NFL Draft 2012: Projected Landing Spots for Top Offensive Mid-Round Prospects

As expected, much of the attention regarding the 2012 NFL draft focuses on the first-round prospects and more specifically, guys like Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Trent Richardson.

Well, take Oregon's LaMichael James for example.

He's an expected early third-round selection who possesses excellent lateral agility, explosive top speed and has impressive versatility.

In addition to James, there are some other noteworthy mid-round prospects to keep in mind.

Here, we take a look at where James and the best offensive mid-round prospects could land.

(Round 3) St. Louis Rams: LaMichael James, RB (Oregon)

Last season, the St. Louis Rams' offense ranked dead last in averaging just 12.1 points per game.

St. Louis wasn't much better on the ground, ranking No. 23, although Steven Jackson did top over 1,000 rushing yards.

Also, the Rams were No. 30 in passing and dead last in converting first-downs on third-down at 28.1 percent.

Early in the draft, expect St. Louis to get Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon, so adding LaMichael James to the offense only makes St. Louie that much more explosive. Jackson needs a complement in the backfield and the Rams can then run some split-back sets with Sam Bradford under center or in shotgun.

James compiled over 5000 rushing yards in three seasons and added 386 receiving yards on 51 catches. All together, James scored 57 total touchdowns during his time with the Ducks.

The Rams offense can now spread the field, setup play-action and get excellent consistency on screens and draws.

Plus, James takes a lot pressure off Jackson to be the focus of the St. Louis offense.

(Round 3) Jacksonville Jaguars: Kirk Cousins, QB (Michigan State)

Although the Jacksonville Jaguars have Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne dueling for the starting role, Michigan State's Kirk Cousins has the potential to compete as well.

For one, the Jags ranked dead last in passing offense last season and desperately need production from the quarterback position. With the offense revolving around Maurice Jones-Drew, expect Jacksonville to add a receiver such as Michael Floyd in the draft to complement Laurent Robinson.

Bringing in Cousins simply helps the cause under center as he comes from a pro-style system. Each season at the helm, Cousins improved for the Spartans and he finished the last two seasons with 45 touchdowns to only 20 picks and a 65.3 completion percentage.

Cousins possesses a bright mind for the game, solid arm strength, good accuracy and better-than-advertised mobility.

None of Cousins' weapons at Michigan State were (or are) considered top-tier talent, so playing alongside Robinson, Floyd and MJD will simply raise his ceiling.

(Round 3) Cincinnati Bengals: Ben Jones, Center (Georgia)

Losing in the trenches against the better rushing offense and rushing defense is what cost the Cincinnati Bengals in 2011.

Offensively, the Bengals averaged just 111.1 rush yards per game (ranked No. 19) and only 3.9 yards per carry (ranked No. 27).

Georgia's Ben Jones however, was the center of the Bulldogs' offense all four years and brings proven consistency to the hogs up front.

In 2011, the Dawgs averaged 164 rushing yards a game and quarterback Aaron Murray was sacked just 32 times.

Jones is a complete player who possesses impressive acceleration and explosion from the snap and quickness to wall off linebackers and blitzing defensive backs.

Now in the AFC North, Jones must develop better footwork and balance because it's a division controlled by defensive front sevens.

Fortunately, Jones has lateral awareness when pass blocking so he can pickup blitzers to keep consistent pocket protection. His experience and work ethic will pay off for Cincinnati more than anything because the Bengals lack depth in the trenches.

(Round 4) Indianapolis Colts: Ladarius Green, TE (Louisiana-Lafayette)

The Indianapolis Colts are depleted at tight end and need a proven playmaker to step in right away.

Well, Louisiana-Lafayette's Ladarius Green is one of the more overlooked players, having compiled 2,201 receiving yards on 149 receptions, including 22 touchdowns during his career.

A smaller tight end than compared to most, Green is capable of beating any linebacker or defensive back in single coverage downfield. He's also a precise route-runner courtesy of possessing great balance and control.

With Andrew Luck under center, the Colts begin the rebuilding process and need to get targets around him. Green's top speed will stretch out defenses to help the ground game and he could even transition to a No. 2 receiver if he loses 10-12 pounds.

He's not the most impressive run-blocker at the line, but Green's 6'6" height will pay dividends in the red zone and on third-downs to setup play-action.

This was arguably Indy's biggest offensive weakness in 2011; however, with Green we begin to see it redevelop in 2012.

(Round 5) Miami Dolphins: Marvin McNutt, WR (Iowa)

It's obvious the Miami Dolphins are in the midst of a rebuilding session. Their Round 1 pick can go a number of ways and although Matt Moore displayed promise in 2011, he still has to prove consistency on a yearly basis.

That is where Iowa's Marvin McNutt comes in.

Going under-the-radar in 2009 and 2010, McNutt still accounted for over 1,500 yards on 87 receptions, including 16 touchdowns as the Hawkeyes' No. 2 receiver.

Taking the No. 1 receiver reigns in 2011, McNutt hit another level with 1,315 yards on 82 catches and scoring 12 times. He's not an explosive player, but uses brute strength to fend off press coverage and fight for the rock in traffic.

A very dependable receiver, McNutt can out-jump anyone in the red zone and get open on double-move routes downfield.

Considering that Reggie Bush has developed as an every-down back, adding McNutt creates a balanced offense in Miami that's needed to execute at a consistent rate.

John Rozum on Twitter.