2012 NFL Mock Draft: Whose Stock Will Skyrocket as the Season Winds Down?

With college football having passed the LSU-Alabama watershed, the top NFL prospects are fast approaching the postseason. Some have disappointed thus far, while others are climbing draft boards apace.

One player in the latter category is Penn State’s Devon Still, a penetrating DT who has anchored one of the country’s toughest defenses. Still has 14 tackles for loss and counting, and has played his way into a likely first-round selection.

Herein, a look at one way the draft could shake out in April, including a projection of how likely each of these prospects is (on a scale of 1 to 10) to earn a Pro Bowl nod in his rookie season.

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

1. Miami Dolphins: Andrew Luck, QB

The most-hyped draft prospect since Peyton Manning, Stanford’s Andrew Luck is a Heisman front-runner. He’s led the Cardinal to a 9-0 record with 26 TDs (against just five interceptions) and 2,424 yards.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising, if possible. Luck has continued to dominate even without superlative receivers and in spite of the very large bull's-eye on his chest.

Pro Bowl Potential: 5/10

Cracking the Pro Bowl as an AFC QB is a tall order, but Luck will be starting from day one with a Pro Bowl receiver in Brandon Marshall. If Miami were an NFC team, Luck would be a seven or eight here.

2. Indianapolis Colts: Matt Kalil, OT

The latest in USC’s long line of stud left tackles, Matt Kalil was good enough to keep Cowboys’s first-rounder Tyron Smith on the right side last year. A Colts team that needs help in the ground game and protection for still-rehabbing Peyton Manning gets both here.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Even after a heartbreaking OT loss to Stanford, USC’s offense has played brilliantly with Kalil paving the way.

Pro Bowl Potential: 6/10

Facing elite NFL pass rushers will be a learning curve for Kalil, but he has all the tools and will get to practice against one of the best in Dwight Freeney.

3. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR

The signature player on the unstoppable Oklahoma State offense, Justin Blackmon has caught 87 passes for 1,039 yards and 12 TDs this season. He’ll be an ideal No. 1 target for Sam Bradford.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Blackmon’s numbers are unimpeachable, and he’s producing against defenses that know exactly what’s coming.

Pro Bowl Potential: 8/10

Blackmon is landing in a near-ideal situation as the top receiver on a team that should be on the rise. Bradford is an outstanding young QB who should make an immediate star of him.

4. Denver Broncos: Quinton Coples, DE

The Broncos really ought to be drafting a QB here, but the likelihood is that Denver management will refuse to admit its mistake on Tim Tebow and look elsewhere. Quinton Coples is a big (6’6”, 285 lbs), athletic DE who could remind coach John Fox of another former Tar Heel he coached, Julius Peppers.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Falling. Coples has been good this season (4.5 sacks, five tackles for loss), but hardly as dominant as you’d like from a top-five selection.

Pro Bowl Potential: 3/10

To all appearances, Coples isn’t going to be an immediate solution for Denver, but he’s got enough longer-term potential to be worth a shot here.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Alshon Jeffery, WR

A Jaguar team desperate for viable targets for rookie QB Blaine Gabbert gets one of the college game’s best in Alshon Jeffery. The 6’4” possession specialist has caught 36 balls for 487 yards and five touchdowns for South Carolina this year.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Falling. Jeffery’s numbers have dipped badly from his sophomore year, and even an injury to RB Marcus Lattimore hasn’t pushed Jeffery into a dominant role in the Gamecocks’s offense.

Pro Bowl Potential: 4/10

Jeffery isn’t a speed burner, but rather a red-zone target in the Plaxico Burress mold. That’s a great recipe for NFL success but not for making a splash as a rookie in an otherwise iffy passing game.

6. Seattle Seahawks: Landry Jones, QB

He may not be as NFL-ready as Andrew Luck, but Landry Jones has even gaudier numbers than the Stanford star. Jones has led Oklahoma to an 8-1 record with 3,349 yards and 28 TDs (albeit with nine interceptions against him).

