Combine will impact draft's first round

By Chad Reuter | NFL Network

Published: Feb. 24, 2012 at 11:34 a.m.

1. Pick No.

   1

   

   Andrew Luck

   QB

   Stanford
   The drama between future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning and the Colts regarding his health and contract situation hijacked Super Bowl coverage -- and it'll probably infiltrate the combine, as well. But no matter how that story plays out, Luck's exceptional physical and mental attributes make him very difficult for the Colts to pass up as the team's future leader.
2. Pick No.

   2

   

   Justin Blackmon

   WR

   Oklahoma St.

   Projected trade to Rams
   It makes sense for the Rams to trade out of this spot if they find a willing partner, though many logical deals imagined pre-draft never materialize. Even if new general manager Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher get the chance to move down a few spots in exchange for additional picks, they'll be looking to bring in Blackmon as the legitimate big-play threat the offense desperately needs.
3. Pick No.

   3

   

   Matt Kalil

   OT

   USC

   Projected trade to Vikings
   Last year's first-round pick, quarterback Christian Ponder, had injury issues in college, so finding a reliable starting left tackle could prolong his career. When Kalil fully fills out his tall frame, he could join his brother Ryan (the Carolina Panthers center) on future All-Pro teams.
4. Pick No.

   4

   

   Robert Griffin III

   QB

   Baylor

   Projected trade to Browns
   There's a chance that Washington or another quarterback-starved team will try to move ahead of the Browns to select RG3. Browns president Mike Holmgren must decide whether he values the intelligent, athletic, strong-armed Griffin enough to get into the bidding war for the No. 2 slot, or if he'll just wait out the storm and take the best player on the board at this spot.
5. Pick No.

   5

   

   Morris Claiborne

   CB

   LSU

   Projected trade to Buccaneers
   Claiborne is not a physical specimen like Patrick Peterson, last year's top-five cornerback pick from LSU who played well as a rookie for the Arizona Cardinals. He is the best of the CB class this year, however, and combines a good size/speed combination with the receiver-like ball skills NFL defensive coaches love.
6. Pick No.

   6

   

   Quinton Coples

   DE

   North Carolina

   Projected trade to Redskins
   Head coach Mike Shanahan, defensive coordinator Jim Haslett and the rest of the Redskins staff saw how good Coples could be under their tutelage when they coached him at the Senior Bowl last month. With defensive ends Adam Carriker and Kedric Golston being potential free agents, Coples could be needed at the five-technique position.
7. Pick No.

   7

   

   Melvin Ingram

   DE

   South Carolina

   Projected trade to Jaguars
   General manager Gene Smith has shown in the past that he is interested in selecting good football players, even if they don't stretch the measuring tape. Ingram's height and length are only average for defensive linemen, but his playmaking ability and quickness should help Smith and the Jaguars coaching staff overlook that.
8. Pick No.

   8

   

   Riley Reiff

   OT

   Iowa
   An All-American left tackle in 2011, Reiff has the temperament and strength to play across the line from former No. 1 pick Jake Long. New head coach Joe Philbin spent four seasons at the University of Iowa under head coach Kirk Ferentz, so he'll have no trouble finding out whether Reiff has the physical and mental aptitude to transition to a new position in the NFL.
9. Pick No.

   9

   

   Michael Brockers

   DT

   LSU
   Brockers appears to be the next SEC defensive tackle to crack the top 10, following the path laid by Richard Seymour, Glenn Dorsey, Marcell Dareus and many others. The Panthers could have used the redshirt sophomore's length and pure strength in the middle of their defense last year, and he should only get better with more coaching and experience.
10. Pick No.

    10

    

    Mike Adams

    OT

    Ohio St.
    A strong Senior Bowl put the prototypically sized Adams on display. With free agent Demetrius Bell coming off injury, the Bills will be taking a hard look at offensive tackles in this draft. Adams could be on the top of their board if they think his inconsistent ways are behind him.
11. Pick No.

    11

    

    Trent Richardson

    RB

    Alabama
    With Thomas Jones on his way to free agency, Jamaal Charles coming off a knee injury and Dexter McCluster a change-of-pace back at best, the Chiefs will take Richardson's value here. He and Charles could be a formidable duo.
12. Pick No.

    12

    

    Devon Still

    DT

    Penn St.

    Projected trade to Seahawks
    Pete Carroll is always looking for strength and length on the defensive line, so putting Still in the middle makes sense. And if Carroll likes Red Bryant as a strong-side end in his four-man front, maybe Still could earn playing time there, as well.
13. Pick No.

    13

    

    Jonathan Martin

    OT

    Stanford
    With left tackle Levi Brown's contract possibly untenable and right tackle Brandon Keith a free agent, the Cardinals may need one or two new starters on the outside of the offensive line. Martin protected Andrew Luck's blind side at Stanford, but he could easily slide to the right side in the NFL.
14. Pick No.

    14

    

    Dre Kirkpatrick

    CB

    Alabama

    Projected trade to Cowboys
    Terence Newman may be on his way out of Dallas as a cap casualty due to his subpar 2011 season, and Kirkpatrick's the type of tall, physical cornerbacks that teams covet.
15. Pick No.

