17. Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
With the loss of cornerback Leon Hall to a torn Achilles' tendon, look for the Cincinnati Bengals to use one of their picks to address the hole left in the secondary. They added Jason Allen and brought back Adam "Pacman" Jones, but they still need to add more depth in the draft. With two first-round picks in the draft, the Bengals have the luxury of picking Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick, who would've landed much higher in the draft if it weren't for his questionable behaviour. Kirkpatrick certainly has the potential to be something great, as he has the size at 6'2" to match up against big receivers and the speed to keep from getting burnt deep. Despite a few character concerns, he is definitely worth the Bengals taking a risk on, and not waiting to see if he will fall to them at No. 21.
Nfl 2012
18. San Diego Chargers: Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois
Another team that is in desperate need of improving their pass rush is the San Diego Chargers. The big reason they struggled against the pass last year was because of their inability to put pressure on the quarterback. Larry English was supposed to be their guy, but it's becoming more and more apparent that he will never turn into the player they were hoping him to be. Whitney Mercilus was the most productive pass rusher in college football last year, and he might just be San Diego's answer if he is still on the board. Mercilus has the uncanny ability to get to the quarterback and force turnovers, and that is definitely something NFL teams are looking for. He led the nation with 16 sacks and nine forced fumbles last year.
19. Chicago Bears: Cordy Glenn, OT/G, Georgia
By trading for Pro Bowl wideout Brandon Marshall, the Chicago Bears has finally took care of their biggest need. They can now use their first-round pick to further bolster their already-improving offensive line. It seems as though Chicago is going after Georgia's Cordy Glenn, and if he is still available, could form a solid combo alongside offensive tackle Gabe Carimi. Despite starting at left tackle for Georgia, he could very well be moved to guard in the NFL. He can certainly shine at guard in the NFL, especially being a powerful run-blocker. They could go for someone like Stanford's Jonathan Martin, should they be interested in adding a tackle. The main thing here is that the Bears should be addressing the offensive line with this pick.
20. Tennessee Titans: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
The Tennessee Titans have pretty much covered all their biggest needs this offseason, and will now look into boosting their secondary after watching Cortland Finnegan leave for the Rams. Despite having a disappointing season last year, Stephon Gilmore is making a lot of noise on the draft boards. He certainly has the ability and the potential to be a star in the NFL and if he is available, Tennessee will be more than happy to draft him with its pick. Not only is Gilmore capable of making plays on the ball, he is also extremely strong against the run.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor
Once the Bengals have selected Kirkpatrick with their first pick in the first round, it seems as though their next pick would be a playmaker on the offensive side of the ball. They have lucked into acquiring an elite wideout in A.J. Green, but could use an upgrade at the No. 2 spot. He didn't show much at the combine, but Baylor's Kendall Wright certainly has the skills to burn defenses deep. Wright could force defenses to keep a guy over the top, allowing more room for the rest of the receivers to work in the middle of the field. Another reason why the Bengals will end up picking this guy is that he would be a major upgrade in the return game for Cincinnati.
22. Cleveland Browns: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford
After taking receiver Justin Blackmon with their first pick in the draft, the Cleveland Browns now have another shot at improving their offense. Quarterback Colt McCoy needs to be better protected than he was last year so that his potential can be fully achieved in Cleveland. The biggest need for the Browns is to find a replacement at right tackle, and Stanford's Jonathan Martin definitely fits that bill. Martin is a dominant run blocker, but he still has a ways to go in pass protection. That makes him a perfect fit at right tackle early in his career and he will most definitely be the guy the Browns target with this pick.
23. Detroit Lions: Mark Barron, S, Alabama
In order for the Detroit Lions to take that next step and contend for the NFC North title, they need to improve their secondary. They need help at both corner and safety. They could take a gamble on oft-maligned player Janoris Jenkins out of North Alabama, but I believe that the organization has enough troubled pieces in the locker room. The best fit for Detroit is Alabama safety Mark Barron. The draft class is incredibly thin at safety, so the Lions must use this pick if they want to upgrade at safety. Barron has incredible instincts and is really strong and powerful when he tackles. He would make opposing wideouts think twice about going across the middle and he would help tremendously against the run.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama
The Pittsburgh Steelers could definitely go a number of ways with this pick. They could use the pick on the offensive line, corner or nose tackle, but I believe that they will not pass up the opportunity to grab Alabama linebacker Dont'a Hightower. The Steelers just seem to have the knack of grooming players on the defensive front seven, and Hightower is one of those players whom they love to go after. He is phenomenal against the run and can put pressure on the quarterback in passing situations. The situation fits perfectly for Hightower, since the Steelers just let go of inside linebacker James Farrior, so they need him to fill a void for them.
2012 NFL Mock Draft (17-24)
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