2016 Mock Drafts

dallen

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McShay Mock 2.0

1. Tennessee Titans (3-13)

Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State Buckeyes

If the Titans are looking to trade this pick, they might be able to find a team hoping to jump the Browns to select a quarterback. If no deal materializes, Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil would fill the team's biggest need. But the move is to pull the trigger on Bosa, the best player in the class. You can never have too many pass-rushers. And remember: One of Bosa's best traits is that he's scheme versatile, so he'd be a fit even if the Titans decide to stick with a 3-4 alignment.


2. Cleveland Browns (3-13)

Jared Goff, QB, California Golden Bears

If Bosa is still on the board here for whatever reason, he would be a good option. But quarterback is undoubtedly Cleveland's top need, and the more tape I study, the more I believe it's a two-horse race between Goff and North Dakota State's Carson Wentz for the No. 1 passer. As it stands now -- after studying five of Goff's games this season and four of Wentz's -- the two have identical grades. From Cleveland's perspective, Goff has a bit more velocity on his fastball to cut through the wind, while Wentz has more experience playing in the cold. Tough call, but I'll go with Goff for now.


3. San Diego Chargers (4-12)

Laremy Tunsil, T, Ole Miss Rebels

With Philip Rivers now 34, there's a school of thought that says San Diego should pick its long-term successor here (Goff or Wentz). But if the Chargers are going to make a run at the playoffs before Rivers retires, they must solidify their offensive line. Rivers can't function without better protection and more balance from the run game (ranked 31st in the NFL last season). Tunsil -- the top pass-blocking OT in the draft -- needs to improve his strength, but he's an outstanding athlete for his size (6-foot-5, 305 pounds).



4. Dallas Cowboys (4-12)

Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State Bison

Now that I'm deep into Wentz's tape, I feel very comfortable saying he's a legit first-round talent. He has the height, sturdy frame, natural accuracy, pocket mobility and on-field leadership you look for in a QB. He was 20-3 as a starter at NDSU and won two FCS national titles. You could certainly make a case for the Cowboys taking the best available D-line prospect, such as Oregon's DeForest Buckner. But if Dallas is sold on Wentz (or Goff, if he's available), this could prove to be a very wise long-term investment at the game's most important position.



5. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)

Jalen Ramsey, CB, Florida State Seminoles

For a team looking to improve on defense, this would be an ideal scenario. Ramsey is the No. 2 overall player on our board, thanks to his versatility in the secondary (he can play corner or safety at the next level), along with his incredible athleticism. He isn't the best pure man-to-man cover CB in this class (that distinction belongs to Vernon Hargreaves III), but Ramsey is the best all-around football player among the secondary crop.


6. Baltimore Ravens (5-11)

Ronnie Stanley, T, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

When picking this high -- and the Ravens rarely do -- you'd ideally like to draft a priority position (QB, OT, pass-rusher, CB or WR, with the order depending on team needs). Stanley benefitted greatly from returning to school for his senior season, during which he showed improved strength and technique. He is a fine athlete for his long frame and would give the Ravens a long-term solution at left tackle.


7. San Francisco 49ers (5-11)

Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss Rebels

Chip Kelly must eventually solve the 49ers' QB situation, but if Goff and Wentz are off the board, it's likely not going to happen with this pick. The next-best option: Treadwell, who is this draft's clear-cut top wide receiver. He might not blaze a 4.3 40 at the combine, but he's a legit difference-maker at every level of the field. Treadwell reminds me a lot of Dez Bryant physically when he was coming out of Oklahoma State. This is a big, strong receiver with a very good combination of athletic ability, body control and ball skills.


8. Miami Dolphins (6-10)

Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, Florida Gators

At 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, Hargreaves has adequate size to go along with outstanding suddenness, body control and deep speed. He thrives in man-to-man coverage, and with CB Brent Grimes turning 33 this summer, Hargreaves would be a good fit in Miami. The other option would be Oregon DE DeForest Buckner if free-agent-to-be Olivier Vernon leaves town.


9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-10)

DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon Ducks

At 6-foot-7, 285 pounds, Buckner isn't a traditional edge rusher -- and some teams may view him as a 5-technique -- but playing in a four-man front, he could be a stout run defender at left defensive end and move inside to rush the QB on obvious pass downs. Posting 12.0 tackles for loss in conference play this season, Buckner would give the Bucs a much-needed playmaker at DE.


10. New York Giants (6-10)

Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville Cardinals

We've been on Rankins' bandwagon for quite some time, as his combination of quickness and power popped off the screen whenever we turned on the film. After having a terrific week of practices at the Senior Bowl, the versatile D-lineman is shooting up draft boards. At 6-foot-2, 303 pounds, Rankins would give the Giants a devastating DT combo with Johnathan Hankins.


11. Chicago Bears (6-10)

Myles Jack, LB, UCLA Bruins

An outstanding natural athlete, Jack doesn't fill the Bears' biggest need (edge rusher), but he does given them a major playmaking upgrade at linebacker. While Alabama's Reggie Ragland would be a more traditional ILB fit, Jack -- who's coming off a torn ACL in September -- would provide more versatility in coverage.


12. New Orleans Saints (7-9)

A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama Crimson Tide

Yes, Robinson can play too high at times, but the tape shows a player who frequently took on two blockers, freeing up others along the front seven to make plays. Not many 315-pounders move like Robinson, who found himself in the backfield more often than not. He put up his best production in 2015 (46 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks), but he played even better than those numbers indicate. This offseason for New Orleans is all about finding defensive playmakers, and Robinson certainly fits that bill.


13. Philadelphia Eagles (7-9)

Jack Conklin, T, Michigan State Spartans

At 6-foot-6, 325 pounds, Conklin shows good mobility for his size, along with very consistent awareness, technique and effort. He plays with power and is a finisher in the run game. He's balanced enough to protect a quarterback's blind side. Even after signing Lane Johnson to an extension, the Eagles need to plan for the future at tackle with Jason Peters now 34.


14. Oakland Raiders (7-9)

Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Ole Miss Rebels

Conklin would be a good pick here if available, but he's not in this scenario. If the Raiders are willing to take a risk, Nkemdiche is a top-10 talent who has fallen this far because of character concerns. When he's right, the 6-foot-4, 296-pound Nkemdiche is a highly disruptive 3-technique D-lineman with the versatility to play inside and outside.


15. Los Angeles Rams (7-9)

Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis Tigers

This is a tough call. The Rams have an obvious need at quarterback, but is Lynch their long-term answer? While I still have more work to do on him, Lynch does have a lot of the tools you look for in future NFL starters -- size, arm strength, mobility and the ability to create when the initial play breaks down. Two concerns I have early in the pre-draft process: his inconsistent decision-making and accuracy.


16. Detroit Lions (7-9)

Reggie Ragland, ILB, Alabama Crimson Tide

This is a tone-setting player in the middle of the defense, which is exactly what the Lions need. Ragland could fall due to positional value and team needs, but I could make an argument that he's one of the 10 best pure football players in this year's draft. He showed excellent power at the point of attack and has very good straight-line speed for his size.


17. Atlanta Falcons (8-8)

Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson

The Falcons had a league-low 19 sacks last season, so it's clear they need to continue to bolster their pass rush. Lawson -- a former teammate of Atlanta's 2015 first-round DE Vic Beasley Jr. -- could be the answer because of his good combination of power, quickness and relentlessness. This would also be a great spot for Notre Dame OLB Jaylon Smith, who tore his ACL and MCL in the Irish's bowl game and would be a top-five player in this draft if healthy.


18. Indianapolis Colts (8-8)

Taylor Decker, T, Ohio State Buckeyes

Andrew Luck would love this pick after getting beat up in 2015 before suffering season-ending injuries. The 6-foot-7 Decker has enough range, strength and toughness to hold up in pass protection on the perimeter in the NFL. He's not overpowering as a run-blocker, but he's highly efficient and consistent.


19. Buffalo Bills (8-8)

Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

This selection comes with some risk because of Smith's knee injury, but if the Bills' doctors clear him, Smith would be a great pick. He took his game to the next level this past season and is an elite athlete. Smith has experience playing inside and outside and would fit well as the weakside off-ball linebacker in Rex Ryan's defense. Other options here: Alabama DT Jarran Reed and Ohio State OLB Darron Lee.


20. New York Jets (10-6)

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State Buckeyes

Elliott makes a lot of sense for the Jets, whose top three running backs are all free agents. Over the past two seasons, Elliott has shown plenty of examples of his game-breaking ability as a rusher (3,699 yards and 41 TDs). He's also an outstanding pass-blocker -- the best RB I've ever studied in that area -- and a reliable weapon as a pass-catcher. Depending on what the Jets decide to do with free-agent DTs Muhammad Wilkerson and Damon Harrison, Reed could also be in play at this spot.


21. Washington Redskins (9-7)

Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama Crimson Tide

Reed is one of the best run-stuffing defensive linemen in this draft, which is saying something considering the talent pool up front. And while his sack numbers are underwhelming (2.0 total in two seasons), he still provides adequate inside push as a bull rusher. Even if free agent Terrance Knighton returns, it's time for Washington to add youth to its defensive front.


22. Houston Texans (9-7)

Vernon Butler, DT, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

Quarterback is clearly the top need for Houston. Michigan State's Connor Cook is the next-best available player there, but he's a reach at No. 22 overall. Christian Hackenberg could be in play for the Texans in Round 2, considering his connection with coach Bill O'Brien. Butler would fill another need along the interior of the D-line. He showed off outstanding agility for his size (325 pounds) at the Senior Bowl last week. He plays with explosive power and brings a unique skill set to the field.


23. Minnesota Vikings (11-5)

Darron Lee, OLB, Ohio State Buckeyes

A former high school quarterback, Lee is a terrific athlete and a natural playmaker, racking up 27.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, 3 INTs and 3 forced fumbles over his last two seasons. He's still developing as a run-stopping LB, but he has come a long way in that regard. Even if Minnesota signs free-agent LB Chad Greenway, it's time to add another young piece to the linebacker corps.


24. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4)

Braxton Miller, WR, Ohio State Buckeyes

This might be a bit of a reach, but the Bengals could certainly use a versatile offensive weapon like Miller. He was the best pure athlete on the field during Senior Bowl practices, dazzling in agility drills and one-on-ones. His precise route-running ability is not indicative of a player who has been playing the position full-time for less than a year. With three WRs set to be free agents, Cincinnati has lots of question marks after A.J. Green at that position.


25. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)

Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State Buckeyes

With good length (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) and top-end speed, Apple showed he could turn and run with Notre Dame speedster Will Fuller during the Fiesta Bowl. He's also a strong tackler and run supporter, which are qualities the Steelers value highly in their defensive backs.


26. Seattle Seahawks (10-6)

Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor Bears

Billings has freakish weight-room strength that he puts to good use as a run defender. A great athlete for the position, he displays an impressive combination of quickness and power. Billings improved his consistency as a third-year starter, and that led to him playing the best football of his career in 2015 (14.0 TFLs and 5.5 sacks).


27. Green Bay Packers (10-6)

Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas Razorbacks

This is not a deep TE class, so the top prospects could come off the board earlier than expected. Henry is an underrated talent, partly due to playing in Arkansas' run-heavy offense. At 6-foot-5 and 253 pounds, he has the body type to make plays down the seam, and he has shown the intelligence to find holes in zone coverage. Aaron Rodgers needs an upgrade at TE, and Henry would give him another weapon in the pass game.


28. Kansas City Chiefs (11-5)

Vonn Bell, S, Ohio State Buckeyes

With nine career interceptions, Bell displays great instincts and range in coverage. He's an aggressive and tough run defender who had remarkable durability, playing in all 42 Ohio State games since 2013. This is an NFL-ready safety who could start for the Chiefs in Week 1.


29. Arizona Cardinals (13-3)

Noah Spence, OLB, Eastern Kentucky Colonels

Spence tore it up at the Senior Bowl, displaying natural speed and athleticism off the edge. He might be the best pure pass-rusher in this draft. He's a top-15 talent -- until you factor in his off-field issues. A former top recruit, Spence was suspended twice at Ohio State for using Ecstasy, before transferring to Eastern Kentucky in 2015. Teams will really have to do their homework on Spence, because you can't teach his type of quickness.


30. Denver Broncos (12-4)

Jason Spriggs, T, Indiana Hoosiers

Spriggs is getting a lot of first-round love after a strong Senior Bowl. I need to study more of his tape, but from what I've seen so far, this would be a reach. With that said, we see teams reaching for offensive tackles in the first round nearly every year. A team like Denver, which needs to upgrade its O-line, could get enamored with a LT prospect like Spriggs, who showed off ideal measurables and good athleticism in Mobile, Alabama.


31. Carolina Panthers (15-1)

Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson Tigers

Dodd notched 23.5 tackles for loss this season, second in the FBS to his fellow Clemson DE Shaq Lawson. Dodd brings a great energy to the game, and I think he's a more fluid athlete and a better natural edge rusher than Lawson. But Dodd is not as stout vs. the run or as consistent. Notre Dame WR Will Fuller would also make sense here because of his ability to stretch the field vertically.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Full 7 round mock from Matt Miller.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...raft-matt-millers-post-super-bowl-predictions


4. DE Joey Bosa, Ohio State
34. RB Derrick Henry, Alabama
67. QB Brandon Allen, Arkansas
98. DE Ronald Blair, Appalachian State
170. WR Demarcus Robinson, Florida

Pretty shitty. But probably closer to accurate than we want might want to admit.
Yeah basically. This is the type of draft that I hate and then try to convince myself to love it because Bosa is going to be a beast and Henry will run great behind this offensive line. And I basically look at the rest of the draft as usually and assume we get no contribution.
 

Simpleton

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Bosa and Henry would be a solid 1-2 but fuck the rest of that. I'd be fine with Allen in the 6th, not the 3rd, and there is about a 1000000% chance that Ronald Blair and Demarcus Robinson are not the BPA's at those picks.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Bosa and Henry would be a solid 1-2 but fuck the rest of that. I'd be fine with Allen in the 6th, not the 3rd, and there is about a 1000000% chance that Ronald Blair and Demarcus Robinson are not the BPA's at those picks.
Reminds me of too many drafts that have 2 players that I like and a bunch that are stupid picks. Not sure I even want a DE in the first all that badly sonce we have Gregory who is a top 10 type physical talent.
 

Jiggyfly

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If Goff is gone I have no issue with Bosa and Henry being the 1st 2 picks.

Don't like any of the other picks.
 

Rev

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Reminds me of too many drafts that have 2 players that I like and a bunch that are stupid picks. Not sure I even want a DE in the first all that badly sonce we have Gregory who is a top 10 type physical talent.
I wouldn't let Gregory dictate that. He didn't really show much to make us think we shouldn't. Not saying he will be a dud yet but if Bosa is there I think you take him and be happy.
 

Cowboysrock55

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I wouldn't let Gregory dictate that. He didn't really show much to make us think we shouldn't. Not saying he will be a dud yet but if Bosa is there I think you take him and be happy.
He actually showed a lot before the ankle injury. Which was a shame but I saw enough to know a healthy sophomore season will be good. Of course who knows about his health. Also Bosa is more a LE and we have that guy as well. Maybe Bosa is so good you ignore that stuff though.
 

Rev

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He actually showed a lot before the ankle injury. Which was a shame but I saw enough to know a healthy sophomore season will be good. Of course who knows about his health. Also Bosa is more a LE and we have that guy as well. Maybe Bosa is so good you ignore that stuff though.
He showed a few plays in the giants game and preseason. I will grant you the few in the giants game but going to take more than just some preseason plays before I'm comfortable enough not to hedge my bets so to say.
 

Jiggyfly

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Are we sure Bosa isn't like a Greg Ellis level player?
Are we sure about anybody in this draft in the top 4?

The closest thing to a sure bet is Tunsil and he is off the table for most.

The most risk-free QB to me is Goff, I am still a bit leery about Wentz and would have to think long and hard between him and Bosa.
 

Cowboysrock55

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He showed a few plays in the giants game and preseason. I will grant you the few in the giants game but going to take more than just some preseason plays before I'm comfortable enough not to hedge my bets so to say.
He looked awesome in camp as well. And while sometimes camp gets overblown, he was going against some of the best O-lineman in the NFL during camp. You have to be able to evaluate young players. You can't just sit and say, well I don't know if he is any good because he hasn't put up 12 sacks in the NFL. If you're doing that then you're playing from behind and you're missing out on real talent. Because you'll never trust the young guy to be your starter to ever get that 12 sack season.

Now maybe Bosa is a transcendent talent that you just find a spot for. As much as I like Demarcus Lawrence for example, I wouldn't pass up the next Reggie White because of him. And maybe Bosa is a special talent like that. I'm personally not really convinced of that but I know some think of him as an elite level prospect. Hell Noah Spence may be the better player.
 

Smitty

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Are we sure about anybody in this draft in the top 4?
Nope. Frankly after Tunsil, I'm not sure there is a significant difference between 2 and 12.

That's one of the reasons in favor of a QB, actually.

But I hear guys like Myles Jack... Uh, is he better than Reggie Ragland by that much? If Joey Bosa isn't an elite sack producer, do I want him that high? Same goes for Deforest Buckner. Obviously there is a huge value for well rounded 6-8 sack DLs who are good run stoppers top, but not at 4.

Laquan Treadwell, everything I hear is that he is not AJ Green, Julio Jones, or Dez Bryant. I'm sure you all remember me arguing all day long that I would take AJ Green or Julio Jones despite the fact that we already had a #1 WR, but Treadwell isn't in that tier for me.

I want Goff or Wentz, assuming either of them grade out as Pro Bowl level QBs on our board. And if not, I want to trade down. Myles Jack at 10 after getting an extra second is much better than at 4 straight up.

Absent that, I think I might be able to be talked into *gasp* Jalen Ramsey. Can he be a ballhawking FS in the Ed Reed mold?
 

Simpleton

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Nope. Frankly after Tunsil, I'm not sure there is a significant difference between 2 and 12.

That's one of the reasons in favor of a QB, actually.

But I hear guys like Myles Jack... Uh, is he better than Reggie Ragland by that much? If Joey Bosa isn't an elite sack producer, do I want him that high? Same goes for Deforest Buckner. Obviously there is a huge value for well rounded 6-8 sack DLs who are good run stoppers top, but not at 4.

Laquan Treadwell, everything I hear is that he is not AJ Green, Julio Jones, or Dez Bryant. I'm sure you all remember me arguing all day long that I would take AJ Green or Julio Jones despite the fact that we already had a #1 WR, but Treadwell isn't in that tier for me.

I want Goff or Wentz, assuming either of them grade out as Pro Bowl level QBs on our board. And if not, I want to trade down. Myles Jack at 10 after getting an extra second is much better than at 4 straight up.

Absent that, I think I might be able to be talked into *gasp* Jalen Ramsey. Can he be a ballhawking FS in the Ed Reed mold?
No, Ramsey has 3 career INT's, including none this year. I made a post a while back saying that the vast majority of elite DB prospects who actually pan out to be elite DB's in the league come out of college with at least 5 or so career INT's, with most of them having around 8 or 9, that is a huge red flag to me.

You can barely find a guy who ends up being an elite DB in the NFL who came out of college with only 2 or 3 career picks.

And yes, I'd say Jack is a better prospect than Ragland, Ragland is more experienced and refined but Jack has traits/athleticism that you almost never see from a LB his size.
 

Cowboysrock55

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And yes, I'd say Jack is a better prospect than Ragland, Ragland is more experienced and refined but Jack has traits/athleticism that you almost never see from a LB his size.
Ragland is a poor fit in my opinion. In this defense I think he would get picked on in coverage badly.
 

Simpleton

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So what is the Myles Jack NFL comparison, would you say?
Best case scenario, Brian Urlacher or Derrick Brooks, worst case, probably Keith Rivers or a taller Ernie Sims.

Athletically, he's as good as any LB coming out that I can remember, and probably the best coverage LB I've ever seen for his size. Because he was so good in coverage you didn't see him taking on OL as much as you'd like in college, although he's shown that he's a pretty explosive/physical tackler. My main concern with him are his instincts against the run, which are very hard to gauge with how much UCLA asked him to cover.

In a simplified role like the WLB in our defense I could see him excelling due to his coverage ability and athleticism, although the obvious concern there is whether or not Lee will hold up in the middle.
 

Smitty

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Yeah, I just don't get excited by Thomas Davis or even Derrick Brooks comparisons. Brooks was a really good player for a long time but 4-3 weak side linebackers.... Eh.... At fourth overall? I guess I can't complain about Brooks, the guy was a 9 time all pro.

I dunno. When I think top 5 linebacker I think Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher. I know Simp mentioned Urlacher but I haven't seen that comparison for Jack elsewhere.

Maybe Jack as Thomas Davis is one of the best 5 players you are gonna get out of this draft but if so its a little disappointing.
 
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