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2012 NFL Free Agent Draft

Walt9 mins
Posted Tuesday, March 6, 2012.

I did this last year, and I thought it would be pretty fun to do it again. It’s what it sounds like – if free agency occurred in a draft format, who would be the top picks? I’ve excluded all the free agents who are either restricted or franchised, with the two exceptions being Mike Wallace and DeSean Jackson, for obvious reasons.

Go here for my 2012 NFL Mock Draft or follow me @walterfootball for updates.

  1. Indianapolis Colts: Mario Williams, DE/OLB, Texans. Age: 27.
    This first pick is a no-brainer. The Colts are transitioning to a 3-4 defense under Chuck Pagano, so why not add one of the premier pass-rushers in the NFL? As an added bonus, the addition of Williams would hurt the previous division winner.

    Follow @walterfootball for news and updates.

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  2. Cleveland Browns: Peyton Manning, QB, Colts. Age: 36.
    I have the Browns trading up in my 2012 NFL Mock Draft. They’d do the same in this free agency mock. Cleveland hasn’t had a legitimate quarterback in centuries and has no chance of signing Peyton Manning. Manning won’t have much of a say in this scenario. He’ll be forced to play for the Browns, and throw to the likes of Greg Little, Ben Watson and perhaps Special Agent Peyton Hillis. Unfortunately for Cleveland, free agency doesn’t work this way.

  3. Minnesota Vikings: Mike Wallace, WR, Steelers. Age: 26.
    With Adrian Peterson’s status in doubt, the Vikings need to find help for Christian Ponder. Getting Mike Wallace to play across from Percy Harvin would definitely please the young quarterback – and Minnesota wouldn’t even have to surrender a first-round pick.

  4. St. Louis Rams: Carl Nicks, G, Saints. Age: 27.
    A pure guard will never go this high in the NFL Draft, but we know that Carl Nicks is arguably the best player at his position in the NFL. The Rams desperately need upgrades on the offensive line. One more year of getting knocked around, and Sam Bradford will definitely have a severe case of David Carr Syndrome.



  5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Stephen Tulloch, ILB, Lions. Age: 27.
    The Buccaneers want to use Mason Foster outside, so they have a massive hole in the middle of their defense. Stephen Tulloch is one of the top linebackers in the NFL.

  6. Washington Redskins: Scott Wells, C, Packers. Age: 31.
    Left guard Kory Lichtensteiger is coming off a nasty knee injury. Scott Wells is a stud center and a perfect fit in Mike Shanahan’s scheme, so the Redskins could “draft” him and move Will Montgomery into Lichtensteiger’s spot.

  7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Vincent Jackson, WR, Chargers. Age: 29.
    Blaine Gabbert is probably a lost cause, but Gene Smith needs to put him in the best possible position to succeed because his job is on the line. Jacksonville’s receiving corps is trash, and Vincent Jackson would obviously be an enormous upgrade.

  8. Miami Dolphins: Matt Flynn, QB, Packers. Age: 27.
    New head coach Joe Philbin worked with Matt Flynn in Green Bay, so this match is pretty obvious. I didn’t mock Flynn to the Redskins, by the way, because of the rumors that they aren’t interested in him.



  9. Carolina Panthers: Brandon Carr, CB, Chiefs. Age: 26.
    The Panthers have a huge void at cornerback across from Chris Gamble. With almost no shot to land Morris Claiborne, Carolina will have to turn to free agency.

  10. Buffalo Bills: Jeremy Mincey, DE, Jaguars. Age: 28.
    Chan Gailey and Buddy Nix have made it known that they’ll be targeting a pass-rusher this offseason. Jeremy Mincey had a breakout 2011 campaign and will command a huge contract in the coming weeks.

  11. Kansas City Chiefs: Nick Hardwick, C, Chargers, Chargers. Age: 30.
    The Chiefs need some sort of interior lineman this offseason, depending on where they want to use Rodney Hudson. Hudson would play at guard if Nick Hardwick somehow made his way to Kansas City. I’m sure the Chiefs would love to rob their divisional rival of its top lineman.

