We are only a few weeks out from the end of the 2015 NFL Draft and some have already put out their 2016 Mock Drafts and that’s just crazy. It’s nearly impossible to predict the draft the week before it takes place so trying to do it a year in advance is absolutely impossible. Prospects emerge and others falter and we have no idea who will be picking where in next year. Making it even more difficult to predict the past two drafts had surprising teams picking #1 overall because no one saw the Buccaneers being so terrible after their off season spending spree in 2014 and the Texans certainly weren’t seen as the worst team in the league the year before.
If you’re a college football fan and an NFL fan then it is fun to watch the college football season with an eye on the players that might be helping your franchise in the future. This is not a mock draft, it’s not a comprehensive list and it will inevitably change over the course of the season. If you don’t believe me just look at this year’s actual draft where names like Kevin White, Kevin Johnson, Breshad Perriman, Damarious Randall and Bud Dupree were not first rounders at this time last year while Randy Gregory, Landon Collins, Jaelen Strong and PJ Williams looked like sure things. Here are 30 or so players to watch this season and I’m sorry to say there isn’t a Hawkeye among them.
- Joey Bosa DE Ohio St.
Bosa is a beast that combines power, speed and pass rushing skills that make him the odds-on favorite to be the top pick in next year’s draft. Unless one of the many QB prospects steps up their game and becomes a viable franchise player Bosa has the best chance to go #1 overall. Other than a franchise QB a franchise pass rusher has become the most important position in the NFL and Bosa has been compared to JJ Watt, of course every pass rusher gets compared to Watt. He will have competition for the top spot in the draft but the only thing keeping him from being the top DE will be if he decides to stay in school for his senior year. That would be a shocker.
- Ronnie Stanley OT Notre Dame
Stanley is a 6’6 318 lbs. prototypical LT that could have been the top tackle in the 2015 draft but he returned to Notre Dame instead. He has only started for a year but teams see the type of power and athleticism they look for in a franchise LT. If he had entered the 2015 draft he would have been a top 10 pick and would have pushed Brandon Scherff to be the top offensive lineman off the board. Depending on the needs of the team picking first next year Stanley is a legitimate possibility to go #1 overall.
- Kendall Fuller CB Virginia Tech
Putting Fuller this high is a little more projection on my part because I really like him. He is the younger brother of Chicago Bears CB Kyle Fuller, a player I really liked a couple of years ago. Kendall is a bit bigger and plays a more physical style than Kyle and that makes him a fantastic prospect. He’ll have some competition as the top CB prospect (I’ll get to Vernon Hargreaves III in a second) but he’s my choice right now. The 2015 draft didn’t have top 10 caliber CB prospects but the 2016 draft has two.
- Shawn Oakman DE Baylor
Oakman is 6’8 280 lbs. so you would think he played basketball at Baylor not football but instead he’s an intriguing DE prospect. He has the length and strength to be a monster five-technique in a 3-4 defense but he has some character questions that have to be answered. He was kicked off the Penn St. team before he transferred to Baylor and some question his drive because at his size he should dominate more. He could slip if he doesn’t answer those questions but I think he does answer them this season. He needs some technique work because he relies so much on his physical ability, if he finds some football skills he’ll be scary good.
- Vernon Hargreaves III CB Florida
The debate will rage throughout the season about which CB is the top prospect and Hargreaves could certainly come out on top and whether a team takes him or Fuller they will be getting a great CB. If Hargreaves had been in the 2015 draft he would have been the first CB drafted and while he doesn’t have elite size teams are looking for these days he has fantastic instincts and true cover ability.
- Jalen Ramsey FS Florida St.
Ramsey is a do-it-all safety that can cover pretty much anyone, come up and support the run and the Seminoles love to use him to blitz. He is probably my favorite prospect for next year and listing him as a FS is too narrow of a designation. He’s been a major part of the Florida St. defense since he was a freshman and he has only gotten better. To me he’s the next Ed Reed and that is high praise.
- Laremy Tunsil OT Mississippi
He’s only a junior this year and he’s coming off an ugly leg injury but this kid checks all the boxes as a LT prospect. He’s good in pass blocking and run blocking and he has good size. He may not come out if he struggles coming off his injury and this position is fairly deep but if he plays like he did pre-injury he has top 10 potential. Ole Miss’s season was not a fluke in 2014 and they have quite a few potential top prospects so scouts will spend plenty of time watching him and his team.
- Connor Cook QB Michigan St.
The 2015 draft proved two things about QBs; 1. Franchise QBs are hard to come by, 2. Teams are willing to reach for someone they think has the potential to be a franchise QB. Cook is 6’4 220 lbs. with a good arm, some mobility and by the end of this season he’ll have quite a bit of starting experience at the collegiate level. If he turns in a monster year he can vault himself to the top of the board or he could fall flat on his face and end up in the fourth round.
- Christian Hackenberg QB Penn St.
Anyone that watched Hackenberg in 2014 is asking how in the hell he could be considered a top prospect because he seriously struggled all year. Well he was quite good in 2013 as a freshman under Bill O’Brien and at 6’4 234 lbs. he has prototypical NFL size. Hackenberg has the talent to be a franchise QB if he can get his head right. He struggled playing for a new coach, in a new system and without his top WR from the previous year Allen Robinson. If he can put together a good year teams will fall all over him and the first in line will be the Houston Texans, coached by Bill O’Brien himself.
- Jared Goff QB California
Goff is slightly under-the-radar especially compared to Cook and Hackenberg but he’s an intriguing prospect. He will inevitably be compared to Aaron Rodgers given the fact he attends Cal and he’s a solid athlete that moves well just like Rodgers. Goff will only be a junior and he hasn’t even turned 21 yet which is good because he needs to fill out his 6’4 frame. He might not declare for the 2016 draft but if he has a good season it’s possible and he’ll move up the boards quickly.
- Leonard Floyd OLB Georgia
Floyd is an elite athlete that is long and lean and plays the rush OLB for the Bulldogs. He might be a little too lean at the moment and he needs to add some good weight so he doesn’t get dominated in the run game or crushed by power blockers when they get their hands on him. Floyd’s speed is his best asset but sometimes he relies too much on it as a pass rusher and he needs to refine some other moves.
- DeForest Buckner DE Oregon
Buckner was a college teammate of San Francisco 49ers first round pick Arik Armstead and he’s a similar player. He has great size for the five-technique position in a 3-4 defense and if you ask scouts that watched Armstead play they will tell you Buckner has even more potential. He also has the versatility to be a DE in a 4-3 should someone take him that runs that defense.
- A’Shawn Robinson DT Alabama
Robinson isn’t a dominating player like a Leonard Williams was this last season but he has positional and scheme versatility like Williams. Robinson is 6’3 320 lbs. so he has great size and he can play inside or out on a three man line or he could be a DT in a four man front. Robinson is somewhat overshadowed playing with great players at Alabama but NFL teams know who he is and he could be a top 5 pick if he keeps progressing.
- Myles Jack LB UCLA
The Bruins have been sending good defenses players to the NFL for the past several years under Jim Mora and Jack is the next one. He plays linebacker and running back in the PAC-12 so the Shaq Thompson comparisons are ample but that’s lazy. He’s not the same player and he’s a better LB prospect. Jack doesn’t turn 20 until December so he still has some filling out to do and he can add to his 225-230 lbs. frame. He’s a good athlete with good instincts and with so many playmakers moving on he should really shine for UCLA.
- Taylor Decker OT Ohio St.
Decker is 6’7 315 lbs. and he’s the type of athlete teams love to see at LT. He is a good pass blocker and a good run blocker and he has the length teams look for in a blindside protector. He has played RT but he moved over to LT last season when the Buckeyes won the National Championship and if I were to hazard a guess I would say there is no way he’s still available at 15 in next year’s draft, he’s too good.
- Ezekiel Elliot RB Ohio St.
If you’re sensing a theme with some of these picks you won’t be surprised when the pre-season polls come out and Ohio St. is #1 and it probably won’t be a close vote. Overshadowed last year in the pre-season by Braxton Miller and during the regular season by JT Barrett and all the great Big Ten running backs Elliot broke out in the post season. He was still nearly overshadowed by Cardale Jones’ breakout stretch but Elliot stood tall next to him. Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon busted their way into the first round of the 2015 draft and Elliot will keep the streak alive in 2016.
- Laquon Treadwell WR Mississippi
Treadwell is another of those Ole Miss prospects and he is also coming off a bad leg injury. He will need to prove he’s healthy and that he has the speed to be a top WR because he certainly has the size at 6’2 225 lbs. Treadwell’s size and speed combination are what set him apart but he will have plenty of competition to be the first WR off the board.
- Robert Nkemdiche DL Mississippi
Urban Meyer is going to be the most hugged man at next year’s draft but Hugh Freeze is going to be a close second. Nkemdiche is still a work in progress but he was one of the best recruits in the country a few years ago for a reason. He’s big, strong and physical and can play multiple positions on the defensive line. He will give A’Shawn Robinson a run to be the top DT but he might be a DE to some.
- Max Tuerk OL USC
Tuerk offers great versatility as he has played both LT and C. His best position is C and that’s what he will be drafted to play. He has good size and mobility and plenty of experience. Playing for USC also means he’s played in a pro style system so his transition should be quicker.
- D’haquille “Duke” Williams WR Auburn
Williams is another top WR prospect coming off an injury that ended his season prematurely. Sammie Coates was a third round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers but before Williams injury Coates was the “other” Auburn WR. Williams is in the same boat as Laquon Treadwell and if he proves he’s healthy they can duke it out to be the top WR on the draft board.
- Rashard Higgins WR Colorado St.
Higgins will be hard pressed to duplicate the production he had last year with his QB Garrett Grayson off to the NFL but he can afford to fall off a little and still have a great year, that’s what happens when you have 96 catches for over 1700 yards and 17 TDs. Higgins is 6’2 like Treadwell and Williams but he’s only 188 lbs. so he needs to add some size to his frame, other than that he’s a game breaker.
- Jaylon Smith LB Notre Dame
Smith is the do everything type of linebacker and he can line up inside or outside. He’s a tackling machine and a playmaker. He has scheme versatility which is a must in today’s NFL and he can be a three down backer and that’s what gets LBs draft if they aren’t elite pass rushers.
- Corey Robinson WR Notre Dame
If Urban Meyer, Hugh Freeze and Brian Kelly didn’t make so much money I would suggest they split a hotel room in whatever city hosts next year’s draft but they can afford their own suites. Robinson is the son of basketball Hall of Famer David Robinson and he got some of his father’s physical gifts as he is almost 6’5 215 lbs. With a little more consistent QB play from the Fighting Irish Robinson could put up some huge numbers.
- Spencer Drango OL Baylor
Drango has been Baylor’s LT for the past three years but it is more likely he ends up playing inside at guard in the NFL. He is big and powerful but he lacks the overall athleticism teams look for in a LT. He might end up at RT but it seems like a foregone conclusion that he’ll be an NFL guard.
- Derrick Henry RB Alabama
TJ Yeldon left Alabama early and was a second round pick, part of the reason he didn’t go back to Alabama was the fact that Henry was taking over his job. Henry is a big back in every sense of the phrase, he’s 6’3 245 lbs. and even at that size he’s got plenty of speed. If he comes out early he will give Ezekiel Elliot a run for his money to be the first RB taken.
- Su’a Cravens S USC
A 6’1 225 lbs. safety that actually has range is hard to find. Cravens has played some LB but he projects best as a SS that can actually cover and tackles everything in sight. Cravens is athletic and experienced and will make someone’s defense a lot better. His size may get him pigeon-holed as a box safety but he’s more than that.
- Shilique Calhoun DE Michigan St.
