2012 NFL Draft: 50 Moves We Liked Most in This Year's Draft

With the 2012 NFL draft coming to an end Saturday evening, we've now had enough time to fully digest what happened and let you know what we liked.

And boy, was there plenty to like. Teams like the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals made moves throughout the entire weekend that you couldn't help but love.

This morning we'll take a look at the moves those teams and more made as we give you the 50 moves we liked most in the 2012 NFL draft.

Arizona Cardinals Draft Michael Floyd

Larry Fitzgerald wanted to play alongside another weapon, and that is exactly what he got with Michael Floyd.

Whenever you do something to keep the best player in your franchise's history happy, you made the right move.

The Cardinals Get Bobby Massie in the Fourth Round

Some considered Bobby Massie a fringe first-round pick, so his drop all the way to the fourth round was a bit of a surprise.

However, the Arizona Cardinals did a great job of waiting for Massie and getting the biggest bang for their buck at offensive tackle. Massie should be able to step in from day one and start at right tackle for this team.

Ravens Trade Back, Still Get Upshaw

Few work the draft as well as Ozzie Newsome, and the fact that he traded out of the first round and was still able to get one of the premier defensive players shows just how good he is at his job.

Courtney Upshaw is going to thrive with the Baltimore Ravens, where his versatility will be utilized to his greatest potential. This was one of the best picks in the entire draft.

Buffalo Drafts Stephon Gilmore

There was a lot of ways the Buffalo Bills could have gone with their first-round pick. With players like Michael Floyd and Riley Reiff still on the board, it would have been easy for Buffalo to address some of its needs on offense.

However, the Bills made the right move by drafting Stephon Gilmore, who should be ready to contribute from day one. Gilmore had been rising up draft boards in recent weeks as he has the potential to become a better overall player than Morris Claiborne.

This was the beginning to a solid draft by Buffalo.

The Bills Get Zebrie Sanders in the Fifth Round

The Buffalo Bills continued their impressive draft by getting a starting offensive tackle all the way in the fifth round.

Some considered Zebrie Sanders to be a fringe first-round prospect, and the fact that Buffalo got him this late in the draft was simply amazing. Look for Sanders to make an impact from day one on the Bills offensive line.

Bengals Get Mohamed Sanu in the Third Round

The Cincinnati Bengals nailed the 2011 NFL draft with players like A.J. Green and Andy Dalton. While the Bengals had some other pressing needs to address in the draft, getting a wide receiver to complement Green was necessary.

With Mohamed Sanu being considered one of the top five receivers in the draft, the fact that Cincinnati got him in the third round was quite the steal. Now the Bengals have two talented receivers to give the them a great chance to win the AFC North.

Browns Trade Up for Trent Richardson

Did the Cleveland Browns give up too much to move up one draft spot in the 2012 draft? Absolutely.

Was it necessary for them to draft Trent Richardson? Absolutely.

While it cost them a little too much to just move to the third spot in the draft, they had to do whatever they could to get a player like Richardson. He is a franchise-changing player, and the one thing that Cleveland needs is change.

Dallas Trades Up for Morris Claiborne

One of the best moves in the entire draft was the Dallas Cowboys moving up to get the top cornerback in the draft in Morris Claiborne.

The secondary has been the biggest issue with this team for years, and now they have Claiborne and Brandon Carr to shut down opposing offenses.

Detroit Lions Get Riley Reiff in First Round

While secondary was a bigger need for the Detroit Lions, when Riley Reiff fell into their laps at the 23rd pick, it was a no-brainer to take him.

Reiff will be able to start from day one at right tackle and will eventually become this team's franchise left tackle. Getting a high-impact player like Reiff this late in the first round was a fantastic move.

Lions Get Ronnell Lewis in Fourth Round

Ronnell Lewis was considered one of the best pure pass-rushers in the entire NFL draft. His fall all the way to the fourth round was quite the surprise.