  12. Seattle Seahawks: Ben Grubbs, G, Ravens. Age: 28.
    Robert Gallery was brought to Seattle because of offensive line coach Tom Cable, but the former Raider struggled in his new home. Ben Grubbs is the top free agent available, so he’s a no-brainer at this spot.



  13. Arizona Cardinals: Cortland Finnegan, CB, Titans. Age: 28.
    Richard Marshall is a free agent, while Greg Toler is coming off an ACL tear. Arizona can fill its need at conrerback by re-signing the former, but why not just find an upgrade at the position?

  14. Dallas Cowboys: Carlos Rogers, CB, 49ers. Age: 31.
    Carlos Rogers is talented, but a bit old. That may not matter much to the Cowboys, who are in win-now mode. I don’t need to tell you how big of a need the cornerback position is for Dallas.

  15. Philadelphia Eagles: Curtis Lofton, ILB, Falcons. Age: 26.
    The Eagles will pursue Curtis Lofton in free agency, so I’ll just mock him here. Philadelphia desperately needs help at inside linebacker, and either Lofton or Stephen Tulloch are expected to be added to the roster.

  16. New York Jets: Jarret Johnson, DE/OLB, Ravens. Age: 31.
    The Jets have to find an upgrade at outside linebacker. Jarret Johnson has always been a favorite of Rex Ryan’s, so there’s a good chance he’ll sign with New York in real life.


    Go to 2012 NFL Free Agent Draft: Picks 17-32

    Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I’ve received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwith.

Real 2012 NFL Mock Draft





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NFL Picks - Nov. 25


NFL Power Rankings - Nov. 25


2025 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 20


Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4






NFL Draft Links:

