pro football draft preview supplement

Pro Football Draft PreviewApril 2012

Presented by: CheeseheadTV

“the most NFL ready quarterback since

John Elway”

QB Andrew Luck

#PFDP

SUPP

LEMEN

T

2 | Cheesehead TV 2012 Draft Preview Supplement CheeseheadTV.com

Publisher: Corey Behnke

Editor: Brian Carriveau

Design: Alex Tallitsch

Writers:

Paul GuillemetteZach Kruse

Thanks to everyone who bought the second-annual edition of the Cheesehead TV NFL Draft Guide.

We would never be able to create this publication without all of the great readers, followers and sup-porters of Cheesehead TV.

* All stats from 2011 unless indicated

* All rankings are author’s opinion

2012 Editor’s Mock DraftHoping For A ChanceThe Top 100 Prospects Revisited

3-78-910

Contents

Andrew Luck , QB - Stanford

#1 Colts

Robert Griffin III, QB - Baylor

#2 Redskins


NFL Mock Draft 2012

MOCK DRAFT 2012

Mock Draft 2012“It’s a foregone conclusion that Luck will become the No. 1 overall

draft choice.”

BY BRIAN CARRIVEAU

It’s a foregone con-clusion that Luck will become the No. 1 overall draft choice, and it’s been that way ever since he declared for the NFL Draft and prob-ably even before that.

The Colts have cut ties with Peyton Manning, so they’ll put their hope in Luck that he’ll be able to lead the team for the next decade-plus.

Luck is the complete package. He has pro-totype size, smarts and mechanics. He’ll be a starter from Day 1 in Indianapolis, and it probably won’t be long until he’s playing at a Pro Bowl level.

The Redskins gave up a king’s ransom to move up to the No. 2 spot in the Draft, and there’s no way they don’t take Griffin, someone they hope will be the face of their franchise for years to come.

Griffin is adept at both running and passing, not unlike Carolina quarter-back Cam Newton but with more finesse, in a good way.

He’s a more fluid, elusive runner than the batter-ing ram Newton can be. Griffin is Randall Cun-ningham with an even higher upside.

Brian Carriveau

MOCK DRAFT 2012 4 | Cheesehead TV 2012 Draft Preview Supplement CheeseheadTV.com

Unless the Vikings trade down from their No. 3 slot in the draft, there’s a good chance they’ll select Kalil.

They have other needs, particularly in the sec-ondary, that need to be addressed as well. But offensive line is a need, and Kalil is the best one in this year’s draft class.

NFL Mock Draft 2012

Running backs may be becoming devalued league-wide, but the Browns will make an ex-ception for Richardson.

A good combination of speed and power, Rich-ardson is the complete package and is proba-bly better than the back he shared time with in 2010, Mark Ingram.

Rumors are swirling that the Bucs want to trade troubled corner-back Aqib Talib and Ronde Barber will make a move to safety.

It’s time for some new blood in the second-ary in Tampa Bay, and Claiborne fits the bill no matter what his Won-derlic score is.

As long as the Rams are committed to quar-terback Sam Bradford, they need to give him some help, namely receiving targets.

Blackmon is the top receiver in this year’s draft class and the “B to B connection” (Bradford to Blackmon” should be an up-and-coming duo.

#3 Vikings #6 Rams#5 Bucs#4 Browns

Justin Blackmon, WRMorris Claiborne, CB Trent Richardson, RB Matt Kalil, OT

Similar to giving Brad-ford a weapon in St. Louis, the Jaguars give Blaine Gabbert a big and fast target too.

Any concerns about Floyd’s speed were erased at the NFL Com-bine back in February.

His combination of size and speed is rare.

The Dolphins couldn’t lure Peyton Manning or Matt Flynn in free agency and they pull off the trade the Red-skins made to move up to No. 2 in the Draft.

So they look to reunite Tannehill with his former college coach Mike Sherman, now the offensive coordinator in Miami.

The Panthers are in desperate need of help from the defensive tackle position, and by adding Cox, they get the best pass-rushing tackle in the Draft.

