Jumat, 23 Maret 2012

NFL Mock Draft

Teams are addressing their needs through free agency right now but teams are also preparing for this year's NFL Draft. This draft has already caused a big trade for the number two pick (the RG3 pick). So who will get which players in the NFL Draft.

1. The Indianapolis Colts select QB Andrew Luck.
No surprises as most everybody knows that Andrew Luck will be playing in Indy next season and throwing passes to Reggie Wayne and company. Luck is one of the best quarterback prospects ever in the draft and he will live up to the hype. Luck has a lot of similar characteristics to star QB Aaron Rodgers as both are accurate mobile, and most importantly, great leaders. Luck has the maturity of an NFL veteran and he will be able to provide the same prescene that Peyton Manning did in Indy. Luck has all the makings of a superstar quarterback though nothing is a sure thing (see Ryan Leaf). However, the Colts will get their franchise quarterback for the next 10-15 years in this draft.

2. The Washington Redskins (via the St. Louis Rams) select Baylor QB Robert Griffin III.
The Redskins have given up three first round picks and a second round pick to move up to the second pick to get Robert Griffin III. RG3 has some similar characteristics to Carolina's Cam Newton which should allow him to have some immediate success in Washington. Griffin will also have a speedy receiver to throw to in Pierre Garcon just like he did at Baylor with Kendall Wright. Griffin's accuracy and arm will give the Redskins the chance at a playoff spot next year. Like Luck, RG3 can immediately come in and be a leader in the Redskins' locker room as he could inspire a return to the playoffs for the Redskins.

3. The Minnesota Vikings select USC OT Matt Kalil.
Kalil is undoubtedly the best offensive tackle prospect in this draft as he turned down the chance to stay at USC and have a shot at a national title to instead jump in the NFL Draft. Kalil has the potential to be a left tackle that could go to tons of Pro Bowls and play at a high level for a long time. Kalil has the build of an excellent left tackle and should be able to improve the Vikings' pass protection immediately for QB Christian Ponder. Kalil proved his potential and ability at the NFL Combine as he showed that he has excellent mobility to contain defensive ends and the strength toi be a dominate blocker in the passing and running games. Kalil will be starting at left tackle for a long time for the Vikings.

4. The Cleveland Browns select Alabama RB Trent Richardson.
Richardson is the best running back prospect in this year's draft as he was a dominate running back at Alabama last season. Richardson is one of the best ruuning back prospects in years as Richardson has that perfect cobination of agility, speed, and strength. The most important thing for Richardson is he has the vision to find the space to make big runs and score touchdowns. Richardson has the potential to be as good as Minnesota RB Adrian Peterson. Richardson will be an excellent running back in the NFL.

5. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers select LSU CB Morris Claiborne.
The Bucs have made a lot of upgrades but despite signing CB Eric Wright to a five-year deal, the Bucs still need some help at cornerback. Claiborne is the best prospect in the draft and was arguably the best player on the LSU defense this past season. Claiborne will not have to be a number one cornerback immediately in Tampa so that will give him some time to develop. The biggest thing about Claiborne is his toughness as he can contain big time receivers despite the fact that he is just under 6 feet tall. Caliborne knows how to cover and he will be a very good NFL cornerback.

6. The St. Louis Rams (via the Washington Redskins) select Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon.
The Rams haven't had a big time playmaker at wide receiver since they had guys like Torrey Holt and Isaac Bruce. Blackmon can be that guy as he proved his talent over the last few season at Oklahoma State. Blackmon knows how to go and get the ball and he has the speed to break away from a lot of defensive backs. He has the ability to go up and get the ball which a number one receiver needs. Blackmon will get to be the number one target immediately for the Rams as he could form a dangerous combination with QB Sam Bradford.

7. The Jacksonville Jaguars select South Carolina DE Melvin Ingram.
The biggest need for the Jaguars is to upgrade their pass rush as the Jags struggled to get pressure on opposing teams' quarterbacks. Melvin Ingram has become the number one defensive end prospect in this draft after he impressed teams at the combine with his agility, speed, and acceleration which allow him to be a defensive end or a 3-4 outside linebacker. Ingram has the potential to be a really good pass rusher in the NFL as he has the strength to get through offensive lineman on top of the agility and speed.

