Thoughts From The Man Cave

Dustin James weighs in with the final version of his 2012 NFL Mock Draft.

It’s time for my final mock draft of the year! I hope everyone else is as excited as I’ am for the beginning of the NFL draft this Thursday night. I’ve actually had trouble sleeping this week due to my excitement (I know, I’m weird…) and it all finally comes to a head in a few hours. Before we get to the draft, I would like to note that I’m in no way a professional at this. I’m just a huge fan of football and the NFL draft just so happens to be one of my favorite sporting events of the year. I usually like to write a mock draft to see how accurate I can be and since I had a little spare time this year, I decided to write a mock draft that is EXCLUSIVE to the MAN-CAVE!

So, with all that said….what do you say we start MOCKING already?

Dustin James’ (Sure to be wrong) 2012 NFL Mock Draft

1. Indianapolis Colts – Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Biggest no-brainer in the draft. Luck is a once in a generation talent and the Colts would be retarded to pass on Luck. Not only is Luck a great QB, but the guy is a Stanford-educated genius. Barring some kind of freak injury, there is no way Luck isn’t one of the best QB’s (if not THE best) in the NFL within the next 2-3 years.

Other options here:

No one

2. Washington Redskins – Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

I’m not as high on RGIII as everyone else seems to be. I think the kid has talent to be a good NFL QB, I just don’t think he’s going to be a great NFL QB. People need to remember that Griffin comes from the BIG 12 conference, a conference which plays absolutely no defense. I could probably throw for over 3,000 yards against BIG 12 teams if need be. Also, Washington doesn’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to moving up in the draft anyway. I could see RGIII having a Michael Vick like career that is full of mistakes and highlight reel plays. This kid is not Cam Newton though and people need to realize that before just assuming he’s destined for greatness.

Other options here:

No one. Washington sold it’s soul to move up in the draft to grab either Luck or RGIII.

3. Minnesota Vikings – Matt Kalil, OT, USC

I think the Vikings are looking for trade partners here, especially for anyone interested in QB Ryan Tannehill. However, you would have to be certifiably nuts to trade up to the 3rd spot in the draft and grab a guy like Tannehill when a SUREFIRE offensive tackle stud like Kalil is sitting here waiting to be grabbed. The Vikings drafted Christian Ponder last year and now they need to protect him. Kalil is the perfect guy for that and it also works out that he’ll eventually move back to Southern California when the Vikings up and leave Minnesota anyway.

Other options here:

Justin Blackmon – WR, Oklahoma State
Morris Claiborne – CB, LSU

4. Cleveland Browns – Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Cleveland has a lot of needs, but something tells me they will be tempted to take Blackmon here. I’m hearing a lot of potential buzz surrounding Cleveland possibly taking Ryan Tannehill here, but that would just be ludicrous. There’s no way Tannehill is the 4th best talent in the draft. Something tells me that the Browns will likely give Colt McCoy one more year to prove he can play in the league. What’s one way to help McCoy improve? Give him weapons. Cleveland has a horrible WR core and Blackmon would be an instant improvement. While I don’t think Blackmon is on the same level as someone like Calvin Johnson, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him end up having a career that’s very similar to that of Dwayne Bowe.

Other options here:

Ryan Tannehill – QB, Texas A&M
Trent Richardson – RB, Alabama

5. Tampa Bay Bucs – Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

New Bucs coach Greg Schiano loves to run the ball and he showed that during his time spent as head coach at Rutgers. Even though the Bucs have LeGarrette Blount, he’s not an every down NFL RB. By drafting Richardson (the so-called “best RB to enter the draft since Adrian Peterson”), the Bucs would have two solid RB’s and would give Schiano the RB he’s coveted since coaching Ray Rice in college.

Other options here:

Morris Claiborne – CB, LSU

6. St. Louis Rams – Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

I think the Rams are potentially looking to trade out of this spot. The Rams have A LOT of draft picks coming up in the future (no thanks to the Redskins….), and it wouldn’t shock me to see them try and stock pile some more for any team interested in moving up to grab either Claiborne, Blackmon, or Richardson if they are available. However, if they decide to stick with this pick, they’ll likely end up drafting either Claiborne or Justin Blackmon to hopefully fill one of two glaring needs.

