1. Indianapolis Colts – Biggest Needs QB, WR, OG, TE, DT, DE, CB – The Colts have multiple needs on both sides of the ball and are in the midst of a complete rebuild. The NFL is a quarterback driven league and you cannot win without one. Andrew Luck has all the traits to develop into an elite NFL precision passer. Pick: QB Andrew Luck – Stanford.
  2. Washington Redskins – Biggest Needs QB, OG, OT, CB, LB, FS – The Redskins’ most glaring need is at the quarterback position. The team gave up a ton of draft picks to move up to get one of the top signal callers in the draft. Pick: QB Robert Griffin III – Baylor.
  3. Minnesota Vikings – Biggest Needs OT, WR, OG, CB, LB, S – The Vikings have a huge dilemma on their hands. Minnesota must decide to select either the best left tackle in the draft or the best wide receiver or they’ll have to trade down. Both positions are huge needs but protecting young quarterback Christian Ponder’s blind side is more important. A left tackle has a greater impact on a team than a wide receiver . Since 2001, 14 wide outs have been selected with top 10 picks and only three rank as elite receivers: Andre Johnson (Houston Texans), Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals) and Calvin Johnson (Detroit Lions) Vikings take best available player. Pick: CB Morris Claiborne – LSU.
  4. Cleveland Browns – Biggest Needs QB, WR, RB, DE, CB, S – The Browns have to upgrade their offense to compete in the AFC North. The jury is still out on QB Colt McCoy, but the Browns’ brass feels that he is their man. Cleveland’s defense was a pleasant surprise in 2011. The decision here has to come down to WR Justin Blackman, RB Trent Richardson, CB Morris Claiborne or a trade down. In the interest of improving the offense, selecting a running back accomplishes the task. The running back position has been de-valued recently and Mark Ingram was the lone running back selected in the first round in 2011 draft. The last five running backs drafted in the top 10 over the last 10 years have produced in zero Pro Bowl appearances. Pick: RB Trent Richardson – Alabama.
  5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Biggest Needs RB, WR, OG, OT, CB, SS, OLB – The Buccaneers’ new coaching staff’s top priority has to be getting QB Josh Freeman and the team back on track. The easy way to accomplish this task would be to improve the offensive line, acquire a running back and improve the defense (Tampa Bay’s defense was embarrassed in 2011). The Buccaneers choice depends heavily on which player the Browns select with the fourth pick due to both teams having similar needs. Pick: LT Matt Kalil – USC.
  6. St. Louis Rams – Biggest Needs WR, OT, OG, DT, CB, OLB – The Rams will be a different team in 2012. The new additions of Head Coach Jeff Fisher and Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer signals a conservative, physical style similar to the one Fisher emphasized in Tennessee with the Titans. The Rams will employ a power running game with three-time Pro Bowler Stephen Jackson that will set up the play action passing game. Pick: WR Justin Blackmon – Oklahoma State.
  7. Jacksonville Jaguars – Biggest Needs WR, C, OT, DE, DT, CB – The Jaguars were successful in 2011 with a nice haul of free agents on defense. The group they brought in helped turn around a defense that had allowed the most points and yards in franchise history in 2010 and turned them into a top-10 unit in yards allowed in 2011. Running back Maurice Jones-Drew, the 2011 rushing champion, is the Jaguars offense. QB Blaine Gabbert’s performance needs to improve drastically. Pick: DE Quinton Coples – North Carolina.
  8. Carolina Panthers – Biggest Needs WR, OT, OG, DT, OLB, CB – The addition of QB Cam Newton transformed the Panthers’ offense and provided the spark this team so desperately needed. Carolina scored twice as many points in 2011 then the team scored in 2010. The Panthers need a three-technique defensive tackle to help stop the run and rush the passer. Pick: DT Michael Brockers – LSU.
  9. Miami Dolphins – Biggest Needs QB, RT, WR, OLB, FS, CB – The Dolphins started the season 0-7, had a nice mid-season run winning four of five games and finished the year 6-10. Their offensive line struggled to protect their quarterbacks, allowing 52 sacks. This was one sack away from tying the franchise’s single-season record. QB Matt Moore led the Dolphins to a 5-5 record after replacing an injured Chad Henne. Pick: DE/OLB Melvin Ingram – South Carolina.
  10. Buffalo Bills – Biggest Needs OT, WR, QB, OLB, CB – The Bills started the season strong and their 5-2 start had the Bills faithful excited again. But the 1-8 finish that included a seven-game losing streak erased all excitement. Injuries were a major factor as the Bills lost seven starters. Buffalo has finished last in the AFC East for four consecutive years and finished 1-5 against AFC East opponents New England Patriots, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins in 2011. The Bills have missed the playoffs for 12 straight years. Pick: Riley Reiff – Iowa.
  11. Kansas City Chiefs – Biggest Needs OT, RB, QB, NT, ILB, CB – Clark Hunt, the Chiefs’ Chairman and CEO, stated that there is a plan in place for this franchise, although it is not always visible. Hunt has been very impatient over the last six years. The Chiefs went from 10-6 in 2010 to 7-9 in 2011. Injuries played a major role in this decline as they lost four starters and their offense struggled. K.C.’s defense was one of the NFL’s weaker run defenses. Pick: Dont’a Hightower.
  12. Seattle Seahawks – Biggest Needs OT, OG, WR, MLB, DE, DT – The Seahawks had a slow start and then came on down the stretch. Head Coach Pete Carroll kept his young team on course despite the setbacks and the team used free agency to bring in QB Matt Flynn. Seattle’s defense was solid, finishing as one of the top 15 teams against the run, and was ninth in total defense. Pick: MLB Luke Kuechly.  
