Grading the First 10 Picks of the 2012 NFL Draft

The first round of the 2012 NFL Draft is still in progress, but we have already witnessed the first 10 selections of the night. The green room is starting to get a little bare as college football's most talented players have heard their names and received an introduction to the league by commissioner Roger Goodell.

Read on to see which players have made it to the big time, as well as a grade on how well the player fits in with his team and his draft spot.

Let us start with the No. 1 overall pick!

1. The Indianapolis Colts Select... Andrew Luck, QB Stanford

This pick has been a certainty for months, and it is the official start of a new era in Indianapolis. Andrew Luck is the best quarterback prospect in this draft, and is arguably the best in years. He possesses nearly every positive quality that a quarterback could have, and he will fill in just fine for Peyton Manning once the Colts team rebuild is complete.

Granted, it is going to take time because of the state of the Colts' roster. There is a general lack of talent across the board, so the Colts will need to make smart moves in order to set up Andrew Luck for success.

Either way, this is the start of a new era in Indianapolis and what a great way to start out! Congratulations to all Colts fans, as this guy is going to be an absolute stud and a franchise favorite for years

Grade: A+

2. The Washington Redskins Select... Robert Griffin III, QB Baylor

Just like the Luck pick for Indy, this pick has been a given ever since Washington moved up by swapping picks with the St. Louis Rams. The Redskins have gone entire decades without having a superstar quarterback leading their franchise. 

They change their fortunes instantly with the selection of Robert Griffin III. He won the Heisman trophy this past season and put up some absolutely incredible numbers for Baylor. "RG3" will enter the league as one of the best all-around athletes at the quarterback position, but it is his elite passing and high character that should turn Griffin III into a star.

Grade: A+

3. The Cleveland Browns Select... Trent Richardson, RB Alabama

Cleveland was more than likely going to take Trent Richardson with the fourth pick of the draft, but they decided to move up to the third overall pick by swapping selections with the Minnesota Vikings to ensure that they get their running back of the future.

Granted, they did give up a fouth, fifth and seventh round pick to simply move up one spot, but Cleveland had 13 picks in the draft and could afford to give up a few selections to ensure that they landed their favorite player.

Trent Richardson is arguably the best running back prospect to come out in the draft since former Oklahoma star Adrian Peterson in the 2007 draft. He was a stud for the Alabama Crimson Tide and should become a Pro Bowl-caliber running back during his career.

Richardson is a near-perfect selection for the Cleveland Browns. They lost starting running back Peyton Hillis in free agency, and they have very few, if any, playmakers on offense. Therefore, Richardson will provide a huge boost to their running game and should also take a lot of pressure off of quarterback Colt McCoy.

Grade: A

4. The Minnesota Vikings Select... Matt Kalil, OT USC

The Minnesota Vikings traded back one slot and still got an excellent prospect in Matt Kalil. He is the best offensive tackle in the draft, and his athleticism and skill set will allow him to excel in the NFL. 

The Vikings had their choice between Kalil and LSU CB Morris Claiborne. Although I think Kalil will be a good pro, I actually would have preferred the Vikings taking Claiborne. They play in a division that features Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Jay Cutler at quarterback. Those players are throwing it to such stars as Greg Jennings, Calvin Johnson and Brandon Marshall.

Minnesota badly needs to revamp their secondary, and I feel that taking Claiborne would have benefited them more. However, Kalil is still a great pick and should protect quarterback Christian Ponder for years to come.

Grade: B+

5. The Jacksonville Jaguars Select... Justin Blackmon, WR Oklahoma State

The Jacksonville Jaguars made a great trade and moved up two spots in the draft to select star wide receiver Justin Blackmon. He was a two-time Belitnikoff award winner in college, and he is taking his skills to a Jaguars offense that desperately needs playmakers.

Well, they certainly got that in Blackmon. He is a Pro Bowler in the making and should be an instant star wide receiver. However, this pick is even better for Jacksonville because of the need that is filled. They have not had a star wide receiver since Jimmy Smith retired years ago. Therefore, it was time to make a big-time selection at that position.

