Jags he is worth such a high pick.

8. Miami Dolphins: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Reiff has an incredible work ethic and a Big 10 pedigree, two great qualities in an O-lineman.

9. Carolina Panthers: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

At 6’5’’ and 350 pounds, Poe is incredibly hard to push and is going to be one of the strongest players in the entire NFL. He won the bench press competition at the combine while also running a blazing fast 40-time.

While Poe won’t have to show off his jets very often, he can provide the bulk up the middle to save the weak Carolina run defense. With such incredible physical traits, his pro day is just another opportunity to make the scouts drool…assuming he stays in tip-top shape.

10. Buffalo Bills: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

The Bills have to beef up their O-line, and getting the best available at No. 10 is a must.

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

The Chiefs don’t have a ton of glaring holes, but landing the best guard in the draft will make Kansas City a contender in the AFC West once again.

12. Seattle Seahawks: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

Upshaw had a storied collegiate career and is ready to contribute right away. His stock has flat-lined for the last month, which means Upshaw is locked in to a spot somewhere between 10-and-15.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Life is hard for a running back. A knee procedure that kept him out of the combine is scaring teams, and it looks like it might be enough to watch him experience a mini free-fall out of the top 10. The Cardinals snag him because he is by far the best talent on the board.

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

Despite all of the character issues, Jenkins is an incredible talent and worthy of a top-15 pick. An owner like Jerry Jones could care less how many baby mamas he has.

With the cap issues in front of Dallas, they have to nail the draft, and acquiring Jenkins is a good start.

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

Ingram has the skill-set to be the next Von Miller off the edge, but it remains to be seen how quickly he can adjust from being a defensive end to an outsider linebacker.

That’s why he drops this far.

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

Floyd, who stands at 6’3’’ and 225 pounds, can play at a high level right off the bat. He has loads of college experience on top of his outstanding performance at the combine to solidify his first-round status.  

He has the explosiveness and reliable hands to be one of the most dangerous players in the league rather quickly.

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

Miller was a speed demon at the combine, and that has scouts very interested. With a strong pro day, Miller is going to without a doubt be the second running back selected in the draft after Trent Richardson.

His stock has been slowly rising since the Senior Bowl, and don’t expect that to change anytime soon.

Speed kills—don’t forget that.

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

Assuming Vincent Jackson goes for the most money, a huge hole is going to open up, and it must be addressed in Round 1.

Wright had a rough combine, but his senior-season numbers (1,663 yards, 14 TDs) are too hard to ignore.

While he’s in the top 20 for now, Wright’s stock is not currently trending in the right direction. Was he merely a product of RGIII’s brilliance?

19 Chicago Bears: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

The Bears need to start planning for the future with their defense, and landing Kirkpatrick is a strong place to start.   

The marijuana bust seems like a long time ago now, and it shouldn’t have any sort of effect on his draft status.

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

He doesn’t do much damage behind the line of scrimmage, and that has scouts wondering if he can succeed at the NFL level.

Kuechly is a tackling machine and can help right away, but his ceiling is limited. He had a big combine to solidify his first-round status, and there is little doubt that he will wow the scouts at his pro day.

Expect his stock to keep rising throughout the next month.  

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

He may not have the polish of DeCastro, but Glenn is still worth a first-round selection, and the Bengals need to shore up a line that is beginning to age.

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

The most overrated prospect in the entire draft has a stock that seems to be rising by the day.

Despite an inconsistent release and QB-friendly system in college, teams are enamored with Tannehill’s potential.

With Luck and RGIII all but locked up at the top, Tannehill has emerged as the third best QB ahead of Nick Foles. As long as he has a strong pro day, the Texas A&M product is going to convince a QB-needy team he is worth a first-round pick.

23. Detroit Lions: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

The Lions are ready to win now and need a player who has a winning pedigree and can start instantly. Barron is the perfect fit.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

Standing at 6’5’’ and 310 pounds, Still won’t have to travel far to begin his professional career. Casey Hampton has maybe one good year left, so grooming his replacement needs to happen now.  

25. Denver Broncos: Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson

Whether they get Peyton Manning or not, the Broncos needs a tight end to balance out their offense. Right now they are far too reliant on their running backs.

26. Houston Texans: Rueben Randle, WR, LSU

The lack of receiver depth for Houston was put on full display once Andre Johnson went down with injury. Randle has first-round value because of his ability to return kicks.  

The junior left school early, and his versatility to return kicks and play out of the slot is very appealing for a team that is incredibly close to getting over the hump in the AFC.

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

The Pats need to shore up the defensive line and might as well get a guy who specializes in it. Mercilus has long arms to create separation which allowed him to be rather dominating in the Big 10 last season.

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

The opinions on Cox are all over the map and the Packers would be committing highway robbery if they can select him this far back in the draft.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

Matt Birk is about to retire, and Konz can step in and ensure the Ravens don’t miss a beat at a very underrated position.

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

Hill displayed lighting-fast speed at the combine to shoot up the draft boards. Now there will be plenty of scouts at his pro day, which bodes incredibly well for Hill.

The lack of speed and playmaking ability ultimately doomed the 49ers this season, and Hill can change all of that in a hurry. He lacks the polish of others receivers in the first round, but the 49ers can afford to be patient with Hill.

From the third round to the first, nobody’s stock is rising as fast as Hill.

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

The worst secondary in the league needs help, and Boykin would be a strong fit in the Patriots' bend-but-don’t-break style of play.

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

With all of the free agents set to leave, New York’s needs are bound to change. But for now, landing a reliable lineman with quick feet that is coming off a terrific Senior Bowl makes plenty of sense. 

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