2012 NFL Mock Draft: Excellent Landing Spots for Big College Stars

The 2012 NFL draft features some college stars who will have excellent chances to take their success to the next level. 

Their success will be assured if they manage to get drafted by certain teams.

While some players will thrive no matter where they land, these college studs will benefit from being drafted by franchises that suit their talents better than any other team.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, Quarterback, Stanford

Luck has no choice. He's going to Indy.

2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, Quarterback, Baylor

RG3 is in the same boat, and it'll be interesting to see how well he and the Shanahans get along in D.C.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, Offensive Tackle, USC

Kalil will anchor the offensive line and protect Christian Ponder's blind side for years to come.

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, Running Back, Alabama

Richardson will thrive no matter where he ends up. He's a stud and is going to have a Pro Bowl season for the Browns in 2012.

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

Claiborne is one of the best players and safest picks in the entire draft. He will make the Buccaneers secondary into one of the league's best.

6. St. Louis Rams: Fletcher Cox, Defensive Tackle, Mississippi State

Cox is a disruptive, athletic tackle who loves to penetrate through offensive lines on running plays and passing plays alike. He is going to be fun to watch teamed up with Chris Long on their defensive line.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Stephon Gilmore, Cornerback, South Carolina

The Jaguars could go in a number of different directions, but Gilmore's combination of size, speed and flawless technique will be too much for them to resist.

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

If Tannehill is going to have success at the next level, there's no better landing spot than with the Dolphins. 

After all, Mike Sherman—the offensive coordinator for Miami—was Tannehill's old college coach and knows his game better than anyone in the league.

Additionally, Sherman's version of the West Coast offense suits Tannehill's game to perfection. He's accurate on short-to-mid-range throws and is capable of throwing on the run. While not the most accurate on his deep balls, Tannehill can make every throw.

9. Carolina Panthers: Justin Blackmon, Wide Receiver, Oklahoma State

Cam Newton needs more playmakers on offense, and Blackmon will be a nice complement to Steve Smith. Watch out for the Panthers this year, folks. They are going to be exciting to watch.

10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, Offensive Tackle, Iowa

The Bills need to provide Ryan Fitzpatrick with some better protection, or their huge investment in him will go to waste. Reiff fits the bill and will start on opening day on the right side.

11. Kansas City Chiefs: David DeCastro, Offensive Guard, Stanford

The Chiefs, having sewn up their need for a tackle when they signed Eric Winston, will now focus their attention on the inside and take the best lineman in the draft.

12. Seattle Seahawks: Luke Kuechly, Middle Linebacker, Boston College

The Seahawks need a middle linebacker. Kuechly is the best middle linebacker. Boom.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Michael Floyd, Wide Receiver, Notre Dame

Floyd is suited to play for the Cardinals. He won't have to be their No. 1 option, as Larry Fitzgerald currently holds that position on lockdown.

Per SI.com's Peter King, Fitzgerald reportedly wants to see the Cards make this move, too.

Floyd would give the Cardinals an even better one-two punch than when they had Anquan Boldin playing alongside Fitzgerald, as his size/speed are even better than Boldin's, and he's an excellent route-runner with soft hands. 

As a 49ers fan, I can tell you that this is the last thing I want to see. 

14. Dallas Cowboys: Mark Barron, Safety, Alabama

Barron is a rangy safety who can play the ball and is also adept at playing at the line of scrimmage against the run. He's extremely diverse and should fit in perfectly with the Cowboys' aggressive style of defense.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Brockers, Defensive Tackle, LSU

Brockers loves to disrupt the pocket on passing downs and is strong enough at the point of attack to significantly bolster the Eagles run defense. 

16. New York Jets: Melvin Ingram, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, South Carolina

The Jets want Ingram. There are rumors about possibly moving up to snag him. 

They won't need to do so in this mock, and he will give them a much-needed boost as a pass-rushing outside linebacker.

