2012 NFL Mock Draft: Off-the-Radar Players Who'll Sneak into First Round

With the 2011 NFL regular season drawing to a close, it’s time to start thinking about which college players that could come out for the draft will go to which teams.

Mocking the draft is one of the most fun aspects of the football season, and it’s never too early to start the fun. Right now sounds about right.

This mock draft will feature more of the late first-round picks that may not be on everyone’s radar.

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

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

The No. 1 overall pick is almost an afterthought at this point. The only real question will be whether the Indianapolis Colts choke away their chances at getting the next Peyton Manning.

2. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Justin Blackmon is as NFL ready as a wide receiver coming out of college could be. A team like St. Louis that is trying to get a weapon for their star quarterback Sam Bradford would be foolish to pass on Blackmon at No. 2.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

This is the kind of kid the Vikings build their offensive line around for 14 seasons. Franchise left tackle.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

While the Jacksonville Jaguars are facing a huge uphill struggle on offense, they need a playmaker in the secondary to compliment their strong run defense. Claiborne will give them the shut-down man that can keep Jacksonville in games.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

With the hype around a possible Alabama National Championship, I could see a team in desperate need for an heir apparent to Ronde Barber reaching here.

6. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

There is almost no doubt that Peyton Hillis won’t be back in Cleveland next season, which means Trent Richardson will be Brown. The powerful back is exactly what the Browns need to build their offense around and could be a star in Cleveland next season.

7. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

If Ryan Fitzpatrick is the quarterback of the future for the Buffalo Bills, that means they have to start protecting him. Giving him an offensive tackle that can protect him and give him time is a smart move.

8. Miami Dolphins: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

With Brandon Marshall taking most of the double coverage on the other side, Floyd could his strength to be the possession receiver the Dolphins need.

9. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Being voted the AP Player of the Year and the Heisman Trophy winner inflates your draft stock high enough to make Griffin a Dan Snyder special.

10. Carolina Panthers: Quinton Coples, DE, UNC

The Carolina Panthers need all the defensive help they can get, and Coples is the kind of pass-rushing defensive end that will compliment Charles Johnson well.

11. Philadelphia Eagles: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

The biggest flaw of the Eagles this season was their inability to protect their star quarterback Michael Vick. Martin is the kind of offensive lineman that coach Howard Mudd loves and he will have him playing at a pro-bowl caliber before the season is out.

12. Kansas City Chiefs: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

With the injury to Jamaal Charles early in the season, the realization that there is no backup plan for the running back spot means they will take the best available in this draft in Miller. Charles and Miller would be an amazing duo.

13. Seattle Seahawks: Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

While I don’t see what all the fuss is all about, Pete Carroll is just crazy enough to draft Landry this high and waste five seasons trying to groom him. Enjoy that Seahawks fans.

14. San Diego Chargers: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

The Chargers have a stellar run defense, but their secondary was torched at time during the season. With safety Eric Weddle holding down the center, San Diego could take Dennard to secure one of the edges.

15. Arizona Cardinals: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

This is the kind of defensive tackle that can compliment Darnell Dockett on the Arizona Cardinals defensive line perfectly. This is the kind of duo, along with the right veterans that could help bring Arizona back to prominence.

16. Tennessee Titans: Vontaze Burfict, LB, ASU

With the Titans getting back to a very basic hard-nosed defensive mentality, the first addition has to be a hard-hitting linebacker like Burfict. He has all the talent to be a long-term asset in Tennessee.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (via OAK): Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

The Bengals lost Jonathan Joseph this past offseason to the Houston Texans and this pick of Jenkins will be the compliment to Leon Hall that Cincinnati needs.

Jenkins is the kind of risk-reward cornerback that Asante Samuel is with the Philadelphia Eagles, but his successes outweigh his failures.

At No. 17, the immaturity issues will make Jenkins the biggest steal of the entire draft.

18. Chicago Bears: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

If the Bears ever want to find success with Jay Cutler under center, they need to build a stellar offensive line around him. That starts with Konz, who is the best center in the draft.

19. Cincinnati Bengals: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

After the Bengals go defensive with their first first-round pick, they will look to the offensive trenches to snag the best guar in the entire draft and one of the best linemen to come out this season.

20. Dallas Cowboys: Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

The Dallas Cowboys continue their process of rebuilding their offensive line by drafting a mammoth man that will be able to play on the interior or exterior to protect Romo’s front or back.

21. Detroit Lions: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

The Detroit Lions have a stellar defensive line, but once offense get past it their isn’t much to stop them. Kuechly is the real deal in the middle and could be a staple of a very dangerous run defense.

22. New York Jets: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

The Jets need a speed rusher off the edge, and Ingram could be the star that they have lacked over the last two seasons.

23. Denver Broncos: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

I don’t know how many people are talking about Cox, but he has the speed, power, and versatility to be one of the best defensive tackles in the game.

Cox can play in any gap, in any scheme, so if he falls to the Denver Broncos at No. 23, John Fox and the Broncos management will be all over the Mississippi State star.

With Cox clogging the middle and Von Miller creating havoc on the edges with Elvis Dumervil, the Broncos defense looks very impressive.

24. New York Giants: Zach Brown, OLB, UNC

With an aging defense, it’s time for the Giants management to start thinking about updating their linebacker group. That’s where Brown comes in.

Brown is speedy enough to rush the edge and get after the quarterback or cover a tight end in coverage. It’s that versatility that will have the Giants reaching in the late first round for the potential star.

If the Giants can utilize Brown in a way that will allow him to flourish, they could have one of the biggest steals in this season’s draft.

25. Houston Texans: Mark Barron, S, Alabama

The transition to Wade Phillips’ new defensive schemes will take another huge step towards greatness with the selection of Alabama safety Mark Barron.

Barron isn’t the biggest safety in the league, but he isn’t afraid to hit and he can tackle. It must be something in the water down in Alabama.

The Texans need help in the middle of their secondary, so while this is a bit of a reach, it’s the perfect pick to fit the needs of their team.

26. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

With Pittsburgh needing all the help they can find on the offensive line, Adams will be the kind of versatile tackle that can play against the run and pass while making sure Big Ben stays upright.

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

With the Browns taking Trent Richardson earlier in the draft, this selection will be of the franchise wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. McCoy will have a target on the outside that can be a difference maker and a running back that can move the chains.

28. New England Patriots (via NO): Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama

The New England Patriots have one of the greatest offenses in the NFL again this season, but their defense is one of the worst. Eventually that will be exposed.

The solution will be the Patriots reaching on an undersized defensive end that could be used as an outsider linebacker in Courtney Upshaw from Alabama.

While there may be stars with more upside, Upshaw will walk onto the field for New England and be the best linebacker they have right away.

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

There is no question that the Ravens will take Hightower here because we all know they love linebackers in Baltimore. With Lewis getting older and Suggs not getting any younger, its time to draft and train the next man up for the Ravens.

30. San Francisco 49ers (11-3): Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

It’s hard to tell what the 49ers are going to be looking for, but it doesn’t seem like Michael Crabtree is the ideal wide receiver in the Harbaugh system. Wright could be the wide receiver that brings his hard hat and works for the yardage.

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

Once the Patriots cut the fat with Chad Ochocinco and Deion Branch, Sanu will be the kind of receiver that Tom Brady can turn into a fantasy football stud.

32. Green Bay Packers (13-1): Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

The Green Bay Packers need help on defense and Nick Perry from USC is the best all around front seven players left on the board at this point. With his ability to rush the quarterback, he could alleviate some of the focus shifted to Clay Matthews.

Check back for more on the National Football League as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s NFL Page to get your fill of all things football.

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