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www.drafthuddle.com - 2012 Mock Draft: Version 1.0                                     January 31, 2012
The Browns have a lot of holes to fill. I am not 100% sold on this pick, but taking into
consideration the biggest need and BPA, Griffin makes sense. Two caveats: 1) in 22
years as either HC or GM, Holmgren has never drafted a QB in the first two rounds. 2) I
do not think the Browns are ready to give up on McCoy. With that, Griffin is still the pick
and could change the franchises fortunes. The 2011 Heisman Trophy winner had an
incredible season (37 TDs, 6 INTs, 10 Rush TDs and an astonishing 72.6 completion %).
Many scouts and analyst believe Griffin throws the best deep ball out of any QB in the
draft. His combination of speed and athleticism coupled with a solid arm easily makes him
a Top-5 pick. On the downside, Griffin has suffered two season ending injuries (09-10).
If he can stay healthy, he has the skill set to be a dangerous, dual threat QB in the NFL.
The Cardinals need help along the offensive front. Former Top-5 draft pick from 2007,
Levi Brown, continues to be lackluster. The Cardinals have ranked in the bottom two
of the league the last two seasons in sacks allowed with over 50 in each season.
Because of the lack of pass protection, newly acquired Kevin Kolb could not stay
healthy as he only played in 9 games. Jonathan Martin would help solve some of the
issues right away. Martin protected the blindside of Andrew Luck for the past 2
seasons and allowed less than 8 sacks in both seasons. Martin is better known for
his ability to pass block, but is also effective as a solid run blocker. The Cardinals can't
afford to fall further behind in the NFC West and it starts with protecting their QB.
Some may consider this a high pick for DeCastro, I disagree. With both top Quarterbacks
and Cornerbacks off the board, Miami needs to focus on their offensive line again. In
2011, the Dolphins allowed 52 sacks (3rd most in the NFL) and 94 QB hits (4th most). This
represents almost a 30% increase from last years totals. DeCastro is the best Offensive
Guard in the draft, period. The former All-American helped anchor an offensive line that
allowed less than 15 sacks over the last two seasons. Additionally, he was instrumental
in helping set three of the highest single-season rushing totals in school history - over
2,700 rushing yards in 3 consecutive years. DeCastro is smart, durable (39 consecutive
starts) and tough. His addition along with Long and Pouncey could give Miami a very
formidable group enter 2012.
The absence of Manning proved two big points: 1) How much the starting QB means
to an organization and 2) How much Manning means to the Colts. Nobody would have
thought the Colts would have been this bad without Manning. Some argue it is more of
an indictment on the Colts front office for not being prepared and lacking talent.
Regardless, Indianapolis can't afford to enter 2012 with an uncertain Manning or a
capable QB. Since John Elway, no other QB has been hyped up as much as Luck.
Many analyst believe he is a can't miss pick and will have a 15(+) year career in the
NFL. Luck really does have it all: size, strength, athleticism, intelligence and
confidence. He truly is the full package. Depending on Manning's health, Luck could
start in 2012 and be successful or develop behind one of the NFL's best.
The Bills started 2011 with a lot of momentum, but fizzled out after week 8 as the team
lost 7 in a row. Buffalo's defense was rather pathetic during that stretch. The unit ranked
26th overall and were particularly bad against the run, as they allowed 139 rush yards
per game (4.0 UPC) and 18 rushes of 20+ yards (3rd highest). Simply put, the front seven
needs help. Morrison and Davis will both be free agents. Barnett had a solid year and
Shepard played well for a rookie. If drafted, Verdict has the ability to replace either
player. The former Sun Devil is a three year starter and a tackling machine. He has the
perfect size to play inside (6'3, 255 lbs) and is very physical. Questionable on-field
decisions and multiple personal fouls have some questioning his character. Others
believe his play-style is perfect for the NFL and will inspire fellow teammates. Verdict is a
Top pick and the best LB in the draft.
Tampa is slowly turning into the new Cincinnati/Oakland of the NFL - take anyone with
talent regardless of their baggage. Williams, Blount, Winslow and most recently
Haynesworth. Now that Raheem Morris is out, it will be interesting to see if the culture
changes. Tampa needs a shutdown cornerback, especially in a league with Brees,
Ryan and an emerging Cam Newton. Claiborne and Kirkpatrick are easily the best 2 CBs
on the board and after them, the talent drops off. Barber is only signed through 2011
and will be 37 entering 2012. Talib will be a free agent after the 2012 season. Tampa
needs to make the CB position a priority, especially if they hope to slow down their NFC
South competition. Kirkpatrick may be a reach at #5, but he is Tampa's biggest need and
a very solid player. Tampa will look to regain playoff form in 2012 by adding Kirkpatrick.
Now that Romeo Crennel is the head coach, I expect the Chiefs to make the defense
their focal point, which is Crennel's specialty. The Chiefs have a nice core on the
defensive side of the ball. As a unit, the defense ranked 11th overall but were weak
against the run as they ranked 26th overall. Along the defensive front, the team has a
nice combination of DE's with Jackson and Dorsey. What the Chiefs need is a solid NT
int he middle. Gregg will be 36 next season and signed a 1-year contract. Poe is the best
3-4 NT in the draft. The former Tiger is a bit raw, but has all the intangibles - size,
strength and aggressiveness. At 6'5, 350 lbs, he has a massive frame and is excellent
against the rush. For his size, Poe is also very quick off the ball and moves well laterally.
The Chiefs will complete the final piece of their 3-4 base with Poe.
The Rams took a step backward in almost every statistical category, which is not good.
One point of emphasis come 2012 will be the offensive line. Bradford is the most hit QB
in the NFL, which has led to him missing games due to injury. Outside of the offensive
line, the WR position is also a must. Brandon Lloyd is a welcomed addition, but I would
like to see St. Louis draft a big play-maker on the outside. Is Will Blackmon or Alshon
Jeffery worthy of a top 3 selection? The more pressing need is the O-line. Matt Kalil is
the unanimous #1 offensive tackle in the 2012 draft. Kalil has an outstanding pedigree as
his father played in the NFL and his brother is currently a Pro Bowl center for the
Panthers (Ryan Kalil). Matt is on par with former number one overall, Jake Long in our
opinion and will keep Bradford safe for the next decade.
Seattle is under the radar and slowly getting better as a team. Pete Carroll did a great job
of allowing Jackson to play to his strengths. For Seattle, both Lynch and Forsett will be
free agents. Coming off a Pro Bowl season, the Seahawks aren't ready or willing to give
up on Marshawn Lynch. Lynch resurrected his career in 2011, rushing for over 1,200
yards and 12 TDs. Given the upgrades to the O-line the past two drafts, Seattle is built to
pound the ball. If Richardson (a top 5 overall player in the draft) is available, Seattle will
jump on him. Simply put, Richardson is a monster. At 5'11, 224 lbs, Richardson dominated
the SEC with over 2,000 rush/receiving yards and 24 total TDs. Richardson is fast,
elusive and never goes down on first contact. He and Lynch are similar and will wear
down defenses next season. Richardson will be an every down back in the near future.
#3 - Minnesota Vikings
Morris Claiborne
Cornerback
LSU
The best case scenario for Jacksonville is to grab Justin Blackmon. The owner has
publicly stated he wants to emphasize offense and be an offensive power. The new
Head Coach, Mularkey, is an offense minded coach, previously the OC in Atlanta. It
doesn't seem likely Blackmon will be available at #7 and no other WR is worth a Top pick.
The defensive line continues to be a problem and need for the Jaguars, especially the
defensive end position. Since 2009, the Jaguars have been inept in accumulating sacks.
The team ranked 32 (2009), 30 (2010) and 25 (2011). The sack total amongst the 5 active
DEs on the roster was 15 total for the season - which is the lowest in the NFL. Coples is
a physical freak who many compare to Julius Peppers. At 6'6, 287 lbs, he is strong, fast
and has a relentless motor. Coples improves the Jags D-line immediately.
