2012 NFL Mock Draft: Stock Watch for Every Top WR Heading into Bowl Season

With college football's bowl season underway, it's the best time of the year to watch some of college football's best players go up against some great competition.

And with pro football becoming so reliant on the passing game (New England, Green Bay, New Orleans), those needing stud WRs to make up ground will surely be tuned in to bowl week. That said, here are five of college football's best WRs to watch for during bowl week and in preparation for the 2012 NFL Draft.

St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR (Oklahoma State)

If there's one team scouting Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon, it's the St. Louis Rams. The Rams have arguably the NFL's worst offense, lack talent across the board but have a franchise QB in Sam Bradford.

Blackmon is a guy who can stretch the field and make plays across the middle because of his size and reliability. Let's put it this way: He's the main man in one of college football's most explosive offenses, which will take center stage in the Fiesta Bowl against Stanford this January.

The Cardinal has a solid defense in allowing just 20.3 points per game. However, their pass defense ranks 78th and allows 241 pass yards per game.

Oklahoma State averages almost 400 pass yards per game and Blackmon, for a second straight year, collected over 1,300 yards and scored 15 TDs.

Despite playing in a one-dimensional offense, no one could stop this man even if he's being double-covered. Just imagine how immensely that helps out the Rams offense.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Alshon Jeffery, WR (South Carolina)

Before we dub QB Blaine Gabbert the bust of 2011, let's withhold judgement until he gets some decent receivers to target. We know that RB Maurice Jones-Drew is gonna do work on the ground. However, with no reliable WR, anyone would struggle in Jacksonville.

Gabbert walked into a tough situation, so drafting South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery will ease that pain. Jeffery, despite having only caught 45 passes for 614 yards this season, remains a top WR, mainly because his QB is the inexperienced Connor Shaw, and before that it was Stephen Garcia.

To that end, the Gamecocks play the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Capital One Bowl. The Huskers have a stud CB in Alfonzo Dennard, who like Jeffery will be a first-round pick.

With Alshon's size and strength and Dennard's physical play it will be one of the more-watched matchups this bowl season. Other than Dennard, Nebraska's pass defense isn't too solid, as he takes away half the field every game.

Jeffery is South Carolina's best receiving weapon so just imagine what he can do in Jacksonville with some help. Against weak pass defenses like Tennessee and Indianapolis, he would save Gabbert's career (momentarily) while enhancing MJD's.

Cleveland Browns: Michael Floyd, WR (Notre Dame)

Whether Browns fans are for it or not, replacing Colt McCoy is not the answer. He does not have one WR that can beat single coverage on a consistent basis, nor one who can stretch the field, and no one reliable enough to target when double-covered.

None are true No. 1 WRs, and for as tough a player as Josh Cribbs is, he needs to remain a slot guy. Therefore, Notre Dame's Michael Floyd would fit right in.

He may not have insanely-good top speed, but he's quick and strong enough to get off the line against any tough CB. Not to mention his size and sure hands will allow him to make plays downfield, across the middle and on screens.

Notre Dame's bowl game is against Florida State in the Champ Sports Bowl on Dec. 29. The Seminoles have a solid secondary led by CB Greg Reid and allow just 15 points per game (ranked No. 4). It will definitely be a challenge for Floyd but something that will be the tip of the iceberg in terms of his potential.

Having a good game against one of college football's best defenses will surely make him more appealing to Cleveland, as they have to play some of the NFL's best defenses every year.

Chicago Bears: Nick Toon, WR (Wisconsin)

When you think of the Chicago Bears you never think of a WR. Their legendary RBs always come to mind, as well as the 46 defense.

Unfortunately, Chicago needs a stud WR to help their offense. With the entire gameplan always revolving around RB Matt Forte, for as much as he produced being going down, the passing game still needs to improve.

That's where Wisconsin's Nick Toon comes in. The guy is a great stock-blocker because of playing in the Big Ten and for the Badgers, but his sure hands are as reliable of any receiver there is in college football.

He can stretch the field and isn't afraid to go across the middle. Right now the Bears have speedy WRs but none of which have the size and wherewithal to take hits on a consistent basis.

Toon is arguably the most complete receiver in the draft and his presence will be felt against a fast Oregon Ducks defense in the Rose Bowl. The Ducks have the 82nd-ranked pass defense (allowing 243 yards per game), so expect Toon to have a solid outing.

For the Bears, he'll run-block as good as any offensive lineman and TE outside and catch better than anyone for Jay Cutler when he drops back. Mike Martz definitely needs to make room for this guy. 

Tennessee Titans: Kendall Wright, WR (Baylor)

Mainly because of teammate and Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin, WR Kendall Wright is getting some solid national attention.

For starters, he has been Griffin's favorite and most reliable target each of the last two seasons (179 receptions for 2,524 yards and 20 TDs). With the Titans, he'll only make Matt Hasselbeck's and RB Chris Johnson's lives that much easier in the backfield.

As for Baylor's bowl game, it's against the Washington Huskies in the Alamo Bowl. There, we'll see the Huskies 116th-ranked pass defense (allowing 283 yards per game) get eviscerated by the Bears. Wright is a fast target with much reliability and proven ball skills.

Along with other solid receiving targets in Nate Washington and Kenny Britt, Wright will only make Tennessee's offense that much more explosive. It's something they lacked this season, mainly because CJ never hit a rhythm, so count on that happening in 2012.

If the Titans want any shot at moving the ball against Houston and Jacksonville, another threatening receiver would be of much assistance.

2012 First-Round NFL Mock Draft

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB (Stanford)	17. Chicago Bears: Nick Toon, WR (Wisconsin)
2. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR (Oklahoma State)	18. Tennessee Titans: Kendall Wright, WR (Baylor)
3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT (USC)	19. New York Giants: Jonathan Martin, OT (Stanford)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars: Alshon Jeffery, WR (South Carolina)	20. Cincinnati Bengals: Riley Reiff, OT (Iowa)
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Trent Richardson, RB (Alabama)	21. Dallas Cowboys: Alfonzo Dennard, CB (Nebraska)
6. Cleveland Browns: Michael Floyd, WR (Notre Dame)	22. New York Jets: Brandon Thompson, DE (Clemson)
7. Miami Dolphins: Matt Barkley, QB (USC)	23. Denver Broncos: Chase Minnifield, CB (UVA)
8. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin, QB (Baylor)	24. Detroit Lions: Zach Brown, LB (UNC)
9. Carolina Panthers: Morris Claiborne, CB (LSU)	25. Houston Texans: Devon Still, DT (Penn State)
10. Philadelphia Eagles: Courtney Upshaw, LB (Alabama)	26. San Francisco 49ers: Mark Barron, S (Alabama)
11. Buffalo Bills: Janoris Jenkins, CB (North Alabama)	27. Cleveland (From ATL): Vontaze Burfict, LB (ASU)
12. Kansas City Chiefs: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB (Alabama)	28. New England Patriots: Cam Johnson, DE (UVA)
13. San Diego Chargers: Luke Kuechly, LB (Boston College)	29. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Adams, OT (Ohio State)
14. Arizona Cardinals: David DeCastro, G (Stanford)	30. New England Patriots (From NO): Jayron Hosley, CB (Virginia Tech)
15. Seattle Seahawks: Quinton Coples, DE (UNC)	31. Baltimore Ravens: Dont'a Hightower, LB (Alabama)
16. Cincinnati (From OAK): Cordy Glenn, OG (UGA)	32. Green Bay Packers: Melvin Ingram, DE (South Carolina)

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