2012 NFL Mock Draft: Week 12 Update: Panthers Add Blackmon, 49ers add Dwight Jones

Time for my weekly 2012 NFL Mock draft update. Most weeks I like to explore unique options for each team because I think that helps me consider the myriad possibilities of the draft (and this is what is so alluring about the draft to me), but this week I tried to do more of a traditional mock draft, of course there are a few surprise picks. So let me know what you think.

This is order is based on the current regular season standings up to the playoffs then from walterfootball.com from pick 22 on.

Almost every player here as a scouting report for them, so click on the name for that.

For all of our other scouting reports (over a 120) check out our scouting report page.

1. Indianapolis Colts (0-10)-Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford Cardinal

Despite what Skip Bayless and Jamele Hill might be saying on First Take, I don’t think any General Manager in this league would have the conviction to take Robert Griffin III over Andrew Luck first overall. It’s fun to play that game. If a G.M. takes Luck and Luck is a colossal bust it will be placed on Luck because Everyone think he’s a once in a decade prospect, if a G.M. passed on Luck and he becomes what we all think he can be, he’ll never get to live it down. The only question here is do the Colts try to ransom the pick?

2. Carolina Panthers (2-8)-Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

I really wanted to mock Matt Kalil here to the Panthers because of Gross’s age (already 31) and Jeff Otah’s inability to stay healthy, but I think Gross just got a six year contract in the last year or so and I couldn’t see the Panthers making that pick despite how much sense it makes in my crazy head.

3. St. Louis Rams (2-8)-Matt Kalil, T, USC

This would be the Rams ideal pick, I think. Fans often want the flash pick of WR, but even fans acknowledge how important it is to secure talent across the offensive line. The drafting of Kalil pushes Saffold to RT and Jason Smith inside to guard potentially improving three positions at once (assuming Smith and Saffold transition well to their new positions).

Well it turns out the Rams are already going to move Jason Smith to RG, at least for this Sunday.

4. Minnesota Vikings (2-8)-Riley Reiff, T, Iowa

If the Vikings are picking this high they will have to rally explore all of their options. Reiff is not going to be the best value but he is a fairly “safe” pick (how many players are truly safe picks) and fills a tremendous need for the Vikings. I think Matt Barkley and Robert Griffin iii are far superior prospects than Christian Ponder, but the Vikings aren’t going to draft QB in the first round two years in a row. Jefferey is a talented player as well, but his stock is going down because of a lack of production and questions about his speed to get down the field and separate in the N.F.L.

5. Washington Redskins (3-7)-Matt Barkley, QB, USC

Heading into the season many people thought they were favorites for Andrew Luck, but they had to go and ruin that by winning games early in the season. Now they are really picking up steam in the “Suck for Luck” but they are not going to catch the Colts, however if the draft shakes out this way the three teams ahead of them all have quarterbacks already but they luck out here and grab a very nice consolation prize in Matt Barkley. The Redskins need more playmakers at wide receiver, but they have a pretty good defense and if they can get good consistent quarterback play they could compete for the playoffs.

6. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-7)-Alshon Jefferey, WR, South Carolina

I have no idea what the Jacksonville Jaguars are doing in net year’s draft because I think that it is likely that both their general manager and head coach will be fired. A new regime could value the WR position highly and decide to give Blaine Gabbert a legitimate prospect that can develop into a number one wide receiver. Jefferey’s numbers are down this year as his stock, but with a good combine he could push himself back into the top ten mix.

7. Arizona Cardinals (3-7)-Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Would the Cardinals dare draft a quarterback here? I think Griffin has much more potential than Kevin Kolb, but the Cardinals just gave up a lot to secure Kolb last year. The Cardinals have problems along the offensive line, the secondary, and linebacker (pass rusher). Kolb hasn’t really had a great chance this year. A bigger need than cornerback is outside linebacker and offensive line, but Claiborne is a top talent and is stock is soaring. Here they go back to back with talented LSU cornerbacks to have the league’s most promising cornerback duo. I would consider Richardson here as a BPA if they didn’t already have Beanie Wells and Ryan Williams.

