2016 MOCK DRAFT

Here is my updated Mock Draft after the Eagles trade to get the number two spot.

1. Los Angeles Rams – Jared Goff – Cal – QB

This pick makes too much sense for the Rams not to take Goff. They need a franchise QB with their current QBs being Case Keenum & Nick Foles. Goff played his college ball in California, he is from California, and the Rams just moved to California. This is pick is eerily similar to the Blake Bortles pick for the Jaguars a few years back and it has worked out pretty well for them.

2. Philadelphia Eagles – Carson Wentz – North Dakota State University – QB

This has to be who the Eagles are gunning for at the number two spot. The pick makes absolutely no sense at all with the Eagles recently re-signing Sam Bradford and picking up Chase Daniel in FA but one or both of them won’t be here once Wentz is drafted to the Eagles. Wentz is probably the QB with the most upside and most potential to be a star in this draft.

3. San Diego Chargers – Laremy Tunsil – Ole Miss – OT

The Chargers sit patiently and let Tunsil, one of the better Tackle prospects to be available in the last few years fall right to them. Tunsil will be protecting Phillip Rivers blind side for the next few years and whomever is the QB after Rivers finally is done playing. Tunsil is going to come in and play at a high level right away.

4. Dallas Cowboys – Myles Jack – UCLA – LB

The Cowboys need help at DE, QB, WR, and LB. At this point they could reach for a guy like Joey Bosa or draft based on potential with Jack. Jack pretty much did everything at UCLA from LB to Safety to RB, the guy can flat out play. With Jerry Jones at the helm still, the Cowboys take Jack to shore up their defensive woes.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jaylen Ramsey – Florida St - DB

The Jaguars would love to draft some more help to their defensive line but with Ramsey falling them due to the Eagles and Rams trading up this pick is too easy. Ramsey can come in right away and start and instantly improve the Jaguars defense.

6. Baltimore Ravens – Ezekiel Elliott – Ohio St – RB

The Ravens have other dire needs and both Joey Bosa * DeForrest Buckner are available at this point but drafting Elliott can finally let the Ravens fan forget about Ray Rice. Elliott has real star power and he proved that the past two years at Ohio St. Bosa and Buckner both have the potential to flop.

7. San Francisco 49ers – Joey Bosa – Ohio St – DE

The 49ers miss out on one of the top two QBs with the Eagles trading up to the number two spot but they do however manage to get the best DE available in the draft. Bosa tore through the Big 10 the last few seasons and has the potential to be a frightening DE in the NFL.

8. Cleveland Browns – DeForrest Buckner – Oregon – DE

The Browns trade back and get one of the most versatile defensive lineman in the draft. Bucker is huge standing at 6’7 and he can rush the passer. He can be plugged in all over the defense line and has the ability to make things happen each play. The Browns need a QB to push RGIII and now they can draft one in the 2nd or 3rd round with all the extra draft picks they extorted from the Eagles.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Vernon Hargreaves III – Florida – DB

The Bucs would love to figure out a way to move up in the draft and take Ramsey but that doesn’t seem possible without salvaging the future, which you don’t do for a DB. Instead they get a nice consolation prize in Hargreaves III who is the next best DB in this draft. Coming from the SEC he played against plenty of big named WRs in his career at Florida and faired pretty well.

10. New York Giants – Jack Conklin – Michigan St – OT

The Giants have their pick of offensive tackles at this point with Conklin and Ronnie Stanley of Notre Dame still being available. Conklin has more of a mean streak to him and played against better competition over the last two seasons playing LT. Either tackle should be a starter right away.

11. Chicago Bears – Leonard Floyd – Georgia – OLB

The Bears need help on the defensive side of the ball with their defensive backs needing the biggest upgrade. With the top two DBs off the board at this point they take the best available defender in Floyd. Floyd can play either LB or DE in 3-4 or 4-3 sets which makes him very versatile. He was a nightmare to opposing teams in the SEC for the last two seasons.

12. New Orleans Saints – Laquon Treadwell – Ole Miss – WR

The Saints just recently let Marques Colston go in FA and their best WR option right now is oft-injured Brandin Cooks, who is plenty talented but always injured. That being said they take the best available WR who fits the true #1 WR roll perfectly. Treadwell can come in and have a huge season with Drew Brees throwing him the ball.

13. Miami Dolphins - Derrick Henry – Alabama – RB

The Dolphins made a huge splash on the defensive side of the ball shoring up their defensive line in FA. They need help in the secondary so Eli Apple could be in play here as he fits their needs. With Adam Gase running the show and the Dolphins need for a true franchise RB, especially after striking out twice in the offseason, the Dolphins take Henry who can come in and start right away and make a difference. This is a risky pick as the Dolphins have far bigger needs but the RB depth drops of severely after Henry and Elliott are off the board.

14. Oakland Raiders – Sheldon Rankins – Louisville – DT

The Raiders had an amazing off season signing some key pieces in the secondary and on offense so they get to attack an area of concern in depth terms. Rankins can come in right away and be a dominant run stopper and offers a little pass rush off the edge in need situations.

15. Tennessee Titans – Eli Apple – Ohio St – DB

The Titans need help on the offensive line to help protect Marcus Mariota, however, with Apple still available they take the best available player in another area of need. Apple can come in right away and start at either corner position and instantly improve the Titans pass defense.

16. Detroit Lions – Jarran Reed – Alabama – DT/DE

The Lions said goodbye to Suh in the offseason so they need help on the defensive line in the worst kind of way. Enter Reed who terrorized the SEC and pretty much anyone Alabama played over the last two years. He won’t be as dominant as Suh, but he also won’t take every other play off which will be refreshing for Detroit fans to watch.

17. Atlanta Falcons – Shaq Lawson – Clemson – DE

The Falcons were absolutely awful at getting to the QB last season so they could easily pull the trigger on another young pass rusher to rush the QB opposite Vic Beasley, who they drafted last year. Lawson embarrassed offensive lineman all season and could easily transition into a nice pass rusher in the NFL.

18. Indianapolis Colts – Ronnie Stanley – Notre Dame - OT

The Colts have needs all over their offensive line, mainly at RT and C, at this point with Stanley still on the board they take a tackle that could potentially turn into their franchise LT. To start off he can be inserted at RT and improve the awful Colts offensive line in a second.

19. Buffalo Bills – Darron Lee – Ohio St - OLB

The Bills could draft another WR to add depth, or a young QB to groom in case Tyrod Taylor doesn’t work out as well as he did in his first year in Buffalo. With Rey Ryan leading the way they draft the best available defender on the board that happens to fit their need as the Bills LB’s were one of their weaknesses on defense last season. Lee adds upgraded athleticism and a knack for getting to the QB.

20. New York Jets – Paxton Lynch – Memphis – QB

The Jets can’t afford to keep Fitzgerald, nor should they want to overpay a journeyman who had one good season. The fact that Fitzgerald is throwing to Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker makes his great 2015 season look a lot less flashy or great. Enter Lynch who can sit for a year behind Geno Smith and really learn the NFL speed, and take over the reins late this year or as of next season. The Jets absolutely need to finally find their QB of the future and Lynch has the upside to fit that bill.

21. Washington Redskins – A ’Shawn Robinson – Alabama – DE/DT

Washington needs help all over the defensive side of the ball, especially at Nose and DE, which Robinson can play a little of both in dire situations. Robinson really excels in stopping the run but can rush the passer off the edge as well, he fits a huge need for Washington.

22. Houston Texans – Josh Doctson – TCU – WR

The Texans made a big splash in FA in signing Brock Osweiler to a big money deal making him the QB of their future. Doctson can immediately line up across from Deandre Hopkins and form one of the better WR combinations in the NFL. Doctson is a tall WR who loves to go up and fight for the ball. He is exactly the type of WR that you want on your team.

23. Minnesota Vikings – William Fuller – Notre Dame – WR

The Vikings said goodbye to Mike Wallace in FA and don’t really have any decent WR on the roster outside of Stephon Diggs. Enter Fuller who gives the Vikings a nice deep threat and WR with good hands who can help with the progression of Teddy Bridgewater.

24. Cincinnati Bengals – Corey Coleman – Baylor – WR

The Bengals lost two of their top three WRs in the offseason so they are filling a huge need in drafting Coleman. Coleman will compliment AJ Green well as he adds a speedster to the roster with a knack for finding the end zone. The drop off for WR after Coleman is huge in terms of ability and players ready to contribute in year one.

25. Pittsburgh Steelers – Keanu Neal – Florida - S

The Steelers need to upgrade their secondary in a big way to complement their defensive line. The Steelers had 48 sacks last season and held opposing teams to under 100 yards rushing per game but got absolutely shredded when teams passed on them. Neal could be a steal this late in the draft as he started playing well later in the season for Florida. He is more known for his run stopping ability but he has the upside to turn into a decent cover safety as well.

26. Seattle Seahawks – Kevin Dodd – Clemson – DE

The Seahawks defense took a step back in 2015 and a lot of that can be contributed to their defensive line. They didn’t get nearly as much pressure or sacks on the QB in 2015 as they did in the previous two years. Enter Dodd, fresh off a national championship loss where he embarrassed Alabama for the likes of seven tackles and three sacks. Dodd can come in and be an instant impact player off the edge for Seattle.

27. Green Bay Packers – Robert Nkemdiche – Ole Miss – DT/DE/RB

The Packers don’t have a dire need at DT even though BJ Raji did announce his retirement unexpectedly but they cannot pass up the option to draft a once thought to be Top 5 pick in this year’s draft. Some trouble outside of football and character questions drop Nkemdiche to the bottom of the first round but the Packers get an absolute steal this late in the first round who can come in right away and start for the Packers.

28. Kansas City Chiefs –Michael Thomas – Ohio St – WR

The Chiefs don’t have very many holes in their roster outside of WR. Adding Thomas to their superb RB core and Jeremy Maclin will give the Chiefs another nice weapon on offense. Thomas is a big bodied WR standing at 6’3 and he caught nine TDs in 2015 for Ohio St so he can absolutely come in right away and play a big role.

29. Arizona Cardinals - Noah Spence – Eastern Kentucky – DE

The Cardinals have the type of veteran laden team that can take a chance on a guy like Spence who washed out of Ohio St due to legal issues and ended up dominating and staying out of trouble when he transferred to Eastern Kentucky. The Cardinals don’t have mainly holes in their roster and Spence could end up filling on of their few needs in adding a dominant pass rusher off the edge.

30. Carolina Panthers Taylor Decker – Ohio St – OT

The Panthers took a waiver on Michael Oher and it actually didn’t work out so bad for them. If history tells us anything is that you can’t expect a journeyman/bust draft pick to perform at such a high level two years in a row. The Panthers have the luxury of being able to draft Decker and either let him sit and learn for a year or insert him at either starting tackle positions. At this point in the draft Decker is a steal.

31. Denver Broncos – Connor Cook – Michigan St – QB

The Broncos currently have Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian as the only QBs on their roster. They have been actively trying to trade for Colin Kaepernick but that seems to have hit a wall. Insert Cook, who many thought would be the first QB taken off the board at the beginning of the college football season. Cook can come in right away and probably be better than both Sanchez and Siemian as he already played in a pro-style offense at Michigan State.