2012 NFL Mock Draft: Top-Notch Selections for Playoff Hopefuls

Most of the attention during the NFL draft is paid to the top 10 selections. In reality, the players taken by last year's playoff teams could have more impact in their rookie seasons than those top 10. 

Here is my latest mock draft, with special attention paid to the teams that will be battling for playoff spots in 2012.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Luck will go No. 1. This is the biggest slam dunk of a pick the NFL Draft has seen in years.

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

Washington made a bold move and surrendered a lot to move up to this pick. Now they'll make the easy decision and take Griffin, who will be expected to turn into a franchise quarterback.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

Minnesota has a big hole at left tackle and must protect Christian Ponder. They can fill that chasm with Kalil, who is, quite simply, the best offensive lineman to enter the NFL since the Miami Dolphins made Jake Long the No. 1 overall selection in 2008.

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

As the draft draws closer, I am even more convinced that the Browns should take Richardson. He will be among the NFL's elite running backs within three years. 

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

Eric Wright landed in Tampa with a big contract, but Ronde Barber will play his 16th season in 2012, and Aqib Talib's future is up in the air. Claiborne has the makings of a shutdown, Pro Bowl-type corner. This shouldn't be a tough decision.

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

The Rams' biggest need is a receiver, and they will land the draft's best here. Blackmon will finally give quarterback Sam Bradford a true No. 1 target.

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

Coples is a supremely talented player, but questions about his motor could lead to him dropping on draft day. The fact that he could be the next Julius Peppers will lead the Jags to take a chance that he'll fill their biggest need.

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

The Dolphins missed out on Peyton Manning and Matt Flynn, and they need a quarterback to build around. While Tannehill will take a while to develop, his upside will give the franchise some hope for the future.

9. Carolina Panthers: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

The Panthers need to improve the interior of their defensive line, and Poe will give them a big, strong, quick guy at that spot. Head coach Ron Rivera knows the importance of having a big-time player at the middle of his team's defensive line, and he will get that guy in Poe.

10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Reiff is the second-best tackle in this draft, and he will fill a huge need for the Bills. 

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

With Poe gone, the Chiefs will settle for Kuechly, who will vastly improve their linebacking corps. 

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

The Seahawks need a pass-rusher, and Ingram is the top defensive end available at this point. Ingram was a big-time playmaker at South Carolina, and should fit into Pete Carroll's 4-3 scheme well.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Levi Brown will return on a five-year deal, but Arizona needs to get better along the offensive line. Martin has huge upside and can line up at either tackle spot.

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

Cox is a versatile defensive lineman who could slot in anywhere along the front of Rob Ryan's 3-4 scheme. The Cowboys won't go flashy with this pick, instead choosing to go with a solid pick who will help improve their much-maligned defense.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Mark Barron, S, Alabama

After trading for DeMeco Ryans, the Eagles have improved their linebacking corps. By adding Barron, they will continue the process of getting better at the center of their defense.

Barron is a versatile guy who can help against the run, but he also has the range and ball skills to make plays in pass defense. He will immediately help Philadelphia's defense get better.

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

The Jets would love to land Ingram, but he'll be gone at this spot. Barron would also be a fit, but New York really needs to add an edge rusher. 

Upshaw is the kind of tough, rugged pass-rusher that Rex Ryan seems to love. He stockpiled them when he was in Baltimore, and guys like Upshaw can help give the Jets' defense more of an attitude.

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

The Bengals have yet to replace Jonathan Joseph, who left for the Houston Texans last offseason. They need another cornerback, and while offensive line and wide receiver could be targets here, they will improve their secondary with this pick

Kirkpatrick is an elite talent whose stock has fallen due to an arrest for marijuana possession. The Alabama product is a big, physical corner who will continue to develop into a great cover guy as his man-to-man skills improve at the next level.

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

Now that Antonio Garay is back in the fold, San Diego's biggest needs are along the offensive line. The team's line was decimated by injuries last year, and perennial Pro Bowl left guard Kris Dielman retired in the offseason after suffering a severe concussion that ended his 2011 season early.