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Jones and the Sooners’s offense have been lighting up everyone they face, though the remaining games—when he’ll be without injured WR Ryan Broyles—could be key for Jones’s draft position.

Pro Bowl Potential: 4/10

Even if Jones translates as well to the pros as former Sooner Sam Bradford—and that’s no sure thing—Seattle has very little around him, so he’ll be in for a rocky start.

7. Arizona Cardinals: Courtney Upshaw, LB

Even after drafting stud CB Patrick Peterson, the Cardinals have the league’s 30th-ranked pass defense. They bolster the pass rush with Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Everyone associated with the Alabama defense has looked stellar this season, and Upshaw (4.5 sacks, one INT) is no exception.

Pro Bowl Potential: 5/10

Upshaw will have every chance to succeed, and because he’s not converting from DE, he should be able to start right away. On the other hand, he’s not the kind of pure pass rusher whose sack totals would make him an immediate sensation.

8. Minnesota Vikings: Morris Claiborne, CB

Minnesota’s corners have had all sorts of problems this season, to the tune of a No. 29 ranking against the pass. LSU ballhawk Morris Claiborne is a ready-made answer.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Claiborne has taken over Patrick Peterson’s leading role on a brilliant LSU defense, recording four interceptions so far this year.

Pro Bowl Potential: 5/10

Cornerback isn’t a great position at which to try to make the Pro Bowl as a rookie, but don’t count Claiborne out, either. He’ll be joining a defense that has some talent elsewhere, so he should get opportunities to put up big numbers.

9. Carolina Panthers: Vontaze Burfict, LB

With the Panthers defense in serious need of help, Carolina grabs the best defender on the board in Arizona State’s Vontaze Burfict. The athletic LB has 51 tackles, five sacks and an interception on the season.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Burfict has put up the best numbers of his career this season and appears to be growing into his raw talent.

Pro Bowl Potential: 3/10

It’s not clear whether Burfict would beat out Dan Connor (the best of Carolina’s incumbent LBs) or move to the outside. The best scenario for the Panthers’s future would probably be the latter, but the time Burfict would take to learn the position would prevent him from making an immediate impact.

10. Cleveland Browns: Michael Floyd, WR

Despite an offseason DUI arrest, Michael Floyd has come back to put up excellent numbers for Notre Dame this season. The 6’3” senior has 68 catches for 832 yards and six touchdowns.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Floyd is on pace to eclipse his already-impressive junior year numbers and hasn’t run into any further behavior issues.

Pro Bowl Potential: 4/10

Floyd isn’t on Justin Blackmon’s level as far as star power, but he’s a legitimate No. 1 target who could be great in the right situation. There’s an outside chance that young QB Colt McCoy will make this the right situation, but—particularly because of the lack of other receivers drawing attention away from Floyd—probably not.

11. Kansas City Chiefs: Jonathan Martin, OT

Kansas City already has a respectable left tackle in Branden Albert, but Stanford’s Jonathan Martin is too good to pass up at this spot. The 6’6”, 305-pounder has been starting for Stanford since 2009.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. The Cardinal line has been brilliant in their unbeaten run, none better than their senior tackle.

Pro Bowl Potential: 5/10

Martin is a supremely polished player who will be ready to start from the get-go, but it’s hard to say who will wind up protecting Matt Cassel’s blind side between him and Albert. Assuming Martin winds up at RT, this number goes up to a six.

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

In spite of this weekend’s disastrous showing by the Alabama offense, Trent Richardson is still the premier running back in the college game. He’s run for 1,078 yards and 17 TDs on the season.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Richardson accounted for 169 of Alabama’s 295 yards from scrimmage against the overwhelming LSU defense, and that was an off game for him.

Pro Bowl Potential: 4/10

Richardson will probably split carries with veteran Cedric Benson, so he may not have the raw numbers to stand out right away. In a few years, though, he’s a safe bet to become a regular in Hawaii.

