2012 NFL Mock Draft: Landing Spots for College Football's Top Players

In an odd twist in this year's NFL draft, I expect the top six players skill-wise in the 2012 draft class to be taken with the top six picks. 

Typically at least one NFL team takes a chance at the top of the draft and reaches for a guy with upside who hasn't fully realized his potential yet. This year, that won't happen. 

Here is where college football's top players will land on April 26, along with the rest of my first-round projection.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Luck was the best football player in the nation during the 2011 season and would have been the first pick in the 2011 NFL draft had he decided to leave school. He has unparalleled poise in the pocket and his intangibles are off the charts. 

The Stanford quarterback had an outstanding pro day workout and reasserted himself as the clear choice for the Colts at No. 1. Indianapolis has a big rebuilding project ahead of it, but with Luck under center things will progress much more quickly than with any other young signal-caller.

Luck will step in and be a leader for the Colts from his first day with the team and his arm strength, accuracy and overall athleticism will earn the respect of his teammates immediately. This is a home run pick for a team that just lost its long-time quarterback. 

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

Robert Griffin's Heisman Trophy-winning season in 2011 was fantastic. He was productive (4,239 yards and 37 touchdowns) and proved to be one of the most accurate quarterback in the nation (completion percentage of 72.4). 

The Redskins traded into this spot with the intention of finding their future quarterback. With Luck gone, Griffin isn't a bad consolation prize. As soon as he steps on the field, the Baylor product will be the NFL's most athletic quarterback, so a lack of elite weapons around him won't be as big of a blow as it would for a typical rookie quarterback.

Griffin will be a phenomenal representative on and off the field for the Redskins.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

The Vikings must take Kalil here. They have a hole at left tackle and the USC product is the best offensive lineman to come from the college ranks since the Miami Dolphins selected Jake Long with the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NFL draft.

At 6'6" and 306 pounds Kalil has elite size, but he also has incredible feet and quickness for a guy with his body. His frame has the room to add bulk if he chooses to do so.

Kalil has long arms that help him keep speed-rushers at bay, but he also has the strength to withstand power and bull-rushers as well.

Plain and simple, Kalil is a perennial Pro Bowler in waiting and no one in this draft class is more ready to contribute immediately.

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

After losing Peyton Hillis to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Browns need to take a No. 1 running back. Luckily Richardson will fall into their laps, and he is probably the best running back to enter the NFL since Adrian Peterson in 2007.

Richardson is a complete, every-down back who is not only a powerful runner, but can catch the ball out of the backfield and is a solid blocker in pass protection. His vision is approaching an elite level and he almost never goes down on first contact.

At Alabama Richardson was finally unleashed in 2011, and he didn't disappoint. He was the best running back in the nation and has the skills to be the NFL's next great back. The fans in Cleveland will love him.

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

How good was Morris Claiborne in 2011? He locked down receivers so tightly that he forced opposing quarterbacks to throw in the direction of Heisman Trophy finalist Tyrann Mathieu. If you want to know how Mathieu came up with so many turnovers and why teams continued to go to his side, it's because Claiborne's side of the field was off limits. 

The Bucs need a young cornerback. They signed Eric Wright this offseason, but no one knows what Aqib Talib's future will hold because of off-the-field issues and Ronde Barber will return for his 16th (and likely final) season. Claiborne could step in and start immediately and will eventually be a shutdown corner.

He has some of the most impressive instincts I've seen from a corner coming out of college, and when you combine his intelligence with his ball skills you're likely to see a lot of interceptions. He's also a hard worker who will continue to improve.

A slam-dunk pick here for Tampa Bay if he is on the board.

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

This couldn't have worked out any more perfectly for the Rams. They traded out of the No. 2 spot, stockpiling a ton of high draft picks and they'll end up landing the guy they wanted anyway. 

Blackmon dominated college football over the past two seasons, putting up incredible, record-breaking numbers. He hauled in 232 passes for 3,304 yards and 38 touchdowns. That's just plain ridiculous.

The Oklahoma State product is clearly the best receiver in this draft and the Rams need to provide franchise quarterback Sam Bradford with a No. 1 target. After seeing the success Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson have had together in Detroit, St. Louis will hope for the same type of relationship to develop between Bradford and Blackmon. 