Whether or not the Vikings want to admit it, they are in a rebuilding process. This
doesn't sit well with many given the age of the team's core players because the
window is closing. Green Bay is set to be a Superbowl contender every year, Detroit
has finally broken into the playoffs and Chicago will always compete with a healthy
Cutler. The Vikings need to draft defense, specifically the secondary. Morris Claiborne
is without a doubt the #1 CB in the draft. Not only is he a shut-down CB, but he has
great hands for a defender and is very dangerous as a returner. The NFC North
division has arguably some of the best wide receivers in the game. This isn't good for
a defense that ranked 26th against the pass in 2011. Claiborne will fill a large void for
Minnesota and help the Vikings slow down opposing receivers.
The story line in Carolina was Cam Newton. The 2011 #1 overall selection proved why he
was worthy of the pick as he accounted for 35 total touchdowns. Carolina's offense
moved up 25 positions to #7 overall after finishing 32nd in 2010. The Panthers defense
was the team's achilles heel, as the combination of youth and injuries crippled the units
chances. At #8, there isn't an immediate impact player on the defensive side of the ball for
Carolina. The Panthers could trade down, but if Riley Reiff is available, he would provide
the most value. Former 1st rounder, Jeff Otah can't stay healthy, having only played 4
games in the past two seasons. Riley Reiff is the next franchise tackle to come out of the
Big-10. Reiff can play either LT or RT and is solid in both run and pass blocking. Carolina
needs to secure their investment in Newton and Reiff can provide that security.
The Cowboys pass defense ranked 23rd overall and gave up 57 pass plays of 20+ yards
(tied for 8th in the league). Dallas went 1-4 in their last 5 games and missed the playoffs.
In that 5 game stretch, the defenses performance against NFC East teams (Giants &
Eagles) was atrocious. In those 3 games, the defense allowed an average of 408 yards
and 29.3 points. One glaring weakness was the play of Terence Newman. Newman
looked slow, confused and old. On top of that, Newman will be due $8M in 2012. Lennard
should be made a priority for Dallas. He isn't a turnover machine, but he compensates for
that with smothering coverage and aggressive tackling. Additionally, Mike Jenkins' rookie
contract will be up after 2012 and he will most likely be looking for a large contract. If
Lennard is available, he is the pick and provides security to the Dallas secondary well into
the future.
#2 - St. Louis Rams
Matt Kalil
Offensive Tackle
Southern Cal
San Diego's pass rush was stagnant all season, especially for a 3-4 base. The team
dropped from 2nd overall in sacks in 2010 (47 total) to 23rd with only 23. The bright
spot off the edge was Antwan Barnes, who accounted for 11.0 total sacks. Both he
and Phillips will be UFAs at the end of the 2012 season. Behind them, former 1st round
draft pick, Larry English has been very disappointing. In three seasons, English has only
amassed 7 sacks. Additionally, he has only appeared in 13 games over the past 2
seasons due to injury. The AFC West is getting more competitive as the Raiders tied the
Chargers with 8 wins and Denver won the division. Although some consider him a one
year wonder, he is very similar to Jason Pierre-Paul, who also only had one stellar
year. Mercilus is big and athletic. Mercilus led the nation with 16 sacks and 9 forced
fumbles. Look for him to be a disruptive force next season.
#1 - Indianapolis Colts
Andrew Luck
Quarterback
Stanford
#4 - Cleveland Browns
Robert Griffin III
Quarterback
Baylor
#5 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dre Kirkpatrick
Cornerback
Alabama
In Shanahan's third year, its obvious to both him and ownership that the team needs a
Quarterback. The John Beck project failed and Rex Grossman was a turnover
machine. The Redskins may try and make a blockbuster trade and move up for Luck or
RGIII. If that scenario does not come to fruition, Washington would be hard pressed to
pass on Justin Blackmon. Wide Receiver has been a need for this organization for
sometime now. Moss is due $4.8M in 2012 and will be 33. Behind him, you have a
group of unproven and patchwork players. The former Oklahoma State superstar is a
pure game changer and dominant WR. He is big (6'1, 217 lbs), very physical, has great
hands and speed. Washington has several other needs, but if Blackmon is available,
he trumps them all.
