2012 NFL Mock Draft: Perfect Predictions for the First Round

Teams that win championships rarely miss on their first-round picks. The 2012 NFL draft is loaded with talent, making this year's opening round even more important. A miss on a first-rounder can set a team back years and create a roster hole that takes a long time to get filled.

Here is my projection for the all-important first round of this year's draft.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

The Colts haven't wavered on this one and they won't. Luck is the right pick and has been for a long time. 

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

The Redskins traded up the select their quarterback of the future and they'll get him in Griffin, who isn't as far behind Luck as some think.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

The Vikings must select a franchise-caliber left tackle to protect young quarterback Christian Ponder's blind side. Kalil is the best offensive lineman to enter the draft since the Miami Dolphins made Jake Long the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft.

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

The Browns need weapons for quarterback Colt McCoy. They need to come away from the first round with a running back and a receiver. Richardson is a stud and will quickly become one of the NFL's elite backs.

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

The Bucs inked Eric Wright this offseason, but he has been inconsistent throughout his career and corner is still a need. Aqib Talib's future is up in the air, and while Ronde Barber will return, he is not what he once was. Claiborne should develop into an outstanding shutdown corner within a few years.

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

St. Louis' biggest need is receiver and it gets the draft's top wideout in Blackmon. He will finally give quarterback Sam Bradford the No. 1 target he has been missing. 

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

Notre Dame's Michael Floyd is a possibility here, but I think the Jaguars will roll the dice. Coples is one of the most athletically gifted players in the 2012 draft class; while he never lived up to his potential at North Carolina, he has the talent and skill to be the next Julius Peppers. 

He is well worth the risk at No. 7.

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

The Dolphins need a quarterback to build around since Matt Moore and David Garrard aren't exactly going to scare anyone. 

Tannehill aced his pro day and has become a legitimate top-10 pick. Miami will take the signal-caller and reunite him with his A&M coach, Mike Sherman, who is the team's new offensive coordinator.

9. Carolina Panthers: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

Carolina badly needs a disruptive force on the interior of its defensive line, and Poe is probably the best this draft has to offer. 

Poe showed his is a once-in-a-decade athlete at the combine and head coach Ron Rivera will love what he brings to the defense.

10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

I have Reiff falling a bit but landing softly with the Bills, who will gladly plug him in along the offensive line, filling a big need.

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

The Chiefs would love to land Poe, but Kuechly also fills a need and will help strengthen the middle of the team's defense.

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

Seattle needs a pass-rusher for Pete Carroll's 4-3 defense. Ingram was a big-time playmaker at South Carolina and should make an impact early.

While Aaron Curry never really fit in Seattle, Ingram won't have that problem.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Levi Brown signed a five-year deal to return, but I think he'll move to right tackle, opening the left side for a guy like Martin.

While not as polished as some of the other offensive linemen in this class, Martin could play on either side of the line and has tremendous upside. 

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

Stanford guard David DeCastro could go here, but the Cowboys took an offensive lineman last year. In addition to that they also added some depth to the line in free agency.

Cox could step in and play anywhere along Dallas' front and will give defensive coordinator Rob Ryan a versatile lineman to deploy in a number of places.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Mark Barron, S, Alabama

Philadelphia already added DeMeco Ryans to help shore up the middle of its defense. Adding Barron to the secondary will continue that process.

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

The Jets need an edge-rusher badly, and while Nick Perry is the best pure pass-rusher in the draft, Upshaw seems like more of a Rex Ryan-type player. 

17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland Raiders): Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

The Bengals have yet to replace Johnathan Joseph, who left for Houston last offseason.

The team's top need is cornerback and Kirkpatrick is a top-10 talent whose stock has dropped thanks to an arrest for marijuana possession.

While David DeCastro is a fit, as is Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd, I think Cincinnati will use its first pick on an elite talent at corner.

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

With the re-signing of Antonio Garay, offensive line help is now San Diego's first priority. DeCastro somehow falls this far and slots in perfectly as a replacement for the retired Kris Dielman.

19. Chicago Bears: Cordy Glenn, OT/G, Georgia

The Bears really need help up front on offense and Glenn is a guy who could step in and start at either guard spot or right tackle.

20. Tennessee Titans: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

By adding Kamerion Wimbley, Tennessee addressed its need for a pass rusher.

The Titans could also use help at corner and safety, but here I think they'll snag Fleener, who is by far the top tight end in this draft. He's a big target who is supremely athletic and will give young quarterback Jake Locker someone to grow with.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

I still like this pick for the Bengals. Yes, they signed BenJarvus Green-Ellis, but he is not an elite back and needs to be paired with a true home run threat. Enter Miller, who has the most upside of any running back in this class other than Trent Richardson.

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons): Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

After drafting Richardson, the Browns will continue to stockpile talent around Colt McCoy. If they are going to keep him under center they might as well give him some weapons. Exiting the first round with Richardson and Floyd would be quite a haul.

23. Detroit Lions: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

I have always liked the idea of pairing franchise quarterbacks with talented centers, and that is why Konz is a fit in Detroit.

Current center Dominic Raiola is awful and Konz would be a major upgrade. His ability to read defenses would take a lot of pressure off franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford.

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

Casey Hampton isn't getting any younger and the Steelers need to find a long-term replacement. Still isn't a pure nose tackle, but he could learn the position while playing behind or next to Hampton and take over in a year or so.

The Penn State product is a monster on film, and no matter where he plays he will be a disruptive force. 

25. Denver Broncos: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

Denver's biggest need is to get stronger up front defensively. The middle of the Broncos' defense was awful in 2011 and Brockers has the size (6'5" and 323 pounds) and strength to be a huge upgrade.

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

The Texans finally need to get Andre Johnson some help at receiver and they do that by grabbing Wright, a big-time playmaker ideally suited to being a No. 2 wideout.

27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans Saints): Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois

The Patriots need to upgrade their front seven and Mercilus is a pure sack master who will quickly adapt to playing outside linebacker in a 3-4. He can also put his hand on the ground and go after the quarterback when the team switches to a four-man front.

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

The Packers will take a pass-rusher with this pick—it's just a matter of who falls here. Perry is the best pure pass-rusher in this draft, and when paired with fellow USC product Clay Matthews at outside linebacker he would give Green Bay a formidable edge-rushing tandem. 

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

Baltimore has other needs, but the team needs to draft Ray Lewis' successor at some point. Now is the time for the Ravens, since Hightower is a stud and will provide a great long-term solution at the middle of the team's defense.

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

Hill's ability to get deep is something to behold. At 6'4" and 215 pounds he has the size and speed to eventually turn into an elite receiver. The 49ers need a big-play threat and at this point there is no better value on the board to fill other needs.

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

Reyes is a scheme-versatile defensive lineman who could play anywhere along the line in New England's hybrid 3-4/4-3 scheme. He would help continue the rebuilding of the team's front seven.

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

With no offensive tackles worth the pick available here, the Giants will look to upgrade the perimeter of their defense. The team's outside linebackers were just average in 2011 and Brown would give them a supremely athletic playmaker who could develop into a perennial Pro Bowler.