2013 NFL Mock Draft: College Stars Who'll Slide to Playoff Teams

It's never too early to look to the future, and as such I'm going to tackle the 2013 NFL draft. The focus of this mock draft will be to project which college stars will take a slide down draft boards and end up in the laps of playoff teams.

The rich tend to get richer, and the NFL draft is a perfect example of this. Every year, playoff teams at the bottom of the first round end up landing some of the best players.

Which 2012 college stars will end up taking a tumble in next year's draft?

1. Cleveland Browns: Matt Barkley, QB, USC

The Colts will let Colt McCoy give it one more try this year, but he just doesn't have an NFL arm. Barkley would have be a top 10 pick in the 2012 draft, but his decision to stay in school will garner him the No. 1 overall pick.

2. Oakland Raiders: Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee

The Raiders will not win many games with an aging Carson Palmer. They will need to start over from scratch, and Bray is the man for the job.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Robert Woods, WR, USC

After failing to address their need for an elite wide receiver in 2012, the Vikings will finally go out and get one. Woods is a burner with excellent hands and will complement Percy Harvin's game. 

4. St. Louis Rams: D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama

Another failed season for the Rams will highlight their need to bring in better protection for Sam Bradford. Fluker is a stud on the outside and will solidify their offensive line, allowing Bradford to breathe in the pocket for the first time in two years.

5. Indianapolis Colts: Sam Montomery, DT, LSU

After building their offense up a bit in 2012, the Colts need to turn their focus to the defensive line. Montgomery is a terror for opposing offensive lines, and his presence in the middle will allow the Colts' pass-rushers more leeway in their attack.

6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: T.J. McDonald, S, USC

The Bucs need a playmaking safety to lead their secondary. McDonald's skills will make them into one of the most feared units in the NFL.

7. Miami Dolphins: Russell Sheppard, WR, LSU

After losing Brandon Marshall and taking Ryan Tannehill in 2012, the Dolphins need to bring in a playmaking wide receiver that can stretch the field. 

8. Arizona Cardinals: Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

The Kevin Kolb experiment has failed. Ken Whisenhunt desperately needs a quarterback that is intelligent, is a leader and who can get the ball downfield to Larry Fitzgerald.

9. Buffalo Bills: Knile Davis, RB, Arkansas

The Bills will need to get a true bell cow to tote the rock. Davis is a skilled runner with good burst who can also be a big factor in the passing game.

10. Kansas City Chiefs: Alex Okafor, OLB, Texas

The Chiefs will look to add a skilled pass-rusher to their defense. Okafor is a defensive end at college who projects well as a 3-4 outside linebacker and who will have a major impact in his rookie year.

11. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jonathon Hankins, DT, Ohio State

The Jaguars will still need to address their need for a run-stuffing defensive tackle next year. Hankins will fit in nicely besides Tyson Alualu and stiffen up their run defense.

12. Washington Redskins: Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia

The Redskins will add to their already-terrifying defense by taking one of the best pure pass-rushers in the 2013 draft class.

13. Seattle Seahawks: Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina

The Seahawks need to look for Marshawn Lynch's replacement, and Lattimore will be the perfect back to come in and take over where "Beast Mode" has left off when he's finished playing.

14. New York Jets: Manti Te'o, MLB, Notre Dame

The Jets will need to find a new leader for their defense. Te'o is as rough and tumble a player as you're going to find, and he's exactly the kind of guy Rex Ryan will fall in love with.

15. Carolina Panthers: Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU

The Panthers will be looking to upgrade their pass rush here in the middle of the first round. Mingo could go much higher than this, but his inconsistent play will likely drop him into the middle where the Panthers will happily snatch him up.

16. New Orleans Saints: Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU

The Saints are in for a rough year. They will need to upgrade their aging secondary, and after missing out on the first two rounds of the 2012 draft will jump at the opportunity to draft the "Honey Badger."

