After a year of build up, this is it. The 2012 NFL Draft has arrived. We've hemmed and hawed for months, but in my final mock draft, some of the long-expected pick. Find it after the jump.
1. Indianapolis Colts - Stampede Blue |
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Andrew Luck | Quarterback | Stanford: The Colts are officially in rebuilding mode, and there is no better player to reset a franchise with than Luck. He may not turn the Colts into a playoff contender as a rookie, but the team will be drafting in the 20s again in a couple years. |
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2. Washington Redskins - Hogs Haven |
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Robert Griffin III | Quarterback | Baylor: Make no mistake, Washington is taking a gamble trading multiple picks in an effort to draft Griffin. If he doesn't work out, the franchise will be set back for several years. If it does work, which most expect, the team will have its franchise quarterback for a decade. |
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3. Minnesota Vikings - Daily Norseman | ||
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Matt Kalil | Offensive tackle | Southern California: There has been talk today the the Vikings want to move out of this pick, which is possible. If not, the current favorite here is LSU's Morris Claiborne. I'm sticking with Kalil. Kalil is a premier offensive tackle talent and will speed up the development of quarterback Christian Ponder. |
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4. Cleveland Browns - Dawgs By Nature |
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Trent Richardson | Running back | Alabama: Any number of players here would help the Browns, but none more so than Richardson. It's true, Cleveland's front office leaders Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert have never drafted a running back this high. But when your running backs are Montario Hardesty, Chris Ogbonnaya and Armond Smith, an elite prospect like Richardson may be difficult to pass up. The Browns will also be considering Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon and Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill. |
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5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Bucs Nation |
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Morris Claiborne | Cornerback | LSU: The talk of late has the Buccaneers losing out on both Claiborne and Richardson. If that happens, look for Tampa to desperately try to trade out. But in my scenario, they get Claiborne. He's an immediate starter and will provide a big impact on Greg Schiano's defense. |
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6. St. Louis Rams - Turf Show Times |
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Justin Blackmon | Wide receiver | Oklahoma State: It will be quite the coup if the Rams can add numerous draft picks and still manage to select the player they probably wanted all along. St. Louis undoubtedly needs to improve its offensive line, but they don't have a receiver the caliber of Blackmon on the roster. If Kalil slips, he should be the pick for St. Louis. Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox will be in the mix as well. |
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7. Jacksonville Jaguars - Big Cat Country | ||
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Stephon Gilmore | Cornerback | South Carolina: The Jaguars are the most difficult team to predict. General Manager Gene Smith is a wild card drafter. A source told Peter King of Sports Illustrated that the Jaguars like Gilmore "a ton," so that's good enough for me. |
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8. Miami Dolphins - The Phinsider |
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Ryan Tannehill | Quarterback | Texas A&M: Seemingly nothing has gone right for the Dolphins this offseason. The team missed out on Peyton Manning and Matt Flynn, and settled on signing David Garrard to a one-year contract. It's hard to envision Garrard being a vast upgrade over Matt Moore, especially long term. Neither inspires much hope for the future. It's time for the Dolphins to not settle for second-round picks (Pat White, Chad Henne) and third-rate free agents. It's time to draft their first first-round signal caller since Dan Marino. |
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9. Carolina Panthers - Cat Scratch Reader |
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Fletcher Cox | Defensive tackle | Mississippi State: I may not like Fletcher Cox, but everyone else sure seems to. The Panthers brought in countless defensive tackles during the evaluation process and Cox fits what they need fairly well. North Carolina's Quinton Coples will also be a consideration, but to play tackle not end. |
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10. Buffalo Bills - Buffalo Rumblings |
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Michael Floyd | Wide receiver | Notre Dame: Buffalo is another team to project in the draft. Everyone has a different rumor for the Bills. A trade up for Kalil. The team reportedly loves Alabama safety Mark Barron. But in the event of no trade up for Kalil, Floyd may have the biggest immediate impact on the team's offense. |
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11. Kansas City Chiefs - Arrowhead Pride |
