FanPost

2012 Mid-Free Agency Four Round Draft RETRY

Hey y'all, after listening to your advice, I decided to give it another try and expanded it to four rounds. Love to hear your thoughts and insights. Thanks!

I didn't include any future trades because it is just too unpredictable.

Round 1

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford: The Colts feel pretty confident about Luck it seems. You don’t part with your franchise, Super Bowl winning QB unless you are. That is why the Colts don’t risk it on RG3 and stick with Luck. Imagine the outrage if they pass on the heir apparent to Manning for a Michael Vick/Cam Newton prodigy and he doesn’t win them a Super Bowl.

2. TRADE (Rams get Washington’s 2012, 2013, and 2014 first rounders and 2012 second): Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor: No one else is worth the king’s ransom Washington paid to get this pick.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC: A line that gave up the fifth most sacks on a rookie quarterback is not something that can continue if they want Ponder to develop and vindicate his selection with last year’s 12th pick. Kalil is pretty much universally seen as a top three talent and LT is a position of need. Ponder will be thrilled.

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Bama: Clearly the Brown’s biggest need is at QB, but I don’t think the Browns are going to jump at the consultation prize of Tannehill. Instead they decide to replace Peyton Hillis. Blackmon can’t pass to himself, but Richardson can make his own plays. The Browns upgrade a position of need and get value, something no other player offers at this point in the draft. They could always trade down.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU: The Bucs made a huge splash in free agency, addressing serious needs with serious talent. With Richardson gone, they go after best player available; which also happens to bolster a position of need. Ronde is on his last leg, Talib’s legal issues make him uncertain, and there is no one else but the newly acquired Wright. They still have cap space and there is time in free agency, so they might address their LB needs there, but no LB is worth this pick, so look in the second for that upgrade. RB and OT probably get picked in the third and fourth.

6. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR, OK St.: Losing Brandon Lloyd sealed this pick for the Rams. They need a legitimate passing target for Sam Bradford and it is safe to assume that the front office recognizes that Austin Pettis, Greg Salas, nor any other of their receivers fit the role. Sure, they have plenty of other needs; but with the money they invested in Bradford as the future of the franchise, they need results (and preferably soon). Plus, they have an extra second and additional firsts for the next two years to tinker away with. Grabbing someone to protect Sam Bradford is possible, but with their plethora of picks, I think they get O-line in the second.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Quinton Coples, DE, UNC: Wide Receiver remains a pressing need, even after the Jags secured Laurent Robinson to a long-term deal, but Gabbert is going to have to work with what he has. Part of Gabbert’s problems stem from an offensive line that leaks like a sieve, but the talent discrepancy between the remaining first and second round RTs and DEs isn’t close. While the Jags will pass on Jonathon Martin and Riley Reiff; it is safe to assume Mike Adams, Kelechi Osemele, or Brandon Washington will probably be available when the Jags pick in the second. A comparable DE to Coples will be harder to find with the second rounder. They play the odds to get a big defensive playmaker and in doing so, address their sack-luster defense.

8. Miami Dolphins: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa: If the Fins hope to take advantage of whatever QB they end up with, they need to guarantee his protection. They’ll be able to try and replace Brandon Marshall later in the draft when they won’t have to stretch to get value, but here would be a mistake. Look for Miami to go after a DE/OLB like Chandler Jones, Vinny Curry, or Andre Branch in the second rather than skipping on what many expect to be a sure RT rookie starter.

9. Carolina Panthers: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU: The Panthers front office isn’t one of the ten teams bringing in Kirkpatrick, so it looks like they’ve made a decision to go in a different direction. Instead they grab Brockers, a big, physical, athletic DT to help upgrade the pass rush. Playing Drew Brees and Matt Ryan twice a year, makes it critical that you be able to defend the pass pretty well. The breakdown is as much on the line of scrimmage as it is covering passing routes. Bringing in Brockers to pressure the QB will help the corners and will make a big difference is improving a bottom ten passing and rushing defense. Corner will probably have to be a second round choice after passing up on Kirkpatrick.

10. Buffalo Bills: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Bama: After bringing in Mario Williams the Bills will focus on other needs that improving their already impressive line. With great DE/OLB choices in the second, the Bills choose an elite corner who fell for making some bad choices. Coming to Buffalo will probably help with that. Adding Williams and Kirkpatrick will certainly help defend against Tom Brady and the rest of the AFC East. Protecting Fitz is certainly a priority (the least sacked starting QB in the league last year) but addressing the third worst sacking defense will get the nod at some point.

