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2012 NFL Draft - First Round Tracker

Follow along as we track the first round with live pick and trade updates.

Pick	Team	Player/Position	School	Analysis
1	Colts	Andrew Luck - QB	Stanford	Best QB prospect to come along since, perhaps, his predecessor in Indy. He's got the arm, the accuracy, the smarts, leadership quality and "plus" athleticism. No doubt he should be the first guy off the board, and could be one of the leagues best at the position within 3 years.
2	Redskins (traded with Rams)	Robert Griffin III - QB	Baylor	Griffin's intelligence is often overlooked due to his elite athleticism, but the 'Skins make the right move here and get what should be their franchise leader for a long time.
3	Browns (traded with Vikings)	Trent Richardson - RB	Alabama	With the departure of Hillis and injuries to Hardesty, the Browns fill a huge need by taking the best 'back in the class and a true workhorse they can lean on to provide a much needed offensive spark.
4	Vikings	Matt Kalil - OT	USC	This was the right pick for the Vikings, after they invested a high pick on their franchise QB, Christian Ponder in 2011. Kalil makes it look easy at left tackle, and despite still being raw in a few areas, I have no doubts he'll be one of the best blind-side protectors in the league within a year or two.
5	Jaguars (traded with Buccaneers)	Justin Blackmon - WR	Oklahoma State	The Jags hope to finally get the big-play receiver that they've spent far too many first round picks on in recent years. Blackmon runs clean routes, possesses strong hands and has a knack for making big plays after the catch. A prolific receiver who should contend for 70+ catches right away. That is, if Blaine Gabbert (or whoever) can get him the ball.
6	Cowboys (traded with Rams)	Morris Claiborne - CB	LSU	The Cowboys grab the draft's top corner and a true game-changing play-maker for the secondary and return game. Claiborne can press, turn and run, track and play the ball in the air at an elite level. The Cowboys fill a need with the best player available here. Worth the trade up.
7	Buccaneers (traded with Jaguars)	Mark Barron - S	Alabama	Tampa grabs the draft's best safety, and a smart, tough football player in Barron. The Crimson Tide standout covers decent ground in the secondary and is extremely strong against the run. Possesses good instincts and reaction in space. However, he's not the dynamic play-maker that the 7th overall pick would typically warrant, so I think it's a bit of a reach here for the Bucs. A day-1 starter, but over-drafted as a top-10 pick, in my view.
8	Dolphins	Ryan Tannehill - QB	Texas A&M	Miami has needed a franchise QB for quite a while, and they gamble here with the somewhat inexperienced Tannehill. There's a lot to like with the former receiver - big arm, elite athleticism, impressive pocket presence, and an ability to learn rapidly. At the same time, he needs to improve at moving through progressions quickly and reading defenders better on the outside. Regardless, it's a gamble that the Dolphins felt they had to take. Look for the Dolphins to kick off '12 with Matt Moore as the starter, while they take some time to groom the rookie.
9	Panthers	Luke Kuechly - LB	Boston College	The Panthers grab what may be the safest and most complete player in the class outside of Luck. Kuechly can cover as well as any 'backer in the group, and is a tackling machine. What is under-valued by many analysts is his athleticism. He's fast and explosive, and could line up at any one of the 3 or 4 LB spots in any scheme, as a starter, right away. A huge upgrade for the Panthers.
10	Bills	Stephon Gilmore - DB	South Carolina	Gilmore is a superb athlete with the versatility to play multiple positions in the defensive backfield. He projects better as a safety than a corner, in my view, but he's still raw and has plenty of tools to develop into a really good player. Right now, I think he's behind both Kirkpatrick and Jenkins as a cover man, but it's his physicality, versatility, upside and kick return ability that push him up to 10 here.
11	Chiefs	Dontari Poe - DT	Memphis	Poe is a mammoth physical presence with unbelievable athleticism and explosiveness for his size. That said, he under-performed at Memphis and displays poor instincts and vision. He's a risky pick after the Chiefs seemingly whiffed on Tyson Jackson just a couple of drafts ago. Great athlete, not a great football player right now.
