2012 NFL Mock Draft: Top-Level Talents to Fill Every Team's Needs

Adding premier talent to fill team needs is of the utmost importance in the first round of the NFL draft for every team, regardless of the previous season's record. 

Even the game's elite have major holes they need to address. 

This top talent will fill the needs of all the teams making picks in Round 1 of this year's draft. 

2012 NFL Mock Draft (Final Pre-Draft Update)

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford 

What does every team need that's at the beginning of franchise reconstruction? A franchise quarterback. Luck is the epitome of a college signal-caller with NFL franchise quarterback attributes. The ideal Peyton Manning replacement.

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

The Redskins clearly can't move forward as a team with John Beck and Rex Grossman feverishly and errantly tossing passes into their opponent's secondary. RGIII is as poised as they come in the pocket, has a cannon of an arm and is accurate. Did I mention he possesses near Olympic-caliber speed and athleticism?

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, Southern California 

With the team fully committed to 2011 first-round pick Christian Ponder, they need a franchise left tackle. Kalil's the lone franchise tackle in the this class that can contribute from Day 1. 

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

The Browns are offensively weak, especially in their passing game. How about drafting Trent Richardson and becoming a run-heavy club? Sounds good to me, and would to Colt McCoy, too.  

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

Teams averaged a comfortable 97.2 QB rating against the Buccaneers last season. Claiborne's the most polished and well-rounded cornerback in this class. Enough said.

6. St. Louis Rams (Trade with Washington Redskins): Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

Everyone is enamored with the Rams picking up offense in the draft. They need it, no doubt. But remember, they allowed more than 152 yards on the ground per game last season. 

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Blaine Gabbert threw to Chastin West, Mike Thomas and Jarett Dillard in 2011. He still has a ways to go to become the quarterback the Jaguars hoped he'd become when they picked in the first round last year, but he needs premier receiving talent. Blackmon isn't Calvin Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald. He most closely resembles Anquan Boldin.

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

The Dolphins have two decent stop-gap options at quarterback in Matt Moore and David Garrard. What about the future? Tannehill has loads of upside and no one knows him better than current Dolphins offensive coordinator Mike Sherman, who was his college coach at A&M.

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

The Panthers defense needs a jolt of aggression, especially in its front seven. Teams averaged 4.6 yards per rush against them last year. Cox is extremely versatile and can play any defensive line position for Carolina.

10. Buffalo Bills: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

Buffalo's defensive line looks stellar on paper. Their receiving corps—not so much. Floyd's an imposing playmaker who'll allow Buffalo to be more balanced.

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

The Chiefs don't need much, but they'd love to pair the multidimensional and wildly productive Kuechly with Derrick Johnson.

12. Seattle Seahawks: Nick Perry, DE, Southern California

Perry adds more pop to the Seahawks defense as they attempt to compete with San Francisco's potent defensive unit. He's another pass-rushing specialist on Seattle's underrated group of defenders. 

13. Arizona Cardinals: David DeCastro, G, Stanford

The Cardinals need to make life for Levi Brown more comfortable so, in turn, his deficiencies can be masked. DeCastro is any left tackle's best friend.

14. Dallas Cowboys: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Brandon Carr and Dre Kirkpatrick on the outside? No more worries about a porous Cowboys defensive backfield. Rob Ryan's happy. Everyone in Big D is happy. Dallas' secondary struggled mightily in 2011.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Brockers, DL, LSU

The Eagles were pretty soft up the middle of their defensive line last season. The 6'5'', 322-pound Brockers will provide much-needed bulk.

16. New York Jets: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

The Jets need a major upgrade at their right tackle spot—sorry Wayne Hunter. Reiff can start from day one.

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB South Carolina

The Bengals lost Jonathan Fanene and Frostee Rucker in free agency. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer runs a variety of exotic alignments and blitzes. Ingram was born to play under him with the Bengals.

18. San Diego Chargers: Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB Alabama

San Diego had a relatively disappointing 32 sacks as a team last season. Shaun Phillips is great, but can't do it alone. 

19. Chicago Bears: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

Another edge rusher to complement Julius Peppers would be fabulous for the Bears. Some have even compared Coples to Peppers during this pre-draft process.

20. Tennessee Titans: Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina

Playing in a division with Arian Foster and Maurice Jones-Drew, the Titans could use some speed at their outside linebacker spot. 

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

With Leon Hall coming off an Achilles tendon tear that usually takes away a step, the Bengals could use another rangy cover corner.

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta): Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

The Browns haven't had a legitimate deep threat since Braylon Edwards in 2007. Wright ends that misery. 

23. Detroit Lions: Cordy Glenn, OL, Georgia

Matt Stafford has prolific potential if he stays healthy—that was made clear in 2011. Glenn's a handy offensive lineman to have based on his ability to play multiple positions. He's help bolster a line that'll face Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers and Jared Allen in its division.

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

James Farrior was released by the Steelers in March. Lawrence Timmons and Larry Foote are penciled in as the 3-4 inside linebackers right now, but Hightower would provide tremendous depth to the Steelers most well known position.

25. Denver Broncos: Devon Still, DT Penn State

The Broncos were decent against the run in 2011, but they'd like to get better. With Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller on the edge, Still could be special.

26. Houston Texans: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

The Texans need a threatening pass-catcher to take double-coverage and pressure from Andre Johnson. Everyone's thinking they'll go wide receiver. I say down the seam dynamo Coby Fleener.

27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans): Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

The Patriots need a safety to pair with Patrick Chung. He and Barron are similar, aggressive safeties that make their presence felt against the run. 

28. Green Bay Packers: Andre Branch, DE/OLB, Clemson

Ask any Packers fan—the team needs someone other than Clay Matthews to consistently get to the passer. Branch's immense burst fits the bill.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse

Jones will be the start of the Ravens filling the holes left by the departures of Corey Redding and Jarret Johnson. 

30. San Francisco 49ers: Kevin Zeitler, G, Wisconsin

Adam Snyder left a hole at the guard spot. Zeitler fills the hole as a powerful interior line prospect.

31. New England Patriots: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

Mark Anderson's a Buffalo Bill, so Bill Belichick needs another situation pass-rusher.

32. New York Giants: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Chances are, right tackle Kareem McKenzie won't be with the team in 2012, so the team needs a guy to compete with 2011 fourth-round pick James Brewer. 

Martin's got great upside and should start on the right edge next year.

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