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David DeCastro | Guard | Stanford: After months of saying the Chiefs should pick defensive tackle Dontari Poe, I've completely changed my ideal of them. My pick now is that the Chiefs will go with a combination of safeness and best player. That is what DeCastro represents. He could play either the right or left side of the line for the Chiefs. |
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12. Seattle Seahawks - Field Gulls |
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Courtney Upshaw | Outside linebacker | Alabama: If DeCastro isn't available, the Seahawks should look to continue improving their front seven. Upshaw would be perfect for the team's "elephant" position and utilized with and without his hand in the ground. Many think he'll fall, though. This could also be a spot for Coples or South Carolina's Melvin Ingram. |
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13. Arizona Cardinals - Revenge Of The Birds |
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Riley Reiff | Offensive tackle | Iowa: The Cardinals re-signed Levi Brown, which fills at least one of the tackle spots. Reiff could play the right or left side and he should be especially helpful in the team's run game. The Cardinals may also consider a rush linebacker like Ingram or a wide receiver if one of the top two slips. |
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14. Dallas Cowboys - Blogging The Boys | ||
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Mark Barron | Safety | Alabama: The rebuilding of Dallas' secondary can't stop just because the team signed cornerback Brandon Carr. Barron is another one of the safest picks in this year's draft because he's a do-it-all player coming from an NFL-style defense. The Cowboys could also look for a defensive lineman with this pick. |
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15. Philadelphia Eagles - Bleeding Green Nation |
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Luke Kuechly | Middle linebacker | Boston College: What's old is new again for this choice. Kuechly was long-considered the Eagles' choice until the team acquired DeMeco Ryans. But as good as Ryans should be for Philadelphia, he's only one linebacker. At the weak side, Kuechly would be a big-time upgrade over Brian Rolle or Casey Matthews. It won't be a stunner if Kuechly is gone by the time this pick happens. |
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16. New York Jets - Gang Green Nation |
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Melvin Ingram | Defensive end | South Carolina: Rex Ryan loves pass rushers and his best one, Calvin Pace, is 31 and only had 4.5 sacks last season. Aaron Maybin is a nice story, but his consistency is a complete unknown. There has been speculation that he loves Ingram and wants him to be his own version of Terrell Suggs. |
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17. Cincinnati Bengals (via Oakland Raiders) - Cincy Jungle |
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Dre Kirkpatrick | Cornerback | Alabama: The Bengals have quickly gone from arguably the NFL's best cornerback group to one of the most puzzling. A replacement for Jonathan Joseph last season couldn't be found and Leon Hall is coming off an Achilles injury. The Bengals were long-attached to Gilmore, whose draft stock has skyrocketed. I have Kirkpatrick rated as the better player, though. He's bigger and more physical. |
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18. San Diego Chargers - Bolts From The Blue |
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Whitney Mercilus | Defensive end | Illinois: Speculation for the Chargers' pick is all over the place. The latest is that the team is going to try and trade up to take Barron, which is highly possible. A player like Quinton Coples would also make sense. He could be a star 3-4 end. But my guess is General Manager A.J. Smith will take another chance on a college defensive end to move to linebacker. Hopefully Mercilus is no Larry English. |
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19. Chicago Bears - Windy City Gridiron |
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Quinton Coples | Defensive end | North Carolina: After trading for Brandon Marshall, the Bears have their No. 1 wide receiver for Jay Cutler. That will leave the team to decide between an offensive tackle like Ohio State's Mike Adams or a pass rusher. Coples should do well if he's used on the left side and moved inside on third-down situations. If used properly, Coples could be a superstar in the NFL. |
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20. Tennessee Titans - Music City Miracles |
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Chandler Jones | Defensive end | Syracuse: Jones' name has been red hot this week. So why Tennessee after they signed Kamerion Wimbley? In the 2010 NFL Draft, the Titans missed out on Jason Pierre Paul by one pick and went with Derrick Morgan, who can't stay healthy. Athletically, Jones isn't the same player as Pierre Paul, but size and stylistically he is. |
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21. Cincinnati Bengals - Cincy Jungle |
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Doug Martin | Running back | Boise State : There are a number of directions the Bengals could go here. A defensive end, running back wide receiver or linebacker have all been in discussion. Even after signing BenJarvus Green-Ellis, an upgrade to the offense could continue with a player like Martin. For most he's the second-best running back in the draft. |
