Post-combine, Tunsil still No. 1
With the 2016 NFL scouting combine complete, it’s time to take a fresh look at the league’s incoming prospects. Our third mock draft prognosticates how the first round of the draft could unfold: 1. Tennessee Titans — Laremy Tunsil, OT, Mississippi: He looked like a pretty clean pick until college teammate Robert Nkemdiche linked him to his infamous hotel arrest. Still, assuming the Titans don’t manage to deal out of the top spot, Tunsil looks like the perfect guy to keep Tennessee QB Marcus Mariota clean after he endured three sacks a game as a rookie and suffered two knee injuries serious enough to cost him games.
2. Cleveland Browns — Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota
State: Imagine the hype if he had played at a bigger school. Wentz is big (6-5, 237 pounds), athletic, accurate, has a strong arm and is comfortable under center. The fact he has larger hands — nice when trying to hang on to the ball in the often-treacherous weather in AFC North cities — than California’s Jared Goff could be a tiebreaker in Wentz’s favor. And with Josh McCown at the ready, new coach Hue Jackson need not rush Cleveland’s latest franchise quarterback into the lineup if he needs extra time to adjust.
3. San Diego Chargers — Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida
State: He has an argument as the draft’s best player. An explosive athlete with speed to recover from mistakes in coverage. He has the athleticism to play outside corner, in the slot or at safety. One nitpick: Ramsey will be compared to Tyrann Mathieu, but he doesn’t have the Arizona Cardinals standout’s nose for the ball with three interceptions in three years for the Seminoles.
4. Dallas Cowboys — Joey
Bosa, DE, Ohio State: Picking Tony Romo’s successor has merit. But why not get a blue-chipper to help the 35-year-old quarterback win now? Bosa, a high-effort player who is strong against the run and can rush the passer, represents an intersection of talent and need with Dallas losing DE Randy Gregory to a four-game suspension to start the season, DE DeMarcus Lawrence coming off back surgery, and DEs Greg Hardy, Jeremy Mincey and Jack Crawford headed for free agency.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars —
Myles Jack, LB, UCLA: The manner in which general manager Dave Caldwell spends his $70 million plus in salary cap space will undoubtedly impact this pick. But Jack, whose 2015 meniscus injury is nearly healed, is the type of dynamic chess piece this disappointing defense has sorely lacked. It’s worth wondering if he might earn a few snaps at running back, too, after averaging 7 yards per carry as a freshman.
6. Baltimore Ravens — Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, Flori
da: Depending on how free agency plays out, the offensive line could become a priority. But the secondary has been vulnerable in a division where the football flies, and Baltimore’s six interceptions in 2015 were a league low. Hargreaves is athletic yet tough and can cover outside or in the slot. He could hasten Lardarius Webb’s move to safety. 7. San Francisco 49ers — Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis: The simmering quarterback drama in Silicon Valley will be at a full-blown boil soon enough with Colin Kaepernick apparently hellbent to escape. Lynch isn’t nearly as ready to step into a pro offense as Goff is. But coach Chip Kelly’s scheme doesn’t require as big a mental leap from the college game. More important, the next quarterback to survive a 16-game regular season under Kelly will be the first, and Lynch (6-7, 244) looks much better built to withstand the rigors of the offense than Goff (6-4, 215) and is far more effective leaving the pocket on designed runs.
8. Miami Dolphins — Eze
kiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State: No team ran the ball fewer times in 2015, and it will be especially tough for new coach Adam Gase to establish balance assuming RB Lamar Miller leaves in free agency. Elliott is the kind of three- down back who can spark an offense and reduce the burden (and hits) on QB Ryan Tannehill.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre
Dame: The Irish tackle with the sweet feet is too good to pass up here despite the Bucs’ defensive shortcomings. And he’s better in the long run to safeguard QB Jameis Winston, who was under fire too often as a rookie.
10. New York Giants — Dar
ron Lee, LB, Ohio State: The league’s worst defense is headed for a makeover, and GM Jerry Reese is sure to spend a good chunk of the nearly $60 million in cap space at his disposal to address it. But Lee is the kind of rangy, versatile, three-down player who would fit nicely in coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme. 11. Chicago Bears — DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon: There’s a good chance he won’t last this long. But if he’s available, Buckner is an ideal fit for the 3-4 Bears defense that took root last season. He is strong in all phases of the game and at 6-7 should swat down plenty of passes when he can’t get to a quarterback. 12. New Orleans Saints — Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson: What’s one way to cut down on the record 45 touchdown passes this defense surrendered in 2015? Plug in a relentless pass rusher who can reduce the amount of time defensive backs must maintain coverage on the back end.
