2012 NFL Draft Live Update Blog

Here, I'll be posting my initial thoughts on every draft pick once it's finalized.  Keep checking back as I'll update when any major happening takes place.

7:15 pm
1. Indianapolis Colts select Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford


This is already assured to happen, and Luck's contract may even be almost done by the time he's shaking Goodell's hand.  In the end, this is the right pick; Jim Irsay and Ryan Grigson did the right thing sticking with Andrew Luck and not succumbing to the uprising pressure to draft the flashy Robert Griffin III.  The reality is that Andrew Luck is a pro-ready quarterback on day one, and probably will have a season more like Peyton Manning's 2nd season (4,135 yards, 62.1% completions, 26 TD 15 INT) than Peyton's rookie year where he threw 28 interceptions.  Luck will be a solid but unspectacular pro at worst, at his best, we could be looking at the second coming of Peyton Manning.

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

Like the Luck pick, this one's set in stone.  The Redskins gave up a king's ransom to get this pick, and Griffin will be their future.  I'm not sure how great of an offensive situation he's walking into.  Santana Moss and Pierre Garcon aren't #1 receivers and Fred Davis and Trent Williams are suspended for the first four games of the season for substance abuse.  Additionally, they have yet to settle on a runningback of any worth.  Shanahan has never worked with this mobile of a quarterback though, so we'll see how he adapts his offense.  The one credit I'll give the Redskins: Moss and Garcon are deep threats, and an offense built around RG3 must be fixated on the downfield passing game, which it will be.

7:40 pm


Cleveland has just traded their 4th overall pick along with their 4th, 5th, 7th round picks to move up to the 3rd spot that Minnesota was leveraging in trades.  It ensures that Cleveland will get the guy they want: Runningback Trent Richardson.  It's a small price to pay, ensuring that they get the 3rd best player in the draft.  They also had 13 picks to work with, making it fully worth it.  The Vikings weren't going to take Richardson there, so they get 3 free picks for their troubles.  Good trade for the Browns to prevent the Buccaneers from trading ahead of them to get Richardson.

8:20 pm


3. Cleveland Browns select Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama


As I said, this was the right move for the Browns, and masterful trading by Minnesota.  The crazy thing is that Minnesota could trade down yet again, because they like OT Matt Kalil and CB Morris Claiborne.  The Vikings' indecisiveness will actually pay off for them because they'll probably be able to trade down yet again with either the Buccaneers, Rams, or Jaguars.  If the Vikings threaten that they'll take Morris Claiborne with the 4th pick, the Buccaneers will have to make a similar trade to what the Browns did, to ensure they get the player they truly need.

8:25 pm


Jacksonville has traded up to the #5 pick and Tampa Bay has slid back to #7.  You'd have to think this trade was so that the Jags could take WR Justin Blackmon out of Oklahoma State.  It'd be quite surprising if they didn't.  EDIT: The Jags gave up their 4th round pick to move up.  Nothing sizable whatsoever.

4. Minnesota Vikings select Matt Kalil, OT, USC


Minnesota makes the sound pick here.  Kalil sures up the left tackle spot for them for a decade.  He got criticized a lot leading up to the draft for not being a powerful blocker, but he's fundamentally sound and a solid tackle with great pedigree.  This was the right pick for the Vikings over Morris Claiborne, corner is deeper this year than offensive line.

8:32 pm


5. Jacksonville Jaguars select Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State


They really liked Blackmon and moved up to get him, their admiration was no secret in the hours leading up to the draft.  They got a target for Gabbert that specializes in quick routes like slants and curls and can help him as a security blanket which will allow him to get the ball out quickly.  Good trade by Jacksonville.

Additional news, Dallas has traded their 14th overall pick and their 2nd rounder to move up to the 6th overall pick.  St. Louis has traded down yet again, and won't get any of the 6 elite players they were ensured even after the trade-down with Washington.  This will be an interesting pick.  Probably will be CB Morris Claiborne or S Mark Barron though.

8:38 pm


6. Dallas Cowboys select Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU


The Cowboys wanted to have an elite secondary, and they did all they could to address the position this offseason.  First they signed Brandon Carr to a long-term deal, and now they dealt up in the draft to acquire the top CB, Morris Claiborne.  The only downside on Claiborne is his low Wonderlic score, but it surely didn't affect his ability to play the best cornerback in the country, in the SEC, in a complex and NFL-caliber defense.  Claiborne will be just fine and the Cowboys, as much as I hate to say it, made a great move to trade up.

8:46 pm

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Mark Barron, S, Alabama


The Bucs shore up their secondary and take Mark Barron, who vaulted from a top 20 pick to a top 10 pick over the last couple weeks, mostly due to the lack of depth at safety in this year's class.  Safeties have an increased importance now in the NFL, especially since they line up man-to-man on tight ends quite often.  Barron has the versatility to keep up with them and the Bucs hope that he can cover them as well as providing solid run support.  It's a bit high, but I like the pick.

