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SI.com First NFL Mock Draft

It’s never too early for an NFL mock draft and SI.com senior writer Don Banks has his first one of the year hit on SI.com today. Much will change in this process between now and April 26th but for now, here is Banks first edition…

1. Indianapolis -- Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

2. Cleveland (projected trade with St. Louis) -- Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

3. Minnesota -- Matt Kalil, OT, Southern Cal

4. St. Louis (projected trade with Cleveland) -- Justin Blackmon, WR, Okla. St.

5. Tampa Bay -- Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

6. Washington -- Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

7. Jacksonville -- Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

8. Carolina -- Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

9. Miami -- Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

10. Buffalo -- Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

(Click on the 'Jump' to see the rest of the first round of this Mock Draft, including who Banks thinks the Baltimore Ravens will take with their first pick at #29)

11. Kansas City -- Devon Still, DT, Penn State

12. Seattle -- Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

13. Arizona -- Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

14. Dallas -- Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

15. Philadelphia -- Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College

16. New York Jets -- Mark Barron, S, Alabama

17. Cincinnati (from Oakland) -- Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

18. San Diego -- Whitney Mercilus, DE-OLB, Illinois

19. Chicago -- Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

20. Tennessee -- David DeCastro, G, Stanford

21. Cincinnati -- Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

22. St. Louis (projected trade with Cleveland, via Atlanta) – Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

23. Detroit -- Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

24. Pittsburgh -- Cordy Glenn, OG-OT, Georgia

25. Denver -- Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State.

26. Houston -- Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

27. New England (from New Orleans) – Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

28. Green Bay -- Andre Branch, OLB-DE, Clemson

29. Baltimore -- Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

30. San Francisco -- Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

31. NY Giants -- Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida State

32. New England -- Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama

For explanations on each pick, here is the link to the draft in its entirety…

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/don_banks/01/26/mock-draft/index.html

My analysis of the Ravens pick: While I could see the Ravens taking an offensive lineman with the 29th pick, I just do not see them taking a center in the first round. If Matt Birk retires, the reasonable expectation is that they will put Andre Gurode in his place and be just fine at least for another year or two. With ILB's Dont'a Hightower and Vontaze Burflict still available, I'd much rather go in that direction in the first round.