2012 NFL Mock Draft: Predicting All 32 1st-Round Picks

The 2012 NFL draft class has an outstanding depth of talent.

All 32 first-round picks could step in and make immediate impacts in the NFL.

A question that must be asked is how will the quarterback carousel turn out?

Everyone knows Andrew Luck is the consensus No. 1 pick, but where will Landry Jones, Matt Barkley and Robert Griffin end up?

Will any running backs outside of Trent Richardson be taken in the first round?

And which cornerback will be selected first: Dre Kirkpatrick or Morris Claiborne?

Let's break down each potential selection and keep in mind that I used Bleacher Report's Week 12 power rankings to determine the order for this mock draft.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

In the most anti-climactic selection in the history of the NFL draft the Indianapolis Colts select...Andrew Luck.

The Stanford Cardinal quarterback is the consensus top pick for a reason—he is the proverbial cant-miss prospect.

Luck is a Heisman Trophy candidate with a high IQ, strong arm and he rarely turns the ball over.

Even if Indianapolis has full faith in Peyton Manning to return healthy and win in upcoming seasons, Luck is too enticing a piece of trade bait to pass up.

And if they are concerned about Manning's neck then they have drafted the cornerstone piece for the next era of the franchise.

This pick is a no-brainer either way.

2. St. Louis Rams: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Dre Kirkpatrick is a complete player. He is just as lethal in coverage as he is coming up to make a hit on an unassuming wide receiver.

The St. Louis Rams could really use that kind of presence in their depleted secondary.

Sure they also have a glaring hole at wide receiver, but what bad teams don't have multiple weaknesses?

Kirkpatrick is the best secondary player in the 2012 class and is certainly worthy of a top-five selection.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

The Minnesota Vikings are desperate for a vertical passing game; the team ranks 29th in the NFL this season with 180 passing yards per game.

No receiver on the Vikings currently has more than three touchdowns or 459 yards receiving.

Insert Justin Blackmon.

Blackmon would cure those woes by stretching out defenses and softening coverage on guys like Percy Harvin and Visanthe Shiancoe.

The Oklahoma State Cowboys star has a rare physical combination of size and speed that makes him eerily similar to Calvin Johnson. Not a bad player to be compared to.

Drafting Blackmon would also benefit Minnesota's best offensive weapon, Adrian Peterson.

Opponents would not be able to key in on the Vikings rushing attack at all times, and Peterson may find some actual running lanes instead of constantly having to bulldoze holes of his own.

4. Carolina Panthers: Alshon Jeffrey, WR, South Carolina

The Carolina Panthers drafting Alshon Jeffrey makes sense on every level.

He is a hometown kid having played for the South Carolina Gamecocks and he fits a serious need for the Panthers: wide receiver.

Steve Smith is not getting any younger and who does Carolina currently have to succeed him as the team's top wideout, Brandon LaFell and Legedu Naanee?

Jeffrey is a tall, physical and imposing player that will provide Cam Newton with a legitimate threat for the foreseeable future.

The Panthers also have needs on defense that need to be addressed, particularly at cornerback, but Jeffrey is too good to pass up.

5. Arizona Cardinals: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

The Arizona Cardinals offensive line is terrible. Levi Brown and Brandon Keith give up sacks like they are trying to be benched.

Whether Kevin Kolb is the long-term answer at quarterback becomes an irrelevant question when he never gets a chance to complete a three-step drop-back.

Matt Kalil is the best offensive tackle in this draft class and will be available for the Cardinals.

This makes for an easy selection for the Arizona brain trust.

Lineman are never exciting picks and they won't get the fanbase buzzing, but the wins that could follow the selection of Kalil will.

6. Jacksonville Jaguars: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

The current path of this mock draft is devastating to the needs of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Jags are desperate for help at wide receiver and yet Justin Blackmon and Alshon Jeffrey are off the board.

Do they reach here for Ryan Broyles? Possibly.

But I think the more likely scenario is that they dive back into a well they have become quite familiar with: defensive line.

Jacksonville has a history of mis-drafting pass-rushers but Quinton Coples may be the player to buck that trend.

