2012 NFL Mock Draft. The Final Countdown
By Jason McIntyre
The 2012 NFL draft begins in a few hours. I’m hoping to hit 15 out of 30 (the first two picks are a given). Before looking at and mocking mine, here are some other prominent mock drafts that dropped this week: Mike Mayock, Michael Lombardi, Greg Cosell, Greg Bedard, Evan Silva the National Football Post and Bob McGinn. There’s even an “oddsmakers” mock draft (well, top 16). In taking a perusal of beat writers and sifting through last minute scuttlebutt, here’s my final mock draft of 2012 about what I THINK teams will do. I hope to finish in the Top 10.
1 Indianapolis Colts – Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford.
2 Washington Redskins – Robert Griffin, QB, Baylor.
3 Minnesota Vikings – Matt Kalil, OL, USC. Not buying the smokescreens.
4 Cleveland Browns – Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama.
5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU.
6 St. Louis Rams – Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State. Lots of buzz about Fletcher Cox of Mississippi State.
7 Jacksonville Jaguars – Stephen Gilmore, CB, South Carolina.
8 Miami Dolphins – Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M.
9 Carolina Panthers – Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State.
10 Buffalo Bills – Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College. The GM wants a playmaker. They get one.
16 New York Jets – Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina. Probably more me being hopeful than anything.
17 Cincinnati Bengals – Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama.
18 San Diego Chargers – Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois. Sack machine to a team in desperate need of one.
19 Chicago Bears – Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
20 Tennessee Titans – Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis.
21 Cincinnati Bengals – Jonathan Martin, OL, Stanford.
22 Cleveland Browns – Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor.
23 Detroit Lions – Riley Reiff, OL, Iowa.
24 Pittsburgh Steelers – Cordy Glenn, OL, Georgia.
25 Denver Broncos – Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State.
26 Houston Texans – Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford.
27 New England Patriots – Courtney Upshaw, DE, Alabama. Who do you draft for a man capable of anything?
28 Green Bay Packers – Shea McClellin, LB, Boise State.
29 Baltimore Ravens – Peter Konz, OL, Wisconsin.
30 San Francisco 49ers – Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama.
31 New England Patriots – Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech.
32 New York Giants – Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama.