2012 NFL Mock Draft: Quinton Coples and Stars Who Will Fail at Next Level

Just because you are selected in the first round of the NFL Draft doesn't mean you are guaranteed to have success once you transition to the professional level.

It just doesn't always work out, and as unfortunate as it is, that is the reality of the situation. Still, teams will take their chances and hope that every player they draft will turn out to save their franchise, as much as that isn't always the case.

The italicized players in the following mock draft will get a nice first-round paycheck, but they will have a hard time succeeding at the next level.

1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14): Andrew Luck, QB (Stanford)

It appears that the Colts will be moving forward with the Luck era in Indianapolis. Luckily for him, the team has brought back receiver Reggie Wayne for the 2012 season.

2. Washington Redskins (5-11): Robert Griffin III, QB (Baylor) via the St. Louis Rams

If the Redskins don't take RGIII with the second overall pick, many would likely be bewildered. The team made a huge investment in trading for this pick with the Rams, and it looks inevitable that QBs will be taken in back-to-back picks to start the draft.

3. Minnesota Vikings (3-13): Matt Kalil, OT (USC)

The Vikings will be in a tough boat here with great options at both receiver and offensive line, but they will settle with the latter as that will give them what they need most. Also, taking a stud like Kalil is a great starting point in rejuvenating the protection up front.

4. Cleveland Browns (4-12): Trent Richardson, RB (Alabama)

The Browns are going to be desperate to find a running back after they parted ways with Peyton Hillis, so taking Alabama's Richardson is the logical choice.

While Richardson will likely have a fine career, one has to wonder if he will truly find success with the Browns. To be taken No. 4 overall and be the top running back in the draft, expectations are going to be quite lofty for the Crimson Tide back.

The Browns will give Richardson an opportunity to play right away, but with that he is going to have to impress rather quickly as well.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12): Morris Claiborne, CB (LSU)

The need for a cornerback isn't major in Tampa, but after the team grabbed wide receiver Vincent Jackson this offseason, it is clear that they no longer need to look for that here. The Tigers' Claiborne is a solid defender, and he had a ton of success playing in the tough SEC this past season.

6. St. Louis Rams (2-14): Justin Blackmon, WR (Oklahoma State)

Many were likely questioning Blackmon's ability following his absence from the NFL combine drills, but it is a pretty safe bet that the Cowboys' wideout will be a big-play guy for years to come. New head coach Jeff Fisher will have to make sure to get things going early with him and QB Sam Bradford, but these two could become one dangerous duo.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11): Quinton Coples, DE (North Carolina)

Expectations are quite high for the Tar Heels defensive end, and that in the end could be any team's Achilles heel.

The Jaguars had a pretty strong defense this past season, but they could really improve by adding a talented pass rusher like Coples. His addition would be a gamble for the team, but he could ultimately pay off as a dangerous pass rusher.

It remains to be seen how he will translate to the NFL level, but for now there are a lot of question marks surrounding his stock.

8. Miami Dolphins (6-10): Michael Floyd, WR (Notre Dame)

Floyd makes a huge jump in the draft for two reasons.

One, he had an excellent combine, where he really surprised many with his speed and athletic ability.

The other reason is that the team traded wide receiver Brandon Marshall to the Chicago Bears, which leaves a huge void for the team at receiver.

There are a couple reasons, however, that Floyd may have trouble. If the Dolphins land a rookie or even a guy like Matt Flynn, there is no telling how well he can do.

It is no secret that the quarterback makes the wide receiver, so it may be a dangerous situation for the former Fighting Irish wideout.

9. Carolina Panthers (6-10):  Melvin Ingram, DE (South Carolina)

The Panthers haven't had a consistent defensive end since Julius Peppers left town to the Chicago Bears, so getting an explosive defensive end like Ingram could certainly boost this team's chances of having a stronger defense in 2012. If there was one thing that was bad about the Panthers in 2011, it was their inability to stop opposing offenses.

10. Buffalo Bills (6-10): Courtney Upshaw, LB (Alabama)

The Bills got a huge upgrade to their defensive line by landing Mario Williams, but now is the time to bolster the defense behind him. Upshaw is by far the best linebacker in this draft, and is arguably a steal here at No. 10.

11. Kansas City Chiefs (7-9): Luke Kuechly, MLB (Boston College)

The Chiefs had one of the better defenses this past season, and they could look to continue to improve that by adding a solid linebacker like Kuechly. The Golden Eagles' linebacker had another great year for BC this past season, and he could translate to the NFL game quickly.

12. Seattle Seahawks (7-9): Michael Brockers, DT (LSU)

The Tigers clearly had a great defense this past season, and one of the reasons for that was the play of defensive tackle Brockers. For the Tigers this past season, he assisted in clogging up the lanes and disrupting the backfield. Besides quarterback, there is no bigger need for the Seahawks.

13. Arizona Cardinals (8-8): Jonathan Martin, OT (Stanford)

The Cardinals need to start protecting quarterback Kevin Kolb to get an entire season out of him next year, so they would be best to take an offensive tackle in this draft. There's nobody better to do the job than the man who kept Luck healthy these past few years. Martin should fit right in.

14. Dallas Cowboys (8-8): David DeCastro, OG (Stanford)

Tony Romo needs some protection as well, so the Cowboys can't mess around here. They have plenty of options on offense and defense, but they are thin on the line. Adding a guy like DeCastro is going to give Romo a little more time in the pocket and off the ground.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8): Devon Still, DT (Penn State)

Defense is the name of the game for the Eagles in this year's draft, as tight end, quarterback, wide receiver and running back are all covered. They are pretty stacked too in the secondary, so targeting a guy like Still will give the team some real strength up front.

