2012 NFL Mock Draft: Best Moves for First-Round Contenders

The 2012 NFL draft is just two short weeks away, and on April 26 a three-day media extravaganza will kick off in New York City as representatives from around the NFL gather for the purpose of improving their squads.

Success in the NFL draft is a big part of what separates the contenders from the pretenders, so here's an updated look at what each team should do if they have aspirations of becoming the former and want to avoid becoming the latter.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

The NFL's most Twittery owner has all but confirmed what we all already knew. The Stanford star is headed to Indianapolis as the successor to Peyton Manning under center for the Colts.

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, and you don't do that for players you aren't dead-set on drafting.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

Unless the Dolphins panic and move up, the Vikings' best bet is to address an offensive line that was among the worst in the NFL last year by adding the draft's best tackle prospect.

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Former Colts executive Bill Polian called Richardson one of three "sure things" in this year's draft after he topped 2,000 total yards at Alabama last year, and if there's one thing the Cleveland Browns could use on offense it's a sure thing.

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

Ronde Barber was once a great pro, but he is now 36 years old and Aqib Talib is facing an uncertain future and assault trial, so the Buccaneers would be well-served 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 four on the Wonderlic test, the 5'11", 188-pound Thorpe Award winner is still widely considered the best cornerback prospect in this class, and ESPN's Mel Kiper also feels the Buccaneers will pull the trigger on Claiborne at fifth overall.

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A great player, an instinctive corner, a high-character kid and a guy who can make a sagging pass defense better from the day they draft him. What's not to like? Claiborne is hands down the best cover corner available in the draft, and the Bucs still need plenty of help with age and uncertainty dotting their secondary. This is a safe pick and a guy who should be very good for a long time.

 

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

The two-time Biletnikoff winner racked up more than 3,300 receiving yards over the past two seasons, and quarterback Sam Bradford and the Rams are desperate for a No. 1 wideout.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

The Jaguars' pass rush was anemic last year, and even with end Jeremy Mincey back in the fold the unit needs an upgrade. Ingram, a 6'1" 264-pound All-American would complement Mincey very nicely after tallying double-digit sacks in 2011 for the Gamecocks.

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

Given how desperate for a franchise quarterback the Dolphins are after failing to acquire Peyton Manning or Matt Flynn in free agency, Miami may well trade up if it fears the Browns have their eyes on Tannehill with the fourth pick.

9. Carolina Panthers: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

The Panthers defense was vulnerable up the middle a year ago, ranking 25th against the run, and the 322-pound Brockers has the potential to be a force on the Carolina defensive line for years to come.

10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Now that tackle Demetress Bell has departed in free agency, the Bills suddenly have a huge hole on the offensive line, and the 313-pound All-Big Ten tackle would fill that hole, both literally and figuratively.

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. At 6'4" and 346 pounds, Memphis defensive tacklePoe possesses the prototypical bulk that 3-4 teams look for in a tackle and is coming off a monstrous showing at February's NFL combine.

12. Seattle Seahawks: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

Chris Clemons has become a solid pass-rusher for Seattle, but the Seahawks still need to upgrade a defensive front that ranked 19th in the NFL in sacks in 2011.

A drop-off in statistical production last year has led some to question the work ethic of North Carolina defensive end Coples, but the 6'6", 281-pound All-ACC performer is immensely talented. The Denver Post's Jeff Legwold believes the secret to maximizing Coples' impact lies with how he is used, and not with any effort issues.

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A player with his speed and explosiveness—a 4.78 40-yard dash at the combine at 284 pounds—is far more suited to play out in a little more space, either at end or lined up in a gap. So perhaps score one for Coples in that he didn't perform as well this past season because his coaches used him differently.

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13. Arizona Cardinals: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

The Cardinals have needs along the offensive line and at outside linebacker, but the 6'3" Floyd is shooting up draft boards, and some are even speculating Floyd is actually the top wideout prospect in the 2012 draft class

14. Dallas Cowboys: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

Alabama strong safety Barron was an All-American after posting 66 tackles, two interceptions and a sack in 2011. The Cowboys still need secondary help even after adding cornerback Brandon Carr, and the large number of Dallas personnel at Alabama's recent pro day may be telling.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

The addition of tackle Demetress Bell mitigates some of the team's need on the offensive line after left tackle Jason Peters ruptured his Achilles tendon, so the Eagles may look to address the middle of the defensive line next to 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. The 6'2", 272-pounder logged 9.5 sacks in 2011, and that's an area in which the Jets could surely use some help.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland Raiders): David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

This is a rare instance of best player available meets area of need, as the Bengals could use an upgrade at the guard position and DeCastro is a two-time consensus All-American and best prospect at the position in this class.

