JT's 2012 First Round NFL Mock Draft (11/28)

My first 2012 NFL Mock Draft

1. Indianapolis - Andrew Luck (QB, Stanford) - I see a (more likely) scenario where the Colts trade Luck for more picks to bolster the roster immediately & still get Peyton's future successor.  Luck is the consensus #1 overall player. Can't predict trades, so the obvious choice is to leave Luck as the top pick.
2. St. Louis - Justin Blackmon (WR, Oklahoma State) - Rams should re-sign Brandon Lloyd, but Bradford needs all the help he can get.  Blackmon is a physical nightmare for corners. Combined w/ Lloyd, it could be a dangerous assignment for defenses in the NFC West.
3. Minnesota - Matt Kalil* (OT, USC) - He would by far the best tackle in the draft.  Keeping Ponder upright while also providing aid for Peterson in the run game is the best bet for the Vikings.  Receiver or even CB is also an option.
4. Carolina - Alshon Jeffery* (WR, South Carolina) - If Jeffery is on the board when Carolina picks, they almost have to take him.  A physical red zone target is a match made in Heaven for Newton and the Panthers.  Fell off a little this year but is still a top tier talent.
5. Miami - Matt Barkley* (QB, USC) - There will be an entirely new coaching staff in South Beach next season and new coaches love rookie QBs.  Barkley is a good college QB that seems to translate better to the pro level.
6. Jacksonville - Morris Claiborne* (CB, LSU) - Claiborne is the best player available not named Trent Richardson.  Jags could go almost any direction & it be justified but their pass defense is probably their second biggest problem (Pass offense - top 2 WRs off board already).  Great fit.
7. Kansas City - Quinton Coples* (DE/LB, North Carolina) - The Chiefs could really use a pass rusher.  Tamba Hali can't do it all.  They could take the 'wait-and-see' approach w/ 2010 draft pick Justin Houston. In that case, they may choose to bolster O-line.
8. Cleveland - Dre Kirkpatrick* (CB, Alabama) - Kirkpatrick is a 6'2 physial corner w/ plenty of speed.  His potential is out of this world.  It's a bit of a gamble, but the upside is great.  Team him w/ Joe Haden and you could be looking at the best CB combo in 2 or 3 years.
9. Arizona - Jonathan Martin (OT, Stanford) - Arizona would love to undo the Kevin Kolb trade.  Take a QB here and sale into the future with a young franchise QB.  Well, ain't happenin!  They'll draft a left tackle and protect the signal caller and give him the best chance possible.
10. Washington - Landry Jones* (QB, Oklahoma) - Redskins need a QB. Would if Jones fell to them at this spot.
11. Tampa Bay - Michael Floyd (WR, Notre Dame) - If the Bucs are going to insist on treating Freeman like he's Aaron Rodgers then they need to get him real weapons out wide. Floyd is big with good routes and better hands.  He was right up there w/ AJ Green and Julio Jones until the character concerns came swirling around.
12. San Diego - Luke Kuechly (MLB, Boston College) - Chargers need an impact player in their front seven but more than that, they need a leader. Kuechly could be that.
13. Seattle - Trent Richardson* (RB, Alabama) - At this point, they should consider this stealing.  No way he stays on the board this long.  He's a combination of Reshard Mendenhall and Adrian Peterson but an awesome receiver out of the backfield. 
14. Philadelphia - Vontaze Burflict (MLB, Arizona State) - This guy is a terror.  He has spurts where he is Patrick Willis-esque.  A true MLB would go miles for the Eagles' D.
15. Buffalo - Robert Griffin III* (QB, Baylor) - Ryan Fitzpatrick just signed a long term contract extension but I'm sure the Bills are regretting it to some extent.  RG3 has all the tools Chan Gailey admires in a QB.  Gailey's had history w/ mobile QB's.   Not sure he comes out, but if he does, someone will be glad to have him.
16. Tennessee - Mark Barron (S, Alabama) - On paper, the Titans don't look too bad.  Don't really have many glaring holes, the problem is there are no game-changers on the defensive side of the ball.  I look for them to go BPA w/ this pick... Honestly, it could be anyone.
17. Denver - Alonzo Dennard (CB, Nebraska) - Once John Elway gets over the fact that Tebow is a good quarterback, he can focus on bringing in talent at other positions.  The defense is playing well as of late.  Thanks to a pass rush and spirited LB play.  Time to fix the secondary???