13. Cincinnati Bengals: Riley Reiff, OT

Blessed with a pair of first-round picks by the Carson Palmer trade, Cincinnati can go for the best available players. In this case, that means Iowa’s top-notch offensive tackle Riley Reiff.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Falling. Iowa’s offense hasn’t been anything special, and in this year’s Big Ten, Reiff has had few opportunities to show what he can do against elite pass rushers.

Pro Bowl Potential: 3/10

Cincinnati’s line isn’t disastrous enough that Reiff is guaranteed an immediate starting spot. He could well play his way into the lineup, but he’ll have a tougher road than many rookie linemen.

14. Washington Redskins: Matt Barkley, QB

Much-sanctioned USC may not be a part of college football’s postseason picture, but Matt Barkley is shining on whatever stage he’s given. The junior QB has thrown for 2,608 yards and 28 TDs, with just six interceptions.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Although he hasn’t been quite as dazzling as Landry Jones on the stat sheet, Barkley has done very little wrong this season.

Pro Bowl Potential: 5/10

Barkley would be heading into a very shaky situation with a talent-poor Redskins offense. He’ll be a major improvement over either of this year’s disastrous QBs, but it’s not obvious that he’ll have the weapons to look good immediately.

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

With the Browns ranking 26th in the league against the run, some help for the middle of the defense is in order. Rookie Phil Taylor has been a step in the right direction, but he’ll get some help from Nebraska standout Jared Crick.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Falling. With just one sack and two tackles for loss on the year, Crick has not been as impressive as his preseason projections.

Pro Bowl Potential: 3/10

A penetrator like Crick is exactly what the Browns need alongside Taylor, but from the looks of his senior year so far, Crick will probably need a year or two to adjust to battling NFL linemen.

16. Chicago Bears: David DeCastro, OG

With the Bears’s line in disarray for yet another season, Chicago looks to get some stabilization from another talented rookie. David DeCastro has been an integral part of the line that’s kept Andrew Luck clean this season.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Stanford’s stellar season has done good things for the draft chances of everyone on the offensive side of the ball.

Pro Bowl Potential: 2/10

DeCastro isn’t a sure thing to be a Pro Bowl lineman at all (though he is the best guard in this draft). He’s even less likely to become one as a rookie on a terrible offensive line that has spent the last two seasons getting shuffled like a poker deck.

17. Dallas Cowboys: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB

Dallas’s problems with defending the pass start with the personnel surrounding talented Terence Newman in the secondary. The most effective cover man left on the board is Dre Kirkpatrick of Alabama.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Like most of the Tide defense, Kirkpatrick doesn’t create many turnovers, but the team’s 7.1 points allowed per game speak for itself.

Pro Bowl Potential: 4/10

It’s unlikely Kirkpatrick will put up the kind of numbers to get noticed as a rookie, but he’s an outstanding cover man who should make his share of Pro Bowls eventually. At 6’3”, he’ll also get plenty of chances to cover star receivers like Calvin Johnson, which should help.

18. Tennessee Titans: Brandon Thompson, DT

Tennessee has developed an obvious need at running back, but with Richardson off the board, they’ll wait for later rounds to address it. Instead, they’ll take playmaking Clemson defensive tackle Brandon Thompson, who has two sacks and three tackles for loss on the season.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Clemson has been one of the biggest surprise teams of the season, and Thompson has been as good as anyone on the Tiger defense.

Pro Bowl Potential: 4/10

If the Titans defense rebounds from an off year, Thompson could be a beneficiary. More likely, though, is another middling performance from the team that keeps the rookie from showing his full potential.

19. Philadelphia Eagles: Manti Te’o, LB

The Eagles have had very little success trying to find top-shelf linebackers to go with the rest of their talented defense. They’ll make another attempt with Manti Te’o, the leader of a surprising Notre Dame defense.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Te’o has been sensational in his junior year, recording 82 tackles and 4.5 sacks.

