DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2016 NFL Season 2016 NFL Draft Mock Drafts Pt. II

I trust you.

Maybe that will translate into him dropping.

We are probably the worst team to take on a player with substance issues, but if he falls to 32, I'd turn that card in as fast as possible.

Still it only takes 1 team and after his latest showing, I don't think he'll be there @ 32.



My top 3 WR's are probably the same as clevesteve's , but I think he is a little higher on them than I am. I just think that Treadwell and Thomas lack big time speed.

1) Treadwell
2) Thomas
3) Doctson

At ILB I think it's

1) Myles Jack
2) Jaylon Smith
(both prob gone before 32 probably before 15)
3) Reggie Ragland
4) Scoobie Wright

At Corner
1) Vernon Hargreaves
2) Jaylon Ramsey (who might be best at free safety)
(those guys are probably top 10)
3) Kendall Fuller - a sneaky pick because of the knee injury, but he is the best true cover corner in my opinion. He should be there at #32 but maybe not.

Another Sneaky pick is James Bradberry out of Samford. He's probably a 3rd or 4th rounder. But has good height and speed, very good coverage skills and works hard in run support.

*Shocker alert"

If we determine that there is not a QB that we want at #2, then I would take Myles Jack.

He's Luke Kuechly, but can cover wide receivers.

We'd be laughed at because he's an ILB and coming off a knee injury, but I'm right there with you. He's a special talent. If we took him at 2 I wouldn't complain. That being said, I wouldn't be unhappy with any of the 4 that I listed. You usually do not find this much talent at ILB in the draft.

It was just a meniscus that he tore in the beginning of October. He is supposedly going to participate fully at the combine.

Yeah I'm not worried about it either, but drafting an ILB at #2 isn't very common and we'd be taking a gimpy one.

If you believe he is Kuechly, then you take him and don't look back.

Also, he is no longer gimpy. This is not Smith's injury situation.

Yeah, I get ya and agree.

We'll still get laughed at though.

And that's okay.

Many of the mocks have Jack going in the top ten, so it wouldn't be that controversial of a pick.

Thomas isn't even in my top 5 Wr.

Thought this was a fun read



2016 NFL Draft: Bold Opinions and Initial Prospect Rankings for Each Position

By: Jonah Tuls

2016 NFL Draft season has begun with the All Star games now over and with the NFL Combine coming up later this month. Throughout the draft community, there are several different opinions and views on prospects in this year’s draft class, just like any other, and I too have some intriguing thoughts as well. In this article, I’m going to go through one “bold opinion” for each position in the 2016 NFL Draft. Enjoy.

Quarterbacks
Dak Prescott

Bold Opinion: I would draft Dak Prescott over Connor Cook and Christian Hackenberg.

Analysis: What an intense way to start off this piece, but this is not because I am completely enamored with Dak Prescott as much as it is that I just do not want to touch the other two quarterbacks. I think both Cook and Hackenberg have some incredible tools to work with including their size and arm strength, but I’m just not convinced that either of them will have success in this league. Sure, Dak Prescott may not be as gifted as Hackenberg or Cook, but his eye discipline and footwork in the pocket is light years better than what I have seen from the latter. People may dismiss Prescott because of his 2014 tape, but he totally redefined himself as a prospect this past year showing huge improvement in the pocket with his footwork, pocket presence, eye discipline, and overall ball placement. As for Cook and Hackenberg, they have found themselves getting worse as the years have gone on. I still do think that Prescott has a lot to do to be considered a future starting quarterback, but I would much rather have him as my developmental quarterback than Connor Cook and Christian Hackenberg. As of right now, I have a fourth round grade on both Dak Prescott and Connor Cook, while having a fifth round grade on Christian Hackenberg.

Initial Quarterback Rankings
1. Jared Goff, California Golden Bears

2. Carson Wentz, North Dakota State Bison

3. Paxton Lynch, Memphis Tigers

4. Cardale Jones, Ohio State Buckeyes

5. Dak Prescott, Mississippi State Bulldogs



Running Backs

Bold Opinion: Devontae Booker is the second best running back in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Analysis: Many draft analysts out there believe that the Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry is the clear cut number two running back behind Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott, but after watching comprehensive game film on the running backs in this draft class, I have come to the conclusion that Devontae Booker is the second best running back in the 2016 NFL Draft. I will say that Louisiana Tech’s Kenneth Dixon is only a hair behind Booker, but it is the complete package that got me sold on Booker. It seems as if he never goes down on first contact, and if he does get an ounce of daylight, he has the explosiveness to take it to the house. Booker’s most impressive trait to me was his balance and vision as a runner as he found ways to get skinny in the hole and make plays out of nothing. He will be 24 to enter his rookie season, but I don’t see that as much of an issue as others do and I am of the mindset that he can be a workhorse running back for a team in the near future.

Initial Running Back Rankings
1. Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State Buckeyes

2. Devontae Booker, Utah Utes

3. Kenneth Dixon, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

4. Derrick Henry, Alabama Crimson Tide

5. Paul Perkins, UCLA Bruins


Wide Receivers

Bold Opinion: Tyler Boyd is not only the second best wide receiver in this draft, but also a Top 15 talent.

Analysis: I’ve been beating the drum for Tyler Boyd for a long time now, but there are some draft analysts who I highly respect that believe he is nothing more than a second/third round prospect. Much of the talk is that he does not have many weaknesses, but not a dominant trait either. While I believe that the first part of that statement is true, I do think he has the strongest hands in this draft, especially in contested situations. In addition, he is one of the most advanced route runners in this class in that he sets up and deceives cornerbacks to perfection. Does he have blow-by speed? No, but he does have a certain bit of burst and quickness in his release that can beat any type of coverage, whether that be Press or Off. I think his skills translate to being an extremely reliable WR2 for an offense with the upside to become a strong WR1.

Initial Wide Receiver Rankings
1. Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss Rebels

2. Tyler Boyd, Pittsburgh Panthers

3. Sterling Shepard, Oklahoma Sooners

4. Michael Thomas, Ohio State Buckeyes

5. Josh Doctson, TCU Horned Frogs


Tight Ends

Bold Opinion: Jerell Adams is close to overtaking Hunter Henry as the top tight end on my board.

Analysis: Some may not know who Jerell Adams is quite yet, but after a good week at the Senior Bowl, he is shouting to the world that he should be in consideration when talking about the best tight ends in this class. While Hunter Henry may be the overall better route runner and receiver, Jerell Adams is a better athlete with strong hands and is a much better blocker. If you are looking for a tight end who can stretch the field vertically as well as being able to block on early downs, Jerell Adams is your guy. For me, it is neck and neck between the two, but I am on the fence with who my top tight end is at the moment between Hunter Henry and Jerell Adams.

Initial Tight End Rankings
1. Hunter Henry, Arkansas Razorbacks

2. Jerell Adams, South Carolina Gamecocks

3. Tyler Higbee, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

4. Nick Vannett, Ohio State Buckeyes

5. Darion Griswold, Arkansas State Red Wolves


Offensive Tackles

Bold Opinion: I would not touch Germain Ifedi, Le’Raven Clark, and Shon Coleman before the fourth round.

Analysis: Too many times, draft analysts and scouts fall in love with offensive tackle prospects who are extremely raw, but have insane upside because of their physical tools and measurables. It is the same case for the 2016 NFL Draft as players like Germain Ifedi of Texas A&M, Le’Raven Clark of Texas Tech, and Shon Coleman of Auburn all have promise, but they are all projects, especially in pass protection. We all saw Ereck Flowers go ninth overall in the first round to the New York Giants last year, so I do believe teams will repeat themselves and reach for these players, but I will let these three prospects be someone else’s hero.

Initial Offensive Tackle Rankings
1. Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss Rebels

2. Taylor Decker, Ohio State Buckeyes

3. Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

4. Jack Conklin, Michigan State Spartans

5. Jason Spriggs, Indiana Hoosiers


Interior Offensive Linemen

Bold Opinion: Not just one, but two offensive guard prospects are worthy of first round consideration, Joshua Garnett and Cody Whitehair.

Analysis: Two of the “safest” picks in this draft come at the offensive guard spot in my opinion in both Cody Whitehair and Joshua Garnett. Both players are extremely well rounded and the clear-cut top two prospects at their position, and will both provide immediate production at the next level as reliable starters. Whitehair could develop more of a mean streak in the run game, while Garnett could work on his feet in pass protection. Nonetheless, they will both be impact starters right away in my opinion.

Initial Interior Offensive Linemen Rankings
1. Joshua Garnett, Stanford Cardinal

2. Cody Whitehair, Kansas State Wildcats

3. Ryan Kelly, Alabama Crimson Tide

4. Nick Martin, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

5. Christian Westerman, Arizona State Sun Devils


Interior Defensive Linemen

Bold Opinion: The earliest I would take Robert Nkemdiche would be in the 3rd round.

Analysis: Based on natural talent, I would have Nkemdiche in the first round most likely, but I have more questions than answers with him as a prospect at the moment. His interviews will be more important than his actual physical testing at the NFL Combine later this month. It is not just his off field issues that concern me though, as I saw an inconsistent player on tape who needs to play up to his natural gifts. I think Nkemdiche has the HIGHEST upside of any prospect in this draft, but with the combination of his off field issues and constant underachieving on the field, he is a player that could cost people their jobs.

Initial Interior Defensive Linemen Rankings
1. DeForest Buckner, Oregon Ducks

2. Sheldon Rankins, Louisville Cardinals

3. Andrew Billings, Baylor Bears

4. Kenny Clark, UCLA Bruins

5. Jarran Reed, Alabama Crimson Tide


EDGE Rushers

Bold Opinion: Noah Spence is the best EDGE rusher on my board, higher than both Joey Bosa and Shaq Lawson.

Analysis: Many people will have Joey Bosa and Shaq Lawson as the unchallenged top EDGE defender in this draft, but I strongly believe that Noah Spence is far and away the best pass rusher here. He may not have the length the other two have, but his bend, athleticism, and hand usage outweigh the opposition that he faces consistently. He is the only player in this draft class that I think could be a consistent double digit sack guy in his career.

Initial EDGE Rusher Rankings
1. Noah Spence, Eastern Kentucky Colonels

2. Joey Bosa, Ohio State Buckeyes

3. Shaq Lawson, Clemson Tigers

4. Kamalei Correa, Boise State Broncos

5. Kevin Dodd, Clemson Tigers


Linebackers

Bold Opinion: I have four linebackers with Top 20 grades, but the drop off to the next linebacker will be to the third round.

Analysis: While I do believe that Myles Jack, Jaylon Smith, Darron Lee, and Reggie Ragland are worthy of Top 20 selections, I do not see another off ball linebacker worthy of selection until the third round. I am not as high on players like Su’a Cravens or Joshua Perry, but I do believe that players like Kentrell Brothers and Jatavis Brown provide excellent value on the late part of Day 2.

Initial Linebacker Rankings
1. Myles Jack, UCLA Bruins

2. Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

3. Darron Lee, Ohio State Buckeyes

4. Reggie Ragland, Alabama Crimson Tide

5. Kentrell Brothers, Missouri Tigers


Cornerbacks

Bold Opinion: William Jackson III is the best cornerback in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Analysis: This opinion is probably the boldest one I have, but after watching William Jackson III comprehensively as of late, I’m pretty convinced that he is the top cornerback prospect in this draft class. It took me too long to realize this considering I am a big time advocate for Vernon Hargreaves III as a Top 15 player, but I honestly do believe that William Jackson III is exactly what Hargreaves would be if he was three inches taller. Jackson has the size, length, and fluid athleticism that NFL teams are looking for in cornerbacks, as well as having some of the best pure closing speed in this draft. In terms of underneath routes, Jackson breaks on the ball quicker than any cornerback I have seen in the past two draft classes. I don’t worry about his deep speed to turn vertical with the receiver, but it is more if he can recover if initially beat on a double move. Other than that, he is a physical, instinctive cornerback who can play either Off or Press in man coverage with fluidity and can only get better with his high ceiling.

Initial Cornerback Rankings
1. William Jackson III, Houston Cougars

2. Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida Gators

3. Mackensie Alexander, Clemson Tigers

4. Xavien Howard, Baylor Bears

5. Jalen Mills, LSU Tigers


Safeties

Bold Opinion: Karl Joseph is a Top 20 player in this class despite ACL tear early in the 2015 season.

Analysis: I wrote a piece on Karl Joseph a couple days ago describing how he is the only roadblock to his own success in the NFL with his undisciplined and aggressive mentality. With that being said, he can do everything you ask for in a safety at the next level. His supreme athletic ability to close and stick in man coverage is outstanding, and his ball skills at both the catch point and in terms of location is also excellent. In addition, he is one scary player in run support in that he hits so hard that I could see unwarranted penalties thrown his way. I’m a big fan, and I believe that he will be one of the most impactful players to come out of this draft class.

Initial Safety Rankings
1. Jalen Ramsey, Florida State Seminoles

2. Karl Joseph, West Virginia Mountaineers

3. Darian Thompson, Boise State Broncos

4. Vonn Bell, Ohio State Buckeyes

5. Justin Simmons, Boston College Eagles


http://thedraftwire.usatoday.com/2016/02...-each-position/

When the Cardinals took Fitzgerald at 3 then Boldin in the second round the same draft. That was a year after taking a WR in the 2nd round. They were core players that got them to the super bowl.

and taking "a WR" at 2 and 32 isn't the point. It's about how do you most improve the roster with the resources you have. I think those two guys are both first round talents that happen to have complementary skill sets at the position we are arguably the weakest. If I thought the best two players for our 3-4 were pass rushers (or run stoppers for that matter) and that we wouldn't be able to approach the same level of production later with other players then I could see drafting two pass rushers at those spots. If we were drafting at 15 and 45 or whatever, I might have gone Spence / Nassib 1/2, especially if I didn't believe in some other pass rushers expected to be available later like Ochi, McCalister, and Holmes. I think Dora has a shot, too. Where we are drafting, what prospects are likely to be available where we are drafting at all rounds I think this gives us a great talent boost and would transform our offense in a good way.

What do you all think of Kamalei Correa at OLB? I was looking for rushers who might be there if we do go QB in the first. He looks intriguing from the one cut up I've seen. I'm going to try to track down more.

we need a left guard in the worst way. Cam Erving was a ghost on the field last year. so many times the Def. blew by him like he was not even there. I'm for getting rid of him and drafting a real LG. I almost broke my tv watching him play this season good god almighty.

Bitonio.

wow i must be working too much, I forgot all about him... he did well

Bitonio is our LG, he got hurt. Cam Erving was a backup playing out of position. He was replaced by Paszor....Remember!

so we just need depth then?

I side with Tab on this debate, but clevesteve nicely done bringing an intelligent reason for drafting two receivers. Kudos!

We should just cut all of our WRs so we can carry 15 O Lineman on the active roster.

Fitz and Boldin were not in the same draft, Boldin was 2003 and Fitz was 2004. In 2003 the Cards took WR Bryant Johnson with 1 of their 2 first rnd picks and then Boldin in the 2nd rnd. They took Fitz in the 2004 draft because they literally had nothing at WR after Boldin because Johnson turned out to be a bust.

Obviously they would of still made the SB if Kurt Warner had UDFA WRs to throw to there..

Yes, I remembered incorrectly. The Cardinals didn't use a first and two seconds in two years on WRs, they spent two firsts and a second (including a top three pick) in two years on WRs. They almost won the super Bowl on the strength of those two guys as they combined for over 200 yards and two TDs in the game.

tab, is signing a QB in free agency the way to build a championship caliber team?

And by the way, as I've said multiple times, Fitzgerald is exactly the WR that Treadwell reminds me most of.

He kinda reminds me of Dez Bryant or maybe Crabtree.

I think that we need to just keep it simple and don't overthink the process. If there isn't a quarterback with the first pick that you like and a defensive/edge rusher is there, then take the edge rusher. As we saw in Denver's 3 playoffs games against the Steelers, Patriots, and Panthers, the edge rushers dominated the games. Other than the quarterback, no one else seems to impact the game like and edge rusher. All 3 quarterbacks against the Broncos in the playoffs looked average at best when they faced a formidable and dominating pass rush like the Broncos imposed during this playoff run. All 9 other players on the Broncos defense benefitted greatly from these two edge rushers. So for me, and I hope the front office has a grasp on last nights game, if there is no quarterback out there that you have as a top five talent then, go for one of those top five talent players that just so happen to be an edge rusher.

This is not a knock on Treadwell, but he reminds me a lot of Dwayne Bowe in his prime.

Huge Catch radius, Physical WR that will win the 50/50 battles, but doesn't have that elite speed.

What I really love about Treadwell is how much he likes to block when he's not featured in the play. It's pretty rare to find a WR like that any more in a league full of divas.

Also, he wasn't asked to run a full route tree so that will have to be taught to him by whoever drafts him. He strikes me as a hard working type, so the effort to learn should be there.

