Pap's 2012 NFL Mock Draft: Round 1

So after a long, long, LONG absence, I have returned to post on a daily (for real this time) basis. What better way than to give you my mock draft for the 1st round. I will post my 2-7 round mock before the start of the draft. Here we go!

2012 NFL Mock Draft
Round 1

1. Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford-On the eve of the draft, Indianapolis officially stated they would take Luck with the #1 overall pick (insert "You Don't Say?" meme here). He will be successful, but replacing a legend will be a monumental task.

2. Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor-In a division where Eli Manning, Michael Vick, and Tony Romo play, Rex Grossman and John Beck ain't gonna cut it. RG3 will not only give Washington a franchise quarterback, but a new face of a historic franchise.

3. Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC-This is where the draft really begins. Speculations that Minnesota might take LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne have caused major shake ups in many mock drafts (including yours truly). At the end of the day, although they have a need for a corner to play opposite Asher Allen, protecting sophomore signal caller Christian Ponder is vital. Is it flashy? No. But it will pay dividends in the long run.

4. Browns: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU-Ok, this is where things get crazy (70-30 me). Everyone and their mother has Cleveland selecting Alabama running back Trent Richardson, but lets be real people. Drafting a tailback in the 1st round is the diciest of propositions. For every Adrian Peterson, Steven Jackson and LaDanian Tomlinson there's a Trung Candidate, T.J. Duckett and Donald Brown. The Browns have a ton of holes, including cornerback. If I'm Cleveland, I would rather have Claiborne and Joe Haden than taking a chance on Richardson. FYI, Arian Foster went undrafted. I'm just saying....

5. Buccaneers: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama-Now before you go and rip me a new one about the fuss I made a pick ago, remember that Tampa Bay already have a feature back in LeGarrette Blount. The Browns do not (Peyton Hillis is not under contract). That is not, however why I have them choosing Richardson at #5. With Claiborne off the board, they need to take the best player available. Richardson can give new coach Greg Sciano another weapon to go alongside newly signed WR Vincent Jackson. Best case scenario, the Bucos could have their best running back since Warrick Dunn.

6. Rams (from Redskins): Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma St.-If Blackmon falls to them at #6, to say that the Rams war room will be happy would be a gross understatement. Sam Bradford needs a primary target to throw to and drafting the OK St. wideout playing with All-Pro RB Steven Jackson would give St. Louis a chance to be a player in the NFC Wild Card race. Look for them to trade up to take Blackmon.

7. Jaguars: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi St.-I have been juggling with picks 7-11 figuring out where the pieces may fall. Ultimately, I went with Cox here as he will help bolster an improving Jags defense. Do not be surprised if they take South Carolina DB Stephon Gilmore at #7 as they need an insurance policy for Rashean Mathis who's coming off an ACL injury.

8. Dolphins: Malcom Floyd, WR, Notre Dame-For those of you who don't know me, I am a die hard Miami Dolphins fan. For those of you who do know me, this is slightly biased as drafting Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill would be a monumental mistake. One that would cause more pain and anguish to an already suffering fan base. Management would be wise to draft a QB later on in the draft, most notably Arizona St.'s Brock Osweiler who has been reportedly a favorite amongst Miami brass. That being said, they should focus on other needs. The Fins need a receiver to fill the void left by Brandon Marshall, who got dealt to Chicago. Malcom Floyd would definately help a passing attack in transistion, giving the incumbant Matt Moore a much needed weapon.They cou....SHOULD go with UNC DE Quinton Coples, Boston College LB Luke Kuechly or one of the aforementioned men a pick earlier. However if they do go with Tannehill, not only will Miami be making a mistake but there would be a fifth of Jack on tap.

9. Panthers: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina-Once upon a time, when you thought of the Carolina Panthers, you thought defense. Thanks to phenom QB Cam Newton, the offense has been a force to be reckoned with while the defense has seen better days. Luckily for the Panthers this draft is deep enough where they can shore up their D and Gilmore will give them the elite corner they need to help defend against pass-heavy division. Once again, don't be shocked if they pick the previously mentioned players or Alabama safety Mark Barron.

10. Bills: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College-Buffalo needs a linebacker opposite Nick Barnett. They could certainly add on to a pass rushing highlighted by newly signed quarterback menace Mario Williams. Once again, any of the above players 7-9 would be a good fit for the up and coming Buffalo Bills team.

11. Chiefs: Quinton Coples, DE, UNC-Last piece of the Slushee shuffle (get it?) is the Tar Heel edge rusher. A week ago, Coples was a top 10 pick slated to be chosen by Jacksonville at #7. But because of some issues about his motor, he has fallen into the middle of the draft. I have him getting picked by Kansas City because he has too much potential to pass up. Potential they cannot afford to let go by. KC's defense need a shot in the arm and taking Julius Peppers-lite would be a risk worth taking.

12. Seahawks: Mark Barron, S, Alabama-The leader of the National Champions has garnered a lot of praise from scouts and draft experts alike the past few days and it comes to no surprise. His physical tools are exceptional and his intangibles are through the roof, making him a welcome addition to any team. Pete Carroll would be lucky to have Barron fall on his lap, but don't be shocked if he's taken earlier than #12.

13. Cardinals: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M-This is the ideal spot for Tannehill to land, not Miami. Arizona has a Kevin Kolb locked into a long term contract, so he will be getting the majority of the snaps under center while Tannehill holds the clipboard and learns the position for a year. Even better, there is much less pressure in Glendale than in South Beach. Tannehill can concentrate on developing his skills and the Cards would have a potential franchise QB. A win-win-win! (That last win was for me and Dolphins fans everywhere)

14. Cowboys: Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama-Its no secret that the "D" in Dallas has been lacking. After all, DeMarcus Ware can't do everything. Look for Jerry Jones to try and trade up to nab Barron, but he can still get a quality defender at a need position. Upshaw fits that bill.

