2012 NFL Mock Draft: Projecting Every Move of the First Round

The 2012 NFL draft order is starting to flesh out, but nothing is decided yet.

The Indianapolis Colts were cruising for the No. 1 pick but finally won their first game of the season this past week and now only hold a one-game lead over Minnesota and St. Louis for that honor.

Neither the Vikings nor the Rams are in line to draft Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, but it would open a bidding war to teams like the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins.

There is still a good chance the Colts win the No. 1 pick outright, but the race is going to get very interesting.

A lot will happen in the final two weeks of the NFL season and during the course of the college bowl season, but here is a look at every move in the first round the way things sit now.

Draft order determined by combination of current record and projected finish.

1. Indianapolis Colts (1-13)

Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Can Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck coexist in Indianapolis?

Do the Colts even want them too?

Vice chairman Bill Polian made it a point to say that the Colts don't expect the world from their potential No. 1 overall pick. In fact, according to the Tribune-Star, unless they draft a running back he doesn't expect his first-round pick to be much of a help at all.

Luck is widely considered the best quarterback since Peyton Manning himself in 1998 and many also consider him to be pro-ready.

Sitting behind a future Hall of Famer certainly wouldn't hurt Luck, but would the Colts honestly want to financially handicap themselves that way?

This team has a number of other holes to fill and pretending like Manning by himself can will this team to a Super Bowl is foolish.

Drafting Luck, which the Colts are expected to do, should be the end of the Manning era in Indianapolis.

2. St. Louis Rams (2-12)

Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

The St. Louis Rams missed out on a high-profile receiver in last year's draft and it was truly evident this season.

Their trading for Brandon Lloyd should hardly dissuade them from adding a true playmaker this year and with the No. 2 or No. 3 pick they'll have no better option than Oklahoma State's uber-productive receiver Justin Blackmon.

The Cowboys receiver isn't overly dominating size (6'1", 215 pounds) or speed-wise, but he's a dominant all-around player with great football speed, a knack for making big plays and exhibits all the toughness and route-running ability to be a successful receiver over the middle and on the outside.

He'll be an immediate upgrade for Sam Bradford in St. Louis and fills a major need.

3. Minnesota Vikings (2-12)

Matt Kalil, OT, USC

If you thought the first two picks were no-brainers then this pick doesn't need eyes, ears, a mouth, a nose or a brain to make sense.

USC junior Matt Kalil is a can't-miss left tackle prospect who can protect the blind side for years to come.

At 6'6", 295 pounds he still has room to get bigger and stronger despite already being the best overall line prospect in the country.

He's got great feet, great NFL bloodlines and still has some of his best football in front of him.

The Vikings have no bigger need right now than helping their franchise quarterback and running back immediately before turning their attention to their secondary and wide receiver positions.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-10)

Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

I never thought that Claiborne would legitimately go before former LSU teammate Patrick Peterson, but then again I thought it a mistake that Peterson fell all the way to No. 5 anyway.

This year Claiborne was overshadowed again by a Heisman-caliber teammate, but is still noted as the top cover cornerback in college football.

He plays with more physicality than his 175-pound frame suggests and he has good height (6'1") and speed to excel at the position.

Claiborne has proven to be a dynamic weapon with the ball in his hands and is elite defensive prospect.

The Jaguars desperately need a wide receiver, but it would be a bit of a reach for Michael Floyd of Notre Dame and a bigger reach for South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery.

There is also the chance that new owner Shahid Khan wants to make his mark immediately by drafting the quarterback of his choosing. He's already admitted he's no X's-and-O's guy, but with USC's Matt Barkley and reigning Heisman winner Robert Griffin III on the board it will be awfully tempting.

Rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert has done himself no favors this year.

All in all, Claiborne is the best available player on the board and makes sense for a team that needs almost everything.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-10)

Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

This is the biggest reach of the top 10, but it is also a huge need for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

They've already been talking about taking a cornerback since last year and now the time has come for them to make good on it.

The Bucs would love to see Claiborne fall to them and there is a good possibility of it happening if the Jaguars get a bit crazy in front of them.

But Kirkpatrick is no slouch and would likely go no later than top 12.

The near-6'3", 192-pound Crimson Tide cornerback comes from a ridiculously talented defense and has been a playmaker since early in his career.

