2012 NFL Mock Draft: Forecasting the NFL Future of All 32 First-Round Picks

One of the biggest challenges of the NFL draft is projecting college performance into pro success. Some of the most accomplished college players, seen as too small or too slow, never even get a shot at the next level.

Of course, few drafts have ever had a player who appeared to be more of a sure thing than Andrew Luck. It will be a shock if the Stanford QB, and certain No. 1 pick, is anything other than a success as a pro, but not every player will be so lucky.

Obviously, the draft order won’t be finalized for weeks, so this mock draft uses an order based on a combination of current records (through Week 7) and projected finishes.

With that in mind, here’s a look at how picks 1-32 could shake out in April.

1. Miami Dolphins: Andrew Luck, QB

The prize of the draft by any standards, Stanford QB Andrew Luck is a Heisman front-runner. He’s thrown for 2,218 yards and 23 TDs against just four interceptions this season.

NFL Potential:

Luck's pro potential is off the charts. Many analysts consider Luck the best NFL quarterbacking prospect since Peyton Manning and we all know how that turned out.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Miami is absolutely desperate for a QB and Luck can already run a pro-style system. He’d have Brandon Marshall back in the Pro Bowl in his rookie season with the Dolphins.

2. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR

Justin Blackmon has been the hero of one of the most surprising undefeated teams in the country. The Oklahoma State wideout has amassed 74 catches for 834 yards and 10 TDs this year.

NFL Potential:

Blackmon has a chance to be an outstanding pro. Many wide receivers coming from pass-heavy systems (especially in the Big 12) are too small to be effective pros, but the 6’1”, 215-pound Blackmon is physical as well as fast.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

There are only a few NFL receivers whom the Rams would rather have than Blackmon. St. Louis needs a big target for Sam Bradford and Blackmon is made to order for the job.

3. Indianapolis Colts: Matt Kalil, OT

As a redshirt junior, Matt Kalil is in his second year of starting at left tackle for USC. He held the job last year while Dallas first-rounder Tyron Smith was playing on the right side.

NFL Potential:

Kalil has excellent NFL potential. Aside from the Trojans’ excellent track record in turning out offensive tackles, Kalil has decent weight at 295 lbs and outstanding height at 6’7”.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Aging Jeff Saturday is the closest thing the Colts have to a top offensive lineman. With Peyton Manning returning from injury next year, shoring up his protection will be a top priority, and Kalil will also boost the sagging Indianapolis ground game.

4. Denver Broncos: Quinton Coples, DE

Quinton Coples has enough size (6’6”, 285 lbs) and mobility that he’s drawn comparisons to former North Carolina star Julius Peppers. Coples has 4.5 sacks and five tackles for a loss this season.

NFL Potential:

Coples is a risky selection, but could be outstanding. He’s being projected this high more on the basis of athletic ability than production, so without good coaching he could bust at the next level.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Broncos’ head coach John Fox built his Carolina defenses around Peppers, so he’ll certainly get the most out of version 2.0. With oft-injured Elvis Dumervil the best DE on the current Denver roster, there’s an obvious need here.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Alshon Jeffery, WR

As good a red-zone target as you’ll find in the college ranks, Alshon Jeffery’s stats have been deflated by South Carolina’s reliance on now-injured RB Marcus Lattimore. Even so, Jeffery has recorded 33 catches for 468 yards and five TDs this season.

NFL Potential:

Jeffery will make an excellent pro. Jeffery doesn’t have game-breaking speed, but his size (6’4”, 229 lbs) and hands are top-notch.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Young QB Blaine Gabbert needs all the weapons he can get. The Jaguars would rather have a deep threat, but the draft’s best possession receiver is a fine consolation prize.

6. Minnesota Vikings: Jonathan Martin, OT

Jonathan Martin has been starting at left tackle for Stanford since he was a redshirt freshman in 2009. The 6’6”, 304-pounder was All Pac-10 last year.

NFL Potential:

Martin should make an excellent NFL lineman. He’s a hair less mobile than USC’s Matt Kalil, but he’s got an NFL body and loads of experience in a pro-style offense.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Offensive line isn’t a huge need position for the Vikings, who would really like a shot at Justin Blackmon or Alshon Jeffery. Still, Martin is too good to pass up for a team with the nondescript Charlie Johnson at left tackle.

7. Seattle Seahawks: Landry Jones, QB

Before last week’s upset loss to Texas Tech, Landry Jones had the Oklahoma Sooners looking like surefire national title contenders. The junior QB has thrown for 3,094 yards and 26 TDs in 2011.

NFL Potential:

Jones will make a very good pro. Jones has great height at 6’4” and has put up video game numbers in college, although there’s no guarantee he’ll be quite as effective in a pro-style attack.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

The QB situation in Seattle is a train wreck, and a viable signal-caller of the future has to be the team’s top priority. Jones will need time to adjust—especially going from a top-notch college team to a mediocre NFL one—but he’s as good a prospect as the Seahawks will have available to them.

