2012 NFL Mock Draft: Whose Stock Is Surging Heading into Bowl Season?

With bowl season only about a week old, 2012 NFL Draft prospects are moving all over the place.

Guys moving up and down without having yet played their bowl game, only adds to the anticipation of what will occur pending on how they perform.

That said, here are some prospects with rising stock despite having yet to play in late December.

Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB (Baylor)

With Matt Barkley returning to USC, it puts the spotlight heavier on Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.

Griffin has clearly come on the scene in 2011 and has shared the best QB spot with Luck for a better part of the year. The Washington Redskins desperately need a QB, and Griffin is a feasible prospect.

Thing is, it will be interesting if the Redskins trade up to draft him or risk the hope of Griffin dropping a few spots.

We're obviously going to watch him shred the Washington Huskies this week in the Alamo Bowl. The Huskies have the No. 116 ranked pass defense, so Griffin is going to slice and dice all day.

His stock has been rising for quite a while and will only continue to do so. With almost 4,000 passing yards and accounting for 45 total TDs, he's a pocket passing athlete who makes everyone around him better.

An intangible that every QB needs.

Detroit Lions: Zach Brown, ILB (North Carolina)

Even before Manti Te'O returned to Notre Dame, North Carolina's Zach Brown was going to be a rather high draft pick.

Now with Te'O returning, Brown really has an opportunity to showcase his talents in the Independence Bowl. He's a rather unknown prospect since 2011 has been his breakout season.

Unfortunately he may not end up as a Top 10 pick because many of the top drafting teams don't really need a LB. Most of the middle teams do, however, the question is how appealing Brown is compared to SEC LBs such as Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw, as well as fellow ACC LB Luke Kuechly.

So, don't be surprised if Brown drops to a team like the Detroit Lions. They could also use him, as Brown has recorded 91 tackles, 5.5 sacks, forced two fumbles, and picked off two passes (six interceptions for his career) this year.

The Tar Heels ranked No. 14 against the run, and defending the run is something the Lions need help with.

Cincinnati Bengals: Riley Reiff, OT (Iowa)

To help protect their future QB, Iowa OT Riley Reiff is a good fit for the Cincinnati Bengals and Andy Dalton.

And although Iowa plays in the Big Ten, the Hawkeyes have been more of a passing team as of recent than ground and pound. In turn, that has significantly increased Reiff's stock, almost to the level of USC's Matt Kalil.

But Reiff will drop as he comes off as somewhat undersized for a blindside tackle despite being very athletic. He'll give a good boost to the Bengals pass protection and ground game, which will help them compete with teams like Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

The Bengals must be cautious though, because Reiff may go a lot higher than expected. So, the draft strategy needs to include the consideration of trading up.

Reiff has Top 10 talent however, not too many teams need a stud tackle. It just depends on whether someone wants to use him as trade bait.

Seattle Seahawks: Landry Jones, QB (Oklahoma)

Based on his recent performances, Oklahoma QB Landry Jones definitely has a lot to prove this bowl season and thereafter.

Before the year began he was slated to be a Top 10 pick, but has gradually fallen throughout the course of the 2011 season. It's unlikely that he goes any higher than the late first-round. However, the potential is there.

He has compiled over 4,300 passing yards each of the last two seasons, but the lack of success from Sooners' QBs in the NFL will have an indirect effect on how high he gets drafted.

The Insight Bowl game against Iowa will be very telling as the Hawkeyes have your average college pass defense, but Jones has struggled as of recent.

Nonetheless, a team like the Seattle Seahawks can make room for him as their QB situation isn't in the best of positions. Whether Jones goes in round one or two could be determined by what Seattle does.

Do they draft him higher than expected in round one, or wait until round two? With some other decent QB prospects along with Jones (since Griffin and Luck will be gone), the risk of waiting isn't much of one to say the least.

Cleveland Browns: Whitney Mercilus, DE (Illinois)

A stud-pass rusher from a team that began 6-0 and then dropped six straight, Whitney Mercilus of Illinois is literally the Illini's defense.

The man has recorded 14.5 sacks and 52 tackles, while forcing two fumbles a year ago. So yes, he does need to improve on being something other than just a sack-master. However, 52 tackles isn't too bad either.

That being said, Mercilus would significantly improve the morale alone of a team like the Cleveland Browns. Their defense is one of the worst against the run and needs at least one more consistent pass-rusher to slow down offenses.

We're looking at a higher second rounder in Mercilus, but if he does work in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl against UCLA, he'll open more eyes and move up the boards even further. He is one of the more underrated DEs because he plays at Illinois, but one that knows how to find the QB better than most.

2012 First-Round NFL Mock Draft

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

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