NFL Draft 2012 – Mock Version 1.0 – March 1 2012
The combine is over, and while not all of the top talents worked out in Indianapolis, enough pieces of the future NFL puzzle showed some indications of where they could fit, here’s how I’m reading it right now…
Round 1
1- Indianapolis Colts – ANDREW LUCK – QB
This is now a no-brainer (if it ever wasn’t) and has to happen. Luck is the most NFL ready QB in this year’s draft class, and his athletic workouts at the Combine simply proved that he was ready to hit the big league. He was very similar to Cam Newton athletically, but with the way he throws the ball, the Colts should have a star for years to come.
2- St Louis Rams – TRADE – Washington Redskins – ROBERT GRIFFIN III – QB
(2012 1st, 2nd, 4th round picks, 2013 1st round pick [AT LEAST])
If you weren’t impressed by RG3’s workouts at the combine, what were you watching? He is a beast, and after seeing him talk through plays with Mooch and talk in interviews, it made me like him even more. He seems to have a real intelligence about him, and his athleticism will allow him to make plays at the highest level. His skillset fits perfectly with Mike Shanahan’s offense, and the Skins’ front office won’t hesitate to pay the inevitably massive price to trade up if they can finally get the franchise QB they can build around.
3- Minnesota Vikings – MATT KALIL – OT
Kalil is by far the best prospect at LT in this draft, and if the Vikings want to make sure that Christian Ponder’s initial promise isn’t wasted, they will have to protect him, and give him weapons. That process starts here by selecting the man from USC to protect Ponder’s blindside.
4- Cleveland Browns – TRENT RICHARDSON – RB
With RG3 off the board, the Browns miss out on upgrading their signal caller early, so they will have to look elsewhere on offense. Justin Blackmon is a possibility, but his 6’1’ size could cause some hesitation. Brad Childress is the new OC in Cleveland, and just think back to what he did in Minnesota. When there is a running back on the board that has been described as ‘the best thing since Adrian Peterson’, Chilly might like that, as it gives Colt McCoy a reliable safety valve to hand the ball off to. Personally, I love this pick for Cleveland as it allows their whole offense to be rejuvenated, where trading up for RG3 may leave a hole at RB and WR, a position the Browns will address later.
5- Tampa Bay Buccaneers – MORRIS CLAIBORNE – CB
The Bucs have a real need at CB, and it just so happens that the best player on the board at this stage is LSU corner Claiborne, with Aquib Talib possibly ending up in jail and Ronde Barber being of an age too large to speak of, Tampa get a corner that can anchor their leaky defense.
6- Washington Redskins – TRADE – St Louis Rams – JUSTIN BLACKMON – WR
This is the dream situation for the Rams, with Blackmon waiting for them at no. 6, beginning the reconstruction of the ball club under Jeff Fisher, giving Sam Bradford a legitimate number 1 target and having more draft picks than they know what to do with. Even if Blackmon is gone by this spot, they can upgrade their offensive line, or possibly reach for another WR like….
7- Jacksonville Jaguars – MICHAEL FLOYD – WR
Ok, it seems a reach right now, but I think Floyd’s Combine was the start of a meteoric rise for the Notre Dame receiver, who has great size (6’3) and great speed that he showed at the combine. He hardly ever drops a pass, and is one of very few receivers that showed that he can consistently get separation. Jacksonville knows they have to help Blaine Gabbert on the outside, and this is a great fit for them.
8- Miami Dolphins – RILEY REIFF – OT
Whoever is the new QB in Miami is going to need protection on his right side, and Reiff is a top 10 talent with the ability to fill that hole across from Jake Long, making Miami’s O-line an excellent unit. Many people had a pass rusher going here, but Quinton Coples’ average Combine performance just served to make my concerns worse about the DE, I think he’s got bust written all over him.
9- Carolina Panthers – DONTARI POE – DT
This huge man was an absolute colossus at the Combine, and this revelation that Poe is a world-class athlete gives him absolutely massive upside that the Panthers can’t pass up on, especially with their biggest need being at DT. Poe will surely be better against the run that 3rd round pick in 2011 Terrell McClain, simply due to his size and explosiveness, and he could end up being a ‘Vince Wilfork-esque’ beast.
10- Buffalo Bills – QUINTON COPLES – DE
You heard what I said about Coples earlier, and I stand by it, but it has been seen many times that Buffalo’s front office is insane, and so Coples goes at 10 to a team with a need so big at pass rushing positions, they may even take another DE or OLB in the 2nd round. Good luck Bills.
