2012 NFL Mock Draft: Dre Kirkpatrick and Prospects with Sneaky Potential

There are players who simply ooze potential in this year's NFL draft.

Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Trent Richardson and Justin Blackmon all fit that mold, to name a few.

Then there are those players who are high-ceiling guys but don't have nearly the buzz of some of the higher-profile guys in this year's draft.

Let's meet those players in this mock draft.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Andrew Luck doesn't have sneaky potential, he has Hall of Fame potential. I'm not saying he'll be a Hall of Fame player, just saying that is his ceiling.

2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor *

Griffin doesn't have sneaky potential, he has "sacrifice three first-round picks" potential. Which is a lot of potential, just to be clear.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

Kalil doesn't have sneaky potential, he has "best left tackle in the draft" potential.

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

I've gone back and forth on this pick, but I've changed my mind and think the Browns will go with a much-needed playmaker here. Richardson is simply too talented to pass up, and he's the most dynamic back to hit the draft since Adrian Peterson.

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

This is the perfect combination of the best player left on the board also happening to fill a need for the Bucs. Claiborne and newly-signed Eric Wright will quickly turn a position of weakness into one of strength.

6. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Justin Blackmon doesn't have sneaky potential, he has "best wide receiver on the board with a hot cheerleader girlfriend" potential.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Kirkpatrick has fallen on some boards due to perceived off-field issues, but he is a top-10 talent and the drop-off between he and Claiborne is slim.

Plus, Kirkpatrick has the ability to play safety if a need arises there or if a team projects him to be stronger at that position.

His versatility makes him a great value here.

8. Miami Dolphins: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Reiff doesn't have sneaky potential, he has "best right tackle in the draft" potential.

9. Carolina Panthers: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

Coples doesn't have sneaky potential, he has "best defensive end in the draft" potential.

10. Buffalo Bills: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

Until Mario Williams is signed, sealed and delivered, I'm sticking with this pick.

11. Kansas City Chiefs: Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis

Poe rocketed up draft boards after the massive nose tackle showed an amazing blend of size and power at the NFL Scouting Combine.

The Chiefs could certainly use an infusion of young talent at the nose tackle position in the 3-4 defense they run, and Poe has huge upside.

Don't be surprised if Kansas City fills a big need with an even bigger man.

12. Seattle Seahawks: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M 

All of the quarterback talk has been about Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, but a lot of folks are very high on Ryan Tannehill.

He's a good enough athlete that he played wide receiver for the Aggies in 2008 and 2009, leading the team in receptions. He can make all of the throws, has a quick release and has become a guy a lot of teams are taking a long, hard look at.

He won't make it past the Seahawks.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Will he protecting Peyton Manning? Kevin Kolb? John Skelton? One way or another, he'll be needed, especially after the release of Levi Brown.

14. Dallas Cowboys: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

He doesn't have sneaky potential, he has "one of the best guard prospects in years" potential. And with the signing of Brandon Carr, the Cowboys can focus on the next big area of need—guard.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Luke Kuechly, MLB, Boston College

He doesn't have sneaky potential, he has "best middle linebacker and oddest last name to pronounce on the board" potential.

16. New York Jets: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, USC

There are a lot of very good edge rushers in this draft. But perhaps none fit the mold of a 3-4 outside linebacker quite as well as Upshaw, who should be an absolute beast in that role for the Jets.

Upshaw finished 2011 with 52 tackles and 9.5 sacks on the devastating Alabama defense, and he could wind up being one of the best defensive players selected in this draft and a similar player to Von Miller.

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama **

Jenkins would look very nice paired with Leon Hall.

18. San Diego Chargers: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame 

I know they just brought in Robert Meachem, but when you have Philip Rivers, you surround him with weapons. Floyd is a good one.

19. Chicago Bears: Nick Perry, DE, USC

With the reunion of Brandon Marshall and Jay Cutler in Chicago, the Bears will turn to adding a rusher alongside Julius Peppers. If they don't land Mario Williams, that is.

20. Tennessee Titans: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina   

With Cortland Finnegan out, Gilmore will step in immediately and fill a big need.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami    

The explosive back will look very good in a Bengals uniform, filling a big need for the team.

22. Cleveland Browns: Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech

He doesn't have sneaky potential, he has "most impressive player at the combine who has crazy athletic skills he didn't get to show off in a run-first college offense" potential.

23. Detroit Lions: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

He doesn't have sneaky potential, he has "hey, he's a great center and we need one of those" potential.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

A poor combine drops him. The flashes of potential he showed at LSU make him a steal this late.

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

Still will provide a much-needed upgrade in the middle of Denver's line.

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

I think Wright will be the perfect complement to Andre Johnson on the outside.

27. New England Patriots: Chris Givens, WR, Wake Forest ***

The Patriots need an upgrade at wide receiver, and Givens is a player with a lot of upside—he compares favorably to a player like Jeremy Maclin—that people haven't been talking about.

Givens was First-Team All-ACC last year, burned a 4.37 40-yard-dash and is polished enough to play immediately on the Patriots.

This is a great pick for player with, yes, sneaky potential.

28. Green Bay Packers: Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson

This could also be Fletcher Cox from Mississippi State. Either way, the Packers need to improve the defense, and each would do so.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska

Defense wins championships. Crick will help Baltimore do so.

30. San Francisco 49ers: Jamell Fleming, Cornerback, Oklahoma

Adding a young corner in a pass-heavy league is a smart, albeit un-sexy move for the Niners.

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

Mercilus led the NCAA in sacks in 2011 with 16 and would fill a need off the edge in New England.

32. New York Giants: Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina

Brown is as athletic a linebacker around. He's a great fit in New York.

* The Redskins traded the sixth pick in the first round, along with their second-round pick this year and first-round picks in 2013 and 2014 to St. Louis for the second overall pick.

** From Oakland in the Carson Palmer trade.

*** From Cincinnati.

*** From New Orleans in last year's Mark Ingram trade.

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