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Detroit's Calvin Johnson had some (very) good seasons going into the 2011 season.

With elite size (6-5, 235 pounds) and athleticism, however, Megatron seemed capable of even more, especially with improved quarterback play. Not only did Matthew Stafford, the top overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, stay healthy for 16 games, he became one of only four quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for 5,000-plus yards.

Meanwhile, Johnson blew away his previous career highs. In 2011 (previous highs in parenthesis), Johnson had 96 receptions (78) for a league-high 1,681 yards (1,331) and 16 touchdowns (12).

Only six players in NFL history had more receiving yards in a single season.

Aside from Megatron, the only other player in NFL history to finish with 1,600-plus yards and 16-plus touchdowns in the same season was Randy Moss (2003).

Johnson had a little bit of dryspell from Weeks 10 to 14 -- no 100-yard games and only one touchdown in those five games.

In his next (and final) four games counting the Lions' playoff loss, however, Megatron had three 200-yard games. During that four-game span, he had 36 receptions for 771 yards and six touchdowns! (As a comparison, Tampa Bay's Mike Williams had 771 yards and three touchdowns in the entire season.)

Hands down, Megatron goes into 2012 season as the clear No. 1 fantasy wide receiver and it's not close.

Here are some more notes on wide receivers:

- Based on data from Pro Football Reference, a player has reached 110-plus receptions 25 times in NFL history. Over the past five years, Patriots slot receiver Wes Welker has done it four of those 25 times. Welker, who was designated with the team's franchise tag, finished with career highs in yards (1,569) and touchdowns (nine) and his 122 receptions was one shy of his previous career high.

- Receivers A.J. Green and Julio Jones made big splashes in their rookie seasons despite a lack of an offseason to get acclimated to their respective offenses. Green became the first rookie to finish with at least 1,000 yards since Marques Colstson did so in 2006. Jones had 54 receptions for 959 yards and eight touchdowns, but he missed three games and would have (almost certainly) finished with more than 1,000 yards had he stayed healthy for all 16 games.

- The top rookie receiver in the 2012 NFL Draft is Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon, who has won the Biletnikoff award in back-to-back seasons. During the past two seasons, Blackmon has tallied 232 receptions for 3,304 yards and 38 touchdowns. That said, it is close between Blackmon and Notre Dame's Michael Floyd, both of whom I projected to go in the top 10 in my most recent NFL mock draft.

[Related poll: Take our poll on how high Michael Floyd will be drafted.]

- After not catching a single pass in 2010, Giants receiver Victor Cruz burst onto the scene in Week 3 and finished the season with 1,536 receiving yards, which ranked him third in the NFL behind Megatron and Welker. In addition, it set a franchise record. Cruz had more receptions (82), yards (1,536) and touchdowns (nine) than Hakeem Nicks (76-1,192-7).

- Green Bay's Jordy Nelson had a huge performance in Super Bowl XLV and seemed poised to break out in 2011 with the possible barrier of too many talented passcatchers in the Packers offense. Nelson finished last season with 68 receptions for 1,263 yards and 15 touchdowns.

- Steelers second-year receiver Antonio Brown, the team's sixth-round pick in 2010, had a breakout season: 69 receptions for 1,108 yards but only two (receiving) touchdowns. If your league awards points for return yards, Brown ranked fifth in the NFL in kick return average (27.3 yards) and 10th in punt return average (10.8).

- Vikings receiver Percy Harvin set career highs in receptions (87) and receiving yards (967) and tied his career high in receiving touchdowns (six). Harvin was much better after the bye (56-633-6) than he was before it (31-334-0). From Week 10 to 17, only Atlanta's Roddy White (57) and Welker (56) had as many receptions as Harvin (56). In addition to his receiving stats, Harvin carried the ball 56 times for 345 yards and two touchdowns as well. Although Harvin will have "minor" shoulder surgery, he expects to ready for the start of offseason training activities (OTAs).

- Oakland's Darrius Heyward-Bey, the first wide receiver drafted in 2009, shattered his previous career highs with 64 receptions for 975 yards and four touchdowns. While there was an inexplicable two-game stretch with no receptions in the middle of the season, DHB finished strong: 21 receptions for 355 yards and two touchdowns in the final three weeks of the season.

- Last year, receiver Pierre Garcon had only three games with double-digit fantasy points in 2011, however, none of them were for 10 to 19 fantasy points. Garcon had either 24-plus fantasy points (three times) or eight or less fantasy points (13 times).

- Carolina's Steve Smith had a bounce-back year and finished with 840 yards more than he had last year. Smith finished the season with 79 receptions for 1,394 yards and seven touchdowns. That said, Smith was much more productive in the eight games before the bye (46-918-4) than he was in the eight games after the bye (33-476-3).

- In the seven games starting with Week 13, Denver's Demaryius Thomas had 75-plus yards in six games including a 204-yard performance in the playoffs. During that seven-game span, Thomas had 35 receptions for 745 yards and four touchdowns. And that was with Tim Tebow throwing him the ball ...

- As a Cowboys receiver, Laurent Robinson was a touchdown-scoring machine. From Weeks 8 to 17, Robinson scored all 11 of his touchdowns last season. Despite turning last season's success into a significant contract in Jacksonville, the Jaguars had the league's worst-passing offense in 2012 and he will rely on Blaine Gabbert, the team's first-round pick in 2011, or Chad Henne to get him the ball.

- Bucs receiver Mike Williams followed up his strong rookie season with a disappointing performance. While he had exactly 65 receptions in both seasons, he finished with only 771 yards (964 in 2010) and three touchdowns (11 in 2010) last year as noted above.

- Before tearing his ACL and MCL in the third game of the season, Titans receiver Kenny Britt had back-to-back 100-yard games to begin the year. In those two games, Britt totaled 14 receptions for 271 yards and three touchdowns. If there's anything positive with the injury, it happened early in the season, which gives him a better chance of being ready for the start of the 2012 season. That said, it usually takes a full season before a player returns back to pre-injury levels, if he does. [See Welker, Wes.]

