Robert Griffin III reportedly has decided to forgo his senior season at Baylor. The 2011 Heisman Trophy winner won't need to wait long to hear his name called in next spring's NFL Draft, not when a team selecting early is in need of a franchise QB.
1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck*, QB, Stanford. There is little doubt the Colts will select Luck to be their future quarterback now that executives Bill and Chris Polian are no longer with the team. Sources said that when the Polians were still around, the Colts were looking closely at other quarterbacks with idea of trading the No. 1 pick.
2. St. Louis Rams: Matt Kalil*, OT, USC. Sam Bradford had a disappointing 2011 season. A big reason was the poor play of St. Louis' offensive line. Tackles Rodger Saffold and Jason Smith did not play well. Kalil should be able to take over at left tackle as a rookie and shore up the pass protection.
3. Minnesota Vikings: Justin Blackmon*, WR, Oklahoma State. QB Christian Ponder needs more weapons, and as Blackmon showed against Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl, he has the tools to be a dynamic, playmaking receiver immediately.
4. Cleveland Browns: Robert Griffin III*, QB, Baylor. Yes, the Browns have a ton of needs, but if they don't address their quarterback issues, they will continue to lose. Griffin can be the solution; he has a rare combination of athleticism, arm strength, deep passing ability and character.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Riley Reiff*, OT, Iowa. The Bucs have drafted a number of defensive linemen in recent years, but now their offensive line needs help, especially at tackle. Reiff may not be a finished product, but he is athletic, smart and highly competitive, and he should be able to start at left tackle as a rookie.
6. Washington Redskins: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame. Washington wants a quarterback, but with Griffin gone they'll take the playmaker they feel their offense needs. Floyd has great size (6-3, 230 pounds) and excellent hands.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Dre Kirkpatrick*, CB, Alabama. The Jags' best cornerback, Rashean Mathis, had a bad 2011 and is over 30, so expect GM Gene Smith to grab the 6-3 Kirkpatrick to help shore up the secondary.
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8. (Tie) Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M. Despite rumors that Tannehill suffered a foot injury, the Dolphins are desperate enough for a quarterback that they'll gamble and grab Tannehill here.
8. (Tie) Carolina Panthers: Morris Claiborne*, CB, LSU. The Panthers' defense was terrible in 2011. Claiborne, with his big-play ability, would provide an immediate upgrade at corner.
10. Buffalo Bills: Jonathan Martin*, OT, Stanford. Proof that stats lie: The Bills allowed 29 sacks in 2011, tied for third-fewest in the NFL, but sources in Buffalo say the team's tackles "are a major concern." Martin is an elite athlete with the talent to be a top tackle. He would be an immediate upgrade on the left side.
11. (Tie) Kansas City Chiefs: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina. Kansas City has only one established pass rusher, Tamba Hali. Coples is similar at this stage to Kamerion Wimbley, who played for new Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel in Cleveland.
11. (Tie) Seattle Seahawks: Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina. K.J. Wright was solid as a rookie this season, but he's not an elite linebacker. Brown is an explosive player who can contribute as both a linebacker and pass rusher.
13. Arizona Cardinals: Devon Still, DT, Penn State. Arizona needs to add talent to its D-line, especially with its best lineman, Calais Campbell, about to become a free agent. Still has the long arms, strength and athleticism to be an ideal fit at end in the Cardinals' 3-4 scheme.
14. Dallas Cowboys: David Decastro*, G, Stanford. Dallas' interior O-linemen struggled with injuries and consistency in 2011. Decastro would bring excellent pulling and trapping ability, as well as a nasty demeanor.
15. Philadelphia Eagles: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor. Philly wants to bring back DeSean Jackson but negotiations figure to be contentious and a deal might not get done, so look for the Birds to grab the most explosive receiver in the draft.
16. New York Jets: Trent Richardson*, RB, Alabama. Shonn Greene has not developed into the player New York hoped he would be. Richardson is a rare talent who should greatly help Mark Sanchez in 2012.
