2012 NFL Mock Draft: 1st Draft of April

With the arrival of April, NFL general managers, coaches, owners and scouts are entering the home stretch preparing for the 2012 NFL draft.

They are undoubtedly a bit weary, as are NFL analysts and writers. After all, it's a dead week in free agency and the new Nike uniforms are still two days away, so stories get a bit thin.

That won't stop teams from poring over film to find something others have missed. It can lead to some creative picks, but teams will try anything to gain a competitive edge.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Following a tearful parting with Peyton Manning, the Indianapolis Colts will realize that it just isn't prudent to jump back into a relationship with a franchise quarterback too soon.

They will take some time to let the wounds heal and attempt to build their team around a running back.

The Cleveland Browns offered Irsay four first-round picks and three second-round selections to move up to the top spot, but the Colts declined.

They didn't want to risk the Minnesota Vikings snatching up Richardson to work with Adrian Peterson, thereby forming the most lethal backfield in the history of the NFL.

Mike Holmgren uttered something about players not wanting to play for him and teams not wanting to make trades. He hasn't been seen since then and is believed to be hiding on the Octopus, Paul Allen's cruise-ship sized yacht. 

2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Despite Andrew Luck still being on the board, the Washington Redskins opt to select Robert Griffin III with the second pick in the 2012 NFL draft.

When asked about the decision, Dan Snyder will reply "we traded up with the St. Louis Rams so we could draft Griffin. Didn't that mean we had to take him?"

When learning they could have actually drafted Luck, Snyder asked for a do-over. Commissioner Roger Goodell was going to allow it, but New York Giants co-owner John Mara protested. RG3 will be a Redskin.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

When Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said he was considering taking Morris Claiborne instead of Matt Kalil, nobody took him seriously.

While the Vikings need some help in the secondary, the position just isn't as high-priority in their defense. 

More important, Christian Ponder needs a blind-side blocker to replace Charlie Johnson.

Spielman will have the last laugh, though. "They don't want to take me seriously when I say something? Well, we are working on our new stadium deal, and now they will all know that when I tell them the club is going to move to L.A. that Zygi means it!"

Somehow, in all the draft preparations, Spielman missed that a new stadium deal was approved.

When he was corrected, he was too embarrassed to ask for a do-over.

4. Cleveland Browns: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Mike Holmgren received notice that Justin Blackmon was one of the players who expressed a desire to not play in Cleveland.

Andrew Luck, on the other hand, said he'd be relieved to not have to play for the Colts.

If for no other reason than spite, Holmgren decided to draft Blackmon.

He also insists that Colt McCoy will be an elite passer and finally agrees he needs to supply him with another offensive weapon instead of options that were just offensive. 

In all fairness to Mr. Holmgren, there was a lot of wave noise in the background and Goodell couldn't quite understand him. 

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to work on their defense and were prepared to take Claiborne with this pick.

He is gone, so they instead look to another need position—linebacker. 

They have a productive Mason Foster in place in the middle, but they decide they can always move one of them outside.

6. St. Louis Rams: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

The St. Louis Rams made a decision to stick with Sam Bradford instead of drafting Robert Griffin III.

Hence, they traded back with the Redskins.

However, they never thought Luck would be available with the second pick, or they would have stayed put.

They now get the best of both worlds. They've accumulated a bunch of draft picks to squander and get to draft another elite quarterback. 

When asked why they took Luck instead of Kalil or a wide receiver, Jeff Fisher said, "We wanted to add a playmaker to work with Sam Bradford. The nicest catch I saw all season was the one Luck made against UCLA. A guy that can throw like that and catch? We'll find something for both of them to do."

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

The Jacksonville Jaguars entered the draft needing to get Blaine Gabbert a little help, and given the Jaguars were short-changed last season, they deserve a bit of a break this year.

Alshon Jeffery could be the surprise performer at the wide receiver position from this draft class.

Well, he could have been, had he gone to a team with an established quarterback.

Maybe Jeffery can show us all what Mike Mayock saw in Gabbert last year.

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

Ryan Tannehill is a second--round talent that is being bantered as a top-10 draft pick.

I'm not sold on him going in the first round, but then again, I didn't understand why Gabbert was being touted as a pro-ready first-round quarterback, either. 

If the Miami Dolphins are that desperate to find an upgrade to Matt Moore, who am I to say they are wrong?

9. Carolina Panthers: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

The Carolina Panthers are facing a rough stretch.

The draft isn't even here yet, but they have already spent almost all of their cap money for 2012.

They are a bit stretched on what they can do to restructure deals, thanks to some huge contracts doled out last summer.

