2012 NFL Mock Draft Day 1 Edition
1983 was the year of the quarterback. Nearly 30 years later like that draft there is a Stanford quarterback destined to be drafted by the Colts once again. This time, the Colts will keep the Stanford quarterback rather than trading him on draft day. Like the 1983 NFL Draft, I also have 6 quarterbacks going in round 1 of this epically insane 2012 NFL Mock Draft Finale.
LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne led the LSU Tigers to a 13-0 regular season start before losing the BCS Title game to Alabama. Claiborne has been real consistent over the last two seasons. Claiborne can be a lockdown man coverage cornerback.
Claiborne has been consistent dominating his pro day. Claiborne scored a 4 out of 50 on his Wonderlic plus he had a great supporting cast on secondary at LSU. Adding Claiborne would really help out a team that is looking for that core component piece on secondary.
Pro Football Talk has this cool craigslist of draft prospects that attended individual workouts for all 32 NFL teams. It lists players that teams have been conducting individual workouts with certain teams for all 32 NFL teams. I am going to make bold some gutsy picks in the final mock draft just for fun and pure speculation ending my final mock draft with a huge bang.
This will be the 5th and final mock draft if you exclude free agency and the 2012 NFL Draft. I wanted to take individual workouts into account while addressing critical team needs, draft day sliders, reaches, and blockbuster trades, all into one epic first round.
Feel free to check out the 2012 Rant Sports Mock Draft. It features in depth coverage from other top writers about who their teams should take.
1. Indianapolis Colts Andrew Luck Quarterback Stanford Junior Redshirt The Colts are going to take Stanford phenom Andrew Luck. This is a formality at this point. You began to hear about how good Luck was as early as October of 2010. Now its at the point where your sort of tired of hearing about it if you never seen Luck play.
2. Washington Redskins from St. Louis Rams Robert Griffin III Quarterback Baylor Junior Redshirt The Washington Redskins would not have gave up so many first round picks unless they were going to take an immediate starter at quarterback. Baylor candidate Robert Griffin III defeats incumbent Rex Grossman in the real election that decides who the field general in the Nations Capital is.
3. Minnesota Vikings Morris Claiborne Cornerback LSU Junior Leslie Frazier coached the North Team in the Senior Bowl. The Vikings will take Claiborne here because they do not like the other corners after Claiborne. The other reason adding Claiborne helps is because you can move Antoine Winfield to a boundary cornerback role while having three stooges Chris Cook, Chris Carr, and Zachary Bowman duel for the nickel job in Vikings training camp. Minnesota dislikes Dre Kirkpatrick.
Minnesota likes Matt Kalil, Riley Reiff, and Mike Adams at offensive tackle. The Vikings are not fans of Jonathan Martin. Minnesota would probably take Adams in round 1.
At wide receiver Minnesota likes Alshon Jeffery, Stephen Hill, Nick Toon, and Brian Quick besides Justin Blackmon. The Vikings will take the cornerback here.
4. Cleveland Browns Matt Kalil Right Tackle USC Junior Redshirt There are 3 players Cleveland probably loves. Those players are Matt Kalil, Trent Richardson, and Ryan Tannehill. I think Cleveland likes Brandon Weeden better than teammate Justin Blackmon because Blackmon has cussed throughout the draft process.
This narrows the pick down to Kalil and Richardson. Cleveland takes the best player available which is Kalil and makes him a bookend to Joe Thomas. If any NFL team took a right tackle in the top 5 and paid him left tackle money, I think we can all agree that team would be Cleveland.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Trent Richardson Running Back Alabama Junior Tampa Bay loves Trent Richardson. If Richardson is there at 5 and Claiborne is gone, then Mark Dominick will get fined for draft gate by rushing up to the draft podium like Sonic the Hedgehog for doing an imitation of Trent Richardson.
With Trent Richardson, Tampa Bay has a run first offense that they can use to open up the passing game for Josh Freeman.