11. Kansas City Chiefs: David Decastro, OG, Stanford: The Chiefs have addressed their immediate needs at OT, TE, and CB; and brought in depth at RB in Free Agency. They have two major needs, at NT and OG. Protecting Matt Cassel (or the guy who replaces him) has to be in the front office’s mind, and so they go after BPA and get a major part of Andrew Luck’s success. If they don’t get DeCastro, expect them to get depth in other places, but nothing is more glaring than at NT. Decastro is a sure thing to plug in by most accounts, better than any of the guys on the Chiefs interior line. Put him next to Winston and that is a scary line.

12. Seattle Seahawks: Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina: Right now, Pete Carroll’s pass rush consists mostly of Chris Clemons. When Melvin Ingram falls past the Jags and Bills, he gets scooped up. Able to rush off the edge or play OLB in a 3-4 package; Ingram will be an immediate upgrade to the pass rush unit. ILB is certainly a possibility, but with depth at LBer in the second, they grab someone else to contribute later as well. WR is a need, some people are projecting Floyd, but I don’t see them passing up Ingram. Interior line is another common pick, but with . In the end, I think getting Matt Flynn takes a lot of pressure off whether to move early in the draft for a QB, so I expect they go to the other side of the ball here.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford: After a paying the $7 million bonus to Kevin Kolb, it is safe to assume protection is going to be a priority. So far the Cardinals have signed Levi Brown and Adam Snyder, but that won’t be enough to turn around the line that gave up the second most sacks in the league. They pick Martin because as a three year starter at LT for Andrew Luck, he can fit right in and slide Brown to RT. While fixing interior line is a consideration, the benefit of protecting Kolb’s blindside outweighs the value of the number one interior lineman.

14. Dallas Cowboys: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis: The Cowboys did an outstanding job in free agency addressing needs with improvements rather than place holders. Acquiring Carr probably ensures they don’t go after CB early, while getting Pool makes a Barron pick unlikely, and the signing of Dan Conner and franchising of Anthony Spencer makes linebacker less of a priority. Getting a serious interior O-lineman is a possibility and trying to replace Laurent Robinson’s 11 touchdowns could be an early focus, but chances are they see the big, athletic Poe and Jerry falls in love. Besides being an incredible athlete (especially for his size), he is the only real guaranteed first round NT in this year’s draft. Brockers is reportedly projected as a 3-4 end or 4-3 tackle; same as Still, Worthy, or Cox (and none have Poe’s size). It doesn’t hurt that Poe has favorable measurables to Haloti Ngata and Paul Soliai.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Fletcher Cox, DT, Miss. St.: Adding DeMeco Ryans makes the Luke Kuechly pick unnecessary. Instead, they go after one of the best 3-technique D-linemen in the 2012 draft. A run stopper to help ease the last year’s run issues, Cox will be able to supplement improved LB play and create the type of defense needed in the run heavy NFC East (See Murray, RG3, and the Giants). Expect Philly to improve secondary with later picks, though don’t be surprised in a WR gets picked early too.

16. New York Jets: Michael Floyd, WR, ND: Rex Ryan got management to double down on the Mark Sanchez experiment, which might make or break Rex at this point. If you are going to pay for Sanchez, he needs more weapons. Enter Tebow, but I digress. Pass rushing needs, aging linebackers, and running back all make the front office sit for a second, but they’ve committed to Sanchez (sort of), so they have to give him the tools to succeed. Whether he can is a different matter altogether. They pass on Kuechly, the best MLB in the draft, because they MUST help Sanchez.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland): Luke Kuechly, MLB, BC: The Bengals did an excellent job filling their limited needs in free agency, and will likely use their abundance of picks to address improvements rather than needs. Safety seems set, corner will be addressed later, the line can be improved but is a strength. Having Rey Maualuga, Dontay Moch, Keith Rivers, and Luke Kuechly rotating at LB will be crazy. Tons of speed and instincts. There is a chance they get an OG, like Cordy Glenn, but I think it is less a need than an improvement and can be picked in the second or third round.

18. San Diego Chargers: Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC: It seems like Chargers fans are willing to give up on the Larry English experiment. After a free agency flurry, the Chargers have refurbished their offense with playmakers and weapons. Now they will get the pass rusher they need to pressure the weak AFC West. Perry has great size and incredible speed. The only linebacker who was faster was Bruce Irvin, who is 25 pounders lighter. Perry will be a huge boon to a Chargers defense that fell in the bottom ten sack teams and allowed a less than respectable 7.9 yards per attempt (fifth worst). At the end of the day, the Chargers have no real needs they MUST go after in the draft so they grab the best player available with probably every pick. With Gate’s foot injury, TE might be an early surprise pick if someone good falls to them. Maybe go after o-line, but really, they have all the flexibility in the world.

