2012 NFL Mock Draft

Last Updated: January 1, 2012
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com

Fifteen games out of sixteen are complete for the 2011 NFL regular season. We're at that point where the draft order is in late revision rough draft form toward the top, in a mixed-up flux in the middle (with 11 teams at either 7-8 or 8-7), and still TBD for spots 21-32, reserved for the picks associated with the twelve teams that will be making the playoffs.

Matt Barkley says he plans to go back to USC for his senior season, which makes the already valuable position of elite NFL QB prospect even more valuable thanks to the law of supply and demand. Andrew Luck remains the presumptive number one overall pick, and only two teams remain in the running for the first selection in the 2012 NFL Draft: the Colts and the Rams.

If Indianapolis ends up with the #1 overall selection, it seems likely that they would select Luck with that pick and cut bait on Peyton Manning, who turns 36 in March and has an uncertain future due to nerve damage in his neck. Manning's absence in a Colts uniform this season exposed something I ranted about on radio shows and in columns on here (and elsewhere) on how he absolutely carried the 2010 Colts, a team that was showing cracks in the foundation thanks in part to draft picks not working out as hoped and the especially egregious failure by the Colts organization to find a suitable replacement for left offensive tackle Tarik Glenn, who retired after Indianapolis won Super Bowl XLI in early 2007.

Let me put it like this: Bill Polian has been living off his reputation for several years now, and him being named the 2009 NFL Executive of the Year was laughable, on the scale of ridiculousness rivaling Mike Brown being named NBA Coach of the Year in 2009. His son, Chris Polian, has received the Kyle Shanahan treatment in Indianapolis, most recently being bumped up to the team GM role in November 2009. Nepotism and the NFL aren't a very good combination.

If St. Louis ends up with the #1 overall pick, they will be in a unique position of having an incredibly valuable asset that they aren't in position to utilize properly. Because of incumbent QB Sam Bradford receiving $50 million guaranteed in 2010, which will likely be the rookie record for many years to come thanks to changes made earlier this year in the new NFL CBA, the Rams can't trade or cut Bradford without receiving a vicious cap hit. Keeping Bradford and drafting Luck would be cost-prohibitive and is not a realistic outcome.

Lou Pickney's 2025 NFL Mock Draft

2012 NFL Mock Draft

2. St. Louis Rams - Matt Kalil, OT, USC ~ (6'7" 295)
Offensive tackle is a huge need for the Rams. In some ways I wonder if St. Louis management might secretly be hoping that the Colts end up with the top pick so they can stay here and draft the player that the oft-concussed Jason Smith hasn't turned out to be for them. The Rams also desperately need a wide receiver, and the debate between Kalil or Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon for this spot could fill hours and hours of sports talk radio and shouting head shows on ESPN.

Note to those advising Matt Barkley: Andrew Luck went back to Stanford for the 2011 season, but he did so with his elite left offensive tackle (Jonathan Martin) staying there as well. That won't be the case for Barkley and USC, which will have lost offensive tackles to the top ten of the NFL Draft in back-to-back years with Dallas using the #9 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft on former USC right OT Tyron Smith. This article (behind the ESPN Insider paywall) by Erik McKinney does a good job of explaining the options that USC is considering, which includes potentially playing a true freshman at the position. Good luck, Barkley.

3. Minnesota Vikings - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU * (6'1" 185)
Honey Badger (Tyrann Mathieu) might be the biggest headline-grabber from LSU's secondary, but Claiborne is the top NFL defensive back prospect at this point and will likely end up being drafted higher in 2012 (presuming he leaves LSU after the rematch with Alabama) than wherever Honey Badger ends up being selected in 2013 or beyond. And, as highly as I think of Alabama CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Claiborne has managed to move past him on most draft boards thanks to outstanding play against a very tough slate of opponents.

4. Cleveland Browns - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State * (6'1" 210)
Forget the complaints of the Alabama/LSU rematch for the arbitrary BCS Title; the real shame of LSU not playing Oklahoma State is us missing out on seeing a Blackmon vs. Claiborne matchup. And shame on those who have criticized Colt McCoy -- take a long look at the Browns wide receiver corps and get back to me. Even if Cleveland signs a high-profile free agent wide receiver (and there will be several on the open market in early 2012), drafting Blackmon makes a great deal of sense for Cleveland at this spot.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars - Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame (6'3" 225)
Floyd is a fantastic talent, and in many ways I actually like him better than Blackmon as an NFL prospect -- and I think very highly of Blackmon. Jacksonville's wide receiver situation was so bad that they signed Mike Sims-Walker off the waiver wire mid-season after he was waived by the Rams. Think about that for a minute. If you're adding wide receiver castoffs from the 2011 Rams, that speaks volumes for your own lack of depth at the position.

