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2012 NFL Mock Draft

Last update: Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012. Major changes in all 4 rounds.
Next mock update: Every week during the NFL season. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

The order of this mock draft is based on the real 2012 NFL Draft Order.

Quick Recent NFL Draft Links:

2012 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 2/1): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4
Other 2012 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (2/2) /Greg Cox (9/9)
2013 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 12/28): Round 1 /Picks 17-32
Other 2013 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (2/7)
2006 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2005 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2004 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2003 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2002 NFL Draft Re-Mock
(More links to previous years at the bottom of this page)

Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

It's now pretty apparent that Peyton Manning won't be back with the Colts next year. That was pretty much obvious for about a month, but it's been confirmed.

We know this pick will Andrew Luck, but the question is where will Manning go, and can he even play? Multiple reports suggest that Manning will have to retire, but I'll believe that when I see it. Manning will probably sign with a team that has the cap room to bring on his entire entourage (Jeff Saturday, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, and possibly Pierre Garcon and Robert Mathis).

Who would that be exactly? Stay tuned for my offseason quarterback predictions article later in the week. Follow @walterfootball for news and updates.

Cleveland Browns: Robert Griffin, QB, Baylor

TRADE!!! As I wrote three weeks ago, I've never predicted a trade in my mocks prior to this because deals seldom occurred in the top five. With the new CBA, however, there's a much greater chance that a transaction like this could happen.

I had the Redskins moving up here in a previous update, but I think the Browns are the favorite to do this for three reasons. First, Peyton Manning is more likely to go to Washington than Cleveland. The Browns have no shot at him, but still might need to move up for Griffin so Seattle or Miami doesn't. Second, Cleveland has more ammunition to move up to No. 2 because of its two first-round picks. And third, I think St. Louis would much rather move down to No. 4 than No. 6 because it will still be able to land either Matt Kalil or Justin Blackmon with the fourth pick.

I don't really need to explain why the Browns would want to move up for Robert Griffin. Colt McCoy is a lost cause, so the Brows will select Griffin as their new franchise quarterback. Is Young Griff the prototypical West Coast quarterback? No, but neither was Donovan McNabb, and Andy Reid, Mike Holmgren's pupil, selected him back in 1999.

If the Rams keep this selection, however, it will be Kalil. I've seen Blackmon mocked here, but Kalil is the no-brainer pick.

St. Louis has way too much invested in Sam Bradford to have him suffer David Carr syndrome. The offensive line is a mess, as right tackle Jason Smith stinks and left tackle Rodger Saffold is too overmatched to be stationed on the blind side. With general manager Billy Devaney gone, the Rams can part ways with Smith if they wish. He's been an enormous bust.

Also, Kalil is a much better prospect than Blackmon. It's not even close. He's the best left tackle prospect since Joe Thomas, and aside from Andrew Luck, he's the top player in this class.

Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

This really is as much of a no-brainer as Andrew Luck to the Colts. If Matt Kalil is on the board, the Vikings won't spend two minutes handing in their draft card. Of course, I won't be happy about this because I won't have enough time to write stupid things in my live draft blog.

Kalil is the best non-quarterback in this class, and Minnesota has a major need at left tackle, where the pedestrian Charlie Johnson has sucked all year. The Vikings absolutely need to make sure Christian Ponder is well protected.

In the event that the Rams can't trade their pick and Matt Kalil is not available, I believe the Vikings would take Justin Blackmon. Of course, they could move this selection themselves...

St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

As noted earlier, the Rams would love to move down to No. 4 because they'll still be able to land either Matt Kalil or Justin Blackmon. The former is off the board, so the Oklahoma State wideout is the choice.

St. Louis has a huge need for a receiver. It brought in Brandon Lloyd for a fourth-round pick - a trade that would end up poorly for both teams involved - but Lloyd told the media that he plans on following Josh McDaniels this offseason. The Patriots hired McDaniels, so I suppose that means they're getting Lloyd as well.

Some may have Morris Claiborne here if the Rams move down to No. 4, but with the two prospects being about even, I suspect that they'll go with the bigger need. Besides, I believe St. Louis will be able to sign Cortland Finnegan this offseason, as the Tennessee corner may want to reunite with his former head coach.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

All indications are that the Buccaneers will definitely consider a cornerback in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Aqib Talib could be going to jail, while Ronde Barber will probably retire this offseason. The corner position is a dire need for Tampa.

Morris Claiborne is easily the top talent available, save for Trent Richardson, so this is an easy selection for the Buccaneers.