19. Chicago Bears: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Bama: No Bears fans want to admit it, but Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher are getting older and they need help. Free Agency and the trade for Brandon Marshall have helped address their most pressing need at WR, so the Bears get to plan long-term and get the best player of need for them.

20. Tennessee Titans: Devon Still, DT, Penn St.: Failure. The Titans miss on returning Peyton to the state that made him famous. The grabbed Hutchinson in an attempt to lure Peyton home, but without him, I doubt they decide to use this pick to further improve their battered line. Still can help immediately plug in on the line and help bring the pressure the Titans need to avoid being the 31st best pass rush in the NFL next year. Secondary is also an immediate need, but I think they grab a top DT instead of a second tier corner or leap for safety.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Stephen Gilmore, CB, South Carolina: Defense wins the AFC North, and the Bengals need an improved secondary to be relevant. After figuring things out at linebacker and safety, they throw Gilmore across from injured Leon Hall (or replacing Hall if needed) to firm up a long-term secondary squad. No running back picked here would offer more value, and so they get value. Mel Kiper says some GMs have Gilmore over Kirkpatrick, which I don’t ascribe to, but I do think he gets selected before Jenkins despite being less polished on his technique.

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta): Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M: After making such a public attempt for RG3 and the crushing year (physically and in confidence), I think it is pretty clear they can’t bring Colt back in to start. The question is whether they use the fourth pick to leap at Tannehill (who I think is this year’s version of Blaine Gabbert and will be taken too early) or do they wait. I say they wait after losing Peyton Hillis to address that need with the number one running back in this year’s draft. I think he will fall just because the Dolphins aren’t in love, the Bills have a better starter, and the Jags would rather go after Tebow if they do give up on Gabbert (which I think they won’t). The Browns fans will be less than thrilled after seeing the excitement in DC and Indy, but at least they get Trent Richardson.

23. Detroit Lions: Janoris Jenkins, CB, Northern Alabama: Losing Wright in free agency makes finding a starting quality corner a must. They resigned Backus and franchised Avril, so I don’t see the Lions doing anything different unless they see a blue chip talent free fall down to them. LB is also a strong possibility here, but they grab value at a position of need rather than making a leap.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Cordy Glenn, OT/OG, Georgia: How is Big Ben still able to move? He has been sacked more than forty times in every season he played more than 14 games and has to injuries to show for it. They grab the versatile Georgia lineman to help stem the bleeding. The Steelers have to hope the addition of Glenn can keep Ben on the field and off the gurney. If they can’t keep Mike Wallace they might try for WR or maybe find a replacement for Farrior. O-line is probably the bigger need though.

25. Denver Broncos: Kelechi Osmele, OG/OT, Iowa St.: Peyton Manning is going to be a Bronco. Wow. That throws this pick up in the air. Do they decide to go after someone to protect the recovering Peyton, or address the defense that spurred the Broncos into the playoffs? Corner, inside linebacker, and both sides of the line can get improved, but one can assume they protect their newest investment first and foremost. Konz is more injured than Peyton, so chances are they try to address center at some later point.

26. Houston Texans: Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech: Texans fans are demanding a big, fast WR and will not take no for an answer. Replacing Mario Williams, DeMeco Ryans, or Eric Winston can wait. With the core of the defense blown up and the line a bit shaky, it really is tough to tell who the Texans would pick; but the physical performance Hill put on at the combine and the very real need to give Matt Schaub more targets than just Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels could be enough.

27. New England Patriots: Andre Branch, DE/OLB, Clemson: What does a team that came minutes away from winning the Super Bowl, is coached by an evil genius, and has a million picks do? They copy their enemies. Pass rush will be the order of the day after free agency brings in several great receivers. Their second worst pass defense was a product of their pass rush as much as their young secondary. By no means does it look like Branch would be a lock for filling that hole, he’d make a dent. Good size, great speed, and a dynamic playmaker with several years of starting time under his belt. They pick Branch over Mercilus because Branch’s quicker speed off the block and proven experience rather than the one year starter.