8:50 pm


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


Looks like head coach Mike Sherman will take his college quarterback with him to the Miami Dolphins.  This is a really questionable move.  I don't question how few starts he has, I just question the process of a college head coach getting fired and taking his quarterback with him to a HIGHER level of football.  Tannehill has the arm strength, mobility and measureables to become a solid QB, but probably doesn't have top-end quarterback upside.  He may settle in as a top 10-15 QB but never a top 5 QB.  He's got a long way to go to get there though, and pressure will be high to play him.

8:55 pm


9. Carolina Panthers select Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College


The Panthers have a small surprise here in taking Kuechly.  They could use him after losing LB Dan Connor, and he's the safest player left in the draft.  Kuechly was desired by everyone after the top 8 picks, so the Panthers made the smart pick taking him here if they really wanted him.  The offense was fine, so it was smart to address the defense.

9:00 pm


10. Buffalo Bills select Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina


This is an interesting pick because I feel like they had far more pressing needs, such as... almost every other position besides defensive line and runningback.  But they have 3 good cornerbacks, although none are probably elite with Gilmore in the fold.  They'll have to hope that Gilmore is really elite and isn't just another high-riser leading up to the draft.  Anyone remember Donte Whitner from 2006?  The Bills sure do, but they made the pick anyways, risky pick.

11. Kansas City Chiefs select Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis


The workout warrior is off the board, and a bit higher than most expected.  He skyrocketed from a 2nd rounder to a top 15 pick after running an unofficial 4.88 40 at 346 pounds and hitting the bench press hard.  The Chiefs really need to address other positions because theyve spent far too many high picks (Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey) on the position and take defensive linemen later.  Very high reward high risk pick.

9:08 pm


Philadelphia Eagles have traded up!  They've moved up 3 spots and the word has been that they've wanted Chandler Jones, the DE out of Syracuse.  But DT Fletcher Cox is still on the board and awful appealing.  It's going to be a D-Lineman, that's all I know.

9:12 pm


12. Philadelphia Eagles select Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State


Great pick!  As an Eagles fan I'm overjoyed.  DT is a huge need for the Eagles and they addressed it in a major way.  He fits Washburn's scheme well as a solid pass rusher but did well in run defense as well.  The Eagles only gave up a fourth round pick and sixth round pick to move up, a small price to pay for the apple of their eye.

9:19 pm


13. Arizona Cardinals select Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame


The Cardinals kept to their promise to Larry Fitzgerald, and took the second best WR available to help ease the burden of Larry Fitzgerald.  Now the offense can run through both WRs and doubling Fitzgerald  will come at a cost.  Now if they can just find a quarterback....

9:26 pm


14. St. Louis Rams select Michael Brockers, DT, LSU


The Rams didn't have a top-end defensive tackle but they do now.  Brockers is a huge mass of man, and one of the rawest players in the draft.  He only played 2 years, but he did enough in his short time to show the elite-level athleticism and measureables at the position to become a monster inside.  The Rams haven't had much luck drafting defensive tackles in their franchise's history though.  For their sakes and the sanity of their fans, they have to hope this pans out.

15. Seattle Seahawks select Bruce Irvin, DE/OLB, West Virginia


Wow!  HUGE surprise.  Irvin is an amazing sack artist, but wow this is early for a one-dimensional pass rusher.  He's got speed, and while he's strong for his size, at 245 pounds, he's basically just Chris Clemons 2.0.  He has to come off the field on rushing downs because of his size.  I can't say I like this pick.  I respect the Seahawks for taking the guy they like, but wow did they ever reach for him.

9:41 pm


16. New York Jets select Quentin Coples, DE/OLB, North Carolina


Coples fell a bit farther than I thought he would, and the Jets capitalized.  It was Melvin Ingram or Coples, and Coples has had the longer staying power.  Coples is a huge guy and probably plays better in run defense too than Ingram.  He's more likely to be a 3-down player than Ingram is, so great pick for the Jets.

9:47 pm


17. Cincinnati Bengals select Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama


The Bengals address the loss of Jonathan Joseph from last season and fill the void across from Leon Hall at cornerback.  Kirkpatrick also provides insurance if Leon Hall doesn't come back fully healthy.  Solid pick and they have a pick at #21 to take an offensive lineman or possibly a runningback like Doug Martin or David Wilson.  Good first pick by the Bengals.

9:54 pm


18. San Diego Chargers select Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina


I can't believe Ingram fell so far in the draft, but the Chargers have to be happy!  This is their third straight first round pick on their front 7, and I think it'll pay off well for them.  Ingram is an insane athlete, and really should have been the #1 3-4 OLB prospect this year.  Great pick by A.J. Smith and they'll hope he can be their best pass rusher since "Lights Out" Shawne Merriman.


19. Chicago Bears select Shea McClellin, OLB, Boise State

Well this is a surprise, but they really don't have a bookend for Julius Peppers on the defensive line.  Interesting pick, he was projected largely to go to Green Bay in the first round.  Bears upgrade their pass rush and I'm honestly surprised they didn't take Decastro.