18. San Diego Chargers: Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois

The San Diego Chargers struggled mightily sacking quarterbacks last year. Outside of linebacker Antwan Barnes no player for the San Diego Chargers had more than four sacks, and the team finished 23rd in the NFL in that category.

Meanwhile, Mercilus of Illinois won the Hendricks Award as college football's top defensive end after racking up 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 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: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

After improving the Bears offensive weaponry with the Brandon Marshall trade, Chicago now needs to improve quarterback Jay Cutler's pass protection by adding Martin, who is capable of manning both tackle positions.

20. Tennessee Titans: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Alabama cornerback Kirkpatrick is a physical run-defender, a trait that the 6'2", 186-pound second-team All-American shares with Cortland Finnegan, whom the Titans recently lost in free agency.

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

Even after the signing of Terence Newman the Bengals need to upgrade the secondary. NFL draft expert Mike Mayock believes Gilmore is easily the second-best cornerback available in the 2012 NFL draft. 

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons): Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

The Browns need offensive playmakers as badly as any team in the NFL, but the thought of the holes that the 345-pound mauling run-blocker could open for Trent Richardson may be too good to pass up.

23. Detroit Lions: Doug Martin, RB, Boise State

The Lions would probably like to upgrade the pass defense here, but with the top cornerbacks off the board the team might want to look at addressing another area of need.

Given Jahvid Best and Kevin Smith's injury histories and Mikel LeShoure's apparent affinity for the sticky icky, the Detroit Lions are suddenly thin at running back. Not only would the versatile Martin, who rushed for almost 1,300 yards last year, likely flourish in the Detroit offense, but as Matt Waldman recently reported for the New York Times Martin more than merits first-round consideration.

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Martin reminds me of Ray Rice in the respect that he’s not abundantly fast once he reaches the second or third level, but his initial burst is top notch. He consistently defeats the angles of defenders as he enters and exits a hole because they misjudge his quickness, which is excellent for a back of his dimensions.

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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 at linebacker for the Steelers, and the 6'2", 265-pound Hightower seems to be a tailor-made replacement.

25. Denver Broncos: Luke Kuechly, MLB, Boston College

Nate Irving has been a bit of a disappointment so far in the NFL at middle linebacker and D.J. Williams is facing a six-game suspension. The Broncos could look to address their hole at the linebacker position in the first round of the draft by selecting the 2011 Butkus Award winner in Kuechly, who had 191 stops in 2011.

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Baylor wideout and Texas native Wright was ludicrously 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 next to Andre Johnson, as well as helping out in the return game (and no, Jacoby, muffing punts is not "helping").

27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans Saints): Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

USC defensive end Perry led the Pac-12 in sacks in 2011, and a Patriots defense in need of pass-rush help would appreciate his ability to play end in a 4-3 front or kick to outside linebacker in 3-4 defensive looks.

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 its lack of a consistent pass rush. Andre Branch tallied 9.5 sacks for the Tigers a season ago, and the 6'4", 259-pounder would be an excellent bookend for Clay Matthews.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech

Anquan Boldin was a shadow of his former self last year for the Ravens, logging his lowest reception total since 2004, and with Boldin seemingly nearing the end of the line the Ravens need to procure his heir. 

Georgia Tech wide receiver Hill managed only 28 receptions for the run-first Yellow Jackets in 2011, but the 6'4" junior has been climbing draft boards since his explosion at the combine, and Doug Farrar of Yahoo! Sports compares Hill to another Georgia Tech standout.

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I am usually reluctant to compare players who went to the same schools, but I believe that the [Demaryius] Thomas comparison applies in this case -- like Hill, Thomas transcended a limited passing offense to excel in the NFL over time. In the right system, and given the time to do it, Hill has the potential to be one of the NFL's most dynamic receivers.

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30. San Francisco 49ers: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

A great showing at Stanford's pro day has propelled Fleener to the top spot where this year's tight end class is concerned, and Fleener's old college coach may be looking to create a daunting duo of tight ends similar to New England's.

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 by adding another versatile player in the 2011 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

32. New York Giants: David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech

Ahmad Bradshaw's troublesome foot is already acting up, Brandon Jacobs is in San Francisco, and Andre Brown got himself suspended. That hole at the running back spot will motivate the Giants to make Wilson, who topped 1,700 rushing yards last year, the third running back and final pick of the first round.

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