2016 NFL Mock Draft 2.0

The NFL Draft changes throughout the offseason as teams cut players, sign new free agents and make trades.  My first Mock Draft was obviously done before any of that started and now some changes have occurred.  The bulk of the free agency frenzy is over and while there are a few impact free agents yet to sign on with a new team I’m going to attempt my 2.0 version assuming none of these will have a huge impact on team needs.  The only thing left to change teams’ minds are pro days yet to happen and while some player may move up or down a draft board due to their performance it’s pretty tough to change minds at this point.  Off we go.

1. Tennessee Titans (3-13): Laremy Tunsil   OT   Mississippi

The Titans didn’t make any major moves in free agency as they only signed a solid interior offensive lineman Ben Jones from Houston and picked up underrated WR Rishard Matthews from Miami.  Jones helps out their line but in no way changes their need to upgrade at OT.  Matthews is a very nice pickup and will help Marcus Mariota’s development quite nicely.  Their big pickup was in a trade with the Eagles where they gave up a few spots in the fourth round of the draft to get RB Demarco Murray.  Murray was a disaster in Philly last season but he’s just two years removed from leading the league in rushing so it’s a low risk/high reward move.  Tunsil is still the choice here because protecting Mariota is priority #1 and now they have a quality RB if their offensive line can open some holes.  I’m not a huge Murray fan and I think they should have given David Cobb a real shot at the job since he would be healthy this season but Murray is a solid veteran for a young team.  While I can make a compelling case to take Jalen Ramsey it’s not compelling enough.  DE Joey Bosa was likely the only other player that could unseat Tunsil and he just didn’t show enough at the combine or OSU’s pro day to take the top spot.

2. Cleveland Browns (3-13): Jalen Ramsey   DB   Florida St.

I know the Browns need a QB and if they don’t trade for one this will go back to being a QB in my next mock draft.  However, right now I think they pull off a trade for Colin Kaepernick from the 49ers.  I’m not a big Kaepernick fan but if they give up a 2^nd or 3^rd rounder to get him (and the 49ers should accept a 3^rd rounder) then he’s the guy you are going with and you have to improve the rest of your team.  The Browns are losing free agents left and right (RT Mitchell Schwartz, C Alex Mack, WR Travis Benjamin and S Tayshaun Gipson) so they could go many ways.  Grabbing a talent like Ramsey and slotting him into Gipson’s safety spot would go a long way to helping their defense play well in the back end.  Ramsey gives them depth and versatility in the secondary and he just so happens to be the best player in this draft.

3. San Diego Chargers (4-12): DeForest Buckner   DE   Oregon

The more you watch Buckner the more there is to like about him.  The Chargers 3-4 defense needs linemen even after the addition of free agent DT Brandon Mebane.  Mebane will be a huge addition in the middle and Buckner can line up outside of him and excel.  He fits the defense better than Bosa would and I have a sneaky suspicion Buckner will be the first DE off the board not Bosa.  The Chargers could go with Ronnie Stanley but after re-signing Joe Barksdale I think they go with him and King Dunlap at OT.  They would jump on Jalen Ramsey as Eric Weddle’s replacement if he makes it here but I don’t think he will.  Oh and by the way picking up WR Travis Benjamin from the Browns to line up opposite Keenan Allen is a nice move.

4. Dallas Cowboys (4-12): Joey Bosa   DE   Ohio St.

I had Treadwell here initially but that was before the Cowboys cut ties with Greg Hardy and Randy Gregory got suspended for the first 4 games of next season.  With Gregory’s drug history counting on his return is a dicey proposition.  Perhaps they will reverse course on Hardy but Bosa is too good of prospect to let slip by when they have such a need at DE.  All the talk of drafting a QB is nonsense because this team is still built to win now with a healthy Tony Romo and they need to get guys to help them right away.  Bosa hasn’t looked like the dominant player everyone thought he would be but he’s still plenty good and this would be an excellent landing spot for him because he would be best at DE in a 4-3 like the Cowboys run.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11): Myles Jack   LB   UCLA

