2012 NFL Draft Grades: Back End of First Round Deserves High Marks

The first round of the 2012 NFL draft could be grouped into sections.

At the top of the board the talent was too great to make a bad pick, but in the middle chunk (11-20), plenty of questionable picks were made.

Then there was a stretch of picks that were all absolute home runs and, in my opinion, the three shrewdest picks of the entire first round.

The following selections all receive “A” grades for not only drafting a position of need, but landing a player that could have gone 10 picks earlier.

No. 23 Detroit Lions: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

How did he fall this far back?

Reiff was the second-rated tackle on the board and was considered to be a lock for the Buffalo Bills at No. 10.

Instead, he plummeted 13 picks to a Lions team that got an absolute steal. He should be able to start right away and protect the fragile Matthew Stafford’s blind side for at least the next half decade.

While the secondary may be the bigger need, you can never have enough protection for a QB like Stafford.

No. 24 Pittsburgh Steelers: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

The Steelers O-line was horrendous last season and was the clear biggest need for Pittsburgh in this year's draft. Lining up next to Maurkice Pouncey, the Steelers suddenly have a strong interior line that can clear the way for a running back that runs between the tackles.

Did I just tip off their second- or third-round pick?

No. 25 New England Patriots (via Denver): Don’t’a Hightower, ILB, Alabama

His 265-pound frame gives him value as a pass-rusher, but that is certainly not his only asset. He is also an incredible defender against the run, making him the perfect fit for the Patriots, who love versatility.

The sort of exotic packages they can run with Hightower have to be a scary thought for the remainder of the AFC East. He can be a starter for the Pats from Day 1.

Most mocks had Hightower going in the 13-20 range, so getting him this far back is a steal…which is why they traded up to ensure they landed their man.

Follow Eric Ball on Twitter.