2012 NFL Mock Draft: Selections to Drastically Improve Every 1st-Round Team

In our 2012 NFL mock draft, we look at the selections that will drastically improve teams in the first round:

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

The end of the Peyton Manning era opens the door for the Luck era in Indianapolis. 

2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor (trade w/ St. Louis)

No pick in the entire draft may have as much overall impact as Griffin going to Washington at No. 2 overall. If he's a hit—and there's very, very few who think he won't be—the landscape in the NFC East will be turned on its head. Given Griffin catches on as fast as Cam Newton did last season in Carolina, Washington will turn into a contender quickly. 

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

Will Kalil be a game-changer for Minnesota? Not in the sense that a quarterback could. But this team needs to protect 2011 first-round pick Christian Ponder better than it did in year one.  

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

The Browns will struggle to make a pick here that will instantly impact their football team like Richardson could. Taking the workhorse running back gives Cleveland an offensive identity while also taking a mountain of pressure off the shoulders of quarterback Colt McCoy, who is heading into a make-or-break year.

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

There are too many question marks surrounding the cornerback position for the Bucs to pass on the draft's top player here.

6. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State (trade w/ Washington)

Finding Sam Bradford a playmaking receiver has to top the Rams' wish list during this draft, regardless with how enamored Jeff Fisher is with the running game.

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

Blaine Gabbert needs weapons around him just as bad as Bradford, but Jacksonville went after receivers during free agency. Instead of taking Michael Floyd here, the Jags would be better off going after a pass-rusher like Ingram. Plug him in opposite Jeremy Mincey and Jacksonville suddenly has a much better pressure package for 2011. Besides, this draft is deep with talented receiver. Round 2 will offer the Jags plenty of options. 

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

The Dolphins' offseason makes very little sense without adding a long-term option at quarterback.

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

Forget Dontari Poe here. Cox is a more complete player and should be a better fit along the Panthers defensive line. 

10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

GM Buddy Nix is a "best player available" drafter, so it's possible that Reiff isn't his No. 10 overall prospect on the board. But given the fit—Buffalo has a huge hole on the left side of the offensive line—and how poorly the Bills protected Ryan Fitzpatrick last season, taking Reiff seems like a no-brainer. If he's better than Demetress Bell, who manned the left side in 2011, the Bills offense could take another jump.  

11. Kansas City Chiefs: David DeCastro, G, Stanford

The Chiefs seem intent on upgrading the offensive line. No pick here makes more sense than DeCastro if the team stays on that course.  

12. Seattle Seahawks: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

Barrett Ruud is nothing more than a used bandaid at middle linebacker. 

13. Arizona Cardinals: Nick Perry, OLB/DE, USC

The Cardinals could get real creative in their pressure packages with Perry, O'Brien Schofield and Sam Acho on the edges. 

14. Dallas Cowboys: Mark Barron, S, Alabama

The value and fit make Barron hard to pass up for the Cowboys at No. 14.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

I'm not as high on Poe as most, but he works in Philadelphia as a clogger on the interior of the Eagles defense.

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

It's still hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that most are dropping Upshaw down their mocks. The guy is a football player in the purest sense, and the tapes consistently shows that. He's also scheme-versatile and plays the run and pass equally well. What more do you really want? Rex Ryan and the Jets shouldn't hesitate if he's still here at No. 16. Ryan could make him a defensive star early on in his NFL career.  

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

There are whispers of Gilmore going top 10, but he's a better fit here at No. 17 overall. 

18. Cleveland Browns: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame (trade w/ San Diego)

The Browns move up four spots to take Floyd, who gets Cleveland one step closer to completing their offensive revolution. 

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

The Bears got aggressive during free agency to improve the offense, but now it's time for Lovie Smith to get to work on the defensive side of the ball. If Coples—a player with top-10 talent but lacking top-10 effort—drops this far, Smith won't let GM Phil Emery take any other player. He's a sound complement to Julius Peppers at defensive end and could give the Bears the kind of pass-rushing duo they are currently craving. 

20. Tennessee Titans: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

After swinging and missing on several free-agent centers, Tennessee pulls the trigger on the draft's top player at the position.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Cordy Glenn, G, Georgia

It appears opinions are mixed on Glenn, but I don't see how the Bengals can pass on such a versatile offensive lineman here. 

22. San Diego Chargers: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford (trade w/ Cleveland)

The Chargers have shied away from taking an offensive tackle in the first round for the better part of three decades, but there are always exceptions to trends.

23. Detroit Lions: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

A pass-rusher makes sense here, but Kirkpatrick is too good of value at No. 23 for the Lions to pass on.  

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

Hightower can sit and learn behind Larry Foote and Lawrence Timmons before taking over for Foote in the starting lineup down the road.

25. Denver Broncos: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

With Broderick Bunkley now in New Orleans, the Broncos have to take a long look at upgrading the defensive line early.

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Wright could catch 50-60 passes for over 1,000 yards as a rookie in Houston's talented offense.  

27. New England Patriots: Shea McClellin, OLB/DE, Boise State

Versatile? Check. Can rush the passer? Check. Fills a need and has first-round value? Check and check. McClellin simply has too many checks for Bill Belichick to pass up here at No. 27 overall, especially with the pass-rush starved Packers next in the draft order. 

28. Green Bay Packers: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

GM Ted Thompson would be doing cartwheels if Mercilus fell to No. 28 overall.  

29. Baltimore Ravens: Andre Branch, OLB, Clemson

The Ravens continue the run on pass-rushers by taking Branch here, even if he is more of a one-trick pony right now.  

30. San Francisco 49ers: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

Few have Brockers this low, but NFL teams don't always draft "potential" high, especially along the defensive line. Brockers is too raw to go much higher. He's good value here for the 49ers, however, who can give him the time and rotational role early on to help him develop. 

31. Chicago Bears: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford (trade w/ New England)

The Bears get aggressive here—even if it means giving up a couple of high picks—to get Fleener. He's the top tight end available and fills a big hole in Chicago's offense. 

32. New York Giants: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

GM Jerry Reese won't draft based solely on need, but Adams fits here in both value and need.