17. San Diego Chargers: Keenan Allen, WR, California

After losing Vincent Jackson via free agency in 2012, the Chargers will be looking to retool their wide receiving corps while Philip Rivers is still in his prime.

18. Chicago Bears: David Amerson, CB, N.C. State

The Bears will look to improve upon a mediocre secondary after missing the playoffs yet again in the tough NFC North. Amerson is an underrated player that should start from day one.

19. Dallas Cowboys: Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State

The Cowboys, having missed the playoffs for two straight years due to their inability to stop opponents from scoring through the air, will take Rhodes to upgrade their secondary.

20. New York Giants: Jelani Jenkins, OLB, Florida

The Giants will address their defense here. They need to get younger and faster at the outside linebacker position in order to stop teams from running down their throats. 

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Montee Ball, Running Back, Wisconsin

Ball is an underrated running back, despite his amazing statistical dominance of the college ranks. 

The Bengals will be thrilled to land him here at the bottom of the first round to pair with BenJarvus Green-Ellis. 

It won't be long before Ball becomes their full-time starter, though, and his ability to sneak through even the tiniest cracks in defenses will be a welcome addition to the burgeoning Bengals offense.

22. Atlanta Falcons: Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M

The Falcons will look to get younger on their offensive line, with Will Svitek entering into the twilight of his career. Matthews is a smart pick for the future of their franchise.

23. Tennessee Titans: Marquess Wilson, WR, Washington State

The Titans will look to add another weapon on offense for Jake Locker. Wilson is a talented player who will thrive with Locker's rocket for an arm getting him the ball deep downfield.

24. Houston Texans: Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas

The Texans will shock everyone by taking Wilson here, but Matt Schaub continues to be injury-prone and they need to find his replacement—T.J. Yates notwithstanding.

Wilson could have come out and declared for the 2012 NFL draft, but he smartly stayed in school to gain some valuable experience that will prepare him for the next level of competition.

Wilson has a strong arm, is smart and athletic and projects well as a starter in the NFL. He is an absolute steal at this point in the draft, and the Texans continue their tradition of strong drafting in the first round.

25. Philadelphia Eagles: Chris Faulk, OT, LSU

The Eagles will make good strides in the right direction in 2012, but they will ultimately fall short of their goals. They need to find a better right tackle to protect Michael Vick's blind side, and Faulk fits the bill.

26. Baltimore Ravens: DeMarcus Milliner, CB, Alabama

The Ravens will upgrade their secondary with this pick, though they could also look to improve their offensive line.

27. Detroit Lions: Barrett Jones, C, Georgia 

Matthew Stafford and the offense continue to evolve in the right direction, and the Lions would be smart to add another solid piece to their offensive line to continue the growth.

28. Pittsburgh Steelers: Star Lotulelei, NT, Utah 

It's time to find some new blood for the Steelers defensive line, and Lotulelei will be an able replacement for an aging Casey Hampton.

29. Green Bay Packers: Tyler Eifert, Tight End, Notre Dame

The Packer continue loading up their offense and land one of the best offensive playmakers in the draft.

Eifert had a stellar year for Notre Dame in 2011, racking up 63 receptions for 803 yards and five touchdowns as a red-shirt sophomore. 

He is sure to build upon those impressive numbers in his junior season, and his addition to the offense of the Packers makes them even scarier for opposing defenses.

30. New England Patriots: Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida

The Patriots will need to continue their youth movement on defense. Floyd is a divers player that can play all over the line for them, and he is the perfect player to fit into their multiple-scheme defense.

31. Denver Broncos: C.J. Mosley, MLB, Alabama

The Broncos almost won it all in Peyton Manning's first year at the helm, but in the end they weren't strong enough in the middle of their defense. Drafting Mosley will fix that issue, and they'll be back at it again in 2013.

32. San Francisco 49ers: Khaled Holmes, C, USC

The 49ers have no weak link on their roster. That being said, they need to account for an aging Jonathan Goodwin at the center position. Holmes will be ready to start immediately if needed, but Goodwin will still be ready for at least one more year.

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