28. Green Bay Packers: Jerel Worthy DE/DT, MSU: Pass Rush help is going to be a focus, but with the first tier OLB guys gone they have to go in a different direction. Green Bay had the worst past defense in the NFL, but lead the league in defensive interceptions. They can address secondary needs later, but right now they have to get the guys they need to get to the quarterback. Worthy’s going to add pressure and help free up Clay Matthews and the pass rusher they grab in the second to make big plays. Expect offensive line, running back, and secondary help later too.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Donta' Hightower, ILB, Bama: The Ravens are finally going to have to admit that Ray Lewis is going to retire someday and they need someone who can step in. Hightower is a beast, critical to Bama’s recent successes, and will excel under the tutelage of one of the best LBers to ever put on pads. Although finding a long-term center is a need, I think they pass on Konz, who has a history of serious injuries. Replacing Grubbs will be necessary, but I don’t think anyone will jump out at them enough to pass over Hightower.

30. San Francisco 49ers: Kendall Reyes, DT/DE, UCONN: Justin Smith had an awesome year, but he is 32. The 49ers need a contingency plan and so they grab Reyes. He had one of the quickest 40s and second most reps for D-linemen at the combine, showing scouts the agility and explosiveness that San Francisco is going to be looking for. The 49ers are fortunate that they are young, talented, and well coached because it gives them the luxury of getting a talent like Reyes without sacrificing a need. Getting back Rogers and signing Manningham helps secure up the big needs they had going into free agency (assuming they get a quarterback by the end of it). Grabbing the next safety would be a stretch from here, so rather stock up at corner they plan for the future.

31. New England Patriots: Mark Barron, SS, Bama: Since the Patriots lost the Super Bowl, they have improved at WR, pass rush, and returned the necessary players on O-line. They still need to make adjustments at 3-4 DE, secondary, and RB, but in a choice between the number one safety and the fourth or fifth best 3-4 DE; they pick Barron. Since 3-4 pass rush emphasizes OLB, the Pats took Branch. Now they make sure they grab value at their next biggest need.

32. New York Giants: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina: After picking up a new TE and grabbing secondary help, the Super Bowl Champions have to find the answer to their expiring O-line needs, LB, and replacing Mario Manningham and Brandon Jacobs. Stacy Andrews, Kareem McKenzie, and Tony Ugoh all are free agents and can be improved upon. Giants fans seem pretty high on Konz, despite past injury woes, but they are also screaming for WR. Jeffery is also big enough that he can transition to TE if needed, though probably won’t be needed. What the Giants need to get the most value out of this pick.

