2012 NFL Draft: Comparing Consensus 1st-Round Picks in Expert Mocks

Everyone has a different prediction for the 2012 NFL Draft.

Whether you believe Morris Claiborne will be selected by the Minnesota Vikings like ESPN's Todd McShay or you believe Michael Floyd will drop down to the 17th pick like Rob Rang from CBSSports.com, it can be difficult to find selections that mostly everyone agrees with.

However, there are a few familiar picks on just about every mock draft out there.

With the hours steadily counting down before the Indianapolis Colts select Andrew Luck, here's the consensus picks from the experts around the web.

1. Indianapolis Colts, Andrew Luck, Stanford

If a mock draft doesn't have Andrew Luck going to the Indianapolis Colts, it has absolutely no credibility.

With ESPN's Adam Schefter already reporting that the Colts have informed Luck that he's the No. 1 pick, this pick is a slam dunk.

The Colts were willing to get rid of one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time in Peyton Manning for Luck, and if you have paid attention at all in the past couple of months, it was easy to see that the Colts were going to select Luck.

Because of this, just about every NFL mock draft had Luck going to the Colts. I can't say every because Greg Cosell on NFL.com has Robert Griffin III going above Luck.

2. Washington Redskins, Robert Griffin III, Baylor

Much like Luck, just about everyone agrees that RGIII will be the second pick in the draft.

After all, the Washington Redskins gave up an awful lot to get that pick, and I don't think they would have given the St. Louis Rams three first-round picks and a second-round pick if they weren't planning on getting a franchise quarterback.

Then again, the Atlanta Falcons traded five draft picks just to get a wide receiver last year.

With that said, nobody is naive enough to believe that the Redskins traded up for anything other than RGIII, and that's exactly who they will be drafting in the 2012 NFL draft.

3. Minnesota Vikings, Matt Kalil, USC

ESPN's Todd McShay is the odd man out here, but the rest of the experts agree that the Minnesota Vikings will select Matt Kalil with their third overall pick.

Talks have been heating up about possible trades and the Vikings potentially taking Morris Claiborne with the pick, but the overall consensus feels that Kalil will be the third-round selection.

Kalil is believed to be the best offensive tackle prospect since Jake Long, and he would certainly fill a need for the Vikings on the line. Kalil is a guy who can come in right away and contribute to the team, so it makes perfect sense.

The Vikings could very well be trying to use the Claiborne tactic as trade bait to trade down, and though McShay fell for it, the majority of the experts haven't.

4. Cleveland Browns, Trent Richardson, Alabama

Trent Richardson is believed to be the only running back selected in the first round, and it's widely believed that he will be playing for the Cleveland Browns next season.

With the No. 4 pick in the draft, the Browns have the ability to take Ryan Tannehill, but since they lost Peyton Hillis to the Kansas City Chiefs, picking Richardson is the way to go.

Richardson is the type of freakish athlete that doesn't come around too often. In fact, I don't think there's been a better running back prospect since Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson entered the draft in 2007.

Pretty much everybody is in agreement that the Browns will select Richardson, so this is another pick you can take to the bank.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Morris Claiborne, LSU

When all the chatter comes to a halt and the Vikings select Kalil and Browns select Richardson, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will end up taking Claiborne, or so the experts believe.

This is the best case scenario for the Bucs, and should there be no trades with Minnesota, Claiborne should fall right into their lap with the fifth pick in the draft.

The Bucs need help at corner, and with Claiborne hailing from LSU, otherwise known as Defensive Back University, he should provide them with what they are looking for.

Claiborne is a big, physical cornerback who has the athleticism and speed to make big plays in the secondary.

No surprises, no trades—Claiborne is going to be a Buccaneer.

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

I'm happy to say that the buzz surrounding Ryan Tannehill has calmed down. 

A few weeks ago, chatter grew about Tannehill possibly being the third pick in the draft. Now that the excitement has turned down a notch, most believe Tannehill is shoo-in for the No. 8 pick in the draft.

For the entire offseason, the Miami Dolphins have done everything they can to get themselves a talented quarterback, and that's what they think they're getting in Tannehill.

Whether he turns out to be a bust or turns out to be exactly what the Dolphins are looking for, Miami is willing to roll the dice with this young quarterback.

14. Dallas Cowboys, Mark Barron, Alabama

Mark Barron is as good as a Dallas Cowboy, and if he's not then most mock drafts have a hole in them.

The Cowboys need to upgrade their secondary, and the fact that Barron played in complicated defensive schemes under Nick Saban should allow him to learn their schemes quickly.

NFL scouts have raved about Barron's athletic ability and physical prowess.

With mock draft experts like ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., SI.com's Peter King and FOXSports.com's Taylor Jones and Peter Schrager all in agreement about Barron going to the Cowboys, it's basically a guaranteed pick.

15. Philadelphia Eagles, Michael Brockers, LSU

This pick is a lot more diversified than the rest of the picks on this list, but it's surprising to see how many people have Michael Brockers going to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Two of CBSSports.com's mock drafts have Brockers being selected, as well as that of SB Nation's Ryan Van Bibber.

The big guns like Kiper and King are sticking with the Denver Broncos taking Brockers with the 25th pick, but Brockers flew up on many mock drafts to the Eagles.

The Eagles are looking for an athletic defensive tackle in the draft, and there might not be a more athletic defensive tackle than Brockers, with the exception of Fletcher Cox.

Should Cox be off the board, Brockers landing with the Eagles is a strong possibility.

22. Cleveland Browns, Kendall Wright, Baylor

Why you would pass up on Rueben Randle and Stephen Hill to pick Kendall Wright is beyond me, but the mock drafts are mostly in agreement with Wright.

If you couldn't tell by now, the Browns are looking to add playmakers to their offense, and though they would be getting a potential playmaker in Wright, they could be getting so much more. 

Wright is quick, but is he as quick as we perceive him to be? After all, this is the same guy who ran an unofficial time of 4.6 in the 40-yard dash. Add in the fact that he played in the Big 12, where little to no defense is played, and there's reason for doubt.

Whether I believe Hill and Randle are better or not, the mock drafts around the web have spoken, and they're calling for Wright in Cleveland.

29. Baltimore Ravens, Peter Konz, Wisconsin

With Ben Grubbs skipping town to play with the New Orleans Saints, the Baltimore Ravens are looking for a player to fill the void he left in the offensive line.

This has many experts believing that the Ravens will select an interior offensive lineman. Keeping in mind that their center Matt Birk is about to be 36 years old, and the player that most experts are in agreement on is center Peter Konz from Wisconsin.

Wisconsin knows how to breed offensive linemen, and Konz is an NFL-ready center. He knows how to use his 6'6", 315-pound frame to his advantage, and he doesn't have many holes in his game.

Baltimore's top need is on the offensive line, and with Konz basically guaranteed to be on the board by the 29th pick in the draft, it would make for a convenient pickup.