2012 NFL Mock Draft: Predicting the Draft's Safest Picks

We all know that Andrew Luck will be the first player taken in the 2012 NFL Draft. We also know the names of all the flashy guys sure to be available. Names like Trent Richardson, Justin Blackmon and Robert Griffin III will be tossed around a lot as players who could make a big impact at the next level.

But I'm almost always more interested in the players who will definitely provide a return on the investment teams make in them. The solid players who are often overlooked but could actually turn out to be the best guys at the next level.

Here is my look at the safest picks available in the 2012 NFL draft.

Matt Kalil, OT, USC

After rumors swirled that he was planning on returning to school for his senior year, Kalil quashed those by declaring for the draft this week. And there is almost no reason why he shouldn't have headed to the next level, as he is an absolute stud.

Kalil is every bit the franchise left tackle and in any other year, he would almost surely be the No. 1 overall pick. Unfortunately for him, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck has had that designation locked up for almost a year.

Kalil simply has it all at left tackle and should be a Pro Bowler for years. He's 6'7" and 295 pounds with room to add more bulk if needed. He has fantastic footwork and remarkable quickness for a guy his size. He has great athleticism, but is also incredibly smart and well-schooled.

He is an absolute beast in the running game and has no problem getting to the second level and punishing opponents. Meanwhile, Kalil is absolutely dominant as a pass blocker and allowed zero sacks this past season.

He also has the bloodlines, as brother Ryan is a Pro Bowl center for the Carolina Panthers and his father Frank played in the USFL.

Simply put, Kalil has everything you could possibly want out of a franchise left tackle and could be the second player to come off the board in April. In my estimation, he's the safest pick in the entire draft.

Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Claiborne hasn't been as flashy as teammate Tyrann Mathieu this season, but there is no doubt he can be an elite cornerback at the next level. In fact, he may be a better NFL player than Mathieu.

At worst, Claiborne will be an immediate starter who will have a productive career; at best he'll become a lock-down corner who could dominate the position for years.

He is an outstanding pure cover corner with great instincts. He possesses decent ball skills and has a great feel for the position, as evidenced by his six interceptions this year and five in 2010 as a sophomore.

He is also a versatile athlete who started out his career at LSU at wide receiver. That likely means he has an even higher ceiling than originally believed. Reports suggest that Claiborne is also a very hard worker who is dedicated to getting better. At the next level, that will be invaluable.

Claiborne is fluid in coverage and has dominated in college in both man-to-man and zone schemes. While Mathieu has garnered more attention and hype, all Claiborne has done is completely lock down his side of the field all season.

There is no way he lasts past the top 10 and other than Kalil, he is probably the safest pick in this year's draft. There is plenty of tape on Claiborne against high-level competition at this point, so teams should know exactly what they are getting with him.

Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College

You want a linebacker on the inside who will bring it day-in and day-out for his entire career? Look no further than Boston College's Luke Kuechly, who may have been the most productive player in college football this season.

All he did in 12 games was rack up 191 tackles on the year, far outpacing anyone else in the nation. That is absolutely ridiculous.

We should have expected that kind of production out of the junior, since he had 142 tackles as a freshman and 183 as a sophomore.

At 6'3" and 237 pounds, Kuechly is a decent athlete but isn't elite, so how does he rack up so many tackles? He has incredible instincts and somehow always ends up around the ball. It is really amazing to watch.

Kuechly makes perfect reads on virtually every play, and is not only fantastic going forward to blow up run plays, but he also has excellent cover skills.

At this point in the evaluation process, Kuechly is easily the top linebacker on the board. Given his production, work ethic and leadership skills, there is no way he ends up being a bust at the next level.

You can't teach the kind of instincts he possesses, and whoever ends up with him should be incredibly happy.

David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

Guards don't typically get first-round attention, but don't be surprised if DeCastro comes off the board in the top 20 this April.

The Stanford mainstay has been the most dominant interior lineman in the country this year and will be an NFL starter next season. At 6'5" and 310 pounds, DeCastro is an absolute mauler in the run game, while he displays excellent balance when backpedaling in the passing game.

He is athletic and consistent and having watched tons of film on him, there is almost no way he won't be a 10-year starter in the NFL.

DeCastro's strength is his outstanding awareness; he never misses his assignments in the running game and can often take on his man and recover to help others in pass protection.

He is as technically sound as an interior lineman can get, while also showing very good toughness when challenged. That is a rare combination for a young guard.

DeCastro will immediately help a team at the next level. He is solid in all aspects of the game and could easily develop into a perennial Pro Bowler.

Guards usually aren't as valued as tackles, but he is the kind of guy who will be worth a high pick and should provide an outstanding return on that investment.

Full 2012 NFL Mock Draft

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