2012 NFL Mock Draft: Week 5



1. Jacksonville Jaguars - QB Andrew Luck, Stanford. I really didn't want the Jaguars to wind up first in my mock draft, but I think they are the worst team in my power rankings, so here they are. Do they take Andrew Luck? Well, if you have been unfortunate enough to watch a Jaguar game this year, I don't see how they can pass up a quarterback prospect this good because of Blaine Gabbert. Gabbert looks a little bit like this year's version of Jimmy Clausen. Luck is just so much better it's laughable. Jack Del Rio will be gone, so the new coaching staff (and probably front office) will have no allegiance to Gabbert. It will be tough to swallow wasting the 10th overall pick last year, but I think they have to take Luck. At the very very worst they will get a huge compensation package for trading the pick.

2. Kansas City Chiefs - QB Landry Jones, Oklahoma. Jones passes Matt Barkley on my non-existent draft board. He is having a fantastic season for the Sooners, and Sam Bradford has shown that Oklahoma quarterbacks can be successful in the NFL.

3. Seattle Seahawks - QB Matt Barkley, USC. Pete Carroll gets the guy he recruited to USC. Barkley is not having a fantastic Junior season, but I think he is doing very well considering the lack of talent around him. He doesn't have the arm strength or 6'4 frame that the other two guys have, but he's a great consolation prize.

4. Denver Broncos - OT Matt Kalil, USC. John Fox was at his best in Carolina when he had two first round picks at the tackle position. Ryan Clady and Matt Kalil would probably be the best set of tackles in the NFL.

5. St. Louis Rams - WR Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina. No reason for the Rams not to take Jeffery or Justin Blackmon. Of course, they will be very tempted with Coples staring them in the face. Sam Bradford just has to have someone who can actually catch the ball, it is embarrassing watching him throw to the stiffs he has there. I think Jeffery is still the top wideout prospect. You can't teach his size and toughness. He reminds me of Calvin Johnson in college. The offense he played in was terrible and his stats suffered, but once workouts came along he shined.

6. Indianapolis Colts - DE Quinton Coples, North Carolina. Thanks to the way this mock draft played out the Colts get a steal at 6, even if they are disappointed Kalil is gone. Coples is a monster who will give the Colts a great all around defensive end to learn behind two of the best pass rushers of the 21st century. He can also kick inside on passing downs as he would probably be the biggest defensive lineman the Colts have had.

7. Arizona Cardinals - OT Jonathan Martin, Stanford. No surprise here. Levi Brown and whatever mannequin they trot out there at right tackle are both horrible. Martin doesn't have the skills that Kalil has but he is good enough to hopefully protect Kevin Kolb's blind side. Someone has to.

8. Miami Dolphins - MLB Vontaze Burfict, Arizona St. The Dolphins are right in the thick of the Suck for Luck race, and would love to have Jones or Barkley as well. But with all three gone they go best player available. Kevin Burnett is a weak middle linebacker option and Burfict might be the most talented defensive player in this draft. His character concerns have been overblown and he would be a great fit next to Karlos Dansby in the middle.

9. Minnesota Vikings - WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma St. What have I said five trillion times? If you draft a young signal caller, you get him talent. That will be my mantra in my mock drafts until the end of time, even if stupid teams don't go that route. Michael Jenkins and Bernard Berrian are pathetic receiving options, and Blackmon would be a gigantic upgrade.

10. Carolina Panthers - CB Morris Claiborne, LSU. The Panthers go with best player available here. Chris Gamble and Captain Munnerlyn are a weak corner duo and the depth behind them is atrocious.

11. Cleveland Browns - DE Brandon Jenkins, Florida St. This may be a reach for Jenkins, who is off to an average start for the Seminoles. But the Browns really need to add more pass rushing talent to their defensive line.

12. Cincinnati Bengals - RB Trent Richardson, Alabama. I want to put Richardson in my top ten. I think he is the type of all around back that goes in that spot. But he falls due to draft needs so the Bengals get an absolute steal here. If all of their young offensive players can develop, they could have something special.

