Toronto Raptors Draft 2012: Updated Raptors Mock Draft

Since the Kentucky underclassmen walked home with the 2012 NCAA championship, much has changed on the landscape of the 2012 NBA draft. Potential lottery picks have decided to stay in school, depth has been lost at favorable positions and the entire strategy that each team had previously deployed has been altered.

At the heart of these changes is the up-and-down draft position of the Toronto Raptors. With needs seemingly throughout their backcourt and perimeter, the Raptors are all but set for playoff contention. Fortunately for Bryan Colangelo and the Raptors organization, I've broken down the draft in a way that's truly foolproof.

Take a look and see why.

First Round, Pick 6: Harrison Barnes, North Carolina Tar Heels

Player Traits: Small Forward—Sophomore—6'8"—210 pounds—6'11" wingspan

You can look at a small sample of games or you can look at the entire body of a career. In other words, you can look at the 2012 NCAA tournament or you can look at a two-year tenure at North Carolina. If you choose the latter, you know there's no rational reason for Barnes to go this low in the draft.

Yet he will.

Barnes is as well-rounded as any player in this entire draft class. He's tall, well-built, long and very smooth with his movements on the court. He's also an excellent defender, has a beautiful mid-range jump shot and is considered to be one of the most intelligent players in the nation.

Most important of all is the fact that he has received rave reviews about his character. This is exactly what the Toronto Raptors need to bring positivity and balance to their team. 

Note: Jose Calderon would make Barnes' inability to create off the dribble a little easier to deal with.

Season Averages: 22.70 PER — 17.1 PPG — 5.2 RPG — 1.1 APG — 1.1 SPG

Second Round, Pick 36: Scott Machado, Iona Gaels

Player Traits: Point Guard—Senior—6'1"—180 pounds

With the Raptors' second pick, it's important for Toronto to bring in a point guard who can add some depth behind the aging Jose Calderon and injury-prone Jerryd Bayless. It's also important that the Raptors bring in an all-around player who can offer them a fair mix of points and assists—something Calderon and Bayless fail to combine.

In drafting Iona's Scott Machado, the Raptors would land arguably the nation's best facilitator. They'd also bring in one of the nation's most efficient players, who thrives in both the half and open court.

To truly gauge the quality of Machado as a player, it's important to track his progress. For instance, Machado had shot below 41 percent from the floor and 34 percent from distance in all three of his years at Iona. Upon finishing his senior year, however, Machado posted a shooting line of .495/.811/.404.

Paired with his best-in-the-nation 9.9 assists per game, Machado could be the most well-rounded point guard prospect in this draft class.

If only he weren't undersized. After all, that's held Chris Paul back for so long...

Season Averages: 23.48 PER—13.6 PPG—9.9 APG—4.9 RPG—1.6 SPG

Second Round, Pick 56 (via Pacers): Kim English, Missouri Tigers

Player Traits: Shooting Guard—Senior—6'6"—200 pounds—6'7" wingspan

This is not an indictment of DeMar DeRozan, but instead an acknowledgement of the fact that the Raptors are in desperate need of a scorer. Their rank of 28th in the league with just 90.6 points per game is evidence of such.

Enter Kim English, a born leader with unlimited range.

English has made drastic improvements from a year ago, raising his shooting percentages across the board. After going just .366/.726/.366 in 2011, he went .521/.725/.459 in 2012. This is exactly what the Raptors need, as they lack any form of a reliable three-point shooter aside from Andrea Bargnani.

With English on board, the Raptors would have made their third high-character pick of this draft. He's been said to have a coach's mentality, as well as the talent to stretch the floor. Exactly what the Raptors need.

Season Averages: 21.33 PER—14.5 PPG—46% 3PT—4.2 RPG—1.6 APG—1.3 SPG