6. St. Louis Rams from Washington Redskins Justin Blackmon Wide Receiver Oklahoma State Junior Redshirt The Rams love Justin Blackmon. Blackmon should be the pick if he’s off the board at 6 even though I see a secondary receiver in the mold of Braylon Edwards at best.
7. Philadelphia Eagles from Jacksonville Jaguars Ryan Tannehill Quarterback Texas A&M Senior Redshirt The Eagles addressed most of their needs in free agency and sort of have the luxury of going with the best player available. I think the Eagles should try to groom a quarterback for the future for when Vick leaves. Andy Reid loves lowballing teams with crappy trade offers. Reid offers Jacksonville the 15th pick, the 46th pick, and the 200th overall pick a 6th rounder from New England for the 7th overall pick. Since the deal adds up on the trade value chart the Eagles move up for Tannehill. The Jaguars 7th pick is worth 1,500 points on the trade value chart. The 15th and 46th picks are worth 1,490 points. The 200th pick is worth around 10 points on the trade value chart.
The Eagles decide to get a quarterback for the future in case Vick does not step up. Vick would be the immediate starter due to his salary. When Vick gets injured Tannehill gets his chance to claim the Eagles job.
8. Miami Dolphins Brock Osweiler Quarterback Arizona State Junior I like Osweiler a lot better then Ryan Tannehill. Another quarterback besides Ryan Tannehill that Miami is very high on is Brock Osweiler. Teams reach for quarterbacks. That’s the nature of the NFL draft whether you like it or not. Miami’s new regime may panic take Osweiler in round 1 if their primary quarterback option, Ryan Tannehill is off the board. 2012′s quarterback class is much stronger than 2011′s quarterback class. That class had 4 quarterbacks go in the top 12. This class could have someone go in the top 10 if a team moves up for Tannehill.
Miami needs a developmental quarterback behind Matt Moore or David Garrard for one or two seasons because the supporting cast is not in place. Miami lacks a right tackle, two main wide receivers, and a secondary tight end.
Miami needs to be patient and let Osweiler learn the playbook while building their team around him before throwing Osweiler into the fire.
As Miami reaches for Brock Osweiler, die hard Dolphins fan Daniel Tosh expresses his feelings about the pick by chucking a medicine ball in at an HDTV on draft night in an epic web redemption.
9. Carolina Panthers Stephon Gilmore Cornerback South Carolina Junior The Carolina Panthers have a huge glaring need at cornerback. Chris Gamble would be much better as a boundary cornerback while Captain Munneryln would be inserted into a nickel role.
Carolina visited Notre Dame and Baylor’s pro day. Both Michael Floyd and Kendall Wright are promising. Carolina likes Gilmore more because of his upside in a weak cornerback class.
I think Gilmore could actually end up having more long term potential than LSU’s Morris Claiborne. If the speculation about the Bills liking Gilmore is true, then Carolina should strongly consider Gilmore with the 9th selection.
10. Buffalo Bills Mike Adams Left Tackle Ohio State Senior The Buffalo Bills have reached for players in years past during the NFL Draft. After giving Bills fans so much false hope with promising free agent signings, Bills GM Buddy Nix decides to reach for Mike Adams at #10 overall knowing he’s royally robbing loyal Bills fans of their taxpayer dollars.
11. New England Patriots from Kansas City Chiefs Melvin Ingram Right End South Carolina Senior Redshirt Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli were colleagues in Cleveland and New England. New England loves Melvin Ingram. The Patriots decide to deal the 27th and 31st overall pick to Kansas City to move up to #11.
Another quarterback besides Ryan Tannehill that the Chiefs like as a developmental project is Kirk Cousins. Cousins makes a lot of sense because he has the intangibles plus you can keep him on the bench until Matt Cassel’s contract runs out in 2014.
Melvin Ingram can play anywhere on a 4-3 defensive line and can play anywhere at linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. Ingram is 6 foot 2 276 pounds. As long as New England is running the 4-3 Ingram can be the face of their pass rushing defense.