18. NY Jets - Melvin Ingram (DE/LB, South Carolina) - Will this finally be the year the Jets select that pure pass rusher their fans have been clamoring for?  Not sure if Ingram fits Rex's prototype rush LB but he's the best pass rusher available.
19. Cincinnati - Riley Reiff (OT, Iowa) - They would've loved to land Trent Richardson, but as it turned out, their season was just too good for that to happen.  So they go get their LT of the future.  Andre Smith is good but will never be the LT.
20. Detroit - Janoris Jenkins (CB, North Alabama) - Man do these guys need help in their secondary or what?  They could go w/ an all secondary draft and still not have enough help.  Louis Delmas is the only player they have back there worth anything.  Jenkins is the most talented player in the secondary available. They'll select him knowing it's BOOM or BUST!
21. Cleveland (f/ Atlanta) - Brandon Thompson (DT, Clemson) - As they transition back to a 4-3 defense, they need to add the personnel along the front seven. Thompson is a monster who could play one-tech or 3-tech in a 4-3.  He'll be welcomed by the LB corps.
22. Chicago - Jeff Fuller (WR, Texas A&M) - You can debate whether or not this is the receiver the Bears take w/ their first round pick but it will be a receiver no doubt.  Fuller comes from a spread offense where he was the focal point.  He gave Patrick Peterson all he wanted in the 2010 Cotton Bowl.
23. Cincinnati (f/ Oakland) - David Wilson* (RB, Virginia Tech) - The more film I watch of him, the more amazed I am by this guy.  He came right out of the Blacksburg, VA thin-air.  He has smooth cuts, raw power and speed to burn.  Instinctive runner with excellent vision is just what Cincy's offense needs to complement Benson and the young passing attack.
24. Dallas - Cordy Glenn (OG, Georgia) - Dallas will take the mammath guard with this pick.  He's a world-mover.  Murray & Jones will run behind with great success giving Jerry Jones flashbacks of the ol' Larry Allen days.
25. NY Giants - Zach Brown (OLB, North Carolina) - I expect Osi to be gone at season's end and Kiwanuka to return to his natural position at end which opens a spot for Zach Brown at OLB for the G-Men.  His speed and aggressiveness will fit this defense perfectly.
26. Houston - Alameda Ta'amu (NT, Washington) - Wade Phillips is doing quite well as coordinator for the Texans.  Cushing and Ryans are two stud LBs who will benefit greatly from a true NT lined up to demand double teams.  No brainer for Houston.
27. New England - Barrett Jones* (OL, Alabama) - Is there a more versatile lineman in the country? Doubt it.  Is there a team in the NFL that appreciates versatility the Patriots? Doubt it.  Pats could ease a lot of pain and add flexibility to their OL with this selection. Mark it down.  If Jones comes out, he's a Patriot.
28. New England (f/ New Orleans) - TJ McDonald (FS, USC) - Brandon Meriweather is a terrible safety. However, the trash New England has put out all season is just that... Pure trash!  Insert long, rangy safety from USC to bring order to the back end of the Patriots defense.
29. Baltimore - Dont'a Hightower* (LB, Alabama) - Ray Lewis' career is drawing closer.  Hightower is big, athletic and comes at you like a freight train.  He's a run stopper, and equally good as a pass rusher.  He can find time at both inside and outside backer while he waits for Ray to hand him the keys.  Also, Baltimore has done well with Bama players recently.
30. Pittsburgh - Stephon Gilmore* (CB, South Carolina) - The Steelers are all of a sudden running more man-to-man coverages.  If this is a trend, not a blip, then I assume they will be looking for corners.  Look no further than Stephon Gilmore.  He's a natural athlete with both man and zone coverage abilities.  He has a knack for making plays, which is something Dick Lebeau, like all coaches, really covets. 
31. San Francisco - Reuben Randle* (WR, LSU) - Dynamite receiver. 49ers will bring huge play ability to the offense with this kid.  Sneaky fast.  Good player with plenty of untapped potential.
32. Green Bay - Courtney Upshaw (OLB, Alabama) - GB is without a doubt the best team in the world.  An undefeated championship season could be on the brinks.  They don't need anything else but a true pass rusher that is familiar with the 3-4 could boost their sometimes sketchy defense.  Upshaw is relentless in pursuit of the QB and would excel in the Dom Capers 'Cover 7' 3-4