2012 Round 1 Mock Draft

1. Indianapolis Colts – Andrew Luck, QB Stanford
Done and done. Luck should already be looking at real estate on Indy’s Geist Reservoir.

2. Washington Redskins – Robert Griffin III, QB Baylor
‘Skins didn’t trade away their future for Matt Kalil at this spot.

3. Minnesota Vikings – Matt Kalil, OT USC
The Vikings need an anchor tackle for Christian Ponder and Adrian Peterson. Justin Blackmon could be tempting, but Kalil is the conservative pick.

4. Cleveland Browns – Trent Richardson, RB Alabama
Here’s where the draft gets interesting. I think this pick will come down to Richardson & Justin Blackmon. The Browns have a big need at both positions. This draft is deep at WR, and Richardson is elite, so he gets the nod to replace Peyton Hillis.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Morris Claiborne, CB LSU
Cornerback is Tampa’s biggest need, and it just so happens that Claiborne is a top tier talent there for the picking. The Bucs signed Eric Wright, but Ronde Barber is on social security and Aqib Talib may be living off prison food for the foreseeable future.

6. St. Louis Rams – Justin Blackmon, WR Oklahoma St.
Jackpot for the Rams. They may have taken Blackmon with the 2nd pick and he’s still theirs after the Washington trade. Sam Bradford needs playmakers. Newly signed Steve Smith isn’t enough.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars – Michael Floyd, WR Notre Dame
Most people think Floyd is a reach here. I disagree. I’ve watched a lot of Notre Dame football and I see virtually no flaws in him. Injury prone? Character Issues? Whatever. He’s a beast in the mold of Larry Fitzgerald or Brandon Marshall. I’m so high on him, I’d take him over Blackmon. A Laurent Robinson / Floyd duo will help Blaine Gabbert immensely.

8. Miami Dolphins – Quentin Coples, DE North Carolina
Not so fast on Ryan Tannehill here.  The Dolphins need an impact player that can contribute immediately with a pick this high.  Coples paired with Cameron Wake would give Miami a fierce pass rushing duo.  Coples is versatile enough for the 3-4 / 4-3 hybrid defense.  There aren’t that many physical freaks in the draft and he is one of them.  Maybe the Dolphins get their developmental QB in the second round in Brandon Weeden, or even use their second and one of their third round picks to trade back into the 1st for Tannehill.  Whatever QB they draft will sit a year.  Ireland needs his top 10 pick to contribute NOW.

9. Carolina Panthers – Fletcher Cox, DT Mississippi St.
It may be odd having Cox in the top 10. He’s probably not the 10th best player in the draft but this pick makes sense for the Panthers. Their biggest need is at DT. Dontari Poe could be an option, but he may appeal more to a 3-4 team, and a lot of experts seem to think he’s sliding.

10. Buffalo Bills – Riley Reiff, OT Iowa
Another pick based purely on need rather than the best available. With the addition of Mario Williams and Mark Anderson the Buffalo D-Line is looking mean. Taking Quentin Coples or Melvin Ingram would be purely luxury. Meanwhile, OT becomes a big need with Demetrius Bell gone.

11. Kansas City Chiefs – Dontari Poe, DT Memphis
Chiefs filled a huge need on the OL by signing Eric Winston, and are able go with a run stuffing NT. Free agent Kelly Gregg is 35 so this a big need.

12. Seattle Seahawks – Luke Kuechly, ILB Boston College
Seattle gets lucky. The best player available matches their biggest need. Kuechly could plug in at ILB for a long time.

13. Arizona Cardinals – Jonathan Martin, OT Stanford
The Cardinals re-signed Levi Brown, but they still need help at tackle. Martin may be a reach at 13, but he could start opposite Brown right away. Stanford teammate David DeCastro may an option as well at guard. An upgrade over Rex Hadnot would not be a bad thing.

14. Dallas Cowboys – Mark Barron, S Alabama
The Cowboys signed CB Brandon Carr and S Brodney Pool, but still need help in their secondary.  Barron is the best safety in the draft and fits a need.

