Another week gone, another week closer to the NFL draft. The dust has settled from Bounty Gate, Manning has a new home a mile above sea level, and now the focus has shifted almost entirely towards the draft. Some things can still be changed with the remaining free agents yet to decide on their new team, but for the most part the NFL teams have a pretty good idea what their roster will look like going into the draft. Same rules as the previous mock drafts will apply; trading is permitted, and it will feature the first round.
The first pick of the 2012 NFL draft is...
1. Indianapolis Colts - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford. This has been the pick since the season ended, and I don't see it changing. (Previous Pick: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford)
2. Washington Redskins - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor. RG3 may be the most intriguing prospect to come out in quite some time. I know I will be tuning into a few more Redskins games than usually. (Previous Pick: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor)
3. Minnesota Vikings - Matt Kalil, OT, USC. And Kalil rounds out the trio of seemingly guaranteed selections. (Previous Pick: Matt Kalil, OT, USC)
4. Cleveland Browns - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama. Would I select a running back in the top five if I were a GM? No. But there is too much smoke for there not to be fire. (Previous Pick: Justin Blackmon, WR, OSU)
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Morris Claibourne, CB, LSU. While not as talented as his former team mate Patrick Peterson, Claibourne fits the prototypical corner mold. (Previous Pick: Morris Claibourne, CB, LSU)
6. St. Louis Rams - Justin Blackmon, WR, OSU. Bradford has to have someone to throw to, but he also needs someone to keep him upright. Too much of a reach to try and protect him, so the Rams go with the play maker. Don't be surprised if they manage to trade back again. (Previous Pick: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU)
7. Jacksonville Jaguars - Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina. The Jaguars re-signed Mincey, but he is hardly the same calibre of pass rusher as Ingram. (Seattle Previous Pick: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame)
8. Miami Dolphins - Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M. Miami is starting to look like the girl at prom no one will dance with, unless you count David Garrard. It may not be the prom king, but Tannehill is a good start. (Previous Pick: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M)
9. Carolina Panthers - Quinton Coples, DE, UNC. Some team is going to take a risk on Coples early. If he pans out, that team will have the next Julius Peppers, if not it'll be a pretty big bust. (Previous Pick: Quinton Coples, DE, UNC)
10. Buffalo Bills - Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford. I don't like being predictable, but the Bills need an offensive tackle, and Martin just makes too much sense. (Previous Pick: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford)
11. Kansas City Chiefs - Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis. The combine star finds his home in Kansas City. Romeo Crennel loves to have a dominant nose tackle, and Poe fits the bill.(Previous Pick: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford)
12. Seattle Seahawks - Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame. Last mock draft I had the Seahawks trading up to grab a shiny new weapon for Flynn. This time, he falls right into their laps. (Jacksonville Previous Pick: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina)
13. Arizona Cardinals - David DeCastro, OG, Stanford. The dilemma here for the Cardinals is whether they should reach for a tackle, or stick to their board. Sticking to his board has worked for Whisenhunt in previous drafts, and DeCastro certainly is the best player available. DeCastro is a rare guard prospect, who seems to excel in every category. Last year, the Cardinals got the "sure thing" prospect in Patrick Peterson, and this year DeCastro seems like the most likely candidate for this year's "sure thing" prospect. DeCastro starts at right guard from day one, and instantly become our best offensive linemen. (Previous Pick: Riley Rieff, OT, Iowa)
14. Dallas Cowboys - Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama. Its tough to tell whether Dallas will stick to their former approach of overlooking some character concerns, or try to construct a new image under Garrett. (Previous Pick: Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois)
15. Philadelphia Eagles - Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College. If there is one prospect who may challenge Decastro for the "sure thing" prospect title, it may be Kuechly. Coincidentally, both suffer from playing a low value position. (Previous Pick: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama)
16. New York Jets - Cordy Glenn, OG/OT, Georgia. Jets have a need at both right tackle and guard, and Glenn can play at either of those spots at a high level. (Previous Pick: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama)
17. Cincinnati Bengals - Riley Rieff, OT, Iowa. Rieff's short arms may keep him from excelling at left tackle, but he has the potential to be a very solid right tackle. (Previous Pick: Cordy Glenn, OG/OT, Georgia)
18. San Diego Chargers - Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois. I think when all is said and done, Mercilus may be the best pass rusher from this draft class, and has the athleticism to play in coverage. (Previous Pick: Nick Perry, DE, USC)
19. Chicago Bears - Michael Brockers, DT, LSU. The fall of Brockers comes to an end here. While defensive tackle may not be the biggest need for the Bears, Brockers is the best player available on my board. (Detroit Previous Pick: Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College)
20. Detroit Lions from Tennessee Titans - Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina. Both teams in front of the Lions could easily take Gilmore, so the Lions trade up to grab Gimore. Very high ceiling for the South Carolina cornerback. (Previous Pick: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis)
21. Cincinnati Bengals - Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina. I think the Bengals will be looking for offensive prospects with their first three picks, and they just have to decide whether they should draft a possession or speed receiver to complement A.J. Green. (Previous Pick: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina)
22, Cleveland Browns - Nick Perry, DE, USC. The Browns are slowly putting together a very young and talented defensive line. (Previous Pick: Brandon Weeden, QB, OSU)
23. Tennessee Titans from Detroit Lions - Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama. Perry is a better pass rusher, but I see Upshaw has a more rounded defensive end prospect. (Chicago Previous Pick: Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama)
24. Pittsburgh Steelers - Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State. The enigma that is Mike Adams. Big Boards have him all over the place, but i see him in the 25 to 40 area. Never a bad idea to grab offensive linemen late in the first. (Previous Pick: Devon Still, DT, Penn State)
25. Denver Broncos - Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama. Defensive tackle is a bigger need, but it is also a deep defensive tackle class. The dropoff in cornerbacks after Jenkins is much larger. (Previous Pick: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor)
26. Houston Texans - Jerel Worthy, DT, MSU. The Texans are going to be tough to beat next year, especially with a healthy Shaub. Worthy bolsters a very good front seven. (Previous Pick: Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech)
27. New York Jets from New England Patriots - Mark Barron, SS, Alabama. The Jets may look to trade back to grab Barron, but instead make a deal with their division rivals to aide their secondary. (Previous Pick: Andre Branch, DE/OLB, Clemson)
28. Green Bay Packers - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State. The Packers have some very good pieces on their defense, but also some mediocre ones. Fletcher Cox takes over for one of the latter pieces. (Previous Pick: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama)
29. Baltimore Ravens - Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama. The Crimson Tide comes roaring back into this mock with five first round selections. Hightower is drafted as the heir apparent to Lewis. (Previous Pick: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina)
30. San Francisco 49ers - Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor. Manningham is a nice piece for the 49ers offense, but he is nowhere close to as explosive as Wright. (Previous Pick: Vinny Curry, DE/OLB, Marshall)
31. New England Patroits - Andre Branch, DE/OLB, Clemson. Bill Belichick follows the New England draft guide again, and still manages to get an athletic pass rushing prospect. (Cincinnati Previous Pick: Lamaar Miller, RB, Miami)
32. New York Giants - Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford. Fleener has been rising recently, and has become the new tight end du jour. Running back is also an option here, but with three potential targets, the Giants may just wait and see who falls to them in the second. (Previous Pick: Orson Charles, TE, Georgia)