2012 3 Round Mock Draft: Robert Griffin will be the next Aaron Rogers
By Editorial Staff
This is Reggie’s newewst 3rd round mock draft. Later in the week, Jesse will post his newest updated mock draft. For all of our scouting reports of many of these players (100+ scouting reports) go to our scouting report page
1. Indianapolis Colts Andrew Luck QB Stanford
There is no way that Bill Polian and Colts can pass this type of player up. I love Peyton Manning and I think he can be productive for 1-2 more years. Perfect grooming time for Andrew Luck. Drafting Luck allows him to prosper without the amount of pressure he would face in his rookie season as a starter as the Colts transition from Luck to Manning.
2. St. Louis Rams Matt Kalil OT USC
Spagnuolu wants a dominate OL. He has drafted high picks as well as high FA spenditures. With his high picks Jason Smith needs to move to guard and Saffold would be a better RT. Kalil would complete the OL and give the Rams a franchise LT capable of impacting both run blocking and pass blocking.
3. Washington Redskins Matt Barkley QB USC
What giving up on Grossman/Beck combo already? If Shanahan wants to succeed he knows he needs a QB. I think Barkley will appeal to him with his athleticism, strong arm, and brash attitude.
4. Carolina Panthers Justin Blackmon WR Oklahoma State
Panthers are getting a ton out of Steve Smith at the moment. Best case scenario is that he can do it for one more season. This is the perfect time to add an elite young WR to grow with Cam Newton. The Panthers could use a second target
5. Miami Dolphins Robert Griffin QB Baylor
Dolphins are competitive and you have to give some credit to Sparano. That being said, his time is done as is Chad Henne’s. Dolphins win streak will cost them Andrew Luck, but they can still get Griffin who should excite a dwindling fan base. Besides a highly intelligent, athletic, and accurate QB sounds eerily familiar to a QB playing in GB right now….doesn’t it?
6. Minnesota Vikings Jonathan Martin OT Stanford
Vikings need to start rebuilding the OL. Herrera is a mediocre RG, Hutchinson is aging quickly, and Charlie Johnson is a better OG than LT. Martin upgrades two spots. He will be their franchise LT and move Johnson inside to OG.
7. Arizona Cardinals Trent Richardson RB Alabama
Cardinals are in a bad spot. Do they force the issue and take Reiff, take another CB in the 1st round with Claiborne, or use another early pick on RB? In this mock I have them taking Richardson. I know Chris Wells is steady but he is never healthy and Ryan Williams apparently isn’t either. Richardson is an every 5-10 year RB prospect who can dominate a game by himself.
8. Kansas City Chiefs Quinton Coples DE NC
Chiefs are last in the NFL in sacks. That statistic explains why the Chiefs are inconsistent. If you cannot get to the QB than all kinds of bad things tend to happen in a pass first league. The Chiefs DL is filled with early misses. That being said Coples is a stud capable of dominating in both a 4-3 and 3-4 scheme. HE will be what Tyson Jackson was supposed to be.
9. Cleveland Browns Landry Jones QB Oklahoma
Colt McCoy is a good backup QB. He is too limited to be a fulltime starter. Jones would fit in well in the West Coast Offense and would give the Browns a legitimate QB with a much higher ceiling. Holmgren does not have a ton of time and will be impatient to replace McCoy as he should be.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars Morris Claiborne CB LSU
Jaguars need three things as of this moment: WR, DE, and CB. Claiborne is the best of those needs available giving the Jaguars a shut down CB they have not had in quite some time.
11. Seattle Seahawks Dre Kirkpatrick CB Alabama
Poor Seahawks, never bad enough to get a franchise QB. I would trade up if I were them but since I do not predict trades in my mock I have them selecting Kirkpatrick. With the Seahawks having a pair of good young safeties it is time to start rounding out the CB position.
12. Philadelphia Eagles Zack Brown OLB NC
Eagles desperately need to improve their LB unit. Brown has separated himself as the best 4-3 LB in this draft. He is adapt at coverage, blitzing, and sideline-to-sideline run stopping. He is exactly what the Eagles need.
13. Denver Broncos Alfonzo Dennard CB Nebraska
Since Dennard has gotten healthy he has shown Shut Down CB potential. His physicality, size, speed, and technique are all well above average. Broncos need talent on defense and they get a very talented CB to pair with Bailey.
14. Tampa Bay Buccs Riley Reiff OT Iowa
Freeman needs help. He needs more speed in his playmakers and he needs some OL improvements. Reiff would finally step in at RT and replace Trueblood. Reiff is very sound in pass coverage and is a bulldozer in the run game. Plus he is in the Midwest so the Buccs will consider him.
15. Buffalo Bills Courtney Upshaw OLB Alabama
I think the last 1st round Crimson Tide defender had a positive influence on this defense. Why not more?? Bills have no pass rushers in the LB unit. Upshaw gives them one and is versatile enough to line up in many different positions.
