*Below is my seventh annual mock draft on Buffalobills.com. This is just how I think things could pan out in round one. Hopefully it gives you a better handle on the needs of the other NFL teams besides the Bills. Enjoy the draft everybody and stay close to Buffalobills.com all three days of the 2012 draft. *
Team | Top 3 Needs | Possible Selections |
1. Indianapolis | QB, DT, WR |
Top choice:QB Andrew Luck - Stanford |
Colts owner Jim Irsay is sold on Luck plain and simple. | ||
2. Washington | QB, CB, ILB | Top choice:QB Robert Griffin III - Baylor CB Morris Claiborne - LSU |
The Redskins traded three first-round picks and a second this year to move up. You don't do that for anything other than a franchise QB. | ||
3. Minnesota | OT, CB, DL | Top choice:CB Morris Claiborne - LSU OT Matt Kalil - USC |
The Vikes will think long and hard about a blind side pass protector, but Claiborne helps against those strong-armed NFC North QBs. | ||
4. Cleveland | WR, RB, QB | Top choice: RB Trent Richardson - Alabama WR Justin Blackmon - Oklahoma St. |
The Browns' offense is in desperate need of playmakers. | ||
5. Tampa Bay | DB, LB, OL | Top choice: CB Stephon Gilmore - So. Carolina WR Justin Blackmon - Oklahoma St. |
It might be a little high to go for the second-best corner on the board, but Barber is 37 and Aqib Talib could be facing jail time. | ||
6. St. Louis | DT, WR, OLB |
Top choice:DT Fletcher Cox - Mississippi St. |
The Rams need game-breaking passing threats for Sam Bradford, but they need interior D-line help just as much. | ||
7. Jacksonville | DL, OL, DB |
Top choice:OT Matt Kalil - USC |
Mike Mularkey's offense could use some pass protection help for Blaine Gabbert after a rough rookie season. Kalil's slip past three makes the Jaguars a big beneficiary. | ||
8. Miami | WR, QB, S | Top choice: QB Ryan Tannehill - Texas A&M DE/OLB Melvin Ingram - So. Carolina |
The Dolphins say they won't be pressured into taking a QB, but Tannehill's skill set might be too tempting for owner Stephen Ross to pass up. | ||
9. Carolina | LB, DT, CB | Top choice:WR Justin Blackmon - Oklahoma St. DE/OLB Melvin Ingram - So. Carolina |
Panthers need help on defense, but scoring weapon like Blackmon for Cam Newton makes for a special pass game tandem. | ||
10. Buffalo | OT, LB, CB | Top choice:S Mark Barron - Alabama OT Cordy Glenn - Georgia |
Much like the Spiller pick in 2010, the Bills take the top player on the board and select the best safety to come out since Sean Taylor. | ||
11. Kansas City | OL, DT, ILB | Top choice:LB Luke Kuechly - Boston College OT Cordy Glenn - Georgia |
The Chiefs fill a need position with the best run stopping linebacker in the draft. | ||
12. Seattle | LB, DE, G | Top choice: DE/OLB Melvin Ingram – So. Carolina G David DeCastro – Stanford |
The Seahawks have the luxury of addressing some of their top needs. Ingram's talent is too difficult to ignore. | ||
13. Arizona | WR, ILB, OL |
Top choice:WR Michael Floyd – Notre Dame |
The Cardinals run the card up to the table to get a threat to line up opposite Larry Fitzgerald. | ||
14. Dallas | DT, DB, G | Top choice:G David DeCastro - Stanford DT Michael Brockers - LSU |
The Cowboys really want to plug the middle of their defensive front, but the best guard in the draft is too high on their board to pass on. | ||
15. Philadelphia | OLB, S, OL |
Top choice:DT Michael Brockers – LSU |
The Eagles see a lot of upside in Brockers, and he has time to learn on the job with vets in front of him. | ||
16. NY Jets | DE, OLB, OL | Top choice: DE Quinton Coples – N. Carolina DE/OLB Whitney Mercilus - Illinois |
The Jets roll the dice on Coples, who has tremendous ability, but questionable work ethic. | ||
17. Cincinnati | OL, CB, OLB | Top choice:OT Cordy Glenn - Georgia DE Whitney Mercilus - Illinois |
The Bengals have the luxury of playing Glenn at guard with vets at tackle, and can transition him to tackle over time. | ||
18. San Diego | DT, G, S |
Top choice:DT Jerel Worthy - Michigan St. |
The Chargers get to fortify their defensive interior with a disruptive player. | ||
19. Chicago | DE, DT, CB | Top choice:DE Whitney Mercilus - Illinois DT Dontari Poe - Memphis |
Lovie Smith has some upgrading to do on the defensive line and will take the pass rusher that led the nation in sacks with 16. | ||
20. Tennessee | CB, DE, OL | Top choice:CB Dre' Kirkpatrick - Alabama OT Jonathan Martin - Stanford |
The Titans need help on the back end after losing Cortland Finnegan in free agency. | ||
21. Cincinnati | CB, OLB, RB | Top choice:LB Dont'a Hightower – Alabama OT Jonathan Martin – Stanford |
Cincinnati misses out on Kirkpatrick, but scoops up a versatile front seven talent. | ||
22. Cleveland | WR, QB, LB | Top choice: WR Kendall Wright - Baylor OT Jonathan Martin – Stanford |
The Browns make it a duo of playmakers with a big play threat in the pass game. | ||
23. Detroit | OL, CB, LB | Top choice:OT Jonathan Martin - Stanford DE Courtney Upshaw - Alabama |
With no cornerback value here the Lions land the heir apparent to LT Jeff Backus. | ||
24. Pittsburgh | OL, DL, LB | Top choice:DT Devon Still - Penn State OT Riley Reiff - Iowa |
Still can learn on the job as Casey Hampton's understudy with the vet entering the last year of his contract. | ||
25. Denver | CB, DL, WR |
Top choice:DT Dontari Poe - Memphis |
The Broncos' need an influx of youth on the defensive interior and Poe fits the bill. | ||
26. Houston | OT, WR, LB | Top choice:OT Riley Reiff – Iowa WR Stephen Hill – Georgia Tech |
After losing Eric Winston in free agency, Reiff could be a plug and play option at right tackle. | ||
27. New England | DL, OL, DB |
Top choice:DL Courtney Upshaw – Alabama |
The Patriots have to add some line of scrimmage players early. | ||
28. Green Bay | OLB, OL, DL | Top choice: DE/OLB Shea McClellin – Boise St. C Peter Konz – Wisconsin |
Ted Thompson needs someone to draw attention away from Clay Matthews. | ||
29. Baltimore | OL, OLB, WR | Top choice:G Kevin Zeitler – Wisconsin C Peter Konz - Wisconsin |
With a need on the offensive interior the Ravens are likely to bag one of the Badger linemen. | ||
30. San Francisco | CB, OLB, DL | Top choice: DL Kendall Reyes – UCONN C Peter Konz – Wisconsin |
The 49ers need some young players to rotate in with their vets on the defensive front. | ||
31. New England | OL, OLB | Top choice:C Peter Konz – Wisconsin DE Chandler Jones – Syracuse |
Bill Belichick lands one of best interior linemen. Konz can play center or guard. | ||
32. NY Giants | OL, LB, RB |
Top choice: LB Lavonte David - Nebraska |
The Giants go for the best value and get a linebacker with incredible range and instincts. |