Chicago Bears' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

1st Round (#19) DE Shea McClellin, Boise State

2nd Round (#45) WR Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina

Nfl 2012

3rd Round (#79) FS Brandon Hardin, Oregon State

4th Round (#111) TE Evan Rodriguez, Temple

6th Round (#184) CB Isaiah Frey, Nevada

7th Round (#220) CB Greg McCoy, TCU

Analysis of Notable Selections:

Shea McClellin: Chicago sought a bookend defensive end to pair with Julius Peppers. McClellin (6' 3" and 260 lbs) is a high motor player who lacks great physical tools for an NFL defensive end. He very well may have more potential as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 than as a defensive end. The former Boise State star may have trouble defending the run against powerful NFL offensive tackles. McClellin was a good (7 sacks in his senior season), but not an exceptional pass rusher in college. The Bears passed on Chandler Jones, Whitney Mercilus and Nick Perry. Jones has a bigger frame and more growth potential than McClellin. Perry is a more explosive athlete than McClellin. Mercilus led the nation in sacks (16) playing against better offensive lineman than McClellin faced. McClellin was a questionable selection by the Bears.

Alshon Jeffery: The Bears traded for Brandon Marshall to provide him with a talented lead receiver. The selection of Jeffery adds a big possession receiver and an excellent red zone target to Chicago's passing attack. Jeffery could be a bargain in the 2nd round. The former Gamecock has terrific hands and made plenty of plays against SEC defenses. He slipped to the 2nd round due to concerns over his conditioning and work ethic. If he keeps his weight down and commits to being a pro then Jeffery is going to help the Bears. This was a relatively low risk/high reward selection.

Brandon Hardin: The search for improved safety play continues for Chicago. Hardin played cornerback at Oregon State, but has the size (6' 2" and 220 lbs) and tackling skills to play safety. The problem is he was frequently injured in college (missed last season with a shoulder injury that required surgery). Hardin also was not much of a ball-hawk (7 pass breakups and 1 interception in 3 seasons) for Oregon State. The Bears passed on offensive line help (Bobby Massie) and cornerback help (Jayron Hosley and Jamell Fleming) for Hardin. This pick looks like a reach and Hardin may have been available later in the draft.

2012 NFL Draft Grade: C+

Bottom Line: The Bears have to hope that Shea McClellin is big and strong enough to put consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. His career production will be compared to Chandler Jones, Whitney Mercilus and Nick Perry to see if Chicago made the right decision for years to come. Chicago did not improve their offensive line or the cornerback position in this draft. A team that plays twice a year against Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford should have done more than add Brandon Hardin as a potential safety.

Chicago Bears' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

http://www.profootballdraftnetwork.com provides extensive pre and post NFL draft analysis. The site features scouting reports, rankings, top values, biggest risks, interviews with college coaches and players and mock drafts.

2012 Oklahoma State Cowboys Season Predictions

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are coming off of their most productive season in school history. The only that thing that kept the Cowboys from competing for a national title was their shocking loss to Iowa State. Even so, the team won their first outright conference championship in the post WWII era. They finished with a 12-1 record after narrowly beating Stanford 41-38 in the Fiesta Bowl, finishing No. 3 in the final polls.

Mike Gundy has completely turned the OSU around in just seven seasons as the team's head coach. Not only has he turned the Cowboys in a Big 12 contender, but a national contender as well. 2012 will be a tough year for him though as he loses several key players on last year's team. The Cowboys return just 12 starters in all, but they do have a good amount of depth with 50 lettermen coming back.

Nfl 2012

Offense

The Cowboys had a record-setting offense last season that will be tough to replicate in 2012. They averaged 48.7 points and 546 total yards per game last year, and those gaudy numbers are almost certain to drop drastically in the new season. This is because only four starters return on offense, and almost all their best players are gone.

Brandon Weeden is irreplaceable after throwing for 4,277 yards with 37 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2011. Freshman Wes Lunt will have big shoes to fill as he earned the starting job in the spring. He's a big, strong pocket passer and he does resemble Weeden's lanky frame of 6'4'' and 211 lbs. I still expect their passing numbers to take a big hit in 2012.

OSU may have to rely heavily on its rushing attack more this season and their top returning playmaker, junior RB Joseph Randle needs to step it up even more. He rushed for 1,248 yards and a whopping 24 touchdowns last season, while also catching 43 balls for 266 yards and two scores to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors. Junior Jeremy Smith (666 yards, nine touchdowns), and sophomore Herschel Sims (244 yards, two touchdowns) will return to help form one of the best backfields in the Big 12.