16. San Diego Chargers Alshon Jeffrey WR SC
Vincent Jackson is a FA and should be resigned. Vincent Brown has shown some ability and can be a solid slot WR. Besides that they have an ineffective Malcolm Floyd and an aging, injury prone Antonio Gates. In order to win in the NFL you must get a QB and surround him with weapons. Help Rivers out Smith. Jeffrey has talent but I drop him due to lack of performance.
17. Tennessee Titans Peter Konz C Wisconsin
Konz left the Minnesota game early with an ankle injury. Let’s hope it was nothing major. He is a first round lock and is one of the most imposing Center Prospects I have ever scouted. Titans desperately need better interior run blocking.
18. Cleveland Browns (T) Michael Floyd WR ND
What I said about the Chargers applies here as well. You just drafted Landry Jones and now you must get him some weapons since the Browns currently have none.
19. Cincinnati Bengals Michael Brewster C Ohio State
Bengals gain an elite defensive talent. Maulugua and Rivers are solid players but neither obtains many sacks or int’s. Burfict is very sound at both. He would complete the LB unit and make the Bengals one of the better young teams in the NFL.
20. Dallas Cowboys Ronnell Lewis DE/OLB Oklahoma
Cowboys want to improve their secondary but their defense has other holes as well. The DL needs youth and the LB core is aging and Spencer is a FA that might leave. If he does, you better believe Rob Ryan will want players who can bring the heat on opposing QB’s. Lewis would team with Ware to make an unstoppable duo.
21. Detroit Lions David DeCasto OG Stanford
Lions need help at all positions but LG on the OL. DeCasto is the best remaining OL talent. He has no flaws and if he wasn’t an OG he would be a top 15 pick. That being said he will replace Peterman on day 1 and give the Lions something to start building on.
22. Chicago Bears Luke Kuechly LB BC
Bears LB core will need 3 new starters in the next 4 years. Urlacher is aging, Briggs wants out every year, and no one is able to hold onto the SLB position. Kuechly would fill the SLB position and eventually move into Urlacher’s spot.
23. Cincinnati Bengals (T) Chase Minnifield CB Virginia
Bengals have lots of holes in the secondary, it is the only real weakness on this Bengal team. Minnifield will team with Leon Hall to give the Bengals a sound CB duo. Now the Bengals can turn their attention to the safety and RB position.
24. Houston Texans Alemeda Ta’Amu NT Washington
Texans scored a huge steal with JJ Watt last season. He is making the Texans DL look very sound. The Texans can make their DL dominate if they had a big, bodied NT to protect the LB units. Amu gives them that wide body. He is also surprisingly nimble for his size.
25. New York Jets Brandon Jenkins DE/OLB FSU
Jenkins is a maddening talent. He has great size and athleticism but has not produced a ton this year. He has had moments but this pick is about upside. He gets a ton of attention and that frees up everyone else. I think he is a better 3-4 OLB than a 4-3 DE. Jets need pass rushers.
26. Baltimore Ravens Manti Te’o ILB ND
Ravens have been on record stating their desire to replace Ray Lewis soon. Manti is a steal this late in the first round. With last year’s steal of Jimmy Smith the Ravens are profiting from other teams mistakes.
27. New York Giants Barrett Jones OT Alabama
Giants could use a variety of upgrades in the OL. Jones is a Swiss army knife on the OL. He can play both tackle and guard positions. He also fits the blue collar, nasty OL mantra the Giants are usually looking for in their lineman.
28. San Francisco 49ers Michael Brewster C Ohio State
49ers just used two first round picks on the OL two years ago. Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati were solid selections. That being said the 49ers need more talent. Brewster is a franchise center that many want but few can get. With him the 49ers run game will keep flourishing.
29. New England Pats (T) Vinny Curry OLB Marshall
Curry is hugely under rated at this point. His ability to get up to 260 and still play at a high level is key to him being a first round pick. Curry will team with Mayo to give the Patriots 2 Pro Bowl LB’s in the 3-4. Patriots need more talent in the front 7.
30. New England Patriots Devon Still DT Penn State
Patriots keep improving the front 7 with this pick. Still is a hugely under rated prospect and if he ends the year strong could be gone by this pick. Still is able to play in both 3-4 and 403 schemes which the Patriots require from their draft picks.
31. Pittsburgh Steelers Dont’a Hightower ILB Alabama
Steelers need youth in their defense. Perhaps most importantly in LB units which the Steelers always brag one of the top units in the NFL. Hightower and Timmons will keep many OC up at night.
32. Green Bay Packers Montee Ball RB Wisconsin
Packers have some okay RB’s but no one that scares opposing offenses. If the Packers where to acquire a dominant RB than opposing defenses would have to honor both the run and the pass. Rogers is going to keep posting sick numbers.
(2nd round continued on next page)