2012 NFL Mock Draft: Impact MLBs That Will Turn Pretenders into Contenders

The more the NFL focuses on passing, the more of an impact outside linebackers are going to make. It's simple, as they are the ones who are rushing the passers around the league.

But the fact remains, if you can't figure out a way to stop the run, you're not going to win many games. If you don't have a good middle linebacker, you're probably not going to be very good against the run. 

These teams are all in playoff contention this season, but I can't take them seriously as Super Bowl contenders, as they are just poor at defending the run. When the draft comes around, they would all be well advised to take a middle linebacker, which would go a long way in establishing their legitimacy.

Tennessee Titans: Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State

I really like his overall prowess. There is very little that Burfict can't do, and he has a mean streak that works great in the NFL. 

The Titans are in the bottom-third of the NFL in total rushing yards. In a division with Arian Foster and Maurice Jones-Drew, that simply has to get better. 

The only issue here is will Burfict be available? Right now, the Eagles are picking a few spots ahead of the Titans and they could certainly use a good middle linebacker. But I have them plugging up the gap in the middle up front. So, Burfict would be a natural option to slide down to Tennessee.

New York Giants: Manti Te'o, Notre Dame

Te'o has a high ceiling and low floor. He covers a tremendous amount of ground, but often gets himself into trouble with bad plays. 

The Giants do not have any real presence at middle linebacker. If that doesn't improve, they will not compete in the NFC East. The Cowboys are a good team, the Eagles won't be this bad for a long time and even the Redskins have hope if they can get a quarterback.

Te'o is a guy to help that improvement. Personally, I think he would be better served to stay at Notre Dame, but I have my doubts that that will happen.

Detroit Lions: Luke Kuechly, Boston College

Kuechly can also return to Boston College, but he is a likely first-round pick, and it's hard to ever tell anyone in that spot to not make a run to the NFL.

The Lions have talent up and down the roster, but they are routinely torched by the running game of their opponents. Right now, they are looking likely to go to the playoffs, but what kind of run will they make? Not a good one.

That would change in 2012 with a linebacker like Kuechly. They actually may be better suited to make a trade up to get Te'o, or even Burfict, but for now, picking in the mid-to-late 20's, Kuechly will do. He is a solid man in the middle, so the Lions could certainly do worse.

2012 Mock Draft: First Round 

1.	Indianapolis Colts	Andrew Luck, QB-Stanford
2.	St. Louis Rams	Matt Kalil, OT-USC
3.	Carolina Panthers	Quinton Coples, DE-North Carolina
4.	Minnesota Vikings	Alshon Jeffery, WR-South Carolina
5.	Miami Dolphins	Landry Jones, QB-Oklahoma
6.	Jacksonville Jaguars	Justin Blackmon, WR-Oklahoma State
7.	Arizona Cardinals	Trent Richardson, RB-Alabama
8.	Washington Redskins	Matt Barkley, QB USC
9.	Kansas City Chiefs	Jonathan Martin, OT-Stanford
10.	Cleveland Browns	Michael Floyd, WR-Notre Dame
11.	Seattle Seahawks	Courtney Upshaw, LB-Alabama
12.	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Alfonzo Dennard, CB-Nebraska
13.	San Diego Chargers	Riley Reiff, OT-Iowa
14.	Philadelphia Eagles	Brandon Thompson, DT-Clemson
15.	Buffalo Bills	Dre Kirkpatrick, CB-Alabama
16.	Tennessee Titans	Vontaze Burfict, LB-Arizona State
17.	New York Jets	David DeCastro, OG-Stanford
18.	Denver Broncos	Morris Claiborne, CB-LSU
19.	Cincinnati Bengals	Nick Toon, WR-Wisconsin
20.	New York Giants	Manti Te'o, LB-Notre Dame
21.	Cleveland Browns (via ATL)	Cordy Glenn, OG-Georgia
22.	Cincinnati Bengals (via OAK)	LaMar Miller, RB-Miami
23.	Dallas Cowboys	Janoris Jenkins, CB-North Alabama
24.	Houston Texans	Mark Barron, S-Alabama
25.	Chicago Bears	Zach Brown, LB-North Carolina
26.	Detroit Lions	Luke Kuechly, LB-Boston College
27.	Pittsburgh Steelers	Alameda Ta'amu, DT-Washington
28.	New England (via NO)	Dont'a Hightower, LB-Alabama
29.	Baltimore Ravens	Jeff Fuller, WR-Texas A&M
30.	San Francisco 49ers	Mohamed Sanu, WR-Rutgers
31.	New England Patriots	Jared Crick, DT-Nebraska
32.	Green Bay Packers	Markelle Martin, S-Oklahoma State