2012 NFL Draft Pick Ranges for 10 of the Hardest Prospects to Predict

Part of the reason mocks remain so varied this close to the draft is the wide range that many picks could fall in on the first-round board. What are the highest and lowest possible picks for some of the hardest prospects to nail down?

Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

High: 4 (Cleveland)—If the Browns see franchise qualities in Tannehill, they could possibly trade back to 6, but probably would be forced to take him at No. 4 to avoid losing him to Miami at No. 8

Low: 22 (Cleveland)—If the Dolphins (8), Chiefs (11), Seahawks (12) and Eagles (15) all pass on Tannehill, he should make it all the way to Cleveland's second first-round pick, and it would almost certainly take him.

Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

High: 6 (St. Louis)—No longer merely a longshot at No. 6, Cox could be the best player available at the pick in the eyes of someone like Jeff Fisher. The depth at wide receiver and an extra early second should give the Rams a good chance at another potential top target for Sam Bradford at wide receiver instead of Justin Blackmon

Low: 15 (Philadelphia)—What Eagles DL coach Jim Washburn could do with a talent like Cox…

Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

High: 6 (St. Louis)—I just don't buy that Blackmon could go third to Minnesota or fourth to Cleveland. I wouldn't even call him the favorite at No. 6, but the weight of Blackmon's production could compel the Rams to take him.

Low: 17 (Cincinnati)—If Blackmon gets past WR needy teams like Jacksonville (7), Miami (8) and Buffalo (10), he could tumble into the late teens (assuming no one trades up for him), but probably not farther than Cincinnati. Any team could take Blackmon outside of the top 10 as a best player available, but there are also excellent talents all over the field that could make them pass on him.

Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

High: 7 (Jacksonville)—Gilmore has emerged as the No. 2 corner, arguably the most valued position in free agency this year. Jacksonville could easily take him based on an intersection of need and value.

Low: 21 (Cincinnati)—Gilmore could easily be an overwhelming best player available at 17 for the Bengals, but they could also opt for someone like Quinton Coples, Courtney Upshaw or Mark Barron over him. There's no way they would pass on him twice.

Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

High: 7 (Jacksonville)—Reiff is a high-ceiling player in the trenches, and this is the organization that took Tyson Alualu top 10 two years ago.

Low: 22 (Cleveland)—It's hard to imagine the Browns passing on an instant right tackle solution like Reiff unless they are truly smitten with Brandon Weeden.

Quinton Coples, DE, UNC

High: 7 (Jacksonville)—Jaguars GM Gene Smith might be turned off by Coples's effort issues, but he is exactly the kind of impact defensive end the already excellent defense needs.

Low: 19 (Chicago)—Coples could tumble out of the top 10, but the Eagles, Jets and Bengals all passing on him is highly unlikely. If he somehow gets past them, the Bears would have to be happy to put him under Rod Marinelli and pair him with fellow Tar Heel Julius Peppers.

David DeCastro, OG, Stanford 

High: 7 (Jacksonville)—DeCastro is the best guard prospect to come along in years, which means a team like Jacksonville might value the safe investment he embodies and throw his low positional value out the window.

Low: 20 (Tennessee)—The Titans would have to be thrilled to get an elite player at a position of need at No. 20.

Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

High: 9 (Carolina)—If Carolina is set on the defensive tackle with highest ceiling and Fletcher Cox is gone, Poe could be the pick 

Low: 26 (Houston)—Poe's reputation as a penetrator more than an immovable object shouldn't ding him too much as a nose tackle prospect in Wade Phillips's defense. This might be conservative if teams are putting a lot more stock in Poe's unimpressive film than his impressive combine number. His film is decidedly not that of a typical first-round prospect.

Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama 

High: 12 (Seattle)—The Seahawks are the kind of team that would overlook Upshaw's lack of elite physical attributes and value his heady, tough two-way game.

Low: 31 (New England)—It's hard to imagine the Patriots passing on Upshaw twice.

Mark Barron, S, Alabama

High: 14 (Dallas)—This pick seems inevitable in some eyes. I don't expect Barron to be the type of player a team gives up valuable capital for to get ahead of the Cowboys, especially a team like the Patriots.

Low: 27 (New England)—The Patriots would, however, be happy to scoop up Barron at New Orleans's No. 27 overall pick, which they acquired last year. He won't get past them.