2012 NFL Mock Draft: Offensive Prospects with Hall of Fame Potential

We're about to dive into the realm of audacious predictions and determine which offensive players—who have never played a snap in the NFL, mind you—have Hall of Fame potential.

Yup, I'm going there.

Keep in mind, I'm not saying they will make the Hall of Fame, only that they seem to have the potential to make it someday based on what we've seen of them thus far.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is how you rock out with your mock out. Let's do it.

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

He's got every physical tool you would want in a quarterback (along with being a better athlete than most people realize)—he can make any throw, he's as sharp mentally as they come and he's already a mature leader.

Andrew Luck should be the best player in this draft, and I believe he has the upside of a Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. To me, he just has the look of a franchise quarterback.

We shall see.

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

I love Griffin, and I think he'll be an excellent NFL quarterback. But Hall of Fame potential?

I'm not seeing it. Perhaps he'll prove me wrong—and I don't doubt he'll be a franchise quarterback in the NFL—but the Hall of Fame seems unlikely to me.

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

Kalil is the best offensive tackle in this draft, but I don't think that will translate into a Hall of Fame career.

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

Richardson has all of the tools to reach the Hall of Fame someday. He's fast, powerful, agile, has excellent balance and vision and is a hard worker.

Plus, he was only a workhorse for one year at Alabama, so he should enter the league with fresh legs.

He's as good a back as we've seen enter the draft in years. He could wind up being one of the best backs ever, period. I truly believe that.

I can't wait to watch him etch his legacy—it should be fun.

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

The top corner on the board won't fall past the Bucs.

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

He'll be a good one, I don't doubt that, but he'll never be an elite receiver at the NFL level.

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

The Jags have a lot of needs to fill, but I say they bolster the pass rush.

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

Unless for some unexplainable reason you are a Matt Moore or David Garrard enthusiast, this pick seems like the logical choice—even if Tannehill is a reach here.

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

A big need for the Panthers coincides with a deep stable of talent at the defensive tackle position. I say they choose Cox.

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

He'll be a solid tackle for years to come, though I don't think he'll be headed to Canton.

11. Kansas City Chiefs: Dontari Poe, NT (Memphis)

A high upside plus a big need equals the Chiefs selecting Poe.

12. Seattle Seahawks: Luke Kuechly, MLB (Boston College)

Kuechly is going to be a tackling machine in Seattle for the next decade.

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

The combination of Floyd and Larry Fitzgerald will give opposing secondaries a lot of headaches.

14. Dallas Cowboys: David DeCastro, OG (Stanford)

He's one of the best guard prospects to hit the draft in years, plain and simple. He's NFL ready, but he has a lot of upside.

Teams may not like the idea of drafting a guard so high, but DeCastro is the rare talent who is totally worth a selection here. The Cowboys not only won't regret this pick, it will be one of the team's best moves in years.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Mark Barron, S (Alabama)

The Eagles have a huge need at safety, and Barron is the best option at safety in the draft. This pick makes a lot of sense.

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

I remain convinced the Jets will add an edge-rusher to Rex Ryan's 3-4 defense. This team needs to get back to playing excellent defense and running the ball; this is a good start toward doing the former.

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Cordy Glenn, OG (Georgia)** 

Another guard in the middle of the first round, Glenn will fill in a big need at the position for the Bengals.

18. San Diego Chargers: Nick Perry, OLB (USC) 

He's a top-notch athlete who produced at USC. Perry should be a good one for the Chargers.

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

The combination of Julius Peppers and Quinton Coples at defensive end will scare quite a few quarterbacks next year.

20. Tennessee Titans: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB (Alabama)

Cortland Finnegan, you've been replaced.

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

This one could be Stephen Hill as well if the Bengals want another burner on the outside. If they want a wizard in the slot, they'll go with Wright.

22. Cleveland Browns: Stephen Hill, WR (Georgia Tech)***

He's a freakish athlete and could become one of the game's most dangerous deep threats. Or he could be a bust. Hill brings a lot of intrigue with him.

23. Detroit Lions: Janoris Jenkins, CB (North Alabama) 

With a dire need in the secondary, the Lions will take a chance on a top-10 talent with the sketchy reputation.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont'a Hightower, LB (Alabama)

He just feels like a Steeler. If he's available when they pick, I think he'll be one.

25. Denver Broncos: Michael Brockers, DT (LSU)

The Broncos will have plenty of options to improve the D-line, but I say they go with Brockers, who should be a good one.

26. Houston Texans: Devon Still, DT (Penn State)

The Texans have options. Still would give them depth on the D-line and is an excellent player, so he's the pick.

27. New England Patriots: Chandler Jones, DE (Syracuse)****

The Pats need an edge-rusher, that's no secret. Jones is a perfect fit.

28. Green Bay Packers: Peter Konz, C (Wisconsin)

They'll draft a center at some point this year. Why not take the best one?

29. Baltimore Ravens: Jonathan Martin, OT (Stanford)

Offensive line is an area where the team could use some help. Enter Martin.

30. San Francisco 49ers:  Stephon Gilmore, CB (South Carolina)

Gilmore might go higher than this, but if he's hanging around I think the Niners snatch him up quickly and add depth to the secondary.

31. New England Patriots: Jamell Fleming, CB (Oklahoma)

The Patriots don't need depth in the secondary, they need better players. They'll hope Fleming can be just that.

32. New York Giants: Zach Brown, OLB (North Carolina)

He's fallen out of favor with a lot of folks, but his athleticism and upside remains high. I think the Giants take a gamble with him, one that will pay off.

* The Redskins traded the sixth pick in the first round, along with their second-round pick this year and first-round picks in 2013 and 2014, to St. Louis for the second overall pick.

** From Oakland in the Carson Palmer trade.

***From Atlanta in last year's Julio Jones Trade.

*** From New Orleans in last year's Mark Ingram trade.

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets light the lamp like Danny Briere.