Based on standard scoring (i.e., not point-per-reception (PPR) scoring), here are our 2012 fantasy football wide receiver rankings:

1. Calvin Johnson, Lions
2. Andre Johnson, Texans
3. Hakeem Nicks, Giants
4. Wes Welker, Patriots
5. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
6. Roddy White, Falcons
7. A.J. Green, Bengals
8. Greg Jennings, Packers
9. Victor Cruz, Giants
10. Mike Wallace, Steelers
11. Julio Jones, Falcons
12. Jordy Nelson, Packers
13. Brandon Marshall, Bears
14. Vincent Jackson, Bucs
15. Percy Harvin, Vikings
16. Marques Colston, Saints
17. Dez Bryant, Cowboys
18. Miles Austin, Cowboys
19. Demaryius Thomas, Broncos
20. Steve Smith, Panthers
21. Jeremy Maclin, Eagles
22. Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs
23. Antonio Brown, Steelers
24. Kenny Britt, Titans
25. Steve Johnson, Bills
26. Robert Meachem, Chargers
27. DeSean Jackson, Eagles
28. Malcom Floyd, Chargers
29. Michael Crabtree, 49ers
30. Sidney Rice, Seahawks
31. Reggie Wayne, Colts
32. Eric Decker, Broncos
33. Torrey Smith, Ravens
34. Brandon Lloyd, Patriots
35. Mike Williams, Buccaneers
36. Denarius Moore, Raiders
37. Santana Moss, Redskins
38. Santonio Holmes, Jets
39. Darrius Heyward-Bey, Raiders
40. Pierre Garcon, Redskins
41. Anquan Boldin, Ravens
42. Laurent Robinson, Jaguars
43. Lance Moore, Saints
44. Titus Young, Lions
45. Mario Manningham, 49ers
46. Doug Baldwin, Seahawks
47. Jabar Gaffney, Redskins
48. Danny Amendola, Rams
49. Nate Burleson, Lions
50. Golden Tate, Seahawks
51. Jacoby Ford, Raiders
52. Greg Little, Browns
53. Nate Washington, Titans
54. Randy Moss, 49ers
55. Deion Branch, Patriots
56. Vincent Brown, Chargers
57. Austin Collie, Colts
58. Earl Bennett, Bears
59. David Nelson, Bills
60. Jon Baldwin, Chiefs

Note: We excluded rookies from our rankings but we will include them after the 2012 NFL Draft in April.

More 2012 Rankings: QBs - RBs - TEs

2012 NFL Mock Drafts: Kevin Hanson - Brendan Donahue - Our Mock Draft Database

To keep track of our updates, follow @EDSFootball on Twitter and/or "like" us on Facebook.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 02:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When it comes to the depth of all the positions for this year's draft class, wide receiver is arguably the deepest and at a minimum one of the deepest.

While a few of them appear to be first-round locks; many others are projected to go late in the first round or early in the second round.

The top receivers in this year's draft class are Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon, the two-time Biletnikoff winner, and Notre Dame's Michael Floyd. (Take our poll on how high Floyd will be drafted.)

In addition to Blackmon and Floyd, Baylor's Kendall Wright should go in the first round.

In my mock draft, I had five receivers go in the first round: Blackmon, Floyd, Wright, LSU's Rueben Randle and Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill. (Brendan Donahue had four receivers go in the first round in his mock.)

While Hill is raw (only 28 receptions last year), he was perhaps the player who saw his stock rise the most after his combine workout.

[See all wide receiver combine workout performances here.]

Along with Randle and Hill, others that figure to be considered at the end of the first round or beginning of the second round include Rutgers' Mohammed Sanu and South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery.

How many receivers will be drafted in Round 1?

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We are now only three weeks away from the 2012 NFL Draft. Taking all of the free-agency movements into consideration, here is my updated first-round projection with commentary:

1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14) - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

After having Peyton Manning, a four-time league MVP, under center for more than a decade, the Colts have the "luck" to be able to transition into the next era with a quarterback many have called the best prospect since John Elway. Like Manning, Luck is expected to have the opportunity to start Week 1 as a rookie.

2. Washington Redskins (trade with Rams (2-14)) - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Of course, any franchise that gives up two additional first-round picks and a second-rounder in order to move up a few spots has their sights set on drafting a potential franchise quarterback. Griffin, this year's Heisman Trophy winner, has all the tools -- intelligence, rare athleticism for the position, strong arm and accuracy -- to develop into a franchise-changing quarterback.

3. Minnesota Vikings (3-13) - Matt Kalil, OT, USC

Without question, Kalil is the top offensive tackle prospect in this year's draft class. Some have described Kalil as the best left tackle prospect since Joe Thomas. Kalil has size (6-6, 295 pounds), pedigree (brother Ryan is the Panthers' Pro Bowl center) and athleticism. Kalil is one of 15 offensive line prospects to run a sub-5.0 forty since 2006 (see 2012 combine results). Considering only four teams allowed more sacks than the Vikings last year, this pick a no-brainer.

4. Cleveland Browns (4-12) - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Based on talent alone, Richardson should be a top-five pick, however, it is easy to argue that no running back should be taken this high and the Browns can go in a few different directions. If they don't draft Richardson, the likely choice will come down to LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne, Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill or Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. As far as Richardson goes, he's a physical freak with a rare combination of size, strength and speed that is capable of handling the pounding that an every-down back takes in the NFL.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12) - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Prior to the start of free agency, cornerback was arguably the team's biggest need with Ronde Barber's potential retirement and Aqib Talib's legal issues. Since then, Barber, who will turn 37 in April, has announced he will return for another season and the Bucs have signed free-agent Eric Wright to a five-year deal. That said, the Bucs have to face Drew Brees, Cam Newton and Matt Ryan (at least) six times per year so adding the best cornerback in this year's draft class makes sense. Not only does he have good size, athleticism and ball skills, Claiborne does not have the character concerns of some of the other top cornerbacks in this year's draft class.

6. St. Louis Rams (5-11) - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Yes, the Colts won the "Suck for Luck" sweepstakes, but the Rams are certainly winners as well as they added two additional first-round picks (2013 and 2014) and a second-round pick (2012) to move down a few spots (as noted above). Blackmon, the back-to-back Biletnikoff winner, gives Sam Bradford a potential No. 1 receiver. Over the past two seasons combined, the physical receiver has been highly productive with 232 receptions for 3,304 yards and 38 touchdowns combined.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11) - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

If Blackmon is still available at No. 7, the Jags would likely opt for getting their "franchise" quarterback a legitimate weapon in the passing game and they might consider Notre Dame's Michael Floyd here. (As bad as Blaine Gabbert looked as a rookie last season, in his defense the Jags arguably have the league's worst receiving corps even after signing Laurent Robinson via free agency). With the depth of this wide receiver class, however, the Jags will have the opportunity to add a playmaker early in the second round and/or later in the draft. Considering the Jags have ranked in the bottom 10 in sacks for the past three years in a row, Ingram gives them an athletic pass-rusher with a high motor.

8. Miami Dolphins (6-10) - Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

After converting to receiver (from quarterback) when he arrived at A&M, Tannehill led the team in receiving in his first two seasons. He became the team's starting quarterback in the middle of his junior season, however, and has the size (6-4, 220 pounds), athleticism, smarts, intangibles and arm strength that teams desire in quarterbacks despite lacking the experience. Since the 'Fins whiffed on signing Peyton Manning (or Matt Flynn), Tannehill will be reunited with his former college coach Mike Sherman, who is now the Dolphins offensive coordinator.

[Take our poll on where Tannehill will be drafted.]

9. Carolina Panthers (6-10) - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

Not only were the Panthers bad versus the run (130.8 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns allowed last year), but they also ranked in the bottom quarter of the league in sacks (31). Cox has good size (6-4 and 298 pounds), strength (30 reps at 225) and athleticism (4.79 forty) and will immediately help improve the Panthers defensive line.