11- Kansas City Chiefs – JONATHAN MARTIN – OT
KC’s right tackle position is a mess, Barry Richardson was one of the worst I’ve seen in a long time, so taking a talent like Martin at 11 makes a lot of sense. The Stanford man, who spent most of his time making Andrew Luck look good by giving him time, is a polished prospect who could move over to LT later in his career if the Chiefs need it. Watch out for the Chiefs next year, with some luck on the injury front, and picks like this, they could become a very good team, very quickly.
12- Seattle Seahawks – MELVIN INGRAM – DE/OLB
After his extremely strong combine performance, Ingram leaps over Alabama pass rusher Courtney Upshaw to be the second DE off the board. Ingram has some good versatility though, and Pete Carroll will like that, as well as the great work ethic that the South Carolina man will bring to Seattle. The Seahawks have needed some kind of pass rush for some time, and this pick could catapult them into being a .600 team or better.
13- Arizona Cardinals – LUKE KUECHLY – ILB
Free agent signing from 2011, Stewart Bradley was horrible for the Cards last year, and there is no depth in this position either, so after his exceptional combine performance, Kuechly is the perfect fit for Arizona in this spot. He answered all the questions about his athleticism and came across well in interviews, giving his stock a real boost. Given the lack of depth at ILB in the draft, the Cardinals are picking up a gem at 13.
14- Dallas Cowboys – JANORIS JENKINS – CB
Alright, enough about the ‘red flags’ that Jenkins brings with him, most of the issues happened over a year ago, and his time in North Alabama has gone smoothly as it could have gone. The truth is that Jenkins is a top 10 pick at the least, if not at the same level as Claiborne, he has all the tools to be an absolute star in the NFL, and we all know how much Jerry Jones loves star potential, just look at how they got Dez Bryant. Concerns over Dre Kirkpatrick’s ball skills may make him fall past this spot, but Jenkins’ talent should have him be the 2nd corner picked anyway.
15- Philadelphia Eagles – MICHAEL BROCKERS – DT
The emergence of the physical beast Dontari Poe will damage Brockers’ stock a little bit, along with his combine showing that will make teams think that he needs to build up some more strength. But don’t forget, this is a guy with no real ceiling on his upside, he has real talent, and Poe’s emergence could ultimately benefit the Eagles, as they bag a premier young DT.
16- New York Jets – MARK BARRON – S
The Jets have a massive hole at safety considering Eric Smith is awful and Jim Leonhard is going to be a free agent, injury and all. Mark Barron plays like a Jet, hard hitting and uncompromising, and as the best safety in the draft by a mile, he is an excellent pick for Gang Green, especially considering they have to play against Gronkowski and Hernandez twice a year.
17- Cincinnati Bengals – DRE KIRKPATRICK – CB
With the first two of the consensus top three corners already gone, the Bengals will look to shore up their secondary quickly, and with the best player left on the board. Kirkpatrick’s ball skills could be an issue, but his covering skills aren’t. He should be good insurance as a number one or two CB if Leon Hall’s achilles injury affects his play going forward, and if it doesn’t, they’ll form an excellent tandem.
18- San Diego Chargers – COURTNEY UPSHAW – DE/OLB
The Chargers’ front office said they’ll go after pass rush, and for once, I believe them. Upshaw is the best player available at this spot, and at 18, its great value for San Diego. They’ve needed a pass rush for so long, and Upshaw can bring that and more, he’s a talent upgrade on defense that they’ve needed for a while.
19- Chicago Bears – MIKE ADAMS – OT
I know that the Bears need a receiver, but Kendall Wright isn’t the type of WR they need, or that Jay Cutler wanted (over 6’2’), any others would be a huge reach here, so the next best thing to do is to try and solidify the offensive line that began last season so terribly, eventually leading to Cutler sitting out half of the year after a good start. They can’t afford to pass up on the chance to draft their potential starting left tackle for years to come, even though Adams may have to start at RT as a rookie.
20- Tennessee Titans – DAVID DECASTRO – G
DeCastro is probably the pick with the least risk in the whole draft, he was utterly dominant on the interior at Stanford, and the unpopularity of interior linemen further up the draft could see him fall down draft boards simply due to that fact. However even though they said they wouldn’t pick an interior O-lineman at 20, the Titans have an absolute steal that they’d be stupid to pass on. It not only helps whoever’s throwing the ball, but more importantly, gives Chris Johnson the chance to return to CJ2K form.
