2012 NFL Draft: Where Will Top Corner Morris Claiborne Land?

Easily the most talented cornerback available in the upcoming NFL draft, Morris Claiborne’s future is bright. He’s even heading to New York a few days early to participate in a GQ photo shoot on top of the excitement of the upcoming draft.

Expected to break into the NFL in as spectacular a fashion as former LSU teammate Patrick Peterson, Claiborne could be the jump start that a team with a flagging defense needs.

The recipient of the 2012 Jim Thorpe Award, Claiborne is widely assumed to be the draft’s top defensive pick.  

Given that the first and second picks are all but guaranteed to go to Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III with the Indianapolis Colts and the Washington Redskins respectively, that leaves a very narrow window of prospective landing spots for Claiborne to land.

Since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seem to be leaning towards selecting Claiborne with their No. 5 draft pick if he’s still available, it seems safe to say he will be selected somewhere in the top five.

Whether or not he is still available at that point all seems to depend on the order in which running back Trent Richardson and tackle Matt Kalil are selected in the draft. In the worst-case scenario if Ryan Tannehill disrupts the assumed pecking order, Claiborne might fall to the St. Louis Rams with the No. 6 pick.

So where are the most likely spots that he end up being selected in the draft?

Minnesota Vikings

Until this week, the Minnesota Vikings seemed like a lock to pick up tackle Matt Kalil with their No. 3 draft pick. That no longer seems to be such a sure thing.

There has been increasing buzz lately about the Vikings looking to trade down, select a wide receiver, or pick up Morris Claiborne with their No. 3 draft pick.

Looking to Claiborne makes sense when you look at the Minnesota roster; playing in the pass-happy NFC North division in a league that has become increasingly devoted to the passing game, the Vikings need a young defensive difference-maker who can be effective right away.

Morris Claiborne appears ready to be that player.

Of course, the Vikings have holes all over their roster with big needs on both offense and defense. They haven’t been able to patch things up nearly well enough in free agency to feel secure heading into the 2012 season, so it seems like a toss-up which way the Vikings will move when the time comes.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

There seems to be little reason for the Cleveland Browns to make a move for Morris Claiborne with their No. 4 draft pick. As talented as Claiborne is, the Browns have much greater positions of need than linebacker.

The Browns do, however, have the potential to impact what the Buccaneers do with their No. 5 pick. Previously it seemed like a lock that the Browns would pick up running back Trent Richardson, which would have paved the way for the Buccaneers to select Claiborne without much additional consideration.

Now, however, the Browns seem to be considering quarterback Ryan Tannehill, which would leave the Bucs with the opportunity to pick up some power on the ground by selecting the coveted Richardson.

Assuming that the Browns stick with their original plan, it seems inconceivable the Buccaneers will look further than Claiborne. It seems to be as close to a sure thing as you can expect in the uncertain waters of the NFL draft.

St. Louis Rams

In the unlikely event that upheaval in the higher picks allows Claiborne to fall past the Buccaneers, the St. Louis Rams seem to be willing to snap him up and prevent him from sliding even further.

With free agent cornerback Cortland Finnegan now signed for the 2012 season, the Rams are perhaps one good linebacker away from a top-tier defense.

If the Rams are fortunate enough for Claiborne to fall to the No. 6 pick, there is every indication they will take this opportunity to turn their defense into a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming season.