Melvin Ingram is also an effective run stuffer. I sort of feel like Belichick robbed Scott Pioli of his dignity with this blockbuster trade. Instead of trading down, New England opts to trade up for the top pass rusher according to most in the 2012 NFL Draft.
12. Seattle Seahawks Quinton Coples Right End North Carolina Senior Pete Carroll has a man crush on Quinton Coples as an NFL prospect. Coples is not falling past Seattle. I think Coples could be a steal for Seattle at 12.
13. Arizona Cardinals Michael Floyd Wide Receiver Notre Dame Senior The Cardinals tend to ignore need and take the best player available on their draft board. Larry Fitzgerald wants Michael Floyd on the Cardinals. I also believe Floyd will be the top player on their board if Floyd is available. Arizona adds Floyd to create a deadly wide receiver tandem that can get open pretty quickly even with shaky left tackle play. I see flashes of a younger Tim Brown with Michael Floyd. Floyd can become the most complete wide receiver in this draft if he stays out of trouble off the field.
14. Minnesota Vikings from Dallas Cowboys Riley Reiff Left Tackle Iowa Junior Redshirt The Cowboys brought in Michael Brockers for a workout. Despite what the Cowboys front office thinks, I believe Jerry Jones prefers the Combine super freak nose tackle Dontari Poe out of Memphis over LSU nose tackle Michael Brockers.
Minnesota loves 3 offensive tackles with Matt Kalil, Riley Reiff, and Mike Adams. Thanks to Buffalo reaching for Mike Adams at 10, Rick Spielman saves face by prematurely dealing a 2013 first round pick and a 2012 3rd round pick to the Dallas Cowboys after passing on Matt Kalil for Morris Claiborne. Minnesota can take a wide receiver like Alshon Jeffery, Stephen Hill, Nick Toon, or Brian Quick in round 2 to finalize their last main need at wide receiver.
The 2013 NFL draft is stacked at nose tackle with 3 first rounders in Ohio State’s Jonathan Hankins, Georgia’s Kwame Geathers, and Utah’s Star Lotuleilei. Odds are Dallas can take one of these players with 2 2013 first round picks.
The other plus to Dallas getting this 2013 first round pick is they can end up with a quarterback like Tennessee’s Tyler Bray, Arkansas’s Tyler Wilson, Kansas State’s Collin Klein who I believe becomes next years Gabbert or Tannehill to surge into the top 10, USC’s Matt Barkley, and Georgia’s Aaron Murray is how I see the 2013 quarterback class shaking up if Barkley declines in 2012 without Matt Kalil. Barkley has had 2 future NFL offensive tackles in 2009 and 2010 at USC. In 2011, USC allowed 8 sacks on the offensive line which was fewest in the nation. Left tackle Matt Kalil allowed a perfect 0 sacks having a flawless final season at USC in pass protection.
15. Jacksonville Jaguars from Philadelphia Eagles Kendall Wright Wide Receiver Baylor Senior The Jaguars brought in Lee Evans as a short term plan to be Blaine Gabbert’s primary target. Jacksonville also signed Laurent Robinson to a 5 year deal. Neither Evans or Robinson satisfies Jaguars fans as a long term #1 target. Evans was Mike Mularkey’s first round draft choice back in 2004 when he was head coach of the Buffalo Bills.
Kendall Wright could be used as a Mike Wallace type of deep threat for Blaine Gabbert in Jacksonville.
16. New York Jets Bruce Irvin 3-4 Right Outside Linebacker West Virginia Senior In 2010, as a junior Irvin led the Big East in sacks with 14. Irvin was also 4th in the Big East in tackles for a loss that season with 14.
In 2011, Irvin had a bit of a senior slump. Irvin only had 8.5 sacks while weighing in at 6 foot 3 245 pounds. Bruce Irvin holds the same name as the kickboxing fighter Bruce Irvin from the video game fighter series Tekken.