8. Miami Dolphins (3-7)-Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Matt Moore has really started o pick up is play as of late, but he’s still not a franchise quarterback. It is perhaps likely that Griffin returns next year to Baylor, that’s the feeling anyway. If he doesn’t he has played himself into the top 10 and maybe even top five. He has been extremely accurate, shows a good arm, and has immense potential. He also has some humility and will fit right in with any locker room.

9. Philadelphia  Eagles (4-6)-Jonathan Martin, T, Stanford Cardinal

The Eagles need linebackers, this is true. The Eagles draft linemen. This is also true. Martin is one of the top players available here. Also true. Seems like a no-brainer to me. The Eagles offensive line hasn’t’ been stellar anyway. Jason Peters has been really good, but the RT spot is iffy at best moving froward.  With all the talent the Eagles have it wouldn’t surprise me if they try to fill a need by going linebacker this year after avoiding that for so long, but I suspect that if Martin is available here they’d take him.

10. Cleveland Browns (4-6)-Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Trent Richardson is a unique talent. Even though he has recently said that he will be returning to Alabama for the 2012 College Football season, I don’t buy it. Richardson is probably just saying that so people will leave him alone and he can just focus on trying to win a National Championship with his team. Running backs have a short shelf life in the N.F.L. and Richardson can’t really do anything to improve his stock. If he is available at 10 the Browns get a steal.

11. Kansas City Chiefs (4-6)-Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia

I’m still waiting to see who is going to step up and claim the top OLB spot. That player could be Jarvis Jones. Jones is a very gifted athlete that plays for Georgia. He has really been surging the past month and will shine at the combine and/or his proday. The problem here though is that is very likely he returns to Georgia next year. I think I saw a quote (can’t find it now, so don’t quote me on that) where he essentially admitted he wasn’t quite ready for the transition yet to the N.F.L.

Is Jarvis Jones going to claim the top 34 OLB? I don’t know. But SOMEONE has to, right?

12.  Seattle Seahawks (4-6) Quinton Coples, DE , UNC

The Seahawks need a quarterback, but I don’t think they will be interested in Landry Jones because he doesn’t have great mobility.  I’m also just not a huge fan of Jones so I pass on him here. To me Coples is over-rated as a top five N.F.L. prospect, but at #12 it’s good value. The Seahawks are using Red Bryant as a DE on running downs, but Coples has ideal size and strength to be a plus run defense and does a good job rushing the passer as well. I’ve compared him to Justin Smith before and he’s good value at 12 and fills a need for the Seahawks who don’t have great talent at the DE position.

13. Tampa Bay Bucaneers(4-6)-Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

The Buccaneers need cornerback help, Dre Kirkpatrick plays cornerback. The Buccaneers don’t run as much Tampa 2 as they did under Tony Dungy so that’s not as big of a concern as it use to be. Kirkpatrick has been inconsistent, but his ability to play the run and his high upside will make him a top 15 pick. He’s been passed by Morris Claiborne, but he’s very quality in his own right.

14. San Diego Chargers (4-6)-Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama

I’m still looking for the players at the 34 OLB position who are going to make the jump into the top part of the first round. Upshaw could be one. Upshaw is a tenacious player, has good athletic ability and explosiveness and has some versatility.

The Chargers are hard to mock in the first place because their general manager makes crazy picks, but it’s even harder this year because A.J. Smith and Norv Turner could both be fired if they miss the playoffs. Once that happens (if that happens) what they do will depend heavily on who they choose to guide the team. If they end up hiring a 43 coach, Upshaw would make a lot less sense.

15. Tennessee Titans (5-5)-Janoris Jenkins, CB, Northern Alabama

I don’t know how serious teams consider Jenkins’s character concerns. I do feel confident that teams will consider Jenkins a top 20 talent, and that’s because he is. He is physical, athletic, and a fluid athlete. He makes a lot of plays on the football. Just a really good player. The Titans actually might run as far away from Jenkins as they can with the character concerns they’ve dealt with recently (Haynesworth, Finengan, Pac man Jones, Kenny Britt).

16. New York Jets (5-5)-Michael Floyd, WR, Norte Dame

The Jets have to find a way to get the most out of Sanchez.  Floyd like Jenkins has “character concerns” but like Jenkins he’s also very talented. Floyd has all the measurables teams look for in wide receiver prospects. The Jets bigger need is probably rush LB but they have shown a penchant to stick to their big board.

The second half of the first round can be found on the second page.