Obviously the order is just my speculation. It is the least important part of these mock drafts. Don’t take it personal if your team is picking higher than you would like. The record’s I have are how I think each team will fare in the 2011-2012 season. Also, please note in the title the version number is represented as (rounds.how many mock drafts I have done with that many rounds). Also, I made sure that there were 256 wins and 256 losses so don’t waste your time counting them all up (I already did that twice).
2012 NFL Mock Draft version 2.1
Also Note: Especially those who disagree with where I have your team ranked, yes it does look homerific that I have the Steelers winning the Super Bowl. Until a legitimate reason forces me to put them somewhere else -- like, say, Ike Taylor not being re-signed -- it shouldn’t be too controversial for me to keep them in the No. 32 hole.
1. Washington Redskins (3-13): Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford:
Whoever picks #1 will probably be a quarterback needy team and will take Luck, Barkley, or Jones. Unless Jones or Barkley are spectacular, that team will take Luck.
2. Buffalo Bills (4-12) : Matt Barkley, QB, USC:
If the Bills are picking this high again, they have to think about taking a QB. Barkley has huge upside and would possibly move the Bills up from picking in the top 3 to picking 10 to 15.
3. Minnesota Vikings (4-12): Matt Kalil, OT, USC:
Kalil is a good but not great tackle prospect but fills a huge need at OT. He needs to do some work but given proper time he could become a stud.
4. Seattle Seahawks (4-12): Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma:
Jones has all the tools to be a good but not great QB in the NFL on the level of a Flacco or Ryan. He would be a nice addition to a Seahawks team that could put them back in the playoffs.
5. Tennessee Titans (5-11): Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina:
The Titans took a QB this year and will need to find him a receiving threat besides Britt. Jeffery is the best WR in the class (Blackmon could over-throw him) and would give the Titans two very talented WR’s.
6. Carolina Panthers (5-11): Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama:
Kirkpatrick has huge potential and has the ideal size and speed to play corner in the NFL. If he has a good season this year he should be a top 10 pick.
7. Cleveland Browns (5-11): Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State:
Blackmon is an absolute beast and would give Colt McCoy a true #1 option.
8. Cincinnati Bengals (5-11): Quinton Couples, DE, UNC:
Couples is a great pass rusher that would be a good addition to the Bengals DL.
9. Denver Broncos (5-11): Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State:
Worthy will be a huge upgrade to any DT the Broncos currently have.
10. Arizona Cardinals (6-10): Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford:
The Cardinals failed to address OT early in the 2011 draft so that will be a big need in 2012. Martin is a solid OT prospect that could become the #1 OT in this class.
11. Oakland Raiders (6-10): Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina:
Gilmore has all the measurables to be a great corner and could be Namdi’s replacement.
12. San Francisco 49ers (6-10): Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska:
Dennard could be better than Prince Amukamara and if he has a great season, he should go in the top 15 (maybe top 10).
13. Miami Dolphins (6-10): Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama:
Richardson is a more complete back than Ingram is and the Phins could be looking for a new horse in the back-field.
14. Kansas City Chiefs (7-9): Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa:
Reiff has good size and footwork and should be able to play either tackle spot.
15. Dallas Cowboys (7-9): Kenny Tate, FS/OLB, Maryland:
Tate is an athletic beast that will fill a huge hole at FS for the Cowboys.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8): Donte Paige-Moss, DE, UNC:
Paige-Moss can be a great 4-3 DE pass rusher for Jags.
17. Detroit Lions (9-7): Vontaze Burfict, ILB/OLB, Arizona State:
Burclift could end up going in the top 5 if the need is their so this is a great pick.
18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7): Zach Brown, OLB, UNC:
Brown is a good pass rusher that would fit well in a 4-3 defense.
19. Chicago Bears (9-7): Bobby Massie, OT, Ole Miss:
Massie is an under the radar prospect that has good potential as the Bears next LT.
20. Houston Texans (9-7): Jeff Fuller, WR, Texas A&M:
Fuller is a play-making WR with good hands and good speed/size. Should be a great compliment to Andre Johnson.
21. St. Louis Rams (9-7): Tydreke Powell, DT, UNC:
Powell is a good fit as the UT in the Rams 4-3 defense. He should provide a good pass rush from the inside.
22. New York Giants (10-6): Mike Brewster, OC, Ohio State:
Brewster is not quite on the level that Maurkice Pouncey was as a center coming into the draft but he will still be the best center in the draft next year.
23. New England Patriots (11-5): Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska:
Crick has great potential as a 5-tech DE but will need to make a transition from Nebraska’s 4-3 defense.
24. New York Jets (11-5): Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama:
Upshaw is a good but not great pass rusher that provides versatility in a 3-4 scheme.
25. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta (11-5)): Marcus Forston, DT, Miami:
Forston is the perfect UT to complement Rubin to solidify the interior of the Browns 4 man front.
26. New England Patriots (fron New Orleans (11-5)): Devin Taylor, DE/OLB, South Carolina:
Taylor would likely switch to OLB in the Pats scheme and would provide a solid pass rusher.
27. San Diego Chargers (11-5): Omar Bolden, CB, Arizona State:
Bolden has good size/speed and makes plays.
28. Baltimore Ravens (11-5): Manti Te’O, ILB, Notre Dame:
Te’O is a top 15 talent but not many teams need ILB’s. He would be Ray Lewis’ eventual replacement.
