2012 NFL Draft: Answers to the Biggest Draft Day Questions

The 2012 NFL draft is inching closer, and while the top two picks are virtually set in stone, there are still a ton of questions that need to be answered. 

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck and Baylor signal-caller Robert Griffin III will be the first two guys selected on April 26, but after that things aren't so certain.

Here are my answers to the three biggest questions that surround this year's draft:

Will the Minnesota Vikings pass on Matt Kalil?

The Vikings have been rumored to have LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne in their sights, but I think that was just a smokescreen to draw interest from possible trade partners. The Vikings need a left tackle to protect young quarterback Christian Ponder's blind side, and they will have the perfect prospect available to them at No. 3.

Matt Kalil is 6'6" and 306 pounds of offensive tackle perfection. The USC product is flat-out the best offensive lineman to enter the NFL since the Miami Dolphins made Jake Long the No. 1 overall pick in 2007. Given his outstanding film and excellent workouts, there is nothing left for Kalil to prove. 

Aside from being great between the lines, Kalil is also a leader with impeccable bloodlines. His brother Ryan is a Pro Bowl center for the Carolina Panthers, while his father Frank was an offensive lineman in the USFL. 

The Vikings may be interested in trading down to stockpile additional picks, but I just don't think it will happen. Kalil is too good for a team that needs a franchise left tackle to pass up.

Who will the Cleveland Browns take at No. 4?

Since I firmly believe the Vikings will take Kalil, that means the 2012 draft will turn on Cleveland's pick at No. 4. The Browns have a lot of options, and there have been conflicting reports about what they plan to do.

I don't believe Cleveland will trade down, though that route could be open to them. The Browns will stay put and have to choose between Alabama running back Trent Richardson, Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon, LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne and Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

The Browns are entertaining the possibility of taking Tannehill, but I think it would be a reach to grab him at No. 4. Besides, the team has publicly committed to Colt McCoy this offseason, and I believe head coach Pat Shurmur when he says McCoy could really improve with a full offseason in the team's system.

That leaves Richardson, Blackmon and Claiborne. I like Claiborne, but with Joe Haden already in town and a dearth of offensive playmakers on the roster, this is a two-horse race between Blackmon and Richardson.

The smart move would be to take Richardson and not look back. He is the most complete back to enter the NFL since Adrian Peterson in 2007 and would provide an immediate boost to the team's offense. He is an elite talent and should be a stud in the NFL regardless of where he ends up.

After losing Peyton Hillis to the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency, the Browns need to find a starting running back.

Blackmon is less of a sure thing in my opinion. I love his talent and the numbers he put up at Oklahoma State, but I just don't see him as an elite impact player like Calvin Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald. That is the kind of guy you should be getting at receiver with a top-five pick. Blackmon is good, but he isn't that good.

In addition to that, there will be solid receivers available later in the draft. The Browns have the 22nd pick in the first round, and guys like Notre Dame's Michael Floyd, Baylor's Kendall Wright and Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill could be available. Those players may not have Blackmon's impact but would still be upgrades over what Cleveland currently has on its roster.

Richardson should be the pick, but the Browns might pull a shocker and grab Blackmon if they have a higher opinion of him than I do.

Where will Ryan Tannehill land?

Ever since he aced his pro day, Ryan Tannehill's stock has been soaring. The Texas A&M quarterback has solidified himself as a top-10 pick according to most evaluators, and now it is just a matter of figuring out who will grab him.

As mentioned, the Browns could snag him at No. 4 or try to trade that pick to a team interested in grabbing Tannehill. But if things stay the way they are now, I can't see the Miami Dolphins passing on the third-best quarterback in the draft at No. 8. 

Miami needs a quarterback for the future, and Tannehill has tremendous upside. The Dolphins tried to land both Peyton Manning and Matt Flynn this offseason and failed.

As of now, their quarterback rotation will be some combination of Matt Moore and David Garrard—that retching sound you're currently hearing is Miami fans dry-heaving at the prospect of that actually happening.

Tannehill will likely have to sit for a year and develop, but at least he will provide hope for the franchise. If Miami can get him a receiver in the second round this year, or maybe in the first round next year, the team's offense might have some serious promise.

With Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas running the ball, Jake Long and Mike Pouncey up front, a young receiver and Tannehill under center, things wouldn't look too bad. 

While Iowa's Riley Reiff could be taken at No. 8, I don't think Miami can afford to let a quarterback with a ton of upside pass them by. Tannehill will be the pick.