2012 NFL Mock Draft - Free Agency Edition

Okay, for the most part, free agency is done with. All the big names have been signed, resigned, or franchised. Now, this has shook up the draft somewhat because some of these signings means a team won't be looking to fix certain areas in the first round of the draft, and instead draft for depth later in the draft. The free agent signings that happen now will mostly be for depth.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB Stanford - The Colts are rebuilding, and they have the first overall pick. One again, I have them drafting Andrew Luck. He's in the mold of Peyton Manning as a pocket passer, and the Colts' owner loved Manning. Luck can also move around better than Manning could, so he's not going to be a statue in the pocket. 
2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB Baylor - You don't give up the picks Washington did to move up to the second overall pick and take anyone other than a quarterback. With Luck going to the Colts, that means the Redskins get to select RGIII who's skills seem to fit perfectly into Shannahan's offense. And with them grabbing two receivers in free agency, though neither might end up a #1 receiver, they give him better weapons than what he would have had in Washington.
3. Minnesota Vikings: Mat Kalil, OT USC - Last year the Vikings took Christian Ponder, a QB out of Florida State at pick number twelve. If they want him to develop into a franchise quarterback and not be a wasted pick, they need to protect him. If they take Kalil, and it's almost a lock that they do, then his blind side will be protected for the next decade.
4. Cleveland Browns: Morris Claiborne, CB LSU - The Browns have a lot of needs on offense, but in the end they go defense with their first pick of the draft. I don't think they want to take Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill this high, I don't think they like WR Justin Blackmon for the offense they run, and taking a RB this high doesn't make sense for them since they don't have a run-oriented offense. Claiborne makes the most sense because they play three playoff teams from last season twice a season...and the quarterbacks they face in those games are Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, and Andy Dalton. To make the playoffs, you have to win in your division. Taking Claiborne helps shore up their pass defense by giving the Browns two potential shutdown corners to help shut down opponent's passing games.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Trent Richardson, RB Alabama - The first member of the National Champions off the board is their bell cow running back Trent Richardson, the only player to score a touchdown in the National Championship Game. Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano has said that the number one priority on offense is protecting the football. If you can't protect the ball, you won't be getting touches. LaGarrett Blount has talent as a RB, but he has butterfingers. He fumbled five times last season, losing three of them. Richardson had just one fumble in his entire college career playing in the best conference in the country. He's also more explosive, just as powerful, faster, and a much better receiver out of the backfield than Blount. With Claiborne gone, this is the only choice for the Buccaneers.
6. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR Oklahoma State - The Rams need offensive weapons for Sam Bradford and the Rams to be successful. Blackmon is the best receiver in this draft, and can be the go to guy Bradford needs. The Rams have a new head coach in Jeff Fisher, and I don't think he's working on a five-year plan, hence the fleecing of the Redskins so they can trade up to the #2 overall pick.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Riley Reiff, OT Iowa - The Jaguars have a lot of holes, especially on offense, but if they have any chance of giving last year's first round pick, Blaine Gabbert a chance to be successful, they need to protect him. If they draft Reiff, there are two things they can do. First, they can play him at LT and move Eugene Monroe over to RT...or leave Monroe at LT and play Reiff to RT. Either way, they upgrade the tackle position and buy Gabbert better protection in the pocket. They can always go WR in the second round to get him a receiver to throw to.
8. Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill, QB Texas A&M - Do I believe that Tannehill should go this high? No, not at all. But I think he will because of the premium on quarterbacks and because of the fact that the Dolphins whiffed on Peyton Manning, Matt Flynn, and Alex Smith met with them but had no actual interest in signing with them. They haven't had a "franchise quarterback" since Dan Marino retired after the 1999 season. Nobody wants to come and play in Miami because if owner Stephen Ross, and there is no guarantee that they'll be picking high enough in the draft to take one of the top quarterbacks next year either. So if they want a quarterback in the first round, they have to take Tannehill.
9. Carolina Panthers: Dontari Poe, DT Memphis - Poe was a workout warrior at the combine and showed that he's much more than a big body. The Panthers have needs on the defensive line and at corner, but I don't think that you can justify taking any of the other corners this high. Poe would not only stuff the run, he can help the pass rush by bringing on double teams and collapsing the pocket. There might be a corner available for them in the second round.
