2012 NFL Mock Draft

*draft order based on current NFL standings

1. Indianapolis Colts- Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Andrew Luck is going to be the first pick no matter who is picking here. Even if the Colts don't want Luck they will be able to trade this pick and get a king's ransom for it. Word is that Payton Manning doesn't want the Colts to take Luck. It would be tough for Colts fans to see Manning traded, but ask Green Bay how it's working out for them moving on from Favre for Aaron Rodgers.

2. St. Louis Rams- Matt Kalil, OT, USC

This would be a tough call for the Rams. They could use Justin Blackmon and they have used high picks on offensive Tackles recently and whiffed. That being said the Left Tackle position is a higher value position, Kalil is probably higher on their board, and this would allow Saffold to move to the right side, Smith to move to Guard with his short arms, and give Bradford security on his blind side for his career.

3. Carolina Panthers- Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

The Panthers have hit on their QB of the future and now they will go out and get him some weapons. Steve Smith has wanted a legit threat across from him at WR for years to take some of the coverage away.

4. Minnesota Vikings- Jonathon Martin, OT, Stanford

The Vikings also think they have their man at QB for the future. Getting him an elite LT should be a top priority. Also Martin is a mauler in the run game so Adrian Peterson would like and benefit from this pick as well.

5. Washington Redskins- Matt Barkley, QB, USC

The Redskins need an upgrade at QB in the worst way. If they are in a position to get one of the top three QB's they will pull the trigger, no doubt. It looks right now like they will be picking high enough, especially if the poor QB play continues.

6. Miami Dolphins- Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

The Dolphins better be careful because they are starting to play well and win games that are meaningless and could find themselves picking too low to get one of these top three first round QB's. However the Broncos released Kyle Orton today so he could end up in Miami.

7. Arizona Cardinals- Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Reiff has played very well this year and continues to move up draft boards. It was Kalil and Martin then everyone else, but Reiff is starting to get into that top ten conversation. The Cards currently have two overpaid Tackles that are below average. This will allow them to cut one of their salaries.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars- Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

This will be an easy pick if Coples is still available when the Jags are on the clock. They have needed an upgrade at DE for years. They tried to bring in Aaron Kampman a couple years ago, but he blew out his knee the very first training camp in Jacksonville and they still haven't found a good pass rusher.

9. Cleveland Browns- Alshon Jeffrey, WR, South Carolina

If you would have told Cleveland fans before the season started that they would land Alshon Jeffrey in next year's draft they would have been ecstatic for two reasons. One is going into this season Jeffrey was considered the best WR in college. Two Cleveland was projected to have a good season by most so they thought they would be picking lower. Now Jeffrey has slid down some, but he's still very talented and Cleveland needs WR help big time as they have zero legit weapons.

10. Kansas City Chiefs- Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama

The Chiefs have Tamba Hali to bring a pass rush and that is it off the edge. The elite 3-4 defenses all have multiple LB's that can get to the QB. The Chiefs defense has a lot of pieces in place they just need to add LB help off the edge and inside.

11. San Diego Chargers- Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

The Chargers are thin at CB. They traded Cromartie before last season and Quinton Jammer is 33 years old and doesn't have many years left. Claiborne is the top CB in a class that is loaded with good CB's.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

Talib may be in jail by next season and Ronde Barber has to be close to retirement. Dennard isn't the next best CB, but the Bucs have put out there that they really like Dennard and I don't think it's a smoke screen because where they will pick there will be plenty of good CB's available.
13. Seattle Seahawks- Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

Tannehill is flying up draft boards and we all saw what happened when multiple teams have QB needs in this year's draft, teams will reach. The Seahawks can not contend with Tavaris Jackson or Charlie Whitehurst playing QB.

14. Philadelphia Eagles- Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

Teams have been gashing the Eagles defense right up the middle in both the running game and with the pass. Kuechly would give them someone that is a sure tackler and a solid, smart player in the middle of that defense. It's unbelievable that the "Dream Team" is picking this high with all that talent on that team.

15. Tennessee Titans- Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

The Titans have needed an upgrade at all three LB spots for the last couple of years. They haven't had a good LB since Bullock. They might as well start in the middle with a LB that can go sideline to sideline and make plays all over the field.

16. Buffalo Bills- Micheal Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

The Bills offense started off this season on fire. It's been all downhill since week 4 for them since that 3-0 start. Part of the reason is teams are taking away Steve Johnson and they have no other real receiving threats.

17. New York Jets- Alameda Ta'amu, DT, Washington

Good Nose Tackles are almost impossible to find and teams that have them have a big advantage over defenses that don't. Kris Jenkins has been on IR basically the last three seasons and he's likely done. This pick could get the Jets D back to that dominant defense that's impossible to run on.