Other options here:

Justin Blackmon – WR, Oklahoma State
Fletcher Cox – DT, Mississippi State
Reilly Reiff – OT, Iowa

7. Jacksonville Jaguars – Melvin Ingram , DE, South Carolina

The Jags are another team with a lot of glaring needs. They have needs at WR, DE, center, offensive tackle, and the list goes on, and on, and on. The Jags would LOVE if Justin Blackmon somehow fell to them here, but with teams like St. Louis and Cleveland picking before them, I can’t see that happening. Ingram would give Jacksonville the best defensive end in the draft and he’s also a player you could move over to outside linebacker if needed. The team needs some weapons to give to QB Blaine Gabbert who has done nothing to show that he can be a starter in the NFL for years to come. However, if no weapons are available, take Ingram because he would easily be the best option available.

Other options here:

Justin Blackmon – WR, Oklahoma State
Quinton Coples – DE, North Carolina

8. Miami Dolphins – Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

This is the pick where no one knows what’s going to happen. The Dolphins need a QB, but it would be a MISTAKE for them to take Tannehill here. I think Tannehill is a nice project and could eventually be a good NFL player, but he’s NOT THE EIGTH BEST PLAYER IN THE DRAFT! A team would have to be certifiably stupid to try and trade up here to grab a guy who is considered a “project” when you have surefire day 1 NFL starters still left in this draft. However, NFL teams love to overreact when there’s a guy who COULD be a good QB on the board (see: Ponder, Christian) and they end up thinking with their hearts more than their heads. I think Miami ends up taking Tannehill here because they’ll end up thinking it’s worth the risk. Will it be? Most likely not, but it’s better to have a little hope than to have no hope at all.

Other options here:

Riley Reiff – OT, Iowa
Michael Floyd – WR, Notre Dame
Fletcher Cox – DT, Mississippi State

9. Carolina Panthers – Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

Carolina needs a lot of help on the defensive line and at cornerback. There’s a big list of players that the Panthers could grab here, and it wouldn’t shock me to see Carolina select either Cox, Quinton Coples, Riley Reiff, or potentially even Stephon Gilmore. There are definitely tons of ways the Panthers could swing, but something tells me that their pick will either be Coples or Cox with Cox slightly rated higher than the other two.

Other options here:

Quinton Coples – DE, North Carolina
Stephon Gilmore – CB, South Carolina
Riley Reiff – OT, Iowa

10. Buffalo Bills – Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Buffalo is one of those teams that is definitely ready to pop in the NFL. They showed some improvement last year and they have had a great off-season thus far with the addition of Mario Williams. Now that they helped shore up the defensive line, they need to focus on adding some bulk to the offensive line to help give QB Ryan Fitzpatrick some help. Reiff is easily one of the best tackles in the draft and would give the Bills a much-needed starter at the position for years to come.

Other options here:

Michael Floyd – WR, Notre Dame
Luke Kuechly – LB, Boston College

11. Kansas City Chiefs – Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

Kansas City is going to be all about defense under new coach Romeo Crennel. Drafting Kuechly would arguably give KC one of the best linebacking corps in the NFL, if not THE best. The AFC West is ripe for the picking again and as long as KC plays like they played last year when Crennel took over, the Chiefs could sneak up and take the division by drafting a player like Kuechly who’s an immediate NFL starter.

Other options here:

Ryan Tannehill – QB, Texas A&M
Dontari Poe – DT, Memphis
David DeCastro – G, Stanford

12. Seattle Seahawks – Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

The Seahawks have needs at DE, LB, offensive line, and wide receiver. Also, just because they signed Matt Flynn in the off-season doesn’t mean they still wouldn’t be open to drafting Ryan Tannehill if he falls this far. I have Seattle taking Coples because with Kuechly off the board, Coples is the best player left who can fill an immediate need. Coples has the potential to be a starter for years to come and I’m sure he would instantly help a defense that only had 33 sacks last season.

Other options here:

Ryan Tannehill – QB, Texas A&M
Michael Floyd – WR, Notre Dame
Luke Kuechly – LB, Boston College

13. Arizona Cardinals – Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

The first real shocker of my mock. The Cardinals need an offensive tackle BAD. I’m sure they would love for Riley Reiff to fall to them here, but if that doesn’t happen, they could get desperate. We see it from teams every year who do a little reaching when they have a huge hole, and it’s going to happen again this year. If the Cardinals are smarter than I give them credit for, they’ll draft someone like Michael Brockers or Michael Floyd instead, but someone besides Miami is going to reach in the first-round, so why not Arizona?