13. Chicago Bears - LB Luke Kuechly, Boston College. Nick Roach is the weak link on the Bears defense. Kuechly is the Dennis Rodman of the tackle statistic and can play any of the three linebacker spots.

14. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons) - OT Riley Reiff, Iowa. The Browns want to continue to develop the offensive and defensive lines. Reiff is a perfect right tackle to bookend with Joe Thomas.

15. Washington Redskins - QB Robert Griffin, Baylor. Griffin makes his debut in my quarterback heavy mock draft. He is off to an inhuman start, with an 82% completion percentage, 18 touchdown passes against only 1 interception. He can also run the ball. He doesn't have the size or cannon arm like Cam Newton, but their junior years are developing at a similar pace. Newton's success can only help Griffin's draft stock. If Griffin can keep it up once he faces some tougher competition, this might not look like such a silly spot to put him.

16. Philadelphia Eagles - MLB Manti Te'o, Notre Dame. The Eagles overmatched linebacking group is one huge reason they are 1-3. Te'o is a tank and will be a monumental upgrade over the two guys playing middle linebacker right now.

17. Dallas Cowboys - CB Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama. Jenkins this high? I think his talent will shine through. Jerry Jones is known to take trouble makers and I think he is definitely the most talented cornerback available at this point in the draft.

18. Oakland Raiders - CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama. Kirkpatrick is an Al Davis type of cornerback. 6'2, good size and speed.

19. Pittsburgh Steelers - DT Alameda Ta'amu, Washington. The Steelers have two first round picks at end waiting for a chance to come in and start, so they draft their future nose tackle. No one is better at drafting defense for the future like the Steelers.

20. Tennessee Titans - WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame. Floyd has the talent to be taken in the top ten, but character concerns often cause wideouts to fall. The Titans took a chance on Kenny Britt and might not be able to pass up the scenario of Floyd and Britt.

21. San Francisco 49ers - DE/OLB Courtney Upshaw, Alabama. Aldon Smith has been a good situational pass rusher so far on one side. Upshaw is a more complete 3-4 outside linebacker who would be a major upgrade on the other side.

22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - CB Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech. Aqib Talib could be in jail a year from now. Even if he is not, the Bucs could still use some depth behind him. Hosley is a ballhawk who continues to rack up the interceptions.

23. New York Jets - OG/OT Cordy Glenn, Georgia. The Jets like to spend first round pick on offensive lineman. They have trouble running the ball so interior help is needed.

24. San Diego Chargers - OLB Bruce Irvin, West Virginia. Larry English had been useless, don't let two sacks against the revolving door known as Marc Colombo fool you.

25. Buffalo Bills - DE/DT Jared Crick, Nebraska. Marcell Dareus has been great at end for their 3-4. Why not try to find a compliment to him on the other side?

26. New York Giants - TE Dwayne Allen, Clemson. Not the biggest need for the Giants, but they have missed a pass catching tight end since Jeremy Shockey left New York.

27. Houston Texans - DE/OLB Devin Taylor, South Carolina. I am holding on to my Devin Taylor first round prediction. I think once workouts begin he will shoot up boards. The Gamecocks are just too deep at end for him to get enough snaps.

28. Detroit Lions - C Mike Brewster, Ohio St.. The Lions continue to go with best player available strategy. It just so happens that it fills a need also, as the Lions need to retool their offensive line.

29. New England Patriots (from New Orleans Saints) - OG David DeCastro, Stanford. I told you all! I am giving them an offensive lineman and a defensive back. They love spending high picks on both positions.
30. New England Patriots - CB Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina. Despite spending countless first round picks on defensive backs, they have released half of them and the ones remaining get torched on a weekly basis.

31. Baltimore Ravens - MLB Dont'a Hightower, Alabama. Hightower is a monster of a linebacker, and could learn under one of the best (Ray Lewis) before taking over in a year or two.

32. Green Bay Packers - OLB Ronnell Lewis, Oklahoma. Pretty sure superstar GM Ted Thompson will take Lewis and turn him into a stud.

Jonathan Carrano

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