21- Cincinnati Bengals – KENDALL WRIGHT – WR
I hope you’ve all gotten over the somersault by now, because receiver Jerome Simpson’s recent drugs arrest (again) has given the Bengals the perfect excuse to cut him, and get an inconsistent, often troubling player off the roster. In Kendall Wright, they find a potentially more consistent, more explosive option to put on AJ Green’s opposite side. Andy Dalton is smiling.
22- Cleveland Browns – RYAN TANNEHILL – QB
After Kendall Wright, there is a drop off in the class of WR, so the Browns will probably wait until the 2nd round, where there is some value to be had, to pick a weapon. Even though I believe that new OC Brad Childress will give Colt McCoy a real go of things in Cleveland, he has to make contingency plans just in case it doesn’t work out (which it probably won’t). Tannehill is one of those QB’s that I can’t work out, he’s athletic yes, but does he have all the throws in his locker? I’m not sure. Someone may well take a shot at the Texas A&M signal caller earlier than this, but I’m not going to predict an early run on QB’s again because I don’t think the class is deep enough for teams to gamble early.
23- Detroit Lions – CORDY GLENN – G/OT
Jeff Backus’ impending free agency, and the age of the offensive line in general make this a good pick for the Lions. Glenn’s athleticism and versatility across the line raises his value as teams are coveting players who can play many different positions across the line, and after all, you can’t protect Matt Stafford enough, the more time he has to throw to Calvin Johnson, the better.
24- Pittsburgh Steelers – DONT’A HIGHTOWER – ILB
The Steelers need to get younger on defense, and quick. James Farrior has gone and Larry Foote may not be back with the cap problems in Pittsburgh, so they will need to add depth at least. Hightower was impressive in Alabama, and is a nightmare to run against, a pre-requisite of a Steeler defender, and has shown ability to play in coverage. This could be a great pick for a franchise that needs them.
25- Denver Broncos – FLETCHER COX – DT
The Broncos really needed an interior presence on their defense, and it showed in the playoffs where the Patriots neutralised their edge rush, and steamrolled Tebow’s troops. Fletcher Cox is the best player on the board at this position, and would be a great fit in Denver.
26- Houston Texans – REUBEN RANDLE – WR
Houston have said that they will take the best receiver available at this point, so here he is. Randle didn’t have the greatest combine, but I can’t see Stephen Hill from Georgia Tech being trusted after just a few catches in an option offense. The LSU man will provide a great compliment to Andre Johnson, making the Texans dominant in the AFC West.
27- New England Patriots – DEVON STILL – DT
The Pats need to make some front seven upgrades, and the best player at this point left on the board is Devon Still from Penn State. He’s a versatile, reliable leader, which Bill Belichick will love.
28- Green Bay Packers – WHITNEY MERCILUS – DE/OLB
Scott Wells wants to be the best paid Center in the league, not at Green Bay he won’t. So the Pack will look to address the position in free agency (reportedly looking at Texans C Chris Myers). So they will try and get some help for Clay Matthews on the outside, bar ‘bloodline’, the Packers struggled to rush the passer, so they pluck the ‘one year wonder’ from Illinois, who just might turn out to be a special player.
29- Baltimore Ravens – PETER KONZ – C
The consensus no. 1 Center in the draft goes to Baltimore here. Ben Grubbs is looking like he wants to test the free agent market, even after talks with the Ravens, so they will have to make plans without him. Konz was dominant at Wisconsin, and can also play at Guard if he is needed to.
30- San Francisco 49’ers – STEPHEN HILL – WR
Alex Smith needs more than Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis to throw to. While Josh Morgan is returning, Braylon Edwards is departing, and the 49’ers have to address the position. Hill wowed at the combine, putting up ridiculous numbers in the 40 yard dash and the vertical jump. His role in an option offense at Georgia Tech could cause concern, but the success of Demayrius Thomas will give teams hope that Hill could be a diamond in the rough.
31- New England Patriots – ANDRE BRANCH – DE/OLB
This pick is a straight fight between Branch and Nick Perry, the two best players left on the board, but Branch’s size, production and leadership qualities shown at Clemson could swing the balance in his favour. He can play 4-3 DE and 3-4 OLB, so his versatility is perfect for the Patriots’ defensive strategy. This is probably the best fitting player New England could have had fall to them, and he could solve their pass rushing problems.