Arguably the most active team in free agency and certainly the one addressing it’s biggest issues in free agency.  DL Malik Jackson, CB Prince Amukamara, S Tayshaun Gipson and RB Chris Ivory are all major additions and DE Dante Fowler also will be coming back from the knee injury that ended his rookie year before it began.  Offense was not the issue for the Jags last season as Blake Bortles took a major step forward and they addressed their one issue of short yardage problems with the addition of power back Ivory.  I could make the case for taking OT Ronnie Stanley but I think the Jags will give Luke Joeckel another season to show he’s a worthy LT before looking to replace him.  Jackson and Fowler will address the needs on the defensive line and Amukamara and Gipson and solid additions to the secondary leaving just the LB corps in need of help.  Jack is coming off a knee injury but it looks like he’ll be ready to go and he’s too good of a talent to let slide by.

6. Baltimore Ravens (5-11): Ronnie Stanley   OT   Notre Dame

LT Eugene Monroe hasn’t been stellar since the Ravens traded for him and last year he got hurt.  His replacement was LG Kelechi Osemele who parlayed his very good play into a major payday from the Oakland Raiders.  Stanley addresses a major need on the offensive line for an offense that needs to find itself again next season.  Injuries took a major toll on the Ravens last year which is a big reason why they are picking this high.  A solid foundational choice like a new LT is right up Ozzie Newsome’s alley and Stanley can be Joe Flacco’s blindside protector from day one and for at least the next half dozen years.

7. San Francisco 49ers (5-11): Jared Goff   QB   California

Chip Kelly hasn’t wrestled personnel control away from GM Trent Baalke yet so the roster is still intact and no major free agent blunders have been signed yet.  The one major deal on the table is trading QB Colin Kaepernick to either the Browns or Broncos (I’m going with the Browns in case you forgot) and unless Kelly thinks RGIII is the answer at QB I’m guessing they draft one (I’m betting he doesn’t think Blaine Gabbert is the answer).  Goff is smart, quick thinking with an even quicker release which Kelly will be able to work with.  It’s a pick’em between Goff and Carson Wentz for the top QB spot and beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I think Kelly prefers Goff.

8. Philadelphia Eagles (7-9 from Miami): Ezekiel Elliott   RB   Ohio St.

Howie Roseman has regained personnel control in Philadelphia after the ouster of Chip Kelly and he’s made it quite clear how he feels about Kelly’s moves.  He has divesting the team of Byron Maxwell and Kiko Alonso (somehow convincing Miami not only to take those two on but letting the Eagles move up to this spot too), shipped off disgruntled RB Demarco Murray and he is looking for a place to send RB Ryan Mathews according to reports.  If new head coach Doug Pederson is going to build this team the way Andy Reid taught him he will build an offense around a good all-around RB and it just so happens this draft has one.  A good RB, a solid offensive line and a QB that won’t mess it all up should be the formula and Elliott would be a huge part of that.  He would make life much easier for Sam Bradford (or Chase Daniel if he beats out Bradford) and he would make the offensive line look good.  Elliott is a star waiting to happen and his all-around game would make him a day one starter for Pederson.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-10): Laquon Treadwell   WR   Mississippi

There is always a surprise choice in the first round and this one would certainly look like one on the surface.  The Buccaneers had Mike Evans break out last season as a legitimate #1 WR and they have veteran Vincent Jackson opposite him, however, Jackson is 33 years old and can’t play forever.  If the Buccaneers want to make sure that QB Jameis Winston’s growth continues getting him another playmaker on the outside is a good place to start.  Treadwell would fit the mold they have of big, physical WRs that make Winston’s job easier by being able to make difficult catches.  The Bucs addressed their glaring need at DE with veteran Robert Ayers and their other glaring need at CB with veteran Brent Grimes.  The could still use a RT but this is a bit high for Jack Conklin, Taylor Decker or Jason Spriggs so unless Stanley is still available the best player on the board is probably Treadwell at this point.