The receiving corps lost its top two playmakers in Justin Blackmon (122 receptions, 1,522 yards, 18 touchdowns) and Josh Cooper (71 receptions, 715 yards, 3 touchdowns). They lose three of their top four, but do retain senior starter Tracy Moore (45 receptions, 672 yards, 4 touchdowns). Sophomore Josh Stewart (19 receptions, 291 yards, two touchdowns) and Junior Isaiah Anderson (28 receptions, 315 yards, 4 touchdowns) are all expected to have increased roles in the upcoming season. Junior college All-American Blake Jackson should also make significant contributions.

The offensive line loses three starters up front, including first-team All-Big 12 and first-team All-American tackle Levy Adcock and center Grant Garner, the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2011. Despite big losing two of their best linemen, they do return 63 career starts. The returning players they have up front are right guard Lane Tayler and senior left guard Jonathan Rush.

Defense

The Cowboys were able to win the Big 12 last year despite subpar defense. They allowed 26.8 points and 457 total yards per game. Despite giving up so much yardage, this unit was able to come away with many key takeaways throughout the year. OSU finished +21 in turnover margin in 2011.

All-Big 12 DE Jamie Blatnick (50 tackles, 8 sacks) and DE Richetti Jones (33 tackles, 4 sacks) are moving on to the NFL. No defensive lineman had more than two sacks last year. That's unfortunate considering the Cowboys surrendered 185 yards and 4.4 per carry on the ground last year. Senior DE Nigel Nicholas (35 tackles, 2 sacks, 8 tackles for loss) and junior DT Anthony Rogers (21 tackles) are two of their most experienced linemen returning.

Linebacker will definitely be a position of strength for the Cowboys in 2012. This is mainly due to them having five of their top six guys coming back, including their #2, #3 and #6 tacklers. These are Alex Elkins (90 tackles), junior Caleb Lavey (74 tackles) and junior Shaun Lewis (61 tackles, 8 for loss). Gundy has boasted that this is his best linebacker corps yet.

OSU finished #2 in FBS with 24 interceptions a year ago. The secondary loses first-team All-Big 12 strong safety Markelle Martin, but brings back seven of their top eight defensive backs. Three starters return in first-team All-Big 12 corner Brodrick Brown (68 tackles, 15 pass break-ups, five INT), junior corner Justin Gilbert (59 tackles, 10 pass break-ups, five INT) and junior free safety Daytawion Lowe (97 tackles). The talent and depth this team has could make the Cowboys the top secondaries in the country.

Big 12 Prediction - 4th Place

While the defense should be improved, the offense is going to take such a big hit that there's very little chance the Cowboys contend for a repeat at the Big 12 title. QB Brandon Weeden and WR Justin Blackmon are huge losses to their team and they'll have a very hard time to replicate the success they had last year at the offensive end. They also lose two of their top linemen from one of the most underrated front fives in the country last year. OSU does have a manageable road schedule aside from a visit to Oklahoma. They have Texas, TCU and West Virginia at home, but it is highly unlikely that they win all three of those games. That's the reason why the Cowboys will have difficulty in contending for another conference championship.

2012 Oklahoma State Cowboys Season Predictions

Jack Jones posts his football picks at Betfirms.com as well as FootballFreePicks.com.

2012 Dallas Cowboys Offseason Needs

The Dallas Cowboys always seem to have a way of ruining their season. In 2011, the Cowboys started out the year primed to win the NFC East with a 7-4 record, but they ended their year just 1-4 over the final five games to finish with a disappointing 8-8 record. The poor finish was even more disconcerting for the Cowboys since the rival New York Giants won the division with a mediocre 9-7 record and went on to win the Super Bowl. Dallas has the weapons on the offensive side of the ball, but it needs to address some of its needs on the defensive side. The Cowboys took a big step forward thanks to the addition of free agent cornerback Brandon Carr, but more work needs to be done. Here are some of the Cowboys' big additions and subtractions so far in the young offseason, plus a breakdown of their biggest needs heading into the draft.

Additions:

Super Bowl 2012

CB Brandon Carr

QB Kyle Orton

ILB Dan Connor

FB Lawrence Vickers

S Brodney Pool

G Nate Livings

G Mackenzy Bernadeau

Subtractions:

WR Laurent Robinson

CB Terence Newman

ILB Bradie James

TE Martellus Bennett

FB Tony Fiammetta

G Kyle Kosier

Top 5 Needs:

1. Center/Guard
Dallas had huge problems just getting the snap to the quarterback last year. Some of the Cowboys' problems stemmed from the insane number of bad snaps their starting center, Phil Costa, had last year. If he remains the starter in 2012, then the Cowboys may have more of the same problems. They also need help at the guard spot. While there aren't any centers worth taking in the first round, the addition of Stanford's David DeCastro or Georgia's Cordy Glenn could greatly improve their offensive line.