10. Buffalo Bills (6-10) - Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

Previously, I had Iowa offensive tackle Riley Reiff here and I think this choice comes down to a tackle or receiver after they landed the biggest free-agent prize of the offseason in defensive end Mario Williams. A four-year starter with some off-the-field issues, Floyd (6-2 5/8, 220 pounds, 4.47 forty) finished his Notre Dame career with 271 receptions for 3,686 yards and 37 touchdowns. Take our poll on how high Floyd will be drafted.

11. Kansas City Chiefs (7-9) - Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

Simply stated, he's a freak. At 346 pounds, Poe benched 225 pounds a combine-best 44 times and ran a sub-5.0 forty (4.87 unofficially, 4.98 officially). While some have compared Poe athletically to Haloti Ngata, he hasn't looked like Ngata on tape.

12. Seattle Seahawks (7-9) - Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College

With the loss of linebacker David Hawthorne, who led the Seahawks in tackles the past three seasons, to the Saints, Kuechly fills one of the team's pressing needs. Last year's Butkus award recipient (see past winners), Kuechly is an instinctive player with a nose for the football. Some were concerned about his athleticism, but he tested extremely well at the combine: 4.58 forty (third among linebackers), 38-inch vertical (third) and 27 bench press reps (tied for seventh).

13. Arizona Cardinals (8-8) - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

In my last mock draft, I had Michael Floyd falling to the Cardinals to give them a legitimate weapon opposite Larry Fitzgerald. With Floyd off the board, the Cardinals get the second-best offensive tackle prospect in this year's draft class.

14. Dallas Cowboys (8-8) - Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

Coples gives them an extremely athletic and versatile player with enormous upside that should immediately help boost their pass rush. Based on talent alone, Coples deserves to be a top-10 pick. The biggest knock on Coples is his motor and he has even admitted that he has not always gone as hard as he could.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8) - Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

The Eagles were fortunate to significantly upgrade themselves at middle linebacker by trading for linebacker DeMeco Ryans, who was the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2006. Since 2000, the Eagles have used half (five) of their first-round picks (10) on defensive linemen (see Eagles' draft history). The other five first-rounders during that span have been used on offensive line twice, wide receivers twice and cornerback once.

16. New York Jets (8-8) - Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

Even after signing LaRon Landry in free agency this offseason, the Jets may go with Upshaw's Alabama teammate Mark Barron, the top safety in this year's draft class. If Notre Dame's Michael Floyd is still on the board, that's a possibility as well. That said, Upshaw had 9.5 sacks last season and five sacks in his final two games (vs. Auburn and Michigan State) in 2010 and will help boost the Jets' pass rush. According to Tony Pauline, Alabama coach Nick Saban has called Upshaw the “meanest player he’s ever coached.”

For the rest of the first round, click here.

For Brendan Donahue's 2012 NFL mock draft, click here. Or for our database of 2012 NFL mock drafts from around the web, click here.

To keep track of our updates, follow me on Twitter @EDSFootball or LIKE us on Facebook. Or both!

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A little more than three weeks away from the 2012 NFL Draft, EDSFootball.com contributor Brendan Donahue has updated his mock draft.

Here is the top half of his first round:

1. Indianapolis Colts - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

For some reason, owner Jim Irsay is trying to play coy and say this isn't already a done deal but I think it is just so there is still talk about the Colts. Luck has been rated as the best QB prospect since John Elway so this is pretty much a no-brainer especially now that the Colts have made it clear that they are clearing house and going into a full rebuilding mode.

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

The second the Redskins traded up to the second pick in the draft everyone knew their target was RGIII. He has a unique blend of size, speed, arm strength, and intelligence. If he is even 90 percent of what some scouts are projecting, we will look back at this trade as a steal for the Redskins.

3. Minnesota Vikings - Matt Kalil, OT, USC

I'm not as confident as most are that this pick is a sure thing for the Vikings. I think they will still be tempted to take Blackmon here. Especially after Tannehill's tremendous pro day, there very well could be some offers for the Vikings to trade out of this pick. But at the end of the day, they most likely will stay pat and take the franchise left tackle who is clearly the best lineman in the draft.

4. Cleveland Browns - Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

Tannehill is steaming up the draft boards even though he is still considered somewhat of a project only having started 19 games in college. But the Browns have come to the conclusion that Colt McCoy isn't the answer long-term and if you have the opportunity to draft a franchise QB teams rarely pass on that when they have such a dicey situation at the position at present.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

In the new NFL, this is very high to draft a running back. I will concede that, however, new coach Greg Schiano can probably thank Ray Rice for the reason he is now coaching in the NFL. He will most likely try to implore a more ground-and-pound style and who better to do that than with Trent Richardson, who is the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson. Coaches value ball security and Richardson only had one fumble in his entire college career.

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

This is best-case scenario for the Rams as they are able to accumulate draft picks via the trade with the Redskins and are still able to land a top-four talent and the top talent at the cornerback position. Claiborne is thought to be a better prospect than his former teammate Patrick Peterson, who was taken fifth in last year's draft, so the Rams will be very happy to land Claiborne with the sixth pick in this year's draft.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

The Jags have to be thrilled to have the nation's best wide receiver fall into their lap here at No. 7. This is not a knock against Blackmon, who I still think will be a perennial Pro Bowler at the next level (if he gets any help from his quarterback), but this is more attributed to other guys moving up the draft board.

8. Miami Dolphins - Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

The Dolphins will be disappointed that they aren't able to land their QB of the future here so new coach Joe Philbin will do his best to win now and help out his current QB Matt Moore. As site founder Kevin Hanson noted, there are some out there that believe Floyd is a better overall prospect than Justin Blackmon. Especially after the trade of Brandon Marshall, the Dolphins need playmakers at the wide receiver position and Floyd can help fill that void.

[Related: Take our poll on how high Michael Floyd will be drafted.]

9. Carolina Panthers - Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

It's clear the biggest need area for the Panthers is a run-stuffing defensive tackle so they will have their choice here between Poe and Cox. I think they take the better run-stopper in Poe, who solidified this high of a pick after his freakish workouts at the combine. Especially from a workout standpoint, he has been compared to Haloti Ngata from Baltimore so the Panthers will have themselves a heck of a player if the comparisons prove to be accurate.

10. Buffalo Bills - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Now that the Bills have addressed their pass-rushing needs with the signings of Mario Williams and Mark Anderson, they can utilize the draft to address their new biggest need which is at offensive tackle. They will be happy to see the second best tackle in the draft still on the board in Reiff who can play left or right tackle.

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

The Chiefs could go in a couple different directions here but since they have multiple needs, I believe they just go with the player highest on their draft board at a position of need which would be Kuechly. Kiper has him seventh on his big board and he is clearly the best inside linebacker in this draft who is a tackling machine and will immediately make plays for the Chiefs next year.

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

Another team disappointed by the ascent of Tannehill up the draft board as they will have to wait to upgrade their QB position until later in the draft. However, they are happy that the best pass rusher in the draft is still available in Coples, who does have some question marks about his work ethic, but nobody questions his talent (or size). If motivated, he can be a force on the defensive line for years to come.

