2012 NFL Mock Draft: Wild-Card Teams That Are Impossible to Read

The 2012 NFL draft is just around the corner, and while we know what the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Redskins are going to do in the first round, the intentions of many other teams for Thursday night aren't nearly as clear.

That doesn't mean we can't at least make a semi-educated guess at who will do what when Roger Goodell steps to the podium at Radio City Music Hall, and here's an updated look at how the first round of this year's draft could shake out.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford: This one at least appears to be a certainty, as the Colts have reportedly informed the Stanford star that he will be selection numero uno in the 2012 NFL draft.

2. Washington Redskins (from St. Louis Rams): Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor: Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has met with Griffin to help acclimate him to the Redskins system, and all signs point to the first two picks being quarterbacks for the first time since 1999.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC: The Vikings have apparently narrowed their choices to three players, but the smartest play would be to improve the pass protection for second-year quarterback Christian Ponder with the draft's top tackle prospect.

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama: The Browns have any number of needs as a team, and the club has been linked to a handful of the draft's top prospects with the fourth-overall pick, including wide receiver Justin Blackmon and cornerback Morris Claiborne. 

Alabama running back Trent Richardson topped 2,000 total yards last season for the Crimson Tide. After losing 2011 starter Peyton Hillis to free agency, the Browns have a huge hole at the position, and CBS Sports' Gregg Doyel feels that Richardson is worthy of being the first running back taken in the top 5 since 2008. 

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Again, we haven't seen a guy like this since Adrian Peterson. Before him? Marshall Faulk. Then Barry Sanders. That's how far back you have to go to find three more promising running backs, pre-draft, than Trent Richardson.

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5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU: Tampa head coach Greg Schiano dispelled rumors last weekly that the team was shopping enigmatic cornerback Aqib Talib, but whether he stays or goes won't change the fact that the Buccaneers need to improve the secondary.

6. St. Louis Rams (from Washington Redskins): Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State: With Brandon Lloyd now in New England, the Rams don't have a wide receiver on the roster that topped 450 yards last season, making improving the receiving corps by adding the two-time Biletnikoff Award winner a priority.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina: The Jaguars are reportedly "desperate" to trade down, but if Jacksonville ends up stuck at seven, they badly need to bolster a pass-rush that ranked near the bottom of the NFL in sacks in 2011.

8. Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M: The Dolphins spent most of the offseason pursuing a starting quarterback, and at this point, all signs point to Miami pulling the trigger on the strong armed signal-caller, even if it means trading up to do it.

9. Carolina Panthers: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State: The Carolina run defense was among the worst in the NFL in 2011, ranking 25th in the league, and the 298-pound Bulldogs standout has been steadily climbing draft boards of late.

10. Buffalo Bills: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame: The Bills made a big splash on the defensive side of the ball in free agency, and although the team has a hole at offensive tackle, Floyd would be an excellent batterymate for Stevie Johnson after catching 100 passes in 2011.

11. Kansas City Chiefs: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU: Last year's starter, Kelly Gregg, is a 35-year-old free agent who is considering retirement, which leaves the Chiefs with a hole at nose tackle.

At 322 pounds, Brockers has the bulk and strength to man the middle of a 3-4 defensive line, and the Tigers standout is one of the safer picks of the first round of this year's draft, according to WIVB-TV in Buffalo.

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LSU Defensive lineman Michael Brockers is considered one of the safest picks in this year's draft class. He enters the draft with two solid years of production at LSU and he got a lot better, and bigger, when his college coaches moved him inside from defensive end to defensive tackle.

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12. Seattle Seahawks: Luke Kuechly, MLB, Boston College: Barrett Ruud and KJ Wright may be serviceable replacements for the departed David Hawthorne at middle linebacker in the Emerald City. However, after leading the nation in tackles in 2011 and displaying impressive athleticism in workouts, last year's Butkus Award winner could anchor the center of Seattle's 4-3 for years.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa: The Cardinals have needs at both the tackle and guard positions on the offensive line after allowing the second-most sacks in the NFL last year, so improving the pass protection for quarterback Kevin Kolb is a priority that the Redbirds should address early in the 2012 draft by selecting the 6'6", 313-pound All-Big Ten tackle.

14. Dallas Cowboys: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford: The two-time consensus All-American was the most recent prospect to make a visit to Valley Ranch, something that every first-round pick of the Cowboys has done since 2006. It also just so happens that left guard is an area of weakness for the Cowboys as well, so DeCastro has become a late entrant in the Dallas draft derby.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Mark Barron, S, Alabama: The Eagles reportedly would love to get Cox here, but with him off the board, addressing the back end of the secondary with the draft's best strong safety prospect makes sense here for Philadelphia.

16.  New York Jets: Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois The Jets were forced to blitz more than any team in the NFL (57.1 percent) to generate a consistent pass-rush last season. After leading the NCAA with 16 sacks in 2011, Whitney Mercilus of Illinois should be able help improve the Jets front seven instantly, and the All-American has the quickness to kick outside to linebacker in the 3-4.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland Raiders): Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina: Even after adding cornerback Terence Newman in free agency, the Bengals could still use help in the secondary. The 6'0" Gamecocks star could be a fantastic value here given that many pundits view Gilmore as a top-10 pick.