6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama * (6'3" 195)
Tampa Bay was 4-2 when they played a "home game" in London against the Bears. They lost that game and went into a tailspin that will leave Raheem Morris looking for a new job in 2012. Exporting regular season NFL games to London is an exercise in futility. Do you know what football is in England? It's what we in the United States refer to as soccer. Trying to force an NFL product onto a British fan base that doesn't share America's interest for it is bad for business, but as long as Roger Goodell is the NFL commissioner, it will continue to happen. Bollocks!

7. Miami Dolphins - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor * (6'1" 220)
The most shamefully overlooked story from the 2011 college football season is Baylor recklessly leaving Griffin in the game against Texas Tech despite him having sustained a hit that literally knocked him unconscious. Sports talk hosts and producers (and I know many of you visit this site), I implore you to bring this issue up any time you talk about Griffin between now and the NFL Draft. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy and concussion-related brain damage are serious problems. Until the NCAA and NFL take the severe health risks of concussions more seriously, it's up to those of us with the capacity to reach a wide audience to continue to bring this issue to light.

8. Washington Redskins - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama * (5'11" 225)
As mentioned above, I strongly suspect that the Redskins will jump in on the Andrew Luck sweepstakes if there's a chance for them to trade for the #1 overall pick, unless Drew Brees is slapped with the non-exclusive version of the franchise tag by the Saints and the Redskins break the unofficial collusion against use of the poison pill by NFL teams and stick it to the Saints with a clause that would cause Brees' contract to be 100% guaranteed if the Saints match the Redskins' offer sheet.

Short of that, I have to contradict what I wrote last week about teams not being inclined to use high picks on running backs anymore, as Richardson is the top draft-eligible running back prospect by a wide margin and would be a great fit in DC.

9. Buffalo Bills - Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford (6'6" 305)
Poor Buffalo fans: their last playoff game was ending up on the business end of the Music City Miracle, which happened nearly 12 years ago. The Bills could go in a number of directions with this pick, but bringing in the guy who protected Andrew Luck's blind side at Stanford makes as much sense as anyone in this spot.

10. Carolina Panthers - Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina * (6'4" 235)
The most remarkable thing to me about Cam Newton's 2011 NFL season isn't that he found so much success -- it's that he found so much success in spite of having a subpar receiving corps. While Panthers GM Marty Hurney broke the bank in overpaying to keep pending free agents from hitting the open market (e.g. $21 million guaranteed to RB DeAngelo Williams, $32 million guaranteed to DE Charles Johnson), he didn't exactly stock the cupboard with elite wide receiver talent.

Of course, much like the other teams listed above slated to draft wide receivers, it's possible that Carolina could opt to sign one of the many likely unrestricted free agent wide receivers after the season. But Jeffery is a physically dominant receiver who has tremendous promise for the pro level. Cue up the video of him scoring the game-winning TD against Mississippi State where he literally outjumped a pair of corners in the end zone to make the catch if you doubt his ability to be a playmaker.

11. Kansas City Chiefs - Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis ~ (6'5" 350)
The 2011 Memphis Tigers had a horrible season, but within the misery of losses to the likes of Arkansas State, MTSU, and Rice was an outstanding performance by Poe. Kansas City's transformation to a successful 3-4 defense under Romeo Crennell suffered a setback with the loss of superstar safety Eric Berry to an early season injury, but adding Poe to an already strong front seven could help Kansas City return to the strong defensive form it showed in 2010.

12. Arizona Cardinals - Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina (6'2" 270)
Did any DE/OLB prospect increase his stock more in 2011 that Ingram? I realize that playing alongside the likes of Devin Taylor and Jadeveon Clowney had to work to his advantage, but Ingram had a great season for the Gamecocks and could be able to help fill the void left in Arizona by Karlos Dansby leaving via free agency following the 2009 season which the Cardinals have failed to adequately address.

13. Chicago Bears - Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers * (6'2" 215)
This qualifies as a bit of a stretch for the Bears, but the need in Chicago for elite receiver talent is very strong. And, while I expect the Bears to be a player in the wide receiver free agent market this off-season, Sanu is coming off a season where he made 109 receptions for 1,144 yards -- and he still has a bowl game left in which he can further pad his stats.