8. Arizona Cardinals: Bruce Irvin, LB

West Virginia DE Bruce Irvin has shifted into a full-time role this season after being a situational rush specialist in 2010. He won’t match his gaudy 14-sack total from last season, but he has posted 2.5 sacks and six tackles for loss in 2011.

NFL Potential:
Irvin will likely be a good pro. Rush specialists can generally find a home at the NFL level, and even if Irvin winds up as a role player, it’s a role that will be valuable to many teams.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

After bringing in Patrick Peterson to shore up the secondary, Arizona needs some new blood in the pass rush. Aging Joey Porter can’t keep going forever, but he can teach Irvin the ropes in the NFL.

9. Carolina Panthers: Vontaze Burfict, LB

One of the best raw athletes in the country, Vontaze Burfict could be a middle or outside linebacker at the next level. The 6’3”, 250-pound junior has 45 tackles and four sacks for Arizona State this year.

NFL Potential:

Burfict is a risky play, but could be outstanding. Burfict has gotten a reputation as something of a hothead, and guys like that are always a gamble. If he can stay focused his athleticism should make him a star.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Dan Connor has been steady in the middle for Carolina, but OLBs Jason Phillips and James Anderson are replaceable. The Panthers need a new star to anchor the defense, and Burfict could be the man.

10. Kansas City Chiefs: Morris Claiborne, CB

Patrick Peterson left the LSU secondary in good hands. Tigers corner Morris Claiborne has posted three interceptions this season and eight for his college career.

NFL Potential:

Claiborne will be outstanding at the next level. He has superior ball skills and the speed to hang with NFL receivers.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

With Brandon Flowers having just signed a huge extension, the Chiefs have one corner spot locked down, but Brandon Carr is less entrenched on the other side. It’s hard to have too many corners, and it’s also hard to pass up a DB this talented at No. 10 overall.

11. Cleveland Browns: Michael Floyd, WR

Having spent four years rewriting the Notre Dame record books, Michael Floyd will look to make a similar splash in the NFL. The senior wide receiver has caught 63 passes for 788 yards and five TDs this season.

NFL Potential:

Floyd has very good pro potential. Assuming he doesn’t run afoul of the personal conduct policy—he was arrested for drunk driving in the spring—Floyd’s size (6’3”, 224 pounds) and skill look ready for prime time.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Colt McCoy hasn’t gotten to show what he can really do as an NFL quarterback because he hasn’t had any legitimate NFL receivers. Floyd is by far the best option available, a physical and skilled target who will have every chance to be a No. 1 option as a pro.

12. Cincinnati Bengals: Riley Reiff, OT

In his third year as a starter and his second at left tackle, Riley Reiff looks to continue the long tradition of Iowa offensive linemen in the NFL. The 6’6”, 300-pound junior earned second-team All-Big Ten honors last season.

NFL Potential:

Reiff looks like he will make a very good pro. Linemen who can succeed in the Big Ten generally translate extremely well at the next level, and Reiff has good size.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Andre Smith is finally starting to look like an NFL tackle, so this is no longer an urgent need for Cincinnati. Still, the offense needs help, and Reiff, who played three positions as a freshman, will be an improvement somewhere.

13. Cincinnati Bengals (via Raiders): Trent Richardson, RB

After playing understudy to Heisman-winner Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson has exploded for Alabama in 2011. The junior RB has rushed for 989 yards and 17 TDs on the season.

NFL Potential:

Richardson will make an excellent NFL running back. He has decent speed and excellent power, plus solid pass catching ability.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Cedric Benson has been solid as the Bengals’ starter, but far from unbeatable. Richardson gives Cincy a long-term solution at the position and can start off as an outstanding number two option if he doesn’t beat out Benson.

14. Cleveland Browns (via Falcons): Jared Crick, DT

After two seasons as a dominant pass rusher, Jared Crick has slowed down a bit as a Nebraska senior. Even so, the 6’6”, 285-pounder has totaled 22 tackles (two for loss) and one sack this year.

NFL Potential:

He’s no Ndamukong Suh, but Crick’s ability to get into opposing backfields is rare among defensive tackles.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Gargantuan rookie Phillip Taylor hasn’t been able to make the Browns’ run defense respectable, so Cleveland will add another tackle to pair with him. 

15. Washington Redskins: Matt Barkley, QB

He may not be Andrew Luck, but the Pac-12’s second-best QB has put up some impressive numbers of his own. USC’s Matt Barkley has thrown for 2,290 yards and 22 TDs this season.