    15

    

    Luke Kuechly

    ILB

    Boston College

    Projected trade to Eagles
    The team's problems in the middle of the defense last season were well-documented. Kuechly's production and instincts could fill that gap, especially if he shows better-than-expected athleticism at the combine.
16. Pick No.

    16

    

    David DeCastro

    G

    Stanford
    DeCastro's strength, intelligence and mobility have drawn comparisons to former Jet guard Alan Faneca, so it wouldn't be a reach to see him leading the way in the run game.
17. Pick No.

    17

    

    Zach Brown

    OLB

    North Carolina
    Brown's athleticism will be abundantly clear when he performs at the combine, but there is concern among scouts about his physicality and maturity. Cincinnati has taken chances on talented players with question marks in the past, so they may be willing to give Brown his shot to prove the critics wrong.
18. Pick No.

    18

    

    Nick Perry

    DE

    USC
    With former first-round pick Larry English not living up to expectations, GM A.J. Smith may not be able to ignore Perry's athleticism on the outside -- even if he is another conversion project. The Chargers ranked 23rd in sacks in 2011 and gave up 29 passing touchdowns, partially due to a lack of pressure.
19. Pick No.

    19

    

    Michael Floyd

    WR

    Notre Dame
    Floyd's size and physicality make him a nice fit with the Bears, who need a big-bodied target that can take some attention away from speedsters Devin Hester and Johnny Knox.
20. Pick No.

    20

    

    Whitney Mercilus

    DE

    Illinois
    With defensive ends Jason Jones and William Hayes potentially hitting the free agent market, Tennessee may need to add a pass rusher early in this draft. Mercilus may not have a long track record, but leading the nation in sacks last season is still a pretty good résumé item.
21. Pick No.

    21

    

    Cordy Glenn

    T

    Georgia

    Projected trade to Bengals
    Both of the Bengals' starting guards, Nate Livings and Bobbie Williams, are scheduled to be free agents. Glenn could play tackle in the NFL, but projects as a dominant interior player.
22. Pick No.

    22

    

    Kendall Wright

    WR

    Baylor
    Bringing the Baylor connection to Cleveland could be an instant upgrade for a Browns offense lacking a punch. Wright's size is not exceptional, but his ability to work inside and take the top off defenses with speed will certainly open things up.
23. Pick No.

    23

    

    Janoris Jenkins

    CB

    North Alabama
    If the Lions can get over Jenkins' average height (he measured a shade under 5-10 at the Senior Bowl) and dismissal from Florida after multiple arrests for marijuana possession, they may get a relative bargain in this fluid and feisty pass defender.
24. Pick No.

    24

    

    Kelechi Osemele

    T

    Iowa St.
    Osemele won't fit every blocking scheme in the league, but seems to match the size and strength prototype the Steelers prefer up front. His strong hands and big wingspan should help form a wall in front of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
25. Pick No.

    25

    

    Jerel Worthy

    DT

    Michigan St.

    Projected trade to Broncos
    Worthy has the potential to be an impact defender for the Broncos if he consistently brings his quickness off the snap. Head coach John Fox and his staff will try their best to maximize his effectiveness.
26. Pick No.

    26

    

    Dontari Poe

    DT

    Memphis
    Adding a promising young nose tackle in the middle of the Texans' three-man line should only continue the improvement they showed under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips last season.
27. Pick No.

    27

    

    Courtney Upshaw

    OLB

    Alabama

    Projected trade to Patriots
    Upshaw may not be the most explosive pass rusher in the draft, but his strength on the edge and versatility would seem to fit Bill Belichick's multiple-front defensive scheme quite well.
28. Pick No.

    28

    

    Fletcher Cox

    DT

    Mississippi St.
    If the Packers aren't sold on converting a talented college defensive end like Clemson's Andre Branch to a linebacker who can fit their scheme, then maybe an intriguing five-technique prospect like Cox could pique their interest. His athleticism outside will test tackles and create rush lanes for linebackers.
29. Pick No.

    29

    

    Peter Konz

    C

    Wisconsin

    Projected trade to Ravens
    Veteran Matt Birk will be entering his 15th season if he re-signs with the Ravens, so Baltimore may decide it needs to find another long-term answer.
30. Pick No.

    30

    

    Alshon Jeffery

    WR

    South Carolina
    Jeffery needs a big combine to convince scouts he has the agility and straight-line speed to be an effective downfield playmaker. If he can, the Niners could bring him in to take pressure off Michael Crabtree -- and put it on shorter NFL defensive backs.
31. Pick No.

    31

    

    Alfonzo Dennard

    CB

    Nebraska

    Projected trade to Patriots
    On the off-chance that another team won't pry this pick away from the Patriots, Dennard could help bolster a secondary in need of playmakers.
32. Pick No.

    32

    

    Dwayne Allen

    TE

    Clemson
    Allen not only adds another receiving threat to the Giants' offense, but also has a chance to become a pretty good blocker in time.
33. 2012 NFL Mock Draft Central