2. Defensive Line
Despite being undersized, Jay Ratliff has shown tremendous awareness and ability at nose tackle. If the Cowboys had their way, they would move Ratliff to one of the two defensive end spots and find a new starting nose tackle. However, if that doesn't happen, look for the Cowboys to get an upgrade over Kenyon Coleman and Marcus Spears on the outside.

3. Outside Linebacker
The Cowboys re-signed outside linebacker Anthony Spencer, but I think they need to look for another player who can get to the quarterback. Spencer had just 6 sacks last season, while fellow outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware had a whopping 19.5. Someone line Alabama's Courtney Upshaw would do wonders for the Cowboys defense. While there may be bigger holes in the secondary, an improved pass rush can generally improve the play of your defensive backs.

4. Safety
Last year, the Cowboys brought in Abram Elam from the Cleveland Browns along with defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. While Ryan's defense showed some promise last year, Elam was such a huge disappointment that the Cowboys seem uninterested in retaining the free agent. They added Brodney Pool from the New York Jets, but he's not that much of an improvement over Elam. If the Cowboys feel that they need to address this need through the draft, then they might go after Alabama safety Mark Barron, who is by far the best safety prospect in the draft.

5. Cornerback
Now that they have added Carr to the defensive unit and let go of Terrence Newman, the Cowboys have a vastly improved secondary. Carr was the Kansas City Chiefs' No. 2 corner behind Brandon Flowers, but he is more than capable of being the top guy. The Cowboys might be more compelled to add additional help at this position, unless Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick show marked improvements.

2012 Dallas Cowboys Offseason Needs

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Houston Texans' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

1st Round (#26) DE Whitney Mercilus, Illinois

3rd Round (#68) WR DeVier Posey, Ohio State

Nfl 2012

3rd Round (#76) G Brandon Brooks, Miami (OH)

4th Round (#99) C Ben Jones, Georgia

4th Round (#121) WR Keshawn Martin, Michigan State

4th Round (#126) DT Jared Crick, Nebraska

5th Round (#161) K Randy Bullock, Texas A & M

6th Round (#195) OT Nick Mondek, Purdue

Analysis of Notable Selections:

Whitney Mercilus: The Texans finally made it to the playoffs and the defensive turnaround was a huge reason why. Houston let Mario Williams depart via free agency. The key element to a Wade Phillips' 3-4 defense is a strong pass rush. Mercilus led the nation in sacks last season and has the pass rushing skills and work ethic to develop into a fine outside linebacker in Houston's defense. The team wisely passed on wide receiver help to further strengthen the defense with another young and talented front seven defender. Mercilus has work to do at stopping the run and setting the edge. He likely will start out as a pass rushing specialist and join Connor Barwin and Brooks Reed in a rotation. The Texans passed on Nick Perry. Mercilus has more pass rush moves than Perry does and looks more comfortable standing up.

DeVier Posey: Houston has been looking for improved receiver help to complement Andre Johnson for quite some time. Posey has decent size (6' 1 ½" and 210 lbs) and speed (4.45 in the Forty), but needs a lot of work on becoming a precise route runner. He is a bit of a project who may never develop into a trusted 2nd receiver. The Texans passed on several promising wide receiver prospects such as, Mohamed Sanu and Jarius Wright. Houston was correct in addressing the wide receiver position, but they may not have chosen the correct one.

Brandon Brooks: The former University of Miami (Ohio) offensive guard has heavy hands, tremendous size and a powerful lower body. He has a chance to push for a starting job in Houston at guard provided he keeps his weight under control. Brooks moves well for a player of his size (6' 5" and 345 lbs) and is athletic enough to handle Houston's zone blocking scheme. The key question for Brooks is conditioning and keeping his focus during games over the course of a season. The Texans love to run the ball and Brandon Brooks has the potential to be a solid addition to the team's offensive line.

Jared Crick: A torn pectoral muscle cost Jared Crick 8 games during his senior season and he dropped to the 4th round. Crick does not have J.J. Watt's size, but he plays with a similar intensity and awareness. The Texans will convert Crick from a defensive tackle into a defensive end in their 3-4 defense. Wade Phillips version of the 3-4 defense enables smaller defensive linemen to excel, as long as they have quickness. Crick has to get stronger, but he does fit Houston's defense. He represented value in the 4th round.