The Bengals made the playoffs with a rookie QB and a very young receiving corp.
Cincinnati has a lot to look forward to entering 2012. Pick #17 was acquired via a trade
with the Raiders for Carson Palmer. Entering 2012, the Bengals need to make their
secondary the focal point. Adam Jones will be a FA in 2012 and Clements will be 33 and
due $5.5M. Given those factors, the Bengals need help at the CB position. Jenkins was
once considered a Top pick until personal issues resulted in his dismissal from Florida.
The Bengals are a franchise that are willing to take chances on troubled players and
won't shy away from a talent like Jenkins. The former Gator is solid in coverage and
even better at creating turnovers (8 INTs in 3 seasons). If Jenkins can keep his conduct
under control, he has the ability to start right away for the Bengals in 2012.
#6 - Washington Redskins
Justin Blackmon
Wide Receiver
Oklahoma State
#8 - Carolina Panthers
Riley Reiff
Offensive Tackle
Iowa
#7 - Jacksonville Jaguars
Quinton Coples
Defensive End
North Carolina
#9 - Miami Dolphins
David DeCastro
Offensive Guard
Stanford
#10 - Buffalo Bills
Vontae Burfict
Inside Linebacker
Arizona State
#12 - Seattle Seahawks
Trent Richardson
Running Back
Alabama
#11 - Kansas City Chiefs
Dontari Poe
Defensive Tackle
Memphis
#18 - San Diego Chargers
Whitney Mercilus
OLB / DE
Illinois
#15 - Philadelphia Eagles
Luke Kuechly
Linebacker
Boston College
#14 - Dallas Cowboys
Alfonzo Dennard
Cornerback
Nebraska
#16 - NY Jets
Courtney Upshaw
OLB / DE
Alabama
#13 - Arizona Cardinals
Jonathan Martin
Offensive Tackle
Stanford
#17 - Cincinnati Bengals (trade/Oakland Raiders)
Janoris Jenkins
Cornerback
North Alabama
Disappointing doesn't begin to describe the fiasco in NY. The Jets imploded both on and
off the field. After starting 5-3, the team went 3-5 to finish 8-8, missing the playoffs.
Team captains verbally attacked each other and the coaching staff, top to bottom, was
criticized for the lack of control and focus. What Rex Ryan needs to do is get back to his
strength and focus on re-creating a dominant, attack happy defense. Since his arrival,
Ryan hasn't had a dominant pass rushing OLB. At #16, Courtney Upshaw would
address that need and be a stud in Ryan's defense. The former Crimsontide is extremely
fast and athletic for his size (6'2, 268 lbs). Upshaw has experience playing in the
nation's top defense and 3-4 scheme, which will help his transition to the pro game. The
Jets need to focus on getting back to basics, starting with Upshaw.
The "Dream Team" failed to deliver on expectations. The Eagles struggled all season,
especially on the defensive side of the ball in the run game. The Eagles allowed
opposing offenses to average 4.4 yards per carry and over 112 yards per game on the
ground. Arguably the biggest hole in the defense was at the linebacker positions. The
unit is young and was shuffled around rather frequently. Luke Kuechly is arguably the
best 4-3 linebacker in the draft. Kuechly has the ability to play all three LB positions and
is an absolute tackle machine. In 3 seasons, the former BC Eagle has 525 total tackles
for an average of 175 per year. Kuechly is a three time All-American and the winner of
the 2011 Nagurski award. Simply put, Kuechly is one of the most instinctive players on
the defensive side of the ball and will tremendously help the Eagles' defense next year.