2012 NFL Mock Draft: Can't-Miss Playmakers Who Will Come off the Board Early

In the NFL, games may be won in the trenches, but it's the playmakers who occupy the rest of the field that make football exciting to watch.

Usually, the term "playmaker" applies to offensive players who can impact the flow of the game with the ball in their hands downfield (i.e. wide receivers and running backs) or defenders who have an impact and can force turnovers at the point of possession (i.e. cornerbacks and safeties).

That being said, the 2012 NFL draft, as in any class, features impact playmakers beyond the usual bounds. Let's have a look at some of the best this year's crop has to offer.  

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Andrew Luck can make plays with his legs, but, more often than not, will be asked to hand the ball off or chuck it downfield to a more conventional playmaker like Reggie Wayne instead.

2. Washington Redskins (via Rams): Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Robert Griffin III fits the bill of playmaking quarterback about as well as anyone has since...uh, Cam Newton in last year's draft.

Okay, so maybe it hasn't been that long, but RG3 is a terrific talent in his own right. I don't want to overstate his scrambling ability, given how strong-armed and accurate the Heisman Trophy winner is as a pocket passer.

But, I'd be just as remiss if I didn't fawn over RG3's world-class sprinter's speed, at least for a moment. Griffin's got the wheels to extend plays beyond the normal bounds and either scamper ahead or make breathtaking throws while on the go.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

The only plays Matt Kalil will be making are the ones that keep Christian Ponder from getting flattened.

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

If you've seen Trent Richardson carry a football before, then you know full well the kind of magic this kid's capable of producing. The former Alabama star boasts the strength to run through you, the quickness to run around you, the agility to run over you and the speed to run away from you altogether.

Those qualities make Richardson a threat to break off a big run every time he touches the ball, and should make him an instant hit in a beleaguered Browns backfield.

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

Mo Claiborne is more of a stout, blanketing defender than a pure playmaker at corner, though the LSU product is more than capable of picking off passes from quarterbacks who'd dare throw in his direction.

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

The Rams have long sought a legitimate playmaker at wide receiver to pair with young quarterback Sam Bradford, which makes Justin Blackmon an ideal pick at No. 6. The two-time Biletnikoff Award winner doesn't possess overwhelming size or speed, but what he lacks in raw physicality, he more than makes up for with his route-running ability, his sure hands and his uncanny body control.

He and Bradford will bring plenty of excitement (along with a bit of Bedlam) to the winning-starved football fans in the Gateway City.

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

Melvin Ingram will make his fair share of plays off the edge for the Jags, though most will end in tackles and sacks, with the occasional fumble mixed in from time to time.

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

Ryan Tannehill is a fleet-footed athlete in his own right, but will likely be asked to leave the explosive playmaking up to Reggie Bush in Miami.

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

The Panthers don't need playmakers so much as solid tacklers and space occupiers to bolster their defense. A hulking tackle like Fletcher Cox should do plenty of the latter.

10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

The Bills won't ask Riley Reiff to do anything more daring than protect their investment in Ryan Fitzpatrick.

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

There may not be a defensive player in this draft class who leaves a bigger mark on the NFL as a rookie than will Luke Kuechly. The Boston College standout has the instincts and the athleticism to make plays from sideline to sideline as well as the smarts and the discipline to make the safe play and plug holes in the running game.

He'll be an instant upgrade to the Chiefs' linebacking corps, pairing with Derrick Johnson to terrorize opposing offenses from the get-go. 

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

Quinton Coples is a bit of a risky pick due to questions about his effort and his relative lack of a track record.

But, at this point in the draft, the massive defensive end out of North Carolina is an absolute steal.

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

At first glance, it would seem strange for the Cardinals to spend their first pick on one of the top playmakers at wide receiver in this draft class. After all, Arizona already counts one of the best in the business among its own in Larry Fitzgerald.

But one receiver does not a corps make, and the Cards can't (or, rather, won't) make the most of their stake in Kevin Kolb if he has but a single reliable option on the other end of his passes.

Michael Floyd projects as a perfect complement to Larry Fitzgerald, a throwback to the good ol' days in the desert when Anquan Boldin was the other dude catching balls from Kurt Warner.

