2012 NFL Draft: One Dream Pick for All 32 NFL Teams

With four weeks of the NFL season already in the books, there are a couple of teams that are already looking forward to the 2012 NFL Draft. While fans of the Miami Dolphins and several other teams yell their "Suck for Luck," battle cry, teams like the Detroit Lions prosper due to the production of their numerous top draft picks from the past.

All 32 NFL teams have their certain weaknesses, and the 2012 NFL Draft will be when they can fill each of their needs with their perceived perfect prospect.

The 32 teams are ordered by their current record. The only exception is the Detroit Lions, who choose 30th in this mock draft. This is because the AFC champion and the NFC champion always have the 31st and 32nd picks, making it impossible for both the Green Bay Packers and Lions to hold the last two selections. 

Without further ado, here are the dream picks for each of the 32 NFL teams.

32. Green Bay Packers: Bruce Irvin, DE/OLB, West Virginia

The Green Bay Packers have looked unstoppable so far this season. However, the Packers could use a huge upgrade at the outside linebacker position opposite Clay Matthews. Erik Walden has gotten little pressure on opposing quarterbacks this year which has allowed teams to send two blockers at Matthews.

Bruce Irvin is a great pass rusher who would benefit from playing with Matthews. Irvin would rack up sacks for the Packers and make things much easier for Matthews and the Green Bay defense as a whole.

31. Baltimore Ravens: Michael Brewster, C, Ohio State

Matt Birk is 35 years old, and he said that he will help groom his eventual replacement. That makes this selection a no-brainer. Drafting Michael Brewster would help keep the center position a strength for the Baltimore Ravens for at least another decade. This selection should be easy for Ozzie Newsome.

30. Detroit Lions: Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina

The Detroit Lions' linebackers aren't bad, but Zach Brown has the potential to be a star linebacker in the NFL. Brown has freakish athleticism and would be an upgrade over DeAndre Levy for the Lions.

At the moment, Brown relies mostly on athleticism and does not exhibit the natural football instincts scouts would like to see from a linebacker. However, if Brown is developed correctly by a good coaching staff, he can become the biggest steal of the draft.

29. New England Patriots: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

The New England Patriots love to stock up on defensive backs. Janoris Jenkins is one of the best defensive backs in the draft, but he has tons of character concerns after being dismissed from the Florida Gators. However, Bill Belicheck should be able to keep Jenkins' ego in check and prevent him from smoking weed during the season.

Jenkins has too much talent to fall out of the first round, and the Patriots are the perfect organization to hone that talent.

28. New England Patriots (from New Orleans): Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska

The Patriots are moving away from a 3-4 defense and are transitioning to a 4-3 defense. This could keep them from drafting a player like Jared Crick, who would be a perfect defensive end in a 3-4 defense. However, Crick could play some defensive tackle in the NFL if he improves his quickness and bulks up a bit.

Even if Crick can't play defensive tackle, he could be a solid jack-of-all-trades defensive end that doesn't get many sacks but shuts down running plays and pressures the quarterback occasionally.

27. San Diego Chargers: Andrew Datko, OT, Florida State

The San Diego Chargers need to replace Jeromey Clary at right tackle. Andrew Datko is a solid tackle that will be perfect for the right tackle position. He would not be great protecting a quarterback's blind side, but he would be great protecting their strong side in the NFL. Datko lacks the speed of a top-level tackle, but he has the strength to keep pass rushers away from the quarterback.

Another possibility at this position for the Chargers is Bruce Irvin if Larry English continues to perform poorly.

26. Houston Texans: Josh Chapman, DT, Alabama

The Houston Texans need a legitimate nose tackle to complete their transition to the 3-4 defense under Wade Phillips. Shaun Cody at nose tackle is just not going to get the job done.

Josh Chapman is a big run-stuffer who would help the Texans defense in a big way. Chapman would take up multiple blockers at the line of scrimmage, allowing the Texans' big-time defenders like Mario Williams and Brian Cushing to roam free and make plays. 

25. New York Giants: Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College

The New York Giants are happy with Greg Jones at middle linebacker, but there's no way that they could pass up Luke Kuechly at this spot.

Kuechly is an instinctive middle linebacker who reads the play, reacts quickly and makes the tackle once he reaches the play. Kuechly's athleticism at middle linebacker would make the Giants defense much better as a whole.

24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Cliff Harris, CB, Oregon

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to find a replacement for Ronde Barber as soon as possible. Barber is a free agent in the offseason, and he is ridiculously old for a starting cornerback.

Cliff Harris is an immensely talented cornerback that could fall due to off-the-field issues. He was suspended for driving with a suspended license, but he is still worth the risk. The Bucs took a chance on another Oregon player with character issues in LeGarrette Blount, and that has worked out well for them.

23. Buffalo Bills: Brandon Jenkins, DE/OLB, Florida State

The Buffalo Bills are enjoying a surprisingly good season thus far. However, their huge weakness is that they cannot get to opposing quarterbacks. They are last in the NFL with four sacks through four games.