10. New York Giants (6-10): Darron Lee   LB   Ohio St.

The Giants are giving the Jags a run for their money as the biggest player in free agency.  The re-signing of DE Jason Pierre-Paul, the signing of DE Olivier Vernon and the signing of DT Damon Harrison has overhauled their defensive line.  They grabbed CB Janoris Jenkins to replace the departed (for Jacksonville coincidentally) Prince Amukamara but they still haven’t addressed the LB corps.  That’s nothing new as they have ignored it for years.  Lee is a freakishly fast player who plays sideline to sideline and hits like a truck.  He isn’t the biggest LB but behind the new beef up front that shouldn’t be a problem.  Lee is special and he jumps off the tape and makes plays everywhere.  The Giants could address the offensive line or get a new WR to go opposite Odell Beckham but they have neglected the LB position too long and Lee is too good to pass up.

11. Chicago Bears (6-10): Vernon Hargreaves III   CB   Florida

In my first mock draft I had the Bears taking Notre Dame LB Jaylon Smith but Smith went to the combine and his injured knee came back with some serious question marks.  His medical recheck before the draft will decide if he goes in the first round, slides to the second round or doesn’t get drafted at all.  In the meantime the Bears signed LB Danny Trevathan from the Broncos and Jerrell Freeman from Indy so even if Smith were fine he probably isn’t going here.  Some people celebrated the signing of OT Bobbie Massie and while he’s a nice addition he’s not exactly a special talent.  The Bears defense needs more help than Trevathan and Hargreaves is too good to pass up at this point.  He could pair with Kyle Fuller to make a nice CB duo for the foreseeable future.  They need a pass rusher too but Hargreaves is a better prospect than any of the pass rushers available here.  Having better coverage might make their pass rushers look better anyway.

12. New Orleans Saints (7-9): Shaq Lawson   DE   Clemson

Cameron Jordan lives a lonely existence as the Saints only decent pass rusher so he would surely welcome the addition of Lawson.  The Saints secondary has been a problem for years so getting more pressure on the QB might be a better strategy then continuing to try to find CBs that end up disappointing you.  Lawson is tough guy off the edge and he has some versatility and could be used in multiple ways.  New defensive coordinator Dennis Allen could come up with some creative things to do with Jordan, Lawson and last year’s rookie OLB Hau’oli Kikaha who I still think has some pass rushing potential.  The team could grab Laquon Treadwell if he is available as a replacement for Marques Colston but any other WR would be a reach this high.  CBs Eli Apple, Mackensie Alexander and William Jackson are all possibilities too because Brandon Browner was a disaster last year and was shown the door.

13. Miami Dolphins (6-10 from Philadelphia): Mackensie Alexander   CB   Clemson

If you have the slightest idea what the Dolphins are doing please let me know.  I’m giving them Alexander here because it’s not a pick I would make and I’ve disagreed with virtual every decision they have made this offseason so he must be the pick.  They do need CB help because for some reason they traded for Byron Maxwell and then cut the best CB on the team Brent Grimes.  Grimes was getting older but he’s still better than Maxwell.  Alexander looks good in coverage but he’s not a playmaker and he’s still pretty raw.  I like William Jackson and Eli Apple better so obviously the Dolphins will take Alexander.

14. Oakland Raiders (7-9): Taylor Decker   OT   Ohio St.

The Raiders have been active in free agency addressing the offensive line with Kelechi Osemele, the pass rush with Bruce Irvin and the secondary with Sean Smith.  Osemele should be a dominant guard although he could play tackle but either way they need more help on the edges.  I’m taking Decker over Jack Conklin or Jason Spriggs because I think he’s what they need.  He’s got a mean streak and I think he can handle RT right away and eventually replace Donald Penn at LT.  Irvin and Smith address the defensive needs while this team needs to do everything they can to protect franchise QB Derek Carr.  The defensive line and the secondary are always possibilities or they may like a different offensive lineman but Decker would be a solid choice.  An offensive line with Penn, Gabe Jackson, Rodney Hudson, Kelechi Osemele and Decker would be pretty good.

