2012 NFL Mock Draft: What Every First Round GM Will Do on Draft Day

Ever wonder what will go through the minds of all NFL team's decision-makers on draft day? 

I do. 

This mock draft gives what I believe the thoughts will be of each GM (or president) when he's making his first-round selection on April 26.

2012 NFL Mock Draft (April 3 Update)

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

GM Ryan Grigson's thoughts: Bill Polian and Peyton Manning are gone. I'm the GM of the future, I need my franchise quarterback. No one is more polished and established than Andrew Luck. He's been penciled into our spot at No. 1 for quite some time now, and the pick makes too much sense not to happen. 

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

GM Bruce Allen's thoughts: This Griffin III kid is special, transcendent, unbelievable to watch. We've had about a slew of quarterbacks that haven't worked out over the last decade, and last year's duo of Rex Grossman and John Beck won't cut it. 

I'll run this pick up to the podium.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, Southern California 

GM Rick Spielman's thoughts: We're committed to Christian Ponder. With the right atmosphere around him, we believe he can be a quality starter in this league. After allowing 49 sacks last year, it's clear that we need a franchise left tackle. Kalil's far and away the best tackle in this class and has NFL bloodlines. 

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

GM Tom Heckert's thoughts: We like Justin Blackmon, but we like Richardson more. He's better value here and will make Colt McCoy's life easier. Expect a ground-and-pound running attack in 2012.

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

GM Mark Dominik's thoughts: Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks and Eric Wright were brought in via free agency. Wright's the guy for us at right cornerback. Playing in a division with Drew Brees, Matt Ryan and Cam Newton, we need as much cornerback depth as we can get. Claiborne has lockdown potential. 

6. St. Louis Rams (trade with Washington Redskins): Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

GM Les Snead's thoughts: There are a ton of directions in which we can go at this position, and we aren't in love with Blackmon. Poe gives Jeff Fisher his Albert Haynesworth-esque defensive tackle. We need it. We allowed the most rushing yards per game in the NFL last year. With Poe, expect Chris Long to have a huge year flying off the edge.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

GM Gene Smith's thoughts: Blaine Gabbert's rookie season was disappointing. But we may have sent him into the starting lineup a bit early and without legitimate weapons on the outside. Blackmon's a physical, hard-working wideout that will help shorten the learning curve for Gabbert and provide the team with premier talent at the receiver position. 

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

GM Jeff Ireland's thoughts: I need to do something to calm the fanbase. This does it, right? Well, maybe not. We love Tannehill's upside and believe that if anyone can turn him into a franchise quarterback it's his college coach Mike Sherman. 

We won't rush him into the starting lineup with David Garrard on the roster, but if Garrard struggles, we'll have an ultra-athletic kid ready to take the offensive reins. 

9. Carolina Panthers: Fletcher Cox, DL, Mississippi State

GM Marty Hurney's thoughts: Adding more receiving talent would be ideal for Cam, but we must strengthen our defense, that's obvious. Cox is a sleeper in this draft with versatility and experience. Charles Johnson had a good 2011 after a dominating 2010, and he'll even have a better 2012 with Cox playing up and down the defensive line.

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

GM Buddy Nix's thoughts: Stevie Johnson's locked up. We significantly bolstered our defense front. That was our first priority. Now, we need some elite talent at wide receiver to go with the guys in our receiving contingent. Floyd brings an added dimension we don't have right now—a guy that can play the outside receiver position and go up and get the football. 

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

GM Scott Pioli's thoughts: We don't have a ton of holes, and Kuechly is my type of Mike Vrabel/Teddy Bruschi linebacker. He's smart, more athletic than you'd think and breathes football. 

A no-brainer.

12. Seattle Seahawks: Nick Perry, DE, Southern California

GM John Schneider's thoughts: Pete Carroll coached Perry at the college level and has been raving about him during his entire pre-draft process. Teaming up with Red Bryant, Perry has the chance to be special from Day 1.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

GM Rod Graves' thoughts: We had 42 sacks as a team last season, but we want to even improve on that number. Really, I'm shocked Ingram fell this far, based on the athletic specimen that he is and his incredible college tape. He gives us a lot more options on the defensive side of the football.

14. Dallas Cowboys: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Owner/GM Jerry Jones' thoughts: Terence Newman is no longer a Cowboy, so we need someone to fill the void. Kirkpatrick is a big, aggressive cornerback who can deal with the more physically imposing wideouts in the NFL. Rob Ryan, your new toy. 

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Brockers, DL, LSU

GM Howie Roseman's thoughts: The Eagles made a fantastic trade with the Houston Texans to get stud linebacker DeMeco Ryans. However, they still need beef on the interior of their defensive front. 

Enter 6'5'', 322-pound Michael Brockers. 

He's a penetrating defensive tackle that will almost always take on double-teams in the NFL. He's got a ways to go to become an elite interior defensive lineman, but his presence will greatly benefit the Eagles defense in the future. 