Brandon Jenkins would be a huge addition to the Buffalo Bills. Unlike Aaron Maybin, Jenkins looks like he could easily make the transition to being an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defensive scheme. His speed and strength are comparable to the dominant pass rushers in the NFL, and he would quickly make Bills fans forget about the recent draft pick they wasted on Maybin.

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

Rex Grossman is not the answer for the Washington Redskins at quarterback.

Robert Griffin III has burst onto the college football scene this year, flinging the ball downfield with accuracy and running with the ball when he's forced to. In the past, his throws haven't looked great, but he must have put in a lot of work during the offseason to improve his passing.

Griffin III might currently be a reach at this slot, but he is quickly moving up draft boards, and he could see a Cam Newton-like bump if he shows during workouts with NFL scouts that his improved throwing isn't smoke and mirrors.

21. San Francisco 49ers: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

The San Francisco 49ers are thin at cornerback and will be even thinner if they do not re-sign Carlos Rogers in the offseason.

Alfonzo Dennard is the best cornerback available in this part of the draft, and the 49ers must take him to keep their cornerback situation from becoming catastrophic. 

20. Tennessee Titans: Manti Te'o, ILB, Notre Dame

The Tennessee Titans looked to upgrade the middle linebacker position when they added Barrett Ruud during the offseason. However, Ruud has lost a step since his prime with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Furthermore, Ruud is only signed to a one-year contract which means that the Titans can let him walk after this season.

Manti Te'o from Notre Dame is a strong middle linebacker that can fight off blocks and get to the play. His athleticism also allows him to be solid in coverage. Drafting Te'o with the 20th pick would be a fantastic get for the Titans.

19. New York Jets: Donte Paige-Moss, DE/OLB, North Carolina

The New York Jets desperately need offensive linemen, but they might not able to grab one of the elite offensive linemen this low in the draft.

Instead, Donte Paige-Moss will give the Jets the best bang for their buck. After losing Bryan Thomas to a torn Achilles tendon, the Jets might need to start grooming a new outside linebacker in their 3-4 defensive scheme. Paige-Moss is a very good pass rusher who Rex Ryan will be able to send at opposing quarterbacks.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers: Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

The Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line has been decimated by injuries this season. Cordy Glenn would be a welcome addition to a beat-up offensive line that has struggled to protect Ben Roethlisberger.

Furthermore, Glenn has the versatility to play any position on the offensive line in a pinch except center. On a team whose offensive linemen are often the walking wounded, this is an important skill.

17. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta): Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

Jayme Mitchell hasn't played terribly for the Cleveland Browns this year, but Quinton Coples has dropped far enough, and a team has to take a chance on the athletic freak. One of the reasons Coples could drop this far is due to his lack of production this season.

Everyone knows that Coples is a freak, but his production hasn't caught up to his measurables yet. With one more pick in the first round, the Browns can afford to take a chance on Coples.

16. Dallas Cowboys: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

The Dallas Cowboys need a lot of help at cornerback. Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins just aren't getting the job done in Dallas.

Stephon Gilmore is a very physical cornerback with size who can also return punts. Adding Gilmore would allow the Cowboys to get rid of Newman, who looks like he can no longer be a starting cornerback in the NFL.

15. Chicago Bears: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

The Chicago Bears' offensive line needs help all over the place. At this point in the draft, David DeCastro is the best offensive lineman available, and he is moving up draft boards. Drafting DeCastro would allow the Bears to move Chris Spencer over to center.

The Bears could also consider Michael Floyd or Peter Konz at this spot. Both players would be good fits in Chicago. 

14. Oakland Raiders: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Al Davis loves freakish athletes, and Dre Kirkpatrick is a 6'3" cornerback with good speed. If Kirkpatrick falls this far in the draft, Davis will have to pick him to play opposite Stanford Routt.

There are some questions regarding Kirkpatrick's ability to stick at the cornerback position, but there's no doubt that he will make a fantastic safety if he fails as a cornerback.

13. Cincinnati Bengals: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Following the departure of Johnathan Joseph, the Cincinnati Bengals signed Nate Clements as a replacement. Their decision has proven to be a terrible one. Clements has gotten absolutely owned by opposing quarterbacks this season. He made a few plays against the Buffalo Bills but has done little besides that.

Enter Morris Claiborne. Claiborne has great speed and fantastic playmaking ability to go along with good height at six-feet tall. He will help Bengals fans forget about Joseph and give the Bengals a very good cornerback to pair with Leon Hall.

12. Cleveland Browns: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

The Cleveland Browns have Joe Thomas at left tackle but a bunch of question marks at right tackle. The Browns must protect Colt McCoy if he is going to be the quarterback of the future.

Riley Reiff would be able to step in right away and be a very good right tackle in the NFL. With Thomas and Reiff at the tackle positions, Colt McCoy would become a very safe man in the pocket.

11. Philadelphia Eagles, Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

Everyone knows it: the Eagles need quality linebackers and lots of them. All three linebacker spots for the Eagles are currently filled by players that would not be starting on most NFL teams. Brian Rolle, Jamar Chaney and Moise Fokou should all be backups for good teams.