2012 NFL Draft Grade: B

Bottom Line: The Texans added a key pass rusher (Whitney Mercilus) to their defense and that is always a positive. They also added to their offensive line depth with the selections of Brandon Brooks and Ben Jones. The Jared Crick pick was likely the team's best from a value standpoint. He joins a young and talented front seven. The only question regarding Houston's draft was did they find receiver help for Andre Johnson? DeVier Posey was a key pick near the top of the 3rd round. Posey has to prove to his quarterback that he can consistently be in the right spot and relied upon.

Houston Texans' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

http://www.profootballdraftnetwork.com provides extensive pre and post NFL draft analysis. The site features scouting reports, rankings, top values, biggest risks, interviews with college coaches and players and mock drafts.

LSU Tigers 2012 Football Predictions

2011 was a great year for LSU. The Tigers finished the regular season with an undefeated 12-0 run, including impressive wins against then No. 3 Oregon, No. 3 Arkansas, and No. 2 Alabama. They would finish with an impressive 13-0 with a 42-10 thrashing of No. 12 Georgia in the SEC Title Game, setting up the much anticipated rematch with Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game. It ended up being a cakewalk for Alabama though as they just decimated the Tigers 21-0 in their second meeting. LSU was unable to make it past midfield until the 4th quarter and were outgained 384-92 in total yards.

2012 will be another year where heavy expectations are set in Baton Rouge. Les Miles will have 13 starters (7 offense, 6 defense) back from last year squad. While the expectations may be high, there is plenty to be excited about in the new season. Despite the fact that they will have a new quarterback and will have to replace some big names on the defensive side of the ball, this year's team is arguably better or equally just as talented as the team that went 13-1 in 2011.

Nfl 2012

Offense

The Tigers averaged 35.7 points per game behind a powerful rushing attack that averaged 203 ypg on the ground. The running game looks to be the main focus again in 2012, as they are extremely talented at the running back position and are very experienced up front on the offensive line.

What many fail to realize is that the running back corps were all relatively young last year. Their top four rushers were all freshmen and sophomores. They also boast one of the more balanced attacks in the country. Spencer Ware received 2nd-Team All-SEC honors with 707 yards and eight touchdowns and looks to be the starter heading into 2012. Michael Ford (756 yards, seven touchdowns), Alfred Blue (539 yards, seven touchdowns), and Kenny Hilliard (336 yards, eight touchdowns) will look to help out Ware on the backfield.

All of that talent in the backfield will only benefit from one of the top offensive lines in the country. Despite them losing 2nd-Team All-American guard Will Blackwell, they do have some capable starters returning to fill the void in starting tackles Chris Faulk and Alex Hurst, guard Josh Williford and center P.J. Lonergan. They also get back injured starting guard Josh Dworaczyk. Dworaczyk was the projected starter head into last season, but a season-ending injury thwarted that chance last August. Hurst, Faulk, and Williford are each considered to be one of the top 15 players at their respective positions in the country.

The quarterback position is where there will be a huge change on offense. The Tigers lost their quarterback rotation last year in Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson. It seems that junior college transfer Zach Mettenberger is the projected starting quarterback in 2012. But he will face some stiff competition in a couple of highly recruited red-shirt freshmen in Stephen Rivers (brother of NFL QB Phillip Rivers) and Jerrard Randall.

Passing hasn't been a huge emphasis in the Tiger's offense in recent years despite them sporting a strong core of receivers that have come through the program. They lost 1st Team All-SEC wide out Rueben Randle and his team-best 53 catches for 917 yards and eight touchdowns. But they do have two highly recruited receivers in Odell Beckham (41 catches, 475 yards, two touchdowns) and Russell Shepard (14 catches, 190 yards, four touchdowns) coming back. Sophomore Jarvis Landry is also someone who the Tigers are expecting huge things from over the next three seasons.

Defense

Defensively, the Tigers were superb last year. They help opposing offenses to just 11.3 points/game and 262 yards of total offense. They were outstanding in forcing opposing teams into mistakes, as they finished the year +20 in the turnover department. They were able to capitalize on those mistakes and turn them into scores.

LSU has been widely known for producing NFL talent on the defensive line, as they have had at least one defensive lineman selected in each of the last nine drafts. This year, they lost top defensive tackles in the country in Michael Brockers, who was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the first round. But despite that, LSU still figures to be one of the top units in the trenches in 2012. Sam Montgomery and Barkevius Mingo, two of the top defensive end in the SEC, are set to return. Starting defensive tackle Bennie Logan and 1st Team Freshman All-American tackle Anthony Johnson round out the team.