12	Eagles (traded with Seahawks)	Fletcher Cox - DT	Mississippi State	Cox is my top rated DT, and has been for about 3 months. He's a natural penetrator and the best interior pass-rusher in the group. The motor never stops ans he's versatile and quick enough to line up outside on either end. Great pick and great value for the Eagles here at 12.
13	Cardinals	Michael Floyd - WR	Notre Dame	Floyd is my top-rated WR on the board, and the 'Cards get an automatic, legit No.2 target to go with Fitz in the Arizona passing game. Some scouts knock him for looking "stiff" but the athleticism, hands, ball skills and run-blocking ability make him an eventual No. 1 in the league in my opinion. He's a proven, big-play guy who should start, day-1 for the 'Cards.
14	Rams (traded with Cowboys)	Michael Brockers - DT	LSU	Brockers possesses a rare combination of physical tools that make scouts believe he could be a dominant force for many years in the league. He's far from a finished product though, and is just touching his potential. He's inconsistent and needs more coaching. An upside pick for the Rams.
15	Seahawks (traded with Eagles)	Bruce Irvin - OLB/DE	West Virginia	The first real shocker of the first round here. Irvin is perhaps the most natural, explosive pass rusher in the class. There are several red flags though, not the least of which are a few off-field issues, but there's no denying his ability to get to the quarterback, and there's certainly no denying that pass rush is Seattle's biggest need coming in. If anyone can maximize a guy like Irvin's potential, one would think that Carroll could be that coach. He's weak against the run, and struggles to shed blocks at the second level, so he's got some work to do.
16	Jets	Quinton Coples - DE/DT	North Carolina	Coples has been perhaps the most hotly debated, polarizing prospect leading up to the draft. He's the most physically gifted D-lineman in the crop, but the effort has been constantly questioned. If Rex Ryan can motivate him to keep the throttle pinned, there's no foreseeable limit to how devastating he can be.
17	Bengals (acquired from Raiders in the Carson Palmer Trade)	Dre Kirkpatrick - CB	Alabama	Kirkpatrick is a big, fast corner with impressive strength and an explosive first step to close on the ball. He can press, play off, turn and run and possesses good zone instincts. He tends to relax from time to time and isn't as physical at the line as he could be, on a consistent basis, but he flashes undeniable shutdown ability and brings a much-needed physical presence to the Cincinnati secondary.
18	Chargers	Melvin Ingram - OLB/DE	South Carolina	Ingram's versatility and crazy athleticism make him a great fit for the Chargers who desperately need pass rush. He'll be able to line up outside in SD's 3-4 and can rotate up to the line on passing downs where should be a disruptive force and pass-rushing threat from pretty much anywhere. He's knocked for possessing short arms and lacking prototypical body length, but his combination of athleticism and a strong work ethic should enable him to overcome some of the perceived physical limitations. Good value at 18.
19	Bears	Shea McClellin - OLB	Boise State	The Bears grab a young dynamic 'backer and a great athlete in McClellin to line up with the likes of Briggs and Urlacher. McClellin is one of the top pass rushers in the class but a closer look at the tape and an impressive Senior Bowl week convinced many scouts, myself included, that he can do more than rush the passer. He can drop, blitz from a stand, or put his hand in the ground. A relentless competitor and much needed injection of youth into an aging group of Chicago linebackers.
20	Titans	Kendall Wright - WR	Baylor	Known mostly for the vertical threat that he was at Baylor, Wright does a lot of things well. Clean routes, plucks the ball, can separate underneath and possesses impressive strength for his size when asked to block. The Titans needed a field-stretching spark on offense, and they get it here in Wright.
21	Patriots (traded with Bengals)	Chandler Jones - DE	Syracuse	The Patriots address a huge need on the defensive side of the ball here by drafting one of this year's late risers in Jones. I see a lot of technical flaws in Jones's game, but who better than Bill Belichick to develop a young defensive player with loads of talent and a prototypical size/speed combination? Could end up the best pass rusher in the class, if he develops.