Other options here:

Riley Reiff – OT, Iowa
Michael Floyd – WR, Notre Dame
Michael Brockers – DT, LSU

14. Dallas Cowboys – Mark Barron, S, Alabama

This is one pick that I think is a surefire thing. It’s no secret that the Cowboys’ biggest need is at the safety position and with the best safety in the draft still on the board, it only makes sense. Dallas is a team that is just a few pieces away from being a legitimate Super Bowl contender. If they draft players like Barron, I’m sure they will get there in to time at all. Jerry Jones is always capable of disappointing his fan base though so a guy like Donatri Poe going here would be no shock at all either….

Other options here:

Dontari Poe – DT, Memphis
Michael Floyd – WR, Notre Dame
Michael Brockers – DT, LSU

15. Philadelphia Eagles – Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

With no good offensive tackles on the board, the Eagles would likely hope and pray that the Cowboys pass on taking Mark Barron. However, if Barron is gone, the Eagles will likely target a defensive tackle in my opinion. There are still some potentially good DT’s on the board with Poe and Michael Brocker sitting there. A lot of people have seemed to sour on Poe over the last few weeks and the kid is already getting pegged as a potential bust. That won’t stop someone from taking a chance on the kid. Plus, if Poe does pan out, the Eagles also added DeMeco Ryans in the off-season. Watch out NFC East, the Eagles could be back.

Other options here:

Michael Brockers – DT, LSU
Fletcher Cox – DT, Mississippi State
Mark Barron – S, Alabama

16. New York Jets – Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

The Jets now have two QB’s in Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow and they need to get these kids some weapons. Outside of Santonio Holmes, the Jets have gross talent at wide receiver. The addition of Michael Floyd would give Sanchez someone else to throw to (I won’t say Tebow because we all know Tebow can’t throw a football) and considering the Jets fan base is ready to burn Sanchez’s house down, the higher-ups need to give the kid some more talent to work with. Floyd would be a real steal for the Jets at #16 because there are reportedly a lot of teams who have him as the #1 receiver in the draft. If Floyd is off the board though, the Jets will likely lean defense and could select either Courtney Upshaw or Chandler Jones.

Other options here:

Courtney Upshaw – OLB, Alabama
Chandler Jones – DE, Syracuse
Mark Barron – S, Alabama

17. Cincinnati Bengals – David DeCastro, G, Stanford

The Bengals scored big last year when they drafted Andy Dalton and A.J. Green and now it’s time to build around those guys even more. If Floyd is still on the board for some reason, he’ll be the pick. Could you imagine someone with Floyd’s talent lining up on the opposite end of Green? Yikes. If Floyd is gone though, the Bengals could stay on the offensive side of the board and go with DeCastro. DeCastro is one of the top-rated guys in the draft and would only help increase the production of Dalton by giving him more time to throw the ball. This would be a huge coup for the kitties.

Other options here:

Michael Floyd – WR, Notre Dame
Mark Barron – S, Alabama
Chandler Jones – DE, Illinois

18. San Diego Chargers – Cordy Glenn, G/OT, Georgia

The Chargers need a lot of help on the offensive line. If DeCastro is available here, he’s the pick. However, I can’t personally see a talent like DeCastro dropping past the Bengals, so the Chargers could likely take the next best player at the position and go with Cordy Glenn out of Georgia. They could slot him in at either right tackle or guard and the offense would immediately improve. The team could also take Mark Barron if he falls this far, but with so many teams ahead of the Chargers needing a safety, I just don’t see that happening.

Other options here:

David DeCastro – G, Stanford
Mark Barron – S, Alabama
Courtney Upshaw – LB, Alabama

19. Chicago Bears – Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

The Bears need a left tackle bad, but with no good talent available at this pick I could see them snatching up Gilmore. Gilmore is one of those guys who stock is quickly rising and he could end up going way earlier than where I currently have him sloted. Either way, it’s no secret that the Bears need cornerbacks which is why Gilmore makes the most sense. They could also take Dre Kirkpatrick or even take a chance on Janoris Jenkins if they want to be sneaky. If they feel like reaching though, they may take Mike Adams out of Ohio State, but they could trade down a few slots and grab Adams if they wanted him bad enough.