18. Denver Broncos- Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Richardson's talent has him ranked top five on most big boards. The position he plays though has less value than almost any other position. For the Broncos though he'd be very valuable as a John Fox coached team is going to run the ball a ton.

19. New York Giants- Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

The Giants took Prince Amukamara in the first round in this year's draft and they are getting good CB play right now. At the beginning of the year they were decimated by injury at CB and had people coming in off the street to start. They need to add depth and in today's pass happy NFL you can't have too many good CB's.

20. Cleveland Browns- Nick Toon, WR, Wisconsin

That's right, if I'm Mike Holmgren I'm gonna double dip at WR in the first round and get my QB some weapons. I still think Colt McCoy can be a good QB in the NFL, but with the WR's they currently have no one could be successful. Toon would give the Browns two big body WR's and Toon can stretch the field and be a good compliment to Jeffrey.

21. Cincinnati Bengals- Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

Jenkins may be the best CB in this draft and would probably be a top ten pick or close to it if he hadn't been arrested for having weed. The Bengals have to make adding depth to the CB position the top priority this off season. I'd like to see them bring back Adam Jones and Nate Clements and then draft Jenkins in the first round. With Leon Hall out for the rest of the year they are going to struggle against the pass. Lets not be caught next year with a lack of depth at CB.

22. Cincinnati Bengals- David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

It's been a long time since the Bengals took an interior offensive lineman early in the draft. The last time was Eric Steinbach in the 2nd round. Within a couple years of that they had one of the best lines in the NFL. DeCastro is the best Guard in this draft and one of the best to come out in years. He's a mauler in the run game and way better than average pass blocking.

Nate Livings has not played very well and he needs to be upgraded. On the other side Bobbie Williams is long in the tooth and doesn't have many years left. I like the Boling pick in this year's draft and think he and DeCastro could be the future at Guard for the next ten years. An offensive line of Whitworth, DeCastro, Cook, Williams/Boling, and Smith would be one of the best in the NFL. Add to that Dalton and all the young playmakers at WR and TE and this offense could be great for a long time.

23. Dallas Cowboys- Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia

The Cowboys secondary has been killed by injuries this year just like a lot of other teams. Terrance Newman is starting to lose some of that world class speed due to getting old and Mike Jenkins is afraid to tackle anyone.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers- Barrett Jones, OT, Alabama

Jones probably has the versatility to play about anywhere on the line other than Center. That would be huge for Pittsburgh who needs help all over that offensive line. It's hard to believe they've won as much as they have with how bad that line has been. That just proves defense wins championships.

25. Chicago Bears- Mike Brewster, OC, Ohio State

The Bears have really struggled at the Center position this year since Olin Kruetz left to the Saints and then retired. Brewster is the best Center in this draft, some have put Konz from Wisconsin over him, but Brewster has been consistently good for three years at Ohio State I don't know why he would slide.

26. Detroit Lions- Peter Konz, OC, Wisconsin

If you ask about any Detroit fan what position they need the most most would say Center. Brewster and Konz are head and shoulders above the rest at the Center position and NFL teams are starting to value Center more and more as we've seen with Centers going in the first round in the past few drafts.

27. New England Patriots- Vinny Currey, DE/OLB, Marshall

The Patriots can not pass on one of the top tweener pass rushers again this year. A good pass rush would turn that defense into at least an average defense. If the Pats defense was average they would probably be undefeated and right up there with the Packers as the favorites to win it all.

28. New England Patriots- Brandon Jenkins, DE/OLB, Florida State

Another team with two picks in the first round that should double dip at a position. The Pats have been getting torched through the air but they have good players in the secondary. Teams just have all day to throw on them. They could bring Currey off the edge on one side and Jenkins off the other side and have one of the better pass rushes in the NFL.

29. Baltimore Ravens- Manti Te'o, LB, Notre Dame

Te'o could be the heir to the throne from Ray Lewis so to speak. Ozzie Newsome likes to take the best player available and Manti is the best that fits their system in Baltimore. He could play next to Lewis in the 3-4 for a year or two and then be the leader of that defense.

30. Houston Texans- Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma

People have Broyles mid 2nd round because of his size. I don't care how small he is, he plays huge. He can go up over bigger defenders and get the ball, he has excellent hands, speed, and quickness. Broyles would be a perfect compliment to Andre Johnson.

31. San Francisco 49ers- Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson

Not the biggest need for San Francisco, but at this point Thompson would be an absolute steal. The only real weak spot they have is sometimes they can be run on up the middle of that defense and Thompson would take care of that.

32. Green Bay Packers- Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

The Packers can basically draft wherever they want as they don't have any major holes. When you have a QB the caliber of Aaron Rodgers it's never a bad idea to take an offensive lineman in the first round and add depth to the line that protects Rodgers. By the way I realize GB and SF can't be the last two picks as they are in the same conference, but right now they have the best two records.


2nd Round


33. Indianapolis Colts-