13. Arizona Cardinals - Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

The Cardinals could be a team that trades down here as they have bigger needs at other positions, but if they stay pat look for them to try and improve their pass rush with the best player left on the board. Ingram will most likely play outside linebacker in Whisenhunt's system, but can also get to the QB from a defensive end spot if needed.

14. Dallas Cowboys - David Decastro, G, Stanford

Nobody will argue with the skill positions of the Dallas Cowboys, especially after they got a steal in DeMarco Murray in last year's draft. The one issue they have is giving those playmakers enough time to, well, make plays. DeCastro will be an immediate upgrade at guard and if plugged in next to last year's first-round pick Tyron Smith, they have solidified the left side of the line for many years to come.

15. Philadelphia Eagles - Mark Barron, S, Alabama

The Eagles were able to address one of their biggest needs by obtaining former Pro Bowl linebacker DeMeco Ryans from the Texans so now their priorty will shift over to their next biggest need which is at the safety position. Much like the selection of Trent Richardson, this pick is a little high for the position but Barron is widely considered the best safety available in this year's draft and would be an immeditate impact player on the Eagles defense.

16. New York Jets - Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama

The Jets would certainly like to upgrade their right tackle position so they may go with Jonathan Martin here. In my opinion, however, Upshaw has more value and we all know Rex loves defense. In this pick, he gets a well-groomed outside linebacker who can help the Jets get to the QB, which they struggled to do at times last year, but he is also capable of stopping the run.

Click here for the rest of his first-round projection.

For our database of 2012 NFL mock drafts from around the web, click here.

To keep track of our updates, follow us on Twitter @EDSFootball or LIKE us on Facebook. Or both!

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you look at the majority of mock drafts (our database), the first three picks are mostly a consensus: Stanford's Andrew Luck, Baylor's Robert Griffin III and USC's Matt Kalil.

Then it gets more interesting. Mock drafts differ on what Cleveland will do with the fourth overall pick.

There are basically four primary projections for the Browns, as follows (in no particular order):

- Draft Alabama running back Trent Richardson. With the loss of Peyton Hillis via free agency, the Browns would get one of the best running back prospects in years. Although I have the Browns taking Richardson (see my mock), it is hard to justify taking a back with such a high pick these days.

- Draft Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill. After missing out on some of the free agents and top two rookies, Tannehill is the next best signal-caller in the draft after Luck and RG3. That said, nobody believes the converted receiver is a top-four talent even though he has prototypical size, arm strength and is a good athlete.

- Draft Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. One of the most prolific receivers in college football, the back-to-back Biletnikoff award winner would help boost the Browns' anemic passing attack even if they don't take Tannehill.

- Draft LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. Along with Joe Haden, the Browns would have one of the best young cornerback tandems in the NFL.

What will the Browns do? Draft one of these four players? Select someone else? Find a willing trade partner and move down?

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We are now double-digit days into the NFL free-agency period and just more than one month away from the 2012 NFL Draft.

Taking free-agency movements into consideration, here is my updated first-round projection with commentary:

1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14) - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

After having Peyton Manning, a four-time league MVP, under center for more than a decade, the Colts have the "luck" to be able to transition into the next era with a quarterback many have called the best prospect since John Elway. Like Manning, Luck is expected to have the opportunity to start Week 1 as a rookie.

2. Washington Redskins (trade with Rams (2-14)) - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Of course, any franchise that gives up two additional first-round picks and a second-rounder in order to move up a few spots has their sights set on drafting a potential franchise quarterback. Griffin, this year's Heisman Trophy winner, has all the tools -- intelligence, rare athleticism for the position, strong arm and accuracy -- to develop into a franchise-changing quarterback.

3. Minnesota Vikings (3-13) - Matt Kalil, OT, USC

Without question, Kalil is the top offensive tackle prospect in this year's draft class. Some have described Kalil as the best left tackle prospect since Joe Thomas. Kalil has size (6-6, 295 pounds), pedigree (brother Ryan is the Panthers' Pro Bowl center) and athleticism. Kalil is one of 15 offensive line prospects to run a sub-5.0 forty since 2006. Considering only four teams allowed more sacks than the Vikings last year, this pick a no-brainer.

4. Cleveland Browns (4-12)) - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Based on talent alone, Richardson should be a top-five pick, however, it is easy to argue that no running back should be taken this high and the Browns can go in a few different directions. If they don't draft Richardson, the likely choice come down to LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne, Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill or Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. As far as Richardson goes, he's a physical freak with a rare combination of size, strength and speed that is capable of handling the pounding that an every-down back takes in the NFL.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12) - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Prior to the start of free agency, cornerback was arguably the team's biggest need with Ronde Barber's potential retirement and Aqib Talib's legal issues. Since then, Barber, who will turn 37 in April, has announced he will return for another season and the Bucs have signed free-agent Eric Wright to a five-year deal. That said, the Bucs have to face Drew Brees, Cam Newton and Matt Ryan (at least) six times per year. Not only does he have good size, athleticism and ball skills, Claiborne does not have the character concerns of some of the other top cornerbacks in this year's draft class.

6. St. Louis Rams (5-11) - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Yes, the Colts won the "Suck for Luck" sweepstakes, but the Rams are certainly winners as well as they added two additional first-round picks (2013 and 2014) and a second-round pick (2012) to move down a few spots (as noted above). Blackmon, the back-to-back Biletnikoff winner, gives Sam Bradford a potential No. 1 receiver. Over the past two seasons combined, the physical receiver has been highly productive with 232 receptions for 3,304 yards and 38 touchdowns combined.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11) - Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

If Blackmon is still available at No. 7, the Jags would likely opt for getting their "franchise" quarterback a legitimate weapon in the passing game. (Granted, Blaine Gabbert looked horrible -- and scared at times -- last season, but the Jags arguably have the league's worst receiving corps even after signing Laurent Robinson via free agency). With the depth of this wide receiver class, the Jags will have the opportunity to add a playmaker early in the second round or even later in the draft. Considering the Jags have ranked in the bottom 10 in sacks for the past three years in a row, Coples gives them an extremely athletic and versatile player with enormous upside that should immediately help boost their pass rush. The biggest knock on Coples is his motor and he has admitted that he has not always gone as hard as he could.

8. Miami Dolphins (6-10) - Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

After converting to receiver (from quarterback) when he arrived at A&M, Tannehill led the team in receiving in his first two seasons. He became the team's starting quarterback in the middle of his junior season, however, and has the size (6-4, 220 pounds), athleticism, smarts, intangibles and arm strength that teams desire in quarterbacks despite lacking the experience. Since the 'Fins whiffed on signing Peyton Manning (or Matt Flynn), Tannehill will be reunited with his former college coach Mike Sherman, who is now the Dolphins offensive coordinator.

[Take our poll on where Tannehill will be drafted.]

