Apr 26, 2012; New York, NY, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell introduces Andrew Luck (Stanford) as the number one overall pick to the Indianapolis Colts in the 2012 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE
Andrew Luck | Quarterback | Stanford: The Colts wanting Andrew Luck was the worst kept secret pre-draft. Now, he is officially their franchise quarterback. Replacing Peyton Manning will be no small task, but if anyone is best equipped to do it, it's Luck.
Robert Griffin III | Quarterback | Baylor: Fans at Radio City Music Hall cheered his name the loudest. Redskins fans are salivating at his talent. The kid also has an infectious personality that media in DC will love... if he plays well (and he should).
Trent Richardson | Runningback | Alabama: The first big trade of the night belonged to the Browns. They gave up three picks to move up from No. 4 to No. 3 Picks: Minnesota also got picks 118, 139, and 211. Why the move? Because the Buccaneers seemed to have their sights on the Alabama back. If you follow CBS Sports' Mike Freeman on Twitter, he thinks the Browns got hoodwinked by the Vikings with this trade.
Matt Kalil | Offensive tackle | Southern California: The Vikings did a masterful job at the top of the draft, getting three picks from Cleveland while still landing the guy they wanted in Kalil. He will protect Christian Ponder's blindside.
Justin Blackmon | Wide receiver | Oklahoma State: Just like the Browns, it seems the Jaguars were afraid someone would take Blackmon before them. It's a move Big Cat Country editor Alfie Crow did not think highly of when I spoke to him earlier this evening. I don't like it either. Jaguars sent their No. 7 and No. 101 picks to Bucs.
Morris Claiborne | Cornerback | LSU: Jerry Jones moves up and gets an elite talent in Claiborne. After acquiring Brandon Carr from the Chiefs, Rob Ryan has the pieces for a big-time secondary. Many of us thought the Boys would take Barron here, but Claiborne makes sense too.
Mark Barron | Safety | Alabama: Barron is a talent that can step into the Bucs secondary and make an immediate impact. After a dismal 2011 effort (to say the least), the pieces are in place to make you believe that this Bucs defense will be able to take some pressure off of Josh Freeman.
Ryan Tannehill | Quarterback | Texas A&M: Did the Dolphins finally draft their quarterback of the future? Tannehill's inexperience will be his biggest obstacle and his first year will be purely about development. With Brandon Marshall now in Chicago, the Dolphins will need to provide Tannehill with some offensive firepower.
Luke Kuechly | Inside Linebacker | Boston College: On paper, the Panthers linebacker corps is looking very nice. Thomas Davis will need to stay healthy, but Kuechly is one of the most impressive and productive college linebackers in recent memory.
Stephon Gilmore | Cornerback | South Carolina: The Bills want to be a contender and they're making all of the right moves to consistently challenge the Patriots. After acquiring Mario Williams and now drafting Gilmore, the Bills defense should be worrying Tom Brady. Gilmore is a splash-play type of corner and he has the athleticism to put in work at safety.
Dontari Poe | Defensive tackle | Memphis: After an incredible performance at the Combine, a lot of people fell in love with Poe and his immense athleticism. However, Poe had been falling on multiple draft boards as of late and rightfully so (the film doesn't lie). But if anyone can get the most out of the Underwear Olympics Champion Poe, it'll be Romeo Crennel.
Fletcher Cox | Defensive tackle | Mississippi State: Cox is a raw athlete and he can play on the inside or the outside. Furthermore, Juan Castillo now has a big body than can explode into the backfield with the best of them. Cox's skill set will be ideal for the Wide-9 setup.
Michael Floyd | Wide receiver | Notre Dame: The Cardinals get another big weapon for their quarterback carousel to not utilize. I kid, but seriously: Larry Fitzgerald AND Michael Floyd? If Kolb can come into his own, this is an offense made for a dome.
Michael Brockers | Defensive tackle | LSU: Brockers is highly valued as a 3T, but you can set him up on the outside and watch him go to work. Versatility is Brockers middle name and he will instantly upgrade this Rams defensive front, bounty free!
Bruce Irvin | Defensive end | West Virginia: Irvin comes out of nowhere and leap frogs a lot talent still left on the board. He contains undeniable pass rushing ability with the capability to fit the OLB role with ease. Overall, Irvin is one of the more sound pass rushers in this draft class, but his off-field problems were potentially enough to scare away most teams in the first. However, Pete Carroll is no stranger to taking risks.