The offense is in good shape in Carolina with Cam Newton running the show, so they could be in for a major jump forward if Cox can help their defense.

Reiff is just another in what’s become a long line of offensive line products from the Uni-versity of Iowa.

Reiff is similar to an-other former Hawkeye and current Packer Bryan Bulaga, but Reiff may be an even bet-ter prospect. He’ll be a cornerstone on the Bills offensive line for years to come.

#7 Jaguars #10 bIlls#9 Panthers#8 Dolphins

Riley Reiff, OTFletcher Cox, DL Ryan Tannehill, QBMichael Floyd, WR

Brian Carriveau


The Chiefs would prob-ably like Riley Reiff to drop one more spot, but as it is, they’ll add to their defensive line with a new nose tackle.

They’ll like the athleti-cism Poe provides, now they just have to coax it out of him on a more consistent basis.

If they can, Poe could be a stud.

NFL Mock Draft 2012

John Schneider knows exactly what he’s get-ting with Kuechly, a tackling machine, and he shouldn’t come away disappointed.

Kuechly is one of the safer picks in this year’s draft. His measurables are fantastic, he has a clean bill of health, and he’s always been productive.

Ingram would make a nice complement to Calais Campbell, pro-viding a pass rush for the Cardinals.

That duo would make life tough on Aaron Rodgers and the Pack-ers who face the Pack-ers in Week 12 of the 2012 season.

Gilmore has everything you want in a corner: size, speed, toughness. He could step in and be a starter from day one in Dallas where they need help in the sec-ondary.

With the pass becom-ing a bigger and big-ger weapon every day in the NFL, Gilmore is just what the Cowboys need to help stop op-posing offenses.

#11 Chiefs #14 Cowboys#13 Cardinals#12 Seahawks

Stephon Gilmore, CBMelvin Ingram, OLBLuke Kuechly, LBDontari Poe, DT

The Eagles find a solu-tion at inside linebacker by bringing Hightower into the fold. The Ala-bama linebacker is not a reach.

He’s produced at a high level for Alabama and was a big reason the Tide defense was so dominant in 2011. He’ll be effective behind a pretty good Eagles defensive line.

Barron gives the Jets defense a “nasty” factor, which will fit in perfect-ly in New York.

He’ll also help contain those pesky New Eng-land Patriots tight ends, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, who have given the Jets fits as of late.

The Bengals will over-look any issues with Kirkpatrick regarding his arrest for possession of marijuana in order to get help at a posi-tion they’re in need of improving.

Kirkpatrick’s size and length will help him become a good cover corner. Now his body will just have to hold up to the rigors of the NFL.

Offensive line and outside linebacker are almost equal needs in San Diego it could be a coin flip in which position they choose to address.

The Chargers can’t go wrong with DeCastro, however. Comparisons to Steve Hutchinson are apt. DeCastro should be able to play up to that level.

#15 Eagles #18 Chargers#17 Bengals#16 Jets

David DeCastro, OGDre Kirkpatrick, CBMark Barron, SDont’a Hightower, LB

Brian Carriveau


The Bears get Julius Peppers Jr. by selecting Coples. The obvious is that they’re both prod-ucts of North Carolina, but they’re similar in the way they play too.

Both can be elite pass rushers, and Coples will benefit from the tutelage of a Peppers to show him the ropes and beef up the Bears defensive front.

NFL Mock Draft 2012

The Titans weren’t able to generate much of a pass rush in 2011, so they’ll be very happy with Perry.

Perry is also more com-fortable with his hand in the dirt, so he’ll be happy to join Tennes-see where he can get after the quarterback from a three-point stance and cause some havoc.

Glenn is big and agile, and as such, may be able to play tackle in the NFL. The Bengals can figure that out later.

They take Glenn now and figure out his best fit once they see his skill set up front and personal. They could use a new guard, so maybe that’s where he fits in, at least in the short term.

The Browns need as-sistance at all the skill positions, and Wright provides the best op-tion of all the players left on the board.

Whoever the Browns decide is the quar-terback of the future, whether it’s Colt Mc-Coy or someone else, Wright will provide them with a good target.

