2012 NFL Mock Draft: Projected Top 5 Picks for the 2012 NFL Draft on Saturday, April 26th in New York City: With the 2012 NCAA tournament officially in the books, talk of March Madness will quickly give way to April’s NFL draft. Mel Kiper and Todd McShay will become the two most popular men in the world of sports, and analysts everywhere will debate which prospects will be busts and which will be future Pro Bowlers. Only three weeks remain before the Indianapolis Colts are on the clock, and with a trade already made for the second pick, the top five is starting to take shape.
2012 NFL Mock Draft – Predictions and Projections for the Top 5 Players to be Drafted
1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, Quarterback, Stanford
Don’t buy into the rumors that Robert Griffin III may be sneaking into the conversation for the top pick. General managers simply don’t pass up a player that has been considered the top pro quarterback prospect for the last three years. Luck has the body, the arm strength, and most importantly, the knowledge of a pro-style offense. He doesn’t make mistakes, especially in the red zone, and he has athleticism outside the pocket in the mold of Aaron Rodgers. Luck is the low risk, high reward pick that every team wants when they have the No. 1 pick. He is a franchise QB in the making, and Indianapolis isn’t going to overthink this. Luck will be the top pick.
2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, Quarterback, Baylor
Go ahead and pencil in RG3 as a lock to end up in Washington as the No. 2 pick. The Redskins have been searching for a franchise quarterback for more than a decade, and the front office didn’t trade a basket of draft picks to St. Louis to pick anything but a quarterback. The Heisman Trophy winner wowed at Baylor and wowed at the combine and his pro day. He has game-changing speed, and more importantly, he is an accurate passer. Griffin may need a little time to adapt to a more conventional offensive system, but his upside is off the charts. He will follow Luck off the draft board.
3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, Offensive Tackle, USC
Given how porous the Minnesota secondary was last season, an argument can made be for LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. However, Kalil is all but a lock to become a Viking. After all, the quarterback is the most important player on the field, and the player that keeps him upright isn’t far behind. Kalil has the agility, strength and technique to be a dominant left tackle for the next decade, and he is the unquestioned top player at the position in this year’s draft. He will protect young QB Christian Ponder, open running lanes for Adrian Peterson, and make the Vikings’ offense better overall. Kalil will be the cornerstone of Minnesota’s offensive line for a long time.
4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, Running Back, Alabama
Cleveland desperately needs offensive weapons, and with Peyton Hillis no longer part of the backfield, Richardson is a natural replacement. He is a punishing runner that can wear down opponents and take pressure off QB Colt McCoy. Not to mention that pass his catch-passing ability will fit perfectly with the Browns’ dink-and-dump offense. Richardson is by far the top running back prospect on the board, and as well as he performed in the brutal SEC, there is no reason he shouldn’t be able to handle the grind of the NFL.
Other options with this pick include receiver Justin Blackmon or one of the other quarterback prospects. However, picking another QB doesn’t really help with the lack of weapons that has plagued Cleveland’s offense. Blackmon would provide McCoy with an explosive deep threat, but Richardson is going to touch the ball much more than any receiver. It is also worth mentioning that Mike Holmgren calls the shots, and he had plenty of success in Seattle with a workhorse back from Alabama leading his offense. This is the first pick in the draft that isn’t set in stone, but Richardson is the frontrunner to join the Browns.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, Cornerback, LSU
While his ridiculously low Wonderlic score raises questions about whether or not he can read multi-syllable words or do simple math, there is no question that Claiborne is a physical, shutdown corner. With Ronde Barber on his last leg and Aqib Talib possibly going to jail or at least being suspended, Tampa Bay needs a cornerback. Claiborne can play man-to-man coverage, he is a reliable tackler, and he can rush the passer. His ability to be both a reliable cover corner and a playmaker will be too much for the Buccaneers to pass up, especially with so many question marks at the position. The fact that former LSU secondary coach Ron Cooper works for Tampa Bay makes Claiborne all the more likely to end up a Buccaneer.
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