2012 NFL Mock Draft: Picks That Will Boost Every First-Round Franchise

The goal with first-round picks is to draft a guy who will provided a considerable jolt to a franchise. 

Here's a full 32-pick mock draft—the players highlighted will give their respective NFL club a major boost for quite a while.

2012 NFL Mock Draft (Final Pre-Draft Update)

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford 

You think Luck's an upgrade over Curtis Painter and Dan Orlovsky? I do. He's a once-in-a-decade prospect who was productive in college and has a firm grasp on complex pro-style offenses. 

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

There hasn't been any "official" word that RGIII is headed to D.C., but come on, he'll be wearing a Redskins helmet next season. Another formality. He's got transcendent ability as a crisp pocket passer with world-class scrambling ability and speed. A considerable jolt indeed. 

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, Southern California 

Needs: OT, CB, WR

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Needs: RB, WR

Richardson has been pegged to the Browns for a while due to the run-heavy style the team could implement with him in the backfield. That makes sense. He'd alleviate pressure from Colt McCoy. Richardson is not quite Adrian Peterson because he lacks the breakaway speed, but he's the best running back prospect to enter the draft in at least five years.

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

Needs: CB, OLB, RB, WR

6. St. Louis Rams (trade with Washington Redskins): Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

Needs: WR, OL, DT

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Needs: WR, DE, OL

Blackmon isn't an elite prospect, but he's pretty darn solid. While not possessing the flat-line speed to separate with ease, he excels at catching passes in traffic and is an accomplished yards-after-the-catch wideout.  

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

Needs: QB, WR, RT 

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

Needs: DL, CB, OLB, WR

10. Buffalo Bills: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

Needs: WR, CB, OT, OLB

The Bills defense, especially their defensive line, looks set heading into 2012. The offense still needs a play-making wide receiver who thrives down the field and can go up and catch the football when tightly covered. 

That's Floyd's specialty. He's also a great underneath target, perfect for Chan Gailey's quick-passing system. 

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

Needs: NT, OLB, LG

12. Seattle Seahawks: Nick Perry, DE, Southern California

Needs: LB, DE, OL, WR 

13. Arizona Cardinals: David DeCastro, G, Stanford

Needs: OL, WR, OLB,  

14. Dallas Cowboys: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama 

Needs: S, DT, CB, G

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Brockers, DL, LSU

Needs: S, DT

16. New York Jets: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Needs: RT, OLB, S, WR

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB South Carolina

Needs: CB, WR, G, OLB

I'm not sure Ingram "falls" this far, but that doesn't mean it's totally out of the question. Mike Zimmer is one of the better defensive coordinators in football. He's going to have the luxury of drawing up some creative and exotic zone blitz packages with Ingram on the roster. 

18. San Diego Chargers: Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB Alabama

Needs: OL, DE, NT

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

Needs: DE, LT, CB

20. Tennessee Titans: Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina

Needs: CB, OLB, S

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

Needs: CB, WR, G, OLB

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta): Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Needs: RB, WR

Browns fans are ecstatic with the team's first-round haul of Trent Richardson and Kendall Wright. It's not so easy to match up defensively against the Browns anymore. Though his stock has apparently taken a significant hit, Wright is still a true burner with big play ability. 

This is what the city of Cleveland has been begging for over the last five years, if not longer. 

23. Detroit Lions: Cordy Glenn, OL, Georgia 

Needs: OT, CB

You wouldn't necessarily label an offensive lineman a playmaker, but Glenn's presence will spring even more impact plays for the Lions in the future. We've seen what Matthew Stafford and Detroit's offense is capable of when the star quarterback is upright, and Glenn's a huge individual with power and solid footwork. The depth he provides will go a long way. 

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

Needs: OT, CB, ILB

25. Denver Broncos: Devon Still, DT Penn State

Needs: DT, CB, G, RB

26. Houston Texans: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

Needs: WR, ILB, RT, TE

If Kendall Wright is on the board, there's no doubting that he'll be the pick. Alshon Jeffery? Eh, maybe. But I love what Fleener could bring to the middle of the field for Matt Schaub. How are teams going to cover Andre Johnson outside and Fleener inside the numbers? 

27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans): Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

Needs: S, DE  

28. Green Bay Packers: Andre Branch, DE/OLB, Clemson

Needs: OLB, S, RB

Adding guys who can contribute to a more consistent pass rush is vital to the Packers to allow their secondary to become more aggressive at jumping routes. 

Clay Matthews is a bona fide star, but he needs help. Branch's burst will be welcomed in Green Bay. 

29. Baltimore Ravens: Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse

Needs: OLB, G, LT

30. San Francisco 49ers: Amini Silatolu, G, Midwestern State

Needs: G, DE

With Mike Iupati and Amini Silatolu pulling to the second level, Frank Gore has got to get to 1,500 rushing yards next season, right? 

31. New England Patriots: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

Needs: S, DE  

32. New York Giants, Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Needs: RT, RB, LB

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