2012 NFL Mock Draft: Complete Guide to Third Round

With all of the elite players off the board, teams will spend the rest of the 2012 NFL draft building the foundation for what will hopefully result in multiple championships over the next 10 years. 

The third round is the area where you start to see teams build the depth of their rosters up. Plus, we have seen many star players like Justin Tuck (2005), Frank Gore (2005) and Jason Witten (2003) have great success as third-round players. 

Here is a look at the third round of the draft as it stands right now, with all the information you need to get ready for two rounds of action on Friday night. 

No. 1 (63) Indianapolis Colts: Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State

After getting the quarterback of the future, the Colts have to start repairing the middle of their defensive line. Worthy is a second-round talent, but needs and less-than-ideal size will push him to the top of the third round. 

No. 2 (64)St. Louis Rams: Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

At some point the Rams have to address their receiving corps. Sanu is not an explosive athlete, but he has probably the best set of hands in this draft and can get separation against quality defenders. 

No. 3 (65) Minnesota Vikings: Dwight Bentley, CB, Louisiana-Lafayette

The aging Vikings secondary will get a nice boost with the underrated Bentley. He does not have star potential and is a bit undersized, but he is an aggressive player who will go right after bigger receivers. 

No. 4 (66) Cleveland Browns: Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska

A tremendous value pick at this spot, Crick has the skills, athleticism and polish to be a first-round pick. He is versatile, with the ability to play end or tackle in a 4-3 scheme. 

The biggest problem with Crick is the injury he suffered last season with Nebraska. If he had stayed on the field the whole year, he would have gone in the back half of the first round. 

The Browns have a deep secondary already, but their defensive line is a source of problems. They need someone who can come in and stop the run and go after the quarterback. 

No. 5 (67) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mike Martin, DT, Michigan

Martin's college career is going to help him out. He is a small defensive tackle, but he is a tremendous athlete with great footwork and the ability to move bigger offensive linemen out of the way. 

No. 6 (68) Washington Redskins: Mychal Kendricks, LB, California

Kendricks will give the Redskins another outstanding tackler who can learn from London Fletcher for a year. 

No. 7 (69) Jacksonville Jaguars: Terrell Manning, LB, NC State

With the Jaguars focusing on offense early, their defense could use more athleticism, particularly at the linebacker position. 

No. 8 (70) Buffalo Bills: Brandon Mosley, OT, Auburn

I see the Bills going after another defender with the 41st pick, and then they have to start working on their offensive line. Mosley is a project, having played the offensive line full-time for just two years. 

No. 9 (71) Miami Dolphins: Jeff Allen, OT, Illinois

Allen's technique could make him a career backup, because he doesn't go out and get defenders. if he can start to use his arms more, he could be a quality NFL player. 

No. 10 (72) Miami Dolphins: Michael Egnew, TE, Missouri

New quarterback Ryan Tannehill is going to need someone to throw to and Egnew will be the best tight end available. 

No. 11 (73) Kansas City Chiefs:  Trumaine Johnson, Montana, CB

Johnson is a versatile defensive back, with the ability to play against a slot receiver or play all the way back at safety to get a whole look at the field. 

No. 12 (74) Seattle Seahawks: George Iloka, S, Boise State

Pete Carroll is a wild card in the NFL draft. Iloka may not be a great coverage safety, but he can hit. 

No. 13 (75) Houston Texans: Ladarius Green, TE, Louisiana-Lafayette

Green is a bit light to be an NFL tight end, but he could move to the slot in the right offense. The Texans need weapons to put alongside of Andre Johnson. 

No. 14 (76) New York Jets: Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma

A potential steal if he comes back healthy, Broyles is a bit small for the NFL, but he has great hands and a knack for finding the ball wherever it gets thrown. 

No. 15 (77) San Diego Chargers: Zebrie Sanders, T, Florida State

With their first-round pick, the Chargers basically got their pick of players to fill their two biggest needs (pass-rushing defensive end or offensive lineman). They went with the former and will fill the latter in the third round with Sanders. 

The Chargers need to get more athletic and younger on the line. Sanders has played multiple positions throughout his college career. 