NFL Potential:

QBs are always tough to project (see Leinart, Matt), but Barkley has succeeded in a pro-style attack and has acceptable size at 6’2”.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

To the surprise of almost no one, Washington’s Rex Grossman-John Beck quarterback tandem blew up in the face of management. With a glaring need at the position, Washington lucks into (but doesn’t "Luck" into) a legitimate first-round talent.

16. Chicago Bears: David DeCastro, OG

A three-year starter at right guard, David DeCastro has been a key part of the line that helped Andrew Luck become the top QB prospect in the country. The Stanford redshirt junior was All Pac-10 last season.

NFL Potential:

DeCastro will be a good pro. He could stand to add some weight to his 6’5”, 310-pound frame, but has mobility and experience in a pro-style attack.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

The Bears would have loved to get their hands on one of the top-tier wide receivers, but the injury-plagued offensive line has continued to be a concern.

DeCastro provides another body (with solid credentials for both run and pass blocking) as Chicago tries to find a configuration that will keep Jay Cutler and Matt Forte upright.

17. Philadelphia Eagles: Manti Te’o, LB

The heart of a surprisingly strong Notre Dame defense has been junior LB Manti Te’o. He’s recorded 77 tackles (11 for loss) and 3.5 sacks on the year.

NFL Potential:

Te'o has great pro potential. He isn’t going to dominate in pass coverage, but at 255 pounds, he has the muscle to be a top-level run stuffer.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Philadelphia’s linebacker corps has been a weakness for years. Te’o would be a huge help to a vulnerable run defense.

18. Dallas Cowboys: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB

The increased role for big wide receivers has created a demand for bigger corners, and no college player fills that need better than Dre Kirkpatrick. The 6’3” Alabama junior hasn’t made an interception this season, but he’s broken up eight passes on the year.

NFL Potential:

Kirkpatrick isn’t going to be a ball-hawk, but he’ll be tough to throw over in the red zone and is solid in run support.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Dallas has struggled with defending the deep ball and Terence Newman needs some help at the CB spot. Kirkpatrick is the best remaining option of the deep pool of corners in this draft.

19. Tennessee Titans: Brandon Thompson, DT

The best space-eating defensive tackle in the draft is Clemson’s Brandon Thompson. The 6’2”, 310-pound senior has 34 tackles, four for loss, in 2011.

NFL Potential:

Thompson could stand to get even bigger for an NFL 4-3 defense, but he’s got the instincts and after four years matching up with Georgia Tech, he knows how to stop the run.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

The Titans’ biggest need is running back, but they can solve that problem later. Thompson bolsters one of the few soft spots in Tennessee’s stout defense.

20. New York Jets: Brandon Jenkins, DE

Another 4-3 pass rushing end who could convert to OLB in a 3-4, Brandon Jenkins has been one of the few bright spots for struggling Florida State. The junior has posted seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks on the season.

NFL Potential:

Jenkins will be on the large side for a rush linebacker (265 lbs), but has the nose for the QB that NFL teams want.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

The Jets are in serious need of pass-rushing help from the OLB positions. Jenkins will bring the heat to help Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie make plays.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Alfonzo Dennard, CB

A great successor to a great corner, Alfonzo Dennard is doing justice to Prince Amukamara’s legacy at Nebraska. The senior, who missed three games with a leg injury, has rarely been thrown at since returning and hasn’t yet recorded an INT this season.

NFL Potential:

Another corner who won’t generate many turnovers, but there aren’t a lot of holes in the rest of his game.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Corners Bryant McFadden and Ike Taylor have been the weakest part of the Steelers' defense for some time now. Dennard is a solid enough run defender to stay on the field for Pittsburgh, and a significant improvement over the incumbents in coverage.

22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Dont’a Hightower, LB

Another representative of the mighty Alabama defense, Dont’a Hightower is the Tide’s leading tackler this season. The junior LB has 47 tackles overall, six of them for losses.

NFL Potential:

Very good. Hightower can do a little bit of everything as a linebacker and has terrific size at 6’4”, 260 pounds.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

On an already young defense, OLB isn’t a severe need position, but Hightower is the best available talent. He also represents another young leader to pair with current rookie Mason Foster.

23. Houston Texans: Stephon Gilmore, CB

The offense has garnered most of the attention at South Carolina, but Stephon Gilmore deserves more press on the defensive side. The junior corner has 31 tackles and three interceptions on the year.

NFL Potential:

Gilmore takes more chances than some of the corners already selected, but his ball skills and speed are definitely NFL material.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Cornerback is no longer the black hole that it has been in Houston, but the Texans could always use more DBs. Gilmore is the best available player at the draft’s deepest position.

24. Buffalo Bills: Luke Kuechly, LB

Luke Kuechly is one of the most productive defenders at any position in the college game. The Boston College LB is again at the top of the national leaderboards with 130 tackles this season (8.5 of them having gone for losses).