10. Buffalo Bills: Jonathon Martin, OT Stanford - I have had the Bills taking a pass rusher here, but with the signing of Mario Williams, I don't see that as the pick they make here. If they do take a pass rusher in this draft, it will be later for depth. However, the Bills did give quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick a big contract last season. If they don't resign Demetrius Bell, they will need to draft Martin to keep Fitzpatrick protected. Even of they do resign Bell, I can see them making this pick because Martin would be a franchise left tackle for the next ten plus years.
11. Kansas City Chiefs: David DeCastro, OG Stanford - A guard probably shouldn't go this high, but DeCastro is the best prospect at this position in years. The Chiefs have a big need at the position on their offensive line. New head coach Romeo Crennel is going to want to run the football with Jamaal Charles and Peyton Hillis, not to mention protect Matt Cassel. 
12. Seattle Seahawks: Michael Floyd, WR Notre Dame - The Seahawks signed Matt Flynn to a three year contract in free agency. Sydney Rice was a disappointment last season, but pairing Floyd with his former college teammate Golden Tate could bring big play potential to the passing game to go along with the strong running of Marshawn Lynch. 
13. Arizona Cardinals: Luke Kuechly, ILB Boston College - With DeCastro to the Chiefs and no other guard prospect really worthy of this pick, the Cardinals take Kuechly to fix their problem at inside linebacker. This would make last year's big free agent signing Stewart Bradley a cap casualty, and it's not that big of a deal since he barely played last season. Kuechly would help fix a defense that didn't play very well for most of last season.
14. Dallas Cowboys: Quinton Couples, DE/OLB North Carolina - The Cowboys need to find a pass rusher opposite of DeMarcus Ware, and this pick could be that guy. Anthony Spencer did get the franchise tag, but they could rescind the tag if they draft Couples or let him sit behind Spencer for a season to learn the system in Dallas and just set him loose in all-out blitz situations. 
15. Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Brockers, DT LSU - With the Eagles trading for DeMeco Ryans, they are out of the market for a starting MLB. They still need help on the defensive line though, so I see them taking Brockers to help sure up the inside of the line and take on blockers so Ryans can make tackles sideline-to-sideline. 
16. New York Jets: Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB Alabama - Rex Ryan has to call way too many blitzes to get pressure on the other team's quarterback, this is why I see Upshaw as the only pick the Jets can make here. There isn't an RB worth taking for Ryan'x ground-and-pound offense, and that's really not their biggest need either. If Ryan can get a guy who can get after the QB on a consistent basis, his defense would be loads better against the pass.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB Alabama - Leon Hall won't be ready to start the season due to an Achillies injury and Nate Clements is past thirty (he's 32 in December) and was an inconsistent player last season. Kirkpatrick can start for Hall until he comes back from injury and then he can start over Clements, who will be a free agent after this season anyhow. And while there are character concerns, the Bengals don't care about character.
18. San Diego Chargers: Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB Illinois - What was once a strength of the Chargers defense has become a weakness. No Chargers defensive player had more than four sacks last season. The Chargers finished 23rd overall in the NFL last season in the quarterback sacks category with 32. Now with Peyton Manning in the division, pass defense is ever more important and if they can disrupt Manning, it will help their chances tremendously with winning the division.
19. Chicago Bears: Cordy Glenn, OG Georgia - Wide receiver is no longer nearly as big of a need for the Bears since they traded two third rounders for play making receiver Brandon Marshall, who was Cutler's go to receiver in Denver when they both had some of their best seasons. Now to make sure that the connection can be there again, they must protect Cutler better...and this pick would open up the running lanes more for Matt Forte and the newly acquired Michael Bush. They can take a receiver in the second round if one is available to eventually be the #2 receiver.
20. Tennessee Titans: Fletcher Cox, DT Mississippi State - The Titans signed Kamerion Wimbley to be a pass rushing defensive end/linebacker for them, but they still need more help on the offensive line. Fletcher Cox would be an excellent fit on the interior of the Titans line. 
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Kevin Zeitler, OG Wisconsin - The Bengals need help at guard, and Zeitler is the best offensive guard available. The Bengals signed BenJarvus Green-Ellis to replace Cedric Benson at running back, and bringing Zeitler in would be a great move to help open holes for Green-Ellis to run through. He would also help protect Andy Dalton so he can hook up for long bombs with A.J. Green.