Blackmon was also brought in to aid quarterback Blaine Gabbert in his development as a starter in the NFL. The Jaguars offense struggled last season, but they now gain balance as they spark their passing offense with Blackmon and pair him with the strong running game featuring Maurice Jones-Drew. 

Great pick by the Jags. This might be my favorite pick for a team so far.

Grade: A+

6. The Dallas Cowboys Select... Morris Claiborne, CB LSU

What a huge move for the Cowboys! After suffering with their secondary play for the past few seasons, they make the boldest move of the draft so far and move up eight spots to select star cornerback Morris Claiborne. 

This is a slam dunk selection for Dallas. They have sorely lacked stellar play in the secondary for a long time, and they play in a division that has strong quarterback play at every team. Therefore, adding Claiborne was a must for the Cowboys and they delivered.

Although they give up a second round draft pick, it was worth it to move up and take the LSU star. He is the best cover corner in the draft and was an absolute ballhawk in college. He will be a star in the NFL and should quickly establish himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the league.

Just like the previous pick with Jacksonville, I love this pick for Dallas. 

Grade: A+

7. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Select... Mark Barron, S Alabama

The Buccaneers moved down a few spots to pick up some extra picks, and they still got their guy in Mark Barron. He is an excellent safety and anchored the nation's best defense last season for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

He is going to bring a toughness and an ability to stop the long run that the Bucs missed last season. Their defense struggled mightily against the big play, so they are now trying to move their focus back on the defensive side of the ball.

Barron saw his stock rise steadily throughout the draft process, and he will become a top safety in the league from day one. The only drawback is that Tampa Bay probably could have traded back a few more spots and still taken him, but that is only a minor point. Overall, this is a very good selection by the Buccaneers.

Grade: A-

8. The Miami Dolphins Select.. Ryan Tannehill, QB Texas A&M

Finally! The Miami Dolphins select a quarterback in the first round! This hasn't happened in what, 30 years?!

Granted, Tannehill is not an elite prospect and was only chosen this high because there are not many other great quarterback prospects in this draft. He had a good, but not excellent, season for the Aggies and actually played wide receiver for the first half of his career, before changing positions to quarterback.

However, Tannehill has the physical size and passing skills that you look for in a big-time quarterback prospect, and he has the potential to become a very good quarterback in this league. Good pick by Miami, who finally makes a big move at the game's most important position.

Grade: B

9. The Carolina Panthers Select... Luke Kuechly, ILB Boston College

Last year, the Carolina Panthers focused on offense in the NFL Draft and led it off by taking quarterback Cam Newton with the No. 1 overall pick. He lit up the NFL and has put the Panthers offense in good hands for years to come.

Now Carolina shifts its focus to defense and selects one of the greatest linebackers in college football history in Luke Kuechly. He finished his college career as one of the all-time leaders in tackles, and he should form an incredible linebacker duo with stud linebacker Jon Beason.

The Panthers are making great selections to return their franchise to prominence, and Kuechly will anchor the defense for years and should become a perennial Pro Bowler.

Grade: A+

10. The Buffalo Bills Select... Stephon Gilmore, CB South Carolina

The Buffalo Bills were hoping that Luke Kuechly would fall to them, but they still address their defensive deficiencies by selecting Stephon Gilmore. The star cornerback out of South Carolina has rapidly moved up the draft board in the past two weeks, as he solidified his reputation as the second-best corner behind LSU's Morris Claiborne.

He joins a Buffalo secondary that is devoid of talent and size. Gilmore is a taller-than-average cornerback who also runs with 4.4 speed. This was a good pick by the Buffalo Bills as they continue to focus on bolstering their defense. My only criticism is that I feel Gilmore has risen a little too high up the draft board, and there was better value at this point in the draft. 

Grade: A-

What Do You Think of the Top 10 Picks?

Sound off in the comments section about your team's picks! Who went too high, or which available prospect did your team pass up in the top 10? Also talk about the crazy trades! Who do you think will be the best prospect out of Luck & Griffin? Let us know your thoughts!