In a division with quarterbacks like Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers, getting pressure on the quarterback is key. Lewis may not be an every-down player for the Detroit Lions, but he'll absolutely be able to get into opponents' backfields from day one.

Green Bay Drafts Nick Perry

The biggest need for the Green Bay Packers heading into the 2012 NFL draft was at outside linebacker, and in my opinion, they got one of the top three outside linebackers in Nick Perry.

While Perry needs to improve against the run and pass, he has a non-stop motor and knows how to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. He'll improve all aspects of the Packers defense and allow Clay Matthews to get away from being double-teamed.

Packers Trade Up Twice in Second Round

Ted Thompson made two trades to move up in the second round and then get back into the second round for the Green Bay Packers.

It started with drafting defensive tackle Jerel Worthy and ended with cornerback Casey Hayward late in the second round. Both of these players give the Packers depth at key positions, with Worthy likely to be battling for a starting position as a rookie. 

Defense was the name of the game for Green Bay, and it made two great moves in the second round.

Texans Draft Jared Crick

There was a time when Jared Crick was considered a first-round prospect. While his ceiling isn't too high, he is an NFL-ready defensive lineman who does a lot of things extremely well.

The fact that he fell so far in the draft was surprising, and the Houston Texans got an absolute steal when they drafted him. He should be able to find the field early in his career and produce at a solid rate.

Houston didn't have the best of drafts, but getting Crick as late as it did was absolutely its best move of the weekend.

Colts Draft Andrew Luck

Andrew Luck is the best quarterback prospect since Peyton Manning.

That is all that needs to be said.

Colts Get Luck's Top College Weapon

The one thing that Andrew Luck needs to be successful for the Indianapolis Colts is weapons.

Well, with their first pick in the second round, the Colts got Luck his top weapon from college, Coby Fleener. Getting their franchise quarterback a player with whom he is intimately familiar was quite the move.

This could become one of the best tandems in the entire league in a short amount of time.

Jacksonville Trades Up to Draft Justin Blackmon

Let me be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of Justin Blackmon.

However, the Jacksonville Jaguars need weapons in the worst way, and if they missed out on Blackmon, it would have been difficult for them to land one. It was a bold move, and it'll give Blaine Gabbert a legitimate No. 1 receiver to grow with.

Miami Gets Its Future Quarterback

You either love or hate Ryan Tannehill; there is no in between.

However, whether you love him or hate him, you have to give credit to the Miami Dolphins for sticking to their guns and getting who they believe is their franchise quarterback.

Dolphins Get Jonathan Martin in Second Round

Jonathan Martin was considered a near first-round lock, and some even thought he was the second-best offensive tackle behind Matt Kalil.

However, Martin didn't hear his name called Thursday night and had to wait until the Miami Dolphins drafted him in the second round. With Martin, the Dolphins will get a legitimate right tackle to play alongside Jake Long, giving them one of the best young tackle duos in the league.

Miami Gets a Steal with Lamar Miller

I personally had Lamar Miller rated as my second-best running back prospect in this draft behind Trent Richardson. There is a lot to like about his overall game, and I believe he has the ability to be an every-down back in the league.

However, it wasn't until the fourth round that the Miami Dolphins drafted Miller. With the injury history of both Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas, the Dolphins now have a solid reserve player in Miller who could end up being a franchise running back.

This was another solid move for the Dolphins.

Vikings Trade Back, Still Get Kalil

One of the biggest questions heading into the 2012 NFL draft was what the Minnesota Vikings were going to do with the third pick. Would they draft Matt Kalil, Morris Claiborne or trade back?

Well, they decided to trade back with the Cleveland Browns, picked up a boatload of picks and still got their franchise left tackle in Kalil. This was one of the best moves in the entire first round.

Minnesota Gets Greg Childs in Fourth Round

While Percy Harvin is an explosive receiver, he isn't a legitimate threat in the red zone. With a young quarterback in Christian Ponder, the Minnesota Vikings needed to surround him with some weapons.