  13. Arizona Cardinals – Biggest Needs LT, RT, WR, DE, OLB, S – Prior to 2011, the Cardinals signed QB Kevin Kolb in free agency. The QB had injuries to deal with and won only three times in nine starts. Kolb’s backup, John Skelton, showed promise, going 5-2 in seven starts. Pick: WR Michael Floyd – Notre Dame.
  14.  Dallas Cowboys – Biggest Needs QB, OG, RT, OLB, ILB, CB, S – The Cowboys have changed coaches and players but the one thing that has remained is a core group that has been together since Tony Romo took over as the starting QB in 2006. Dallas has proven to be a team that is not tough mentally and one that has consistently crumbled late in games. Pick: SS Mark Barron – Alabama.
  15. Philadelphia Eagles – Biggest Needs LT, OLB, DT, TE, QB, RB – The loss of veteran offensive tackle Jason Peters to injury this past March makes the left tackle position a huge need. outside linebacker is the second biggest need. Pick: LT Jonathan Martin – Stanford.
  16. New York Jets – Biggest Needs RT, OG, TE, OLB, ILB – The Jets need to shore up the right tackle position as, according to STATS LLC, lineman Wayne Hunter gave up 8 ½ sacks last season. Pick: OG David DeCastro – Stanford.
  17. Cincinnati Bengals (From Oakland) – Biggest Needs WR, OG, CB, SS, LB – The Bengals have never finished worse than 15th in yards allowed in any of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s four seasons. Pick: OLB Courtney Upshaw – Alabama
  18. San Diego Chargers – Biggest Needs OT, OG, WR, OLB, DE, SS – The Chargers need to improve their O-line and stop opponents on third-down. Pick: OG Cordy Glenn – Georgia.
  19. Chicago Bears – Biggest Needs WR, OG, TE, DT, CB, S – The Bears have to do a better job protecting quarterback Jay Cutler and get stronger on the interior of the defensive line.  Pick: DT Devon Still – Penn State.
  20. Tennessee Titans – Biggest Needs C, OG, WR, DE, DT, S – The Titans have to improve the interior of their offensive line – Pick: C Peter Konz – Wisconsin.
  21. Cincinnati Bengals – Biggest Needs WR, OG, CB, SS, LB – After filling a huge need at LB at draft pick 17, the Bengals will fill another in the secondary. Pick: CB Dre Kirkpatrick – Alabama.
  22. Cleveland Browns (From Atlanta) – Biggest Needs QB, WR, RB, DE, CB, S – After filling a huge need at RB with the fourth pick overall, they will get their QB of the future. Pick: QB Ryan Tannehill – Texas A&M.
  23. Detroit Lions – Biggest Needs OT, RB, OG, CB, DE, S – The Lions, a 2011 playoff team, have one of the best offenses in the NFC. However, Detroit was 0-5 against NFC Playoff teams (Green Bay Packers twice, Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints). Pick: CB Janoris Jenkins – North Alabama.
  24. Pittsburgh Steelers – Biggest Needs OT, OG, RB, NT, DE, CB – The Steelers have to get younger on the offensive line and defensive line. Pick: DT Jerel Worthy – Michigan State.
  25. Denver Broncos – Biggest Needs RB, OG, OT, DT, CB, SS – The Broncos need help on the interior of the defensive line. Defensive tackles Broderick Bunkley and Marcus Thomas were solid in 2011 but both are free agents. Pick: DT Dontari Poe – Memphis.
  26. Houston Texans – Biggest Needs WR, OG, OT, CB, ILB, DE – The Texans need to provide quarterback Matt Schaub more weapons. Wide outs Andre Johnson and Kevin Walters both turn 31 before the regular season starts. Pick: WR Mohamed Sanu – Rutgers.
  27. New England Patriots (From New Orleans) – Biggest Needs WR, C, OT, FS, CB, DE – The Patriots are in need of play makers on both sides of the ball. Pick: DE Nick Perry – USC.
  28. Green Bay Packers – Biggest Needs C, QB, TE, OLB, CB, S – The Packers’ defense was sub-par all season. It ranked last in the league in total yards allowed, yielding 400-plus in 11 different games. Pick: OLB Andre Branch – Clemson.
  29. Baltimore Ravens – Biggest Needs C, OT, WR, LB, FS – The Ravens played well enough to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl last year (despite losing the AFC championship game to the Patriots). The Ravens need to bolster the interior of their offensive line. Pick: C Ben Jones – Georgia.
  30. San Francisco 49ers – Biggest Needs WR, OG, RB, DE, CB, OLB – The 49ers need depth for the interior of the offensive line and help in the secondary. 49ers could make a bold choice and select CB Trumaine Johnson – Montana, however the need at guard is a bigger concern. Pick: OG Kevin Zeitler – Wisconsin.
  31. New England Patriots – Biggest Needs WR, C, OT, FS, CB, DE – After addressing defensive end earlier with the 27th pick, they turn to the offense. – Pick: WR Kendall Wright – Baylor.
  32. New York Giants – Biggest Needs OT, TE, RB, LB, DT, S – The Super Bowl Champions have no glaring needs. However, a replacement for running back Brandon Jacobs, depth at linebacker or depth on the defensive line would  help. Pick: DT Fletcher Cox – Mississippi State.

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