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Here it is, the beginning of the 2016 big board. I stopped myself at 50 players for the first installment since the draft process is still ongoing, but now that the dust has settled after the combine, here's a snapshot of where guys grade out in my opinion. Some of my favorite players in this draft (guys like Victor Ochi) didn't make the cut on the top 50, but this is an extremely deep draft, especially on defense. I'm higher on Scooby Wright than anyone as far as rankings (my heart puts him top 15, but he's a bit lower in the final list), and I'm pretty low on Corey Coleman. Why? You'll have to check out my list and see! --Mike B.
1. Larry Tunsil, OT, Mississippi. Tunsil is one of the best offensive line prospects to enter the NFL draft in years. It's a struggle at the top, but Tunsil comes in as my top prospect. 2. Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State. How often is a defensive back ready to come into the NFL and become a difference maker from day one? Ramsey is a hybrid player that can do just that, and has Pro Bowl potential in the right NFL schemes. 3. Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State. Sure, Bosa is under a microscope now that the draft process is underway, and scouts and analysts are trying their hardest to find flaws in his play. There aren't many. 4. Myles Jack, LB UCLA. Great linebacker prospect with the ability to make an impact all over the field. 5. Ezekiel Elliot, RB, Ohio State. Cocky and a bit of a "me" guy after calling out his coaches, but Zeke has the talent to be an every down stud in the NFL. 6. DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon State. An exceedingly good defensive prospect in a draft filled with defensive talent. 7. Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame. Stanley is another outstanding offensive tackle prospect. Not as great as Tunsil, but elite nonetheless. 8. Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida. Hargreaves makes some scouts nervous, but he has Pro Bowl upside at corner. 9. Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama. Great defensive lineman with a phenomenal motor. I'm intrigued. 10. Reggie Ragland, LB, Alabama. This kid is growing on me as we head through the process. Solid player. 11. Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame. Would have been a top 3 talent had he not gotten injured. 12. Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State. Great athleticism on this kid, he could be a stud. 13. Leonard Floyd, LB, Georgia. A bit underrated as a prospect but I like Floyd, a lot. 14. Jared Goff, QB, Cal. He's this high because he plays quarterback, and quarterbacks are in vogue. Getting ripped by scouts after the combine, but I think he's the best bet at QB in this draft. 15. A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama. Alabama's entire defensive line is solid. Robinson is no different. Potentially solid value here. 16. Laquon Treadwell, WR, Mississippi. Best receiver in this draft class. Continued to improve through his career. 17. Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson. I really like this kid, and in a draft dominated by defensive talent, add yet another defensive lineman to the top 20! 18. Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State. I don't want to call a guy out because of his level of competition, but too many question marks here. I think him and Goff are fairly equal as prospects but Goff might be the surer bet. 19. Mackenzie Alexander, CB, Clemson. Another strong cornerback prospect and another strong Clemson defender. 20. Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Ole Miss. Top ten based on talent alone, drops based on character concerns and inconsistency. 21. Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville. Another defensive lineman, and another piece of one of the best defensive line drafts in years. 22. Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State. Hard working former walk-on with something to prove. I like this kid. 23. Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State. This kid gained some hype after a strong combine, but looked good on tape before that. 24. Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor. If you know my love for Geno Atkins and Aaron Donald, you know I love smaller defensive tackles. Billings could be another special player. 25. Josh Doctson, WR, TCU. Loved watching this kid at TCU. I think he's got great upide. 26. Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State. Another solid tackle prospect. Has definite starter potential. 27. Jason Spriggs, OT, Indiana. Decker is the better pure blocker, but Spriggs is the better athlete. Another potential starter at tackle. 28. Kenny Clark, DT, UCLA. Another great defensive line prospect. Wickedly underhyped, could still be an NFL starter. 29. Noah Spence, DE/OLB, Eastern Kentucky. Mountains of potential, but also many character-based red flags. Has the potential to record double digit sacks on a yearly basis if he keeps his head on straight. 30. Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis. This kid could wind up being the best quarterback out of this draft class, but is also the rawest out of the top three. Huge upside, but needs to develop. 31. Jonathan Bullard, DE, Florida. Had a strong season while playing through injuries. Tough kid that could make an impact at the next level. 32. Vernon Butler, DT, Louisiana Tech. Good player from a lesser-known program with a beautiful swim move. Nice upside here. 33. Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson. Explosive but inexperienced. Has the potential to be a special pass rusher at the NFL level. 34. Ryan Kelly, C, Alabama. Great college center with the talent to be a day-one starter in the NFL. 35. Cody Whitehair, G, Kansas State. Arguably the best guard prospect in the entire draft. Lots of upside. Needs to build up some strength but should be an NFL starter at guard. 36. Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama. Great college running back, a bit of a gamble in the NFL but in the right system has Eddie George upside. At the same time, in the wrong system, could flame out. 37.. Scooby Wright III, LB, Arizona. Wright is getting no love from scouts, but I enjoy watching him on film. He's a divisive player and I may be a bit high on him, but the guy has elite instincts and Zach Thomas type upside. He's best suited to a spot in the middle, but could be a solid, solid pick. This value is low on him still I think. 38. William Jackson III, CB, Houston. Looked great on film but arguably rushed into the draft. Then stunned at the combine, confirming the athleticism he showed on film. Could be a great NFL corner. 39.. Karl Joseph, S, West Virginia. Undersized safety with lots of play-making upside 40.. Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor. He's this high due to his play making upside. Takes lots of plays off however, and never blocks. Stands around on a lot of his tape. If he's not the #1 or #2 read on a passing play, he seems to walk around and quit on the play. Don't even think about asking the guy to block. The upside is there for him to be a special player, but I have questions about his effort and work ethic. 41. Kendall Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech. An underrated cornerback prospect who missed some time due to injuries. Have you seen this kid's footwork? 42. Vonn Bell, S, Ohio State. Great coverage safety with questions about his physicality. 43. Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas. Great pass catching tight end in college, but will he be a TE or an H-Back in the NFL? Either way has the potential to be a key playmaker in the right scheme. 44. Germain Ifedi, OT, Texas A&M. Talented player who is capable of playing both guard and tackle. Teams will like both his ability and his versatility. 45.. Kamalei Correa, LB, Boise State. Love the kid's upside but still needs some work. Has the potential to be a top pass rusher if he continues to improve. 46. Joshua Garnett, G, Stanford. Offensive guard prospect with some nice upside. 47. Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State. Higher on my board than Will Fuller because Fuller has struggled with drops through his career. 48. Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame. Flashes playmaking potential when he catches the ball, but has struggled with drops through his career. 49. Chris Jones, DT, Mississippi State. One of the tougher defensive tackles in this class to gauge, but lots of upside. Jones is quick off the snap and has some good fundamentals. Could be a climber heading into the draft. 50. Su'a Cravens, LB, USC. Was a top prospect at safety in high school and then switched to linebacker at USC. Athletic with good coverage technique.
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Here is my first round mock with no trades, I will release a new one in two weeks that might have some trades and will have rounds 1 and 2.
NFL Mock Draft: Round 1: #1. Tennessee Titans – Laremy Tunsil – OT – Mississippi – It’s simple to me they need to protect their future, Mariota is their future. They need an O-line and this kid is one of the better ones in the past few years. #2. Cleveland Browns – Carson Wentz – QB – North Dakota State – This one is just as simple, Johnny Manziel screwed up his shot and Austin Davis doesn’t seem to be trusted for some reason. So Hue Jackson being offensive minded goes QB here and builds a future for the Browns getting someone who can get Josh Gordon the ball. #3. San Diego Chargers – Joey Bosa – DE – Ohio State – The Chargers didn’t have much of a pass rush and they will need it here, Bosa is in my eyes the best pass rusher since Mack 2 years ago. The Chargers would be making a mistake letting Bosa go here. #4. Dallas Cowboys – Myles Jack – OLB – UCLA – Cowboys need someone to help that middle of that defense and I really like Myles Jack as a perfect fit in Dallas. I know they need a RB and maybe a QB incase Romo hurts his clavicle AGAIN but they need to focus on what they need NOW. #5. Jacksonville Jaguars – Vernon Hargreaves – CB – Florida – The Jaguars need a CB to help protect from the pass, this is the best fit right now. I really think the Jaguars help their defense so Bortles can get some help on the other side of the ball. #6. Baltimore Ravens – Jalen Ramsey – CB/S – Florida State – The Ravens simply need defense, they could address o-line or d-line here but I believe their secondary needs the most help. I really like Ramsey as a fit because he can play CB or Safety which is great for them. #7. San Francisco 49ers – Jared Goff – QB – California – I would have never thought QB but honestly Chip Kelly needs a QB especially with Kaepernick asking for a trade. I think if they go QB this is their move. #8. Miami Dolphins – Reggie Ragland – ILB – Alabama – The Dolphins couldn’t