NFL Potential:

Kuechly doesn’t have the flat-out speed that wows scouts, but he’s a playmaker who will find a home at the next level.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Nick Barnett is strong at one ILB spot, but Andra Davis is just a guy. Kuechly would make an improving defense even better.

25. San Francisco 49ers: Janoris Jenkins, CB

Former Florida corner Janoris Jenkins was dismissed from the team this spring after being brought up on marijuana charges. The senior is finishing out his college career at Division II North Alabama.

NFL Potential:

Jenkins has good pro potential. The possibility of personal conduct policy violations obviously exists, but Jenkins is probably the most athletic corner on the board and has great cover skills.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

After missing out on Patrick Peterson in last year’s draft, the Niners could really use an elite corner prospect. Coach Jim Harbaugh should be able to keep Jenkins in line and help him excel as a pro.

26. San Diego Chargers: Alameda Ta’amu, DT

The Jake Locker-less Washington Huskies have been better than expected at 6-2, and Alameda Ta’amu is one of the big reasons why. The 6’3”, 337-pound defensive tackle has 1.5 sacks and four tackles for loss on the year.

NFL Potential:

Ta’amu is tailor-made for the nose tackle position, and with so many teams using the 3-4 these days, there will be plenty of opportunities for him.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

The Chargers don’t have a lot of gaping holes, so they can afford to opt for the best available talent. Ta’amu, the best nose tackle in the draft, can understudy Antonio Garay and replace him in the starting lineup in a couple of years.

27. New York Giants: Cordy Glenn, OG

One of the country’s most versatile linemen, Cordy Glenn has started at both guard spots and left tackle in his four seasons at Georgia. The 6’5”, 348-pound senior earned mid-season All-SEC honors.

NFL Potential:

Glenn has ideal size and solid athleticism, but his consistency hasn’t been quite as high as some of the other top-tier linemen.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

The aging New York offensive line got minimal help in last year’s draft, so a youth movement is in order. Glenn can learn from vets David Diehl and Chris Snee while he adjusts to the NFL.

28. Detroit Lions: Zach Brown, LB

Part of the loaded incarnation of the North Carolina defense, Zach Brown is one of the most accomplished all-around linebackers in the country. In addition to his 62 tackles, Brown has 5.5 sacks and two interceptions on the year.

NFL Potential:

Brown hasn’t earned the reputation of leadership like some of his draft classmates, but his production has been outstanding and he’s got great speed.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Detroit’s linebackers haven’t yet risen to the level of the brilliant young line. Brown is a playmaker who will bring an extra dimension to a team that has gotten two sacks total from its three starters at LB.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Mohamed Sanu, WR

Rutgers hasn’t exactly been an NFL factory, but Mohamed Sanu gives the school a rare chance at a first-round selection. The junior receiver has 70 catches for 731 yards and seven TDs on the year.

NFL Potential:

Sanu doesn’t have blinding speed or overpowering college stats, but his 6’2” size and soft hands still give him a respectable shot at becoming an effective NFL receiver.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Rookie Torrey Smith has shown promise, but WR is still a position that could use more punch in Baltimore. Sanu adds another pair of young legs and is a strong red-zone option.

30. New England Patriots (via Saints): Michael Brewster, C

Perhaps the best Ohio State player not embroiled in the Tattoo Five scandal (or at least not suspended over it), Michael Brewster anchors the Buckeye line. The 6’5”, 305-pounder is a four-year starter and the best center in the country.

NFL Potential:

Brewster's pro potential is very good. Centers often get short shrift in the draft picture, but they’re key pieces of a successful line, and Brewster has a chance to be one of the league’s best.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

The Pats’ line is getting up in years, and leader Logan Mankins is the only top-flight player in the group at this point. Brewster would likely be an immediate upgrade over Dan Connolly, and he’d certainly be a good long-term solution for New England.

31. New England Patriots: Chase Minnifield, CB

The son of former Browns corner Frank, Chase Minnifield has made his own name as a Virginia DB. The 6’0” senior has two interceptions and 1.5 sacks on the season.

NFL Potential:

As you’d expect with his pedigree, Minnifield is technically sound and has decent ball skills (six INTs as a junior).

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

The Pats aren’t in particular need of another young corner, but Minnifield is the best player on the board. He’s also the kind of heady player that Bill Belichick prefers.

32. Green Bay Packers: Cliff Harris, CB

Cliff Harris is a tremendous athlete who is among the nation’s best as both a punt returner and a cornerback. However, the Oregon junior has battled suspensions this season stemming from traffic-related violations.

NFL Potential:

Harris has enormous talent, but he needs to keep his head on straight or risk becoming another Pacman Jones.

Good Fit or Bad Fit?

Starters Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams are solid, but Green Bay could use depth at corner. The steady Woodson is an ideal mentor for a volatile rookie like Harris.