9. Carolina Panthers (6-10) - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

Not only were the Panthers bad versus the run (130.8 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns allowed last year), but they also ranked in the bottom quarter of the league in sacks (31). Cox has good size (6-4 and 298 pounds), strength (30 reps at 225) and athleticism (4.79 forty) and will immediately help improve the Panthers defensive line.

10. Buffalo Bills (6-10) - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

With the Bills landing this year's biggest free-agent prize in defensive end Mario Williams, who agreed to a $100 million contract, the Bills significantly upgraded their pass-rush capabilities to go along with a talented duo of defensive tackles already in place with Marcell Dareus, last year's first-round pick, and Kyle Williams. With that said, the Bills can shift their focus to protecting their quarterback by adding an offensive tackle here. If they don't go with Reiff, who some teams project as guard instead of tackle, the Bills could go with Stanford tackle Jonathan Martin here.

11. Kansas City Chiefs (7-9) - Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

Simply stated, he's a freak. At 346 pounds, Poe benched 225 pounds a combine-best 44 times and ran a sub-5.0 forty (4.87 unofficially, 4.98 officially). While some have compared Poe athletically to Haloti Ngata, he hasn't looked like Ngata on tape. Forgive the corny joke I'm about to make but ... he has a ton of POE-tential.

12. Seattle Seahawks (7-9) - Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College

With linebacker David Hawthorne, who led the Seahawks in tackles the past three seasons, now a free agent, the Seahawks get an uber-productive linebacker with a nose for the football in Kuechly, last year's Butkus award recipient. Some were concerned about his athleticism, but he tested extremely well at the combine: 4.58 forty (third among linebackers), 38-inch vertical (third) and 27 bench press reps (tied for seventh).

13. Arizona Cardinals (8-8) - Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

Several mock drafts project Floyd as high as No. 7 to Jacksonville and some view Floyd as a better receiver prospect than Blackmon. After losing out on Peyton Manning, the Cardinals can improve their passing offense by adding one of college football's most prolific receivers to go along with All-World wideout Larry Fitzgerald. With good size (6-3, 225) and speed, Floyd finished his collegiate career with 271 receptions for 3,686 yards and 37 touchdowns.

14. Dallas Cowboys (8-8) - Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

In addition to Floyd, several mocks project Ingram going as high as No. 7 and I did as well in my previous mock (3/12). That said, Ingram is an athletic, versatile player with a consistent motor and provides good value at this spot.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8) - Devon Still, DT, Penn State

The Eagles were fortunate to significantly upgrade themselves at middle linebacker by trading for linebacker DeMeco Ryans, who was the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2006. Since 2000, the Eagles have used half (five) of their first-round picks (10) on defensive linemen (see Eagles' draft history). The other five first-rounders during that span have been used on offensive line twice, wide receivers twice and cornerback once.

16. New York Jets (8-8) - Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

In my previous mock draft, I had the Jets taking Upshaw's Alabama teammate Mark Barron, the top safety in this year's draft class. After signing LaRon Landry in free agency, however, the Jets will (likely) go in a different direction at this spot. If Notre Dame's Michael Floyd is still on the board, that's a possibility as well. Upshaw had 9.5 sacks last season and five sacks in his final two games (vs. Auburn and Michigan State) in 2010 and will help the Jets boost their pass rush. According to Tony Pauline, Alabama coach Nick Saban has called Upshaw the “meanest player he’s ever coached.”

Click here for the rest of the first round.

For our database of 2012 NFL mock drafts from around the web, click here.

To keep track of our updates, follow me on Twitter @EDSFootball or LIKE us on Facebook. Or both!

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the NFL Scouting Combine behind us and pro days underway, it is time for an updated mock draft, which I have done.

Since the start of free agency will be upon us on Tuesday, that means this mock might need to be updated (again) soon. Over the upcoming weekend, I plan on adding a second round.

For now, here is are my first 10 picks with commentary:

1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14) - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

After having Peyton Manning, a four-time league MVP, under center for more than a decade, the Colts have the "luck" to be able to transition into the next era with a quarterback many have called the best prospect since John Elway. Manning and the Colts parted ways on Wednesday (take our poll on his next team) so Luck, like Manning, should start Week 1 as a rookie.

[* Projected Trade: Browns trade both of their first-round picks plus a high pick in 2013 to move up to No. 2.]

2. Cleveland Browns (projected trade with Rams (2-14)) - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Three things are clear: (1) the Rams want to trade out of this spot -- for a king's ransom, (2) many quarterback-needy teams will be willing to give them a king's ransom for this pick and (3) the team that does will undoubtedly take Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, this year's Heisman Trophy recipient. Despite a report from Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the Browns are unwilling to give up their second first-round pick, this deal makes the most sense. Although I believe the Redskins have more motivation to trade up, the Browns have more ammunition to pull off a trade. RG3 has the intelligence, athleticism, strong arm and accuracy that would have been the top overall pick in any other draft class.

3. Minnesota Vikings (3-13) - Matt Kalil, OT, USC

Going into the NFL Scouting Combine, Kalil was, without question, the top offensive tackle in this draft class. Some have described Kalil as the best left tackle prospect since Joe Thomas. After the combine, the gap has widened for the athletic brother of Panthers Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil. Only four teams allowed more sacks than the Vikings last year, which makes this pick a no-brainer.

4. St. Louis Rams (projected trade with Browns (4-12)) - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Yes, the Colts won the "Suck for Luck" sweepstakes, but the Rams are certainly winners as well. With the two most likely trade partners being the Browns or Redskins, the Rams should still have a top-six pick in the draft and gain another first-rounder plus an additional early-round pick. While Blackmon would be drafted behind A.J. Green and Julio Jones if they were in this year's draft class, Blackmon, the back-to-back Biletnikoff winner, has been highly productive in his collegiate career and gives Sam Bradford a potential No. 1 receiver. Over the past two seasons combined, the physical receiver had 232 receptions for 3,304 yards and 38 touchdowns.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12) - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Cornerback is the biggest need for the Bucs for three primary reasons: (1) the potential retirement Ronde Barber, who turns 37 next month, (2) the off-field issues with Aqib Talib and (3) the Bucs have to face Drew Brees, Cam Newton and Matt Ryan (at least) six times per year. Not only does he have good size, athleticism and ball skills, Claiborne, the top cornerback in this year's class, does not have the character concerns of some of the other top cornerbacks in this year's draft class.

6. Washington Redskins (5-11) - Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

After converting to receiver (from quarterback) when he arrived at A&M, Tannehill led the team in receiving in his first two seasons. He became the team's starting quarterback in the middle of his junior season, however, and has the size (6-4, 220 pounds), athleticism, smarts, intangibles and arm strength that teams desire in quarterbacks despite lacking the experience. Tannehill fits the mold of the type of signal-callers that Shanahan covets.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11) - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

If Blackmon is still available at No. 7, they won't hesitate to get their "franchise" quarterback a legitimate weapon in the passing game. (Granted, Blaine Gabbert looked horrible -- and scared at times -- last season, but the Jags arguably have the league's worst receiving corps). This a deep wide receiver class so the Jags will have the opportunity to add a playmaker early in the second round or even later in the draft. Considering the Jags have ranked in the bottom 10 in sacks for the past three years in a row, Ingram gives them an athletic, high-motor guy to help boost their pass rush.

