2012 nfl draft

The NFL draft is one of my favorite things to watch. Whether it's watching the crazy Jets fans boo whoever is drafted, the awkward silence when someone is drafted higher than the "experts" said they should, or the Raiders taking the fastest guy regardless of actual football ability, I enjoy it. Part of the excitement is the fact that so many first round picks are busts. Millions are spent on interviews, scouts, investigating a players history, the nfl combine, overpaid draft experts, physical exams, and tons of other crap, yet the bust rate is still ridiculously high (around 50%) and guys like Arian Foster still manage to go undrafted.

I decided this year that I would make my own mock draft. I will include the picks I think each team will make as well as which player at that same position I think will ultimately have a better career. Anyways, here it goes.

1. Indianapolis Colts - Andrew Luck - QB Stanford
Kinda obvious considering the owner already said they were taking him. Last year was hard to watch but if you are going to suck, you might as well Suck For Luck!
(Should pick - Andrew Luck - QB Stanford)

2. Washington Redskins - Robert Griffin III - QB Baylor
Another obvious pick. They traded to #2 for a reason. While I didn't watch any of Baylor's games last year except their thrashing of UW, judging from that game alone I think Griffin was the 2nd best QB on the field. I know it's stupid to judge from one game, but hey, it's my mock draft.
(Should pick - Ryan Tannehill - QB Texas A&M)

3. Minnesota Vikings - Matt Kalil - OT USC
I think Minnesota is a mess and they don't know what to do. Trade down? Unlikely considering what it cost Washington to move to #2. They need almost every position, but OT usually is a safe pick.
(Should pick - Matt Kalil - OT USC)

4. Cleveland Browns - Trent Richardson - RB Alabama
Cleveland is another team that has been a mess lately. Holmgren isn't doing nearly as well as a GM as he was as a coach. They are picking too high to take another QB, and too high to trade down. I think they reluctantly take Richardson.
(Should pick - David Wilson - RB Virginia Tech)

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Morris Claiborne - CB LSU
Claiborne scored so low on the Wonderlic Test that I took this sample test to see how hard it could really be. My score = 37.5. Claiborne = 4. (No not a misprint). However, after looking at some sample tests I have a hard time seeing how exactly this translates to running and tackling. (Side note, anyone who tries that sample test, do question 9 last. I wasted half of my time on that stupid question before getting the answer and didn't have time to answer 11 and 12 which are both pretty easy ones.)
(Should pick - Morris Claiborne - CB LSU)

6. St. Louis Rams - Justin Blackmon - WR Oklahoma St.
I think the Rams are in a pretty good position at #6. Nobody is going to trade ahead of them to take a WR, and a few teams after them (JAX, CAR, BUF) also need WR's. There are only 2 projected top WR's available so I think they snatch one here. I also think if I were taking one, Blackmon would not be on my list. But hey, the Rams suck for a reason.
(Should pick - Michael Floyd - WR Notre Dame)

7. Jacksonville Jaguars - Stephen Gilmore - CB South Carolina
Jacksonville is boring except for MJD. I have nothing to say about them other than that.
(Should pick - Trumaine Johnson - CB Montana)

8. Miami Dolphins - Ryan Tannehill - QB Texas A&M
The Dolphins might over think this one and take someone else. Tannehill is not a no-brainer pick, but the Dolphins are at least talented enough to think that they won't get a shot at a QB early in next years draft....I think...They have failed at landing anyone lately and they owe it to the fans to take Tannehill even if he ends up being a bum.
(Should pick - Russell Wilson - QB Wisconsin)

9. Carolina Panthers - Michael Floyd - WR Notre Dame
I think Michael Floyd is the best WR in the draft and the only one I would take in the first few rounds.
(Should pick - Alshon Jeffery - WR South Carolina)

10. San Diego Chargers via Buffalo Bills - David DeCastro - G Stanford
My first trade of the draft. There are several teams that would take DeCastro before the Chargers at pick #18 so I think they jump all of them to get him. Buffalo missed out on the WR they wanted in Floyd, so I think they are eager to trade down.
(Should pick - David DeCastro - G Stanford)

11. Kansas City Chiefs - Luke Kuechly - ILB Boston College
Everyone is saying he is the "safest" defensive pick in the draft. It reminds me too much of when the Seahawks took Aaron Curry and that turned out miserable. I don't think Kuechly will be that bad but I hope the it's the Chiefs that waste an early pick on him.
(Should pick - Keenan Robinson - ILB Texas)

12. New York Jets via Seattle Seahawks - Mark Barron - S Alabama
My second projected trade. I think the Jets defense is beginning to crack. Cromartie sucks at pass defense and Barron is the best safety available. They know Dallas will take him at #14 so I think they trade up to get him.
(Should pick - Mark Barron - S Alabama)

13. Arizona Cardinals - Riley Reiff - OT Iowa
Larry Fitzgerald reportedly wants another WR (Michael Floyd) to finally give them a second WR. The only way I think they get him is to trade up to #6 or #7 but I think it would cost them too much, so they take their next biggest need in a tackle.
(Should pick - Bobbie Massie - OT Mississippi)

14. Dallas Cowboys - Jonathan Martin - OT Stanford
Martin did great at Stanford, but the Pac 12 isn't really known for good defensive ends. If anything they are known for bad ones. I still think the Cowboys take Martin, but will regret it.
(Should pick - Mike Adams - OT Ohio St)