Additionally, New England traded up to 21.  Schefty's saying they'll take Chandler Jones from Syracuse, but only time will tell.

10:05 pm


20. Tennessee Titans select Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Great pick by the Titans that not a lot saw coming.  The Titans have no downfield threat, Nate Washington is more of a #2.  Wright can truly stretch the field and be similar to WR Steve Smith.  Great pick to try and help Locker and take some pressure off the running game.

10:11 pm


21. New England Patriots select Chandler Jones, DE/OLB, Syracuse


New England traded up 6 picks to get him, and they got their guy.  They finally addressed their pass rush in a big way.  Don't have a ton to say about this except that they addressed their biggest need.

22. Cleveland Browns select Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State


This is risky as hell, but the Browns have committed to the 28 year old Weeden.  He's played almost exclusively in the spread, but he's the best passer left, and there's a big dropoff after him at QB.  I think the Browns did well to avoid Tannehill, but I don't know that Weeden is worth a first round pick.  Seems almost forced similar to the Tim Tebow pick by the Broncos a few years back. Quarterbacks get so hyped up past what they're truly worth now, it's an inefficiency in the draft.

10:18 pm


23. Detroit Lions select Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa


Well, the Lions managed to screw this one up.  Iowa tackles are never amazing, but they don't bust.  David Decastro was a sure thing and they passed it up.  I know they need tackle more than guard, but Decastro's a better player.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers select David Decastro, OG, Stanford


Well the Steelers wasted no time whatsoever in selecting Decastro with this pick.  It's amazing that he fell this far in the draft.  Great value pick for the Steelers.

25. New England Patriots select Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama


Great pick by the Patriots, their linebacking corps is set now.  They get a great run-stopper to compliment the versatile Jerod Mayo inside at linebacker.  They traded their 3rd round pick to move up 6 picks to get him, and I fully approve of the trade.  Hightower would have gone to the Steelers had Decastro not been there, good job by the Pats to get the good value there.

10:28 pm


26. Houston Texans select Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois


Mercilus is the second consecutive one-year wonder to declare from Illinois.  He fell pretty far as many thought he was on a fast track to San Diego.  When Bruce Irvin went 15th to Seattle, it negatively impacted Mercilus more than anyone else in the draft.  Good value pick for the Texans, and he better fits the 3-4 than Mario Williams because he's 30 pounds lighter.

27. Cincinnati Bengals select Kevin Zeitler, OG, Wisconsin


The Bengals get a road-grader lineman from Wisconsin to fill out the middle of their line.  Good second pick, and they netted an extra third round pick to move down from 21 to here.  I thought they may take Lamar Miller or Doug Martin, but they decided to address their OL first which is good.  They have slow, plodding runningbacks, so they need wide open holes if they're going to have a successful running game.  Good pick, but Cordy Glenn would have been nice here as well.

28. Green Bay Packers select Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC


The Packers, similarly to the Patriots, had real troubles getting pressure on the quarterback.  Now they wont any longer as they have a pair of Trojans at 3-4 OLB.  Good pick here, as he's real similar to Shea McClellin.

29. Minnesota Vikings select Harrison Smith, S, Notre Dame


The Vikings don't have any good safeties to speak of honestly, so Smith fills a need here.  He rose up to late 1st-round status these last few days, but was he pushed up because of the lack of top-end talent safeties in the draft this year?  Only time will tell.  Mike Mayock seemed to like him quite a bit leading up to the draft, and he's definitely the 2nd best safety available.  They only surrendered a fourth round pick to do it, albeit the first fourth round pick, and since that kicks off the third day of the draft, that's extremely valuable.  So it's a pricier trade than it seems.

30. San Francisco 49ers select A.J. Jenkins, WR, Illinois 


A surprising wide receiver selection as I was convinced that they would go for the game-breaking speed of Stephen Hill.  They opted for A.J. Jenkins instead who did have a phenomenal season this year with poor quarterback play.  He profiles more as an intermediate route player though which doesn't help extend their offense downfield.  Don't think I completely understand this one..

10:53 pm


31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Doug Martin, RB, Boise State


LeGarrette Blount isn't any great shakes at runningback by himself, and definitely has stone hands. He can't play all three downs and can't pass protect.  He's headed for a platoon with Doug Martin and Martin will take over the job in the future after Blount leaves.  Solid pick by Tampa, and they only moved back 25 picks in round 4 to do it.  Great value and a great first day for the Bucs netting Mark Barron and Doug Martin, two starters.

32. New York Giants select David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech


I like the pick of Wilson to give them some depth at runningback.  Ahmad Bradshaw can't stay healthy at all, so Wilson is a similar style player that can fit right in when Bradshaw can't play.  Great value pick at the end of the first round here.

A little over three hours and we're done!  Quick but eventful draft.  Hope everyone enjoyed reading the live evaluations!