8. The Miami Dolphins select Iowa OT Riley Reiff.
The Dolphins need to improve their offensive line as they look for a franchise quarterback in free agency (Alex Smith). Reiff is a very raw offensive tackle prospect but he has the potential to become a very dominant left tackle due to his 6' 6'' frame. Reiff did not have the best combine but most teams knew that he would need some developing. Reiff should be able to get some time to develop which could make him a very good NFL player.

9. The Carolina Panthers select Memphis DT Dontari Poe.
The Panthers need to improve their defensive lineman and especially at defensive tackle as Dontari Poe is the best defensive tackle prospect in this draft. Poe has the talent to be a nose tackle in a 3-4 defense or a defensive tackle in a 4-3 defense which is what the Panthers do. Poe was very impressive at the NFL Combine as his 44 reps impressed scouts on top of his 4.98 40 yard dash. Poe has a lot of talent as he went under the radar at Memphis but he is now getting tons of attention as he is proving why he has the potential to be a Pro Bowl caliber defensive tackle.

10. The Buffalo Bills select North Alabama CB Janoris Jenkins.
Buffalo has some needs but they fill their biggest with the signing of Mario Williams. However, Buffalo does need to find a young cornerback and Jenkins would be an interesting selection. Jenkins has had to rebuild his career after he was kicked off of the Florida football team. He ended up at North Alabama where he has rebuilt his reputation and then proved himself with a good NFL Combine. Jenkins knows that he can't afford to get into any trouble if he wants to be a good NFL cornerback. Jenkins could be a very good player for a long time but it all depends on his character.

11. The Kansas City Chiefs select Boston College ILB Luke Kuechly.
The Chiefs are looking to rebound after they missed the playoffs last season and inside linebacker is a position they need to improve. Kuechly is the guy the Chiefs are looking for as he had a very impressive college career at Boston College and impressed even more at the combine as he proved he is an excellent all-around linebacker. Kuechly is a very talented player that will play in multiple Pro Bowls over his career. Kuechly will be able to make an immediate impact as Kuechly will be one of the best inside linebackers in football and has the potential to be a great player.

12. The Seattle Seahawks select Stanford OG David DeCastro.
Seattle needs help on the offensive line as that could make RB Marshawn Lynch more dangerous which could make the Seahawks playoff contenders. DeCastro impressed at this year's NFL Combine as he showed he is very strong and he has the ability to open holes for running backs due to his acceleration. DeCastro has received some comparisons to Pro Bowl, and former Seahawks G Steve Hutchinson as DeCastro definitely has the talent to live up to that. Seattle will be able to make a huge upgrade on the offensive lineman as DeCastro will be an excellent addition.

13. The Arizona Cardinals select Alabama S Mark Barron.
Arizona needs help in the secondary as S Adrian Wilson is declining at a fairly quick rate, DB Richard Marshall left for Miami, and their safeties combined for only one interception last season. Mark Barron is the best safety in the draft and I think he has the potential to be as good as Adrian Wilson or even as good as Ed Reed. Barron is an excellent ball-hawking safety and teams will have to gameplan to try to avoid Barron if they are playing the Cardinals. Mark Barron should be a very good safety for the Cardinals.

14. The Dallas Cowboys select North Carolina DE Quinton Coples.
The Cowboys have a very good 3-4 defense right now but they need some help at defensive end as Kenyon Coleman and Jason Hatcher are not that good and are both past their prime. Coples wopuld be a great fit as he can be a defensive end in not only a 4-3 scheme but a 3-4 scheme also. Coples has the speed to blow by offensive lineman but also the strength to get by guards. Coples will be able to be a dominant force on the defensive line as he will get to learn behind Kenyon Coleman.

15. The Philadelphia Eagles select LSU DT Michael Brockers.
The Eagles need help on their defense and defensive tackle is definitely one of those positions they need to upgrade. Despite a disappointing combine, Brockers is still a good prospect and he could be a very good fit in Philadelphia as he played on a very talented LSU defensive line. The Eagles have a very talented defensive line and Brockers could be very effective playing beside Trent Cole, Jason Babin, and Cullen Jenkins. Brockers might be a good defensive tackle but there is also a shot he will not but it is worth the risk for the Eagles.