8. Miami Dolphins (6-10) - Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

In my previous mocks, I've had the Dolphins take a tackle to give them an immediate upgrade over right tackle Marc Colombo. For whatever reason, the Dolphins have decided to switch from a 3-4 to 4-3 defensive scheme and taking Coples helps to start putting the pieces in place to make that transition as successfully as possible. The biggest question mark about Coples is his motor, but he has great size, athleticism and the versatility that makes him worthy of being a top-10 pick.

9. Carolina Panthers (6-10) - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

Not only were the Panthers bad versus the run (130.8 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns allowed last year), but they also ranked in the bottom quarter of the league in sacks (31). Cox has good size (6-4 and 298 pounds), strength (30 reps at 225) and athleticism (4.79 forty) and will immediately help improve the Panthers defensive line.

10. Buffalo Bills (6-10) - Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

Only two teams had fewer sacks than the Bills (29) last year -- Tampa Bay (23) and Tennessee (28). In other words, the Bills could use an impact pass-rusher. According to Tony Pauline, Alabama coach Nick Saban has called Upshaw the “meanest player he’s ever coached.” Upshaw had 9.5 sacks last season and five sacks in his final two games (vs. Auburn and Michigan State) in 2010.

To see the rest of my mock draft, click here.

For Brendan Donahue's 2012 NFL mock draft, click here. Or for our database of 2012 NFL mock drafts from around the web, click here.

To keep track of our updates, follow me on Twitter @EDSFootball or LIKE us on Facebook. Or both!

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon, the back-to-back Biletnikoff winner, figures to be the first wide receiver drafted and possibly the second overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft after Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.

In the mock drafts on our site, Blackmon goes either third overall (Brendan's mock) or sixth overall (my mock).

In my mock draft, the next wide receivers off the board are:
- 19. Chicago Bears: Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
- 22. Cleveland Browns: Kendall Wright, Baylor
- 26. Houston Texans: Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers
- 30. San Francisco 49ers: Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina

In Brendan's mock, the next wide receivers off the board are:
- 13. Arizona Cardinals: Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
- 19. Chicago Bears: Rueben Randle, LSU
- 22. Cleveland Browns: Kendall Wright, Baylor
- 26. Houston Texans: Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers
- 30. San Francisco 49ers: Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina

Will Floyd be the second receiver off the board? Or Wright? Or someone else?

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 01:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Earlier in the week, I updated my NFL mock draft. Now it's Brendan Donahue's turn. Here are the first 10 picks in his mock draft (see full first-round here):

1. Indianapolis Colts - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

This is already a done deal according to owner Jim Irsay. Luck has been rated as the best QB prospect since John Elway so this is pretty much a no-brainer especially now that the Colts have made it clear that they are clearing house and going into a full rebuilding mode.

2. St. Louis Rams - Matt Kalil, OT, USC

I still think the Rams will be trading out of this pick but for this mock let's assume they stay. Rumors have them targeting a WR in free agency so I now believe they go with the franchise left tackle to keep former No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford upright long enough to get the ball to his wide receivers. If they fail to land a WR before the draft, they may still be tempted to go with Blackmon but Kalil may be too much of a sure thing to pass up.

3. Minnesota Vikings - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

The Vikings have made it clear they want Christian Ponder to be their starting QB going forward and what better way to help him succeed then by adding the most prolific wideout in the draft. Blackmon has absolutely dominated college football the past 2 years amassing 232 receptions for 3,304 yards and 38 touchdowns combined.

4. Cleveland Browns - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

The Heisman winner has been rapidly moving up draft boards and could eventually move up to #2 come draft day but for this mock were going to assume everyone drafts where they are slated and the Browns would be very happy to draft RGIII here. I think they are ready to concede that Colt McCoy is not a franchise QB in the NFL and will jump at the opportunity to add one here.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Based on how the Bucs finished the year, they could clearly use help in just about every area. With Blackmon off the board however, I look for them to add the best cornerback available in Morris Claiborne. A big physical corner who is also considered the best cover corner in the draft is exactly what they need as they battle in the same division with the air attacks of the Saints and Falcons.

6. Washington Redskins - Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

If the draft plays out this way the Redskins will be very disappointed to say the least. They desperately want to land a star QB but this is too high to draft Tannenhill or Foles so expect them to look to trade down or be very active if Peyton Manning becomes available. For this mock, we're going to assume they stay here, and if so, they will take the 6-3 Kirkpatrick to go up against Nicks and Bryant in the NFC East. I know Kirkpatrick got in trouble last week but a little trouble never seemed to bother owner Daniel Snyder before.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars - Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

I would love to make a splash here and say the Jaguars take Michael Floyd but I don't think they can pass up on the best pass-rusher in the draft as the Jags really struggled to get to the QB last year. At 6-6, Coples reminds me a bit of JJ Watt where even if he can't get to the QB on a play he has the length to disrupt the passing lanes and is big enough to still be effective against the run.

8. Miami Dolphins - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Another team disappointed that they aren't able to land a franchise QB at this spot in the draft. Instead they will give Matt Moore another year as their starter and do their best to protect him with the best right tackle in the draft. Reiff will be immediately plugged in as the starter and will bolster a young and improving offensive line.

9. Carolina Panthers - Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

The Panthers certainly didn't struggle on the offensive side of the ball with the surprise performance of rookie QB Cam Newton; however, Carolina pretty much struggled in every aspect on the defensive side of the ball. Brockers should be able to help not only stopping the run but also being disruptive enough with penetration to affect the opponents passing game as well.

10. Buffalo Bills - Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama

At times the Bills were, dare I say explosive on offense last year. The defense really let them down in games that the offense clearly put up enough points to win so look for them to add the explosive Courtney Upshaw that anchored one of the best defenses in college history.

For his full first-round mock, click here.

For my full first-round mock, click here. Or for our 2012 NFL Mock Draft Database, click here.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We are less than two weeks away from the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and colleges will hold their pro days starting only a few days after that. [See pro day schedule.]

While my first-round mock draft will likely change (perhaps quite a bit) later this month, I still decided to make a pre-combine update.

Over the next couple of weeks, I plan on adding a second (and perhaps) third round to my mock and then at some point in March to release my first 2013 NFL mock draft.

For now, here is my updated first round with commentary:

1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14) - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

With Peyton Manning, a four-time league MVP, under center for more than a decade, the Colts have the "luck" to be able to transition into the next era with a quarterback many have called the best prospect since John Elway. Due a $28 million roster bonus on March 8th, five days before the league year begins, it seems all but certain that Manning won't be on the roster to collect it.