Washington Redskins: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

This selection is very difficult to predict right now because we don't know how the Redskins will handle the quarterback position in free agency. If they don't sign Peyton Manning or Matt Flynn, they'll have to either trade up for Robert Griffin or move down Ryan Tannehill. I had Tannehill in this spot in a previous update.

This mock update will assume that Washington will be able to land Manning or Flynn. If that happens, the Redskins will be able to use this selection on an offensive lineman to make sure their new quarterback stays healthy.

Right tackle Jammal Brown may not be back in 2012. He has no more guaranteed money left on his $27.5 million contract, and Mike Shanahan was quoted as saying that Brown's future depends on his ability to return to 100 percent in the offseason. Considering that Brown has always been hurt throughout his career, Washington will be looking for a new right tackle.

I'm not forcing a right tackle here, by the way. Riley Reiff is the second-best player available behind Trent Richardson. The Alabama running back is a stud, but Shanahan doesn't like spending first-round picks on that position. Besides, taking Richardson doesn't fill a need anyway.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Most mocks have Quinton Coples here. I did two weeks ago. After thinking about it though, Coples doesn't seem like the type of player that Gene Smith would want on his team. Coples' effort as a senior was pretty lacking, and Smith is all about securing high-character guys.

Smith is taking a homoclitic approach to Blaine Gabbert, so he'll be willing to do everything in his power to make sure his young quarterback succeeds. That means finding weapons and adding blockers. Both are equally paramount because Gabbert completely falls apart at the first hint of pressure, even closing his eyes on occasion when attempting a pass. It's pretty pathetic.

The right side of the offensive line didn't hold up for the Jaguars last year because right tackle Guy Whimper is a sieve. He's a free agent anyway, and Jacksonville's only alternative is someone named Cameron Bradfield. Bradfield did a decent job in two starts as a rookie, but was an undrafted free agent in 2011, so he can't exactly be counted on with Smith's job potentially on the line.

Miami Dolphins: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

Mocking Quinton Coples to the Dolphins didn't make much sense two weeks ago, but new head coach Joe Philbin announced that he wants to convert this defense to a 4-3. That's a very strange move, given that Miami's stop unit wasn't the problem last year. I already thought the Philbin hire was a curious one to begin with, given the horrible event that just occurred in his life; his illogical moves make my belief stronger.

At any rate, the Dolphins need a pass-rusher across from Cameron Wake regardless of whether they're running the 4-3 or 3-4. The only difference is that Coples becomes a perfect complement to Wake in the former formation.

Caveat emptor on Coples, by the way. The effort wasn't always there when he was a senior, and the only times he looked good in the Senior Bowl was when he was matched up against guards Kelechi Osemele and Senio Kelemte. Tackles Mike Adams and Mitchell Schwartz completely stonewalled him. I wouldn't touch Coples with a top-12 pick, but he'll likely be chosen in the top 10.

Carolina Panthers: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

I listed Michael Brockers in this mock draft for the first time two weeks ago, and I had him going way too late. Brockers is a stud who has a great chance of being a top 9-14 pick. He's the best player available on the consensus board outside of Trent Richardson and maybe Luke Kuechly.

The Panthers have a huge need in the interior of their defensive line. They spent a pair of third-round picks last year on defensive tackles Sione Fua and Terrell McClain. Fua wasn't that bad as a rookie, but McClain was awful, constantly getting abused against the run. Adding an immense talent like Brockers would allow Fua and McClain to rotate next to him depending on the situation.

Buffalo Bills: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

This is a slight reach, but we've seen the Bills do crazy things on Draft Day before. One thing this front office has been infamous of is telegraphing its picks. Chan Gailey repeatedly mentioned acquiring a running back prior to the 2010 NFL Draft, and sure enough, he picked C.J. Spiller despite having Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson on the roster.

Gailey has recently harped about not being able to get to the quarterback, and it's easy to understand why. No one on the team finished with more than 5.5 sacks on the year.

Melvin Ingram is currently the top pass-rusher available in the wake of dominant Senior Bowl practices. He's a bit short for a 4-3 scheme (6-1) and his arms are like twigs, but he has elite explosion. The Bills are officially sticking with the 4-3, so he makes more sense than Courtney Upshaw.

Pick change; previously Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB

Kansas City Chiefs: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Jamaal Charles will be back next year, but the Chiefs have never been convinced that he can carry the load. That's even a more unreasonable expectation in 2012 given that he's coming off a torn ACL.

