2012 NFL Mock Draft: Signing Mario Williams Gives Buffalo Bills Draft Options

Three days and $100 million later, the Buffalo Bills finally have their pass-rusher.

On Thursday, after nearly 72 hours of courting, the Bills and prized free-agent Mario Williams agreed to a six-year deal that includes $50 million in guarantees. The contract marks the first time a defensive player has signed a $100 million deal and just the third time any player has received $50 million or more in guarantees, joining Williams with Calvin Johnson's $62 million and Sam Bradford's $50 million.

Now that Williams is signed, sealed and delivered, the Bills can resume an offseason plan that is likely looking towards the 2012 NFL draft. But with Williams on board as the pass-rusher Buffalo so desperately needed, where will the team look with the No. 10 overall pick?

Don't count out another pass-rusher in the first round for the Bills.

Marching out a defensive line in 2012 that features Mario Williams, Kyle Williams, Marcell Dareus and a top-15 overall pass-rusher, the Bills would have a solid argument for the NFL's top front-four. And as the Giants proved last season during their Super Bowl run, you can never have enough talented pass-rushers along the defensive line. 

Given that school of thought, I've kept Quinton Coples as the Bills' pick at No. 10 overall. Featured on a defensive line with the kind of talent Buffalo now possesses, Coples could reach eight to 10 sacks as a rookie. And even if he wasn't ready to be a full-time player right away, the Bills could also use Coples as a situational pass-rusher until he's comfortable in the NFL game.

The pick wouldn't have to be Coples, either. Melvin Ingram, Courtney Upshaw, Nick Perry and Whitney Mercilus may also be in play here. Regardless of the name, a pass-rusher makes the most sense for the Bills.   

With the NFL moving more and more towards a pass-centered game, people that can get after the quarterback are worth their weight in gold. With few other players having value at No. 10 overall, the Bills shouldn't get cute.

Take another pass-rusher and unleash a revamped front-four on the NFL. Buffalo probably should be a playoff team in 2012 if they increase their sack total by 20 or more next season.     

2012 NFL Mock Draft 

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

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

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

4. Cleveland Browns: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU  

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

6. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State (via trade with Washington Redskins)  

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

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

9. Carolina Panthers: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

10. Buffalo Bills: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

11. Kansas City Chiefs: Dontari Poe, NT Memphis

12. Seattle Seahawks: Nick Perry, DE, USC  

13. Arizona Cardinals: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

14. Dallas Cowboys: David DeCastro, G, Stanford

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

16. New York Jets: Mark Barron, S, Alabama  

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

18. San Diego Chargers: Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois

19. Chicago Bears: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

20. Tennessee Titans: Cordy Glenn, G, Georgia 

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

22. Cleveland Browns: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame 

23. Detroit Lions: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State 

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

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

27. New England Patriots: Harrison Smith, S, Notre Dame

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

29. Baltimore Ravens: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

30. San Francisco 49ers: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

31. New England Patriots: Rueben Randle, WR, LSU

32. New York Giants: Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama