2016 Mock Draft
1. Los Angeles Rams: Jared
Goff, QB, California
Everywhere you look,
you'll read Jared Goff is #1 the pick. No arguments from me.
2. (trade) Philadelphia
Eagles: Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
This trade makes absolutely no sense to me and it seems as
if Chip Kelly was replaced by a FO that is just as incompetent. The
beginning of the offseason started off so well for the Eagles! They were able
to dump a couple horrible contracts while getting back some guys on relatively
good deals. Then this happened....
There is absolutely no way to spin this trade in a positive
light. Like most media outlets, I am assuming they traded up for one of the
two QBs. There have been reports that they are infatuated with Carson
Wentz, so they must know that he will be there as an option. They just extended Sam Bradford who, while he has his
issues, is still an average NFL quarterback that could win them some games. I
cannot imagine they will be able to pick up much off of a Bradford trade, so giving him that large extension really does not make much sense.
The Eagles somehow managed to get completely fleeced by the
Cleveland Browns... That's something I never thought I would write.
3. San Diego Chargers:
Jalen Ramsey, CB, Florida State
I can easily see Tunsil being the pick here. It makes
sense, Rivers is on the home stretch of his career, and protecting him is the
Chargers biggest priority. Tunsil is considered the best tackle in the draft. That being
said, some teams view Jalen Ramsey as a special talent at safety. It just so
happens that the Chargers lost veteran safety Eric Weddle to free agency. Most
teams tend to stick to their board and I believe Ramsey is sitting at the top
of a lot of them.
4. Dallas Cowboys: Joey
Bosa, DE, Ohio State
This is one of those beautiful times where value meets
needs. The Cowboys are in big need of talent along the line and Joey Bosa is
the best talent on the board. The Dallas Morning News reported that the Cowboys
weren't interested in Myles Jack, but I still see him as an option
here.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars:
Myles Jack, OLB, UCLA
Two easy ones in a row!.
The Jaguars desire more talent at the linebacker position and Myles Jack is
the best talent on the board.
6. Baltimore Ravens:
Lamery Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
I hate the Ravens. They
always seem to land in a perfect spot. They get one of the top 2 players in the
draft here and it's an absolute steal. Tunsil will hold down the left side for
a long long time.
7. San Fransisco 49ers:
DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon
While the 49ers miss out
on their chance at a quarterback they still end up with the last remaining blue
chip prospect in the draft. They have needs all over the ball so they have to
go with the best available talent. Plus, you have the Chip Kelly-Oregon
connection
8. (Trade) Cleveland
Browns: Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
Hue Jackson has said that
neither Jared Goff nor Carson Wentz was the top quarterback on their board.
Paxton Lynch is the next logical choice for that top spot. Although this may
seem a little bit high for Lynch teams tend to overdraft quarterbacks
especially if they fall in love with one. If he doesn't go here, they have the
extra picks they will probably trade back into the end of the first round and
make him their selection there.
9. Tampa Bay Buccanears:
Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, Florida
This pick just makes a ton
of sense. The Bucs need to upgrade their secondary in a big way and taking the
top corner on the board will do just that. I had the honor of watching Vern
play the last couple of years and can tell you now he was taking the second
half of the year off. He was rarely targeted in the beginning of the season and
that allowed Jalen Tabor(a future top 10 pick himself) to be the breakout star
of the Gators defense. Make no mistake, this kid can flat out play football and
will be a shutdown corner at the next level.
10. New York Giants:
Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia
This is a pretty easy one
for me. The Giants built their championship defenses by rushing the passer.
Floyd has the look of a solid pass rusher at the next level and it seems as if
the Giants are absolutely smitten with him.
11. Chicago Bears: Ezekiel
Elliott, RB, Ohio State
The Bears recently moved
on from long time running back Matt Forte. Getting the best back in the draft
will mitigate that loss. I've heard reports that there is no way Elliott gets
past this point in the draft.
12. New Orleans
Saints: Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville
The Saints need help all
over their defense. Rankins will help solidify the run defense and push the
pocket from the middle as a pass rusher.
13. Miami Dolphins: Eli
Apple, CB, Ohio State
The Dolphins disaster of
an offseason continues as they were just two picks away from nabbing their top
target. I would bet they try to move up around 9-10 to grab Ziek before he is
gone.
They are able to get
secondary help in the form of Eli Apple, who projects to be the next CB off the
board and can start on Day 1.
14. Oakland Raiders:
Darron Lee, OLB, Ohio State
A complete 180 from the team in front of them, the Raiders
have had a wonderful offseason and it continues here. They are able to grab a
talented linebacker. Although Lee is not a pass rushing linebacker he is
immensely talented and that might be enough for the Raiders to take a chance on
him. An AFC executive said "He's a natural three down player who can cover
and blitz. He's a much better playmaker than Ragland." Sounds like a
valuable weapon for any team looking to boost the second level of their defense.
15. Tennessee Titans:
Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
Wow, this is a dream
situation for the Titans. They were able to get a huge haul for the 1st pick.
THEN to top it all off they are able to still fill their positional need with a
pretty good prospect.
16. Detroit Lions: Laquon
Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
With the departure of one of the most dominant receivers in
league history, the Lions need to replace the hole in their receiving core.
Treadwell is the most pro ready receiver in the draft and can come in and be a
solid No. 2 option on day 1.
17. Atlanta Falcons: Shaq
Lawson, DE, Clemson
The Falcons would sprint to the podium if they saw Lawson
still available at this point. Despite grabbing pass rushing specialist Vic
Beasley, they still need some help getting to the quarterback. Lawson would
form a nice complement to Beasley as a bookend pass rusher.
18. Indianapolis Colts:
Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State
The Colts offensive line
was a disaster this past season. Luckily, they get great value in the form of
Jack Conklin in this part of the draft. This will go a long way in helping
Andrew Luck reach the rank of the elite QBs.
19. Buffalo Bills, Kevin
Dodd, DE, Clemson
With the departure of Mario Williams the Bills will need to
revamp their defensive line. They are able to grab the second of the Clemson
defensive lineman here. Rex Ryan’s son actually plays for Clemson so he should
have a little voice in his ear advocating for Dodd to be the pick.
20. NY Jets, Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State
It was reported that the
Jets were a team that wanted to trade up for the #2 pick. If they think the
Browns want Paxton Lynch we could still see them trade up in a deal that I
assume would include Muhammed Wilkerson. What we do know is that they will be
looking to upgrade their tackle position and replace the ever aging
D’Brickashaw Ferguson. They get an upgrade with Decker out of Ohio State.
Side note: this would mark
the 5th Ohio State player drafted in the first round, tying for 2nd most in NFL draft history with the
2001 Miami Hurricanes and the 1969 USC Trojans. It's amazing this Buckeyes team
didn't win the National Championship.
21. Washington Redskins: Andrew
Billings, DT, Baylor
The nose tackle position
of the 'skins defense was awful this past season. Reviews on Billings are up
and down. I think this is around the right spot for him. As a Steeler fan I
would have loved for Billings to drop a few spots, unfortunately, his pro day
probably shot him up out of their reach.
22. Houston Texans: Josh Doctson, WR, TCU
The Texans are a wide receiver needy team who
could use 1 or 2 more targets to help out new signal caller Brock
Osweiler. Doctson is an athletic wideout that needs some refining but can
contribute pretty much immediately.
23. Minnesota Vikings: Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame
Will Fuller has been shooting up draft boards recently and
could very well be drafted earlier than Laquon Treadwell and Josh Doctson. The
Vikings have very little talent in their receiving group so I expect them to
address the position very early in this draft.
24. Cincinnati Bengals: Jarren Reed, DT, Alabama
I mocked a DT to the Bengals last year
and they didn’t go for it. Maybe I’ll be right this year. The Bengals signed
Michael Johnson this past offseason and it predictably failed. Reed provides
crazy good value at this point in the draft as his character issues is the only
reason he is going this late. He offers little upside as a pass rusher but he
will be able to come in and immediately be a force at stopping the run.
25. Pittsburgh Steelers: William Jackson III, CB, Houston
I waffled back and forth between
Jackson and Alexander on this pick. While Alexander seems to have that swagger
that NFL teams love, Jackson just seems like the perfect corner for the
Steelers cover 2 scheme. The only place where I can see the team souring on
Jackson is if they really do not like his tackling skills.
26. Seattle Seahawks: German Ifedi,
OG, Texas A&M
27. Green Bay Packers: Reggie Ragland,
ILB, Alabama
The Packers seem like an ideal place
for a team looking to trade back into the first round. However, I think if
Reggie Ragland is still on the board they will be extremely tempted to select
him. This pick would allow them to slide Clay Matthews back to his more
comfortable outside linebacker position without leaving a giant hole in the
middle of their 3-4. Also, the value is phenomenal as Ragland is one of the
more talented players in the draft, but position scarcity has caused him to
drop.
28. Kansas City Chiefs: Mackenzie
Alexander, CB, Clemson
29. Arizona Cardinals: Ryan Kelly, C,
Alabama
This is the one team that is in the
best position to truly draft the best player available. They do not really have
any glaring needs on either side of the ball. I have them going with the center
Ryan Kelly out of Alabama because he represents good value at a place where he
can truly be an upgrade along the offensive line. I will say that A'Shawn Robinson is the best player available at this point, and you can never have too many
good players in the trenches.
30. Carolina Panthers: Jason Spriggs,
OT, Indiana
The Panthers now have a big need at CB after the departure
of phenom Josh Norman. I could not really find a corner with enough value to
justify a pick here. I can see Kendal Fuller making some noise due to his
natural ability but who knows with that injury. This is why I will go with the
safe pick and project a tackle here. Von Miller and Demarcus Ware wreaked havoc
all day in the backfield. If the Panthers want to get back to where they were
Spriggs
must develop into a better option than what they have there now.
31. Denver Broncos: Robert Nkemdiche, DE, Ole Miss
The Broncos have a couple holes to fill along the defensive
line but none bigger than the one left by Malik Jackson. Robert Nkemdiche has
as much talent and potential as anyone in the entire draft, unfortunately he
also has as many questions. The Broncos defense will need a jolt of life and
Nkemdiche is just too talented to pass up at this juncture.
32. Cleveland Browns: Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama
None of the running backs on Cleveland's roster are really
workhorse backs. Derrick Henry is a bruising back that should see success at the next level. I could also see them going with Coleman simply to pair Paxton Lynch
with a shiny new target as teams often do when they draft a QB.
33. Tennessee Titans: Noah Spence, OLB, Eastern Kentucky
The Titans need help with the pass rush to form a rotation
with Derrick Morgan and Brian Orakpo, and Spence is arguably the best player on
the board.
34. Dallas Cowboys: Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor
The Cowboys receiving group was completely devoid of talent
after Dez went down with an injury.
35. San Diego Chargers: A’Shawn
Robinson, DT, Alabama
Robinson will provide a push up front and represents great
value at the top of the second round.
36. Baltimore Ravens: Kendall Fuller,
CB, Virginia Tech
A top 10 talent that dropped because of an injury. Once again, hate the Ravens.
37. San Francisco 49ers: Connor Cook,
QB, Michigan State
Either the 49ers draft a quarterback or they will be forced
to start Blaine Gabbert, yikes.
38. Jacksonville Jaguars: Artie Burns,
CB, Miami(FL)
The Jags need to upgrade their entire secondary after
neglecting it in the first round.
39. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Keanu Neal,
S, Florida
The best safety on their roster is Chris Conte, that says
it all.
40. New York Giants: Vonn Bell, S,
Ohio State
A great fit to slide in next to 2015 second rounder Landon
Collins.
41. Chicago Bears: Su’a Cravens, LB,
USC
Cravens is believed to be a bit undersized for a linebacker
but it shouldn't matter as he would represent an upgrade at the WILL spot where
size is not a huge factor.
42. Miami Dolphins: Cody Whitehair, G,
Kansas State
The Dolphins line is still screwed up from the bullying
scandal.
43. (From LA)Tennessee Titans: Vernon
Butler, DT, Louisiana Tech
Butler will be a great fit in the center of a 3-4 as a nose
tackle.
44. Oakland Raiders: Darian Thompson,
S, Boise State
The Raiders need to fill the hole vacated by Charles
Woodson, good luck kid.
45. (From LA)Tennessee Titans: Xavien
Howard, CB, Baylor
The Titans go defense again and upgrade their secondary in
the process.
46. Detroit Lions: Le’Raven Clark, OT,
Texas Tech
Protecting Matthew Stafford is the Lions #1 priority.
47. New Orleans Saints: Jonathon
Bullard, DE, Florida
An athletic defensive lineman, Bullard can slide all over
the line as the Saints upgrade the trenches with their first two picks.
48. Indianapolis Colts: Shilique
Calhoun, OLB, Michigan State
The Colts need another guy that can rush the passer since
the Bjoern Werner experiment is finally over.
49. Buffalo Bills: Chris Jones, DT,
Mississippi State
Kyle Williams is 32 and not really all that effective.
50. Atlanta Falcons: Hunter Henry, TE,
Arkansas
When Tony Gonzales left, Matt Ryan lost his safety net.
Hunter is an exciting prospect.
51. New York Jets: Kyler Fackrell,
OLB, Utah State
The Jets need more of an edge presence to solidify their
already stellar defense.
52. Houston Texans: Austin Hooper, TE,
Stanford
The Texans should be trying to get new quarterback Brock
Osweiler as many targets as possible.
53. Washington Redskins: Nick Martin,
C, Notre Dame
Giving Kirk Cousins more
protection can only help the Redskins case when trying to sign him to a long
term contract.
54. Minnesota Vikings: Christian
Westerman, G, Arizona State
You can never spend too many picks on protecting your
franchise quarterback.
55. Cincinnati Bengals: Michael
Thomas, WR, Ohio State
The Bengals were able to sign Brandon Lafell to a cheap
contract but they will be better off trying to get a real #2 receiver across
from AJ Green,
56. Seattle Seahawks: Kenny Clark, DT,
UCLA
A once dominant defensive line needs reloading after being
decimated by players departing in free agency. If this
offense is going to become Super Bowl caliber then it needs a legit
#2 WR across from Jeremy Maclin.
must develop into a better option than what they have there now.