Pro Bowl Potential: 6/10

Te’o couldn’t ask for a better situation to shine and could have a Patrick Willis-like rookie campaign if he adapts quickly to NFL offenses. He’s got the athleticism to make plays in space, which will be key in this defense.

20. New York Jets: Brandon Jenkins, LB

As tough as the Jets defense is, it could really use some help for a pass rush that Calvin Pace leads with just three sacks. They’ll look to convert Florida State DE Brandon Jenkins to a rush OLB in their 3-4 set.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Falling. After totaling 13.5 sacks as a sophomore, Jenkins has just 3.5 this season.

Pro Bowl Potential: 2/10

The transition from college DE to pro OLB isn’t a trivial one, and while Jenkins will be a valuable situational rusher as a rookie, it’s hard to see him doing much more than that.

21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Zach Brown, LB

Tampa Bay’s youth movement on defense continues with North Carolina’s Zach Brown. One of the best true 4-3 OLBs in the country, Brown has recorded 71 tackles and 5.5 sacks on the season.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Brown’s 5.5 sacks are the first of his career, and he’s also gotten two of his six career INTs this season.

Pro Bowl Potential: 4/10

In Tampa’s defense, Brown probably won’t get many sacks as an OLB. He’ll be a valuable starter as a rookie, but it’s unlikely he’ll attract enough notice for Pro Bowl purposes.

22. Pittsburgh Steelers: Stephon Gilmore, CB

Pittsburgh doesn’t have a lot of holes to fill, and with no help to be had at OT at this spot, they’ll look for an upgrade to a secondary that can struggle against teams that are deep at WR. South Carolina’s Stephon Gilmore is the best playmaker available at CB.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Gilmore has already matched his three interceptions from last season, and he’s helped keep South Carolina competitive in the defense-heavy SEC.

Pro Bowl Potential: 5/10

The imposing Steeler front seven will be Gilmore’s best friend and could set him up for bunches of INTs. The 6’1” corner may have trouble with bigger NFL receivers, but he’ll certainly be a good starter and could be a great one.

23. Houston Texans: Peter Konz, C

On a Texans team with few holes, the offensive line is less stacked than many other units. The Texans look to O-line factory Wisconsin to provide another talented blocker, center Peter Konz.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Wisconsin’s running game has been devastating, and the line has had just as much to do with it as talented backs Montee Ball and James White.

Pro Bowl Potential: 5/10

Maurkice Pouncey showed how valuable a good center can be as a rookie. Konz isn’t quite as athletic, but on a loaded offense like Houston he could make a splash.

24. Buffalo Bills: Luke Kuechly, LB

Luke Kuechly has put up some of the most impressive stats in college football the last two seasons. The Boston College linebacker led the nation in tackles last year and is doing so again with 150 and counting.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Kuechly hasn’t missed a beat after his brilliant sophomore year, even recording two interceptions this season.

Pro Bowl Potential: 4/10

Kuechly will be paired with Nick Barnett, which will probably short-circuit his tackle numbers to some extent. He’s also not as fast as many elite NFL linebackers, but with his playmaking instincts, don’t count him out.

25. San Diego Chargers: Dont’a Hightower, LB

San Diego’s run defense has been the team’s worst area this season, ranking just 17th in the league. For a solution, the Chargers get a potential steal in Alabama’s Dont’a Hightower.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. As a leader of one of the nation’s best defenses, he’s amassed 53 tackles, 1.5 sacks and an interception.

Pro Bowl Potential: 3/10

Like Kuechly, Hightower will be lining up next to an outstanding veteran in Takeo Spikes. He’ll be effective as a rookie, but probably not eye-poppingly so.

