2012 NFL Mock Draft: Which Quarterbacks Still Need Most Development?

The 2012 NFL draft will likely be filled with quarterback talent. But while Andrew Luck, Matt Barkley and Landry Jones all appear ready-made to step in and take over NFL offenses right away, there are several quarterback prospects who will need to be developed and brought along more slowly.

Here are two guys being talked about as top quarterback prospects who I think need more time to develop.

Robert Griffin III, Baylor

While Griffin has incredible athleticism and has put up eye-popping numbers this season, he still has a lot to work on heading into the draft. He has altered and improved his delivery, but it is still imperfect and his arm strength isn't elite. 

Griffin is, by all accounts, a great kid with tremendous intangibles, but after running a system at Baylor that allows him to run almost at will, he will need to change his mindset at the next level. He must be able to sit in the pocket and go through all of his options before deciding to use his incredible mobility to escape from trouble. 

At just 6'1" and 220 pounds, Griffin would be short for an NFL quarterback and will certainly have to work on his release, as he does have balls batted down at the line of scrimmage a bit too often. He does show accuracy that has improved a great deal over previous seasons, but overall his mechanics and throwing ability still need work. 

There is a ton of upside with Griffin, but he will need to continue improving if he wants to be a starter at the next level.

Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M

Tannehill's ascent has been remarkable, especially when you consider that just a year and a half ago he was Texas A&M's top wide receiver. He is still learning to play quarterback, but he has great intangibles, is a leader on the field and competes at a very high level. That said, he still has a lot of work to do on his overall game under center. 

Tannehill still forces too many throws and while his accuracy has improved over the past year, he still needs to make better decisions with the football and must learn to fit the ball into tight spaces. He has a three-quarters release but at 6'4" and 222 pounds, that isn't much of an issue. He has above-average arm strength, but still has room to improve that.

Tannehill is an outstanding athlete and has all the tools you would want in a quarterback. He will need to sit and learn at the next level, but any team that has patience in him could be rewarded down the road. 

2012 NFL Mock Draft

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck	17. Cincinnati Bengals: Lamar Miller
2. St. Louis Rams: Alshon Jeffery	18. Chicago Bears: Michael Floyd
3. Carolina Panthers: Matt Kalil	19. Baltimore Ravens: Luke Kuechly
4. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III	20. Cleveland Browns: Nick Toon
5. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin	21. New York Giants: Janoris Jenkins
6. Minnesota Vikings: Morris Claiborne	22. Philadelphia Eagles: Dont'a Hightower
7. Cleveland Browns: Vontaze Burfict	23. Cincinnati Bengals: Chase Minnifield
8. Jacksonville Jaguars: Justin Blackmon	24. San Diego Chargers: David DeCastro
9. Seattle Seahawks: Matt Barkley	25. Houston Texans: Jerel Worthy
10. Miami Dolphins: Landry Jones	26. San Francisco 49ers: Devon Still
11. Kansas City Chiefs: Riley Reiff	27. Dallas Cowboys: Stephon Gilmore
12. Denver Broncos: Trent Richardson	28. New England Patriots: Courtney Upshaw
13. Tennessee Titans: Melvin Ingram	29. Pittsburgh Steelers: Cordy Glenn
14. Buffalo Bills: Zach Brown	30. Detroit Lions: Alphonzo Denard
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Dre Kirkpatrick	31. New England Patriots: Quinton Coples
16. New York Jets: Alameda Ta'Amu	32. Green Bay Packers: Brandon Jenkins