Other options here:

Chandler Jones – DE, Syracuse
Mike Adams – OT, Ohio State
Courtney Upshaw – LB, Alabama

20. Tennessee Titans – Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

The Titans have made it pretty clear that they intend on drafting a corner. If Gilmore is still on the board, he’s the pick. But considering I have the Bears taking Gilmore, I gotta go with Kirkpatrick here. Even though I think Janoris Jenkins is the better corner (just ask Julio Jones), his character issues have prevented him from being a potential first-round pick. Kirkpatrick is still a solid player though and has the talent to be a potential top CB in the NFL. If the Titans aren’t sold on either Kirkpatrick or Jenkins, they could take LB Dont’a Hightower since they also have a need at linebacker.

Other options here:

Stephon Gilmore – CB, South Carolina
Janoris Jenkins – CB, North Alabama
Dont’a Hightower – ILB, Alabama

21. Cincinnati Bengals – Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse

If the Bengals take an offensive player at #17, then they need to start focusing on the defensive side of the ball. Chandler Jones is one of those guys who has risen up draft boards lately due to his freakish athleticism. I know, it’s weird that the brother of UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones has freakish athletic talent, but some families just have crazy good genes. Either way, Jones may have a lot of athleticism, but he’s still a little bit of a project. If the Bengals aren’t sold on Jones or any of the other pass rushers left, they could always lean towards Kendall Wright or Stephen Hill. Lots of options here for Cincy….

Other options here:

Kendall Wright – WR, Baylor
Janoris Jenkins – CB, North Alabama
Whitney Mercilus – DE, Illinois

22. Cleveland Browns – Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

If the Browns take Blackmon with the #6 pick, then they need to focus on the offensive line next. The Browns will likely decide to roll with Colt McCoy as their man behind center again next year, and by adding Blackmon and an offensive tackle like Mike Adams…McCoy could actually make some strides instead of taking backward steps. Of course, if the Browns don’t take Blackmon with the #6 pick, they could always settle for a guy like Stephen Hill or Kendall Wright. There is also a chance that the Browns focus on the defensive side of the ball, which makes Courtney Upshaw, Whitney Mercilus, Chandler Jones, and Michael Brockers a possibility as well.

Other options here:

Courtney Upshaw – LB, Alabama
Whitney Mercilus – DE, Illinois
Michael Brockers – DT, LSU

23. Detroit Lions – Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama

I’m hearing rumors that the Lions are planning on grabbing a corner in the first-round, but would they be willing to take a risk on Janoris Jenkins here? After making some good moves in the last few drafts, the Lions can’t afford to gamble on a player like Jenkins in the first-round and would be much safer taking Courtney Upshaw. Can you imagine what the Lions pass rush would look like if they selected Upshaw with this pick? They may not even need an elite corner considering I can’t imagine many NFL quarterbacks having much time to throw the ball with guys like Upshaw, Ndamukong Suh, and Nick Fairley rushing at you.

Other options here:

Janoris Jenkins – CB, North Alabama
Mike Adams – OT, Ohio State
Whitney Mercilus – DE, Illinois

24. Pittsburgh Steelers – Dont’a Hightower, ILB, Alabama

Sometimes the experts make it easy for me. 85% of the mock drafts I read before doing this (and trust me, there were like 15 of them) had the Steelers taking Hightower, so it sounds good to me. Hightower is perfect for the Steelers defense and as much as it pains me to say this….the Steelers would once again hit the big one by nabbing Hightower here.

Other options here:

Mike Adams – OT, Ohio State
Kendall Wright – WR, Baylor
Michael Brockers – DT, LSU

25. Denver Broncos – Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

This is Denver’s dream scenario. Brockers is easily a top-15 talent and if he slides this far, the horses will jump all over this one. Denver’s biggest need is at defensive tackle and Brockers would come in and be an immediate starter from day one. With the addition of Von Miller last year and some dude named Peyton Manning this past off-season….Denver’s putting a lot of fear into the heart of this Kansas City Chief fan.