14. Philadelphia Eagles - Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College * (6'2" 235)
This was a very disappointing season for Boston College, but despite the struggles by BC, Kuechly had a remarkable season at middle linebacker, recording an astounding 191 tackles. He's no one-year wonder, either: in 2010 he made 183, though that is misleading since it includes the 12 tackles he made against Nevada in their bowl game. The NCAA's short-sighted decision to count bowl game stats in regular season games beginning in 2002, while not retroactively counting stats from past bowl games, is up there with the oddball decision to rebrand I-A as FBS and I-AA as FCS as terrible decisions that suspiciously seem to have been done with the intention of keeping the antiquated bowl system in place.

15. San Diego Chargers - Vontaze Burfict, ILB, Arizona State * (6'3" 250)
Comparing Burfict with BC's Luke Kuechly almost seems like a Goofus and Gallant situation... only if Goofus could blow up quarterbacks the way Burfict can. Burfict is seen by many as undisciplined, thanks in part to the lax program that Dennis Erickson ran at Arizona State, but there is no doubting his rare athletic ability and game-changing skill. His highlight films on YouTube and elsewhere are great fun to watch, and with a bit of maturing and some NFL-level coaching he has the potential to become something truly special on the pro level. His field vision is fantastic, and Burfict at his best is a terrifying presence for opposing offenses when he brings the heat with the blitz.

16. Seattle Seahawks - Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma * (6'4" 230)
It will be interesting to see what the Seahawks opt to do this off-season, coming off back-to-back non-winning seasons under Pete Carroll. Their plan for this spot might hinge in part on if they sign RB Marshawn Lynch to a new deal or use the franchise tag on him. Without Lynch, it's possible that the Seahawks could look for a running back at this spot, particularly if Trent Richardson happens to slide down the draft board.

Quarterback remains a concern for the team. Tarvaris Jackson hasn't had a strong 2011 in his first year with Seattle, and Charlie Whitehurst has been inconsistent and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent after the season. Landry Jones seemed to regress in 2011, particularly in the games that followed the season-ending knee injury suffered by top WR Ryan Broyles against Texas A&M. But if Jones turns pro (not a given at this point), and if he has a strong performance in his pro day and at the combine, he could be targeted by Seattle at this spot.

17. New York Giants - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State * (6'4" 295)
The injury bug bit the Giants especially hard in 2011, particularly on defense. Cox has had a strong year for Mississippi State, with some stellar performances against talented competition in the loaded SEC West.

18. Tennessee Titans - Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia * (6'5" 350)
Offensive line wasn't a strength for the Titans in 2011, and they could very much use a player of Glenn's caliber. He has been part of the best interior offense line (at least in my opinion) in college football, and he has the look of a player with the capacity to be a long-term starter in the NFL.

19. Cincinnati Bengals (via Oakland) - Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina (6'2" 230)
Cincinnati landing Oakland's 2012 first-round pick and their 2013 second-round pick (upgradable to a first round selection if Oakland makes it to the AFC Championship this season) for 32-year-old Carson Palmer may turn out to be the best trade the Bengals ever made. Brown projects best as a "Will" (weakside) linebacker in a 4-3, and with all the good that Cincinnati did in upgrading its offense in the last draft, turning attention to defense in the 2012 NFL Draft would be advisable.

20. New York Jets - David DeCastro, OG, Stanford * (6'5" 310)
The Jets need to give their offensive line a shot in the arm, and a solid interior lineman like DeCastro makes as much sense here as anyone else.

21. Denver Broncos - Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama (5'10" 185)
Despite finding himself in the land of misfit college football players in Florence, Alabama (the city where I was born, incidentally) at UNA after the Urban Meyer era ended at Florida, I believe Jenkins has first-round quality talent. Denver's secondary has been atrocious at times this season, and as well as their front seven has played at times, adding a top-notch player like Jenkins could prove to be a smart move for a secondary that has been pourous all too often in 2011.

22. Dallas Cowboys - Devon Still, DL, Penn State (6'4" 310)
The Cowboys don't have any blatantly glaring needs, yet they need depth at a number of positions. This potentially puts them in a position to go with the "best player available route" at this spot. Sadly for people like me in the mock draft biz, Dallas being this far down the draft board makes it more difficult for Jerry Jones to spill the beans about who Dallas plans to pick in the first round, much like he did last year with Tyron Smith and in 2002 with Roy Williams.

