2012 NFL Draft Predictions: Teams That Will Make Smart Moves and Trade Down

The NFL draft is one of the most unpredictable events in all of sports. The 2012 NFL draft figures to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory as speculation runs rampant that many teams are more than willing to trade back from their pick early in the draft.

Trading back has become widely recognized as a shrewd move for teams looking to get the most out of the draft. By trading back a few spots in the draft teams are able to stockpile more picks and oftentimes can still find a guy they want with their next pick.

The New England Patriots are famous for using this tactic in building the team that has been a perennial contender for the better part of the last decade.

Here's a rundown of some teams that will most likely make the smart move and trade down in the 2012 NFL draft.

Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings hold the No. 3 pick in the draft and have been mocked to take left tackle Matt Kalil by most draft pundits for months now.

As the draft approaches Vikings GM Rick Spielman says that "trade talks have heated up" in regards to the third pick of the draft. Whether that's just wishful thinking on the Vikings' part remains to be seen, but the team would certainly benefit from trading down a few spots.

The need for Matt Kalil is undeniable. A promising left tackle prospect who could anchor their offensive line for years to come and open up holes for Adrian Peterson is a great fit for the Vikings. Yet, they could likely find him later on, as the majority of the teams behind the Vikings don't have a need at the left tackle position.

By trading down, the Vikings could add an additional third- or fourth-round draft and still end up getting Kalil if they can find a trade partner in the top ten.

The key to completing a trade is what the market for running back Trent Richardson and corner back Morris Claiborne is. If any teams are interested in acquiring either of those players they almost certainly have to find a way to get ahead of the Cleveland Browns and/or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at four and five respectively.

If any team is sold on Claiborne or Richardson enough to offer the Vikings a trade, they will be one of the teams that will make the smart move and trade down.

Jacksonville Jaguars

When a team drafts based on need, they run the risk of reaching for a player before they should.

The Jaguars would love to add a cornerback with their first selection. The problem is the draft's top cornerback Morris Claiborne will be gone by the time the Jaguars are on the clock with the seventh selection.

Cornerbacks Dre' Kirkpatrick and Stephon Gilmore are good prospects that could step in and start right away for the Jaguars. However, they could also be had with a later pick. Neither of them grade out to be a top ten pick.

The obvious solution is for the Jaguars to trade back to a spot where they could still wind up with Kirkpatrick or Gilmore while adding another pick in the later rounds.

Fortunately, the Jaguars find themselves one spot ahead of the Miami Dolphins—who are speculatively targeting Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill. League-wide interest in the quarterback is hard to gauge, but goofy things happen on draft night when it comes to quarterback.

If any teams outside of Miami are interested in taking Tannehill as their quarterback they must trade up ahead of Miami to secure him. Given the Jaguars' cornerback conundrum, they should be willing to jump on offers to trade down if they get the right offer.

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills find themselves in an awkward spot at No. 10. Their most clear need is offensive tackle and while there should only be one tackle off the board, the rest of the tackles in the 2012 draft class have seen their stock slip.

Riley Reiff makes some sense as the team's choice, but if the Bills are able to find a trade partner he or another tackle could be found later in the first round, and the Bills could use the extra pick to add more depth along the defensive front.

The 10th selection provides a good spot for teams looking to add a pass-rusher as most of the draft's elite pass-rushers such as Melvin Ingram, Courtney Upshaw and Quinton Coples should still be on the board.

Pass-rushing is at a premium in the NFL today so having the first choice of those pass-rushers is an enticing options for teams looking to add an impact player right away. The Bills don't need to add a pass-rusher as the team spent big money on free agent defensive end Mario Williams.

The Bills would be wise to trade down a few spots and take an offensive lineman a few spots lower rather than reaching on a player for the sake of filling a need.

New England Patriots

Of course the Patriots are one of the teams likely to trade down—they practically invented the move.

The Patriots are one of only three teams (Browns, Bengals) with two first-round picks, and that isn't by mistake. Bill Belichick and Co. are known for their draft day maneuvering to the point that the "Patriot way" has become a cliche for the strategy of trading back and stockpiling picks.

Owning picks 27 and 31, it's easy to see them moving at least one of these picks. Should the Patriots really fall in love with a blue-chip talent in this year's draft, they could even package one of these to attempt to move up.

The more likely move is that they will trade out of the first round and secure another first-rounder in next year's draft in the process.

For the Patriots the decision is easy. They will contend next year regardless of who they draft. This is a team that can afford to be patient in developing later round selections.

Team's trading back into the first round after already using their first-round selection for the first year are usually expected to give up their first-round pick in the following year's draft.

With quarterback Brandon Weeden's stock rising, the Patriots' 27th and 31st selections become very viable options for teams that want to trade back into the first round to take the quarterback from Oklahoma State.

If a team comes calling, the Patriots won't hesitate to pull the trigger on a deal—it's what they do.