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22. Cleveland Browns (via Atlanta Falcons) - Dawgs By Nature |
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Kendall Wright | Wide receiver | Baylor: Forget his body fat index or 40 time. No wide receiver in this year's draft can get separation and make plays like Wright. Even though Colt McCoy doesn't have the strongest arm, Wright will find a way to get open for the Browns. |
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23. Detroit Lions - Pride Of Detroit | ||
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Jonathan Martin | Offensive tackle | Stanford: Jeff Backus fans be damned! No, just kidding. Martin would be starting his career on the right side, pushing Gosder Cherilus to his rightful place on the bench. With a roster full of questionable attitudes, a player like the straight-laced Martin would be a safe pick for the front office. A cornerback or running back will also be considered. |
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24. Pittsburgh Steelers - Behind the Steel Curtain | ||
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Dontari Poe | Defensive tackle | Memphis: If there is one team that will be able to get the most out of Poe, it's the Steelers. Casey Hampton's career is coming to a close and he's coming off a serious injury. Poe patterns himself after Hampton, so this would be a dream scenario for him. I know most say he's not a natural nose tackle, but he can be built into one. |
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25. Denver Broncos - Mile High Report | ||
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Michael Brockers | Defensive tackle | LSU: The Broncos made the biggest move of the offseason by adding Peyton Manning. Now the team has to determine if they need to add weapons around him. A true vertical receiver like Stephen Hill will be attractive for the team. But the Broncos can't fall too in love with its offense and forget the needs on defense. Namely, Denver needs a pair of defensive tackles who can occupy blockers to free up Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller. In the LSU defense, Brockers was often asked to take up blockers. His upside is high, so he may not be around by the time this pick comes up. |
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26. Houston Texans - Battle Red Blog |
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Stephen Hill | Wide receiver | Georgia Tech: When star receiver Andre Johnson got hurt, the Texans struggled without a great second option. Their offense doesn't need much, but a secondary vertical option could give the team the league's most potent offense. Hill fits the mold of wide receivers the Texans like and his potential is great. A pass rusher like Shea McClellin or Nick Perry may also be considered here. |
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27. New England Patriots (via New Orleans Saints) - Pats Pulpit |
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Shea McClellin | Defensive end | Boise State: Pick a pass rusher, any pass rusher, and expect it to be the Patriots' pick (barring a trade out). McClellin is a good athlete, but never had the production to generate much initial buzz. Now he's a hot name for most 3-4 teams. While the Patriots run more 4-3 sets, a player like McClellin could held up well in either. |
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28. Green Bay Packers - Acme Packing Company | ||
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Nick Perry | Defensive end | USC: The last pass rusher the Packers drafted has done pretty well for them, so why not another? Perry is an excellent pass rusher, but largely unknown in run defense and pass coverage. But anything to take some pressure off Clay Matthews will help the team's average defense. | |
29. Baltimore Ravens - Baltimore Beatdown |
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Kevin Zeitler | Guard | Wisconsin: The Ravens lost Ben Grubbs to the Saints in free agency, which may force them to address the position early. Zeitler is arguably the best run blocking interior lineman in this class. He's not a sexy pick, but Ray Rice will love him. |
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30. San Francisco 49ers - Niners Nation |
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Amini Silatolu | Offensive lineman | Midwestern State: The 49ers are rumored to have strong interest in Silatolu, recently visiting him to break down plays. He's a perfect fit at guard where he can block on the move, much like he did in college. |
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31. New England Patriots - Pats Pulpit |
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Harrison Smith | Safety | Notre Dame: Any level of the defense could be the direction the Patriots go (again, if they keep the pick). This pick could be a player like Marshall's Vinny Curry, a cornerback or a lineman. So why Smith? Because after him, there's a massive drop off in talent at the position. In all honesty, though, this could be the pick a team trades into to select quarterback Brandon Weeden. |
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32. New York Giants - Big Blue View |
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Coby Fleener | Tight end | Stanford: With a player like Georgia's Cordy Glenn still out there, this may be a surprise choice. But don't forget the Giants have two tight ends rehabbing serious injuries. Fleener could be a Pro Bowler early in his career in New York's offense. |