2012 NFL Mock Draft: Latest Projections For Top College Stars

The 2012 NFL Draft is less than a month away, and soon enough we'll know where collegiate stars such as Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck and Alabama linebacker Dont'a Hightower will be beginning their professional careers.

Here's an updated look at how the first round of the 2012 draft might unfold, as well as a bit of detail about why each team might choose to go in the direction that is projected.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

After a collegiate career that included well over 9,000 passing yards and numerous accolades including the 2011 Walter Camp award as college football's top player, Andrew Luck has been the presumptive favorite to be picked first overall for some time now.

Colts owner Jim Irsay has said that the first overall pick is still "up in the air", but it would be a jaw-dropping surprise if any name but Luck's is called when Roger Goodell steps to the podium for the first time on April 26th.

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

The Redskins paid a king's ransom for the rights to move up in the draft and acquire the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner, and Griffin is going to be under a very large microscope in the nation's capital from day one.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Despite the Vikings' need for a left tackle, there have been rumblings that the Vikings prefer Morris Claiborne in this spot, who would instantly upgrade a secondary that allowed the most touchdown passes in the NFL in 2011.

4. Cleveland Browns: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

The Browns need offensive playmakers in the worst way imaginable, but Kalil and Joe Thomas would form one of the most formidable tackle duos in the NFL. 

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

LeGarrette Blount's inability to hang onto the football is already wearing thin with the new regime in Tampa Bay, so it wouldn't be at all surprising to see the Bucs make Richardson the first back chosen in the top five since 2008.

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

This would represent a best-case scenario for the Rams, who would still get the player the wanted all along in Blackmon while reaping the rewards of their trade with the Redskins.

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

Coples' 6'6" 281-pound frame and outstanding athleticism will likely convince the Jags to overlook questions about his motor as they try to upgrade a defensive front that ranked 25th in the NFL in sacks last year.

8. Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

The Dolphins are so desperate for a franchise quarterback after swinging and missing badly at the position in free agency that they may well spend a top-10 pick on a signal-caller with all of 15 career starts.

9. Carolina Panthers: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

The Carolina run defense was gashed up the middle almost at will last season, and after finishing 25th against the run in 2011, upgrading the interior of the defensive line is a priority.

Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe is a 6'4", 346-pound monster of a man who was one of the stars of February's NFL scouting combine, and he would immediately bolster the inside of the Panthers' defensive front.

10. Buffalo Bills: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

The Bills made a big splash on the defensive side of the ball in free agency by signing defensive end Mario Williams, so now the Bills need to focus on improving the offensive weaponry at quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick's disposal.

11. Kansas City Chiefs: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

The Chiefs were able to address most of their offseason needs in free agency, adding right tackle Eric Winston, running back Peyton Hillis and cornerback Stanford Routt, but with 2011 starter Kelly Gregg a 35-year-old free agent who is contemplating retirement, nose tackle is still an area of need for Kansas City.

12. Seattle Seahawks: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

The Robert Gallery experiment was a miserable failure in Seattle, and with guard one of the team's major needs and one of the best prospects at the position in years available in DeCastro, this pick is something of a no-brainer.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

With DeCastro off the board, the Cardinals will probably look to improve quarterback Kevin Kolb's pass protection by selecting Reiff, which would allow the team to move Levi Jones to the right side.

14. Dallas Cowboys: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

The Cowboys' pass defense was a moribund 23rd in the NFL last year, and with the bad taste of their season-ending loss to the New York Giants still fresh in their mouths the Cowboys will attempt to rectify that problem.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

The acquisition of linebacker DeMeco Ryans would appear to have remedied at least some of the Eagles' problems in the middle of their defense, but Philadelphia could still use an upgrade at defensive tackle opposite Cullen Jenkins.

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

The Jets badly need to upgrade a mediocre pass rush, and Upshaw's extensive experience in the 3-4 defense would be an added bonus for Gang Green.

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

The Bengals have a significant need on the inside of the offensive line, and with David DeCastro off the board, Cincinnati will turn to the next best thing in the mauling run blocker from Georgia.

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

The San Diego Chargers had trouble generating consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks last season, and the 2011 NCAA sacks leader would be of considerable benefit to San Diego in that regard.

19. Chicago Bears: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

After missing out on the Mario Williams sweepstakes in free agency, the Bears re-upped veteran defensive end Israel Idonije, but that doesn't mean that Chicago has given up on finding a new playmate for Julius Peppers along the Chicago defensive line.

South Carolina defensive end Melvin Ingram is an athletic pass rusher who racked up 48 tackles and 10 sacks en route to being named a first team All-American for the Gamecocks, and this late in the first round Ingram would represent an excellent value.

20. Tennessee Titans: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

The Titans are in the market for a cornerback after losing Cortland Finnegan to the St. Louis Rams in free agency, and while Jenkins is a risky pick given his checkered past, there's no questioning that he's a talented player.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College:

Rey Maualuga has been a disappointment at middle linebacker to this point in his career, so the Bengals may look to kick Maualuga back to the strong side and bring in college football's leading tackler from 2011.

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons): Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech

No team in the NFL needs weapons on offense more than the Cleveland Browns, and the 6'4" Hill has rocketed up draft boards after an outstanding combine.

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

The Lions needed help in the secondary even before cornerback Eric Wright departed in free agency. If the Lions are going to take the next step in 2012 they have to upgrade the defensive backfield.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama

A hard-nosed, big hitter with extensive experience in the 3-4 defense, Hightower would seem to be a tailor-made fit as the replacement for James Farrior with the Steelers.

25. Denver Broncos: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

The acquisition of free-agent quarterback Peyton Manning has changed the entire complexion of the Broncos' offseason, and Denver may look to provide their new signal-caller with a shiny new deep threat in the speedster from Baylor.

26. Houston Texans: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

The Texans desperately need a wide receiver to complement Andre Johnson, and after a tumultuous offseason, Jeffery rehabbed his lagging draft stock somewhat with a solid outing at South Carolina's pro day.

27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans Saints): Devon Still, DT, Penn State

New England could stand to upgrade in just about every area of their defense, and the reigning Big Ten defensive player of the year is a versatile player capable of playing either defensive tackle in a 4-3 front or defensive end in the 3-4.

28. Green Bay Packers: Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

The Packers defense ranked dead last in the National Football League a season ago, and a lot of their issues on that side of the ball can be traced back to a pass rush that ranked 27th in the NFL in sacks.

USC defensive end Nick Perry was a first team All Pac-12 selection after leading the conference in sacks a year ago, and the 6'3", 271-pound junior demonstrated at the NFL combine that he has the quickness to move to 3-4 outside linebacker at the professional level.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Amini Silatolu, OT/OG, Midwestern State

The Ravens lost left guard Ben Grubbs to the New Orleans Saints in free agency, and the big man from the small school would be a more than adequate replacement.

30. San Francisco 49ers: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

The Cardinal standout has seemingly staked his claim to the title of top tight end in this year's draft class after an stellar pro day, and his old college coach could look to pair Fleener and Vernon Davis to create the sort of matchup headaches that the Gronkowski/Hernandez duo creates for opponents of the New England Patriots.

31. New England Patriots: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

The Patriots have a number of needs on the defensive side of the ball, but with starter Matt Light considering retirement, New England can't afford to pass on Martin if he somehow falls this far.

32. New York Giants: Doug Martin, RB, Boise State

The New York Giants need a backup for Ahmad Bradshaw now that Brandon Jacobs is gone, and while the Boise State running back doesn't do any one thing exceptionally well, he does everything fairly well.

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