Double D’s Def Draft, Mocking 2012
By Double D
To give everyone a slight break from the frenzied first 48 hours of free agency (with which I too am trying to keep up), I’m venturing into the hallowed, funny haired ranks of NFL draft prognosticators. Let’s begin with a little conversation about which positions teams around the league seem to be looking for and suggest that that is likely to play a major factor in dictating what the first round of the draft will look like. In just a couple of instances, I’ve deviated from the “pure need” approach and selected a player for value or long term strategic reasons.
Over the last few years, most teams have shied away from taking wide receivers in the first round for a variety of reasons: cost, bust factor, position depth… you get the picture. I believe this is the draft where the pendulum starts swinging the other way.
Cliche or not, through its rule-making, the NFL is emphasizing the passing game more and more. This is brought to fore in the 2012 draft by noting that somewhere in the neighborhood 17 receivers are considered high on the list of offseason needs throughout the NFL. Right up there with WRs, the next most in demand positions are, not surprisingly, cornerback and safety, with about 15 needed for each. Think of it as a co-dependent, abusive relationship.
Let me clue you into something: there are not even 10 WRs in this year’s draft class that warrant first round consideration. I’m gonna tell you one thing more — first round quality or not, there will be a lot of teams grabbing up WRs in the first round for fear that they miss out on filling that need in the 2nd or later rounds.
Here’s how I have primary team needs breaking down by position:
17 Wide Receivers
15 Cornerbacks
15 Safeties
14 Guards
11 Right Tackles
10 Pass Rushers
10 4-3 Linebackers (SAM, MIKE, WILL)/ 3-4 ILBs
6 Left Tackles
6 Quarterbacks
6 Centers
4 Nose Tackles
3 Running Backs
2 3-4 Defensive Ends
1 4-3 Defensive Tackle
I’m making no assumptions about draft trades at this point but I am going to assume that the Free Agent market will take some pressure off of teams looking to draft a franchise QB in the first round. I figure about 3 or 4 QBs with starter potential will be in the mix and likely acquired prior to the draft through FA. The short list of names of who I either know or feel will be in play for starting roles on new teams – Peyton Manning, Matt Flynn, plus perhaps Josh Johnson and Dennis Dixon. The way I see it, that sort of narrows down the list of teams desperately seeking a franchise QB through the draft, now doesn’t it?
Anyway, those are my initial thoughts on this year’s draft. After the dust of free agency has had settled a bit, I plan to revisit these picks and perhaps tweak them for a post free agency mock.
Enjoy, debate, and by all means participate if you agree or disagree with any of these selections.
Primary Needs – QB, CBx2, SS, WR
Selection – Andrew Luck, QB – Stanford
2. Washington Redskins (from St. Louis)
Primary Needs – QB, WR, ILB, NT
Selection – Robert Griffin III, QB – Baylor
Primary Needs – LT, CB, WR, OG
Selection – Matt Kalil, OT – USC
Primary Needs – WR, RT, QB?, CB
Selection – Trent Richardson, RB – Bama
Primary Needs – CB, 43LB x 2, RT, WR
Selection – Morris Claiborne, CB – LSU
6. St. Louis Rams (from Washington)
Primary Needs – OT x 2, OG, WR, 43OLBx2
Selection – Riley Reiff, OT – Iowa
Primary Needs – QB, WR, CB, 43DE
Selection – Melvin Ingram, 43DE – South Carolina
Primary Needs – NT, WR, RT, 34OLB, QB?
Selection – Justin Blackmon, WR – Oklahoma State
Primary Needs – 43DT, CB, SAM, RT
Selection – Michael Brockers, 43DT – LSU
10. Buffalo Bills
Primary Needs – 43DE, WR, LT, CB
Selection – Quinton Coples, 43DE – North Carolina
Primary Needs – RT, NT, QB, G/C
Selection – Dontari Poe, NT – Memphis
12. Seattle Seahawks
Primary Needs – QB, 43DE, G, 43DT
Selection – David DeCastro, OG – Stanford
Primary Needs – OT x 2, WR, 34ILB, 34OLB, RG
Selection – Jonathon Martin, OT – Stanford
14. Dallas Cowboys
Primary Needs – CB, C, G, S
Selection – Cordy Glenn, RT/G – Georgia
Primary Needs – SAM, MIKE, WR, CB, SS
Selection – Luke Kuechly, ILB – Boston College
16. New York Jets
Primary Needs – WR x 2, RT, 43OLB, S x 2
Selection – Michael Floyd, WR – Notre Dame
17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland)
Primary Needs – CB, RB, S x 2, G
Selection – Janoris Jenkins, CB – North Alabama
Primary Needs – LT/RT, G, 34OLB, CB
Selection – Mike Adams, RT – Ohio State
19. Chicago Bears
Primary Needs – WR, LT, CB, G/C
Selection – Dre Kirkpatrick, CB – Bama
20. Tennessee Titans
Primary Needs – C, OG x 2, 43DE, S?
Selection – Peter Konz, C – Wisconsin
Primary Needs – CB, RB, S x 2, G
Selection – Mark Barron, S – Bama
22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta)
Primary Needs – WR, RT, QB?, CB
Selection – Stephen Hill, WR – Georgia Tech
23. Detroit Lions
Primary Needs – LT, CB, SS, 43DE
Selection – Stephon Gilmore, CB – South Carolina
Primary Needs – LT, LG, NT, CB x 2
Selection – Ryan Tannehill, QB – Texas A & M
25. Denver Broncos
Primary Needs – LG, RT, CB, C, QB?
Selection – Kelechi Osemele, OG/OT – Iowa State
26. Houston Texans
Primary Needs – WR x 2, OG x 2, C, NT
Selection – Kendall Wright, WR – Baylor
27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans)
Primary Needs – 34OLB, WR x 2, 34DE, S
Selection – Whitney Mercilus, 34OLB – Illinois
Primary Needs – 34OLB, S, 34DE, RB
Selection – Fletcher Cox, 34DE – Mississippi State
29. Baltimore Ravens
Primary Needs – LT, C, WR, 34OLB
Selection – Mohammed Sanu, WR – Rutgers
Primary Needs – WR, RG, RT, FS, QB?
Selection – Kevin Zeitler, OG – Wisconsin
Primary Needs – 34OLB, WR x 2, 34DE, S
Selection – Reuben Randle, WR – LSU
32. New York Giants
Primary Needs – LG, TE, FS, 43ILB
Selection – Coby Fleener, TE – Stanford