The 6'6" 278-pound North Carolina product is the consensus best defensive end in the draft and would be a serious upgrade over guys like Jeremy Mincey and Matt Roth.

7. Washington Redskins: Matt Barkley, QB, USC

Quarterback, quarterback, quarterback!

The Washington Redskins' experiment with Rex Grossman and John Beck has failed.

Mike Shanahan knows it's time to move on and here he will have the choice of Matt Barkley, Robert Griffin or Landry Jones.

There is no wrong pick here, but I think Barkley is the way Washington goes.

His performance against Andrew Luck and the Stanford Cardinal solidified him as a top-10 selection to me.

Either way, at least the Redskins don't have to play Grossman anymore.

8. Miami Dolphins: Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

Landry Jones has been proving his worth ever since stepping in for an injured Sam Bradford during his freshman year.

He has an incredibly strong arm, great athleticism and at 6'4" 230 pounds, he fits the prototypical size requirements for an NFL quarterback.

The Dolphins will most likely be going through a major overhaul this season if Tony Sparano is fired and that starts with a new franchise quarterback.

Miami could also look at Robert Griffin here, but Jones seems to be the more likely pick.

9. Kansas City Chiefs: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Yes there are two Stanford players in my top 10, although the first may get a lot more publicity.

Jonathan Martin is the guy who has kept Andrew Luck standing upright the past couple years.

Martin has quick feet and is also great at run blocking, a trait that fits well with the Kansas City Chiefs offensive game plan.

Drafting Martin could allow the Chiefs to move Brandon Albert to guard or Martin could replace Jared Gaither if he is unable to recover fully from his injury.

Either way Martin makes sense for Kansas City. 

10. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Peyton Hillis is not working out for the Cleveland Browns.

Why this season has gone so wrong for the running back is unknown. What is known is that the Browns will be looking for a new running back come April.

That's where Trent Richardson comes in.

The Alabama running back is easily the best player at his position in this class.

Richardson is violently strong and is the type of downhill runner that can seamlessly replace Hillis and improve on his abilities.

11. Seattle Seahawks: Robert Griffin, QB, Baylor

Robert Griffin could easily slip into the top 10 or even the top five picks—he is that good.

Baylor's dual-threat quarterback really got the nation's attention after the Bears upset the Oklahoma Sooners.

But what is perhaps most impressive about Griffin is how he only uses his legs in extreme circumstances. He actually prefers throwing from the pocket and is deadly accurate when he does. Griffin is completing 72.9 percent of his passes this season.

He is a great selection for the Seattle Seahawks at No. 11 because they are likely happy just to see a top-tier QB still on the board.

Charlie Whitehurst and Tarvaris Jackson are both laughable excuses for starting quarterbacks and Pete Carrol knows it.

Drafting Griffin will excite the fanbase and provide a considerable upgrade at the sport's most important position.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are seriously underperforming this season and yet they are not too far out of the NFC South picture.

That not withstanding, they have a serious need at cornerback. Ronde Barber is ancient and Aqib Talib has off-field troubles abound.

How fortunate then that Morris Claiborne is still available at this point in the draft.

Claiborne is an incredible athlete with great speed and the hands of a wide receiver.

The Buccaneers also have holes to fill at linebacker but cornerback must be addressed at the top of the draft.

13. San Diego Chargers: Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

Vontaze Burfict has attitude problems.

With that out of the way, we can focus on the fact that Burfict is an absolute beast for the Arizona State Sun Devils.

He is the type of linebacker that may be too good to pass up for the San Diego Chargers, even if their greatest need is at outside linebacker and not his native inside position.

Burfict is just better than the other linebackers on the board.

The fact that San Diego is even picking this high is somewhat of a shock, but perhaps it's rebuilding time for the Chargers.

A physical presence like Burfict is a good way to retool a defense.

14. Buffalo Bills: Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma

The Buffalo Bills desperately need help on defense. They rank 20th or worse in both pass and rush defense.

So addressing needs at linebacker and in the secondary is a must, but Ryan Broyles is still on the board and the Bills are not great at wide receiver.

