2012 NFL Mock Draft: Matt Barkley and Top Eligible Juniors Who've Yet to Declare
The top juniors in college football have exactly four weeks left to decide whether they'll return to school for one final season or leap to the next level via the 2012 NFL Draft.
Some, like Stanford's Andrew Luck and USC's Matt Kalil, have already made their intentions to go pro quite clear. Others, like these three, have yet to declare, though there's every reason to believe that they'll throw their hats into the ring by January 15th.
Matt Barkley
.png?w=256)
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
In essence, Matt Barkley must decide between a potential shot at Heisman and BCS glory and a surefire spot among the top five picks in the draft. Barkley is projected as the second-best quarterback prospect in the current class, behind only Luck, if he decides to come out.
The Trojans, on the other hand, would likely have been the favorite to win the Pac-12 and, perhaps good enough to compete for the national title before defensive end Nick Perry and left tackle Matt Kalil chose to go pro.
With Kalil gone and his safety under center no longer secure as a result, Barkley would be wise to take the money and run. Chances are he will, as soon as he hears back from the NFL about his draft status evaluation.
Robert Griffin III
Right behind Barkley in the QB pecking order is Robert Griffin III. By all accounts, RG3 is having a blast at Baylor and wouldn't have any problem returning to Waco for one more season, Heisman Trophy and all.
Then again, Griffin would be hard-pressed to accomplish as much in 2012 as he has in 2011, during which he led the Bears to their best single-season win total in 31 years.
And, of course, there's this: according to Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports, RG3's parents (presumably RG1 and RG2) are interviewing prospective agents who might represent their son at the next level. That's a rather serious step, one that no prospect who isn't at least a strong lean to the draft would likely take.
Trent Richardson
Thus far, Trent Richardson has been clear that he won't make a final decision until after Alabama plays LSU in the BCS National Championship Game. That will leave Richardson and his family less than a week to completely mull over the available facts and the projections.
At this point, though, it's not to imagine that he'll ultimately say "ta ta" to Tuscaloosa, crystal football or no. He'd be the best running back prospect in the draft, with about a 99 percent chance of coming off the board within the first 10 picks.
And for good reason. He's bigger, stronger, faster and shiftier than Mark Ingram, his Crimson Tide predecessor, who went 28th overall in the 2011 draft and had been enjoying a productive rookie season with the New Orleans Saints before coming down with a case of turf toe two weeks ago.
If nothing else, the Cleveland Browns, with their mess in the backfield, will surely keep their fingers crossed that Richardson will go pro.
| 1. | Indianapolis Colts (1-13) | Andrew Luck, QB |
| 2. | St. Louis Rams (2-12) | Justin Blackmon, WR |
| 3. | Minnesota Vikings (2-12) | Matt Kalil, OT |
| 4. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-10) | Morris Claiborne, CB |
| 5. | Jacksonville Jaguars (4-10) | Matt Barkley, QB |
| 6. | Cleveland Browns (4-10) | Trent Richardson, RB |
| 7. | Buffalo Bills (5-9) | Michael Floyd, WR |
| 8. | Miami Dolphins (5-9) | Robert Griffin III, QB |
| 9. | Washington Redskins (5-9) | Landry Jones, QB |
| 10. | Carolina Panthers (5-9) | Quinton Coples, DE |
| 11. | Philadelphia Eagles (6-8) | Alshon Jeffery, WR |
| 12. | Kansas City Chiefs (6-8) | Riley Reiff, OT |
| 13. | Seattle Seahawks (7-7) | Dre Kirkpatrick, CB |
| 14. | San Diego Chargers (7-7) | Alfonzo Dennard, CB |
| 15. | Arizona Cardinals (7-7) | Jonathan Martin, OT |
| 16. | Tennessee Titans (7-7) | Vontaze Burfict, LB |
| 17. | Cincinnati Bengals (via OAK) (7-7) | Lamar Miller, RB |
| 18. | Chicago Bears (7-7) | Peter Konz, C |
| 19. | New York Giants (7-7) | Devon Still, DT |
| 20. | Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) | Janoris Jenkins, CB |
| 21. | New York Jets (8-6) | Luke Kuechly, LB |
| 22. | Detroit Lions (9-5) | David DeCastro, OG |
| 23. | Denver Broncos (8-6) | Brandon Thompson, DT |
| 24. | Cleveland Browns (via ATL) (9-5) | Jarvis Jones, LB |
| 25. | Houston Texans (10-4) | Mark Barron, S |
| 26. | Baltimore Ravens (10-4) |
Dont'a Hightower, LB |
| 27. | Dallas Cowboys (8-6) | Zach Brown, LB |
| 28. | New England (via NO) (11-3) | Chase Minnifield, CB |
| 29. | Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) | Courtney Upshaw, DE |
| 30. | San Francisco 49ers (10-3) | Kendall Wright, WR |
| 31. | New England Patriots (11-3) | Mohamed Sanu, WR |
| 32. | Green Bay Packers (13-1) | Cordy Glenn, OG |
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