14. Dallas Cowboys: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

Word on the street is that the Cowboys (specifically, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan) have a doting eye for Dontari Poe. He'll give Dallas the roster flexibility to shift Jay Ratliff and phase out Kenyon Coleman.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

The Eagles don't have a pressing need on the interior of their defensive line, but Andy Reid has a soft spot for big tackles (can you blame him?), and Michael Brockers would fit well into Jim Washburn's system.

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

There are some concerns about Courtney Upshaw being (too much of) a 'tweener, but Rex Ryan desperately needs help in the pass rush, and the Alabama product fits the bill.

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

The Bengals' running game was solid last year, despite a middling offensive interior blocking for a painfully slow Cedric Benson. David DeCastro should be a big boost in the former regard, while giving Andy Dalton some additional peace of mind in the pocket.

18. San Diego Chargers: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

Strong safety has been an area of concern for the Bolts, who watched Barry Sanders go down in flames (again). Mark Barron should help to erase those painful memories by Mission Bay.

19. Chicago Bears: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

The Bears won't survive in the NFC North against the likes of Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford, without an upgrade at corner, even if Stephon Gilmore's still a bit raw.

20. Tennessee Titans: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Baggage aside, Dre Kirkpatrick has the talent, size and athleticism to make Cortland Finnegan's departure imminently bearable for the Titans.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

Three corners (and four defensive backs) in a row, you ask? Why not? Janoris Jenkins is a top-10 overall talent who can/should be a shutdown corner in the NFL.

Most teams would be perturbed by Jenkins' history of off-the-field malfeasance (i.e. drug arrests, bar fights, dismissal from Florida's football program). The Bengals, however, have a prominent history of not just ignoring such a rap sheet, but practically inviting it into their midst.

Surely, Cincinnati's need at corner will give Mike Brown the leeway to add yet another misfit to his team's roster.

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

Every top back needs a strong line to block for him, making Cordy Glenn the perfect pick to clear paths for Trent Richardson out of Cleveland's backfield.

23. Detroit Lions: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Matthew Stafford proved last season that he can be a star even when given only half-decent protection. Imagine what he could do for the Lions with a tackle like Jonathan Martin creating a pocket for him.

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

The departure of James Farrior—and Pittsburgh's overall need for youth in its front seven—makes Dont'a Hightower a perfect fit for the Steelers' defensive reshuffling.

25. Denver Broncos: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

Picking up a wide receiver for Peyton Manning can wait. The Broncos desperately need a big body like Devon Still's to fill in at defensive tackle.

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Don't let Kendall Wright's poor combine numbers fool you; this kid can run like the wind. Without him catching passes at Baylor, Robert Griffin III wouldn't likely be nearly the draft sensation that he's since become.

And wouldn't you know it? Houston has a serious problem at wide receiver beyond Andre Johnson, one that became all too apparent amidst the Pro Bowler's prolonged absence last season.

What better way for the Texans to address it than with a native Texan, especially one with Wright's might?

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

Once upon a time, the Patriots' pass rush dominated the opposition with a USC product by the name of Willie McGinest.

Might the Pats address that deficiency with another freakishly athletic Trojan in Nick Perry?

28. Green Bay Packers: Whitney Mercilus, OLB/DE, Illinois

The Packers' pass rush was nothing short of paltry last season. Whitney Mercilus should help to amend that issue in a jiffy.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

Matt Birk is back, but he'll be on his last legs in Baltimore. The Ravens will need a guy like Peter Konz to fill the void when Birk finally decides to hang 'em up.

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

Sure, Randy Moss and Mario Manningham are huge upgrades at wide receiver in San Francisco, but when your corps has been as bad as the 49ers' has in recent years, you don't just pass on a kid like Stephen Hill.

What kind of kid, you ask? Try one who's 6'4", ran a 4.3 in the 40-yard dash at the combine and has the dynamic leaping ability to be a weapon in the red zone.

You know, like Randy Moss, except younger and far less petulant.

31. New England Patriots: Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State

You didn't think Nick Perry would solve all of New England's defensive issues, did you? Jerel Worthy would be a nice addition to the middle of that defensive line, right next to Vince Wilfork.

32. New York Giants: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

The Giants would love to spend this pick on a top-tier tight end (i.e. Stanford's Coby Fleener), but Mike Adams is too good—and New York's need at tackle is too glaring—to pass up.

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