2012 NFL Draft Grades: Breaking Down the Top 5 Picks

The first two picks of the 2012 NFL draft went according to plan. After that, things got a little wild.

At the start of the day, the Minnesota Vikings were slated to pick third, the Cleveland Browns fourth, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fifth. That's not how things played out, as a series of trades shook up the top five. Every single mock draft generated in the months leading up to the draft was rendered obsolete.

Here's a look at how things unfolded, with grades for each of the first five picks.

Note: check out B/R's live draft blog for a complete recap rundown of picks.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Not exactly a shocker here. We'd known for a couple days that the Colts were going to pick Andrew Luck, and they didn't have a last-second change of heart.

Any other year, Robert Griffin III would have been a lock for the No. 1 overall pick. Some think he should have been the No. 1 pick this year instead of Luck.

I disagree. Luck has everything he needs to be an outstanding quarterback in the NFL. He's got the right size, he's got a strong and accurate arm, he's used to playing in a pro-style offense, and he knows how to read and adjust at the line of scrimmage. He's even an above-average athlete who can make plays with his legs.

Luck is the complete package. It's going to be a couple years before he leads the Colts to the playoffs, but he's going to do it sooner rather than later.

Grade: A

2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Luck is going to be a good quarterback right away, and he's going to be a steady presence under center for the Colts for years to come.

But long-term, Robert Griffin III has the higher ceiling between the two quarterbacks. He has the potential to completely redefine the quarterback position.

RG3 is an amazing athlete, but nobody should deny that he's also an amazing quarterback. He has a very strong, very accurate arm, and he stays poised in the pocket as well as any quarterback prospect in recent memory. 

Griffin is a sight for sore eyes in Washington. The Redskins needed a franchise quarterback, and now they have one. They gave up a lot to get him, but it's something they had to do.

Grade: A

3. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

The Browns probably could have drafted Trent Richardson at No. 4, but they made a trade with the Vikings to move up to No. 3 so they could get him.

Richardson is the one player the Browns absolutely had to pick. Running back was the team's most pressing need, and they've taken care of it by drafting the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson. 

Richardson can do it all. He's a power back who also has speed and lateral agility. He doesn't get nearly enough credit for his pass-blocking skills, and he's emerging as a receiver.

My only issue with this pick is how much the Browns gave up to make sure it happened. They gave the Vikings a lot, and they did it just so they could move up one spot. 

Grade: B+

4. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

The Vikings never committed to taking Matt Kalil at any point in the months leading up to the draft, but everybody knew they were going to take him.

The Vikings needed a left tackle. In Kalil, they're getting the draft's best left tackle. It will be his job to watch Christian Ponder's blindside, and that's something he can most definitely do. Matt Barkley will vouch.

The Vikings could have gotten Kalil at No. 3, so you have to give them props for getting a package of picks to move down just one spot, and then getting their man.

Minnesota basically got away with highway robbery.

Grade: A+

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

The Buccaneers were supposed to be picking at No. 5, but the Jaguars called them up and worked out a deal that allowed them to move up a couple spots from No. 7.

According to ESPN.com, the Jags gave up the No. 7 and No. 101 pick (fourth round) to get the No. 5 pick, which isn't much in the grand scheme of things. In return, they got the draft's best wide receiver.

Justin Blackmon is not Calvin Johnson, but he represents an upgrade over every wide receiver the Jags used in 2011. He's going to get open for Blaine Gabbert, and that can only help Gabbert's development.

The Jags deserve credit for this one. They got a player they needed, and they didn't give up too much to get him.

Grade: A