In years, past the Jets have drafted players who dominated the Combine. Mark Sanchez their 2009 first round pick, Kyle Wilson a 2010 first round pick, and Muhammed Wilkerson all had eye popping combines.
Bruce Irvin ran a 4.43 40 time in the 40 yard dash. I was a huge fan of Bruce Irvin’s before the season started. Draft experts knocked Irvin for poor production in the regular season. The fact that Irvin was a high school dropout and had arrested for destrution of property after his March pro day also has to raise some glaring concerns.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes some teams view West Virginia’s Bruce Irvin as a top pass rusher in the entire draft. I have been one of Bruce Irvin’s biggest supporters before the off the field concerns. I am buying this completely. When viewing the Jets list of players they had individual workouts with, one player that had a + sign by their name was West Virginia’s pass rusher Bruce Irvin. Rex Ryan loves finding first round talent at the NFL Scouting Combine. Do not be remotely surprised if the Jets opt to shock many by selecting Bruce Irvin while passing on Syracuse pass rusher Chandler Jones with the 16th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.
17. Cincinnati Bengals from Oakland Raiders Courtney Upshaw Right End Alabama Senior The Bengals got this pick thanks to Oakland trading this pick for Carson Palmer. One team that is very high on Courtney Upshaw is the CIncinnati Bengals. Cincinnati could add a pass rusher like Upshaw hoping he becomes a double digit sack artist. Unfortunately, Upshaw is better suited for the 3-4 scheme. In the 3-4, Upshaw can play on the inside or the outside at linebacker.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers from San Diego Chargers Luke Kuechly 3-4 Middle Linebacker Boston College Junior Luke Kuechly has Bill Romanowski’s tackling instincts and Tedy Bruschi’s mental intangibles. That is everything your looking for when evaluating a 3-4 middle linebacker. Kuechly is the complete package at 3-4 middle linebacker. Chicago is picking at 19 and they would consider Kuechly if Pittsburgh did not move up.
The Steelers 24th overall pick, their 3rd rounder, and 4 7th round picks are worth 899 points on the trade value chat. This pick is worth 900 points. Having the 24th pick, a 2nd, 2 3rd rounders, and some additional 7th rounders for trade ammunition allows you to move up or down for a certain player you want if you are San Diego.
San Diego has drafted Craig “Buster” Davis, Antoine Cason, Larry English, Ryan Matthews, and Corey Liuget the past few seasons. In 2007-2009 this team had the luxury of adding the best players available. Now, the Chargers have to be responsible and draft by need. That will not happen as long as AJ Smith and Norv Turner are running the show in San Diego.
Loyal Charger fans rocking the lightning bolt headgear realize how incompetent this current front office regime in San Diego really is. Just listen to Ron Burgundy and stay classy San Diego.
19. Chicago Bears Chandler Jones Left End Syracuse Junior Redshirt Chicago hopes to add a pass rusher for depth behind Isreal Idonije at 4-3 left end. Chandler Jones is one of the top pass rushers available on most experts draft boards. While I got Jones graded out as a 2nd round prospect, most believe he’s a lock to be a top 20 pick at this point. One player Chicago liked in their individual workout phase was Chandler Jones.
20. Tennessee Titans Fletcher Cox Defensive Tackle Mississippi State Junior The Titans had one of the leagues weaker pass rushing units. Fletcher Cox got 5 sacks at Mississippi State and constantly pressured quarterbacks at Mississippi State.
21. Cincinnati Bengals Michael Brockers Defensive Tackle LSU Sophomore Redshirt My New England Patriots signed Jonathan Fanene, a defensive tackle who registered 6.5 sacks with the Bengals last season. Cincinnati takes Brockers here as a depth player hoping to boost the defensive line with the 21st pick.
22. Cleveland Browns from Atlanta Falcons Brandon Weeden Quarterback Oklahoma State Senior Redshirt Cleveland considers Brandon Weeden a first round talent. Thanks to their Julio Jones trade with Atlanta, Cleveland lands an immediate NFL starter with Brett Favre’s ability and Chris Weinke’s age with Brandon Weeden at #22 overall.