Even though Greg Childs is a raw prospect, the one thing he has that you can't teach is size. He'll be an instant threat in the red zone for Minnesota and should help in the development of Ponder.

Patriots Trade Up in First, Draft Chandler Jones

The New England Patriots aren't generally known for moving up in drafts, but that is exactly what they did Thursday.

Their first move involved them trading up with the Cincinnati Bengals to get one of the top defensive ends in the draft in Chandler Jones. Jones is oozing with potential and athleticism, and his versatility is exactly what New England loves on their defensive line.

Look for Jones to make an impact at a number of positions for the Patriots, only cementing this as a great move by the front office.

Patriots Trade Up Again, Get Dont'a Hightower

In another complete surprise, the New England Patriots traded up again in the first round only four picks after drafting Chandler Jones.

This time their target was Dont'a Hightower, one of the top inside linebackers in the entire draft. Hightower is another versatile and talented player who will make an instant impact on defense for the Patriots.

Two great first-round moves by the Patriots to prove that they are the best in the business.

New England Gets the Steal of the Draft

The biggest steal of the entire 2012 NFL draft was the New England Patriots drafting Alfonzo Dennard in the seventh round. 

There was a time when Dennard was considered a first-round prospect, and even with a poor offseason heading into the draft, this kid has all the talent in the world to work with.

If he pans out, which he likely will, the Patriots will have struck absolute gold late in the draft again.

Giants Get Rueben Randle at End of Second Round

In the days leading up until the draft, it appeared as if Rueben Randle had a great chance to get drafted in the first round. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, as Randle was waiting until the end of the second round to hear his name called.

With the New York Giants losing Mario Manningham in free agency, they needed a player who could replace him. Randle should be able to do that right away, and they got him at a much cheaper price than many expected.

Win, win, win.

Jets Draft Stephen Hill in Second Round

With so many things going on in the offseason for the New York Jets, the one thing they needed was a solid draft. While they may have missed in the first round with Quinton Coples, they absolutely hit one out of the park with Stephen Hill.

Hill gives the Jets another vertical weapon for Mark Sanchez, with the potential to turn into the best receiver in this entire class. This was a solid, solid move by New York.

Raiders Add Another Offensive Weapon in Juron Criner

There wasn't much action for the Oakland Raiders thanks to a trade for Carson Palmer during the 2011 season.

However, the team struck gold when it added another weapon late in the draft in receiver Juron Criner from Arizona. Criner is a huge body who should be able to get on the field as a rookie and excel near the end zone for Oakland.

He also has the potential to develop into a No. 1 receiver, making this move all the better for Oakland.

Eagles Trade Up for Fletcher Cox

Once the St. Louis Rams traded back in the first round with the Dallas Cowboys, you knew it was only a matter of time until a team traded up for defensive tackle Fletcher Cox.

That team turned out to be the Philadelphia Eagles, who waited and waited and only ended up moving ahead three spots to draft Cox. As the best defensive tackle in the class, this was a solid move by Philadelphia.

He's an instant-impact type of player and fills an instant need on the Eagles roster.

Eagles Get Brandon Boykin in Fourth Round

Brandon Boykin was one of the most underrated cornerback prospects in this year's draft.

He has exception ball skills, and even though he is a little undersized, he has shown to be physical enough to handle the NFL. He also has experience on special teams, which is always a plus.

The fact that the Philadelphia Eagles got Boykin in the fourth round was a fantastic move by the front office. While he may not start ahead of Nnamdi Asomugha or Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, he should be able to make an impact in a number of ways as a rookie.

Every Move Philadelphia Made

I could literally go on and on about how great of a draft the Philadelphia Eagles had. From Fletcher Cox to Vinny Curry to Nick Foles, every single pick was exceptional.

They had one of the best drafts of any team in the league.

Pittsburgh Drafting David DeCastro

As David DeCastro continued to fall pick after pick in the first round, you knew whoever ended up drafting him was going to get the steal of the century.