16. New York Jets: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

GM Mike Tannenbaum's thoughts: Remember when Von Miller steamrolled Wayne Hunter in that embarrassing loss to the Broncos on Thursday Night Football? I've been having nightmares about it for the last four months. Reiff gives our offensive line more depth, and he'll be our starting right tackle in Week 1. 

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB Alabama

President Mike Brown's thoughts: Two of our favorite guys, Frostee Rucker and Jonathan Fanene, are gone, so we must address the defensive front seven. Upshaw isn't overly explosive or quick off the football. But he's a heady, well-rounded defensive end that fits ideally into Mike Zimmer's assailing defense.

18. San Diego Chargers: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

GM A.J. Smith's thoughts: We loaded up in free agency, and we're excited about what Jarret Johnson brings to the defense. However, we need more pass-rushing skill. 

Coples could become the steal of the draft and has all the physical tools you'd ever want in a defensive end. The perfect complement to Shaun Phillips.

19. Chicago Bears: David DeCastro, G, Stanford

GM Phil Emery's thoughts: Jay Cutler must stay upright. That's paramount. DeCastro an athletic and fundamentally sound guard who adds more beef to our offensive line that goes through its up and downs more often than we'd like.

20. Tennessee Titans: Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina

GM Ruston Webster's thoughts: Playing in a division with Maurice Jones-Drew, Arian Foster, Marcedes Lewis and Owen Daniels, we need fast linebackers who can track the football. That's specifically what we believe we're getting with Brown. With some coaching, he can be a true playmaker for our defense.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

President Mike Brown's thoughts: Gilmore is a rangy ball-hawk who's willing to be a force in run support. Need I say more?

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta): Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

GM Tom Heckert's thoughts: Braylon Edwards in 2007 was the last time we had an intimidating receiving threat. We're ready to give McCoy one more year as the starter, so we might as well give him weapons. Wright's a bona fide deep threat who will stretch the defense. I'm extremely happy getting Richardson and Wright in Round 1.

23. Detroit Lions: Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia

GM Martin Mayhew's thoughts: We're a team on the rise with an offense as potent as any. But, we can't have Matt Stafford on the turf. We saw what he's capable of when he plays a full season. Glenn's a mammoth individual who may need some development, but can man the right tackle position and eventually move to the left side after Jeff Backus' time is up.

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

GM Kevin Colbert's thoughts: We cut James Farrior, so it's obvious that we need a thumper at the inside linebacker spot. Who better than the 255-pound Hightower who was one of the leaders of the nation's best defense in 2011?

25. Denver Broncos: Devon Still, DT Penn State

GM Brian Xander's thoughts: We desperately need more beef on our defensive interior, especially with Broderick Bunkley gone. Still, when motivated, can be a disruptive force at the defensive tackle spot. We'll get him motivated.  

26. Houston Texans: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

GM Rick Smith's thoughts: We're dying to find someone who can consistently take pressure off Andre Johnson on the outside. Is there a better option at this point than Fleener running seam routes down the middle? I don't think so. He was the go-to guy for Andrew Luck and will be a favorite target of Matt Schaub in the foreseeable future.

27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans): Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

HC Bill Belichick's thoughts: (Feel like he's the final say on draft decisions) If no one wants to trade with us, we'll gladly take the best safety in this year's class. Barron was a veteran leader in the secondary for the Crimson Tide and excelled in the nation's most competitive conference. 

I love the idea of him and Patrick Chung as our two starting safeties.

28. Green Bay Packers: Andre Branch, DE/OLB, Clemson

GM Ted Thompson's thoughts: Clay Matthews is a game-changer, but he can't do it alone. We don't believe we're reaching here with Branch. He's a reactionary player who bursts off the line of scrimmage and has good size to compete against bigger left tackles. 

29. Baltimore Ravens: Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse

GM Ozzie Newsome's thoughts: We need to fill holes on our defensive line after losing Jarret Johnson and Cory Redding. Jones has loads of upside and gets to learn from Terrell Suggs. Playing on our stout defense will instantly boost his chances to be successful right away. 

30. San Francisco 49ers: Kevin Zeitler, G, Wisconsin 

GM Trent Baalke's thoughts: Zeitler is a must-have for us at this position after losing Adam Snyder in free agency. Zeitler was an anchor on one of the best and most overpowering offensive lines in the country in 2011. With him, our offensive is totally set. Time to make our Super Bowl run. 

31. New England Patriots: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

HC Bill Belichick's thoughts: We lost Mark Anderson, and it's paramount that we acquire quality pass-rushers. Mercilus is a bit raw at this stage of his career, but I can coach him and put him in the right positions to succeed. Believe me. 

32. New York Giants, Jonathan Martin, OL, Iowa State

GM Jerry Reese's thoughts: He's been great for us, but Kareem McKenzie is not a part of our 2012 plans. Our offensive line is still good, but it's aging. Martin is experienced but needs to get stronger to become a solid tackle in the NFL. The perfect, multi-dimensional trenchman for us at this stage. 

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