2012 NFL Mock Draft: The Smartest Potential Picks of the First Round

The 2012 NFL Draft is loaded with talent but that doesn't mean every pick will be a smart one. Sometimes teams overlook their needs to get a player who has raced up draft boards thanks to a ton of hype.

My latest mock draft follows, highlighting the smartest first-round picks.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Obviously this is a smart pick because it will set the Colts up to rebuild their roster with the best quarterback to enter the NFL in over a decade.

When they let Peyton Manning walk away, the Colts were essentially hitting the reset button on their franchise. Luck is a great place to start. He has all the tools you could want in a franchise quarterback and will be a fantastic leader on and off the field for Indianapolis.

This is the best possible for a scenario for a team replacing a future Hall of Fame quarterback. 

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

Washington made a bold trade to move up to this spot and Griffin will be the guy they take to lead their franchise under center.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

This pick makes the most sense for Minnesota and would be one of the smartest moves in this year's draft. Kalil is the best offensive lineman to enter the NFL since the Miami Dolphins made Jake Long the No. 1 overall pick in 2008.

The Vikings reached in last year's draft when they selected Christian Ponder with the 12th pick in the first round, and installed him as their franchise quarterback. While Ponder wasn't great during his rookie season, he is still the team's future at the position and Minnesota must protect him.

Kalil will end up being a perennial Pro Bowler, and the Vikings have a huge hole at left tackle. This is a perfect fit and the Vikings should just do the smart thing.

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

The Browns have a decision to make here because they have needs at both wide receiver and running back. Oklahoma State wideout Justin Blackmon is a fit, but the smart play would be to snag Richardson here.

The Browns lost Peyton Hillis to the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency and must find some kind of running game. Richardson is the rare elite talent at running back who is worth a top-10 pick. He is sure to have the biggest impact of any offensive player in this draft immediately.

Richardson is a complete back, who can play every down, is a power runner with speed who can make big plays. He is also a solid receiver out of the backfield and can hang in as a blocker on passing downs.

Colt McCoy needs some players around who will help take the pressure off of him. Richardson will do just that.

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

Tampa Bay needs help at cornerback, after adding Eric Wright in free agency, they must add another guy in the secondary. Aqib Talib's future is in doubt and Ronde Barber will be returning for his 16th season. That means Claiborne can step in right away and take a starting spot. 

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

Sam Bradford desperately needs a No. 1 target and Blackmon is the draft's best receiver. 

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

The Jaguars need to improve their pass rush and Ingram is a versatile defender who should be a solid edge rusher in the team's 4-3 defense.

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

The Dolphins have to make this pick if Tannehill drops to them. Yes, he is a risk, but at the same time, Miami needs to upgrade its depth chart at quarterback and must have a player to build around at the position. 

9. Carolina Panthers: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

The Panthers will take the best defensive tackle available and right here they'll get Poe, a dominating physical presence who should make an immediate impact. 

10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Some have the Bills taking Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd here, but their biggest need is at offensive tackle. After shoring up the team's defensive line by signing Mario Williams and Mark Anderson in free agency, Buffalo needs help on the other line.

Reiff is the draft's second-best tackle and should be able to step in and start at either tackle spot from his first day in the NFL. The Bills will be extremely happy with this selection and it is the smart move.

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

Kansas City would love to land Poe, but Kuechly will be a really nice consolation prize.

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

Coples could be the biggest risk in the first round, but at No. 12 his upside is worth that gamble. 

13. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

The Cardinals could take Floyd here and give Larry Fitzgerald a running buddy in the receiving game. But the smart move would be to shore up their offensive line. Arizona re-signed Levi Brown to a five-year deal this offseason, but that can't make anyone feel better about the team's offensive front. 

Martin has an extremely high ceiling and while he needs some time to develop into a top-level pass protector, he is already a stud run blocker and his awareness is already at an elite level. 

The Stanford product could start at either tackle spot immediately for Arizona and would be the smartest pick.

14. Dallas Cowboys: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

The Cowboys will land Cox, who has been racing up draft boards because of his versatility along the defensive line.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Mark Barron, S, Alabama

The Eagles could go in a number of directions here but Barron is the smartest pick. After adding DeMeco Ryans, Philadelphia has upgraded its linebacking corps but the middle of the team's defense still has holes.

Barron is a versatile safety who is physical enough to help out against the run but has the range and ball skills to be excellent in coverage. He is a leader at the back of the secondary and will make the Eagles' corners even better.

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

Upshaw is a perfect fit for Rex Ryan's 3-4 scheme, as he will be the kind of tough, rugged, edge rusher that the bombastic coach loves.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland Raiders): Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

The Bengals have yet to replace Jonathan Joseph after he bolted for the Houston Texans last offseason and Gilmore is a big, physical corner with outstanding ball skills. 

18. San Diego Chargers: David DeCastro, G, Stanford

San Diego's offensive line was a mess during the 2011 season. DeCastro would be a perfect fit who could step in and replace the retired Kris Dielman at left guard immediately.

19. Chicago Bears: Cordy Glenn, OT/G, Georgia

The Bears desperately need to improve their offensive line and Glenn could come in and start at either guard spot or right tackle immediately.

20. Tennessee Titans: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Cortland Finnegan took off for the St. Louis Rams in free agency, leaving behind a huge hole at cornerback. Kirkpatrick is a big, physical presence who will fit perfectly in Tennessee's zone-heavy scheme.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

The Bengals took a risk letting Floyd go by at No. 17, but will be rewarded as he'll last until they can grab him here.

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons): Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

The Browns need to protect Colt McCoy, something they did a horrible job of in 2011. With Trent Richardson already on board, adding Adams to play right tackle is a logical fit to help stabilize the offense.

23. Detroit Lions: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

The Lions have other needs but current center Dominic Raiola is awful and Konz would be a gigantic upgrade.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

Casey Hampton is aging and will need to be replaced eventually, in the mean time Brockers can play next to him on the defensive line before eventually taking over at nose tackle. At 6'5" and 323 pounds Brockers has the size and ability to man that position for years.

25. Denver Broncos: Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State

The Broncos were terrible at defensive tackle in 2011 and Worthy will give them a playmaker whose motor never stops running.

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Andre Johnson is one of the NFL's best receivers, but he needs some help. Wright will be a perfect complement as a true No. 2 receiver with big-play potential.

27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans Saints): Chandler Jones, DE/OLB, Syracuse

Bill Belichick needs to rebuild his front seven and he'll start with Jones, a raw edge rusher who the coach can mold into a perfect fit for his defense.

28. Green Bay Packers: Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

Perry is the best pure pass rusher in this draft and the Packers will gladly pair him with fellow USC product Clay Matthews. Those two should terrorize quarterbacks coming off the edge.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama

The Ravens have other needs but they also must find a replacement for Ray Lewis at some point. Hightower will be a worthy successor who can lineup at outside linebacker until Lewis retires.

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

The 49ers need a legitimate deep threat, and at 6'4" and 215 pounds with elite speed, Hill will certainly give them that.

31. New England Patriots: Kendall Reyes, DT, Connecticut

Reyes is a great pick here for the Patriots. He is a versatile defensive lineman who could line up at any spot along the team's 3-4/4-3 hybrid front.

32. New York Giants: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

None of the remaining offensive tackles is worth this spot, so the Giants will take the best player available. Fleener is a big target who possesses outstanding athleticism and should make an impact early in his NFL career.