15. Philadelphia Eagles – Dre Kirkpatrick, CB Alabama
Popular belief is this pick will be for the DL because the Eagles have a history of taking DTs in the first round. Maybe they break the mold this year. Philly might be shopping Asante Samuel and Rogers-Cromartie will be a FA after this year.

16. New York Jets – Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB South Carolina
Jets need a pass rusher in a bad way. In this mock I have both Ingram and Courtney Upshaw available. That would be a good problem to have for the Jets.

17. Cincinnati Bengals – David DeCastro, G Stanford
The Bengals have two first rounds picks and need a pair of guards. DeCastro has been labeled elite by a number of scouts, and would start immediately.

18. San Diego Chargers – Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB Alabama
The Chargers may have a bigger need on the OL, but they could use pass rushing help as well. The value pick is Upshaw if he’s still available.

19. Chicago Bears – Stephon Gilmore, CB South Carolina
Similar to San Diego, the Bears need OL help, but I couldn’t quite justify taking Cordy Glenn here. Corner is also a big need, and with potential options like Kirkpatrick and Stephon Gilmore available, I think they go that route.

20. Tennessee Titans – Peter Konz, C Wisconsin
The Titans need a center. There’s a big drop-off in talent after Konz in this draft, so this pick would make sense.

21. Cincinnati Bengals – Janoris Jenkins, CB North Alabama
Risk/Reward pick. It would make sense for the Bengals to take a corner with one of their first round picks. Leon Hall is coming off a late season Achilles tear, and as Dolphin fans know, Jason Allen is better suited in the either the CFL or Pop-Warner.

22. Cleveland Browns – Ryan Tannehill, QB Texas A&M
If Miami passes on Tannehill he could drop all the way down here.  I think the Browns scoop him up.  If he does go to Miami the Browns also need WR and OL help.

23. Detroit Lions – Cordy Glenn, OT/G Georgia
Safe pick for the Lions. However, they also need a corner.  If one of Kirkpatrick, Gilmore or Jenkins fall – they could be the pick.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers – Donta Hightower – ILB Alabama
Steelers get an ideal replacement for James Farrior.  I think Hightower is very underrated.

25. Denver Broncos – Michael Brockers, DT LSU
If a quality interior DT like Brockers, Poe, or Cox is here for the Broncos I think they would grab one. Peyton Manning will make everyone on offense instantly better so the Donkeys need to toughen up their run defense.

26. Houston Texans – Stephen Hill, WR Georgia Tech
The Texans need a sidekick for Andre Johnson. I see this pick coming down to Hill, Kendall Wright or Rueben Randle.

27. New England Patriots – Nick Perry, DE/OLB USC
The Patriots need a pass rusher and may have the options of Andre Branch, Whitney Mercilus and Nick Perry. Perry may fit the Pats hybrid 4-3/3-4 defense nicely.

28. Green Bay Packers – Andre Branch, DE/OLB Clemson
This is a tough pick to call. I’m thinking the Packers go with a pass rusher to pair with Clay Matthews. Branch projects well in the 3-4 scheme.

29. Baltimore Ravens – Rueben Randle, WR LSU
If center Peter Konz is available I think he’s the pick but in this mock he’s gone. This is a deep WR draft, but by the time Baltimore picks again many could be gone. I think they’d take Randle early over the 5’10 Kendall Wright. They’ve already got a small speedster at WR in Torrey Smith.

30. San Francisco 49ers – Coby Fleener, TE Stanford
The 49ers could use OL help, but Fleener is the value pick here. A double TE set with Fleener and Vernon Davis would be scary.

31. New England Patriots – Jerel Worthy, DT Michigan St.
If the Pats hold on to both of their first round picks I could see them bolstering their D-line. Picking Perry & Worthy would bring a solid youth movement to their defense.

32. New York Giants – Doug Martin, RB Boise St.
The Giants need a RB to replace Brandon Jacobs.  They love their 2 back system, and Martin is solid.