16. The New York Jets select Alabama OLB Courtney Upshaw.
The Jets need to improve their pass rush as that could help them make a turnaround and make the playoffs next season. Upshaw would be a great fit as he put up great numbers over the last few seasons at Alabama under Nick Saban. Upshaw knows how to get to the quarterback and could be a very dangerous player for Rex Ryan. Upshaw isn't a sure bet but his pedigree at Alabama will intrigue the Jets enough to pick him as he could start immediately for the Jets.

17. The Cincinnati Bengals (via the Oakland Raiders) select Georgia OL Cordy Glenn.
The Bengals had a surprisingly good season last year and they can still improve in some areas like the offensive line where they lost G Nate Livings to the Cowboys. Glenn has a huge build as he is 6' 6'' tall and 346 pounds which could be developed into a dominate offensive guard. Not many defensive lineman would want to have to go up aginst someone of Glenn's size. Glenn has very good strength and decent speed which could help make an immediate impact. The Bengals should go get Glenn as he could be an immediate starter.

18. The San Diego Chargers select Alabama CB Dre Kirkpatrick.
The Chargers had a disappointing season as they surprisingly missed the playoffs but if they want to give themselves a good shot to make the playoffs next year, they need to improve their secondary. Alabama CB Dre Kirkpatrick has proven that he can produce as he was the second best cornerback in the SEC behind LSU's Morris Claiborne. Kirkpatrick showed his ability to control big time receivers this past season and he should be able to be a fairly dominant force in San Diego.

19. The Chicago Bears select Wisconsin C Peter Konz.
The Bears offensive line was once again disappointing last season as one position they need to upgrade is center. Konz is the best center on the board as he might be able to start right away. Konz has the abilities of a natural leader on the offensive lines as he has the ability to also create running room which would benefiit Matt Forte. Konz has the potential to be the starting center for the Bears for multiple seasons.

20.  The Tennessee Titans select Mississippi State DT Fletcher Cox.
The Titans have been known in the past for having a dominate defensive line but they currently need some upgrades their especially at defensive tackle. Fletcher Cox had a breathrough season at Mississippi State as he was also impressive at the NFL Combine where he benched 30 reps and had a 4.79 40 which is excellent for a defensive tackle. Cox has improved his work ethic and he should be a very good, all-around defensive tackle in the NFL as he is a good pass rusher and run stopper.

21. The Cincinnati Bengals select Alabama ILB Dont'a Hightower.
The Bengals had a breakthorugh season last year thanks to impressive rookie QB Andy Dalton and rookie WR AJ Green who also made the Pro Bowl. Despite not receiving too much recognition, Dont'a Hightower was the leader of that excellent Alabama defense as he has the ability of a true leader in the middle of defense. Hightower has the intangibles that teams look for in a middle linebacker and I think he could be the next Ray Lewis. Hightower would be a great addition to Cleveland as he could replace free agent LB Manny Lawson.

22. The Cleveland Browns (via the Atlanta Falcons) select Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill.
It is widely known that the Cleveland Browns do not think that QB Colt McCoy is a franchise quarterback as they tried to get the number two overall pickto get RG3 as the Redskins beat them to it. Tannehill is the third best quarterback prospect in the draft but he will need some time to develop. Tannehill moved over from wide receiver to quarterback which is why he has very good mobility. Tannehill is a very good team player and a leader but he still needs to learn more about how to play the quarterback position. Despite putting up very good number last season, Tannehill will definitely need some time to develop but he has a lot of potential that can be reached if the Browns are patient.

23. The Detroit Lions select Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd.
After Calvin Johnson, the Lions have an aging Nate Burleson and Titus Young who is more of an over the top receiver or someone that can be used on screens. This is a best available pick but Floyd could make the Lions offense very dangerous. Floyd has the size to be a big time receiverover the middle or down the sidelines due to his size. Floyd is also a very polished receiver which means he should be able to have an immediate impact. Floyd will be an excellent receiver and the Lions will give Matthew Stafford another weapon as he might be able to break some records.

24. The Pittsburgh Steelers select Stanford OT Jonathan Martin.
The Steelers are about to lose left tackle Max Starks as they try to keep their star receiver Mike Wallace due to their limited cap space. Martin was a part of a very good offensive line at Stanford as they did a great job of protecting Andrew Luck. Martin is a player that can start right away for Pittsburgh as he is already an NFL-ready offensive tackle due to the fact that he started all three years he was at Stanford. Martin is a very good offensive tackle who should be able to be good in run and pass blocking immiediately in Pittsburgh as he aims to replace Max Starks.