My 2003 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/24): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3
2003 NFL Draft Grades (Re-graded 6/8/08)
My 2004 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/24): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3
2004 NFL Draft Prospects/ 2004 NFL Draft Grades (Re-graded 6/6/08)
My 2005 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/23): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3
2005 NFL Draft Prospects
2005 NFL Draft Grades (Re-graded 6/4/08)
My 2006 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3
2006 NFL Draft Prospects (UPDATED 4/28)
2006 NFL Draft Grades (Re-graded on 7/3)
My 2007 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3/ Round 4/ Round 5/ Round 6/ Round 7
Other 2007 Mock Drafts:April Fools
2007 NFL Draft Prospects (UPDATED 4/24)/Kenny Ortiz's Top 40 Prospects
2007 NFL Combine and Pro Day Results
2007 NFL Draft Grades
2008 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/26): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3/Round 4/Round 5/Round 6/Round 7
Alternative 2008 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/7): Round 1 /Round 2
2008 NFL Re-Draft - Round 3 (UPDATED 4/27)
2008 NFL Draft Prospects (UPDATED 8/5)
Other 2008 Mock Drafts: Matt McGuire (4/25)/ Craig Smith (4/22)/ Emmitt Smith (4/21)/ Matt McGuire Shocker (4/21)/ Matt McGuire Backwards (4/19)/ Forum Mock (4/15)/ April Fools (4/1)
2009 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
Other 2009 Mock Drafts: Re-Draft (4/26) /Matt McGuire (4/25) /Reader Mock (4/25) /Hunter Ansley (4/24) /Backward Mock (4/19) /Emmitt Smith (4/16) /Celebrity Mock (4/9) /April Fools (4/1) /Experts (3/30) /KFFL (3/14)
2010 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/22): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2010 NFL Mock Re-Draft Day 3 (4/24): Round 4 (Walt's) / Round 4 (Matt's)
2010 NFL Mock Re-Draft Day 2 (4/23): Round 2 (Walt's) / Round 3 (Walt's) / Round 2 (Matt's) / Round 3 (Matt's)
Other 2010 Mock Drafts: Matt McGuire (4/22) /Backward Mock (4/20) /Emmitt Mock (4/17) /Celebrity Mock (4/8) /Experts (3/17) /Reader (4/13) /Consensus (2/25)
2011 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2011 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/30): Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 2 /Round 3
Other 2011 Mock Drafts: Free Agency (5/9) /Greg Cox (4/28) /Backward Mock (4/22) /Emmitt Mock (4/21) /Team Big Boards (4/21) /Celebrity Mock (4/13) /Experts (4/7) /Not Mock (4/6) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Greg Cox's 2012 Mock (2/22) /Matt McGuire (1/8)
2012 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/26): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2012 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2012 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/26) /Pick History (4/23) /Emmitt Mock (4/19) /Not Mock (4/19) /Backward Mock (4/17) /Celebrity (4/15) /Goals (4/10) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock (4/1) /Free Agent Mock (3/6) /Greg Cox (9/9)
2013 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2013 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/27): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2013 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/25) /GM Mock (4/21) /Charlie's Trade Mock (4/20) /Goals (4/19) /Rapid Reader Mock (4/18) /Emmitt Mock (4/14) /Not Mock (4/13) /Pick History (4/5) /Backward Mock (4/4) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/7) /Archived 2013 NFL Mock Drafts
2014 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATE 5/8): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2014 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 5/10): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2014 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (5/8) /Goals (5/3) /Not Mock (4/27) /Emmitt Mock (4/20) /Trades Mock (4/13) /Celebrity Mock (4/11) /Backward Mock (4/4) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/6) /Overreaction Mock (12/30)
2015 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/30): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2015 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 5/2): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2015 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/30) /Goals (4/25) /Not Mock (4/19) /Emmitt Mock (4/17) /Trades Mock (4/12) /Celebrity Mock (4/10) /Backward Mock (4/3) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Free Agent Mock (3/5) /Overreaction Mock (12/29)
2016 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2016 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/30): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2016 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/28) /Combo (5/8) /Goals (4/23) /Not Mock (4/22) /Emmitt Mock (4/17) /Trades Mock (4/16) /Celebrity Mock (4/10) /Backward Mock (4/7) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/6) /Overreaction Mock (1/4)
2017 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/27): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2017 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/29): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2017 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/27) /Combo (5/7) /Goals (4/22) /Not Mock (4/21) /Emmitt Mock (4/16) /Backward Mock (4/9) /Celebrity Mock (4/7) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/7) /Overreaction Mock (1/2)
2018 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/26): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2018 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2018 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/26) /Combo (5/6) /Goals (4/21) /Not Mock (4/20) /Emmitt Mock (4/15) /Trades Mock (4/13) /Backward Mock (4/8) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/11) /Senior Bowl (1/27)
2019 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2019 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/27): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2019 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/25) /Combo (5/5) /Goals (4/20) /Not Mock (4/18) /Witten Mock (4/14) /Trades Mock (4/12) /Emmitt Mock (4/7) /Backward Mock (4/5) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Free Agent Mock (3/10) /Senior Bowl Mock (1/26) /Video Mock (1/8) /Overreaction Mock (12/31)
2020 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/23): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2020 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2020 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/23) /Combo (5/3) /Goals (4/18) /Emmitt Mock (4/12) /Trades Mock (4/8) /Backward Mock (4/5) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Free Agent Mock (3/16) /Corey Long (3/13) /Senior Bowl Mock (1/27) /Overreaction Mock (12/30)
2021 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/29): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2021 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 5/1): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2021 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (5/17) /Goals (4/23) /Backward Mock (4/18) /Emmitt Mock (4/11) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Senior Bowl Mock (1/30) /Overreaction Mock (1/4)
2022 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2022 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/30): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2022 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/28) /Goals (4/22) /Backward Mock (4/20) /Emmitt Mock (4/15) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Senior Bowl Mock (2/5) /Overreaction Mock (1/10)
2023 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/27): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2023 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/29): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2023 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/27) /Backward Mock (4/19) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Senior Bowl Mock (2/4) /Overreaction Mock (1/9)
2024 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6
Other 2024 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/25) /April Fools Mock (3/31)
2025 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 11/20): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (11/22)
2026 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 7/24): Round 1 /Picks 17-32
Other 2026 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (11/23)
2018 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2017 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2016 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2015 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2014 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2013 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2012 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2011 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2010 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2009 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2008 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2007 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2006 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2005 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2004 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2003 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2002 NFL Draft Re-Mock


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