15. Philadelphia Eagles - Fletcher Cox - DT Mississippi St
I honestly don't know much about any of the DT's but I do know that the Eagles should be drafting defense with most of their picks. I think they take the top rated DT here.
(Should pick - Jerel Worthy - DT Michigan St)

16. Seattle Seahawks via New York Jets - Melvin Ingram - OLB South Carolina
It seems like there are a lot of DE's and OLB's available in this draft, and Ingram could play either position. With as bad as the hawks offense has been, I think they still go defense with their first pick.
(Should pick - Melvin Ingram - OLB South Carolina)

17. Cincinnati Bengals - Dre Kirkpatrick - CB Alabama
Half way there....this is taking longer than I thought. Cincinnati has 2 picks pretty close together. They need defense and I think they take the last top CB available with their first pick.
(Should pick - Dre Kirkpatrick - CB Alabama)

18. Buffalo Bills via San Diego Chargers - Kendall Wright - WR Baylor
The Bills have to go offense with almost every pick this year. They don't really have a #1 WR but there aren't any left for them. I still think they take a WR with their first pick, but later after trading down.
(Should pick - Greg Childs - WR Arkansas)

19. Chicago Bears - Amini Silatolu - G Midwestern St Cutler gets hit too much. After signing Brandon Marshall, they will be wanting to throw the ball more. Coples would be tempting here, but if they are smart they will take an OL.
(Should pick - Cordy Glenn - OT Georgia)

20. Tennessee Titans - Quentin Coples - DE North Carolina
There are a lot of good DE's in this draft. #20 is really late for taking a DE but I think the fact that there are so many available will cause the position to get taken lower than it probably should. Coples is considered "risky" but he has the most potential. At #20 it is too good to pass up.
(Should pick - Quentin Coples - DE North Carolina)

21. Cincinnati Bengals - Courtney Upshaw - DE Alabama
With their second pick I think the Bengals also go defense. I think it is still too early to consider taking a RB for them.
(Should pick - Chandler Jones - DE Syracuse)

22. Denver Broncos - Dontari Poe - DT Memphis Another trade. Trades are impossible to predict so I'm not even sure why I did. Anyways, The Broncos will be shocked to see Poe still available and trade up to keep him from possibly going to Pittsburgh.
(Should pick - Alameda Ta'Amu - DT Washington)

23. New England Patriots - Dont'a Hightower - ILB Alabama
Last trade I swear. New England seems to trade more than any other team. With 2 first round picks I think they will do it again, this time going up to take another LB. Their defense is pathetic. I could see Janoris Jenkins possibly going to NE, but they might be able to get him later.
(Should pick - Tank Carder - ILB TCU)

24. Pittsburgh Steelers - Kevin Zeitler - G Wisconsin
If the Steelers want to continue to be successful they need Roethlisberger to stay healthy. That means they will be taking OL with at least 2 picks in this draft.
(Should pick - Kevin Zeitler - G Wisconsin)

25. Cleveland Browns - Stephen Hill - WR Georgia Tech
The Browns need a bunch of offensive help. I think they go for the guy who might be the fastest WR in the draft to help out their QB.
(Should pick - Stephen Hill - WR Georgia Tech)

26. Houston Texans - Rueben Randle - WR LSU
The Texans would have loved to get Hill here, but settle for Randle as a compliment to Andre Johnson. I think they will really wish they had gotten Hill though.
(Should pick - Jeff Fuller - WR Texas A&M)

27. Detroit Lions - Coby Fleener - TE Stanford
I think Fleener will be the 4th Stanford player taken in the first round. I think the Lions shock a few people and take Fleener to be their 2nd good TE. If so, look out for Detroit's offense next year. They are already good, Fleener might make them Super Bowl caliber.
(Should pick - Coby Fleener - TE Stanford)

28. Green Bay Packers - Harrison Smith - S Notre Dame
I don't really have a clue who any of these teams will actually draft, but I know Green Bay will draft a great player. They always do. They desperately need defense, particularly pass defense. They always score a ton of points so teams have to throw against them. I think they take a safety to help out that pass defense.
(Should pick - Harrison Smith - S Notre Dame)

29. Baltimore Ravens - Peter Konz - C Wisconsin
The Ravens also are a team that always drafts well. No coincidence that these teams pick at the end of every draft. They need a center and Konz is the best available.
(Should pick - Peter Konz - C Wisconsin)

30. San Francisco 49ers - Michael Brockers - DT LSU
The 49ers defense was great last year. They could use help at WR, but I think they go for best available and take Brockers. They could use another CB but I don't think they go out on a limb for Janoris Jenkins.
(Should pick - Michael Brockers - DT LSU)

31. St. Louis Rams - Cordy Glenn - OT Georgia
I couldn't finish without another New England trade. It would be a shock if Glenn is still available here, and if so the Rams will move up to take him.
(Should pick - Kelechi Osemele - OT Iowa St)

32. New York Giants - Doug Martin - RB Boise St
If Fleener is still available I think they take him here. There are also some LB possibilities, but I think they go for another RB. Jacobs is gone and Bradshaw gets hurt every year. I should know, he is always on my fantasy team. I think they go for a big RB rather than a small quick guy and take Martin.
(Should pick - Terrance Ganaway - RB Baylor)