26. San Francisco 49ers: Jayron Hosley, CB

San Francisco has the league’s best run defense, but the pass defense ranks just 21st. Having passed over Patrick Peterson last year, they opt to upgrade the CB position this year with Virginia Tech’s Jayron Hosley.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Falling. Hosley has, unsurprisingly, failed to equal his preposterous nine interceptions from last year, though he has made three picks this season.

Pro Bowl Potential: 4/10

Hosley obviously has the ball skills to put up gaudy stats, but at 5’10” and 171 lbs he’ll have a tough transition to the physicality of NFL wideouts. He’ll probably start from the get-go in a shaky secondary, but may not get the big numbers as a rookie.

27. New York Giants: Michael Brewster, C

Ohio State’s surprising success this season owes much to the offensive line, and senior Michael Brewster is the heart of that group. A New York line that’s battling age and injury gets a welcome shot of youth here.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. With every win the Buckeyes record, Brewster’s leadership looks more and more valuable.

Pro Bowl Potential: 4/10

Brewster isn’t guaranteed to start right away on a veteran line, but he’ll be great injury insurance. Whenever he does get a full-time starting job, he’ll make the most of it.

28. Detroit Lions: Cordy Glenn, OG

The Lions would love to upgrade a struggling run defense, but with DT already taken care of there’s not an obvious player available to take. Instead, the journeyman O-line gets a versatile new addition in Georgia’s Cordy Glenn.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Falling. Glenn has been playing tackle with mixed results this season, but is likely (at 6’5”, 348 lbs) to move back inside as a pro.

Pro Bowl Potential: 2/10

Glenn will need some time to get used to playing guard again, and it’s no certainty that he’d be an instant starter in Detroit. This is a pick for the longer view, not for 2012.

29. New England Patriots (via Saints): Mark Barron, S

The Patriots have plenty of inexperienced corners already, so they look for secondary help with a talented safety. Mark Barron has racked up 43 tackles and two interceptions on the season for Alabama.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Barron, who had an interception in this weekend’s showdown with LSU, has been a key weapon for the mighty Crimson Tide defense.

Pro Bowl Potential: 3/10

With such a horrific 2011 season, it’s hard to imagine the Patriots improving enough next year for Barron to look all that good. Still, if the pass rush picks up, he could pile up some interceptions.

30. Baltimore Ravens: Nick Toon, WR

Torrey Smith has been solid as a rookie, but one new addition isn’t enough to fix the Ravens’s problems at wide receiver. The Ravens keep trying with Wisconsin senior Nick Toon, son of former Badger (and Jet) standout Al Toon.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Toon wasn’t on the first-round radar to start the season, but 33 catches, 579 yards and six TDs have changed that evaluation.

Pro Bowl Potential: 1/10

Toon is a possession receiver like his dad, and Anquan Boldin will still be the primary target in that role in Baltimore. As a complementary player, though, Toon should contribute immediately.

31. New England Patriots: Devon Still, DE

One of the nation’s most productive defensive tackles, Devon Still has recorded 14 tackles for loss and four sacks on the season. The Penn State standout would make a fine 3-4 DE for New England.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Rising. Penn State has been one of the surprises of the Big Ten, and Still’s numbers have been better than expected as well.

Pro Bowl Potential: 2/10

The DE position in a 3-4 is never a great place to grab attention, but Still can make plays. Even so, a 6’5”, 310 lb playmaker landing on a great team shouldn’t be written off entirely.

32. Green Bay Packers: Alfonzo Dennard, CB

Even as brilliantly as Green Bay has played, they’ve given up big-time yardage in the passing game all season. They get a gem of an addition to their secondary with Nebraska’s Alfonzo Dennard.

Stock Rising or Falling?

Falling. Dennard has played well in coverage in Prince Amukamara’s absence this season, but he has no interceptions after grabbing four last year.

Pro Bowl Potential: 2/10

Dennard may start off as a nickel corner on a veteran Green Bay team, and wherever he plays he’s not likely to put up top-notch interception numbers. He’ll improve Green Bay as a team but probably won’t do much on the stat sheet.