#19 Bears #22 Browns#21 Bengals#20 Titans

Kendall Wright, WRCordy Glenn, OLNick Perry, DE Quinton Coples, DE

Having to face Aaron Rodgers and his receiv-ing corps twice a year only exacerbates the need at help at corner-back for the Lions.

With several players be-ing arrested this offsea-son, they must be very careful about drafting another player with character concerns, however.

Zietler is a perfect fit for the rugged image of the Steelers.

He’s a mauler that helped pave the way for a good ground game at Wisconsin but also got plenty of expe-rience in pass protec-tion with Scott Tolzien and Russell Wilson play-ing quarterback for the Badgers the past two seasons.

Now that Peyton Man-ning has been added to the Broncos offense, they can find another piece for their defense.

A defensive front that features both Von Miller and Brockers is intrigu-ing. Brockers will help stuff the run and Miller will provide the pass rush in Denver.

With Mario Williams having moved onto Buffalo, the Texans will look to find a pass rusher from the outside linebacker position and will find one with Mc-Clellin.

Between him, J.J. Watt and Brooks Reed, the push the Texans get from the defensive front should be impres-sive.

#23 Lions #26 Texans#25 Broncos#24 Steelers

Shea McClellin, OLBMichael Brockers, DT Kevin Zietler, GJanoris Jenkins, CB

Brian Carriveau

MOCK DRAFT 2012

As the Packers look to replace the production they missed from Cullen Jenkins, they take a player who has roughly the same dimensions as Jenkins. Reyes is a three-down player who can play the run as well as he can rush the passer, which makes him a safe pick. It’s likely he’ll be able to play five-technique in the base 3-4 defense and be able to slide inside on passing downs.


The Patriots would seem to have some needs in the secondary, but by selecting Mer-cilus, they’ll hope the pass rush he provides will allow less time for their defensive backs to spend in coverage.

The Patriots defense is about adaptation, which will benefit a player like Mercilus who’s a 3-4/4-3 hybrid type.

NFL Mock Draft 2012#27 Patriots

Kendall Reyes, DL – ConnecticutWhitney Mercilus, DE

The Ravens need of-fensive line help and Martin gives it to them. While learning to protect Andrew Luck’s backside at Stanford, Martin became an ad-ept in his pass blocking.

He still has a ways to go in the run blocking department, but that will come in time.

The 49ers badly need help at the receiver position that will take attention away from Vernon Davis and vice versa.

With Hill, the 49ers are going with potential. Coming from an of-fense that ran the triple option at Georgia Tech, Hill still has a ways to go to become a pol-ished receiver, but he can be a deep threat.

The Patriots had to address the secondary sometime early in the Draft, especially if they didn’t do so with the first selection in the first round.

Smith gives them a knowledgeable pres-ence in the defensive backfield that isn’t going to be mistake prone. Whether he can make plays is another matter.

After injuries to both Jake Ballard and Travis Beckum in the Super Bowl, the Giants could use some assistance in the tight end depart-ment.

After the success the Patriots had with Gronkowski and Her-nandez, it seems like NFL teams can’t have enough bit targets at the tight end position.

#29 Ravens #32 Giants#31 Patriots#30 Niners

Coby Fleener, TEHarrison Smith, SStephen Hill, WRJonathan Martin, OT

#28 Green Bay Packers

Brian Carriveau

B


NFL Draft 2012

Hopingfor a Chance

Penn State guard Johnnie Trout-man isn’t expecting to be a first-round pick in the 2012 NFL draft. For all we know, the 24-year-old may not even get drafted.

By Zach Kruse

“But every player just wants that chance, you know? A chance to perform.”

Troutman said he has been in contact with Green Bay during the pre-draft process.

“I’ve talked with the Packers. They are obviously a great organization, and I’d love to play there, whether they draft me or call me afterwards if I don’t get picked,” Troutman said.