He'll still take some time to develop in the NFL due to his size and the transition of speeds from the college to pro game, but he'll immediately help this team.

They also still have a major need for pass rush help.

6. Cleveland Browns (4-10)

Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Another no-brainer pick, Heisman finalist Trent Richardson is the best running back in the class and a major need for the Cleveland Browns.

Mike Holmgren and Pat Shurmur have two first-round picks to work with and they would be wise to help Colt McCoy out best they can if they honestly believe he is their future.

Richardson does everything and then some that you'd expect from an all-purpose back and will help fans forget about the ugly year they saw at the position this season.

The Crimson Tide star has great size at 5'11", 225 pounds and is pound-for-pound one of the strongest players in this draft.

7. Buffalo Bills (5-9)

Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

This pick is arguably the most difficult.

There is a chance the Bills decide to move forward without Chan Gailey after his team collapsed under injuries and their deficiencies were exposed, and that could mean a new quarterback as well.

They did just invest a good chunk of money into Ryan Fitzpatrick, but with the new rookie wage scale it wouldn't cripple them to jump on Barkley or RGIII.

If they opt not to do that, they'll be best-suited trying to help protect whoever their run quarterback is and plugging their defense.

Riley Reiff's ranking is debatable next to Jonathan Martin, but he's a solid technician at left tackle with great size, experience and is one of the best players left on the board.

The Bills tried with Demetrius Bell this year but he simply couldn't stay healthy.

They've ignored their need for a left tackle and it will hurt them if they let it go unchecked again this year.

8. Miami Dolphins (5-9)

Matt Barkley, QB, USC

Supremely wishful thinking here for the Miami Dolphins, but they'll do everything they can to land either Matt Barkley (should he enter) or RGIII.

Barkley gets the nod here because of overall leadership potential for an organization that can't afford to miss at the quarterback position again.

The USC junior has gotten better each and every year with Trojans and has risen up draft boards all season long.

He makes sound decisions, is an above-average athlete and exhibits top-notch intangibles.

RGIII does a lot of these things as well if not better, but Barkley is a safer pick from a pro-style offense for a team that needs good play at the position immediately.

If Barkley adapts well he could easily elevate the Dolphins into playoff contention after less than one year on the job.

9. Washington Redskins (5-9)

Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Speaking of RGIII, he's the ideal quarterback to take over in Washington.

He comes with a big name, lots of excitement and tremendous potential.

Daniel Snyder has yet to get things right in Washington and coach Shanahan's reluctance to take on a quarterback is part of that.

RGIII is a quarterback first, athlete second, but an elite athlete at that. Should things break down he is skilled and smart enough to make plays with his feet, but also won't force the ball into bad situations.

The Redskins might be on to something with Roy Helu and certainly have something going with Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo.

Their next step is a quarterback and RGIII is the best on the board.

10. Carolina Panthers (5-9)

Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

The UNC star was very highly rated coming into the season and fell down the board a bit due to lack of hustle and underwhelming production.

He certainly faced more double-teams this season than ever before and everyone was out to block him.

At 6'6", 280 pounds he has the size and overall athleticism to excel in this league.

The reason he's valuable to a Panthers team that just splashed a ton of money on Charles Johnson last offseason is his versatility.

The Panthers recorded only 28 sacks on the season, good enough for the eighth-worst amount in the league.

Coples will likely be a 4-3 defensive end, but has experience shifting inside and has enough athleticism to do what the Panthers ask of him.

Coach Ron Rivera is likely going to take the top defensive player on the board anyway.

Picks 11-13: Eagles, Chiefs and Seahawks

11. Philadelphia Eagles (6-8): Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

Should coach Andy Reid still be around (he likely will), he'd be wise to grab a big wide receiver to complement these young speedsters that can't seem to stay healthy.

Floyd was a touchdown machine in South Bend and would be an ideal fit for them.

12. Kansas City Chiefs (6-8): Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

The second Stanford player off the board could swap with Riley Reiff at No. 7, but won't fall much further than this.

Martin has great feet, is extremely well-coached and smart, and his overall athleticism will help him fit in wherever Kansas City wants to put him.

13. Seattle Seahawks (7-7): Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

A bit of a fall for the Sooners quarterback, but too many teams have seen Jones do too many good things to let him slide too far.