stop the run last year and that wasn’t due to their D-line alone their linebackers needed to step up. I really think there isn’t a bigger need in Miami. #9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Deforest Bucker – DE – Oregon – Get Winston some pieces on defense that can help keep him off the field and get him some help stopping the other teams from scoring. #10. New York Giants – Shaq Thompson – DE – Clemson – The Giants have no pass rush and need to learn to get the passing slowed down. They need to get their offense some help slowing down the other teams. #11. Chicago Bears – Ronnie Stanley – OT – Notre Dame – The Bears need to build that o-line and get Cutler and Langford some protection back there. I think Stanley is the second best without a doubt in this draft class. #12. New Orleans Saints – Noah Spence – DE – Eastern Kentucky – The Saints need help everywhere on defense but let’s start with a pass rush, Noah is a good player and I think he fits well in this defense. #13. Philadelphia Eagles – Taylor Decker – OT – Ohio State – The Eagles have a lot of people thinking QB or WR but I think OT I think they get a line to protect DeMarco Murray and Bradford give them a chance. #14. Oakland Raiders – Mackensle Alexander – CB – Clemson – Oakland needs to finish off their defense and I really like Alexander here especially to help their secondary. This team is one or two pieces away from being a playoff contender. #15. St Louis Rams – Paxton Lynch – QB – Memphis – The Rams need a QB right now, a QB can get them back to the playoffs honestly. Their biggest need is absolutely QB and Paxton to me is the 2nd best but is getting overlooked. #16. Detroit Lions – A’Shawn Alexander – DT – Alabama – The Lions need to get a run stopper still, they will need to fix that here in the first round and I believe they will with a beast in Alexander. #17. Atlanta Falcons – Darron Lee – OLB – Ohio State – The Falcons need to get more pass rush and help Vic Beasley Jr get to the opposing QB’s. Darron Lee would be a good pass rusher and could help in coverage on TE’s with the right coaching. #18. Indianapolis Colts – Sheldon Rankins – DT – Louisville – The Colts defense is a joke and if they address offense again in this draft and not defense they are going to continue to get shredded in a league that is leaning more and more on offense. #19. Buffalo Bills – Jack Conklin – OT – Michigan State – The Bills need to help keep the run protected and protect, who I hope will be Tyrod, stay upright at QB. They will need to address O-line first in my eyes and this is the last first round pick O-lineman worth it. #20. New York Jets – Leonard Floyd – OLB – Georgia – The Jets must get help for their D-line with pass rushers and they must improve their defense. This move will be smart for the Jets. #21. Washington Redskins – Ryan Kelly – C – Alabama – It might be early for a center but this guy is a machine and the Redskins need for a center is incredibly strong. They would be smart to make sure he isn’t grabbed early in the second round. #22. Houston Texans – Ezekiel Elliott – RB – Ohio State – The Texans will look to replace Arian Foster, not that he was is gone but he is an injury prone RB who is turning 30. Elliott is a great player and would be the youthful feature of the Texans along with DeAndre Hopkins. #23. Minnesota Vikings – Cody Whitehair – OG – Kansas State – The Vikings need a guard and have to fix it right now, keep Teddy safe, keep AP healthy as he ages. This is the best move for their future. #24. Cincinnati Bengals – Laquon Treadwell – WR – Ole Miss – The Bengals need to get Andy Dalton another target with Marvin Jones and Sanu possibly gone. They need someone now to go outside with AJ and be a monster. #25. Pittsburg Steelers – Eli Apple – CB – Ohio State – The Steelers need secondary help and should continue building and improving their young defense. Apple needs a little bit of work but would be a good fit with some coaching. #26. Seattle Seahawks – Shon Coleman – OT – Auburn – The Seahawks have to build an O-line because theirs was a nightmare last year for most the season and they have to protect their future. They need to prevent Russell Wilson from getting hurt. #27. Green Bay Packers – Hunter Henry – TE – Arkansas – Nothing against Richard Rodgers but he isn’t the answer and the Packers need to get a good tight end and this guy could be their future at this position. This pick makes the most sense. #28. Kansas City Chiefs – Michael Thomas – WR – Ohio State – They should go out here and grab great talent at WR. He is a good kid with great skills and could develop into their number 1 within a year of learning the ropes. #29. Arizona Cardinals – Robert Nkemdiche – DT – Ole Miss – Arizona needs to pack the beef on the line and getting Nkemdiche is a great idea here to get a great talent who should have gone earlier if the need was there. #30. Carolina Panthers – Jonathan Bullard – DE – Florida – The Panthers need to get DE to replace Jared Allen and Greg Hardy from the year before. I think Bullard is a good talent to have here and they would be smart to get him here and now. #31. Denver Broncos – Andrew Billings – DT – Baylor – This pick will be the best available at this time and should be seen as a great pick up for the defending super bowl champions. This will help them plug up the holes in the middle of their D-line and shut down the runs.
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