If we take him at #2, I'd be okay with it, but we would be reaching for need. I really think that since we don't really need a first round o-lineman at this point, if we don't draft a defensive player we are reaching for need. That is where all the top 10 talent is in this draft.

Super Bowl Overreaction Mock:

#2 to SF (Goff) for #7 & #37

7) OLB Noah Spence, Western Kentucky
32) NT Sheldon Rankins, Louisville
37) OLB Carl Nassib, Penn State
65) DE Chris Jones, Miss St
110) CB Cyrus Jones, Alabama
137) FS Trevon Stewart, Houston
139) OT Denver Kirkland, Arkansas
172) WR Devin Lucien, Arizona St
174) WR Nelson Spruce, Colorado
180) ILB Casanova McKinzy, Auburn
221) QB Mike Bercovici, Arizona St

Assumes unable to keep Mack, Schwartz. A. Bryant, Bowe, Starks, Kruger, Gipson, Benjamin gone

Offense: 24
QB: McCown, Bercovici, Davis
RB: Crowell, Johnson, FA/UDFA
FB: FA/UDFA
TE: Barnidge, Telfer, Bibbs
LT: Thomas, Miller
LG: Bitonio, FA/UDFA
C: Erving
RG: Greco
RT: Pasztor, Kirkland
WZ: Gordon, Lucien
WX: Hartline, Hall
WY: Hawkins, Spruce

Defense: 24
DE: D. Bryant, X. Cooper
NT: Shelton, Rankins
DE: Hughes, Jones
LOLB: Nassib, Orchard
SILB: Dansby, McKinzy
WILB: Robertson (Horton loved Robertson last time he was here), Kirksey
WOLB: Spence, Mingo
OC: Haden, T. Williams, Jones, Gilbert
IC: K. Williams, IEO
FS: Stewart, Poyer
SS: Whitner, Campbell

Special Teams: 5
K: FA/UDFA
P: Lee
LS: Hughlett
ST: Moore, Bademosi

Meh. I think I like the last one better.

Defense still wins Championships

http://www.walterfootball.com/ProspectMeetings/ByTeam

2016 NFL Draft Prospect Visits Tracker:

This is a compilation of draft prospect visits sorted by prospect. The data was acquired via Charlie Campbell (@draftcampbell) and other media sources.

SR - Senior Bowl meeting.
EW - East-West Shrine meeting.
COM - Combine meeting.
INT - Interested.
VINT - Very Interested.
PRO - Pro Day or campus meeting/workout.
LOC - Local visit.
PRI - Private visit.
WOR - Private Workout.
% - indicates more than one meeting at an event.
^ - has met with team at more than one event.
# - indicates meeting set up outside of the 2016 Senior Bowl or the 2016 East-West Shrine Game


Cleveland Browns

Germain Ifedi, OT, Texas A&M (SR)
Matt Ioannidis, DT, Temple (SR)
Antonio Morrison, ILB/OLB, Florida (SR)

Hey steve......I have been thinking about your various mocks, the available talent in the draft, and the Brown's needs.

Do you think you can do a combination of your last couple of mocks?

I'm thinking.......can you find a legitimate way to get Treadwell and Spence? Or Bosa and Doctson?

Doesn't have to be those exact guys, but I'm thinking two dynamic players at both edge rusher and wide receiver. Whaddya think?

Treadwell @ #2 and Spence @ #32 is doable and Bosa @ #2 and Doctson @ #32 is doable.

Thanks.

Either would be awesome.

My bet is that Spence ends up in the top ten.

Similar to what cfrs said, I don't think we could get Treadwell and Spence without making a significant trade back up into the first round. There have been some recent mocks (including Matt Miller's 7 rounder) that have Treadwell going later (he had him going 18... after Michael Thomas). He also had Doctson going to Tenn with the first pick of the third round.


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/26136...owl-predictions

These were the Browns' picks in Matt Miller's draft (he did not project comps):
2) Carson Wentz, QB NDSU
32) Will Fuller, WR Notre Dame
65) Beniquez Brown, ILB Miss St
96) Jordan Howard, RB Indiana
129) Carl Nassib, OLB PSU (has him listed as DE, but I think he just means college position)
157) Kevon Seymour, CB Southern Cal
189) Tyler Johnstone, T, Oregon* (He's showing the West pick conveying, which I doubt)
190) Austin Blythe, C, Iowa