32- New York Giants – LAMAR MILLER – RB
The Giants’ draft philosophy will probably be to simply pick the best player left on the board. Possibly the most talented is Lamar Miller out of ‘the U’. He can be a change of pace back behind Ahmad Bradshaw, and when Bradshaw inevitably goes down hurt, Miller has the ability and strength to take over as a 3-down back.
ROUND 2
33- St Louis Rams – NICK PERRY – DE/OLB
Perry slipping down to the 2nd round gives the Rams a bargain that instantly upgrades their defense, most likely at OLB rather than DE.
34- Indianapolis Colts – STEPHON GILMORE – CB
The Colts’ secondary was absolutely disgusting last year, hence 2-14. Gilmore not only adds depth in round 2, but could provide an immediate upgrade, that’s how bad it is.
35- Minnesota Vikings – ALFONZO DENNARD – CB
Another appalling secondary in need of help, and Dennard here is decent value. He had an average combine, but it won’t hurt his stock too much.
36- Tampa Bay Buccaneers – DAVID WILSON – RB
Due to LeGarrette Blount’s inability to help in the passing game, the Bucs will need to get a threat out of the backfield, and possibly to eventually replace Blount. Wilson is the best runner available at this point and represents good value in a RB class that I feel is underrated.
37- Cleveland Browns – ALSHON JEFFERY – WR
Like I said earlier, the Browns knew there would be some talent at WR waiting for them here, and the 6’4’ Jeffery is a talented player sure enough, despite character issues. He provides a good focal point for the passing attack, and allows Greg Little to be more effective as a number 2.
38- Jacksonville Jaguars – MOHAMED SANU – WR
Don’t be surprised if the Jags double up at WR, Blaine Gabbert needs as much help as he can get, and Gene Smith has doubled up on positions the last 2 years as well. Sanu is a high-character possession receiver who can help Gabbert with a reliable target.
39- Washington Redskins – TRADE – St Louis Rams – KELECHI OSEMELE – G/T
The Rams sit pretty at the top of the 2nd round with 2 picks in the first 7, and they upgrade their defense with one, and their offensive line with the other, Osemele, at 6’5’and 333 pounds can play Guard or Right Tackle, and provides more protection for Sam Bradford.
40- Carolina Panthers – JAYRON HOSLEY – CB
Carolina desperately needed a corner, and are lucky to find Hosley waiting here for them. The Virginia Tech defender’s stock rose after the combine, and the Panthers would snap him up at 40.
41- Buffalo Bills – COBY FLEENER – TE
Ryan Fitzpatrick could do with some more weapons, and Scott Chandler is so average it’s untrue. Fleener is a nice pick for Buffalo, and is now the consensus no. 1 TE on the board.
42- Miami Dolphins – KENDALL REYES – DT
DT is one of Miami’s biggest needs, and they are delighted to see Reyes drop to 41, and the Connecticut man provides excellent value for his talent in the second round. He had a great combine, so he could go higher than this.
43- Seattle Seahawks – JEREL WORTHY – DT
Worthy used to be a solid 1st rounder, but due to the emergence of Dontari Poe etc. he seems to have become the forgotten man at DT. His combine wasn’t great, but the Seahawks could see enough on tape to take him at 43 and improve their interior pass rush.
44- Kansas City Chiefs – DOUG MARTIN – RB
Jamaal Charles is coming back from an ACL tear, and Jackie Battle is a free agent, so Kansas City will have to consider taking a durable RB with a high pick, and with Boise State’s board climber Martin sitting here, they could be too tempted to refuse.
45- Dallas Cowboys – HARRISON SMITH – S
After Jerry Jones criticised the talent level in Dallas’ defense, don’t be shocked to see two investments in the secondary. Harrison Smith is a very good player who would instantly help the Cowboys at Safety.
46- Philadelphia Eagles – ZACH BROWN – OLB
After missing out on getting Linebacker help in the 1st round in Luke Kuechly, the Eagles make sure they add some talent to that section of their team. Brown is an incredibly athletic player who is sure to make more of an impact that Casey Matthews.
47- New York Jets – ZEBRIE SANDERS – OT
Wayne Hunter had an absolutely horrible year at RT, and Zebrie Sanders is an immediate upgrade. Simple.