16. New York Jets (8-8):  Justin Anderson, T (Georgia)

The Jets just locked up QB Mark Sanchez, and while running back is definitely a need, at this place in the draft they are going to be thinking about protecting their big investment. A guy like Anderson will add some serious beef to the Jets' line, and should help Sanchez find some more time in the pocket.

17. Cincinnati Bengals, from Oakland (8-8): Cordy Glenn, OG (Georgia)

This Bengals team is looking good, but they can get even better by improving the protection on the line significantly. Adding a guy like Glenn will help young quarterback Andy Dalton, while helping open up holes for whoever ends up being the man running up the middle next season.

18. San Diego Chargers (8-8): Alshon Jeffery, WR (South Carolina)

The Chargers lost Vincent Jackson this offseason, so they will need to look to replace him immediately with a guy like Jeffery.

The problem here is that he just didn't look like himself last year, as he had 39 fewer receptions and 755 fewer yards than he had the year before.

The only positive is that he had one more score, with nine touchdowns, but besides that his ability to make plays is up in the air.

The Chargers need something, though, and they will have to roll the dice on that need.

19. Chicago Bears (8-8): Riley Reiff, OT (Iowa)

The Bears need nothing more now than help on the offensive line. It would be tough to see Reiff fall this far in the draft, but it could happen considering the depth at the position. The team addressed their need at wide receiver with Marshall, and now they will focus on their other needs.

20. Tennessee Titans (9-7): Adam Gettis, G (Iowa)

The Titans will likely be going with Jake Locker in 2012, so they will need to make sure to get all the quality protection they can. The Hawkeyes' Gettis would be a nice pick up here for the Titans, and will certainly make them a bit more comfortable with putting Locker out there on kickoff weekend.

21. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7): Mark Barron, S (Alabama)

The Bengals will be looking to improve their secondary in this draft, and Barron of the Crimson Tide looks like a guy the team couldn't pass up here at the No. 21 spot.

Barron played well this past season, but he is coming off of a hernia surgery that may delay his NFL premiere. He is a bit bulky as well, as the Bengals really need some speed at this position.

Still, he has a lot of upside, and if he can play to this potential he could be one of the outstanding safeties in the league.

It will just remain to be seen if he can actually live up to the hype.

22. Cleveland Browns, from Atlanta (10-6): Kendall Wright, WR (Baylor)

Wright was one of the more electrifying players this past college football season, but the Bears standout looked rather slow at the combine.

That should be worrisome for the Browns, and all teams alike, but even more so for the Browns since they are out of the running for RGIII after the trade they made with the Redskins.

Wright has a ton of potential, but considering his size and the shocking lack of speed he displayed at the combine, he may not be able to find enough to push him to the status that we come to expect of a first-round draftee.

23. Detroit Lions (10-6): David Molk, C (Michigan)

It's time to beef up the offensive line for the Lions, as they will look to rejuvenate the center position and get something to protect quarterback Matthew Stafford for years to come. Wolverines center Molk is a perfect guy to put in front of Stafford, and should be able to create some holes for the running backs.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4): Dontari Poe, DT (Memphis)

Poe may rise up the borads even higher after the combine he had, but the depth at defensive line is very deep for this draft. Poe just may be a victim of too many options, but he would be a steal for the Steelers at this spot in the draft. 

25. Denver Broncos (8-8): Fletcher Cox, DT (Mississippi State)

Another strong defensive tackle in this draft is Cox, who comes out of Mississippi State. The Broncos were quite impressive on defense this past year, but they should be looking to add some more depth here. They may target a wide receiver instead, but at this point the talent is quite the same.

26. Houston Texans (10-6): Rueben Randle, WR (LSU)

The Texans need to get a stud on the other side of the field from Andre Johnson, and the Tigers' Randle could be a great target for quarterback Matt Schaub. They already have Arian Foster coming back, so the team should have a plethora of options for Schaub this coming season.

27. New England Patriots (13-3): Jerel Worthy, DT (MSU)

The Patriots could greatly benefit here by landing a defensive lineman, so scoring a guy like the Spartans' Worthy would be a solid selection for Bill Belichick and crew. This team is only getting older, so it is time to start finding pieces for the future.

28. Green Bay Packers (15-1): Lamar Miller, RB (Miami)

This could be a risky pick for the Packers, but they need a running back and Miller would be a solid pickup for Aaron Rodgers and crew. Miller definitely shot up to first-round talent, but the question is whether teams will see him as a viable option here. The Packers desperately need a piece like this to add something to their offense, so it remains to be seen where they go.

29. Baltimore Ravens (12-4): Dont'a Hightower, LB (Alabama)

The Ravens will have to cross their fingers that Hightower will fall this far, but if they can nab the Crimson Tide linebacker, they would be finding the perfect successor to future-Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis.

30. San Francisco 49ers (13-3): Stephen Hill, WR (Georgia Tech)

The 49ers did sign Randy Moss this offseason, but who knows how well that will work out. The team could be adding a future version of Moss in the Yellow Jackets' wide receiver Stephen Hill, who has impressed many at this year's combine with his performance in the drills. He still has much to prove, but he is definitely a wild card to be a future stud.

31. New England Patriots (13-3): Andre Branch, LB (Clemson)

The Patriots will need to keep adding defensive pieces, and that is where Tigers linebacker Branch fits the picture. Branch would add an athletic attacker in Branch, as well as guy who has a lot of potential to become a game changer.

32. New York Giants (9-7): Michael Egnew, TE (Missouri)

Tight end is the major flaw in the Giants' offense, and they could address that need by surprising many and grabbing the Tigers' Michael Egnew. The Missouri tight end was quite impressive at this year's draft combine, and could continue to do some great things in the league.

Jeff Chase is a Featured Columnist for the Chicago Cubs and Arizona State football.
Follow @Real_Jeff_Chase