Seattle has a lot of really talented pieces in place and the one thing they're legitimately missing is a consistent quarterback. Jones will take some time to develop, but he'll be an upgrade over Tarvaris "3rd-and-Long" Jackson and Charlie "Clipboard" Whitehurst once he comes along.

Picks 14-16: Chargers, Cardinals and Titans

14. San Diego Chargers (7-7): Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

The Cornhuskers cornerback burst onto the scene last year when everyone was around to scout former teammate Prince Amukamara. Now, Dennard is considered as good, if not better, an overall prospect as last year's No. 20 pick.

15. Arizona Cardinals (7-7): Devon Still, DT, Penn State

This Nittany Lion is one rising name on draft boards. He was Penn State's best player throughout the year and many people were simply waiting for him to put it all together this way. He has good size at 6'4", 310 pounds and the athleticism to help a defense that could lose their best lineman, Calais Campbell, in free agency.

16. Tennessee Titans (7-7): Vontaze Burfict, LB, ASU

This has been an up-and-down team all year and it is safe to say that Jake Locker will be under center for the next season. 

Their best bet will be to find some defensive help, preferably at linebacker, and Burfict is a freak with great potential to change the flow of games with his tenacious play.

Picks 17-19: Bengals, Bears and Bengals

17. Cincinnati Bengals (via OAK 7-7): Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

Already an early entry, Miller has gained a lot of buzz about his potentially blazing speed. The Hurricanes running back would be a solid fit for a team that would love to have a complement to Cedric Benson in the backfield.

18. Chicago Bears (7-7): Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

The Bears now have Roberto Garza, a true guard, at center and Chris Spencer, who came over as a center, at right guard. Adding a completely solid center like Konz will allow Garza to go back to left guard and help anchor this line from the inside out.

19. Cincinnati Bengals (8-6): Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

The former Florida Gator is not forgotten as one of top playmaking defensive prospects in this draft and will come off the board in the first if he tests well. Cincinnati is known for taking chances on troublesome talents and Jenkins easily fits that bill.

Picks 20-22: Cowboys, Lions and Jets

20. Dallas Cowboys (8-6): Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

The Cowboys struck gold with an instinctive linebacker in Sean Lee a few years ago, but have aging veterans Bradie James and Keith Brooking as well. Adding the draft's most instinctive defensive player in Kuechly will give the Cowboys quite a duo. And, if Bruce Carter develops, they'd have one heck of a rotation.

21. Detroit Lions (9-5): Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

The Lions would have been all over Kuechly if he fell to them, but instead they'll find the potential replacement for Cliff Avril if he bolts in free agency. If he stays, they'll then use the slightly undersized, but tenacious Ingram in rotation with Avril and Kyle Vanden-Bosch until the latter retires.

22. New York Jets (8-6): David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

The Jets simply cannot afford to not be a run-first football team. Early this year they had trouble getting things started on the ground and we saw the effect it had on Mark Sanchez. DeCastro could easily be off the board before this as he is the nation's most dominant interior lineman. 

Picks 23-25: Broncos, Giants and Texans

23. Denver Broncos (8-6): Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

The versatile Bulldogs defender is ideal for what the Broncos need in their 4-3 front. They'll only get better with time against the run and Cox can help that with solid size at 6'4", 295 pounds and good surprisingly good athleticism. The Broncos can move him around to their heart's content.

24. New York Giants (7-7): Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina

The Giants have a number of young linebackers already involved, but they have yet to find that next "guy." UNC's Zach Brown is one heck of an athlete who could push slowing veteran linebacker Michael Boley inside and take over outside immediately. He's a bit undersized at 6'2", 230 pounds, but he can fly.

25. Houston Texans (10-4): Mark Barron, S, Alabama

This is arguably my favorite pick of the draft. The Crimson Tide safety is the draft's best prospect at the position and goes to a team in need of a complete safety prospect who can take over in the back end. Barron loves to fly down into the box, but has shown ability in coverage as well and always makes plays around the ball.

Picks 26-28: Ravens, Browns and Patriots

26. Baltimore Ravens (10-4): Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama

This arguably my second-favorite pick. The Ravens eventually have to find a replacement for Ray Lewis and Alabama's Dont'a Hightower is a 6'4", 260-pound monster with great athleticism and experience. Coming from Saban's defense certainly won't hurt his stock one bit.