Weeden defeated Andrew Luck in the 2012 Fiesta Bowl. Weeden’s 72.3 completion percentage bests Luck’s 71.3 completion percentage. I was never really high on Justin Blackmon and he cussed on some local Browns radio station which may incline the Browns front office to believe that Weeden is the superior front
Weeden is there at 22. You got Joe Thomas at left tackle and I gave Cleveland Matt Kalil at #4 in this mock to shake things up. Joe Thomas is left tackle with Matt Kalil at right tackle. Weeden will have all the time in the world to throw. Adding Weeden and Matt Kalil to the Cleveland’s offense makes them the 2nd best team.
23. Detroit Lions Amini Silatolu Left Guard Midwestern State Senior Redshirt The Lions could take anyone at 23. I keep hearing the idea of Detroit taking a guard at 23. I think the Lions may surprise many here and go with a small school prospect as a wild card pick.
If the Lions are planning on using a run blocking scheme again in 2012, then you have to get a guard that can run block. Silatolu has a nasty streak and violent hands. Silatolu’s run blocking footwork shows him using very nimble feet when lining up to run block to knock a defender back.
24. Dallas Cowboys from San Diego Chargers via Pittsburgh Steelers Dontari Poe Nose Tackle Memphis Junior Jerry Jones is like a fantasy football owner. He covets a certain player and cannot understand the reality that die hard Cowboys fans want to witness a winner now with Romo nearing the end of his career. Dontari Poe is still available at 24 and Denver a team needing a starter at defensive tackle picks next at 25. Dallas ends up taking Poe and may regret it.
In return, San Diego would obtain the 2013 first round round pick that Dallas got from the Vikings. Dallas is doing San Diego a favor by keeping Poe from going to a division rival which is why San Diego is not requesting more picks than the 24th pick.
25. Denver Broncos Mohammed Sanu Wide Receiver Rutgers Junior The one receiver outside of Michael Floyd who may be more complete receiver than anyone when their career is said and done is Mohammed Sanu. Sanu has everything you look for in a wide receiver. Sanu has the hands, route running, jumping, size, blocking ability, speed, agility, and converts yards after the catch. Sanu is the kind of receiver that Peyton Manning will yearn for next to Demaryius Thomas.
26. Houston Texans Rueben Randle Wide Receiver LSU Junior Houston adds Rueben Randle to give the Texans a wide receiver across from Andre Johnson who could provide red zone ability.
27. Kansas City Chiefs from New England Patriots via New Orleans Saints Kirk Cousins Quarterback Michigan State Senior Redshirt I think Scott Pioli realizes that the Chiefs need a long term answer at quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
That answer is not Matt Cassel. The problem is Cassel’s contract runs through 2014. Kirk Cousins has a great work ethic. Cousins is a project in the making. Cousins needs one year as a 3rd stringer and one year as a backup. Cousins gets that opportunity in Kansas City.
The Chiefs have wide receivers like Dwayne Bowe, Steve Breaston, and Jonathan Baldwin a 2011 first round pick. Kansas City would have offensive tackles Branden Albert and Eric Winston. A two tight end set featuring Tony Moaeki coming off of a season endind injury plus free agent signee Kevin Boss as a #2 tight end makes the Chiefs one of the leagues most formidable offenses if they can find a quarterback to lead that offense.
Kirk Cousins has a great work ethic and Peyton Manning like intangibles. Cousins is a project quarterback with the potential to surpass Matt Cassel on most NFL depth charts. I don’t see an elite quarterback, but I see a great backup if you surround him with a weak supporting cast of misfits. With the Chiefs supporting cast in place, I could see Kirk Cousins becoming an immediate impact player if he gets any starting time in 2012.
28. Seattle Seahawks from Green Bay Packers Dont’a Hightower Middle Linebacker Alabama Junior Redshirt One player that Pete Carroll loves besides pass rusher Quinton Coples is Dont’a Hightower. I think he finds a way to repay the Green Bay Packers at #28 overall here after signing their former backup Matt Flynn.