Quinton Coples | Defensive end | North Carolina: Taking Coples over Ingram had a few people scratching their heads, but there is no denying Coples' talent. He gives the Jets another potent pass rusher to pair with Calvin Pace.
Dre Kirkpatrick | Cornerback | Alabama: The Bengals had a big need at corner, and Kirkpatrick falling into their lap at 17 is a small coup in this first round.
Melvin Ingram | Defensive end | South Carolina: The Chargers defense was the scapegoat for Norv Turner and A.J. Smith last year. Thus, it makes sense to beef up the pass rush with Ingram, a player many thought would not fall to them at No. 18.
Shea McClellin | Linebacker | Boise State: A surprise pick for a team with Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. The Bears could have gone offense here, but McClellin was highly rated coming into this draft.
Kendall Wright | Wide receiver | Baylor: The Titans invested a ton in quarterback Jake Locker last year. This year, they give him a weapon to throw the ball to in Wright. Wright timed poorly in the 40 yard dash at the Scouting Combine, but he seems to play faster than his times suggest. The move also makes sense considering last season's injury to Kenny Britt.
Chandler Jones | Defensive end | Syracuse: The Patriots defense wasn't anything to write home about last season and after losing Mark Anderson to the Bills, their pass rush needed some serious help. Bill Belichick sees that in Jones, overlooking a knee injury in 2011.
Brandon Weeden | Quarterback | Oklahoma State: A 29-year-old rookie? No big deal. I like this pick a lot and expected it. Colt McCoy is not the quarterback the Browns are looking for. You add Trent Richardson to move the chains and Weeden to give you a quarterback with prototypical talent and a gunslinger mentality. Oh, and as Jon Gruden likes to say, he's a winner.
Riley Reiff | Offensive tackle | Iowa: Versatile tackle that has played all over the line. Matt Stafford needs protection in the North and Reiff can provide that.
David DeCastro | Guard | Stanford: Another great, safe pick for the Steelers after selecting Maurkice Pouncey in 2010. DeCastro is the safest of safe picks. Extremely polished and NFL ready, DeCastro will be starting in year one. He's ridiculously quick off the ball and was initially viewed as a possible top ten selection. Yes, he's that good.
Dont'a Hightower | Inside linebacker | Alabama: Hightower is another physical specimen that comes out of Nick Saban's system and is NFL-ready. Some have even compared his skill set to that of his new teammate Brandon Spikes. Hightower isn't an athletic freak, but he is polished and fundamentally sound. I hate to say it, but I like this pick.
Whitney Mercilus | Linebacker | Illinois: The loss of Mario Williams will sting for a while, but taking Mercilus here is a confidence booster. Mercilus is explosive off the edge and should fill the hybrid OLB nicely in Wade Phillips defense.
Kevin Zeitler | Guard | Wisconsin: Not a flashy pick, but a solid one. Zeitler can step in and immediately contribute to a Bengals offensive line in need. This is a smart investment by the Bengals for Andy Dalton.
Nick Perry | Defensive end | USC: Perry is an outside linebacker in a 3-4 and that's exactly how he will be utilized in Green Bay. I'm not sold on this guy, as he has a tendency to be rather inconsistent at times. However, when it comes to rushing the passer, Perry can fit the bill. Dom Capers should be happy.
Harrison Smith | Safety | Notre Dame: The Vikings have been lacking a real safety for quite some time, so this chalks up to a smart pick. Smith excels in zone and should be able to jump in and contribute immediately.
A.J. Jenkins | Wide receiver | Illinois: With all of the receiver talent in this draft, I have to view this as a bit of a reach. Trent Baalke obviously sees something in Jenkins that he really likes. Jenkins can separate well and adds a reliable deep threat for Alex Smith.
Doug Martin | Running back | Boise State: Martin should compliment Blount nicely and he's a typical three-down back. Martin's footwork is outstanding and he hits the hole with aggression. I like this pick a lot.
David Wilson | Running back | Virginia Tech: Many people had Coby Fleener penciled in for the Giants here, but this pick makes more sense for the Giants. With Brandon Jacobs leaving, Wilson gives the Giants some explosive backfield youth and an option in the passing game.
There are 48 Comments. Load Now.
Shortcuts to mastering the comment thread. Use wisely.
C - Next Comment
X - Mark as Read
R - Reply
Z - Mark Read & Next
Shift + C - Previous
Shift + A - Mark All Read
Comment Settings
Live comment alert: Hide it!
Comments for this post are closed.