Other options here:

Janoris Jenkins – CB, North Alabama
Peter Konz – C, Wisconsin
Kendall Wright – WR, Baylor

26. Houston Texans – Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Will Kendall Wright slide this far? The Houston Texans and Wright would likely both love that to happen. I’m sure Wright would love to play football in the same state that he played his college ball in and I’m sure the Texans would love to have him. The Texans biggest need is at wide receiver and I’m sure they would jump at the chance to add a player like Wright. They may decide to take Stephen Hill over Wright especially considering HIll is higher on a lot of people’s draft boards. If they decide against taking a WR though, they could look towards taking an OT to help ease the pain of the loss of Eric Winston.

Other options here:

Stephen Hill – WR, Georgia Tech
Mike Adams – OT, Ohio State
Dont’a Hightower – ILB, Alabama

27. New England Patriots – Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

Did you know the New England Patriots were in desperate need of some pass rushers? You would have been able to tell had you watched one of their games last season. The Patriots are still one of the best teams in the league and they have a history of drafting good talent. Whitney Mercilus is a one-year wonder out of Illinois and there are still plenty of question marks surrounding him. Something tells me that Bill Belichick is the perfect guy to help Mercilus figure out exactly what kind of player he can turn into.

Other options here:

Harrison Smith – S, Notre Dame
Nick Perry – DE, USC
Kendall Reyes – DT, UCONN

28. Green Bay Packers – Shea McClellin, OLB, Boise State

The Packers are another team in dire need of a pass rusher. By drafting Shea McClellin out of Boise State, they would get a linebacker who’s main strength is taking the QB down. I think McClellin is one of the most underrated prospects in the entire draft and something tells me people would look back at this draft in 5 years and remember the steal that Green Bay got with the #28th pick. If the Packers decide against McClellin, they may look towards taking a safety or potentially even a center like Peter Konz from Wisconsin.

Other options here:

Harrison Smith – S, Notre Dame
Andre Branch – DE, Clemson
Peter Konz – C, Wisconsin

29. Baltimore Ravens – Harrison Smith, S, Notre Dame

This is one pick that didn’t change from my original mock as it just makes too much sense. Baltimore is getting old at safety and it’s not like Ed Reed has always been the most reliable guy in the injury department. Adding Smith would give them youth and hopefully a guy who’s not injured every other game.

Other options here:

Lavonte David – OLB, Nebraska
Peter Konz – C, Wisconsin
Kevin Zeitler – G, Wisconsin

30. San Francisco 49ers – Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech

I could see the 49ers trading out of this spot if both Kendall Wright and Stephen Hill are off the board here, but in my mock they get lucky and Hill is still available. The Niners need some weapons at WR and Hill is a guy who’s stock has risen tremendously these last few months. Something tells me that Jim Harbaugh would love to have a guy with Hill’s talents. If Hill isn’t here though and the Niners decide to keep the pick, they may decide to add a piece to one of the NFL’s best defenses with the addition of someone like Janoris Jenkis or Kendall Reyes. This is one team that would be a perfect fit for Jenkins in my opinion.

Other options here:

Kendall Reyes – DT, UCONN
Kevin Zeitler – G, Wisconsin
Janoris Jenkins – CB, North Alabama

31. New England Patriots – Kendall Reyes, DT, UCONN

Remember earlier when I said the Patriots were in desperate need of some pass rushers? Don’t be surprised if they take two of them with the #27th pick and this pick here. By adding a DE like Whitney Mercilus, the Pats could look at grabbing a DT like Kendall Reyes. This would be the ultimate scenario for the Patriots who have once again loaded up on draft picks. The Patriots could also be a player for Janoris Jenkins as they are another team who would be a perfect fit for him.

Other options here:

Jerel Worthy – DT, Michigan State
Janoris Jenkins – CB, North Alabama
Peter Konz – C, Wisconsin

32. New York Giants – Lavonte David, OLB, Nebraska

The Giants need a linebacker and it would be a huge score for them to take Lavonte David here. David is currently ranked #24 on Mel Kiper’s Big Board and is likely the best player avaliable at a need for the G-Men. The Giants are another team that I could see trading out of this spot though. Something tells me someone will try and trade up to grab QB Brandon Weeden before the end of the first-round and this may be the spot that happens in.

Other options here:

Coby Fleener – TE, Stanford
Bobby Massie – OT, Ole Miss
Jerel Worthy – DT, Michigan State