DeCastro is only going to drop this far because he plays guard, a devalued position in today's NFL. He will immediately step in and replace Dielman, while giving the Chargers a mauler to send running back Ryan Mathews behind.

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

Chicago really needs to improve its offensive line now that it got a No. 1 receiver in Brandon Marshall. If the Bears want Jay Cutler to actually be able to complete passes to his new top target, they need to keep him upright.

Glenn will give Chicago a versatile offensive lineman who could start at either guard spot or right tackle immediately.

20. Tennessee Titans: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

By adding Kamerion Wimbley, Tennessee addressed its need for a pass-rusher. Now the Titans need to find a replacement for the now-departed Cortland Finnegan. 

Gilmore will give them a physical corner who has size and outstanding ball skills. He is a high-character guy who faced—and stood up to—outstanding competition in the SEC and should make a smooth transition to the NFL.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

The Bengals signed BenJarvus Green-Ellis, but he's just a between-the-tackles kind of guy at this point. They need a big-play threat to match with Green-Ellis.

Miller is the biggest home-run threat in this draft class, and his upside is higher than any of the running backs available at this point. He could turn out to be a steal this late.

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

The Browns need to get a receiver at some point in this draft, and they count their blessings that Floyd is still available here.

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 of franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford.

If Konz played any other position, he might be a top-15 pick, but he's an interior offensive lineman, which significantly reduces his value. Luckily for the Lions, he's available here.

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

Casey Hampton is aging, and at some point, the Steelers will have to figure out what they're going to do to improve up front. Inside linebacker could be a target here, but if they've watched any tape, they know Still will be a steal here. 

Still can play next to Hampton until he learns what it takes to be a nose tackle in the NFL and eventually takes over for him.

25. Denver Broncos: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

Denver added Peyton Manning this offseason, but no matter how good he makes the offense, the team won't get any better until it improves defensively.

The Broncos were awful along the interior of their defensive line in 2011. At 6'5" and 323 pounds, Brockers would give them a big, strong presence at defensive tackle who should vastly improve the team's run defense. 

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

The Texans likely would have made a deep run into the playoffs if not for the ridiculous amount of injuries they suffered. 

Andre Johnson is one of the NFL's best receivers, but he needs help. Wright is a legitimate No. 2 wideout who can also stretch the field and make big plays. He'll help quarterback Matt Schaub as well, by stretching the defense and opening up passing lanes. 

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

New England's defense failed them when it mattered most in 2011, and the team's front seven is in need of a total overhaul.

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, as they need to find someone who can help Clay Matthews get after the quarterback.

Perry is the best pure pass-rusher in this draft, and when paired with Matthews, a fellow USC product, at outside linebacker he would give Green Bay a formidable edge-rushing tandem. Those two together will give quarterbacks and offensive coordinators nightmares.

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

Baltimore has other needs, but the team has a pretty solid roster right now. It has the luxury of taking the best player available.

The team needs to draft Ray Lewis' successor at some point, and now is the time for the Ravens. Hightower is a stud and will provide a great long-term solution at the middle of the team's defense. In the immediate term, he can line up on the outside while he learns from Lewis. 

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

The 49ers return with last season's roster almost completely intact, but they had some holes that have yet to be filled.

San Francisco needs a deep threat, and at 6'4" and 215 pounds, Hill has elite size and speed. He will give Alex Smith the over-the-top deep threat he lacked in 2011. 

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

Bill Belichick's process of rebuilding his front seven continues here. New England's defensive line was put together with spit and paste last season, and that has to change.

Reyes is a scheme-versatile defensive lineman who could slot in to any spot along the team's hybrid 3-4/4-3 front. He will be an immediate upgrade.

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

The Giants would love to have a one of the top offensive tackles fall here, but that won't happen. This could also be a spot where New York grabs another running back, but that would be a bit of a reach.

I think they'll take the best all-around player available, and Brown is the guy. His speed and playmaking ability will immediately make him the team's best outside linebacker. He will fit in perfectly on the edge of the team's 4-3 defense.