48- New England Patriots – TRUMAINE JOHNSON – CB/S
The Pats do need help in their secondary, and another versatile player goes to New England here. At 6’2’, Trumaine Johnson out of Montana can play corner or safety, which gives the Pats a chance to experiment with him, McCourty and Dowling at Safety, while keeping some big, athletic bodies to play corner as well.
49- San Diego Chargers – JAMES BROWN – G/OT
The Chargers need to protect Philip Rivers at all costs, so the guard/tackle from Troy is the play here.
50- Chicago Bears – JURON CRINER – WR
This is the 6’2’+ wide receiver that Jay Cutler wanted so badly, and if they don’t make a play on a high profile target in free agency, Criner is exactly the sort of guy they will be looking at with the 50th pick.
51- Philadelphia Eagles – GEORGE ILOKA – S
Poor Safety play was a hallmark of Philly’s defense all year, and they have to do something this year to rectify that. Iloka’s combine was impressive, and the need for a Safety could catapult him up into the second round.
52- Tennessee Titans – VINNY CURRY – DE/OLB
The Titans desperately need some outside pass rush, because having Karl Klug as your top man for sacks (7) is simply not good enough. Curry is a bargain in the middle of the 2.
53- Cincinnati Bengals – KEVIN ZEITLER – G
Another interior lineman from Wisconsin, they breed them tough up there, and Zeitler is no different. He’ll provide good protection for Andy Dalton and whoever the Bengals get to play Running Back (I think they’ll go after Michael Bush).
54- Detroit Lions – MYCHAL KENDRICKS – ILB
After proving all of the scouts wrong when he was fantastic at the combine, the reigning PAC-12 Defensive Player of the Year hurdles his way up into the second round, and fills a need for the Lions who have Stephen Tulloch leaving as a free agent.
55- Atlanta Falcons – MIKE BREWSTER – C
The Falcons desperately need to upgrade their offensive line, and their current Center, Todd McClure is a 35 year old free agent. Brewster is the best Center on the board, no-brainer.
56- Pittsburgh Steelers – ALAMEDA TA’AMU – NT
Nose Tackle is a dire position of need with Casey Hampton probably never going to be the same dominating presence he once was after serious injury, so Ta’amu is the best option in round 2 as a big, run stuffing presence.
57- Denver Broncos – CHASE MINNIFIELD – CB
The Broncos really need to add some youth to their secondary, with both their starters hitting 34 before the start of next season. Minnifield is good value here at the bottom of the second round.
58- Houston Texans – JOSH CHAPMAN – NT
This is the only weakness in the Texans D-line, and a player like Chapman will fit very well into Wade Phillips’ scheme.
59- New Orleans Saints – RONNELL LEWIS – OLB
Outside Linebacker has been an issue for the saints for a while, and luckily for them, a couple slip to the late second round, including Ronnell Lewis, who will make an instant impact in New Orleans.
60- Green Bay Packers – MARKELLE MARTIN – S
After Nick Collins’ injury, the Green Bay defense fell apart, so they will certainly have to address the Safety position in the draft. Markelle Martin is the best Safety left on the board at this time, and the Pack should snap up the Oklahoma State defender.
61- Baltimore Ravens – BRUCE IRVIN –OLB
The Ravens need a high motor player on the outside of that defense to put pressure on the QB, Terrell Suggs can’t do it all by himself. Irvin’s combine highlighted him as a physical beast, and he will make opposition coaches have to make plans for him in the NFL.
62- San Francisco 49’ers – AMINI SILATOLU – G/OT
The right side of the 49’ers offensive line was the poorest part of their team last year, and Silatolu, the small school Tackle (who most likely projects to Guard in the NFL), could make a difference with his power and good footwork if he can make the transition well from Midwestern State.
63- New England Patriots – CHRIS GIVENS – WR
The Pats may well sign Brandon Lloyd as a free agent, but they still need talent on the outside, and someone like the speedy Chris Givens from Wake Forest could be just the man. He doesn’t have elite size (5’11) but he does have great hands, and the ability to stretch the field, something New England really needs.
64- New York Giants – RYAN MILLER – G/OT
The Giants’ offensive line is definitely in need of improvement, and Ryan Miller’s versatility will appeal to Tom Coughlin and the G-Men. He could start at Guard, but many are projecting a move to Tackle like his ex-classmate, Nate Solder.