A three-year starter at guard for the Nittany Lions, Troutman received an invite to both the Senior Bowl and Scouting Combine this offseason. After an admittedly up-and-down performance in Mobile, the 6-4, 325-pound Troutman displayed his strength at the combine by putting up 31 reps at 225 pounds. While he ran the 40-yard dash in 5.67 seconds—the second-slowest time recorded in Indianapolis—Troutman did manage to shave over three-tenths of a second off that time at Penn State’s pro day.

Would Green Bay represent a fit for Troutman either during the draft or after?

ut when the dust finally settles next week on the four-month long lead-up to the draft, all Troutman really wants is a chance to make

an NFL roster. And the potential exists that an opportunity to do just that could come with the Green Bay Packers.

“The last four months have been a long waiting process. You don’t really know what’s going to happen,” Troutman said in a recent phone inter-view with Cheesehead TV.

"you don’t really know what will happen"

Zach Kruse


The Packers may ultimately seek additional depth at guard—Troutman’s natural position—behind starters Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang. But Troutman did mention that he has been taking snaps at center to give him versatility along the offensive line.

“(Playing center) is definitely an option,” Troutman said. “I’ve been practicing snapping the ball just to get comfortable with the position. I definitely think that if I focused on it more, I could play the position long term.”

The Packers need long-term depth at the center position despite signing veteran Jeff Saturday in free agency. Sampson Genus, an undrafted free agent who spent 2011 on the practice squad, is the only other player listed at center on the Packers’ roster.

Even if Green Bay decides against using one its 12 picks on Troutman, the Packers could be one team he considers heavily if his name goes uncalled. Troutman added that Green Bay is “somewhere I can envision myself landing” as an undrafted free agent.

At this point, Troutman is considered a developmental, late-round prospect. The consensus among scouting reports is that Troutman is a strong contributor in the run game but struggles to hold up in pass protection.

According to Matt Miller, Bleacher Report’s lead NFL draft writer, Troutman may not be an ideal fit for what Green Bay wants to do offensively.

“Johnnie Troutman is a classic mauler in the run game, but the major concern I see in his game as it translates to a team like Green Bay is that he’s a natural waist-bender who lacks great initial quickness,” Miller said. “His overall play warrants no more than a late-round draft pick. His lack of quickness is a major concern for NFL teams.”

However, one former teammate singled out Troutman as his toughest collegiate matchup.

“Probably the toughest guy I went up against is one of my own teammates in Johnnie Troutman, just because we’ve been at Penn State for four years together,” said Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still, a likely first-round pick. “He knew all of my moves and all of my tendencies, so when I went up against him, it was just head-to-head, just who’s more physical.” Troutman isn’t planning anything big for the draft, other than keeping a close watch on where his former teammates land. But if he has it his way, just one NFL team will give him all he wants.

A chance.

NFL Draft 2012

“probably the toughest guy I went up against"

Zach Kruse


1. Andrew Luck - QB - Stanford2. Robert Griffin - QB - Baylor3. Matt Kalil - OT - USC4. Quinton Coples - DE - UNC5. Justin Balckmon - WR - Oklahoma State6. Morris Claiborne - CB - LSU7. Trent Richardson - RB - Alabama8. Michael Floyd - WR - Notre Dame9. Luke Kuechley - LB - BC10. David DeCastro - OG - Stanford11. Fletcher Cox - DT - Mississippi State12. Courtney Upshaw - LB/E - Alabama13. Dontari Poe - NT - Memphis14. Riley Reiff - OT - Iowa15. Michael Brockers - DT - LSU16. Jonathan Martin - OT-Stanford17. Melvin Ingram - DE/LB - South Carolina18. Cordy Glenn - OT - Georgia19. Ryan Tannehill - QB - Texas A&M20. Dont’a Hightower - ILB - Alabama21. Devon Still - DT - Penn State22. Mark Barron - S - Alabama23. Dre’ Kirkpatrick - CB - Alabama24. Stephon Gilmore - CB - South Carolina25. Alshon Jeffery - WR - South Carolina26. Peter Konz -C - Wisconsin27. Zach Brown - OLB - UNC28. Lamar Miller - RB - Miami (Fla.)29. Kendall Wright - WR - Baylor30. Janoris Jenkins - CB - North Alabama31. Nick Perry - DE/LB - USC32. Jerel Worthy - DT - Michigan State33. Alameda Ta’amu - NT - Washington34. Kendall Reyes - DT - UConn35. Whitney Mercilus - DE/OLB - Illinois36. Mike Adams -OT - Ohio State37. Alfonzo Dennard - CB - Nebraska38. Coby Fleener - TE - Stanford39. Keleche Osemele OG - Iowa State40. Brandon Thompson - DT - Clemson41. Reuben Randle - WR - LSU42. Mohamed Sanu - WR - Rutgers43. Dwayne Allen - TE - Clemson44. Doug Martin - RB - Boise State45. Chase Minnifield - CB - Virginia46. Vinny Curry - DE - Marshall47. David Wilson - RB/RS - Va Tech48. Joe Adams - WR/RS - Arkansas49. Brian Quick - WR - Appalachian State50. LaMIchael James - RB/RS - Oregon

