2012 NFL Mock Draft: Teams That Must Fill a Need in 1st Round

Whether you are a contender or a pretender, one glaring hole on your team can make a huge difference.

The Indianapolis Colts had many glaring holes last season, but their biggest in 2012 is quarterback after Peyton Manning joined the Denver Broncos. 

The New England Patriots, on the other hand, have put off finding a dynamic pass-rusher for too long.

Here's my latest 2012 NFL mock draft, complete with teams that must fill a need in the first round (in italics).

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

With Peyton Manning in Denver, Andrew Luck is the once-in-a-generation quarterback prospect the Colts need. This is a no-brainer for a franchise in rebuilding mode.

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

John Beck and Rex Grossman didn't prove to be the answers at quarterback the Redskins needed last season, but, then again, anybody could have foreseen that. Robert Griffin, with his arm strength, accuracy and pocket poise, would be a great addition for a team that's developing defensively.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

A top-three prospect, Matt Kalil does it all, and he would provide needed protection for young slinger Christian Ponder.

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

The Browns need a running back of the future, and Trent Richardson has all the tools to be a superstar in the NFL down the line.

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

Morris Claiborne is a top-five prospect this year, poor Wonderlic test score or not. He's a better cover corner than Patrick Peterson was coming out of LSU, and he's not bad against the run either.

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

The Rams need to add offensive weapons for Sam Bradford and Justin Blackmon has the strength, leaping ability and explosiveness after the catch to be a star.

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

Melvin Ingram is not only one of the premier pass-rushers in the draft, but also he doesn't carry character concerns like North Carolina's Quinton Coples. He was all over the place at South Carolina.

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

Ryan Tannehill is a fringe first-rounder this year, but the Dolphins are in desperate need of a quarterback and he has the potential to be a starter at the NFL level.

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

Fletcher Cox has soared up draft boards this past year. Big, smart and athletic, Cox has the versatility and technique to make many NFL teams proud. The Panthers need to address the interior.

10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

After signing Mario Williams, the Bills have their star pass-rusher. Now they need to go about adding protection for Ryan Fitzpatrick. Riley Reiff is the second-best offensive tackle in the draft.

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

The Chiefs do need to address their offensive line, but Stanford's Jonathan Martin is a stretch here. Instead, look for the Chiefs to combine Luke Kuechly with Derrick Johnson and provide a formidable one-two punch in the interior of their 3-4 defense.

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

Quinton Coples does come with red flags, given his inconsistency at UNC, but his strength and speed could make him a star pass-rusher in the pros. His athletic ability is hard to pass up.

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

The Cardinals would be wise to add a receiver opposite Larry Fitzgerald. Michael Floyd could be the Cardinals' version of Torrey Smith, utilizing his strength, leaping ability and hands to be an impact player in the NFL.

14. Dallas Cowboys: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

The Cowboys have been searching for a do-it-all safety for a while now, and Mark Barron is such a player, as he demonstrated emphatically at Alabama. A legit first-rounder, Barron is a physical, hard-hitting safety who flies to the ball.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

The Eagles need to address their rush defense and a strong, athletic defensive tackle like Dontari Poe would do wonders in Philadelphia. Poe didn't dominate as much at Memphis as you would like, but his combine performance was stunning.

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

The Jets need to add a pass-rusher so Rex Ryan doesn't have to blitz all the time. Courtney Upshaw, with his explosiveness and speed, would be a nice addition in New York.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (via OAK): David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

Andy Dalton made tremendous strides last season. Adding a premier offensive lineman in David DeCastro would speed his progress up even more. DeCastro has great size, footwork and lateral agility, and he plays with a chip on his shoulder.

18. San Diego Chargers: Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois

The Chargers have been looking for a pass-rushing outside linebacker for years and Whitney Mercilus, with his explosiveness and motor, could be a disruptive force at the next level.

19. Chicago Bears: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

The Bears, as always, need to protect Jay Cutler better. Jonathan Martin slipped a bit at the combine and he needs to add strength, but he's an athletic prospect with nice lateral agility who understands the game.

20. Tennessee Titans: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

Dre Kirkpatrick's character concerns may have dropped him a bit, but Stephon Gilmore is closer to Kirkpatrick in terms of skill than most people know. He's a physical player who can blow up the run and his quickness and leaping ability was evident at the combine. Cornerback is the Titans' top need.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Kirkpatrick does have character concerns, but he has good size and strength and his physicality at the line of scrimmage will allow him to play solid press coverage and attack the run.

22. Cleveland Browns (via ATL): Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

If the Browns draft Richardson and Kendall Wright, quarterback Colt McCoy will have no more excuses if he plays poorly. Wright is a dynamic talent with great athleticism, leaping ability and hands, and is drawing comparisons to DeSean Jackson (without the character concerns).

23. Detroit Lions: Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

Adding a quick, explosive pass-rusher like Nick Perry would make the Lions' emerging defense even more dangerous in 2012. I, for one, believe he's underrated this year. 

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

Dont'a Hightower is the physical, in-your-face kind of linebacker that the Steelers would love. His motor and aggressive demeanor allows him to set the tone of football games.

25. Denver Broncos: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

Michael Brockers was not impressive at the combine, to say the least, but he did dominate at LSU and he possesses the strength, size and athletic ability to be a star in due time.

26. Houston Texans: Rueben Randle, WR, LSU

Rueben Randle still needs to work on his route-running, but he has the speed, fluidity and length to be a game-changer at the next level. He's a work in progress, but one that could work out splendidly and provide the Texans with the No. 2 receiver they've been looking for.

27. New England Patriots (via NO): Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

Protecting Tom Brady is probably one of the smartest things you can do, and Peter Konz is the superstar of a weak center class. Size, strength, intelligence and a fierce demeanor; that's what you get with Konz.

28. Green Bay Packers: Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse

Chandler Jones has slowly but surely made his way into the first-round discussion. He's an athletic, rangy player with great instincts and competitiveness. His brother, Arthur Jones, plays for the Ravens. His other brother, Jon Jones, is a UFC star. Not a bad family tree.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Cordy Glenn, OG/OT, Georgia

The Ravens need an upgrade at guard, and Cordy Glenn is a powerful, jarring blocker with great footwork. As a guard in the NFL, Glenn could star. 

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

The 49ers already picked up two receivers in Randy Moss and Mario Manningham this offseason, but Moss won't be around for much longer, and adding an electric playmaker like fast-rising Stephen Hill would add another weapon for Alex Smith. How does a 40-yard dash time of 4.31 seconds sound?

31. New England Patriots: Andre Branch, DE, Clemson

With ideal size, length, athleticism and burst, Andre Branch is a legit first-rounder this year. He could be that missing link for the Patriots in the pass-rushing department. It is time for them to address that area. 

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

Eli Manning's quick release allowed the Giants to win the Super Bowl last season despite questionable pass protection. They need a tackle to give Manning more time in the pocket, and Mike Adams is hard to pass up at this point. He has the frame, athleticism and length to be a starter in the NFL.

Follow me on Twitter. We can talk about the NFL draft together.