Calhoun went into the 2014 season with some hype coming off a great sophomore season and while he played well he didn’t quite live up to it. He could be a pass rushing OLB at 6’5 250 lbs. but he plays better with his hand on the ground and on the line of scrimmage. Playing DE in a 4-3 defense would be best.
- Tyler Boyd WR Pittsburgh
Boyd is a natural pass catcher with great body control and hand-eye coordination. He’s been bumping Larry Fitzgerald off the top of the record books at Pitt and that is no small feat. Boyd has good size at 6’2 190 lbs. but he could still stand to fill out his frame a little bit but he’s one of several players that should make the 2016 WR draft class the third good one in a row.
- Emmanuel Ogbah DE Oklahoma St.
Ogbah was the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2014 and he earned it. He has good size and pass rushing skills and he could really climb the draft boards with another good year. Ogbah is overshadowed a bit right now do to the depth of the defensive line prospects but teams will have a very close eye on him.
- The Wildcard QBs (all five of them)
-Cardale Jones Ohio St: Everyone wants to anoint the Buckeyes National Championship Game starter as “the next big thing” but I’m not on board yet. Jones was third string going into last season and while I’m sure he’ll play this year I’m not convinced he’ll start over JT Barrett. Jones fits the profile of an NFL QB at 6’5 250 lbs. but he’s going to have to do it for more than three games to convince me, oh and he’s going to have to beat out Barrett and possibly Braxton Miller too.
-Trevone Boykin TCU: I have been reading every 2016 mock draft and prospect list I find and I have yet to see Boykin listed. He’s not your traditional NFL QB prospect and he’s still more athlete than QB but he could blossom into something special. Boykin doesn’t compare to your usual athletic QBs in the NFL because he’s bigger than Russell Wilson (Boykin is 6’2), he’s smaller than Cam Newton (Boykin is 205 lbs. not 245 lbs.), he’s more athletic than Ryan Tannehill (the last college WR turned QB turned NFL draft pick) and he doesn’t have the hype of Marcus Mariota (although I don’t know why). Teams need to keep an eye on him.
-Gunner Kiel Cincinnati: Kiel’s journey started off way back in high school when he committed to LSU and then de-committed and ended up heading to Notre Dame instead. That didn’t last either after he lost the starting job to Everett Golson and transferred to Cincinnati. There are plenty of top prospects this happens to and so many of them never pan out but Kiel has actually done very well for the Bearcats. He’s 6’4 210 lbs. so he fits the profile and he’s got an NFL caliber arm. Another good year at Cincy and he’ll be all over NFL teams’ radars.
-Nate Sudfeld Indiana: I know you’re reading this and thinking INDIANA? Yes, sometimes good QB prospects come from unexpected places like Cincinnati and Indiana. Sudfeld’s 2014 season was cut short by injury and he doesn’t put up ridiculous numbers but that has to do with lacking elite WR talent too. He is 6’5 240 lbs. and he has a big arm that teams will love. Sudfeld needs to raise his game a bit but he’s a wildcard for sure.
-Cody Kessler USC: You would think a guy that threw for 3826 yards, 39 TDs and only 5 picks would rate a little higher but Kessler doesn’t seem to stand out just yet. He’s only 6’1 so he doesn’t fit the NFL mold like the other prospects that are 6’4-6’5. However, he is highly productive and he has the one stat I really look for and that’s a high completion percentage. Kessler’s completion percentage was just under 70 % and that’s fantastic.
As far as next year’s draft goes the QB position looks far better off than it was in 2015 and if you don’t believe me I just listed 8 top prospects at the position and there were only 7 QBs drafted in 2015 total.
Other prospects to watch out for in 2016:
OT Jack Conklin Michigan St.
OT Germain Ifedi Texas A&M
DT Andrew Billings Baylor
DT Sheldon Day Notre Dame
DE Carl Lawson Auburn
OLB Darron Lee Ohio St.
OLB Dadi Nicolas Virginia Tech
OLB Jordan Jenkins Georgia
LB Eric Striker Oklahoma
CB/S Jalen Mills LSU
CB William Jackson Houston
CB Cameron Sutton Tennessee
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