51. Stephen Hill - WR - Georgia Tech52. Kevin Zietler - OG - Wisconsin53. Ronnell Lewis - OLB - Oklahoma54. Brandon Boykin - CB/RS - Georgia55. Bobby Wagner - OLB - Utah State56. Jayron Hosley - CB/RS - Va Tech57. Jamell Fleming - CB - Oklahoma58. Zebrie Sanders - OT - Florida State59. Cam Johnson - DE - Virginia60. Brandon Washington - OG - Miami (F)61. Orson Charles - TE - Georgia62. Brock Osweiler - QB - Arizona State63. Josh Chapman - DT - Alabama64. Harrison Smith - S - Notre Dame65. Audie Cole - OLB - N.C. State66. Casey Hayward - CB - Vanderbilt67. Ryan Broyles - WR/RS - Oklahoma68. Jarius Wright - WR/RS - Arkansas69. Isaiah Pead - RB/RS - Cincinnati70. Kirk Cousins - QB - Michigan State71. Lavonte David - LB - Nebraska72. Antonio Allen - S - South Carolina73. Chandler Jones - DE - Syracuse74. Andre Branch - DE/LB - Clemson75. Jared Crick - DE - Nebraska76. James-Michael Johnson - ILB - Nevada77. Donte Paige-Moss - DE - UNC78. Jaye Howard - DT - Florida79. Marvin Jones - WR - Cal80. Michael Egnew - TE - Missouri81. Brandon Weeden - QB - Oklahoma State82. Devier Posey - WR - Ohio State83. Juron Criner - WR - Arizona84. Nick Toon - WR - Wisconsin85. Brandon Brooks - OG - Miami (O)86. Dwight Jones - WR - UNC87. Leonard Johnson - CB - Iowa State88. T.J. Graham - WR/RS - NC State89. Josh Robinson - CB - Central Florida90. Marvin McNutt - WR - Iowa91. Sean Spence - LB - MIami (F)92. Shea McClellin - OLB - Bise State93. Brandon Taylor - S - LSU94. Demario Davis - OLB - Arkansas State95. Mychal Kendricks - ILB - Cal96. A. J. Jenkins - WR - Illinois97. Keenan Robinson - LB - Texas98. Amini Silatolu - OG - Midwestern State (TX)99. James Brown - T/G - Troy100. Trumaine Johnson - DB - Montana

*indicates underclassman

“Pigskin” Paul GuillemetteNFL Draft 2011

THE TOP 100 ProspectsD

avid

Stlu

ka –

Wisc

onsin

Ath

letic

Com

mun

icat

ions

Paul Guillemette is one of the most accurate predictors of football talent in the draft analysis industry. Last year he finished tied for third in the Huddle Report’s scoring of the media’s Top 100 lists, topping such well-known draft analysts such as Mel Kiper and Mike Mayock.

pro football draft preview supplement

Documents

comnfl mock draft

brian carriveaumock

years draft class

overall draft choice

cheesehead tv nfl draft

contentsandrew luck

good way

coltsrobert griffin