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

Coples is a high-risk pick but his upside is Julius Peppers. At No. 7, he's worth the risk.

8. Miami Dolphins: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

The Dolphins need a quarterback, but this is too high for Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill. Instead, they take Reiff to fill their massive hole at right tackle. 

9. Carolina Panthers: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

Poe's insane combine workout established him as the best interior defensive lineman in the draft and the Panthers have a huge hole up front. 

10. Buffalo Bills: Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama

Not a pure need here, but the Bills will continue to add talent to their front seven, which is shaping up to be among the best in the NFL.

11. Kansas City Chiefs: Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College

The Chiefs would love to land Poe, but Kuechly isn't a bad consolation prize to help fill a hole in the middle of their defense, which was shockingly soft in 2011.

12. Seattle Seahawks: Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

Aaron Curry was a huge bust, but Ingram won't be. He was a stud playmaker at South Carolina and will slot in as an end in Pete Carroll's 4-3 defense.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

The Cardinals re-signed Levi Brown but they need more beef along the offensive line. Martin is a high-upside pick who could play on either side of the line.

14. Dallas Cowboys: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

Rob Ryan loves versatile defensive linemen and Cox can play all over the line.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Mark Barron, S, Alabama

The Eagles began improving the middle of their defense by trading for DeMeco Ryans; adding Barron continues that process.

16. New York Jets: Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

The Jets need help pressuring the quarterback and Perry is the best pure pass-rusher in this class.

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

Miller is a first-round talent who has dropped in some projections because he hasn't fully developed yet. I think the Bengals pull a surprise and grab him here, hoping that a tandem of Miller and BenJarvus Green-Ellis will be successful.

18. San Diego Chargers: David DeCastro, G, Stanford

Pro Bowl guard Kris Dielman retired this offseason and the Chargers immediately replace him with a future Pro Bowler in DeCastro.

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

Floyd would be a steal here, and while the Bears have added Brandon Marshall, adding Floyd would give them an outstanding receiving corps. Pure value pick. 

20. Tennessee Titans: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

Fleener is by far the best tight end in this class, and thanks to his size and athleticism he could have a Rob Gronkowski-like impact early in his career.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Kirkpatrick's stock has dropped thanks to an arrest for marijuana possession, but he is still a top-10 talent who would be a steal at this point.

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons): Cordy Glenn, OT/G, Georgia

The Browns have an awful offensive line and need to shore things up in front of quarterback Colt McCoy. Glenn gives them a versatile talent who could start at either guard spot or right tackle immediately.

23. Detroit Lions: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

The Lions' current center, Dominic Raiola, is terrible and Konz is the best at his position in this class. His ability to read defenses will make life much easier for quarterback Matthew Stafford.

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

Casey Hampton is aging and not nearly as effective as he has been in the past. Still is a monster on film and can help spell the old guy while learning his craft. 

25. Denver Broncos: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

At 6'5" and 323 pounds, Brockers is gigantic and quite literally would fill Denver's biggest need.

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Andre Johnson needs another receiver to help take pressure off him. Wright is a big-play threat who will help open things up underneath.

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

Jones is still developing but the Patriots need to upgrade their front seven and he is a raw talent with tremendous upside. Head coach Bill Belichick will love him.

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

Clay Matthews needs another edge-rusher to take pressure off him; Mercilus is one of the best this draft has to offer.

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

Ray Lewis won't be around forever and taking Hightower would give the veteran Pro Bowler someone to mentor until he steps down.

30. San Francisco 49ers: Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech

Hill is as raw as a prospect from a BCS conference can get, but at 6'4" and 215 pounds he has the tools to become a fantastic receiver. He is a big-play threat who averaged 29.3 yards per catch on his 28 receptions in 2011, and the 49ers need help at receiver. 

31. New England Patriots: Kendall Reyes, DT, Connecticut

Reyes will continue the rebuilding of New England's front seven. He can slot in anywhere along the team's defensive line and will contribute immediately. 

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

The Giants need help at outside linebacker and Brown is the best athlete among all the guys available. One of the fastest linebackers I've ever scouted, he will fit the team's 4-3 scheme perfectly.