18. San Diego Chargers: Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC: The Chargers managed only 32 sacks as a team in 2011, and outside linebacker Antwan Barnes, no San Diego player had more than four sacks, so the Bolts had better get Barnes some help.

19. Chicago Bears: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina The Bears re-upped 31-year-old defensive end Israel Idonije after missing out on Mario Williams in free agency, but the team is still looking to upgrade the defensive front opposite Julius Peppers.

At 6'6" and 281 pounds, Quinton Coples has the sort of size and athleticism that scouts drool over, and while some question Coples' motor after a so-so senior season Kevin Seifert of ESPN believes that Coples could be an excellent fit in the Windy City.

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Pass rushers are at such a premium that teams are willing to overlook some flaws to get the kind of presence Coples brings with his 6-foot-6 frame and 81-inch wingspan. It makes you wonder if a team like the Chicago Bears, whose needs at defensive end we have well-discussed, wouldn't be an ideal fit. Coples would have an All-Pro in Julius Peppers to attract most offensive attention, and he would have one of the league's top defensive line mentors in coordinator Rod Marinelli to keep him pushing forward.

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20. Tennessee Titans: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama: The Titans lost top cornerback Cortland Finnegan to the St. Louis Rams in free agency. While Alterraun Verner and Jason McCourty have shown flashes of promise, the Titans still need to upgrade their depth in the defensive backfield, a need that the 6'2", 186-pound Kirkpatrick would fill quite well.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia: The Bengals have a glaring need along the inside of the offensive front, and the 345-pound All-SEC performer is a steamroller of a run blocker who would probably step into an immediate role as a starter in the Queen City.

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons): Bobby Massie, OT, Ole Miss: Choosing an offensive lineman with the Browns' second first-rounder may seem puzzling to some. However, the team has a hole at right tackle that ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr. thinks Massie could fill immediately. 

23. Detroit Lions: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama: The Lions are in dire need of improvement at the cornerback position, and while Jenkins' troubled past makes him something of a risky pick, he has denied that his drug issues continued after his dismissal from Florida and his considerable talent is unquestionable.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama: The release of longtime starter James Farrior leaves Pittsburgh with a hole at inside linebacker, and the Crimson Tide All-American is a tough-nosed run-stuffer who would be a perfect fit at SILB.

25. Denver Broncos: Derek Wolfe, DT, Cincinnati: The 295-pound Big East Defensive Player of the Year has surprising quickness for a player of his size, and Wolfe would help solidify a Denver defensive line that was the Achilles' heel of the defense last season.

26. Houston Texans: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis: The Houston Texans enjoyed their most successful season in franchise history, due in large part to Wade Phillips' attacking 3-4 defense, which ranked second in the NFL in 2011. 

After a fantastic showing at February's NFL scouting combine, the draft stock of Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe has slipped of late, as draftniks question why that athleticism didn't translate to more production for the Tigers. However, at 346 pounds, Poe has prototypical size for a 3-4 nose tackle, and as Vinny Titriani of the North Jersey Record reports, Poe's considerable physical gifts are tempting. 

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Some team will take on the task of molding this freak of nature into a Pro Bowl player, probably as a nose tackle. Poe fits the Casey Hampton-Vince Wilfork mold as someone whose athletics skills belie his enormous size.

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27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans Saints): Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama: With free agency taking a toll on an aging New England defense due to the departure of Mark Anderson and Andre Carter, the Patriots need to look at improving the front seven with at least one of their two first-round picks. Although Upshaw's stock has been slipping of late, his resume and versatility will prevent the All-American from dropping any farther than this.

28. Green Bay Packers: Shea McClellin, DE/OLB, Boise State: Boise State defensive end Shea McClellin has drawn comparisons to Packers star Clay Matthews, and a pass-rush that was 27th in the NFL on a defense that was dead last in the league could use all they help they can get rushing the passer.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech: Anquan Boldin looked like a shell of his former self in 2011, leaving the Ravens with a need at the wideout spot. After playing at run-first Georgia Tech, Stephen Hill may need some seasoning at the NFL level, but as NFL Network draft expert Mike Mayock said, “There is value to this kid.”

30. San Francisco 49ers: Amini Silatolu, OT/OG, Midwestern State: Speculation from San Francisco claims that the 49ers may be eying a replacement for the departed Adam Snyder at guard in the first round. Silatolu played tackle at Division II Midwestern State, but projects as a guard in the NFL, and while the 312-pounder may be a bit raw, he has loads of talent.

31. New England Patriots: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford: The retirement of tackle Matt Light may change the Patriots' draft day plans somewhat. Bill Belichick isn't the sort who's prone to knee-jerk picks, but the presence of a two-time All-American tackle capable of manning both sides of the line may be too good an opportunity for New England to pass on this late in the first round.

32. New York Giants: David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech: Ahmad Bradshaw's foot is already acting up, and the depth behind him isn't great. Virginia Tech running back David Wilson has had some fumbling issues in the past, but the New York staff has experience fixing that, and not only did Wilson top 1,700 rushing yards in 2011, but according to STATS-X, no collegiate runner gained more yards after contact a year ago.

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