The Panthers already added Mike Tolbert and have Cam Newton, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart in their backfield.

Their plan with Miller will be to use him or Stewart as trade bait for a team that missed out on a running back during the draft.

They don't have the money to pay their 2012 draft picks, and with Stewart set to earn $2.5 million this season, something has to give.

10. Buffalo Bills: Quinton Coples, DE/DT, North Carolina

The Buffalo Bills are committed to establishing a tough defensive line.

They invested $100 million into Mario Williams and then signed Mark Anderson for another $27.5 million.

Drafting Coples will give them an insurance policy for Williams when he is out due to injury.

The concern with Coples is that he only gives effort on half his plays. Playing half the year should get the most out of him, shouldn't it?

11: Kansas City Chiefs: Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State

The Kansas City Chiefs haven't been overly particular with their quarterbacks.

Matt Cassel was a collegiate backup who had a surprising season filling in for Tom Brady.

They got him with very little compensation to the New England Patriots, but at a fairly large financial commitment. 

Their investment has paid mixed dividends. 

The Chiefs want to win, and they see a window that could be closing rather fast with the Denver Broncos acquiring Peyton Manning.

With a little help, that window may already be closed.

The odds may not favor the Chiefs, so they will opt to draft a quarterback that just wins despite the odds. Kellen Moore is considered a sixth-round draft pick by most, but Kansas City will see him as the little engine that could.

12. Seattle Seahawks: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

To some, this won't be a surprising pick. 

David DeCastro will be a dominant guard in the NFL for years to come.

The Seahawks will just have to figure out where to place him.

Seattle used a first-round pick on an offensive guard last draft, even if he was called a tackle at the time.

Their second-round pick was converted to a third-round selection that was used on another guard, John Moffitt.

This will make the third high pick used on the guard position in the last two drafts. Perhaps Seattle will get some stability on their offensive line.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Case Keenum, QB, Houston

If at first you don't succeed...

The Arizona Cardinals took a huge gamble in trading for Kevin Kolb.

Some will say it was a total failure, but I disagree.

Bringing him in did make Larry Fitzgerald happy and allowed them to sign him to a long-term extension. That alone was worth the cost of the trade.

Now they need a quarterback who can air the ball out to their star receiver. Their current quarterback out of Houston isn't getting the job done, so they will give Case Keenum a shot.

Who better than a quarterback that threw for 5,600 yards and 48 touchdowns last season?

14. Dallas Cowboys: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

Peter Konz is far and away the best center in the draft, and the Dallas Cowboys are in dire need of one.

Seems a bit high for a center, but they could do worse.

They could have traded away all but one of their draft picks this year.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Offensive tackle isn't the biggest need for the Philadelphia Eagles, but it's a bit hard to pass up on Riley Reiff at this point, isn't it?

He's rated as a top-10 pick, after all.

There is one problem, though, and it is apparent in the picture off to the side.

Reiff's reach is a paltry 33". This will allow defenders with longer arms to get a leverage advantage in the NFL and get Reiff off-balance.

Still, he's great value here.

16. New York Jets: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

The New York Jets are tired of watching their cross-stadium mates making the Super Bowl while their own season fizzles out.

They have noticed something about the Giants, though. They have a really good defensive line with depth.

Even though the Jets re-signed Sione Pouha, adding Dontari Poe will give them another big body to throw around and cause havoc. What's good for the Giants...

Cincinnati Bengals: Josh Robinson, CB, Central Florida

The Cincinnati Bengals were set to draft Stephon Gilmore with the pick they received from the Oakland Raiders for Carson Palmer. 

However, something strange happened as they were about to turn in the selection. 

Mike Brown kept hearing "speed...speed...speed kills."

Gilmore may have hit 4.4 at the combine, but Josh Robinson came in under 4.3 seconds. How can you ignore him?

With warmest regards for the Davis family and Raider nation, thank you for all you did do to help make this a great game.

Yes, that is the one sincere part of this mock draft. 

18. San Diego Chargers: Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

Wait—Melvin Ingram is still on the board? Seriously?

The Chargers have made a mess of a talented franchise over the last seven seasons or so, but even they can't mess up this pick. 

19. Chicago Bears: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

Don't look now, but the Chicago Bears look like they are assembling a team that can make a run at the Super Bowl.

They've acquired a wide receiver and hopefully will have better fortune with health next season.

Adding an elite tight end would have a major impact on their waffling offense.

Yes, this would be a great pick for the Bears. Now fans can sit back and watch Lovie Smith and Brandon Marshall to see how they will implode and ruin their run.

