2012 NFL Mock Draft Round 3: Cleveland Browns Get Brandon Weeden

I’m unveiling a full 7 round mock draft with explanations for every single pick the week leading up to the draft–clearly I need my head examined. This is round three in my 2012 NFL mock draft. Round 1 is here, and then round two.

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Round Pick Overall
3 1 64 Indianapolis Colts- Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

previous picks: Luck, Konz

The Colts add the best WR remaining. Sanu doesn’t have great speed, but plays fearlessly and can be an Aquan Boldin type player. Sanu catches the ball well and would give Luck a nice reliable option to develop with in his career.

3 2 65 St. Louis Rams-Zach Brown, LB, UNC

Previous picks: Trent Richardson, Jerel Worthy, Whitney Mercilus

The Rams continue to add terrific players, even though most happen to be on defense. Zach Brown is a first round talent on my own personal big board who falls because of positional value and because he hasn’t received a great endorsement from his college coaches (reportedly). Brown has uncommon speed, and is a long player who can really cover the new breed of TE in the league.

3 3 66 Minnesota Vikings-Jayron Hosley, CB, VA Tech

Previous picks: Matt Kalil T, Alshon Jeffery WR

Admit it Vikings fans. Getting Matt Kalil and Jayron Hosey is a better option than getting Morris Claiborne and some offensive linemen like Jeff Allen. Not that Jeff Allen’s a bad player, but Claiborne isn’t going to keep Christian Ponder standing up right and keep him form running from his life.

3 4 67 Cleveland Browns-Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State

previous picks: Justin Blackmon, Nick Perry, Doug martin

Weeden falls because of concner over his age, and also because while there are only a handful of elite quarterbacks in the N.F.L. most teams have a guy they feel comftorable with. By drafting Weeden the Browns are signaling to McCoy that he’s now the backup moving forward. You’re not drafting a 28 year old quarterback to develop for two years. You think he can play immediately.

3 5 68 Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Chris Polk, RB, Washington

previous picks: Morris Claiborne, Bobby Wagner

The Buccaneers get a complement to the talented Legarette Blount. Polk is one of the best three down running backs in this draft. Polk lacks elite speed, but can run well and also catch the football out of the backfield-he played a little bit of WR at Washington. The buzz is that Greg Schiano wants to build a team around a terrific running game and the Buccaneers addressed their WR need in free agency.

3 6 69 Washington Redskins-Jeff Allen, OL, Illinois

Previous pick: Robert Griffin III

Shanahan looks at OL a little differently so it’s hard to pinpoint the offensive linemen that he might really like, but I’ll take a guess and say Jeff Allen. Allen is under-appreciated but could go as high as the mid second round though he’s more likely to go to in the early portion of the third round.

3 7 70 Jacksonville Jaguars-Marvin Jones, WR, Cal

Previous picks: Melvin Ingram, Harrison Smith

After the senior bowl people will all over Marvin Jones and pushing him into the second round range, but I think mid to late third is perfect for him. Jones is a smooth runner and he almost looks like he’s gliding. Jones reminds a lot of people of Green Bay Packers Donald Driver. He also seems like the type of player the Jaguars gravitate to.
3 8 71 Buffalo Bills-Mitchell Schwartz, OL, California

Previous picks: Dre Kirkpatrick, Amini Silatalou

Admittedly I’m not loving with the Bills are doing here yet, but I still think the team believes its WR are pretty good and that they can find a WR who can be productive in the early part of the fourth round. I find it unlikely that the Bills go OL two rounds in a row or OL twice early, but I was trying to focus on grabbing the best player available and in both cases it’s been offensive linemen.

3 9 72 Miami Dolphins-Orson Charles, TE, Georgia

Previous picks: Ryan Tannehill, Shea McClellin

The Dolphins don’t have any TE that impress me. I know that Charles was arrested during the pre-draft process which is a moronic thing to do, but he’s still talented. His proday forty time didn’t show off his true speed because it was run in such poor condtitions. Charles has the potential to be a matchup-nightmare and that’s what the Dolphins are hoping to find in this draft.

3 10 73 Miami from Carolina through Chicago-Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia

Previous picks: Ryan Tannehill QB, Shea McClellin OLB/De, Orson Charles TE

Again a coincidence that I have a team taking two players from the same team. It’s just a circumstance of value meeting need. Boykin is a late 2nd round prospect on my big board. The Dolphins have some good cornerbacks who are big strong physical guys. Boykin is physical but better suited to play slot guys and the quicker, shiftier. The WR class is still deep enough where the Dolphins don’t have to be pressured to draft one yet.

3 11 74 Kansas City Chiefs- Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State

Previous picks: David Decastro OL; RB David Wilson

I’m just not a fan of Kirk Cousins, but a lot of people are, especially coaches. Coaches will love Cousins, but I think scouts who don’t speak to him and just watch his tape will not be overly impressed. I think he’ll be a Kyle Orton type player in the N.F.L, which is fine for a backup quarterback. Still some team is likely to draft him in the 2nd or 3rd round the Chiefs don’t seem to be sold on Cassel any longer and could end up with Cousins if he’s available in the third round.
3 12 75 Seattle Seahawks-Isiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati

Previous picks: Dontari Poe DL, Ronnell Lewis OLB

The Seahawks have a very quality roster. I think their problem was clearly the QB play. They have a good OL, some intriguing weapons on the outside, a talented TE, and a good defense. Here they get another back to play with Marshawn Lynch. Pead is a dangerous running back who could make a lot of big plays in the N.F.L.
3 13 76 Houston Texans (from Philadelphia)-Brandon Brooks, G, Miami Ohio

Previous picks: Rueben Randle WR, Mychal Kendricks LB

Again I’m not 100 percent sold on my understanding of what the Texans look for in offensive linemen, so I’m going here more based on the value of the pick and the lack of depth along the Texans offensive line. Brooks is likely to be the first non-combine invitee drafted. He really stood out in on his proday and on film.

3 14 77 New York Jets-Bruce Irvin, OLB, West Virginia

Previous picks: Riley Reiff OL; Ta’amu NT

Bruce Irvin is a terrific speed rusher who might be tot small to play DE and one dimensional to play 34. The Jets will be looking  add pass rushers early and if the value is there in the first or second round they probably go in that direction, but in my mock the better value were at Tackle and DL.
3 15 Oakland Exercised in Supplemental Draft
3 16 78 San Diego Chargers-Mike Martin, DL, Michigan

previous picks: Mark Barron, Vinny Curry

I’m a big fan of Mike Martin and would feel comfortable drafting him in the second round so he’s good value here. Although his best position in a 34 is probably NT and the Chargers have some young options there already.

3 17 79 Chicago Bears-Casey Hayward, CB, Vanderbilt

previous picks: Coby Fleener TE, Devon Still DL

The Bears still are struggling to find great value for a pass rushing DE which they covet, but are getting good players who fit their system in every round. Casey Hayward is under-appreciated,  a very solid cornerback who does nothing great, but everything well. He’s also a perfect system fit for the Bears.

The rest of round two continued on page two