Steve Johnson is good, but how much faith can really be put in David Nelson?

To me it's not enough to pass on one of the most electrifying receivers in college football.

Broyles is fast, elusive and an exceptional route-runner.

He can even return kicks early in his career until he assumes a No. 1 role in the receiving corps.

15. New York Jets: Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina

Zach Brown and Courtney Upshaw both make sense for the New York Jets here.

The Jets are having a disappointing season and some of that stems from their inability to generate a decent pass rush.

New York is never afraid to add to their defense early in a draft and that likely continues with the selection of Brown.

The 6'2" 230-pound linebacker excels at rushing the passer. Perfect fit.

16. Denver Broncos: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

Von Miller is an exceptional defensive player and he could use some help at linebacker.

Inside linebacker Wesley Woodyard was benched earlier in the season and Joe Mays is in an expiring contract.

Luke Kuechly out of Boston College is a hardworking player with a ton of talent.

His ability to step in at middle linebacker could be a huge asset for the Broncos.

Kuechly is average in coverage but is always around the ball and should complement Miller nicely.

17. Philadelphia Eagles: Manti Te'o, LB, Notre Dame

The run on linebackers continues as the Philadelphia Eagles reach for Manti Te'o.

The Eagles have always been terrible at linebacker under Andy Reid and perhaps always will be.

But they absolutely must address this need at the top of the draft.

Philadelphia has skill position players and a flashy offense. Their secondary's talent is well-documented.

What they need is a player like Manti Te'o to bring some credibility to the middle of the defense.

18. Tennessee Titans: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

Another toss-up here as the Tennessee Titans could take either Whitney Mercilus or Jared Crick.

I lean towards Mercilus because of the way he is dominating offensive lines for the Illinois Fighting Illini this season.

Mercilus is somewhat undersized at 263 pounds but he is quick and knows how to find the quarterback.

Tennessee has a lackluster pass rush with David Ball and Jason Jones. Mercilus would be a welcome addition.

19. Dallas Cowboys: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

The Dallas Cowboys love to make headlines and that is why part of me thinks they may make the shocking and unnecessary selection of Michael Floyd, who is somehow still on the board.

But for some reason, I think Jerry Jones will use logic and take a very good cornerback in Alfonzo Dennard from Nebraska.

Dallas has issues in the secondary with Terrance Newman getting old and Mike Jenkins always injured.

Dennard has good coverage skills and has notable ability in run support.

Depth is never a bad thing, even if Dennard is not a very enticing option.

20. Cincinnati Bengals: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

Michael Floyd is a well-rounded wide receiver with enough talent to go in the top 15 picks.

As it stands, he has fallen into the lap of the Cincinnati Bengals, who have back-to-back selections.

Why not make a luxury pick and take one of the best receivers in this year's class?

Jermoe Simpson has been good opposite A.J. Green, but Floyd is better.

Defensive picks can be taken later in the draft; for now, make a high-value pick and take Michael Floyd.

21. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland Raiders): Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

The Oakland Raiders have given the Cincinnati Bengals their second first-round selection and they would be wise to use it on guard Cordy Glenn.

Glenn is 6'5" 348 pounds and can be the type of lineman who remains a consistent presence at the position for a decade.

The Bengals could really go a number of ways with this pick. Strong safety and running back are other possibilities.

I just don't see players at those positions who warrant a pick this high.

Glenn is a safe pick and will provide added protection for young Andy Dalton.

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons): Janoris Jenkins, CB, Florida

Janoris Jenkins' multiple arrests will be the only reason he falls this far in the draft and the Cleveland Browns will happily draft him.

Joe Haden could use a good complement on the opposite side of the field, as Sheldon Brown is old and needs to be replaced.

Jenkins has top-tier speed which will aid him in covering deep routes and makes perfect sense for a Browns defense that is already stout against the run.

23. New York Giants: Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson

The New York Giants draft the best player available.

In this case that is Brandon Thompson, the defensive tackle from the Clemson Tigers.

Thompson is 308 pounds and will clog the middle for a defensive line that currently ranks 21st against the run.

This pick is simple and makes a lot of sense based on the Giants' draft history.

