2012 NFL Draft Grades: Biggest Mistakes of Wild Selection Process

Every team has the opportunity to be a winner at the NFL draft, but not every team takes advantage of that opportunity.

The 2012 draft is no exception, and a few teams made some mistakes that could haunt them for the foreseeable future.

The Seattle Seahawks made a head-scratching pick at No. 15, but you won't find Pete Carroll's selection of Bruce Irvin on this list.

These picks are quite the opposite.

Kansas City Chiefs Selecting Dontari Poe

GM Scott Pioli and the Chiefs cannot seem to get it right on the defensive line. For the third time in five years, they've selected a defensive lineman in the top 11 picks, and this time, they did so while passing on other huge talents.

Poe fills a need for them and comes with unique upside, but the Chiefs could've helped themselves even more with players like receiver Michael Floyd or offensive lineman David DeCastro, or they could've even traded down.

Instead, they took a risk on Poe, and there is a chance he comes in and doesn't even give them a huge boost this year.

The Chiefs had the opportunity to land an immediate difference-maker, but they choose not to act on it.

Grade: C

New York Jets Selecting Quinton Coples

Once considered a top-10 talent, Coples fell down the board to No. 16, and the Jets opted to select him over the likes of Melvin Ingram, Chandler Jones, Chandler Jones, Shea McClellin, Whitney Mercilus and Nick Perry.

The difference between Coples and all these other pass-rushers is that they actually fit, or could fit, into the Jets' system and make a difference. Coples, on the other hand, is a much better fit for the 4-3.

Gang Green's biggest need was a pass-rusher, and where they plan to use Coples won't give them much of that. He's a talented player with a great skill set, but he just doesn't have the tools that will help the Jets in their biggest area of need in their system.

Grade: C

Denver Broncos Trading Down

The Broncos moved out of the first round twice and then wound up taking a developmental quarterback with one of their two second-round picks.

They filled a need at defensive tackle with Derek Wolfe at No. 36, but the selection of Brock Osweiler doesn't help this team immediately. 

It is understandable to look toward the future at quarterback, but they squandered an opportunity to help Peyton Manning immediately by doing so.

Grade: C-

Washington Redskins Selecting Kirk Cousins

The idea of drafting a backup who could develop into trade bait is simple enough, but the Redskins are a team that would've benefited more by adding a player who could help this year.

Cousins is a good quarterback, but he won't be even be the backup to Robert Griffin III; that honor goes to Rex Grossman.

There were players on the board at pick No. 102 who could've made an impact for the Redskins, but instead they chose to waste it on a quarterback that will be forgotten on the depth chart.

Grade: D