2012 NFL Mock Draft Week 14 Update: Browns Improve Defense with 2 1st Round Picks, Griffin to Redskins

For this 2012 NFL Mock draft the order was taken from Walterfootball.

To see the scouting reports of any of these players in this 2012 NFL Mock draft check out our scouting report page (There are now well over 150 total scouting reports for your viewing pleasure)

I’m putting these players back in school for next year which is why they don’t appear in the first round of my mock draft. QB Landry Jones Oklahom Sooners, OLB Jarvis Jones Georgia, T D.J. Fluker, Alabama

1. Indianapolis Colts (0-12)-Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford Cardinal

This is the easiest pick to make. I think people clamoring for Griffin III right here is a case of over-analyzing a prospect and drumming up some interest. Luck has everything you’re looking for in a N.F.L. prospect. Smart, leadership, good arm, experience in a pro-style offense. Even with huge expectations this year and  without ,maybe the same kind of weapons he’s had recently he’s been remarkably consistent.

2. Minnesota Vikings (2-10), Matt Kalil, T, USC

I think the Vikings would love to be picking 2nd ahead of the Rams. Either way I think the 2nd pick is going to be Kalil. Both teams need a lT of the future to protect their young quarterback and Kalil’s a real good one.

3.St. Louis (2-10) Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Didn’t see that one coming did you? When you pick in the top three of the draft you you have to take players who can be All-Pros in the N.F.L. I’t’s always bad to reach for players, but if you’re the Rams here there are really only a few legitimate options. Blackmon (not worth this pick), Jonathan Martin/Riley Reiff (possible), Quinton Coples. I was leaning Coples here, but Richardson can do a lot to help protect a young quarterback as well by continue where Steve Jackson has left off. Jackson is approaching 30 years old and is constantly banged up. Richardson could be the next Adrian Peterson he’s so good. It’d be annoying this year, but how great would it be in three years if the Rams had an Adrian Peterson like running back?

I like to play with picks in my mock draft so I still think it’s more likely they go T, WR, or Coples here, but it’s fun to explore different possibilities.

4. Jacksonville  Jaguars(3-9)-Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

No idea what the Jaguars will do. In my 7 round Jaguars mock I had them selecting Morris Claiborne, but what I think the Jaguars will do and what the will actually do never lines up, so here’s another possibility. The Jaguars could feel obligated to give Sam Bradford a weapon to work with him moving forward. If you’re the Jaguars you wish Jefferey had another big season so you could feel comfortable taking him here, because his great N.F.L. size and athleticism is mouth watering. It’s hard not to like Blackmon but he’s more Michael Crabtree  Dez Bryant to me. (Not that Crabtree wouldn’t be a great player in a  different situation) and we’ve compared him to Reggie Wayne in our scouting report.

5. Washington Redskins(4-8)-Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

As a Giants fan and Griffin III fanboy. I am adamantly against the Redskins actually making this pick. As a person who follows the N.F.L. I’d be silly to think anything other than Quarterback would happen here. Last year the Redskins don’t love the QB selections so they pass on them, which is smart. This year if they pass on Quarterback it’d be very very stupid. And eventually cost Shanahan his job.

6. Philadelphia Eagles (4-8)-Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Claiborne is our personal biggest riser from the start of the season to now. We had Griffin III as a potential first round pick (specifically Chris Ransom) before the season, but Claiborne wasn’t like that for us. Now he’s a lock for the top 10 barring a catastrophic injury between now and the draft. The Eagles might not want to pay Asante Samuel and his unhappy self next year. The other two options here are Quinton Coples, but he doesn’t fit what the Eagles look for in Defensive linemen (smaller and speedy) and Jonathan Martin (very likely, perhaps more likely).

I do not believe the Eagles would even consider a Linebacker in the top 10. I think it’s also likely they trade down to a team that is looking to grab Barkley here.

7. Carolina Panthers(4-8)-Quinton Coples, DL, UNC

If the Panthers are moving to a 34 they could use Coples. IF the Panthers are looking for DT help they could use Coples. IF the Panthers want a 43 opposite Charlie Johnson they could use Coples. Yes there exists the parallel between Peppers and Coples both playing at UNC, but that’s just a coincidence. They need to add more talent to the defense. Alshon Jefferey is a possibility (I’m sure they have watched a lot of him because he’s right in their scouting zone!), but the offense is still putting up a lot of points with what they already have, they need to be better on defense. Coples gives them a nice presence upfront in whatever system they want to run next year and can play 43 DT, 43 DE, or 34 DE in my opinion.

