2012 NFL Mock Draft: First-Round Stars Sure to Make Biggest Impact

The 2012 NFL draft is loaded with talent, and while most guys will take time to develop into consistent players in the league, a few prospects are sure to make a huge impact right away. 

Here are the three guys I think will make the biggest contributions during their rookie seasons. 

Matt Kalil

If not for Andrew Luck, Kalil would be the top player available in this year's draft. At nearly 6'6" and 306 pounds, the USC product has everything you would want in a franchise left tackle. He has size, balance, incredibly quick feet and the ability to finish at the second level. He has long arms to keep pass-rushers neutralized and shows a nasty streak in the running game, often punishing defenders with his blocks.

How good is he? Tyron Smith, whom the Dallas Cowboys made the No. 9 pick in the 2011 draft, was forced to play right tackle during his time at USC because Kalil had the left side nailed down. Kalil is essentially a perfect player at the tackle spot. He is the best offensive lineman to enter the league since the Miami Dolphins made Jake Long the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 draft. 

Next season Kalil will be holding down the left tackle spot somewhere (likely with the Minnesota Vikings) and he will immediately provide a boost to whichever team selects him. The kid is a perennial Pro Bowler in waiting.

Trent Richardson

Speaking of well-rounded prospects, Alabama running back Trent Richardson is a guy who should be able to come in right away and make a huge impact on whichever team selects him. Right now it appears the Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have their eyes on him, and he would be a great fit for either franchise.

At 5'9" and 228 pounds, Richardson has adequate size for a tough, inside runner at the NFL level. However, what separates him from the pack are his unparalleled vision, the open-field speed he possesses for his size and the fact that he almost never goes down on first contact. The guy is just incredibly hard to tackle. 

Richardson is a workhorse-type running back who can play on every down and even has the hands and open-field ability to be a threat in the passing game. He is also competitive, driven and was a team captain at Alabama. 

He is easily the best running back to come out of the college ranks since Adrian Peterson in 2007 and should have the same kind of impact Peterson had when he first hit the field for the Vikings. Wherever Richardson goes, expect him to essentially provide an immediate rushing attack for that team.

Morris Claiborne

While teammate Tyrann Mathieu may have garnered more headlines for LSU in 2011, Claiborne quietly developed into the nation's top cover corner. At 5'11" and 188 pounds, Claiborne isn't an intimidating presence like former teammate Patrick Peterson, but his instincts and closing ability make him the top defender in the 2012 draft class.

Claiborne has a good work ethic and is mature for his age. He's just a guy who loves playing football and seems to relish the ability to shut down receivers. He can play inside and out and is also solid in run support. His ball skills are outstanding, probably as a result of starting his college career at wide receiver.

The Vikings, Browns and Buccaneers are all looking at Claiborne, and the kid has the makings of a Pro Bowl-type, shutdown corner. I expect him to be the first defensive player taken this year and he should have an immediate impact clogging passing lanes and upgrading a secondary somewhere next season.

2012 NFL Mock Draft      

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

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

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC  

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

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

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

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

8. Miami Dolphins: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

9. Carolina Panthers: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

10. Buffalo Bills: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

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

12. Seattle Seahawks: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

13. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

14. Dallas Cowboys: David DeCastro, G, Stanford

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

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

17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland Raiders): Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

18. San Diego Chargers: Cordy Glenn, G, Georgia 

19. Chicago Bears: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

20. Tennessee Titans: Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons): Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska

23. Detroit Lions: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

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

25. Denver Broncos: Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans Saints): Chandler Jones, DE/OLB, Syracuse

28. Green Bay Packers: Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois   

29. Baltimore Ravens: Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama

30. San Francisco 49ers: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

31. New England Patriots: Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson

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