2012 NFL Mock Draft: Which Teams Will Land Late-Round Steals?

We're going to need a few years to evaluate things before we're able to reach a verdict on the 2012 NFL Draft class.

But right now, the 2012 class is looking pretty good.

If you're just now joining us, the general consensus is there's a lot of talent to be had in the first round of the 2012 draft. It will start with Andrew Luck, but plenty of good prospects are going to come off the board after him.

However, this doesn't mean there won't be steals. We always see prospects fall further than they should in the first round, and the 2012 draft is going to be no exception. The question is which teams are going to grab these fallen prospects and walk out of the draft with steals.

If I had to guess, I'd say the five teams listed below are going to be thieving on draft day.

Cincinnati Bengals draft North Carolina DE Quinton Coples

A lot of draft pundits have Quinton Coples marked down as a top-10 talent, but don't be surprised if his stock starts to slip as we get closer and closer to draft day. Coples is a physical freak, but he's had a tough season for the Tar Heels this year and there are going to be questions about his ability to play defensive end at the pro level.

However, Coples should only fall so far, and I think the Bengals would be more than happy to draft him when they're on the board in the latter third of the first round. 

Do the Bengals really need a defensive end? That varies depending on whom you ask. I, for one, think they could use a pass-rush specialist at defensive end, and Coples is a guy who has the tools to be an elite pass-rusher.

Besides, the Bengals have built themselves a promising future through the draft. They'll know value when they see it.

Dallas Cowboys draft Stanford G David DeCastro

Andrew Luck is going to get all the attention, but you're going to see a couple members of his offensive line get drafted in the first round as well. The first will likely be tackle Jonathan Martin, but guard David DeCastro will follow soon after.

Of the two, I think DeCastro is more likely to slide on draft day. A lot of teams will be looking to fill needs, and not every team needs a guard.

The Cowboys are a team that could use a guard. They're set at the tackles, but they're working with spare parts on the interior of their offensive line. If they add DeCastro, Tony Romo will be safer and life will be easier for DeMarco Murray.

Everybody wins.

New England Patriots draft Penn State DT Devon Still

As of right now, Devon Still is a guy who is just now starting to get some extra attention. A couple months from now, he could be viewed as a top-10 pick.

If he does end up lasting to the 20s, I would be shocked if the Patriots passed on him. They could use defensive line help, and Still projects as a guy who could line up alongside Vince Wilfork.

To be sure, the Pats could also use a whole bunch of help in their secondary, but this would be yet another case of a player simply being too good to pass up. Besides, it's not like the Pats won't have a place to put him.

Pittsburgh Steelers draft South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore

Speaking of teams needing help in the secondary, the Steelers could really use another cornerback to place alongside Ike Taylor. He's good, but he needs a partner in crime.

When discussing the top cornerback prospects in this year's draft class, Stephon Gilmore's name doesn't come up in many discussions. But it should. He's playing very well this season, establishing himself as a corner who can do pretty much anything.

The Steelers will have to address their offensive line as well, but pickings are going to be pretty slim once they're on the board. Better for them to fill another need rather than reach for a lineman.

Green Bay Packers draft Clemson DT Brandon Thompson

Not too long ago, Brandon Thompson was being looked at as a top-10 talent. Now he's being viewed as a borderline first-rounder.

My guess is Thompson will ultimately stay in first-round territory and that he will be a top target for teams looking for a defensive tackle. 

If he does fall, though, I don't think the Packers would pass on him. They could use help at defensive end, and that's a role I think Thompson could fill. 

If Thompson pans out, the Packers would have even fewer weaknesses than they already have.

Note: Draft order is a version of my Week 12 NFL Power Rankings, adjusted to account for playoff projections.

Pick	Team	Player
1	Indianapolis Colts	Andrew Luck, QB (Stanford)
2	St. Louis Rams	Alshon Jeffery, WR (South Carolina)
3	Minnesota Vikings	Matt Kalil, OT (USC)
4	Carolina Panthers	Morris Claiborne, CB (LSU)
5	Jacksonville Jaguars	Justin Blackmon, WR (Oklahoma State)
6	Arizona Cardinals	Jonathan Martin, OT (Stanford)
7	Cleveland Browns	Trent Richardson, RB (Alabama)
8	Washington Redskins	Robert Griffin III, QB (Baylor)
9	Miami Dolphins	Landry Jones, QB (Oklahoma)
10	Kansas City Chiefs	Riley Reiff, OT (Iowa)
11	San Diego Chargers	Vontaze Burfict, ILB (Arizona State)
12	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Dre Kirkpatrick, CB (Alabama)
13	Philadelphia Eagles	Luke Kuechly, ILB (Boston College)
14	Seattle Seahawks	Matt Barkley, QB (USC)
15	Buffalo Bills	Melvin Ingram, DE (South Carolina)
16	Tennessee Titans	Manti Te'o, ILB (Notre Dame)
17	New York Jets	Michael Floyd, WR (Notre Dame)
18	New York Giants	Courtney Upshaw, OLB (Alabama)
19	Detroit Lions	Janoris Jenkins, CB (North Alabama)
20	Cincinnati Bengals	Lamar Miller, RB (Miami)
21	Denver Broncos	Alfonzo Dennard, CB (Nebraska)
22	Cleveland Browns (via Atlanta Falcons)	Jarvis Jones, OLB (Georgia)
23	Cincinnati Bengals (via Oakland Raiders)	Quinton Coples, DE (North Carolina)
24	Dallas Cowboys	David DeCastro, G (Stanford)
25	Baltimore Ravens	Ronnell Lewis, OLB (Oklahoma)
26	Chicago Bears	Cordy Glenn, G (Georgia)
27	Houston Texans	Jeff Fuller, WR (Texas A&M)
28	New England Patriots (via New Orleans Saints)	Devon Still, DT (Penn State)
29	New England Patriots	Mark Barron, S (Alabama)
30	San Francisco 49ers	Nick Toon, WR (Wisconsin)
31	Pittsburgh Steelers	Stephon Gilmore, CB (South Carolina)
32	Green Bay Packers	Brandon Thompson, DT (Clemson)