22. Cleveland Browns: Kendall Wright, WR Baylor - They failed to trade up to take the quarterback from Baylor, but the wide receiver from the school falls to them here. It looks like the Browns are sticking with Colt McCoy this season, and if they want to see if he indeed can be a franchise quarterback, they need to get him a legit receiver to throw the ball to. Wright can open up the top of a defense with his speed, and he can also run the shorter routes and then use his speed to gain yards after the catch in the West Coast Offense. If McCoy doesn't show that he's a franchise quarterback with a legit receiver this season, the Browns will be in the market for a quarterback next offseason.
23. Detroit Lions: Janoris Jenkins, CB North Alabama - After being kicked out of Florida, he had nowhere to turn but North Alabama to rehab his image and show that he can still play. It looks like the problems that plagued him at Florida are behind him, and the Lions need a corner to help shut down one side of the field. Their offense is up and running just fine, but the defense needs help...especially in a division with Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler at quarterback.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont'a Hightower, ILB Alabama - The Steelers recently cut ILB James Farrior in a salary cap move and don't really have anyone reliable behind him to take over. Right now the starter pegged in his place is Larry Foote, who wasn't very impressive in a reserve role last season. Hightower played in the 3-4 defense at Alabama and would be an excellent pick. He could possibly start at the ILB position as early as game one this season.
25. Denver Broncos: Devon Still, DT Penn State - The Broncos have some options at wide receiver already and Peyton Manning at quarterback will make most receivers look better than they actually are. They could always take a receiver in a later round to develop. However, they needed another defensive tackle before Brodrick Bunkley signed with the Saints. Now they are really in the market for an interior defensive lineman, and Devon Still is the best available. 
26. Houston Texans: Zach Brown, OLB North Carolina - The Texans made the playoffs on the strength of their defense last season after Matt Schuab went down with an injury followed immediately by backup QB Matt Leinart. They did it without Mario Williams who was injured after just a handful of games. Williams left as a free agent to the Buffalo Bills, and the Texans can upgrade Brooks Reed at outside linebacker. Zach Brown would upgrade their pass rush...and the rest of their division has first round picks that have been used on quarterbacks in 2012 or 2011.
27. New England Patriots: Jerel Worthy, DT Michigan State - The Patriots had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season. A couple seasons ago they spent a second round pick on Ron Brace, but he's been a disappointment. Last season they started with Albert Haynesworth next to Vince Wilfork, but he showed to be the same guy he was with the Redskins and was released. Worthy has a nasty streak that would bring an attitude to the offensive line, and he could also play DE in 3-4 looks because the Patriots do sometimes switch to that look in a hybrid defense.
28. Green Bay Packers: Stephon Gilmore, CB South Carolina - The Packers currently have Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams as their starting corners. Woodson is going to turn 36 during the 2012 season, and I don't see him playing at a high level too much longer. Eventually, age catches up to everyone. Gilmore fits Green Bay's defensive system very well and could sit and learn behind Woodson (a future Hall of Famer in my opinion). Playing in a division with the Lions and the Bears who both have very, very good quarterbacks...you can never have too many good corners.
29. Baltimore Ravens: Peter Konz, C Wisconsin - The Ravens lost Ben Grubbs at guard and couldn't sign his replacement in free agency. Drafting Konz would be a great move because he could start at guard this season and then move to center after Matt Birk retires, which is something he considered doing after last season. It would immediately fill a hole this season and fill a hole in the future.
30. San Francisco 49ers: Alfonzo Denard, CB Nebraska- The 49ers have one of the best defenses in the NFL, but if they do have a weakness it's at corner. Carlos Rogers is a good corner, but Tarell Brown doesn't really impress me. I can see the 49ers taking Denard here to help bolster their defensive secondary, especially with the upgrades I have the Seahawks and Rams making at receiver in this draft.  
31. New England Patriots: Mark Barron, SS Alabama - The Patiots upgraded their front seven earlier when they took Jerel Worthy...now they upgrade their defensive backfield with strong safety Mark Barron. Right now their starter at the position is Steve Gregory. Who? They need to fix their defense if they want to actually win another Super Bowl, they are losers in the last two that they have played in.
32. New York Giants: Coby Fleener, TE Stanford - Jake Ballard tore his ACL in the Super Bowl, and while he played well last season he's a better fit as a second tight end in two tight end sets. He's got the size to be a great redzone target for Eli Manning, and he can also block in the run game. The Giants could use a lot of two tight end sets utilizing Fleener and either Martellius Bennet or Ballard.