2012 NFL Draft - Version 1.0

I have been trying to muster up the enthusiasm to do a 2012 mock draft for a couple months. It's just hard for me to get excited while there is a lockout going on. But since the NBA has one of their own as well, I guess I need to do some kind of update to this site. It's not like I'll actually make a baseball related post! Enjoy. Order based on about 20 seconds of guessing. Will do a mock draft with an order based upon my predictions when these guys decide to have some free agency.

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1. Arizona Cardinals - QB Andrew Luck, Stanford. We all know about Jake Locker, Matt Leinart, etc. Luck took a huge risk by coming back when he was the clear number one pick. Well, right now he is still the clear number one pick. No other prospect possesses the size and skills that Luck does. The Cardinals will probably upgrade their quarterback position once free agency starts, but right now, they pick number one.

2. Washington Redskins - QB Matt Barkley, USC. If Luck falters, Barkley could be the number one pick in 2012. He doesn't quite have the size but this former top recruit can make all the throws. And he had a very good season for a struggling Trojan team in 2010. Perhaps the Redskins would like to upgrade that monster John Beck to Anthony Armstrong tandem.

3. Cleveland Browns - DE Quinton Coples, North Carolina. Coples managed to avoid trouble from the NCAA for his off the season activities, a rare feat for a North Carolina stud prospect. He has great length and could be an instant terror off the edge. The Browns are moving back to the 4-3 and could use a pass rusher in the worst way.

4. Tennessee Titans - DT Jerel Worthy, Michigan St. Nearly every year a defensive tackle climbs up the board into top 5 territory. The early guess is Worthy, a tackle with great size who had 4 sacks and 40 tackles in part time work last season. The Titans are still looking to fill the huge hole left by Albert Haynesworth a couple years ago.

5. Carolina Panthers - WR Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina. Teams drafting quarterbacks first overall usually like to surround him with weapons as soon as possible. Jeffery is a physical beast, a 6'5, 230 pound terror. His route running and hands could use some work, but he is as good as Julio Jones and AJ Green last year.

6. Seattle Seahawks - RB Trent Richardson, Alabama. The Seahawks have decent players at pretty much every position, but no studs. They could go with the best player available who will play right away. I think Richardson is the best running back prospect to come along in many years, and will be worth a top 10 draft pick. He is the rare every down back and will keep the Seahawks from having to cycle retreads in and out.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars - LB Vontaze Burfict, Arizona St. Linebackers are usually not taken in the top ten, but Burfict is a special talent. I think he is the most talented linebacker in the country and would be a stud in any defensive system. If he was a Buckeye or Trojan instead of a Sun Devil, I think he unquestionably would be a top ten pick.

8. Oakland Raiders - OT Ryan Kalil, USC. The Raiders should sprint to the podium if Kalil is still available here. He is a top five player in this draft but falls a bit due to team needs. The Raiders have a massive hole at tackle that Robert Gallery was unable to fill. Kalil is the top tackle in this class and the reason the 9th overall pick in 2011 played on the right side.

9. Denver Broncos - DT Marcus Forston, Miami. Free agency is on the horizon, but the Broncos failed to address the defensive tackle during the draft. I can't even name who their starters would be. Another team that is moving back to the 4-3, they could seriously use some talent at the position. Former top recruit Forston enters his junior year showing some serious flashes, and could fly up the draft boards with a monster season.

10. Cincinnati Bengals - OT Jonathan Martin, Stanford. Andre Smith has been a massive bust. He also has a massive bust. The Bengals would be wise to admit their mistake sooner and later and draft a replacement, with rookies playing roles at key positions.

11. Detroit Lions - CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama. The Lions best player available philosophy finally lands them a cornerback. There are several good talents available, but none are the sure thing that Patrick Peterson was. Kirkpatrick leads the way thanks to great coaching by Nick Saban and good size.

12. Minnesota Vikings - DE Devin Taylor, South Carolina. There is a 99% chance that Ray Edwards is going to be gone soon, and Jared Allen won't be able to do it all alone. Taylor could be this years Jason Pierre-Paul and Aldon Smith, a talented underclassmen that blew up and shot up the draft boards.

13. Buffalo Bills - DE/OLB Brandon Jenkins, Florida St. There is a good quarterback prospect, Landry Jones, staring them in the face. But of course they won't take him. They were all set to take Von Miller and plug him in different spots in their defense but for some reason the Broncos took him to play in a system that doesn't fit his strengths. Jenkins isn't the player Miller is, but could possibly lead the nation in sacks in 2012. He has good size for the 3-4 and can move to the line on passing downs.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - CB Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech. The Buccaneers are loaded with young talent on the offensive side of the ball. They have spent a ton of recent draft picks retooling what was once a great defense, but more talent is needed. Aqib Talib has been nothing but trouble and will probably be replaced. Hosley is a playmaking cornerback that led the nation with 9 interceptions last year.

15. St. Louis Rams - WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma St. It is no secret that the Rams would love to give Sam Bradford a legit weapon. They finally get that guy from Bradford's college rivals. Hopefully for Rams fans they can come away from this draft with a legit threat, as spending second and third round picks on average prospects just isn't getting it done.

16. Miami Dolphins - QB Landry Jones, Oklahoma. The Dolphins need offensive talent all over the field. Quarterback is the best available here. One more mediocre year from the team and they will probably have to move on from Chad Henne. Maybe Jones, approximately the 948th quarterback drafted since Dan Marino retired, could be the answer.

17. Kansas City Chiefs - MLB Manti Te'O, Notre Dame. The Chiefs defense has played well, but they are still very small by NFL 3-4 standards, especially at linebacker. Te'o is a tackling machine with great size for the position.

18. Chicago Bears - CB Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina. The Bears need to get younger on defense. Gilmore is a good cover corner with nice size.

19. Dallas Cowboys - CB Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama. The Cowboys really need to upgrade their secondary. Jenkins may be the most talented cornerback in this draft but was kicked off the Gators for drug related incidents. Jerry Jones isn't easily scared off by character concerns like that, though.

20. Houston Texans - DE/OLB Donte Paige-Moss, North Carolina. Like Taylor, Paige-Moss is an incoming junior who could shoot up the draft boards with starters snaps. He has the talent to play at outside linebacker and would be great opposite Mario Williams in Gregg Williams new 3-4.

21. San Francisco 49ers - DE/OLB Brandon Jenkins, Florida St. Jenkins was one of the most productive defensive players in the nation last year, with 13.5 sacks and 56 tackles. He has the size and speed to transition to the outside on the next level. The Niners linebackers were solid in 2010, but they could really use some pass rushing out of the group.

22. San Diego Chargers - C Michael Brewster, Ohio St. The Chargers interior line has suffered losses in the recent years and could use an overhaul. There seems to be a center/guard taken in the first round every year these days, and I think Brewster is the top guy this year. He can play both center and guard and as a bonus he is from my neck of the woods, playing at Edgewater High School in Orlando, Florida.

23. Philadelphia Eagles - OLB Travis Lewis, Oklahoma. The Eagles could really use an upgrade at the linebacking position. Lewis doesn't have elite talent but has been a very productive linebacker in college and has the speed to be effective in Philadelphia's scheme.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers - WR Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M. The Steelers like to think ahead when they draft, and they rarely miss. Fuller has great size and could develop into a solid possession receiver. He could step in when Hines Ward retires and form a nice duo with Mike Wallace.

25. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons) - OLB Luke Kuechly, Boston College. After moving back to the 4-3, the Browns need personnel badly. Kuechly is a very productive college linebacker that should quickly become a fan favorite with the lunch pail cold weather Browns fans.

26. New York Giants - OLB Keenan Robinson, Texas. This is a great class for linebackers and the Giants could do well to draft one. Robinson put up a monster year for a bad Longhorns team, and if Texas improves he will be a guy a lot of people talk about.

27. Indianapolis Colts - S Ray-Ray Armstrong, Miami. The Colts defense was at it's best when Bob Sanders was roaming center field. Unfortunately that was too few and far between. Armstrong has similar ball hawking attributes and would form a great duo with Antoine Bethea.

28. New England Patriots - DE/DT Jared Crick, Nebraska. You never know what direction the Patriots will go, but they could use young depth and talent at pretty much every position on the field. Crick would be part of the defensive line rotation. He can play all 3 positions on the line.

29. New England Patriots (from New Orleans Saints) - DE/OLB Vinny Curry, Marshall. Curry may be the most productive defensive player in college football this year. He is a sack and tackling machine. How good is he really though playing for Marshall? He has the size and production to be a first round pick.

30. New York Jets - OL Kelechi Osemele, Iowa St. The Jets are all set to make a Super Bowl run. No player here will provide immediate production. Osemele is a very talented project who can play any position on the offensive line.

31. Baltimore Ravens - MLB Dont'a Hightower, Alabama. Ray Lewis can't play forever, can he? Hightower comes from a defense that produces 3-4 talent, and has great size for a middle linebacker.

32. Green Bay Packers - DE/DT Kheeston Randall, Texas. No, not Randall Kheeston, but Kheeston Randall. He has been worked along slowly in his Texas career but offers considerable talent and upside and would provide solid depth along the line.

Jonathan Carrano

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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Denver picking later than Oakland is a joke.

Anonymous said...

Brandon Jenkins getting drafted twice. That'd be a first.

Anonymous said...

Houston taking Dontae is exciting because
1. Gregg Williams is the defensive coordinator for the Saints.
2. Gregg Williams plays a 4-3, not 3-4.

Anonymous said...

Janoris Jenkins

Brandon Jenkins

two different players.

Anonymous said...

There are a lot of things wrong with this draft. Greg Williams is with the Saints NOT the Texans. I know because I am a Saints fan unless he was magically cloned somehow, but Wade Phillips is the defensive guy for Houston. I also think that Tampa is too low there. I know they are divisional opponent, but if you have seen them play then you can see they are the real deal. I have to say they are a playoff contender and will be picking between 20-24. I also cant see San Fran beating out Arizona and St. Louis.