2012 NFL Mock Draft: Gauging the Safest Bets in the First Round

When we think of the safest NFL draft picks, it's more so players of need to a specific team. Sure their reliability comes to account in terms of their tangibles and intangibles.

Then, you have to look at their actual production, off the field attitude, and surrounding talent.

So, here are some of the safest bets in the 2012 NFL Draft for the following teams' specific needs.

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

The best WR in the 2012 NFL Draft, Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon won the Fred Biletnikoff Award two years in a row.

The St. Louis Rams desperately need a WR who can stretch the field as well as widen it, and Blackmon is that guy. Playing in a high-powered offense, Blackmon accounted for 1,336 yards and 15 TDs this season while compiling 1,782 yards and 20 TDs in 2010.

His reliability is second-to-none, especially when seeing coverages geared towards blanketing him. Yet, Blackmon was still able to almost replicate his 2010 numbers and has a BCS bowl game to really increase his draft stock.

In St. Louis, the Rams need to improve in virtually every aspect. However, adding Blackmon will not only help the passing game, but prevent defenses from stacking the box to stop RB Steven Jackson.

He gives the Rams a weapon to keep defenses honest against the rush and pass, thus taking pressure off QB Sam Bradford ans the offensive line.

Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin, QB (Baylor)

The Washington Redskins needs a franchise QB and Robert Griffin is their guy.

We seen time and time again the peaks and valleys of Rex Grossman, which only continues to frustrate as consistency remains an issue.

As for Baylor's Griffin, the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner did so with not much help around him. The Bears didn't have much of a ground game, no defense that could stop anyone, and one WR in Kendall Wright whom Griffin made a lot better.

RG3 accounted for 45 total TDs, almost 4,000 passing yards (still has a bowl game to play), and beat both Oklahoma and Texas. Washington has a decent WRs and rushing attack to provide him with experience.

The defense is a lot better than advertised and the Redskins simply have lacked under center for quite sometime. An honestly, not since the days of Mark Rypien in the early 1990s has our nation's capital had a solid QB at the helm.

Cleveland Browns: Vontaze Burfict, ILB (Arizona State)

Definitely not the first guy that comes to mind when thinking of a safe pick however, Arizona State's Vontaze Burfict is just that for the Cleveland Browns.

And being that the NFL Draft is such an inexact science, technically no pick is a safe pick.

To that end, the Browns need an intimidating factor on defense. CB Joe Haden can lock down WRs and LB D'Qwell Jackson is all they have in the front seven.

Rookie DLs Jaball Sheard and Phil Taylor have potential, but more help in the trenches is needed. Burfict is really the only legit player on Arizona State (who beat USC by the way) and he's recorded 69 tackles with five sacks and one pick in 2011.

Thing is, this production may appear down after higher numbers in 2010 (81 tackles, two forced fumbles) however, offenses gameplanned much more for him this season and they still couldn't completely stop him.

In Cleveland, they need a guy who can dominate inside while providing them with the versatility to play both inside and outside backer. And with some respectable help in players such as Sheard, Taylor, Jackson, and Haden around him, Burfict will flourish for the Browns.

Green Bay Packers: Melvin Ingram, DE (South Carolina)

If there's a player with absolute reliability, it's South Carolina's DE Melvin Ingram.

The man has been a dominant force all season for the Gamecocks and is arguably their best player. When RB Marcus Lattimore went down and the offense was also without QB Stephen Garcia, the Gamecocks defense needed to step up.

When their late September matchup against the Vanderbilt Commodores kicked off (who's better than given credit for), South Carolina's defense only allowed over 21 points one time from then to the regular season's end.

Even a high-flying offense such as the Clemson Tigers (ACC champions) couldn't score more than 13.

On the year, Ingram has recorded 8.5 sacks, picked off two passes, scored three TDs, and has 44 tackles, despite seeing a lot of double-teams. In Green Bay, their opportunistic defense will welcome him and lining up opposite of Clay Matthews will provide one sick pass rush.

Include his versatility to drop into coverage and the defensive schemes become that much more dynamic for the Packers.

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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