Still is a tremendous talent who has had a strong season at Penn State and should be an ideal fit as a 3-4 DE.

23. Cincinnati Bengals - Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina * (6'6" 285)
Coples is huge and quick, though I wasn't exactly thrilled with the effort I saw out of him in the Independence Bowl. But Cincinnati could use a pass rushing threat who can also play the run, and Coples fits the bill for that. This represents a drop from previous mocks on here that had Coples going higher.

24. Cleveland Browns (via Atlanta) - Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State * (6'3" 310)
Opinions vary considerably on Worthy, who at times as shown the potential to be a monster force from the interior defensive line position. In Cleveland's 4-3 defense he could flourish, particularly if he doesn't face constant double-teams like he has with the Spartans.

25. Detroit Lions - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa * (6'6" 300)
Jeff Backus will turn 35 next September, and while he has had an impressive run in Detroit in starting every game from 2001 to present, Detroit would be well advised to bolster their offensive tackle depth, particularly if Reiff falls to them at this spot.

26. Houston Texans - Mark Barron, SS, Alabama (6'2" 215)
The Texans moved Glover Quin from corner to safety before the season, but that's not reason to pass on the chance to draft Barron here, particularly since Quin is slated to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2012 season. Barron, at least in my estimation, is the most NFL-ready draft eligible safety in college football, even more so than Honey Badger.

27. Baltimore Ravens - Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska (5'10" 205)
Dennard was part of a Nebraska defense that infamously held Jake Locker to an embarrassing 4-for-20 performance last season. Prince Amukamara left for the NFL after 2010, but Dennard held his own in 2011 with Amukamara gone. Dennard's lack of prototype height will keep him from competing with Morris Claiborne and Dre Kirkpatrick for the top cornerback slots in the 2012 NFL Draft, but he's talented enough to be a potential nice fit with the Ravens.

28. Pittsburgh Steelers - Alex Hurst, OT, LSU (6'6" 340) *
Offensive line has been a problem spot for the Steelers for some time, particularly in maintaining health and effective play at the tackle position. Hurst may not be the first name to come to mind from this year's LSU team, but the massive right OT for the Tigers has the versatility to provide depth for Pittsburgh at multiple o-line spots.

29. New England Patriots (via New Orleans) - Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor (5'10" 190)
RG3's go-to guy at Baylor has been Wright, who doesn't have elite size for the position but who is effective at both getting open and in hauling in the majority of the passes fired in his direction. The Patriots are consistently a difficult team to project, in part because they tend to evaluate draft prospects considerably differently than many pundits do. In many ways it's fitting for a Bill Belichick team to operate that way since that was also the case for his one-time mentor, Bill Parcells, when he was making personnel decisions in the NFL.

30. San Francisco 49ers - Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia (6'2" 240) *
Jones lead the SEC with 19½ tackles for loss in 2011, 13½ of which were QB sacks, and he still has a bowl game in which to further boost his stats. The one-time USC Trojan has only played two years of college ball since he was forced to sit out the 2010 season despite USC facing two years of probation, since the NCAA (unfairly) only allowed unrestricted transfers in early 2010 for players with two years or less of their eligibility remaining after hitting USC with sanctions for rule violations from the Reggie Bush era. With Ahmad Brooks likely to leave the 49ers via free agency after the season, Jones would make sense for San Francisco at this spot.

31. New England Patriots - Vinny Curry, DE/OLB, Marshall (6'4" 265)
I made contact with some connections in Huntington, WV who I've known since my time working at WSAZ-TV more than a decade ago and asked them about Curry. The response: he's the real deal, a hard worker who is talented and disciplined. The Patriots desperately need to rebuild their aging defense, and with Andre Carter slated for unrestricted free agency after the season, Curry would fill a major need for New England.

32. Green Bay Packers - Jared Crick, DL, Nebraska (6'4" 285)
Crick's season came to a premature end thanks to a torn left pectoral muscle, and while his Nebraska career is finished, he has the size and strength to be an effective 3-4 DE. His injury will likely cause him to be drafted lower than he would have otherwise gone, but for the Packers that might actually work out quite well since he could be on the board when they go on the clock with their first selection in the 2012 NFL Draft.

* indicates player with NCAA eligibility for 2012 who may opt to enter the 2012 NFL Draft
~ indicates player with NCAA eligibility for 2012 who has either declared for the 2012 NFL Draft or who has signed with an agent

Draft King Articles

Follow Lou on Twitter

Draft King is owned and operated by Lou Pickney. © 2003-2025, all rights reserved.