2012 NFL Mock Draft: Pinpointing Pro Bowl Players in the First Round

Every player selected in the first round of the NFL draft is potential Pro Bowl-caliber player.

Some will never get close to the honor while others will make the trip to Hawaii an annual vacation. For every hit in the first round of the draft there is most assuredly a miss—this is part of why the three-day selection process is so exciting.

Do we know exactly which players are going to be Pro Bowlers in the 2012 class? No, but we can certainly speculate.

1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14): Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Luck won't be in Hawaii after his rookie season because of his supporting cast, but it won't take long for him to become a mainstay out there.

2. *Washington Redskins (5-11): Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

The Heisman Trophy winner's rushing ability will give him an added boost for Pro Bowl voting, but it will take some time for him to overtake the likes of Eli Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Matthew Stafford, Matt Ryan, Michael Vick and Jay Cutler in the NFC. The only two on that list who won't be around longer than five years are likely Brees and Vick.

3. Minnesota Vikings (3-13): Matt Kalil, OT, USC

Kalil will be a very good player, but he may never reach the Pro Bowl caliber more than a time or two.

4. Cleveland Browns (4-12): Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

It honestly wouldn't be surprising if Richardson earned a nod as a rookie.

The Crimson Tide star is one of the front-runners for Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and he's going to make an immediate impact for whichever team selects him.

Richardson makes plays out of the backfield, never stops churning his legs, has a highlight-reel run in every single game and should see enough opportunities in his rookie season to make it possible.

If he stay healthy he could be an elite runner for the next five to seven years. 

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12): Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Like his former teammate Patrick Peterson, Mo's best chance at the Pro Bowl in his rookie campaign will come as a return man. First-year cornerbacks get picked on far too often and even one as good as Claiborne will struggle at times.

He will, however, be in Hawaii regularly in the peak of his career.

6. *St. Louis Rams (2-14): Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

The chatter on Blackmon of late isn't good. He's a gifted football player, but people are still questioning his speed and separation skills at the NFL level. 

However, if the Rams take him here he'll see plenty of opportunities simply due to the fact that they have nobody else.

If his college career were any indication, he'll put up some big numbers, but he's battling the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, Greg Jennings, Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, DeSean Jackson, etc. in the NFC.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11): Quinton Coples, DE, UNC

Coples has the potential to be elite, but could also just be another guy. Pro Bowls are far from guaranteed for him.

8. Miami Dolphins (6-10): Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

Tannehill will take a few years to truly develop and even then he'll be hard-pressed to earn Pro Bowl consideration.

9. Carolina Panthers (6-10): Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

Unless he's the next Vince Wilfork it is unlikely Poe will be playing in Hawaii often.

10. Buffalo Bills (6-10): Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Reiff is likely going to play right tackle at the next level and he'll be good, solid even, but it would surprise some if he made the Pro Bowl regularly.

11. Kansas City Chiefs (7-9): David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

The case is opposite for DeCastro and he will likely be a Pro Bowl player for quite some time. He's a mauler on the interior and will help some team boost its run game immediately.

12. Seattle Seahawks (7-9): Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

Ingram burst onto the scene this year and then put an exclamation point on it with his combine performance. Whether or not he makes the Pro Bowl in his career depends on which he system he plays in and/or how he handles adjusting.

13. Arizona Cardinals (8-8): Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

It won't take long for Kuechly to make his presence felt in the NFL. The super-instinctive linebacker and tackling machine is going to be a star immediately.

14. Dallas Cowboys (8-7): Mark Barron, S, Alabama

The three-time All-American will be a solid starter, but will never a Pro Bowl-caliber player.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8): Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

The star Notre Dame receiver could be an elite playmaker at the next level, but he'll be fighting with a lot of receivers for Pro Bowl recognition.

16. New York Jets (8-8): Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama

Playing in Rex Ryan's defense will give Upshaw an immediate chance to shine and he could very easily find his way down to Hawaii a few times. He's not an elite athlete, but he's a great football player who fits in perfectly for what they need right now.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (via OAK 8-8): Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

If Kirkpatrick fulfills his potential he'll be in Hawaii more than a few times.

18. San Diego Chargers (8-8): Nick Perry, DE, USC

Perry's speed and explosion give him a chance to be elite, but he'd have to put everything together and then some to make a Pro Bowl.

19. Chicago Bears (8-8): Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

Glenn's versatility will give him a chance to shine at a number of positions for a very long time, but he could fall prey to the "good everything, not great at anything."

20. Tennessee Titans (9-7): Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

Depending on where Cox winds up, his versatility will be a huge asset. It may not come with the big numbers, but he will make a big impact. It would surprising if he were a regular in Hawaii, though.

21. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7): Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Wright could eventually be an elite receiver with Hawaii in his sights, but he has to grow and progress as a football player before that is possible.

22. Cleveland Browns (via ATL 10-6): Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

The Stanford tackle has slid down the board a bit and he'll need to get stronger to make something happen for himself—that includes any chance at a Pro Bowl.

23. Detroit Lions (10-6): Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

The SEC corner has playmaking ability and could even get involved in the return game. Like most of the players on this list, he needs to put everything together before he thinks of flying out there.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4): Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama

The 'Bama backer is a perfect fit in the Steelers defense and should be able to adjust life in the NFL seamlessly. Pro Bowl honors will come if he finds a way to the quarterback regularly.

25. Denver Broncos (8-8): Devon Still, DT, Penn State

Run-stopping specialists aren't always rewarded with frequent trips so Still will really have to stand out.

26. Houston Texans (10-6): Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

Without getting too deep into Jeffery's mercurial stock, the South Carolina star will only be a Pro Bowl player if he truly wants to be.

27. New England Patriots (via NO 13-3): Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

It won't happen immediately, but Brockers could be one of the elite defensive linemen in the league in a few years. If he lives up to all his potential he'll be a Pro Bowler often.

28. Green Bay Packers (15-1): Andre Branch, DE, Clemson

Branch will be hard-pressed to earn Pro Bowl honors, but he could be a swell player for a while.

29. Baltimore Ravens (12-4): Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

Jenkins will be a Pro Bowler if he can stay on the field—that is a big if.

30. San Francisco 49ers (13-3): Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech

We'll talk about Hill and potential Pro Bowl status only if he ever develops into anything more than a vertical threat.

31. New England Patriots (13-3): Kendall Reyes, DT, Connecticut

Reyes is a hard worker who could earn himself a starting spot, but Pro Bowls seem unlikely.

32. New York Giants (9-7): Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

Stanford's big, pass-catching threat could become Eli Manning's new best friend, especially with Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz consistently drawing so much attention.

It wouldn't be surprising at all if Fleener drew some Pro Bowl recognition.

*Rams trade No. 2 overall pick to Redskins for 2012, 2013, 2014 first-round picks and 2012 second-round pick.