29. Indianapolis Colts (12-4): Mohammed Sanu, WR, Rutgers:
Sanu is a shifty WR that would thrive running the under-neat and medium routes in the Colts offense.
30. Green Bay Packers (12-4): Cliff Harris, CB, Oregon:
Harris is a good but not great corner that takes a lot of risks. He can also PR.
31. Philadelphia Eagles (12-4): Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia:
Minnifield is a better prospect than Chris Cook or Ras I Dowling were and should go in the 1st round as long as he does not get injured.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3): Matt Reynolds, OT, BYU:
Reynolds has a lot of potential at LT but will need a year or two to develop. Luckily, Starks will still be under contract through 2013 I believe, so Reynolds will have time to develop.
2nd Round
33. Washington Redskins: Kerry Murphy, NT, Alabama: Murphy is a physical force that could provide a great pass rush from the 3-4 Nose, similar to Casey Hampton.
34. Buffalo Bills: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State: Adam’s seems best fit at RT in the NFL and will be a significant upgrade over anything the Bills have.
35. Minnesota Vikings: Andre Branch, DE, Clemson: Branch is a perfect fit at DE for the Vikings if they can’t retain Ray Edwards.
36. Seattle Seahawks: Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma: Broyles should be a great slot receiver for Landry Jones.
37. Tennessee Titans: Kelechi Osemele, OG, Iowa State: Osemele is a mauler that will help the interior running game of the Titans.
38. Carolina Panthers: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame: Floyd is a top 10 talent but big time character concerns drop him here. He is too good to fall any further.
39. Cleveland Browns: Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington: Trufant has a lot of potential but also needs a lot of work. He could become the #2 corner on Cleveland.
40. Cincinnati Bengals: Knile Davis, RB, Arkansas: Davis is a downhill runner that would be a great replacement to Cedric Benson or a great complement if Benson is re-signed.
41. Denver Broncos: Josh Robinson, CB, Central Florida: Robinson has a ton of potential as a #2 or possibly a #1 corner and will be the eventual replacement to Champ Bailey.
42. Arizona Cardinals: Nick Foles, QB, Arizona: Foles will probably go much higher but I could not put him anywhere. If the Cards only get Bulger this year, Foles will be a good player to groom under him for a year or two.
43. New England Patriots (from Oakland): Chris Owusu, WR, Stanford: Owusu can stretch the field and has good hands and will be a good weapon for Ryan Mallet (I mean Tom Brady)
44. San Francisco 49ers: Devier Posey, WR, Ohio State: Posey is not a real deap threat but he can run the short and intermediate patterns and is very sure handed.
45. Miami Dolphins: Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State: Cousins has a lot of potential but would need to develop his arm strength. I think he is a little better than Chad Henne was coming out of college.
46. Kansas City Chiefs: Vinny Curry, OLB, Marshall: Curry is a great pass rusher that fits into the Chiefs system at OLB.
47. Dallas Cowboys: Greg Childs, WR, Arkansas: Childs is a big, physical receiver that will give the Cowboys another great weapon.
48. Jacksonville Jaguars: Juron Criner, WR, Arizona: Criner is a deep threat that can also run short and intermediate routes as well. Needs to learn to block better.
49. Detroit Lions: Nate Potter, OT, Boise State: Potter is a project but should eventually become a great LT.
50. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Coryell Judie, CB, Texas A&M: Judie is a very under-the-radar prospect that could soar up boards with a good season.
51. Chicago Bears: Dwight Jones, WR, UNC: Jones has a ton of potential to be a #1 WR but will need to be groomed.
52. Houston Texans: Lamichael James, RB, Oregon: James is the perfect compliment to Arian Foster.
53. St. Louis Rams: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama: Barron is a huge hitter that can make all the plays.
54. New York Giants: Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama: Hightower is a very solid LB that can play ILB or OLB.
55. New England Patriots: Stephen Good, OG, Oklahoma: Good is a mauler that would be the potential replacement to Logan Mankins.
56. New York Jets: Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech: Hosley is another under-the-radar corner. He is a play-maker and can also play special teams.
57. Atlanta Falcons: Luke Kuechly, OLB, Boston College: Kuechly will be much higher in my following mocks. I could not find a system he fits in where he was also good value.
58. New Orleans Saints: Baker Steinkuhler, DT, Nebraska: Steinkuhler continues the line of great DL on the Nebraska front 4.
59. San Diego Chargers: D.J. Woods, WR, Cincinnati: Woods is a very shifty WR that can give Rivers a great weapon right away.
60. Baltimore Ravens: T.J. McDonald, FS, USC: If you have never seen a T.J. McDonald highlight film, go watch one. The kid hits so hard and would be the potential replacement to Ed Reed.
61. Indianapolis Colts: Cyrus Gray, RB, Texas A&M: Gray has the potential to be the feature back in the Colts offense. He can block, catch, and is very good running off the tackles.
62. Green Bay Packers: David Molk, OC, Michigan: Molk is a better center than Mike Pouncey was this year and is great value at 62.
63. Philadelphia Eagles: Terrell Manning, OLB, N.C. State: Manning has a high floor but not a very high ceiling. He will probably never be a pro-bowler but he can be a very productive OLB in the Eagles system.
64. Pittsburgh Steelers: Alameda Ta’amu, NT, Washington: Ta’amu will probably end up going much higher but I have not seen anything to warrant it. He is a good project to develop behind Casey Hampton for 2 years.
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