25. The Denver Broncos select Michigan State DT Jerel Worthy.
The Broncos made a Cinderella run into the playoffs last year after Tim Tebow took over at quarterback. The Broncos could still use some help at defensive tackle as the best three defensive tackles for Denver are all free agents. Worthy was a very successful player in his career at Michigan State as he had good success at sacking the quarterbacks with 12 sacks in his collegiate career. Worthy can also make an impact on special teams as he blocked three kicks with Michigan State. Worthy is a good leader who could help Denver continue to build a team that can win a Super Bowl.

26. The Houston Texans select Georgia Tech WR Stephen Hill.
The Texans were finally able to make the playoffs this season despite the fact that key players Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, and Mario Williams (now in Buffalo) all got injured. One problem for Houston is that they do not have very much wide receiver depth after Andre Johnson as all they have is Kevin Walter and Jacoby Jones. Both Johnson and Walter are also 30 years old so the Texans could use some youth at receiver. Hill is a raw prospect due to the fact that he played in the Georgia Tech triple option offense. However, Hill impressed at his combine as he ran a 4.39 in the 40, had a vertical of 39.5 inches, and measured in at a height of 6' 4''. Hill still needs to improve his route running but Hill has the potential to be an excellent wide receiver.

27. The New England Patriots (via the New Orleans Saints) select Clemson DE/OLB Andre Branch.
The Patriots came slow close to winning another Super Bowl trophy as they will look to improve for a Super Bowl run next year. Branch has the talent to be the pass rusher that the Patriots are looking for on the edge after they lost defensive end Mark Anderson and his ten sacks last season to Buffalo. Branch has the ability to be a defensive end in a 4-3 defense or be a 3-4 outside linebacker due to his excellent speed. Branch's versatility will make him a man that opposing offenses will have to watch. Branch can make an immediate impact in Foxboro as the Patriots look to get back to the Super Bowl and win this time.

28. The Green Bay Packers select USC DE/OLB Nick Perry.
Despite winning 15 games last season, the Packers have some holes on their team especially in the front 7 as they need another outside linebacker or defensive end that can compliment star linebacker Clay Matthews. Nick Perry was very impressive at USC and he continued to impress at the NFL Combine. Perry has a great combination of speed and strength that could make him a dominate player. Perry would definitely give Green Bay another dangerous pass rusher who could get to the quarterback.

29. The Baltimore Ravens select Notre Dame S Harrison Smith.
The Ravens came very close to going to the Super Bowl as they barely lost to the Patriots on a Billy Cundiff missed field goal. The Ravens need some help at safety as Ed Reed may only have a year left in his career and Bernard Pollard is not that good. Smith has the ability to go and get the ball as he has very good ball skills but he can also stop the run effectively which can make him an immediate starter over Pollard at strong safety. Smith would get the chance to learn how to be a great safety from Ed Reed and that could help Smith become a very good player.

30. The San Francisco 49ers select South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore.
The 49ers were the biggest surprise in the NFL last season as they were only two wins away from lifting the Lombardi Trophy in Indy. Despite a good defense, the 49ers could use some help at cornerback as Carlos Rogers can not be their only good cornerback. Gilmore was a very productive cornerback in college as he has the ability to be a leader on a NFL defense. Gilmore has a lot of potential and with his work ethic, he should be able to be a very good cornerback.

31. The New England Patriots select Boise State RB Doug Martin.
This pick for the Patriots has a potential to be traded as Bill Belichek has been known for trading down in the draft previously. If they do not trade this pick, the Patriots could look for a running back and Doug Martin would be a good fit after the Patriots lost BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Martin has similar abilities to Kevin Faulk in that he can go make plays in the passing game as well as the running game. Martin also put up very good numbers in a Boise State passing offense with QB Kellen Moore. Martin has the talent to be a very consistent running back and he could be as good the 49ers' Frank Gore.

32. The New York Giants select Ohio State OT Mike Adams.
The Giants just barely made the playoffs as they made a great run to win the Super Bowl as they were led by QB Eli Manning, WR Victor Cruz, and DEs Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul. The Giants need an offensive tackle to replace Kareem McKenzie and Adams could be a good long term replacement for him. Adams has the frame to become a very good offensive tackle as the one question I have about him is will he have the work ethic to become that. Adams's motivation will decide if he wants to be a great offensive tackle or a backup.

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