15. Eagles: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa-If there was ever gonna be a steal in this draft, it would be here at #15. Reiff, like Coples, was slotted at #8 to Miami up until Ryan Tannehill shot up the draft board. As a result, the Hawkeye product's stock has fallen. Luckily, he's gonna land in a great situation in Philadelphia protecting Michael Vick. The Eagles would get a future Pro-Bowler in Reiff if he falls to them.

16. Jets: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford-Regardless if Mark Sanchez or "The Chosen One" is under center, New York's O-Line struggled last season and they are in need of help in that department. DeCastro will be just as if not better than Reiff or even Kalil when its all said and done. This is a no brainer for Gang Green. Which should scare Jets fans who have seen on questionable move after another.

17. Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, S, Alabama-Roll Tide! 'Bama will certainly be represented on draft day. Kirkpatrick will add some punch to an improving secondary. This is a Marivn Lewis guy, which is great news for Bengals fans.

18. Chargers: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois-A good way to take the sting out of a tough season is to add pieces to an already talented roster. Mercilus will bolster a defense that was middle of the road in total defense.

19. Bears: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU-Anyone thats surprised that Chicago will go defense in the 1st round must have also thought that Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries would last forever. Seriously though, Brockers will be called upon to clog the middle and stuff the run for Da Bears.

20. Titans: Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech-This is a bit of a reach for Tennessee, but Hill will be the vertical threat they need for Jake Locker and a solid compliment to Kenny Britt. They could've traded down to get Hill, but in the post-Peyton AFC South, you gotta go for the jugular.

21. Bengals: Cordy Glenn, OL, Georgia-With their second of a pair of 1st round picks, they would need to add some protection for QB Andy Dalton, who had himself a great year this past season. Glenn could very well be the man to step right in and get the job done.

22. Browns (from Falcons): Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor-Assuming they go defense at #4, the Dawg Pound would need to bolster the offense. Wright is a talented wideout and will be a favorite of whoever is under center for Cleveland.

23. Lions: Johnathan Martin, OL, Stanford-Last year, Detroit's draft translated into one of the most feared defenses in the NFL. In order to take the next step in their growth, they need a healthy Matthew Stafford. Johnathan Martin will certainly help give Stafford more time in the pocket and less time on the trainer's table.

24. Steelers: Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama-Holy Crimson Batman! Yet another member of the National Champions and he lands in a darn good situation in the Steel City. Pittsburgh always drafts well and this selection is no different. Imagine facing Harrison, Woodley and Hightower. Yikes!

25. Broncos: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis-Denver went from an 8-8 team riding the momentum of a worldwide phenomenon to a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations in one offseason. Peyton Manning puts the Broncos on the national map and turn the Broncos into a scoring machine. It only makes sense to focus on defense and Poe, who had a freakish combine and loads of potential, could be the force up front Denver needs. If Elvis Dumervil can come back to form, look out!

26. Texans: Andre Branch, DE, Clemson-The Houston Texans lost an elite pass rusher in Mario Williams and yet they are being called the team to beat in the AFC. They're that damn good! Houston has done a marvelous job of drafting and scouting talent in the past and this year will be no different. Branch is an edge rusher with a knack for going after the quarterback with speed and ferocity. Why does that sound familiar?

27. Patriots (from Saints): Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse-The Patriots received this pick from the Saints in order for them to draft Mark Ingram. However, do not look for New England to go offense here, or anywhere else in the draft. The Patriots defense was bad. How bad you say? I'd rather watch Gigli and Glitter back to back than watch the Pats on defense. Yeah, THAT bad! Chandler Jones is the first piece to a defense with more holes than a swiss cheese doughnut on a golf course.

28. Packers: Peter Konz, OL, Wisconsin-The release of Chad Clifton and an aging Jeff Saturday are the only real needs for a deep Packers team. They don't have to look far for a solution. Konz is a local product with exceptional strength and agility for command the guard and center positions if needed.

29. Ravens: Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan St.-Baltimore, like Green Bay, have a center (Matt Birk) who is in the twilight of his career. Konz would have been a perfect fit for them at #29 but since he's already off the board, I think they go with the Spartain big man to play alongside Haloti Ngata on a dangerous Ravens D.

30. 49ers: Kevin Zeitler, G, Wisconsin-Elite defense? Check. Explosive offensive attack? Check. Chip on their shoulders? Check and check. What more do the Niners need? Well, they actually need to beef up the offensive line if they want to give Alex Smith more time to bomb it down the field. Zeitler will have Smith's back in that department.

31. Patriots: Devon Still, DT, Penn State-With Chandler Jones in tow, the Pats defense has gone from Glitter status to Mr. Deeds level. Its still bad, but now I can watch it without the urge to drive a hot poker through my retina. Still is a a skilled defender up front and will help the Patriots plug the middle. They could also go with UConn DT Kendall Reyes or Shea McClellin, the linebacker out of Boise State.

32. Giants: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford-The defending Super Bowl Champions could go with Ohio St. OL Mike Adams to shore up an aging front line, but the devestating injuries to Jake Ballard and Travis Beckum have left the G-Men with Bear Pascoe at tight end. No disrespect to Mr. Pascoe, but he's not a capable option for Tom Coughlin. Fleener is an excellent choice to an already formidable offensive attack.


There you have it folks! If you think I'm missing someone or if you feel I'm dead wrong, leave me a comment or email me at rantmailbag@yahoo.com. Thank you and I hope you enjoyed!