Trent Richardson is by far the top player available. He would give Kansas City the top one-two punch at running back in the NFL.

For Chief fans who want a tackle or something else over Richardson, let me remind you of Arizona's 2007 NFL Draft. The Cardinals had a very slight need at running back (as much as Kansas City needs one), and Adrian Peterson was on the board at No. 5. They instead opted to take an inferior talent who filled a much bigger need. Five years later, I'm sure Arizona would rather have Peterson over Levi Brown.

Richardson is the best running back prospect since Peterson. Taking him here is the right move because you don't choose a Levi Brown over an Adrian Peterson.

Seattle Seahawks: Devon Still, DE/DT, Penn State

The Seahawks finished in the bottom 10 in sacks. A lacking pass rush, both on the exterior and interior, is their greatest issue, outside of the quarterback position. Devon Still had a fantastic 2011 campaign and is the top consensus player on the board, so this pick makes a ton of sense.

I'm moving away from mocking a signal-caller after slotting Ryan Tannehill here for the past month. The pick could happen, but I don't think Pete Carroll would consider Tannehill as a safe bet for an upgrade over Tarvaris Jackson.

Arizona Cardinals: Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College

The Cardinals thought they shored up their inside linebacker position when they signed Stewart Bradley to a 5-year, $25 million contract with $10 million guaranteed this offseason.

Yeah, not so much. Bradley has barely played, so he could be a cap casualty this offseason. Arizona's search for a worthy player next to Daryl Washington will end here with Luke Kuechly, who is a no-brainer as the top available talent on the board, as long as the Cardinals part ways with Stewart.

Dallas Cowboys: David DeCastro, G, Stanford

The Cowboys have major issues on the interior of their offensive line. Left guard Derrick Dockery is a free agent after missing most of 2011 with a knee injury. Center Phil Costa sucks. Right guard Montrae Holland, meanwhile, can't really be relied upon.

David DeCastro is one of the top interior linemen prospects to come along in years, and he's the highest-ranked prospect on the board. This is a perfect match.

Philadelphia Eagles: Kendall Wright, WR/KR, Baylor

DeSean Jackson was criticized all year for dropping too many passes and not giving his all, but he had a strong finish to the 2011 season, which prompted Andy Reid to praise him during the Week 17 post-game press conference. There's now a chance that Jackson could be back, but I still have my doubts. Reid could have been talking him up for a potential tag-and-trade scheme, so I'm 70-30 on Jackson not returning.

If Jackson isn't retained, the Eagles will need a new receiver, and the rising Kendall Wright is the top prospect on the board who currently makes sense for Philadelphia. If the Eagles re-sign Jackson, then I'll obviously change this pick.

New York Jets: Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama

The Jets need to improve their pass rush so Rex Ryan doesn't have to call blitzes every single down. Rush linebacker Bryan Thomas tore his Achilles tendon earlier in the year, so this position has become even more dire for New York.

Courtney Upshaw, MVP of the alleged national championship, already has experience in the 3-4, so I'm sure Rex Ryan likes that.

Pick change; previously Michael Floyd, WR

Go to 2012 NFL Mock Draft: Picks 17-32

Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I've received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwidth.

2012 NFL Mock Draft - Round 2

2012 NFL Mock Draft - Round 3

2012 NFL Mock Draft - Round 4

2013 NFL Mock Draft

Mike 02-07-2012 03:33 am xxx.xxx.xxx6.20 (total posts: 3)

Look up who the the dolphins OC is one way or another dolphins will draft ryan tannehill

PackersFan1993 02-07-2012 03:18 am xxx.xxx.xxx.139 (total posts: 20)

Well the season is over and we can finally look towards the draft to fill needed positions on out teams, so here is how i think my packers should draft:
1st round-Nick Perry-DE/OLB-USC
2nd round-Kendall Reyes-DE/DT-UConn
3rd round-Markelle Martin-S-OSU
4th round-Mitchell Schwartz-OT/OG-Cal
5th round-Isaiah Frey-CB-Nevada
6th round-Ronnie Hillman-RB-Sandiego State
7th round-Ben Bojicic-C-Bowling Green

no name 02-07-2012 02:54 am xxx.xxx.xxx3.71 (total posts: 1)

update your draft, please. the Giants are picking 32nd!! GO BLUE

no name 02-07-2012 12:29 am xxx.xxx.xxx3.20 (total posts: 4)

The giants shud draft zach brown in the first and Orson Charles in the second if the draft turns our like this

@cjones 02-07-2012 12:25 am xxx.xxx.xxx3.20 (total posts: 4)

Kuechly isn't speedy at all. He's a slightly undersized unathletic linebacker who relies on football iq and instincts

CJones 02-06-2012 11:35 pm xxx.xxx.xxx4.76 (total posts: 1)

The Cardinals aren't going to draft another speedy undersized ILB, they already have one of those. In a 34 defense you need a speedy LB and a large run-stuffing LB, if you have two undersized LBs then teams will run on you all day long. I think they go for a #2 WR especially if Peyton comes here. Look for them to build the OL in FA or via trade.