Now, it's not likely that the Eagles will be drafting this low in the 2012 NFL Draft. This makes it easy to slot Vontaze Burfict with the Eagles at this pick. Burfict could be drafted in the top five of the draft based on talent, or he could slip out of the first round due to character concerns.

However, it's clear that Burfict would immediately be the best linebacker on the Eagles, and he would give their defense the mean streak it needs to make it to the Super Bowl in the future.

On the other hand, he could also go crazy and alienate himself from the rest of the team.

10. Carolina Panthers: Alameda Ta'amu, DT, Washington

The Carolina Panthers are absolutely terrible at stopping the run. Sione Fua and Terrell McClain have both looked terrible in their rookie season. 

As a result, the Panthers must take Alameda Ta'amu out of Washington. While some experts believe that Ta'amu is a prototypical 3-4 nose tackle and will be drafted by a 3-4 team, his combination of size and run-stopping ability is tremendous. For this reason, the Panthers need to take the 6'3", 337-pound defensive tackle and let him cure their run-stopping problems.

9. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Kevin Kolb has been getting knocked around far too much to this season. The Arizona Cardinals' front office can't be too happy about that.

As a result, the Cardinals must bring in a new offensive tackle to replace Brandon Keith. Jonathan Martin would allow the Cardinals to bench Keith and move Levi Brown over to the right tackle spot where he would be much better suited. 

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

Mike Thomas is a solid wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he is not a No. 1 caliber wideout. To help Blaine Gabbert's development, the Jaguars must take a top-notch pass catcher in the draft.

Justin Blackmon would give Gabbert the No. 1 receiver that he needs. Blackmon can catch anything thrown his way, and his production in college shows that. Gabbert to Blackmon would be music to the ears of Jaguars fans for a number of years. 

7. Denver Broncos: Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson

The Denver Broncos have Brodrick Bunkley and Kevin Vickerson as their defensive tackles. They are not who you want starting in the middle of your defensive line. 

Broncos' fans are clamoring for a defensive tackle in the next draft, and Brandon Thompson would be a huge upgrade. Thompson always gets into opponents' backfields and causes havoc. This is exactly what the Broncos need. 

6. Seattle Seahawks: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

In the past couple of years, it has been said that quality running backs can be taken later in the draft. However, Trent Richardson is the total package. He runs with power, has speed, can catch out of the backfield and is proficient in pass blocking.

The Seahawks have needs all over the place, but a running back like Richardson is a rarity. With the disappointing Marshawn Lynch becoming a free agent after the season, the Seahawks will be left with Justin Forsett and Leon Washington.

The Seahawks must get a running back, and they might as well take the best one in the draft. 

5. Kansas City Chiefs: Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

Although the Kansas City Chiefs gave Matt Cassel a big contract after they traded for him, that does not mean that he owns the quarterback job in Kansas City.

Cassel had a solid year in 2010, but it is clear that he is simply a game manager. He is not a quarterback that can go out and win games on his own. If the Chiefs have a chance at Landry Jones, they must pick him and end the Matt Cassel era.

4. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

Remember when Tyron Smith was taken 10th overall out of USC by the Dallas Cowboys in last year's draft, and people asked why he played right tackle in college if he's so good? Matt Kalil is the reason why.

Kalil is likely the safest pick in the draft after Andrew Luck. He is extremely athletic and has the size to dominate in the NFL. 

The Minnesota Vikings are in desperate need of a left tackle after letting the overweight Bryant McKinnie go in the offseason. Kalil would made Vikings fans forget completely about Mount McKinnie.

3. St. Louis Rams: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

Despite using a bevy of draft picks on pass catchers in last year's draft, the St. Louis Rams continue to struggle to find a consistent weapon for Sam Bradford. If the Rams continue to perform poorly enough to draft this high, they must draft Alshon Jeffery.

Jeffery would instantly give Bradford a huge target with speed reminiscent of Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson and Vincent Jackson. He would be a catalyst to Bradford's development as a quarterback and be a shot in the arm to an offense that desperately needs a big-play receiver. 

2. Indianapolis Colts: Matt Barkley, QB, USC

With Peyton Manning on the shelf, it has become evident just how important he was to the Indianapolis Colts. Without their leader, the Colts have suddenly become one of the worst teams in football. As a result, the Colts must take a quarterback, and Matt Barkley is a nice consolation prize in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. 

Even if Manning returns next season at full strength, it will give Barkley time to learn the offense and be groomed by Manning as his heir apparent. The Colts cannot go another season with Curtis Painter, Kerry Collins or another journeyman quarterback under center. If the Colts do not get a quality quarterback for the future, they will become a bottom feeder. 

1. Miami Dolphins: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Is there really any doubt about who's going to be taken No. 1 in the 2012 Draft? If the Miami Dolphins suck for Luck and are able to "earn" the No. 1 overall pick, then their losing season will be worth it.