The Ravens will be eying Hightower at #29 overall. Seattle could give up a 2013 first rounder to Green Bay. Hightower would sit behind veteran middle linebacker free agent pickup Barrett Rudd for a year so he could learn how to adjust from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense in Seattle.
29. Baltimore Ravens Stephen Hill Wide Receiver Georgia Tech Junior The Ravens have the luxury of taking the best available player for depth with 22 players capable of starting when healthy. Ozzie Newsome has placed a huge emphasis on obtaining a wide receiver with size. Stephen Hill is 6 foot 4 215 pounds and can catch the football while running excellent routes. Hill makes a lot of sense for Baltimore at the end of round 1.
30. San Francisco 49ers David DeCastro Right Guard Stanford Junior Redshirt Jim Harbaugh used to coach at Stanford. The 49ers biggest need is at right guard. Ironically enough DeCastro played right guard on Stanford last season.
This is a great situation for David DeCastro as he plays right guard on an offensive line with Joe Staley, Mike Iupati, Jonathan Goodwin, and Anthony Davis.
31. Indianapolis Colts from Kansas City Chiefs via New England Patriots Jonathan Martin Right Tackle Stanford Junior Redshirt The Atlanta Falcons have drawn a huge interest in giving up a 2013 first rounder to move up for Stanford left tackle Jonathan Martin. Atlanta sees Jonathan Martin as the next Bob Whitfield. Whitfield was a former Stanford all pro left tackle that the Falcons drafted in the top 10 overall a very good while back. Whitfield was left tackle on that Super Bowl 33 Falcons team with Chris Chandler and Jamaal Anderson. The Falcons cannot afford to fork over future first round picks in consecutive years.
What Indianapolis should do is give up a 2012 4th rounder and a 2013 2nd rounder which is probably worth around 500 points on the current trade value chart assuming your going to pick in the top 8 overall next season. Its probable if you do not get Andrew Luck immediate help.
You have Anthony Costanzo a 2011 first round pick from Boston College at left tackle. Matt McGlynn can be a decent starter at left guard. Samson Satelle is extremely underrated at center plus he’s 10 years younger than Jeff Saturday and just as effective. Ben Ijalana was a 2011 2nd round pick expected to be a right tackle before making the move inside to right guard. The Colts current projected starter at right tackle is Winston Justice. Justice was horrible in Philadelphia.
Martin was Andrew Luck’s left tackle in college. In Indianapolis, Martin can play a right tackle role that many actually project Martin to be a better fit at in the next level. I see Martin as a bookend tackle who can play either side.
Some people are being way too subjective about Martin though because he’s had some bad tape, skipped the Combine, and really left a poor impression at Stanford’s pro day. I think Andrew Luck would much rather have Jonathan Martin starting over Winston Justice at right tackle as a rookie if your asking Luck the million dollar investment stepping in for Peyton Manning in Indianapolis who should be starting in Indianapolis at that right tackle spot across form Costanzo.
I had Martin graded higher than Matt Kalil back in May which before jumping on the Kalil bandwagon midseason which is why I am remaining objective about Martin’s ability to start at offensive tackle on either side at the next level.
32. New York Giants Coby Fleener Tight End Stanford Senior Redshirt The New York Giants will want a tight end across from free agent Martellus Bennett with tight ends Jake Ballard and Travis Beckam injured from the playoffs. Stanford tight end Coby Fleener will have the fastest transition to the NFL among the 2012 tight end prospects. Clemson’s Dwyane Allen is the one tight end from this draft that I see developing into a potential pro bowl candidate. There really is no sure fire primary immediate impact tight end.
Your sort of stuck with the choice of taking the NFL ready #2 tight end Fleener or the project tight end who can develop into a potential #1 pro bowl caliber target. I think its safe to say that Coby Fleener has the edge over Dwayne Allen at the moment.
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