Chappy 02-06-2012 11:30 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.175 (total posts: 2)

The Browns will not take RGIII even if he falls to them at 4 let alone trade up to get him.

dude... 02-06-2012 10:41 pm xxx.xxx.xxx4.70 (total posts: 56)

Do you know the difference between this year and last? Who won the SuperBowl last year? According to your logic it is the Giants..I can't talk to someone who lacks comprehension and the ability touse logic

panthers mock 02-06-2012 10:26 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.142 (total posts: 2)

1. Quinton Coples(if he is here, they also could trade this pick, or get Dre Kirkpatrick)
2. Dontari Poe, NT
3. no pick
4. OLB- Davis getting injured to much
5. DB/PR/KR
6. G or T
7. WR/PR/KR

This also depends on what the panther do on the off-season. But I see them trading Jonathan Stewart(I prefer to keep him over Williams, but they signed a new contract)

@Sorry 02-06-2012 09:49 pm xxx.xxx.xxx4.86 (total posts: 125)

After you said Little didn't play at all last year, you lost all credibility. He only led the team with 61 catches and 709 yds. Kinda hard to do if "don't play at all."

And are you trying to say those 3 WRs weren't the starters? Because they were the top 3 as far as receptions at WR for the Browns. Only other WR even close was some guy named Jordan Norwood.

And you obviously missed the point of my last post. You know, how his supporting cast isn't any worse than rosters Tom Brady (pre-Moss and Welker, Donovan McNabb (pre-Terrell Owens), Mike Vick (Falcons), Matt Hasselbeck, and even Tim Couch (2002 playoff season) succeeded with, but he still managed to put up abysmal numbers. His projected 16 game totals would have been the same as Rex Grossman's 13 game totals (and his WRs aren't any better and his O-line is worse). Mike Vick's 13 game totals would've been better than Colt's 16. Colt would've been 18th in yards despite being 6th or 7th in attempts. And Palmer had more yards in 10 games than McCoy did in 13. His 74.6 QB rating was only better than Tebow, Grossman, Bradford, Ponder, Gabbert, and backups John Skelton and Curtis Painter. That means he was worse than Tarvaris Jackson, Mark Sanchez, Josh Freeman, Matt Cassel, and Kyle Orton.

Plus he has a weak arm, below-average size, and turns the ball over at the worst times. So why exactly do you want this guy starting another season? And don't even say the Browns would've been just as bad with Brady, Brees, or Rodgers. Franchise QBs make their team better, no matter the situation. McCoy gave his team nothing

@papabear 02-06-2012 09:31 pm xxx.xxx.xxx4.86 (total posts: 125)

he had a horrible senior bowl

@Brandis 02-06-2012 08:46 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.185 (total posts: 18)

The Bengals aren't going to trade up for Richardson, if they pick him it will be because he falls to them, great idea though!

papabear 02-06-2012 08:11 pm xxx.xxx.xxx6.30 (total posts: 2)

If Floyd is still there at 19, that should the bears first pick without a doubt. And if Dwight Jones is still there in the third or even second, that would also be a great pick. These 2 would be a great improvement over the bears small receiving core.

papabear 02-06-2012 08:04 pm xxx.xxx.xxx6.30 (total posts: 2)

How is dwight jones all the way down at 122?! last month he was projected high in the second round.. any specific reason?

A D 02-06-2012 07:31 pm xxx.xxx.xxx30.6 (total posts: 1)

As a Ram's fan, I want Justin Blackmon to go to the Ram's, but I want RG3 to go to Washington. If the Browns get Trent Richardson, all is solved for me.

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2012 NFL Free Agency Rankings - Feb. 3

Charlie's 2012 NFL Mock Draft - Feb. 2

2012 NFL Mock Draft - Feb. 1

2012 NBA Mock Draft - Jan. 20

2013 NFL Mock Draft - Dec. 28

NFL Draft Links:

2012 NFL Mock Draft

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