He is one of the most versatile players in this year's draft and, as such, is a perfect fit for Rex Ryan's crazy defensive schemes. 

Ingram will be an every-down player, manning the 3-4 outside linebacker position on most plays and handling defensive end duties in their nickel packages.

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, Cornerback, Alabama

Kirkpatrick fits the mold for Mike Zimmer's aggressive, physical style of defensive play-calling and will fit in perfectly.

18. San Diego Chargers: Cordy Glenn, Offensive Guard/Tackle, Georgia

The Chargers struggled to keep Philip Rivers upright last year, and will do well to make fixing this their first priority in 2012. 

19. Chicago Bears: Nick Perry, Defensive End, USC

The Bears need to get younger on their defensive line, and Perry will give them fresh legs off the bench to keep their pass-rush constant throughout the season.

20. Tennessee Titans: Whitney Mercilus, Defensive End, Illinois

The Titans need to improve upon dismal pass-rushing numbers from last year, and they'll take Mercilus in the hopes of changing those numbers in 2012.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Kendall Wright, Wide Receiver, Baylor

The Bengals will be loaded on offense with A.J. Green, Jermaine Gresham and Wright. Andy Dalton will have an excellent sophomore campaign as a result.

22. Cleveland Browns: Brandon Weeden, Quarterback, Oklahoma State

The Browns aren't sure enough about Tannehill to take him with the No. 4 overall pick, but they won't hesitate to take a flyer on Weeden at this point in the first round.

23. Detroit Lions: Andre Branch, Defensive End, Clemson

The Lions and Cliff Avril are not making progress on a new contract, making it a priority to draft a top pass-rusher as insurance. 

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dontari Poe, Defensive Tackle, Memphis

If ever there were a match made in heaven, this one fits the bill. 

Poe is a project, of that there is no doubt, but he is the perfect man to learn from Casey Hampton how to be a dominant nose tackle in the NFL.

Hampton is coming off of an ACL injury and, as it stands, the Steelers would have to rely on Ziggy Hood if they don't bring in another player who can play the nose. 

Poe's combination of raw strength, athleticism and speed make him the ideal prospect for the Steelers to develop to carry the tradition of dominant defense into the next generation.

25. Denver Broncos: Jerel Worthy, Defensive Tackle, Michigan State

The Broncos desperately need to fill the void they currently have at the defensive tackle position. Worthy is a solid prospect who'll help to fill the void and could become a dominant player if he applies himself.

26. Houston Texans: Courtney Upshaw, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, Alabama

The Texans need to look for their next dominant pass-rusher after letting Mario Williams go to the Bills. Upshaw may not be the best in coverage, but as a pure pass-rusher, he's one of the best in the draft.

27. New England Patriots: Dont'a Hightower, Middle Linebacker, Alabama

Hightower can play inside, outside or anywhere else Bill Belichick wants him to play. 

28. Green Bay Packers: Shea McClellin, Outside Linebacker, Boise State

The Packers need a pass-rusher to play opposite Clay Matthews, and McClellin will give them the diversity and speed they need on the outside to shore up their abysmal defense of a year ago.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Peter Konz, Center, Wisconsin

It's hard to find a mock draft where Konz doesn't land in Baltimore. It just makes too much sense.

30. San Francisco 49ers: Kevin Zeitler, Offensive Guard, Wisconsin

The 49ers don't have a single "need"—except at the right guard position. Zeitler will start on opening day and will thrive in their power-running scheme.

31. New England Patriots: Kendall Reyes, Defensive Tackle/End, Connecticut

The Patriots need to bolster their defensive front. Reyes can play on any down in any scheme for them as either a 3-4 defensive end or a 4-3 defensive tackle.

32. New York Giants: Coby Fleener, Tight End, Stanford

After losing Mario Manningham via free agency to the San Francisco 49ers, the Giants could use another threat in the passing game. Fleener can play both as a tight end and as a slot receiver, and gives Eli Manning a big target in the red zone.

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