2012 NFL Mock Draft: Breaking Down the Best Defensive Stars

On April 26th, the 2012 NFL draft will kick off at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. On that night, many of college football's best defensive players will find out where they will be plying their trade in the National Football League.

With that said, here's another look at how the first round of the 2012 draft could shake out, with a focus on where some of the finest collegiate defensive standouts in the nation will be making their NFL debuts.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford: Colts owner Jim Irsay recently said that while anything's possible, "things have always pointed towards Luck," so the first overall pick seems to be a foregone conclusion.

2. Washington Redskins (from St. Louis Rams): Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor: Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is already visiting Griffin in the hopes of better preparing the Heisman Trophy winner for the jump to the NFL.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC: The Vikings could trade down here if the right offer comes along, but if that doesn't happen Minnesota will look to bolster an offensive line that gave up the fifth-most sacks in the league last year.

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama: The Browns are in desperate need of offensive playmakers, and as beat reporter Tony Grossi recently reported, Cleveland head coach Pat Shurmur is well aware that the Browns need to improve the ground game this season. It makes sense for Cleveland to then make Alabama running back Tent Richardson the highest-drafted ball-carrier since Darren McFadden in 2008.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU: Ronde Barber was once a great pro, but is now 36 years old and Aqib Talib is facing an uncertain future due to legal troubles, so the Buccaneers would be well advised to look at upgrading their secondary early in the 2012 draft.

Even after reports surfaced earlier this week that LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne scored a 4 on the Wonderlic test, the 5'11", 188 pounder is still widely considered the best cornerback prospect in this class, and ESPN's Kevin Seifert doesn't feel that Claiborne's low score will affect that perception.

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The Wonderlic is one of countless tools the league uses to evaluate prospects, but most football people will point to the tape of Claiborne's college career and declare him the best cover corner available this year. Nothing about that changed this week, I hope.

 

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6. St. Louis Rams (from Washington Redskins): Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State: The two-time Biletnikoff winner was likely one of the Rams' primary draft targets all along, so landing Blackmon plus several picks from the Redskins is a win-win for St. Louis.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina The Jaguars' pass rush was miserable last year and even with end Jeremy Mincey back in the fold, the unit needs an upgrade. Ingram would provide a solid bookend to Mincey on the defensive front after racking up 10 sacks for the Gamecocks in 2011.

8. Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M: The Dolphins are beyond desperate for a franchise quarterback after failing to acquire Peyton Manning or Matt Flynn in free agency, and the team has reportedly set their sights on acquiring the Aggies star.

9. Carolina Panthers: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU: The Panthers defense was woeful against the run in 2011, ranking 25th in the NFL, and the 322-pound Brockers has the potential to be a force in the middle of the Carolina defensive line for many years.

10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa: Now that tackle Demetress Bell is off to Philadelphia the Bills suddenly have a huge hole on the offensive line, which could easily steer the team towards the All-Big Ten performer.

11. Kansas City Chiefs: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis: With 2011 starter Kelly Gregg a 35-year-old free agent, the Chiefs need to address the nose tackle spot, and at 6'4" and 346 pounds, Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe possesses the prototypical bulk that 3-4 teams look for in a tackle.

12. Seattle Seahawks: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina: Chris Clemons has become a solid pass-rusher for Seattle, but the team needs to add a player to bookend Clemons with if they're going to improve a pass rush that ranked 19th in the NFL in sacks last season.

A lackluster senior season has led some to question the work ethic of North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples, but the 6'6", 281-pound All-ACC performer is immensely talented. ESPN's Mel Kiper also has Coples headed to Seattle in his latest mock draft, and he had this to say about the Tar Heels standout:

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It would be tough for Seattle to pass on perhaps the safest 4-3 DE option available. Coples has prototypical size, can play every down as a pass-rusher and has a solid arsenal of moves to get to opposing quarterbacks, but with the size and discipline to be a force against the run.

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13. Arizona Cardinals: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford: The Cardinals badly need to upgrade the pass protection for quarterback Kevin Kolb. According to reports, the team prefers DeCastro, who is widely considered the best guard prospect in years, to former Stanford teammate Jonathan Martin.

14. Dallas Cowboys: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama: Alabama strong safety Mark Barron was an All-American after posting 66 tackles, two interceptions and a sack in 2011. The Cowboys are in dire need of secondary help, and the large numbers of Dallas coaches at Alabama's recent pro day may have tipped the Cowboys' draft day hand.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State: The signing of tackle Demetress Bell negates some of the team's need on the offensive line from when Jason Peters went down, so the Eagles may look to address the middle of the defensive front opposite Cullen Jenkins.

16.  New York Jets: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama: Upshaw's iffy pro day and combine aside, there are miles of game tape that demonstrate the All-American's ability to get after the quarterback, an area in which the Jets could surely use some help.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland Raiders):  Stephen Gilmore, CB, South Carolina: The Bengals need to find an upgrade opposite Leon Hall at cornerback, and NFL draft expert Mike Mayock believes that Gilmore is easily the second-best cornerback available in the 2012 NFL draft. 

