2012 NFL Draft: Where prep players would get drafted

The NFL Draft gets underway Thursday evening with 32 NFL teams choosing among the best players the college ranks have to offer.

But what if NFL teams were only able to choose high school seniors? Who would be the first choice? Where do the top-ranked players in the country end up being drafted?

Here's a look at the first round of this year's NFL draft with the team listed along with its position of need and its draft choice.

1. Indianapolis Colts - QB - Gunner Kiel, Columbus East (Ind.), Notre Dame
The Colts need a quarterback now that Peyton Manning is gone and they get a good one who is located just a few miles south of Indianapolis. (Video)



2. Washington Redskins - QB - Jameis Winston, Hueytown (Ala.), Florida State
The Redskins would like a mobile, athletic quarterback and they don't get much more athletic than Winston, who is the top combo quarterback on the board. (Video)

3. Minnesota Vikings - OT - John Theus, Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.), Georgia
Bolles might be the No. 7 overall ranked player, but the Vikings need someone to protect Christian Ponder.

4. Cleveland Browns - RB - Johnathan Gray, Aledo (Texas), Texas
The Browns need a ballcarrier and who better than the all-time leading touchdown scorer in high school history? (Video)

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - CB - Shaq Roland, Lexington (S.C.), South Carolina
Cornerback is not one of the deeper positions in the draft, but the Buccaneers need help in that department. Roland is a five-star candidate who could get the job done. (Video)

6. St. Louis Rams - WR - Dorial Green-Beckham, Hillcrest (Springfield, Mo.), Missouri
The No. 1 overall player on the board drops to the No. 6 pick and the St. Louis Rams. At least Green-Beckham gets to stay close to home. (Video)

7. Jacksonville Jaguars - CB - Geno Smith, St. Pius X Catholic (Atlanta), Alabama
The higher-drafting teams are in desperate need of cornerbacks so Smith, ranked No. 23 overall, goes early to the Jaguars. (Video)

8. Miami Dolphins - QB - Philip Nelson, Mankato West (Minn.), Minnesota
Nelson came out of nowhere this year to become a surprise recruit. The Dolphins, who need a quarterback, can't pass him up.



9. Carolina Panthers - DT - Ellis McCarthy, Monrovia, UCLA
The Panthers need some bulk in the middle to slow down the run. They get the best defensive tackle on the board in McCarthy. (Video)

10. Buffalo Bills - WR - Stefon Diggs, Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), Maryland
The Bills can use another gamebreaker at wide receiver to complement Steve Johnson. They find one in Diggs. (Video)

11. Kansas City Chiefs - LB - Vince Biegel, Lincoln (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.), Wisconsin
Linebacker is not a position with depth this year, but the Chiefs get a good one in Biegel. (Video)

12. Seattle Seahawks - DE/OLB - Noah Spence, Bishop McDevittt (Harrisburg, Pa.), Ohio State
The Seahawks can't believe that Spence, the No. 3 overall player, has dropped all the way to them at the 12th spot. They are more than happy to take him. (Video)

13. Arizona Cardinals - G - Josh Garnett, Puyallup (Wash.), Stanford
The Cardinals need a guard and they get the best one in the draft in Garnett. (Video)

14. Dallas Cowboys - S - Shaq Thompson, Grant (Sacramento, Calif.), Washington
Like the Seahawks, the Cowboys get plenty of value with their pick as they select the No. 5 overall player in Thompson. (Video)



15. Philadelphia Eagles - DE - Mario Edwards, Ryan (Denton, Texas), Florida State
Eagle fans rejoice at the selection of the No. 4 overall player in Edwards, who will help give depth along the defensive line. (Video)

16. New York Jets - DT - Eddie Goldman, Friendship Collegiate Academy (Washington, D.C.), Florida State
Goldman gives the Jets the run-stuffer they need in the middle of the line.

17. Cincinnati Bengals - DE/OLB - Arik Armstead, Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove, Calif.), Oregon
Armstead will likely play defensive end for the Bengals, although he can play on the offensive line in a pinch. (Video)

18. San Diego Chargers - OT - Andrus Peat, Corona del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.), Stanford
Peat finally comes off the board. The No. 8 overall recruit goes to the Chargers to help the offense. (Video)

19. Chicago Bears - WR - Cayleb Jones, Austin (Texas), Texas
Jones didn't play on a winning team in Austin. He's hoping that will change with the Bears. (Video)

20. Tennessee Titans - DE/OLB - Darius Hamilton, Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), Rutgers
The Titans need some help at linebacker, but that position might be the shallowest in the draft. They go instead with No. 29 overall Hamilton.



21. Cincinnati Bengals - CB - Tee Shepard, Central (Fresno, Calif.), Notre Dame
The Bengals take a gamble on Shepard, who sat out his senior season of high school. However, his talent makes it a risk worth taking. (Video)

22. Cleveland Browns - OT - D.J. Humphries, Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.), Florida
The Browns need someone to open holes for Gray so they get Humphries to pave the way. (Video)

23. Baltimore Ravens - LB - Scott Starr, Norco (Calif.), USC
Ray Lewis can't play forever. Scott Starr will get the chance to learn from the best. (Video)

24. Pittsburgh Steelers - G - Jordan Simmons, Crespi (Encino, Calif.), USC
The offensive line was a sore spot for the Steelers last year. Simmons will help remedy that. (Video)

25. Denver Broncos - DT - Malcom Brown, Brenham (Texas), Texas
With Peyton Manning in the fold, the Broncos can work concentrate on defense. The line gets some reinforcement with Brown.

26. Houston Texans - WR - Deontay Greenberry, Washington Union (Fresno, Calif.), Houston
The Texans have one of the best in the game in Andre Johnson. Adding Greenberry will make Johnson that much more dangerous. (Video)



27. Cleveland Browns - QB - Zeke Pike, Dixie Heights (Edgewood, Ky.), Auburn
The Browns complete their backfield with Pike, who plays just south of the border in Kentucky.

28. Green Bay Packers - DT - Aziz Shittu, Buhach Colony (Atwater, Calif.), Stanford
You can never have enough depth on the defensive line. Shittu gives the Packers one of the rising talents at the position. (Video)

29. Detroit Lions - G/T - Zach Banner, Lakes (Lakewood, Wash.), USC
The Lions need some help protecting Matt Stafford. Banner is one of the biggest out there at about 6-foot-8. (Video)

30. San Francisco - TE - Kent Taylor, Land O'Lakes (Fla.), Florida
The Niners need a receiver or tight end. They get the best tight end on the board in Taylor, and that can free Vernon Davis up to catch more passes. (Video)

31. New England Patriots - DE/OLB - Noor Davis, Leesburg (Fla.), Stanford
The Patriots always manage to find the diamond in the rough. Davis could be another one for coach Bill Belichick.

32. New York Giants - S - Landon Collins, Dutchtown (Geismar, La.), Alabama
The Giants find the best value in the draft when they take the No. 10 overall player in Collins and get him with the No. 32 pick. (Video)