27. Cleveland Browns (via ATL 9-5): Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

Jeffery is the biggest dropper of my draft based solely on the fact that we should have seen so much more from him. His size (6'4", 230 pounds) will likely force him up the draft board, but he never dominated the he should have this year. Inconsistent quarterback play certainly contributed to that, but I'm still not sold on him.

28. New England Patriots (via NO 11-3): Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

Another Crimson Tide defender, Upshaw is experienced 3-4 pass-rusher that would fit perfectly with the Patriots. Coach Bill Belichick knows coach Saban too well to pass on this type of opportunity this late in the draft. 

Picks 29-31: Steelers, 49ers and Patriots

29. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3): Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

The Steelers continue to find ways to let Big Ben get hit and they haven't been nearly as good in the run game as they want to be. Glenn is a mountain of a man at 6'5", 345 pounds and has played both tackle and guard.

30. San Francisco 49ers (10-3): Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

While RGIII was catching all the hype, Kendall Wright was catching all his passes. The 5'11", 190-pound receiver can get up the field in a hurry and was super-productive throughout his career with RGIII. He's a gifted athlete who also played basketball early in his career at Baylor. 

The 49ers need more weapons for Alex Smith and Wright proved to a trustworthy playmaker this year.

31. New England Patriots (11-3): Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

This pick will likely be moved, possibly packaged with their other first-round pick to move up for someone, but if the Patriots or whoever selects here needs a receiver they need look no further than the underrated Sanu.

The Scarlet Knight has good size at 6'2", 215 pounds and is extremely versatile having played wide receiver, quarterback and running back after committing to Rutgers as a safety. He's only going to get better.

32. Green Bay Packers (13-1)

Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

And the latest riser up into the first round is the Trojans junior Nick Perry. At 6'3", 260 pounds he can play in a 3-4 as a pass-rush linebacker or as defensive end in a 4-3. 

He's likely going to put up impressive numbers in his workouts and people will be very excited about him. 

The thing with Perry is that he's just starting to come into his own. The last time there was excitement about a Trojan pass-rusher with his best football ahead of him he turned out to be Clay Matthews Jr.

Should the Packers repeat as Super Bowl champions they will likely take the best available talent.

Complete Mock Table

*Draft order determined by combination of current record and projected finish.

No.	Team (Record)	Player, Pos.
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.	Jacksonville Jaguars (4-10)	Morris Claiborne, CB
5.	Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-10)	Dre Kirkpatrick, CB
6.	Cleveland Browns (4-10)	Trent Richardson, RB
7.	Buffalo Bills (5-9)	Riley Reiff, OT
8.	Miami Dolphins (5-9)	Matt Barkley, QB
9.	Washington Redskins (5-9)	Robert Griffin III, QB
10.	Carolina Panthers (5-9)	Quinton Coples, DE
11.	Philadelphia Eagles (6-8)	Michael Floyd, WR
12.	Kansas City Chiefs (6-8)	Jonathan Martin, OT
13.	Seattle Seahawks (7-7)	Landry Jones, QB
14.	San Diego Chargers (7-7)	Alfonzo Dennard, CB
15.	Arizona Cardinals (7-7)	Devon Still, DT
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.	Cincinnati Bengals (8-6)	Janoris Jenkins, CB
20.	Dallas Cowboys (8-6)	Luke Kuechly, LB
21.	Detroit Lions (9-5)	Melvin Ingram, DE
22.	New York Jets (8-6)	David DeCastro, OG
23.	Denver Broncos (8-6)	Fletcher Cox, DT
24.	New York Giants (7-7)	Zach Brown, LB
25.	Houston Texans (10-4)	Mark Barron, S
26.	Baltimore Ravens (10-4)	Dont'a Hightower, LB
27.	Cleveland Browns (via ATL) (9-5)	Alshon Jeffery, WR
28.	New England (via NO 11-3)	Courtney Upshaw, DE
29.	Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3)	Cordy Glenn, OG
30.	San Francisco 49ers (10-3)	Kendall Wright, WR
31.	New England Patriots (11-3)	Mohamed Sanu, WR
32.	Green Bay Packers (13-1)	Nick Perry, DE/OLB