There is also a lot to like in the secondary if you are a LSU fan. While the Tigers lose 1st Team All-American corner Morris Claiborne, starting strong safety Brandon Taylor, and backup corner Ron Brooks. They also return 1st Team All-American corner Tyrann "Honey Badger" Mathieu and one of the elite free safeties in the country in Eric Reed. They also add in one of the top safety prospects in junior Craig Loston to fill the void left by Taylor, and will have another great player at corner in Tharold Simon.

Linebacker is the one spot where the Tigers may have problems defensively. They've lost two starters in Ryan Baker and Stefoin Francois, but returning middle linebacker can help fill the immeasurable void. Juniors Lamin Barrow and Tahj Jones may take over for the vacant spots, however, one or two of the five talented freshmen can swoop in and win the starting spot.

SEC Prediction - 1st SEC West

The Tigers can defend their SEC Title and go back to the Championship Game, but it's not going to be easy. While they get Alabama at home, they have to go and face Auburn, Florida, Texas A&M and Arkansas on the road. Most of their success will hinge on the shoulders of their new starting quarterback. With Alabama losing some very important pieces defensively and their star running back Trent Richardson, and Arkansas having to deal with the loss of head coach Bobby Petrino, it's looking like the Tigers will win the SEC West and finish the year with at least 11 wins.

LSU Tigers 2012 Football Predictions

Jack Jones posts his football picks at Betfirms.com as well as FootballFreePicks.com.

Baltimore Ravens' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

2nd Round (#35) OLB Courtney Upshaw, Alabama

2nd Round (#60) OT Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State

Nfl 2012

3rd Round (#84) RB Bernard Pierce, Temple

4th Round (#98) G Gino Gradkowski, Delaware

4th Round (#130) FS Christian Thompson, South Carolina State

5th Round (#169) CB Asa Jackson, Cal-Poly

6th Round (#198) WR Tommy Streeter, Miami

7th Round (#236) DE Deangelo Tyson, Georgia

Analysis of Notable Selections:

Courtney Upshaw: The Ravens were able to add a 4th round draft choice by moving down six spots in a trade with Minnesota. Baltimore then selected Upshaw with the high 2nd round selection. Upshaw's lack of top athleticism did cost him a 1st round selection. However, the former Alabama defender is tough, physical and should fit in well with Baltimore. The team has been searching for an outside linebacker who can rush the quarterback to pair with Terrell Suggs for some time. Jarret Johnson (a better run stuffer than pass rusher) signed with San Diego. Paul Kruger has been average and Sergio Kindle may never recover fully from a fractured skull sustained in 2010. Upshaw plays the run well and with experience can be a decent pass rusher as well. Baltimore had to have been pleased to add Courtney Upshaw to their defense in the 2nd round.

Kelechi Osemele: This is another excellent fit for the Ravens. Ben Grubbs left via free agency for the Saints. Baltimore wants to run the ball with their best offensive player, Ray Rice. Osemele does not have the quickness to play offensive tackle in the NFL. However, his tremendous size and power are what Baltimore is looking for in a guard. Osemele is no Ben Grubbs at this point. He has to improve his technique and play tougher. The Ravens add a guard with excellent potential, but it may take him some time to reach it.

Bernard Pierce: The retirement of Ricky Williams led the Ravens to find a complement to Ray Rice. Pierce is a good-sized back (6' and 220 lbs) who can be a physical runner. His job will be to give Rice a breather. Pierce will have to improve his ball security and earn his coaches' trust. Lamar Miller has a superior burst to Pierce, but Baltimore was looking for a bigger and more physical back. Robert Turbin has a similar skill-set to Pierce. Turbin catches the ball more naturally than Pierce does. The former Utah State back may have been the better selection and Baltimore would not have had to trade up to secure his services. Bernard Pierce was a decent selection, but time will tell whether he or Robert Turbin was the way to go.

2012 NFL Draft Grade: B

Bottom Line: The Ravens added two starters (Courtney Upshaw and Kelechi Osemele) in the near future. The rest of their draft consisted mostly of adding potential backups at running back, offensive line and the secondary. Gino Gradkowski is the most appealing of Baltimore's 3rd day draft choices. The former Delaware offensive lineman played guard and center. His football IQ and dedication give him a chance to develop into a starting center down the road with a lot of work.

Baltimore Ravens' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

http://www.profootballdraftnetwork.com provides extensive pre and post NFL draft analysis. The site features scouting reports, rankings, top values, biggest risks, interviews with college coaches and players and mock drafts.

2012 NFL Mock Draft (17-24)

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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