24. Detroit Lions: Brandon Jenkins, OLB, Florida State

The Detroit Lions have obvious issues on the offensive line, as they have been unable to develop a consistent running game all year.

But Detroit always drafts for value and with guard Cordy Glenn off the board, I don't see them reaching for another lineman.

Brandon Jenkins is an uber-talented tackler and sack artist who can be a very good linebacker in the NFL.

Again, value trumps need for the Lions.

Because of this, Jenkins is the pick.

25. Houston Texans: T.J. McDonald, FS, USC

The Houston Texans secondary has played phenomenally this season.

The Texans are allowing only 178 passing yards per game and the offseason acquisition of Jonathan Joseph has certainly paid off.

But T.J. McDonald could improve a suddenly flourishing unit.

McDonald is an extremely physical safety with the skill set and range to cover the whole field.

Houston is in need of a nose tackle as well and I would not be shocked if they went that route, but I am a firm believer in the talents of McDonald.

26. New England Patriots: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

The New England Patriots always seem to have great things happen to them come draft day.

It's as if players just fall right into their lap and that may be the case with Courtney Upshaw.

Upshaw would provide depth to a group of linebackers that has been less than stellar this season.

The Patriots rank dead last against the pass and Upshaw's defensive end background could prove useful in generating a decent pass rush.

This pick is a steal for the Patriots, as Upshaw has the talent to go higher.

27. Pittsburgh Steelers, Alameda Ta'amu, DT, Washington

The Pittsburgh Steelers have two nose tackles over the age of 34.

Maybe it's time to bring some youth to the position before it becomes a dire need.

Alameda Ta'amu has the size to cover two gaps and the speed to rush the quarterback, an enticing combination out of a nose tackle.

The Steelers always seem to retool before a want becomes a need and that seems to be the case again with the drafting of Ta'amu.

28. Baltimore Ravens: Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama

It is finally time for the Baltimore Ravens to start thinking about life after Ray Lewis.

The perennial Pro Bowler may have a few years left in the tank, but his career is entering its twilight.

So why not draft a guy like Dont'a Hightower who can make an immediate impact playing alongside Lewis and learn from one of the best linebackers to ever play the game?

This pick is almost too logical not to happen.

29. Chicago Bears: Juron Criner, WR, Arizona

At 6'4", Juron Criner has the type of size the Chicago Bears severely lack in their receivers (and no, Roy Williams does not count—he is just terrible).

Johnny Knox and Devin Hester are great speedsters but Criner can provide a possession receiver for Jay Cutler to go to when he is under pressure, something that happens quite often in Chicago.

The Bears may also look at offensive lineman with this pick but nobody fits this selection better than Criner.

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

A player falls in the draft and the New England Patriots draft him.

Not only does it happen every year, but in this case it happens in the same round!

Jared Crick is an outstanding run-stopper and he is no slouch at rushing the passer.

Putting this Cornhusker next to Vince Wilfork sounds like a recipe for success to me.

Devon Still from Penn State could be the pick here but Crick is higher on my board and is a more complete football player.

31. San Francisco 49ers: Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia

The San Francisco 49ers have one need that stands above all others: cornerback.

Tarell Brown is simply not good enough to start in this league and while Janorice Jenkins is the dream pick here, the 49ers will likely be forced to reach for a player like Chase Minnifield.

Minnifield (or anyone for that matter) would be a marked improvement over Brown and Minnifield has the ability to return kicks which only enhances his value.

San Francisco has very few need areas going into this draft, but they absolutely must get a cornerback.

32. Green Bay Packers: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

The Green Bay Packers do not have a need at strong safety. Starter Charlie Peprah is a good player and has already recorded four interceptions this season.

But if Mark Barron manages to fall this far, someone is going to snatch him up and I don't think the Green Bay Packers would allow him to fall past them.

Barron is a three-year starter at Alabama and one of the most revered safeties in the nation.

Green Bay could use a pass-rusher opposite Clay Matthews, but when you are the undefeated defending Super Bowl champions do you really need anything?

The Packers are smart enough to make the value pick in Barron.