2012 NFL Mock Draft: RGIII Goes Second Overall
By Editorial Staff
Here’s my 2012 NFL Mock Draft. There’s still a long time until the draft actually happens, and because of that, players will rise or fail dramatically in the months leading up to the real draft. Last year, Von Miller rocketed up to second overall after being projected a second rounder, and Da’Quan Bowers fell to the 55th overall pick after being projected second overall. This year, Baylor’s WR Kendall Wright, LSU’s DT Michael Brockers, and South Carolina’s CB Stephon Gilmore are shooting up draft boards. Other big names are falling, including Arizona State’s Vontaze Burfict, Boston College’s Luke Kuechley, and South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffery.
I tried to reflect the varying stock of players and predict where they will actually fall in 3 months time. Enjoy.
edit: This mock has been featured in WalterFootball.com’s mock draft database.
1. Indianapolis Colts
Andrew Luck
QB, Stanford
2. Washington Redskins (trade with St. Louis Rams)
Robert Griffin III
QB, Baylor
3. Minnesota Vikings
Matt Kalil
OT, USC
4. Cleveland Browns
Trent Richardson
RB, Alabama
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Morris Claiborne
CB, LSU
6. St. Louis Rams (trade with Washington Redskins)
Justin Blackmon
WR, Oklahoma State
7. Jacksonville Jaguars
Kendall Wright
WR, Baylor
8. Carolina Panthers
Michael Brockers
DT, LSU
9. Miami Dolphins
Jonathan Martin
OT, Stanford
10. Buffalo Bills
Riley Reiff
OT, Iowa
11. Kansas City Chiefs
Dont’a Hightower
ILB, Alabama
12. Seattle Seahawks
Courtney Upshaw
OLB, Alabama
13. Arizona Cardinals
Melvin Ingram
DE, South Carolina
14. Dallas Cowboys
Dre Kirkpatrick
CB, Alabama
15. Philadelphia Eagles
Michael Floyd
WR, Notre Dame
16. New York Jets
Mark Barron
SS, Alabama
17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland)
David DeCastro
OG, Stanford
There hasn’t been such an elite talent at the offensive guard position in a long time. Guards usually don’t go in the first round, so slotting DeCastro in your mock draft can be tricky. I’ve seen him be picked as early as sixth or seventh overall, and I’ve seen him picked as low as the Bengals spot. With only one guard signed to the team in 2012, the Bengals will not let DeCastro slip past them. DeCastro may not make it here though, and in that case I can see the Bengals drafting cornerback or runningback.
18. San Diego Chargers
Nick Perry
DE/OLB, USC
19. Chicago Bears
Alshon Jeffery
WR, South Carolina
20. Tennessee Titans
Devon Still
DT, Penn State
21. Cincinnati Bengals
Alfonzo Dennard
CB, Nebraska
The Bengals will either go with a runningback or a cornerback at this point. Lamar Miller and Chris Polk are available and are first round talents, but you may be able to find one of these two (or a slightly less talented Doug Martin or David Wilson) in the second round. Because of the depth at runningback, I think the Bengals go with a cornerback here. You’ve got South Carolina’s Stephon Gilmore, Nebraska’s Alfonzo Dennard, and North Alabama’s Janoris Jenkins. The Bengals are desperately trying to rid themselves of the ‘criminal’ lable, which is why I don’t think the Bengals will take Jenkins, or even Dre Kirkpatrick if he falls this far. It’s down to Gilmore and Dennard for me, and I have a gut feeling on Dennard.
22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta)
Mike Adams
OT, Ohio State
23. Detroit Lions
Peter Konz
C, Wisconsin
24. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stephon Gilmore
CB, South Carolina
25. Denver Broncos
Zack Brown
OLB, North Carolina
26. Houston Texans
Dontari Poe
Memphis
27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans)
Whitney Mercilus
DE, Illinois
28. Green Bay Packers
Janoris Jenkins
CB, North Alabama
29. Baltimore Ravens
Cordy Glenn
OG/OT, Georgia
30. San Francisco 49ers
Mohamed Sanu
WR, Rutgers
31. New York Giants
Chris Polk
RB, Washington
32. New England Patriots
Andre Branch
DE, Clemson