8. Miami Dolphins (4-8)-Matt Barkley, QB, USC

Someone tell the Dolphins that they are going the wrong way in the Suck For Luck. A few more wins (which is possible I’m sure they will bring their A game for the Jets at least) could push the Dolphins well out of range for Barkley or Griffin. But if the draft were today they would have finished the season strong, possibly saving their coaches job and still get the Quarterback of the future. Let’s see if they can get out of range for the trio of Quarterbacks between now and the end of the regular season.

9. Cleveland Browns (4-8)-Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

I know the Browns need linebackers and there are four  good ones on the board right here, but they also could use more help and talent in the secondary. If they could pair Dre Kirkpatrick with Joe Haden they’d have one of, if not the most, promising young secondaries in the league and they could get a few more coverage sacks next year. They have another first round pick and right now it will be a decent one to grab one of the talented linebackers in this class.

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-8)-Michael Floyd, WR, Norte Dame

Maybe it’s just me but I’m not that impressed with the Wide receives that the Buccaneers trot out there. Floyd is a bit of a knuckle head, but man is he talented. I think more talented than Blackmon. The Buccaneers have shown that they will take a chance with character concerns (first round pick Adrian Claiborne of last year had some for instance, WR Mike Williams had them as well). Floyd can do some amazing things on the field if you’re willing to take the chance on him.

11. Arizona Cardinals (5-7)- Jonathan Martin, T, Stanford Cardinal

The easiest pick to make in this mock for me. The Cardinals really need to improve the offensive line and Martin is one of the best players available on the board here.

12. Seattle Seahawks (5-7)-Zach Brown, LB, UNC

With Trent Richardson and the top three quarterbacks off the board here I wasn’t sure where to go with the Seahawks. So I went with the most intriguing player. The Seahawks spent a lot of time last off-season getting bigger and stronger, but here add some serious speed to their defense. Brown is fascinating because of his speed, but hes’ a good player. Brown reminds some of Aaron Curry so maybe that scares them off, but it shouldn’t.

13.Buffalo Bills (5-7)-Alshon Jefferey, WR, South Carolina

I’ve been saying for two months that the Bills need more talent at the wide receiver position. Stevie Johnson is a really nice player, but he’s not great and I don’t love anyone else on their roster. David Nelson is ok, but best suited as a complimentary piece. The Bills still need to improve on defense, but they spent almost their entire last two drafts on defense early (Spiller is offense, but Troupe, Carrington, Dareus, Kelvin Sheppard are all defense). That means that 5 of their last 6 picks in the first three rounds were defense. Let’s have them add something to the offense here. They can try to find a pass rusher in round two like Vinny Curry. The value is not here, if Jarvis Jones returns to school, (and he recently said he’s not ready for the N.F.L. so it seems that way) to grab a rush linebacker at this spot.

14. Kansas City Chiefs( 5-7)-Riley Reiff, T, Iowa Hawkeyes

I thought it would make a lot of sense for the Chiefs to draft Carimi last year and they went with Jon Baldwin. It would make even more sense for them to grab Reiff here. Reiff has more LT ability than Carimi did and he can also play Right tackle for now too.

15. San Diego Chargers (5-7)-Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama

This pick would make no sense to me, which is why I’m doing it for the Chargers. I never even come close to getting the Chargers right. I mocked them Jimmy Smith in one of my final mock drafts last year because I thought they could use some help at cornerback and after watching the Jets abuse them in the secondary I think I’m right about that, but who knows what they will do. Hightower has had a huge bounce-back season this year and will probably end up in the first round. This is too high for Hightower for me, but that hasn’t stopped the Chargers recently. Now if A.J. Smith is no longer the general manager I’ll be more reasonable with the Chargers picks!

16.New York Giants (6-6)-Alameda Ta’amu, NT, Washington

I”m really not sure what to do with the Giants here. I just want to consider this possibility for a minute, if the Giants do miss the playoffs (which is probably likely) they really believe they will fire Tom Coughlin. If they fire Tom Coughin they will have to hire a new coach. If the coach they higher wants to play the 34 and maybe they grab a Defensive linemen here. I hope that doesn’t happen, but I don’t want to rule that out.

The Giants are notorious (among their fans) for not drafting linebackers and linemen in the draft early enough.

If we assume they stay with the 43 I would like at cornerback here (Terrell Thomas and Aaron Ross are both free agents), and maybe (hopefully) linebacker or offensive line.

Picks 17-32 are Continued on page 2