Few players are as NFL-ready as DeCastro, and he has a legitimate shot at making the All-Pro team as a rookie. The Pittsburgh Steelers had serious needs across their entire offensive line, and drafting DeCastro was the best move of the entire first round.

Steelers Continue to Improve Offensive Line with Mike Adams

Like I just said, the Pittsburgh Steelers had numerous holes in their offensive line, and they made another great move by continuing to improve their line in the second round.

While there are some questions surrounding Mike Adams, mainly his strength and character, he is a massive player who has the ability to start from day one at right tackle.

Ben Roethlisberger must have been crying tears of joy after seeing who his team drafted with their first two picks.

Pittsburgh Continues Their Dominant Draft in Fourth Round

Few teams had as good of a draft as the Pittsburgh Steelers, and a big reason why they dominated was that they found instant contributors in the later rounds of the draft.

By selecting Alameda Ta'amu in the fourth round, the Steelers got their eventual replacement for defensive tackle Casey Hampton. Ta'amu is a very similar player to Hampton in that he is nearly unmovable at the point of attack.

Moves like this are why the Steelers are one of the most successful franchises in the NFL. 

San Diego Chargers Draft Melvin Ingram

Melvin Ingram was considered one of the 10 best players in this entire draft, and the San Diego Chargers getting him with the 18th pick was simply highway robbery.

Ingram could very well end up being the best defensive player taken in this draft, but more importantly, he fills a huge hole on the Chargers roster. Ingram's fall on draft day was one of the more surprising slides, and San Diego took full advantage and got themselves an elite player.

Chargers Trade Up for Brandon Taylor

One of the more underrated moves of the entire draft was the San Diego Chargers trading up in the third round to draft safety Brandon Taylor.

With Eric Weddle dominating at free safety, the Chargers needed to add another elite player at strong safety. While Taylor may take some time to fully develop, he has the potential to absolutely become that elite safety for the Chargers.

The worst case here for San Diego is it gets a solid starter at strong safety for the foreseeable future; best-case scenario is an All-Pro player.

Sounds like a pretty good move to me.

49ers Get Cam Johnson in Seventh Round

Considering Cam Johnson's athleticism and potential, it was really surprising to see him get past the second day. It was even more surprising when his name wasn't called until the final round of the draft.

While Johnson may never turn into an every-down player in the NFL, he has a great opportunity to become a pass-rushing specialist in the league. He'll only improve a defense that is already one of the best in the game.

Seattle Trades Back in First Round

While drafting Bruce Irvin was a terrible move, trading back in the first round was a great move by Seattle.

The Seahawks had no one to draft at their pick and were able to pick up some extra draft picks along the way. This move would have been absolutely incredible had they drafted a better player with this pick.

Russell Wilson Goes to Seattle

Say what you want about Russell Wilson's size; this is going to be a successful quarterback in the NFL.

The Seattle Seahawks made a great move by drafting Wilson. He'll likely become the backup to Matt Flynn, and if Flynn doesn't pan out, the Seahawks will have a potential starter already on their roster.

Teams in the NFC West should take notice of Seattle becoming a true contender in the division.

St. Louis Rams Trade Back in First Round

Not only did the St. Louis Rams get a huge haul from trading their second pick to the Washington Redskins, but they traded back again on Thursday to pick up even more picks.

To make matters even better, the Rams still got an elite player at a position of need with Michael Brockers. Brockers could end up being the best defensive tackle in the class, and being able to move back eight picks and still get him was simply incredible.

Rams Take a Chance on Janoris Jenkins

This was my favorite pick in the entire 2012 NFL draft.

Are there character concerns revolving around Janoris Jenkins? Sure, but he also has the potential to become the next Darrelle Revis.

Jenkins is a type of player who doesn't come around every year, and the St. Louis Rams made a fantastic move by taking him in the third round.

Rams Give Sam Bradford Some Weapons

The one thing that the St. Louis Rams were missing last year was weapons for Sam Bradford. Well, that changed, as the Rams took two talented wide receivers who should be able to contribute right away.