2. St. Louis Rams (2-14) - Matt Kalil, OT, USC

There will be plenty of interest from quarterback-needy franchises (Redskins, Browns, etc.) to move up to the No. 2 spot to select Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. If the Rams hang on to the second pick, I see them going in one of two directions: USC left tackle Matt Kalil or Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon. Either way, the pick would help franchise quarterback Sam Bradford. No team allowed more sacks than the Rams (55) last year and Jason Smith has been a bust so I have the Rams going with the talented brother of Panthers Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil.

[Related: Take our poll on which player will be selected second overall.]

3. Minnesota Vikings (3-13) - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

If a team does trade up to select RG3, I would expect the Vikings to take Kalil. Only four teams allowed more sacks than Minnesota. However, their pass defense was atrocious last year and they have to face the Packers and Lions four times a year. No team allowed more passing touchdowns (34) than the Vikings and no team intercepted fewer passes (eight). Claiborne is clearly the top corner in this year's draft class.

4. Cleveland Browns (4-12) - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

The Browns will jump on the opportunity to take this year's Heisman Trophy recipient (see past winners) if he's still available at this spot. Accurate, athletic and intelligent, Griffin completed 72.4 percent of his passes and was just shy of 5,000 combined yards -- 4,293 passing yards and 699 rushing yards -- in 2011. For his career, Griffin has a 78:17 touchdown-to-interception ratio not counting his 33 rushing touchdowns.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12) - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

With the possible (perhaps likely) retirement of cornerback Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib's character and legal concerns, the Bucs would prefer to take Claiborne at this spot to address their most pressing need. And in my previous mock, I had the Bucs taking running back Trent Richardson. Regardless of how talented Richardson is, there are not many teams that value a running back to be worthy of a top-five pick these days. Reiff, the second-best tackle in this year's draft class, has the size, toughness, intelligence and athleticism to warrant a top-five pick and many mocks project him as the No. 3 pick to Minnesota.

6. Washington Redskins (5-11) - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

There is plenty of speculation that the Redskins will try to trade up to select RG3. If they don't, they will boost their passing game with the draft's most-talented pass-catcher at this spot. Blackmon, who is the back-to-back Biletnikoff recipient, has 232 receptions for 3,304 yards and 38 touchdowns combined over the past two seasons.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11) - Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

If Blackmon is still available at No. 7, they won't hesitate to get their "franchise" quarterback a legitimate weapon in the passing game. (Granted, Blaine Gabbert looked horrible -- and scared -- last season, but the Jags arguably have the league's worst receiving corps). While many question Coples' motor, he is the premiere pass-rusher in the draft and the Jags have ranked in the bottom 10 in sacks for the past three years in a row.

8. Miami Dolphins (6-10) - Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Although the Dolphins have an elite left tackle in Jake Long, the top overall pick in 2008, they could certainly use an upgrade on the right side to replace Marc Colombo. With offensive tackles Kalil and Reiff off the board, the Dolphins will take the next best tackle available at this point.

9. Carolina Panthers (6-10) - Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

The Panthers were horrible against the run last year as they allowed 130.8 rushing yards per game and 18 rushing touchdowns, the fourth-most in the NFL. Brockers, who was recruited to LSU as a linebacker, has size (6-6, 306 pounds), athleticism, versatility and a ton of upside.

10. Buffalo Bills (6-10) - Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

Only two teams had fewer sacks than the Bills (29) last year -- Tampa Bay (23) and Tennessee (28). In other words, the Bills could use an impact pass-rusher. Here's what Tony Pauline wrote about the speed of Ingram, who weighed in at 276 pounds at the Senior Bowl: "... Many are convinced a time in the 4.6’s, or possibly faster, is legitimate for the play making defender."

11. Kansas City Chiefs (7-9) - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Richardson has an impressive combination of size, freakish strength and speed and is one of the best running back prospects in years. While running backs may not be coveted like they once were, Richardson would give the Chiefs a tremendous value at this spot. Along with Jamaal Charles, who is returning from an ACL injury, Kansas City would have the league's most dynamic running back duo.

12. Seattle Seahawks (7-9) - Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

After converting to receiver (from quarterback) when he arrived at A&M, Tannehill led the team in receiving in his first two seasons. He became the team's starting quarterback in the middle of his junior season, however, and has the size (6-4, 220 pounds), athleticism, smarts and arm strength that teams desire in quarterbacks although he is a bit raw.

13. Arizona Cardinals (8-8) - Michael Adams, OT, Ohio State

If Arizona doesn't draft an offensive tackle here, I can see them taking a receiver to help take some pressure off of Larry Fitzgerald. By improving their offensive line, however, that will give Kevin Kolb (or perhaps even Peyton Manning) better protection. Aside from the Rams, no other team allowed more sacks than the Cardinals (54) last season.

14. Dallas Cowboys (8-8) - David DeCastro, G, Stanford

The two biggest areas of need for the Cowboys are interior offensive line and secondary. They bolster one of those here with one of the best guard prospects in years. Otherwise, I could see them going with Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick or North Alabama's Janoris Jenkins, but both cornerbacks carry with them some off-field baggage.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8) - Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

The Eagles run defense improved as the season went on, but they need to upgrade the middle of their defense. Although some may worry about his (lack of elite) athleticism, Kuechly just makes plays. An instinctive tackling machine, Kuechly racked up more than 500 tackles in his three seasons at Boston College.

16. New York Jets (8-8) - Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama

In my first mock, I put Upshaw's teammate Mark Barron here and the Jets could certainly use an upgrade over Eric Smith. That said, they also need to improve their pass rush as Aaron Maybin, a first-round pick with the Bills that was cut after only two years, led the Jets in sacks (six) last year.

To see the rest of my first-round mock, click here.

For Brendan Donahue's 2012 NFL mock draft, click here. Or for our database of 2012 NFL mock drafts from around the web, click here.

To keep track of our updates, follow me on Twitter @EDSFootball or LIKE us on Facebook. Or both!

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

More than in any other sport, getting things right in the NFL Draft is critical to a team's ability to create and maintain long-term success.

In most cases, it is not necessarily the player(s) selected in the first round each year that leads to that success. It is the ability to find players in the later rounds of the draft or even the undrafted free agents that can contribute.

As we get closer to the draft, we will include mock drafts that go beyond the first round.

Last week, Brendan Donahue released his first 2012 NFL Mock Draft,

Here is how I see the first round unfolding:

1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14) - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

We've seen the results without a healthy Peyton Manning, a four-time league MVP. The trio of Kerry Collins, Curtis Painter and Dan Orlovsky led the Colts to two wins and subsequently the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft. And we've seen the results with a healthy Manning: double-digit wins in 11 of 12 seasons. It is looking less and less likely that Manning, who will turn 36 this year, will be on the Colts' roster to receive a $28 million bonus he's due on March 8th. Fortunately for Indianapolis, who may or may not have decided to move on weeks ago, Luck is one of the best quarterback prospects to come along in a long time.

2. St. Louis Rams (2-14) - Matt Kalil, OT, USC

It is possible (even likely) that one of the quarterback-needy teams will trade up to the No. 2 spot to take Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. While the Rams trading down is a very real possibility, I'm going to keep them here, for now.