13. Philadelphia Eagles — Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama: He could form a nice inside tandem with Fletcher Cox for a team reverting to a four-man front under new coordinator Jim Schwartz. 14. Oakland Raiders — Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State: Like the Titans and Bucs, the Raiders need a guy who can keep young QB Derek Carr upright, especially with LT Donald Penn un- signed. Nearly as important, Conklin would help Oakland take its run game up a notch.
15. Los Angeles Rams — Jared Goff, QB, California: Will he still be available? Would some other team (or even the Rams) need to move up to get Goff? Very plausible. But L.A. is an excellent landing spot for a young quarterback — aside from the nightlife — what with second-year RB Todd Gurley driving the offense and a potentially dominant defense usually able to keep the score close. And Goff looks capable of being an effective game manager, at minimum, from Day 1.
16. Detroit Lions — Laquon Treadwell, WR, Mississippi: Even if Calvin Johnson sticks around for one more season, it makes perfect sense to plan ahead if the draft’s top wideout is still available. Treadwell isn’t the next Megatron, but he should be a reliable target who will be in the right spots with the capability to do damage in the red zone.
17. Atlanta Falcons — A’Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama: Simply put, this defense needs to get better up the middle. Robinson could create plenty of havoc inside while helping to unleash second-year pass rusher Vic Beasley off the edge.
18. Indianapolis Colts — Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio
State: If the Colts learned anything in 2015, it’s that they’re a lot better with QB Andrew Luck in the lineup. It would be a good idea to take better care of him.
19. Buffalo Bills — Noah Spence, DE, Eastern Ken
tucky: Yes, a guy who was kicked out of Ohio State comes with red flags. But with a void set to open with the presumed divorce from Mario Williams, Spence could fit right in for Rex and Rob Ryan — and they’ll probably be willing to roll the dice in order to win now and remain in Buffalo beyond 2016.
20. New York Jets — Leon
ard Floyd, OLB, Georgia: At 6-6, 244 pounds, he won’t be the stoutest guy at the point of attack. But Floyd is an explosive athlete who could bag a lot of quarterbacks by capitalizing on the mayhem the Jets defensive line sows. 21. Washington Redskins — Andrew Billings, DL, Baylor: GM Scot McCloughan is known for building inside out. His defensive line could use some youth, and Billings could fit the bill, especially with NT Terrance Knighton unsigned. 22. Houston Texans — Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State: They have to take a quarterback — owner Bob McNair apparently has said so — and a player of comparable ability probably won’t be there in Round 2. Cook’s maturity is an issue, but coach Bill O’Brien would be a perfect mentor.
23. Minnesota Vikings —
Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State: Secondary depth could be problematic after free agency. Apple would remedy that and has the upside to be a top corner down the road. And you can’t have enough corners in a division with so many pass-happy quarterbacks. 24. Cincinnati Bengals — Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor: He has speed to burn, which would be good news for WR A.J. Green and TE Tyler Eifert as they work underneath. Green aside, the Bengals could be raided at wideout during free agency.
25. Pittsburgh Steelers — Mackensie Alexander, CB,
Clemson: It’s obvious the Steelers badly need to get younger and better in the secondary. And, yes, Alexander had zero interceptions in college, but Ike Taylor couldn’t catch, either, and he became a Steel City mainstay.
26. Seattle Seahawks — Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louis
ville: He is disruptive and versatile and fills a gap for a team that will need to reload the middle of its defensive line. The offensive line will have to be rebuilt in subsequent rounds.
27. Green Bay Packers —
Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson: It’s time to start planning for life after Julius Peppers, who could be a great tutor for his heir apparent as he winds his career down.
28. Kansas City Chiefs — Reggie Ragland, ILB, Ala
bama: Whether Derrick Johnson, 33, returns or not, the Chiefs could use a fresh body at the position. Ragland’s pass defense might need polish before he’s ready to be a three-down player.
29. Arizona Cardinals — Robert Nkemdiche, DL, Mis
sissippi: If ever there’s a coach willing to give a risky player a second chance — and hold him accountable — it’s Bruce Arians. Nkemdiche’s upside as a potential wrecking ball opposite Calais Campbell might earn him the opportunity here. 30. Carolina Panthers — Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame: Think Ted Ginn Jr. but more reliable. Cam Newton is one of the few quarterbacks with the arm to fully leverage the speed of Fuller, who could help open things up for TE Greg Olsen and WR Kelvin Benjamin.
31. Denver Broncos — Der
rick Henry, RB, Alabama: Free agency could drastically alter the Super Bowl champions’ roster and needs. But what better way to complement a dominant defense and a young (or ancient) quarterback than with a workhorse in the backfield?
Note: The New England Patriots were stripped of their firstround pick for their alleged role in Deflategate.