No. 16 (78) Chicago Bears: Jonathan Massaquoi, LB, Troy

Despite the addition of Shea McClellin in the first round, I see the Bears doing all they can to upgrade the depth of their pass-rushing in this draft. Massaquoi is not a great tackler, but he has great speed and gets after the quarterback.

No. 17 (79) Arizona Cardinals: James Brown, G, Troy

Brown is a project who needs to work on his balance up front and the way he attacks defenders, but he has raw tools that make him a great value at this pick. 

No. 18 (80) Dallas Cowboys: Philip Blake, C, Baylor

With the Cowboys searching for more stability up front, Blake gives them an option to plug in at either center or the guard positions. 

No. 19 (81) Tennessee Titans: Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall

Once thought to be a late first-round pick. Curry has the speed and agility off the edge to be a dominant pass-rusher. He just has to add more strength to his frame in order to handle himself against NFL linemen. 

No. 20 (82) Cincinnati Bengals: Malik Jackson, DE, Tennessee

In the right system and with some tweaks to his overall technique, Jackson has the potential to be a quality 4-3 pass-rusher. 

No. 21 (83) Atlanta Falcons: Olivier Vernon, DE, Miami

Character concerns could push him lower than this spot, but the Falcons need to find more athletes with raw potential to turn into something special. Vernon was never a great player in college, but there were flashes where he looked like he had things figured out. 

No. 22 (84) Detroit Lions: Tyrone Crawford, Boise State, DE

Versatility is the best weapon that Crawford has to offer. He is listed as a defensive end, but is fast enough to handle inside or outside linebacker. Limited experience is a huge deterrent to his draft stock, but the Lions do well with finding linemen. 

No. 23 (85) Pittsburgh Steelers: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

Dennard screwed himself out of a lot of money by being involved in an incident where he was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.

Still, if you can look at the talent and believe the character concerns won't be a problem, Dennard is a terrific pick right here for the Steelers. 

No. 24 (86) Denver Broncos: Nick Toon, WR, Wisconsin

Toon is more of a possession receiver than anything else, but we have seen what Peyton Manning can do with those players during his time in Indianapolis. 

No. 25 (87) Philadelphia Eagles: Josh Kaddu, LB, Oregon

Kaddu is a potential star on special teams as his raw athleticism has the possibly to become something more with some grooming. 

No. 26 (88) New Orleans Saints: DaJohn Harris, DE, USC

The Saints are a mess who will need to find depth and impact in this draft despite not having a first-round pick. 

Harris has to get in better shape and learn to translate his tools into actual performance. He is a risk worth taking at this spot in the draft. 

No. 27 (89) Green Bay Packers: Josh Norman, CB, Coastal Carolina

A lengthy defensive back, Norman's only real drawback right now is that he looks so thin. He will have a hard time in press coverage and tackling one on one against muscly receivers in the NFL. 

The Packers can have him bulk up while playing him in nickel coverage for the first year or two of his career. 

No. 28 (90) Baltimore Ravens: Ronnell Lewis, LB, Oklahoma

In terms of talent, Lewis is a second-round linebacker. He has good size and speed, with the natural tackling ability to handle himself as an inside player. 

The problem is that Lewis was inconsistent at Oklahoma, often committing too much and trying to make a huge hit instead of just making the play. 

No. 29 (91) San Francisco 49ers: DeQuan Menzie, CB, Alabama

The 49ers defense is strong up front, but it lacks depth in the secondary. Menzie will make a nice slot cornerback right away. 

No. 30 (92) Cincinnati Bengals: Antonio Allen, S, South Carolina

If you just want a safety who can hit and hit hard, Allen is the player for you. He doesn't have great speed or lateral movement, but if anyone comes near him he is going to drop them. 

No. 31 (93) New York Giants: Kyle Wilber, LB, Wake Forest

A little too aggressive against the run, Wilber has the speed and strength to contribute as a pure pass-rushing linebacker. The Giants love players who can get after the quarterback, though he would fit better in a 3-4 scheme. 

No. 32 (94) Oakland Raiders: Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

The controversial Burfict will fit right in with the Raiders. If he ever comes close to showing the athleticism he did at Arizona State, the silver and black will have found at least an above-average linebacker for the next decade. 

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