2012 NFL Mock Draft: Stars That Can't Afford to Slip Up Heading into Draft

The NFL draft is heading into the home stretch. There are pro days coming up for most of the top players, and once they are done, all that will be left is to put the names on paper and start evaluating winners and losers. 

Just because the process is nearing its end doesn't mean the prospects can take their feet off the gas. Quite the opposite, actually. Now is when everything players do gets put under the microscope like never before, and they can't afford to have any setbacks. 

Here is our latest mock draft, with a special look at players who really can't afford any kind of slip-up. 

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

Unless Luck's right arm falls off at his pro day workout on Saturday, he is going to be the No. 1 pick. 

2. Washington Redskins (via STL 2-14): Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Griffin's status as the No. 2 pick was confirmed when the Redskins gave up three first-round picks to move into this spot. 

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

Kalil is the safest selection in the Top Five, being able to contribute at an elite level right away.

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

The Browns need offensive playmakers. Richardson is the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson. It's a match made in NFL heaven. 

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

The Buccaneers' rebuilding effort will continue with the most impactful cornerback in the draft. 

6. St. Louis Rams (via Washington 5-11): Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Despite moving down four spots, the Rams still get the player they want. Blackmon's 40-yard dash time makes him easily the top receiver in this class. 

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11): Mark Barron, S, Alabama

Barron's stock has been on the rise thanks to his natural ability to make plays. He can be a difference-maker in the secondary, which is something the Jaguars desperately need to compete in the AFC. 

The one thing that Barron has to prove in order to stay in the Top 10 is how his body is holding up. He underwent double hernia surgery in January, which caused him to miss the scouting combine. 

As long as he is able to run and jump for teams before the draft, Barron will be the Jaguars' selection. 

8. Miami Dolphins (6-10): Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

A reach here, sure, but the Dolphins are running out of quarterback options. They have made runs at Peyton Manning, Matt Flynn and Alex Smith in the last month, only to come up empty-handed each time. 

Tannehill has all the measurables that scouts look for in a quarterback—nearly 6'4" and 225 pounds with a strong arm. 

His two biggest drawbacks are accuracy throwing the ball and inconsistent play. He tends to let little things snowball on him. He has to prove he can get past his mental blocks to justify this pick. 

9. Carolina Panthers (6-10): Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

Poe proved everything he needed to at the combine. He will be the anchor for the Panthers' defensive line for years. 

10. Buffalo Bills (6-10): Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

No player has more to lose with a slip-up or poor performance than Jenkins. His off-field problems have been well documented—they are the reason he played his senior season at North Alabama, not Florida. 

His talent makes him one of the most appealing players in the draft. The Bills still need help in the secondary, though their pass rush should be spectacular after adding Mario Williams. 

Jenkins is tentatively going to be in the Top 10, but all that can change depending on what happens in the next four weeks. 

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

Kuechly's leadership and ability to make plays all over the field make him the best choice for the Chiefs. 

12. Seattle Seahawks (7-9): Courtney Upshaw, DE, Alabama

Upshaw gives the Seahawks another great, young defender. Pete Carroll has a plan, and he is building something special in Seattle. 

13. Arizona Cardinals (8-8): David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

The Cardinals are desperate for an offensive lineman, and DeCastro will make everyone around him better. 

14. Dallas Cowboys (8-8): Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Since the Cowboys didn't address the secondary in free agency—unless you count letting go of Terence Newman—they will look to make a splash in the draft. Kirkpatrick is an instinctual player who can also contribute in run-stopping. 

15. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8): Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

The addition of DeMeco Ryans all but guarantees that the Eagles are targeting one of the big defensive tackles in the first round. Brockers is an underrated monster who will plug the middle for Andy Reid's defense. 

16. New York Jets (8-8): Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

Glenn's the perfect choice for the Jets, especially considering their desire to get back to a power-running style. 

17. Cincinnati Bengals (via OAK 8-8): Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

Miller is the best all-purpose running back in the draft, and the Bengals are desperate for help in the backfield. 

18. San Diego Chargers (8-8): Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

While it may not sound like a big deal to most, the fact that Reiff's arms are shorter than a prototypical offensive lineman does make him vulnerable against big defensive tackles. 

The problem Reiff will run into is getting extension on his blocks, which will make it easier for opponents to run through him. 

He showed no real problems in college, and the Chargers need to instill a toughness and attitude on the offensive line to get Philip Rivers playing up to his full potential. 

19. Chicago Bears (8-8): Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

Floyd gives the Bears another dynamic option on the outside to put with Brandon Marshall. 

20. Tennessee Titans (9-7): Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

Ingram is exactly what the Titans need: A pure pass-rushing specialist who will instantly upgrade their defensive line. 

21. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7): Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

Despite being one of the most productive cornerbacks in college, Gilmore has plenty to prove as the draft process enters the home stretch. 

The biggest knock against Gilmore is his inability to read the quarterbacks and jump on the ball. He has the size and speed to keep up with wide receivers, but he doesn't follow the ball all the way in. 

Gilmore will have to prove to scouts and evaluators that his technique has improved enough to warrant a first-round selection. 

22. Cleveland Browns (via ATL 10-6): Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

Cox is going to do for the Browns defense what Richardson will do for the offense. They may have questions at quarterback, but the rest of the team is starting to look up. 

23. Detroit Lions (10-6): Jonathan Martin, OG, Stanford

Better run and pass protection is of the utmost importance for the Lions, and Martin is the best player available at this spot. 

24. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4): Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

It is easy to dream about what Adams could be by just looking at him. He is 6'7" and nearly 330 pounds, a mountain of a man that few defensive linemen would be able to move. 

However, a questionable work ethic and dedication to the game of football have left his status as a potential first-round pick up in the air. 

Considering how desperate the Steelers are for help up front, Adams is still the choice. But any bad information or another poor workout will squash any chance he has to go that high. 

25. Denver Broncos (8-8): Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Peyton Manning changes everything the Broncos are going to do. They need playmakers on offense, and Wright is as good as any receiver available. 

26. Houston Texans (10-6): Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech

Hill will be the perfect complement for Andre Johnson in the Texans' offensive scheme. 

27. New England Patriots (via NO 13-3): Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama

Defense has become an afterthought for the Patriots lately, but that has to change with this draft. Hightower is best suited to be a pass-rusher in a 3-4 scheme, which is exactly what this team needs. 

28. Green Bay Packers (15-1): Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska

David's stock keeps moving up thanks to better-than-expected height and speed. The Packers need to upgrade a depleted linebacking corps. 

29. Baltimore Ravens (12-4): Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

Konz is the tough, physical player the Ravens always seem to find in the draft. He will make for a smooth transition from Matt Birk. 

30. San Francisco 49ers (13-3): Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

Dennard gives the 49ers some much-needed depth in the secondary. His instincts and ability to read the quarterback make him at least a solid cornerback in the NFL. 

31. New England Patriots (13-3): Nick Perry, DE, USC

Another pick, another pass-rusher for the Patriots. Like Hightower, Perry has the athleticism to be a dominant 3-4 edge-rushing linebacker. 

32. New York Giants (9-7): Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

Fleener could go much higher than this, thanks to his size and ability to score touchdowns in the red zone. For now, the Giants will be happy to grab him and give Eli Manning another toy to play with. 

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