22	Browns (from Falcons)	Brandon Weeden - QB	Oklahoma State	Weeden is know more for his age (28) than his arm, but he has plenty of the latter. I question a lot of his decision-making and don't see him as the day-one starter that some scouts predict him to be, but he had some good moments at Oklahoma State, and possesses a natural leadership ability that should translate. McCoy isn't the answer in Cleveland, and the Browns' brass acknowledges that fact with this pick.
23	Lions	Riley Reiff - OL	Iowa	Reiff is a great value here at 23, where the Lions address one of their longest standing holes on the offensive side of the football, at tackle. I see Reiff as a day-one starter on either side of the line, who still has plenty of room to get better. The 2nd rated OT and 11th player overall on my board.
24	Steelers	David DeCastro - OG	Stanford	DeCastro is the best interior lineman and quite possibly the top O-lineman in the class, and he falls to the Steelers here at 24. A tough, athletic, powerful guard with the versatility to line up anywhere, and an ideal pick for the Steelers who need to get younger and tougher up front. Still learning technique and growing in consistency, but a guy with All-Pro potential in the NFL.
25	Patriots (traded with Denver)	Dont'a Hightower - LB	Alabama	Hightower goes right where he should. Bottom of the first. He's limited in coverage and overall range, but he's right up there among the best run defenders in the draft and he plays with instincts and toughness that could make him a day-one starter for the Pats.
26	Texans	Whitney Mercilus - DE/OLB	Illinois	The Texans look to avoid a major pass-rush falloff with the departure of Mario Williams, by grabbing college footballs top sack man in 2011.. Despite being highly inconsistent off the snap, and often engaging blockers too high/upright, he still found 16 ways to get to opposing QBs last season and there's something to be said for that. He possesses good natural athleticism, ideal length, strong closing burst and plenty of room to grow. If he can learn to play with more technical consistency, he could be a real threat off the edge in Houston's 3-4.
27	Bengals (traded with Patriots)	Kevin Zeitler - OG	Wisconsin	Cincinnati addresses a major need here by grabbing a tough road-grader in Zeitler. He started at right guard at Wisconsin, but could move over to the left side at the next level and should instantly upgrade the running game for the Bengals. Has a bit of a nasty streak and engages well at the second level. Not as athletic as Cordy Glenn who is still on the board here, but a smart, technically consistent blocker capable of starting right away.
28	Packers	Nick Perry - DE/OLB	USC	The Packers address their biggest '11 weakness in grabbing the edge rusher out of USC. Perry utilizes leverage, hands and lateral quickness well to get around blockers, and having worked as a hybrid DE/OLB in college, should be a natural fit for Green Bay's 3-4 scheme.
29	Vikings	Harrison Smith - S	Notre Dame	Smith is a solid safety, although not a first rounder in my mind. Being that the crop of safeties is so thin though, it makes sense for a team with such a glaring need at safety like the Vikings to get into position to grab the best safety on the board when they have the chance. Smith covers some good ground, diagnoses and reacts quickly, and is strong in the box against the run.
30	49ers	A.J. Jenkins - WR	Illinois	The Niners desperately need a vertical threat, and they take what they believe to be the best one available here in Jenkins. On tape, Jenkins appears to be more of a slot solution though, as he lacks the initial explosiveness off the line to beat press with his feet, and he's not physical enough to be a consistent outside target without that burst. He does possess a great second gear though and from the slot, should be able to display it by getting into open space and utilizing his acceleration to separate after the grab. If I had to pick a "reach" for the first round, this would be it.
31	Buccaneers (acquired from Patriots through Broncos)	Doug Martin - RB	Boise State	The Bucs miss out on Richardson at the top of the round but end up with another physical back with impressive burst, in Doug Martin. He's a threat inside or out, will move the pile on contact and possesses much better initial explosion than Blount, and should be the preferred 'back of the two in that Tampa offense.
32	Giants	David Wilson - RB	Virginia Tech	Ahmad Bradshaw clearly can't do it all himself, and this was THE glaring weakness for the Giants last season. They address it here by picking the explosive David Wilson who will brings a much-needed North-South, tough running style to a now Jacobs-less NY backfield.