Round 2

33. St. Louis Rams: Zach Brown, LB, UNC:

34. Indianapolis Colts: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford:

35. Minnesota Vikings: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska:

36. Tampa Bay Bucs: Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois:

37. Cleveland Browns: Rueben Randle, WR, LSU:

38. Jacksonville Jaguars: Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers:

39. St. Louis Rams (from Washington): Zebrie Sanders, OT, FSU:

40. Carolina Panthers: Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech:

41. Buffalo Bills: Mike Adams, OT, OSU:

42. Miami Dolphins: Vinny Curry, DE/OLB, Marshall:

43. Seattle Seahawks: Mychal Kendricks, LB, Cal:

44. Kansas City Chiefs: Alameda Ta'amu, NT, Washington:

45. Dallas Cowboys: Kevin Zietler, OG/OT, Wisconsin:

46. Philadelphia Eagles: Josh Robinson, CB, Central Florida:

47. New York Jets: Ronnell Lewis, OLB, OU:

48. New England Patriots (from OAK): Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin:

49. San Diego Chargers: Chase Minnifield, CB, UVA:

50. Chicago Bears: Ben Jones, OG/C, UGA:

51. Philadelphia (from AZ): Harrison Smith, SS, ND:

52. Tennessee Titans: Brandon Washington, OG/OT, Miami:

53. Cincinnati Bengals: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor:

54. Detroit Lions: Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska:

55. Atlanta Falcons: Chandler Jones, DE/OLB, Syracuse:

56. Pittsburgh Steelers: Brandon Taylor, SS, LSU:

57. Denver Broncos: Josh Chapman, DT, Bama:

58. Houston Texans: Vinny Curry, DE/OLB, Marshall:

59. New Orleans Saints: *FORFEITED*

60. Green Bay Packers: Bruce Irvin, OLB, WVU:

61. Baltimore Ravens: Amini Silotalu, OG/OT, Midwestern St:

62. San Fransisco 49ers: George Iloka, FS, Boise State:

63. New England Patriots: Brandon Thompson, DE/DT, Clemson:

64. New York Giants: Bobby Wagner, LB, USU:

Round 3

65. Indianapolis Colts: Senio Kelemete, OG, Washington:

66. St. Louis Rams: Mike Martin, DT/DE, Michigan:

67. Minnesota Vikings: Dwight Jones, WR, North Carolina:

68. Cleveland Browns: Shea McClellin, DE/OLB, BSU:

69. Tampa Bay Bucs: Markelle Martin, FS, Oklahoma State:

70. Washington Redskins: Casey Heyward, CB, Vanderbilt:

71. Jacksonville Jaguars: Brandon Brooks, OG, Miami (Ohio):

72. Buffalo Bills: Tyrone Crawford, DE, BSU:

73. Miami Dolphins (From Chicago from Carolina): Brandon Weeden, QB, OkState:

74. Miami Dolphins: Nick Toon, WR, Wisconsin:

75. Kansas City Chiefs: Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson:

76. Seattle Seahawks: Josh Norman, CB, Coastal Carolina:

77. Houston Texans (From Philadelphia): Levy Adcock, OT, Oklahoma State:

78. New York Jets: Doug Martin, RB, BSU:

79. Oakland Raiders: *USED ON TERREYLE PRYOR*

80. San Diego Chargers: Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska:

81. Chicago Bears: Bobby Massie, OT, Mississippi:

82. Arizona Cardinals: Greg Childs, WR, Arkansas:

83. Dallas Cowboys: Billy Winn, DE, BSU:

84. Tennessee Titans: Philip Blake, OC, Baylor:

85. Cincinnati Bengals: Dwight Bentley, CB, ULL:

86. Atlanta Falcons: Orson Charles, TE, Georgia:

87. Detroit Lions: LaMichael James, KR/RB, Oregon:

88. Pittsburgh Steelers: Derek Wolfe, DT/DE, Cincinnati:

89. Denver Broncos: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami:

90. Philadelphia (From Houston): Sean Spence, OLB, Miami:

91. New Orleans Saints: Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia:

92. Green Bay Packers: Michael Brewster, C, OSU:

93. Baltimore Ravens: Marvin McNutt, WR, Iowa:

94. San Fransisco 49ers: Jamell Fleming, CB, Oklahoma:

95. New England Patriots: Brian Quick, WR, Appalachian State:

96. New York Giants: Chris Polk, RB, Washington:

Round 4

97. Indianapolis Colts: Cam Johnson, DE/OLB, Virginia:

98. St. Louis Rams: David Wilson, RB, Va Tech:

99. Minnesota Vikings: Janzen Jackson, FS, McNeese State:

100. Houston (from Philadelphia via Tampa Bay): James-Michael Johnson, ILB, Nevada:

101. Cleveland Browns: Mitchell Schwarts, OT, California:

102. Jacksonville Jaguars: Lucas Nix, OG, Pittsburgh:

103. Washington Redskins: Audie Cole, ILB, N.C. State:

104. Miami Dolphins: Aaron Henry, S, Wisconsin:

105. Carolina Panthers: Jeff Fuller, WR, Texas A&M:

106. Buffalo Bills: Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas:

107. Seattle Seahawks: Ryan Miller, OG/OT, Colorado:

108. Kansas City Chiefs: Nick Foles, QB, Arizona:

109. Denver Broncos (From New York): Tank Carder, ILB, TCU:

110. Washington Redskins (From Oakland): Trumaine Johnson, CB, Montana:

111. San Diego Chargers: Matt McCants, OT, UAB:

112. Chicago Bears: Leonard Johnson, CB, Iowa State:

113. Arizona Cardinals: Nigel Bradham, OLB, Florida State

114. Dallas Cowboys: David Molk, OC, Michigan:

115. Philadelphia Eagles: Marvin Jones, WR, California:

116. Tennessee Titans: Shaun Prater, CB, Iowa:

117. Cincinnati Bengals: Marcus Forston, DT/DE, Miami:

118. Detroit Lions: Andrew Datko, OT, Florida State:

119. Cleveland Browns (From Atlanta): Antonio Allen, S, South Carolina:

120. Pittsburgh Steelers: Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State:

121. Denver Broncos: Brock Osweiler, QB, Arizona State:

122. Houston Texans: Akiem Hicks, NT/DT, Regina:

123. New Orleans Saints: Travis Lewis, OLB, Oklahoma:

124. Green Bay Packers: Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati:

125. Buffalo Bills (From Baltimore): Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State:

126. San Fransisco 49ers: Russell Wilson, QB, Wisconsin:

127. New England Patriots: Cliff Harris, CB/KR, Oregon:

128. New York Giants: Ladarius Green, TE, Louisiana-Lafayette: