2012 NFL Mock Draft: Sensible Selections for Every NFL Franchise

The NFL draft is growing closer each day, and before the calendar turns the next page, representatives of all 32 NFL teams will gather in New York City to welcome another class of collegiate standouts into the National Football League.

With that said, here's an updated look at how the first round of the draft could shake out on April 26, with a focus on a pick for each team that makes sense given their respective needs.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford: Although the Washington Post's Mike Wilbon reported Monday that the Colts are "seriously considering" Robert Griffin with the first-overall pick, it will still be the shock of the first round if Luck isn't selected first overall.

2. Washington Redskins (from St. Louis Rams): Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor: The Redskins paid a very hefty price to acquire the rights to draft Griffin, and it will take a great deal of success from the Heisman Trophy winner to justify the picks it cost to get him.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC: The Vikings gave up the fifth-most sacks in the NFL last year, and if Christian Ponder is going to improve in his second year under center, then Minnesota needs to better protect his blind side.

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama: The Browns are desperate for offensive firepower, and after an outstanding outing at his pro day, Richardson looks likely to be the first running back to be taken in the top five since Darren McFadden in 2008.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU: Ronde Barber is looking every bit of 36 years old and Aqib Talib has legal issues, so the Buccaneers would well served to consider boosting their secondary by adding the draft's top cornerback.

6. St. Louis Rams (from Washington Redskins): Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State: If the Rams are still able to acquire one of their primary targets in the two-time Biletnikoff Award winner after trading down, then the 2012 draft will be off to a fantastic start in St. Louis.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina: The Jaguars pass-rush ranked 25th in the NFL last year in sacks. Even though the Jaguars were able to retain the services of end Jeremy Mincey, Jacksonville still needs to improve the defensive front.

South Carolina defensive end Melvin Ingram was an All-American performer after tallying double-digit sacks for the Gamecocks in 2011, and the 6'1", 264-pound senior is also a capable run defender, according to ESPN's Bryan Broaddus:

"[Ingram] can hold his ground in the running game and play with some power at the point of attack. Physical tackler.who will work down the line to find the ball."

8. Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M: After whiffing repeatedly in their efforts to acquire a starting quarterback, the Dolphins are just desperate enough to acquire a franchise signal-caller to gamble on Tannehill with a top-10 pick.

9. Carolina Panthers: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis: The Carolina defense was one of the worst in the NFL against the run in 2011, and the 346-pound Poe has been steadily climbing draft boards since his huge showing at February's NFL combine.

10. Buffalo Bills: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame: After overhauling their defensive line by adding defensive ends Mario Williams and Mark Anderson, the Bills need to turn to the offensive side of the ball and improve the receiving corps.

11. Kansas City Chiefs: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa: Barry Richardson graded out very poorly last season, according to Pro Football Focus, so Kansas City would be well-advised to give serious consideration to upgrading at the right tackle position.

12. Seattle Seahawks: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford: Starting guards Robert Gallery and John Moffitt were equally awful and 2011, so it makes sense for the Seahawks to add DeCastro, who is considered one of the best guard prospects in years.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford: The Cardinals badly need to improve along the offensive front, and although the team reportedly prefers DeCastro, the two time All-American tackle isn't a bad consolation prize.

14. Dallas Cowboys: Quinton Coples, DE, Dallas Cowboys: At 6'6" and 281 pounds, Coples has the size and strength to play defensive end in a 3-4 front, and although the Cowboys ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in sacks last year, they could still use an upgrade on the defensive line.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU: The torn Achilles tendon suffered by starting left tackle Jason Peters may have altered the Eagles' draft day plans quite a bit, but the fact remains that the team still needs to upgrade the middle of the defense opposite tackle Cullen Jenkins.

At 6'5" and 322 pounds, LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers possesses a tantalizing blend of power and athleticism for a man his size, and Jeff Bowers of NESN reports that Brockers' considerable potential has several teams interested in him.

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Brockers has a ton of potential, and he's still growing into his frame, which means he still doesn't have the exact awareness of how to attack opponents with the best utilization of his size and explosion. He's a project, but he really broke out last season. Brockers is only 21 years old, too, so again, there's plenty of room for improvement, and he could turn into a front-line staple for his NFL team.

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16.  New York Jets: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama: The Jets were forced to blitz constantly last year due to an inability to pressure the quarterback consistently, and although Upshaw didn't have a great combine or pro day, the All-American's experience playing in the 3-4 from his time in Tuscaloosa would be very tempting for New York.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland Raiders):  Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia: The Bengals have a significant need on the interior of their offensive front, and the 6'5", 345-pound All-SEC performer is a mauling run-blocker that would provide a substantial upgrade for Cincinnati's offensive line.

18. San Diego Chargers: Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois: The Chargers had trouble generating a consistent pass-rush last year outside linebacker Antwan Barnes, and adding the NCAA's sack leader from last year should be of assistance in that regard.

19. Chicago Bears: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama: The Bears have used a litany of players in a revolving door at safety over the past several seasons, and the All-American from Alabama would go a long way towards solidifying the position.

20. Tennessee Titans: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin: Head coach Mike Munchak has stated that the Titans won't draft an interior lineman in the first round, but given the fact that Eugene Amato was easily the weakest link along the Tennessee offensive line in 2011, the team may change their tune when draft day rolls around.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama: The Bengals need to improve at the cornerback position opposite Leon Hall, and the 6'2" All-American would present an excellent value were he to fall this far in the first round.

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons): Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech: After improving the ground game by picking Trent Richardson, the Browns would be advised to upgrade the receiving corps with the 6'4" 215-pound Hill, who is rocketing up draft boards after a fantastic combine.

23. Detroit Lions: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina: The Lions had a hole at cornerback even before Eric Wright departed in free agency, and if Detroit is going to continue their positive momentum in 2012, then they have to improve the defensive backfield.

South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore racked up 46 tackles and four interceptions a season ago, and the 6'0", 190-pound junior would be an excellent value in this spot, according to the NFL Network's Mike Mayock.

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“Trust me, six-foot corners with long arms are rare, especially when they run 4.4 with his movement skills,” Mayock said of Gilmore. “I’ve got him as the No. 2 corner for a reason. I think he’s a Top 10 to Top 15 pick. Not a lot of people have him that high, but I saw it again today.”

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24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama: The release of linebacker James Farrior leaves a big hole in the middle of the Pittsburgh defense, and Hightower is a big hitter with the sort of tough-as-nails attitude that would fit right in in Pittsburgh.

25. Denver Broncos: Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College: Nate Irving has been a disappointment to this point, and D.J. Williams is staring at a six-game suspension, so the Broncos may plug their hole at linebacker by adding college football's leading tackler from 2011.

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor: Baylor wideout Kendall Wright caught over 100 passes for over 1,600 yards as a senior, and the burner would finally provide the Texans with the complementary receiver to Andre Johnson that they have been seeking.

27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans Saints): Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama: The Patriots secondary was burned badly by opposing quarterbacks last year, and although Jenkins' past transgressions make him a risky bet it's worth the gamble given New England's hole at the cornerback position.

28. Green Bay Packers: Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC: The Packers' defense ranked dead last in the National Football League a season ago due in large part to their inability to get after the quarterback, as Green Bay ranked 27th in the NFL in sacks in 2011, an area in which the versatile and talented Perry would be a big boost.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State: At 6'4" and 298 pounds, Cox has the combination of size and speed to be an effective defensive end in a 3-4 front, and Cox, Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs would form an imposing trio up front for the Ravens.

30. San Francisco 49ers: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford: An excellent showing at Stanford's pro day  has moved Stanford tight end Coby Fleener to the head of the class where this year's tight end crop is concerned, as ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk recently pointed out.

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Andrew Luck may have stolen all the headlines at the Stanford Pro Day on Thursday but tight end Coby Fleener reportedly impressed by clocking an unofficial 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash. At 6-6, 250-pounds, Fleener is expected to be the first tight end selected in the draft.

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It's very possible that his old college coach could look to pair Fleener with Vernon Davis to create the sorts of matchup nightmares for opposing defenses that Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski do for the New England Patriots.

31. New England Patriots: Devon Still, DT, Penn State: The Patriots badly need to upgrade just about every facet of their defense, and the 303-pound Still has the versatility to play both 3-4 end and 4-3 tackle for New England.

32. New York Giants: Amini Silatolu, OT/OG, Midwestern State: Guard David Diehl and tackle Kareem McKenzie are both the wrong side of 30 and looked it last year, and the big man from the small school could provide depth at both positions as he acclimates to the National Football League.

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