Much of this month, I felt like the pick would be receiver Justin Blackmon, especially with Brandon Lloyd expected to leave via free agency (and perhaps to follow Josh McDaniels to New England). Instead, I have the Rams going with Kalil, an athletic offensive tackle from USC and the brother of Panthers Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil. No team allowed more sacks than the Rams (55) last year. Although St. Louis had injuries along their line, Jason Smith has been a bust so far and the team may even cut him if he doesn't agree to a pay cut.

[Related: Take our poll on which player will be selected second overall.]

3. Minnesota Vikings (3-13) - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

If the Rams trade down (and RG3 goes second overall), I would expect the Vikings to take Kalil. Only four teams allowed more sacks than Minnesota. However, their pass defense was atrocious last year and they have to face the Packers and Lions four times a year. No team allowed more passing touchdowns (34) than the Vikings and no team intercepted fewer passes (eight). Especially after Dre Kirkpatrick's brush-in with the law earlier this month, Claiborne is clearly the top corner in this year's draft class.

4. Cleveland Browns (4-12) - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

If the Browns don't trade up to take RG3 and he's still available here (I'm beginning to sound like a broken record), the Browns won't pass up the opportunity to take this year's Heisman Trophy recipient (see past winners). Accurate, athletic and intelligent, Griffin completed 72.4 percent of his passes and was just shy of 5,000 combined yards -- 4,293 passing yards and 699 rushing yards -- in 2011. For his career, Griffin has a 78:17 touchdown-to-interception ratio not counting his 33 rushing touchdowns.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12) - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

The Bucs would probably prefer to take Claiborne at this spot with Ronde Barber nearing (or maybe coming to) the end of his career and the off-the-field issues of Aqib Talib. That said, I don't think the Bucs take Kirkpatrick, who created some questions about his character as noted above. Richardson has an impressive combination of size, strength and speed and is one of the best running back prospects in years.

6. Washington Redskins (5-11) - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

There is plenty of speculation that the Redskins will try to trade up to select RG3. If they don't, they will boost their passing game with the draft's most-talented pass-catcher. Blackmon, who is the back-to-back Biletnikoff recipient, has 232 receptions for 3,304 yards and 38 touchdowns combined over the past two seasons.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11) - Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

If Blackmon is still available at No. 7, they won't hesitate to get their "franchise" quarterback a legitimate weapon in the passing game. (Granted, Blaine Gabbert looked horrible -- and scared -- last season, but the Jags arguably have the league's worst receiving corps). While many question Coples' motor, he is the premiere pass-rusher in the draft and the Jags have ranked in the bottom 10 in sacks for the past three years in a row.

8. Miami Dolphins (6-10) - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Although the Dolphins have an elite left tackle in Jake Long, the top overall pick in 2008, they could certainly use an upgrade on the right side to replace Marc Colombo. Along with Kalil and Jonathan Martin, Reiff is one of the three best offensive tackles in this year's draft class.

9. Carolina Panthers (6-10) - Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Regardless of how free agency shakes out, the top two teams in the NFC South (New Orleans and Atlanta) have elite passing attacks. As noted earlier, Kirkpatrick will have some 'splaining to do (as Ricky Ricardo would say) about his off-field issues. But the Panthers get a cornerback with elite size (approximately 6-3) to pair up with Chris Gamble.

10. Buffalo Bills (6-10) - Courtney Upshaw, DE/LB, Alabama

Only the Titans (28) and Bucs (23) had fewer sacks last year than the Bills (29). Defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, Upshaw's teammate at Alabama and the Bills' first-round pick last year, led the team in sacks last year with only 5.5. Upshaw will help.

To see the full first-round mock, click here.

For more mocks from around the internet, check out our 2012 NFL Mock Draft Database.

To keep track of our updates, follow me on Twitter and/or "like" us on Facebook.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Earlier today, we released the first iteration of Brendan Donahue's 2012 NFL Mock Draft.

Here is how he projects the first round to begin:

1. Colts - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford: This is already a done deal according to owner Jim Irsay. Luck has been rated as the best QB prospect since John Elway so this is pretty much a no-brainer especially now that the Colts have made it clear that they are clearing house and going into a full rebuilding mode.

2. Rams - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State: I could see the Rams being tempted by a team trying to trade up to get RG3 and moving this pick, but if they stay put I look for them to add the most dynamic weapon available in the draft. Although I don't have Blackmon as highly rated as Calvin Johnson, I do see him having an instant impact in the NFL and developing into a Pro Bowl receiver down the road.

3. Vikings - Matt Kalil, OT, USC: Maybe the safest pick in the entire draft.  The clear cut best tackle in the draft and someone that the Vikings can put on Chrisian Ponder's blind side and protect him for the next 10 years (this is if Ponder plays for the next ten years...). If Rams trade their pick or pass on Blackmon for some reason, look for Vikings to snatch him up here.

4. Browns - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor: The Heisman winner has been rapidly moving up draft boards and could eventually move up to #2 come draft day but for this mock were going to assume everyone drafts where they are slated and the Browns would be very happy to draft RGIII here. I think they are ready to concede that Colt McCoy is not a franchise QB in the NFL and will jump at the opportunity to add one here.

5. Bucs - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU: Based on how the Bucs finished the year, they could clearly use help in just about every area. With Blackmon off the board however, I look for them to add the best cornerback available in Morris Claiborne. A big physical corner who is also considered the best cover corner in the draft is exactly what they need as they battle in the same division with the air attacks of the Saints and Falcons.

See the full first round here.

For more mock drafts, visit our 2012 NFL Mock Draft Database.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Over the weekend, we updated our 2012 NFL Mock Draft Database and, as expected, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is still the consensus No. 1 overall pick.

Assuming Luck goes to Indianapolis at No. 1, there is less clarity about who the Rams will take with the second overall pick.

Or will they trade the pick away to a quarterback-needy team like Washington?

If the Rams don't trade the pick, they are unlikely to take Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, who was the 2011 Heisman Trophy recipient.

After all, they took Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford with the first overall pick in 2010 (see all previous No. 1 overall picks).

Assuming the Rams don't trade the pick, then they will likely select USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil, who is the brother of Panthers center Ryan Kalil, or Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon, who is the back-to-back Biletnikoff winner.

Who will be the second overall pick? Will the Rams trade the pick? Is Luck a lock as the first overall pick?

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last night, Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon announced that he will enter the 2012 NFL Draft.

Named the MVP of the Tostito's Fiesta Bowl, Blackmon finished the game with eight receptions for 186 yards and three touchdowns.

On the season, he finished with 121 receptions for 1,522 yards and 18 touchdowns. In the past two seasons combined, Blackmon has totaled 232 receptions for 3,304 yards and 38 touchdowns.

Blackmon, two-time recipient of the Biletnikoff award, will likely be the first receiver taken in this year's draft and a top 5-10 pick.

Related: Our 2012 NFL Mock Draft Database

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)