In the second round, St. Louis got one of the more underrated prospects in Brian Quick out of Appalachian State. His size and speed will be a perfect fit in St. Louis.

Then in the fourth round, the Rams added another speedy receiver in Chris Givens from Wake Forest. Both Givens and Quick should instantly boost a horrid offense for the Rams.

Tampa Bay Trades Back, Gets Best Safety

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were kind of the wild card of the top of the draft, as they could have really gone a few different ways. When Thursday night actually rolled around, they made the perfect decision by trading back with the Jacksonville Jaguars and still landing the top safety in the draft.

While safety wasn't the biggest need for Tampa Bay, Barron was simply too good of a prospect to pass on. He'll start from day one and improve a secondary that really struggled.

Buccaneers Trade Back into First Round

While LeGarrette Blount is a decent running back, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed to look hard at upgrading that position through the draft.

With Trent Richardson already off the board early in the draft, the Buccaneers traded back into the first round to take Doug Martin. Martin is a complete running back who can produce as a receiver as well. He also happens to be one of the better blocking backs in the draft.

This pick simply added another weapon to an already dangerous offense in Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay Drafts Lavonte David

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had an extremely solid draft through the first two rounds. In fact, their second-round pick of Lavonte David might turn out to be their best value pick of the night.

Even though David is undersized, there is little to doubt about his production on the field. He has a nonstop motor with the ability to make plays all over the field.

He should challenge for a starting position immediately.

Titans Boost Offense in First Round

The Tennessee Titans could have gone a number of directions in the first round, but I don't think anyone saw them drafting a wide receiver. With that said, it was a brilliant move.

Without any offensive or defensive linemen that the Titans loved still on the board, they took the best player available. Now they'll be able to team Kendall Wright and Kenny Britt to give either Matt Hasselbeck or Jake Locker two extremely talented weapons to throw to.

Adding a playmaker like Wright will make Tennessee one of the more exciting teams to watch next year.

Titans Boost Defense in Second Round

After addressing their offense in the first round, the Tennessee Titans boosted their defense in a huge way by drafting Zach Brown in the second round.

Brown has been underrated throughout the draft process and is one of the more athletically gifted defensive prospects. He is a fantastic sideline-to-sideline player who also has the ability to drop into coverage.

The only problem with Brown's game is that he appears to shy away from contact. If the Titans can fix this problem, Brown should become a gigantic success in the league.

Washington Redskins Draft Robert Griffin III

This is really a no-brainer. 

Robert Griffin III is the second-best quarterback in the draft, will start from day one and be the face of the franchise for years and years.

Falcons Get Premier Center in Second Round

Thanks to a massive trade up for Julio Jones last year, the Atlanta Falcons were a little short on picks for the 2012 NFL draft.

However, they got a premier player late in the second round with their first pick of the draft. Peter Konz was the top-rated center in the draft, and he is talented enough to become an All-Pro player early in his career.

That type of value late in the second round is simply amazing.

Broncos Get Future QB in Second Round

There is a lot to like about Brock Osweiler's game, but there is no doubt that he is going to need a lot of time to develop.

By being drafted by the Denver Broncos, he now enters into the best possible position for a rookie quarterback. He'll get to learn from both Peyton Manning and John Elway and be able to take his time getting acclimated to the professional game.

If Osweiler gets developed properly, he could become the franchise quarterback who replaces Manning in Denver.

Ravens Replace Ben Grubbs

Losing Ben Grubbs was one of the most underrated free-agency moves of the offseason. Grubbs was one of the better offensive linemen that the Baltimore Ravens had, and he was a huge part of the success for Ray Rice.

The Ravens made a great move by replacing Grubbs with Kelechi Osemele. Even though he played left tackle at Iowa State, he is considered an elite guard prospect in the NFL. He excels in tight areas and is superb in the run game.

He should be able to step in without much loss of production at the guard position for Baltimore.