17. Cincinnati Bengals (From Oakland Raiders): Mark Barron, S, Alabama. Reggie Nelson and Chris Crocker are not top-level safeties. Barron possesses the physical presence, smarts and leadership that Cincinnati's secondary needs.
FROM SI:
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18. San Diego Chargers: Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall. The Chargers need an outside linebacker opposite Shaun Phillips who can also make an impact. Curry fits that role.
19. Chicago Bears: Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida State. Help on the O-line is needed after Bears QB Jay Cutler took a pounding in 2011. Sanders has the strength and versatility to start at tackle or guard right away.
20. Tennessee Titans: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska. Dennard is tough, instinctive and smart. He'd fit the Titans' scheme well, and he should be able to contribute as a rookie.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Nick Perry*, DE, USC. The Bengals have some talented young ends, but none have established themselves as elite. Perry is a surprisingly polished pass rusher who should upgrade that area of the Bengals' defense as a rookie.
22. Cleveland Browns (From Atlanta Falcons): Alshon Jeffery*, WR, South Carolina. After getting their quarterback of the future with their first pick, the Browns can take the 6-4, 230-pound Jeffery here. They couldpair him with Greg Little and give Griffin two big receiving targets.
23. Detroit Lions: Peter Konz*, C, Wisconsin. Current center Dominic Raiola is getting older. Konz could start at guard before taking over for Raiola in a few seasons.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dontari Poe*, NT, Memphis. Casey Hampton, who is nearing the end of a good career, suffered an ACL injury in the Steelers' playoff loss to Denver. The 350-pound Poe has the strength and athleticism to be the Steelers' next long-term solution at the position.
25. Denver Broncos: David Wilson*, RB, Virginia Tech. It is clear Denver is sticking with QB Tim Tebow long term; now it needs a young back to team with him. Wilson has rare explosiveness to go with great change-of-direction ability and excellent instincts.
26. New York Giants: Luke Kuechly*, MLB, Boston College. Ever since cutting Antonio Pierce, the Giants have been looking for a strong, physical middle linebacker who can also be productive in pass coverage. Kuechly has the tools to play the inside run, chase down outside runs and play off the ball in pass coverage, making him a good fit for the Giants' scheme.
27. Houston Texans: Dwight Jones, WR, North Carolina. Houston's passing attack naturally struggled after Andre Johnson was injured. Jones would seem to be an ideal fit to play opposite Johnson, given his height (6-4), speed and ability to make tough catches seem routine.
28. Baltimore Ravens: Kelechi Osemele, OT/G, Iowa State. Osemele has the athleticism, strength and competitiveness to fit in at guard in the Ravens' blocking scheme. He also could be tried as a right tackle if the Ravens ever move Michael Oher back to left tackle.
29. New England Patriots (From New Orleans Saints): Bruce Irvin, OLB, West Virginia. The Patriots have struggled to pressure the quarterback in recent seasons, and their top pass rusher now is free-agent-to-be Andre Carter. Irvin is just 235 pounds, but he has rare explosiveness and speed and can make an impact off the edge.
30. San Francisco 49ers: Juron Criner, WR, Arizona. Michael Crabtree improved a lot in 2011, but the Ninners still need more production from their receivers. Criner is vastly underrated; we believe he could start immediately and be a playmaker in San Francisco's offense.
31. New England Patriots: Lamar Miller*, RB, Miami (Fla.). The Patriots have been productive using a running back by committee in recent seasons, but Miller is a thickly built and explosive back who reminds us of former Patriots' first-round pick Lawrence Maroney.
32. Green Bay Packers: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State. The line must improve if the Packers' defense is to return to the level it reached in 2010. Cox played defensive tackle in college, but would be an explosive, playmaking end in the Packers' 3-4 scheme.
*Denotes underclassman
Russ Lande, a former NFL scout, is a draft analyst for Sporting News.
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