18. San Diego Chargers: Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois: The San Diego Chargers struggled mightily getting after the quarterback last year, as outside of linebacker Antwan Barnes, no player for the San Diego Chargers had more than four sacks. The team finished with a measly 32 sacks for the season.

Meanwhile, All-American defensive end Whitney Mercilus of Illinois had 16 sacks in 2011, and while there are questions as to whether Mercilus is a "one-year wonder" Lance Zierlein of the Houston Chronicle recently reported that Mercilus' draft stock is on the rise.

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Looking for a player flying up draft boards?  Look no further than Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus. Mercilus will be taken inside the first 20 picks and now I’m hearing rumors about a couple of teams who are interested in trading up for Mercilus.  Mercilus is very raw but has all the tools a team wants.  He can play in a 4-3 or a 3-4 (OLB), but teams are banking on projecting his talent more than on his production on the college level.

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19. Chicago Bears: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame: The Bears took a big step towards improving their aerial attack by adding wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Bringing in the 6'3" Floyd, who caught 100 passes last year for the Fighting Irish, would be another step in the right direction.

20. Tennessee Titans: Nick Perry, DE/OLB: The signing of Kamerion Wimbley will help a Titans pass rush that managed a minuscule 28 sacks in 2011, but adding last year's sack leader in the Pac-12 would continue the overhaul.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia: Cincinnati has a huge hole in the middle of the offensive line, and the beef-eating Bulldog is a devastating run-blocker who would likely be a starter from day one.

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons): Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford: There's no denying that the Browns need offensive firepower, but the right side of the offensive line is also a weak spot, and the 6'5", 315-pound All-American could probably start at right tackle from day one.

23. Detroit Lions: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama: The Lions had a hole in the secondary even before losing Eric Wright to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. The 6'2", 186-pound second-team All-American would go a long way towards strengthening Detroit's defensive backfield.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama: After a decade manning the middle of the Pittsburgh defense, the release of linebacker James Farrior leaves a hole in the middle of the Pittsburgh defense. While veteran Larry Foote is a serviceable replacement, the team needs to get younger at the linebacker position. 

Alabama inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower racked up 85 tackles, four sacks, a forced fumble and an interception in 2011. The 6'2", 265-pound All-American would be a great fit in the Steel City, according to Michael Bean of Mocking the Draft.

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Hightower, however, would be a great fit. He called the plays for Nick Saban’s defense last season at Alabama. Though he may be somewhat inexperienced defending the pass in zone schemes, he takes fantastic angles to the ball, so I assume he’ll be a quick learn and be ready to take over the reigns as a starter as early as the second part of the 2012 season.

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25. Denver Broncos: Luke Kuechly, MLB, Boston College: Nate Irving has been something of a disappointment to this point in his brief NFL career at middle linebacker and D.J. Williams is facing a substantial suspension. The Broncos could look to address the linebacker position in the first round of the draft by drafting the 2011 Butkus award winner in Kuechly, who had 191 tackles last year.

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor: Baylor wideout Kendall Wright was incredibly productive as a senior in Waco, topping 100 catches and 1,600 receiving yards. Wright would finally provide the Texans with a threat at receiver complementary to Andre Johnson.

27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans Saints): Shea McClellin, DE/OLB, Boise State: The Patriots have a number of issues on defense, including the attrition that has hit the defensive line with Mark Anderson and Andre Carter both casualties of free agency. Boise State defensive end Shea McClellin's stock has been rising, and his versatility could be an asset in the Patriots' multiple-front defense.

28. Green Bay Packers: Andre Branch, DE/OLB, Clemson: The Packers defense ranked dead last in the National Football League a season ago, due in large part to their lack of a pass rush. The athletic and quick 6'4" 259-pound Branch would be an immediate upgrade after racking up 9.5 sacks as a senior for the Tigers.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech: Anquan Boldin was a shadow of his former self last year for the Ravens, and the 6'4" Hill would be a big target in the passing game for Joe Flacco after Hill tore up February's combine.

30. San Francisco 49ers: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford: A monster showing at Stanford's pro day has propelled Coby Fleener to the top slot where this year's tight end class is concerned. Fleener's old college coach may have designs on pairing the athletic pass-catcher, who averaged over 19 yards a reception last year, and Vernon Davis together in order to give opposing defenses matchup nightmares.

31. New England Patriots: Devon Still, DT, Penn State: The Patriots secondary is an absolute mess, but Bill Belichick isn't the type to reach based on need, so the team could continue to overhaul the front seven.

303-pound, 2011 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Devon Still was a disruptive force in 2011, and the athletic tackle has the versatility and quickness to play both 3-4 end and 4-3 tackle. Jeff Howe of NESN agrees that Still has some qualities that would make him a good fit in New England. 

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Still is a space eater who has some ability to make plays in the offensive backfield. He could play across the line in the 3-4, and he'd be a strong interior presence in a four-man front. Still is considered a good leader, which is important to the Patriots, and he has told reporters he enjoys being a factor in the defense even when he's not directly involved in the tackle.

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32. New York Giants: Amini Silatolu, OT/OG, Midwestern State: The Super Bowl champs aren't getting any younger up front, and the 311-pound small-school standout could provide a badly needed infusion of depth and youth to the the G-Men's offensive line.

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