20. Tennessee Titans: Ben Jones, C, Georgia

Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams was seen running through the lobby after the Cowboys picked Peter Konz, birds flying from both hands.

"Don't you know who I am? I'm Bud Adams. When I wan't something, I get it. First Peyton, and now I can't even get the center I want?"

To spite the rest of the league, the Titans draft a center anyway, even if it is a few rounds early.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Doug Martin, RB, Boise State

Sure, Michael Floyd is still on the board, but the Cincinnati Bengals can't actually believe BenJarvus Green-Ellis is the answer at running back, can they?

The Bengals had plenty of opportunities to sign better options at running back and passed on them.

They are trapped at this point and will need to reach on a second-round runner.

22. Cleveland Browns: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

To further his point, Holmgren phones in another pick on an offensive weapon.

It sounds as though he can be heard saying, "You want to see weapons? You want to see what Colt McCoy can do?"

Adding the top two receiving prospects in the draft will give the Browns one last chance to see whether they have a quarterback or not.

23. Detroit Lions: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

Even though Jonathan Martin is still on the board, old habits of ignoring offensive linemen die hard.

Stafford is a seasoned veteran at this point, so powerful blocking seems over-rated anyway.

Instead, the Detroit Lions focus on defense again and get Mark Barron, the best safety in the draft. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

This pick makes a lot of sense for the Pittsburgh Steelers, actually.

But the team has so many needs, it is almost impossible to come up with a bad choice here.

They have the oldest defense in the league and no cap room.

They need help on both lines, their secondary is crumbling, their linebacking corps is ready to retire and their running back is going to miss the season with a torn ACL.

Oh—and they need a new kicker, too.

Any team looking to make a move in the 2013 draft should look to make a trade with the Steelers in 2012 for their first-round pick next year. 

25. Denver Broncos: Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State

The Broncos have their present taken care of with the signing of Peyton Manning.

They still have a few holes on their roster—such as fielding an offensive line.

But Manning has done well with less.

Denver will wait on getting a running back and make sure they have someone to groom behind Manning.

Drafting quarterbacks early has become en vogue, after all.

26. Houston Texans: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

For a team that was so close to the Super Bowl last season, the Houston Texans have several holes to fill.

They need several offensive linemen and help on every level of the defense.

They also need to get a little help for Andre Johnson.

Michael Brockers is a risk/reward player who looks like he'll have a high ceiling. 

27. New England Patriots: Pick Surrendered

Roger Goodell continued his power-trip and tells the Patriots they should have known about the New Orleans Saints bounty program.

He also feels he went too easy on New England over spy-gate and wants to exact the rest of his pound of flesh.

This makes it easy for Goodell to tell Bill Belichick that their first-round pick is surrendered.

28. Green Bay Packers: Brock Osweiler, QB, Arizona State

With everyone else taking quarterbacks, the Green Bay Packers decide they had best get in on the act.

Their last backup is now in Seattle, so they need to find someone else to sit behind Aaron Rodgers for four seasons and be groomed for another team.

Osweiler is being bantered as the latest first-round quarterback and is actually my third-favorite passer in this draft.

He needs some time to grow and learn, and the Packers would be the ideal place to do it.

Perhaps this time, Green Bay will trade their protege before his contract is up.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

Yes, Vontaze Burfict has integrity issues.

Sure, he's a bit slow and struggles in pass protection.

But hey—the Baltimore Ravens have gotten accustomed to such things with Ray Lewis the last few years and need a replacement.

Burfict will bring a lot of fire and attitude to the field, and only some of that will be directed at his own players and coaches.

Maybe Lewis can teach him how to properly channel his energy. 

30. San Francisco 49ers: Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

The San Francisco 49ers aren't exactly sure how they are going to use Nick Perry in their defense, but Jim Harbaugh is disgusted after watching Pete Carroll take two of Harbaugh's former players and turn them into quality NFL players.

Drafting Perry is Harbaugh's effort to turn the tables on his rival. 

31. New England Patriots: Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama

Bill Belichick will resort to his best-player-available approach here and grab Courtney Upshaw.

Not exactly an area of need, but the Patriots don't want to risk making another team better by passing up one of the best 3-4 linebackers in the draft.

32. New York Giants: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

The Giants aren't exactly in dire need of more help at wide receiver, but how can a player like Kendall Wright fall out of the first round?

He'll likely be a great slot receiver in the NFL.

The loss of Mario Manningham opens up a slot in the receiving corps, and the last thing Tom Coughlin wants to do is limit receiving options for Eli Manning.

After all, he has an arranged date with his brother and destiny in Super Bowl XLVII.