15. Los Angeles Rams (7-9): Carson Wentz   QB   North Dakota St.

As the saying goes in the NFL draft world “if you don’t have a franchise QB you don’t pass on a franchise QB”.  The Rams don’t have a franchise QB.  We can debate if Wentz is one but the Rams can’t afford to not take that chance.  Case Keenum is a nice backup and that’s more than I can say for Nick Foles at the moment.  The Rams have built a solid offensive line and have a fantastic star RB in Todd Gurley.  A rookie QB can’t ask for much more than that although if I were Wentz and the Rams draft me in the first round I’m going to ask them to get me a WR in round 2.  Gurley is the face of the franchise for the next half decade or so which means Wentz just has to not screw it up.  The Rams could grab Apple or Jackson to replace the departed Janoris Jenkins at CB or take a DE to replace Chris Long but until they get the QB situation rectified they are wasting the talent of Gurley.

16. Detroit Lions (7-9): Jack Conklin   OT   Michigan St.

The Lions have plenty of needs on defense but they have neglected the OT position too long and Matthew Stafford needs the protection up front.  LT Riley Reiff is okay but they need help and whether Reiff stays on the left side and Conklin takes the RT spot or they flip Reiff to RT and let Conklin play the left it really doesn’t matter they just need the help.  Larry Warford and Laken Tomlinson are two big powerful guards and if they add Conklin on the line perhaps they could actually establish a running game which would be helpful considering Calvin Johnson officially retired and they are replacing him with Marvin Jones.  They can take a real RB in the second round.

17. Atlanta Falcons (8-8): Reggie Ragland   LB   Alabama

The Falcons plugged a big hole on their offensive line with the addition of C Alex Mack and while they still need more help there its isn’t as pressing of a need.  If there was a safety prospect worth taking here I could make that argument pretty well but there just isn’t a lot of value right here.  Ragland would be an immediate upgrade in the middle of the defense at MLB and he would bring an attitude this defense is sorely lacking.  The run defense needs help and Ragland would clean it up.  The offense still needs a TE but there isn’t a first round TE in this draft (even if Hunter Henry gets over drafted at the end of the round).  Ragland is what this defense needs most.

18. Indianapolis Colts (8-8): Cody Whitehair   OL   Kansas St.

The Colts need help in the secondary and they desperately need some pass rush but most of all they need to keep franchise QB Andrew Luck upright and healthy.  Whitehair could play RT or he could play RG but either way he’s a massive upgrade.  He would protect Luck and he brings the added bonus of potentially making life easier for RB Frank Gore.  The offense would be much improved with a better running game and Whitehair could be a dominant player on the inside and make that happen.  If I thought the Colts needed LT I wouldn’t hesitate to give them Jason Spriggs but they need a power player with an attitude and that’s Whitehair.  He isn’t a flashy choice but he is the right choice and Andrew Luck will be quite happy.

19. Buffalo Bills (8-8): Noah Spence   DE   Eastern Kentucky

The Bills cut DE Mario Williams because of his less than inspired play this last season and Rex Ryan would certainly love to get some more pass rush to help Jerry Hughes.  Spence is one of the better pure pass rushers in this draft and while he has plenty of character concerns that won’t stop Ryan from wanting him.  Ryan knows that playing in a division where you have to beat Tom Brady means you need to get pressure on him and Spence is the best player left in the draft to do that.  The Bills haven’t been active in free agency other than losing a few players like Williams, CB Leodis McKelvin and LB Nigel Bradham so Ryan needs to replenish his defense.

20. New York Jets (10-6): Leonard Floyd   OLB   Georgia

The Jets are in the same boat as the Bills when it comes to trying to beat the Patriots and Tom Brady and while their defensive line has been strong they need an edge rusher to bring pressure.  Floyd is long and lean and can bend the edge with his great athleticism so he would be a great fit for Todd Bowles’ defense.  This is all assuming the Jets re-sign QB Ryan Fitzpatrick because while he’s no super star he played well in offensive coordinator Chan Gailey’s system and he’s light years better than Geno Smith.  If Fitzpatrick bolts for a better offer then Paxton Lynch and maybe even Connor Cook become viable options here.  I could see Gailey liking Lynch’s skillset.

21. Washington Redskins (9-7): Eli Apple   CB   Ohio St.

The seventh sign of the apocalypse is upon us as the Washington Redskins have not signed a single free agent from another team this offseason.  The team franchised QB Kirk Cousins assuring themselves that he will be back as their QB next year.  That took care of their biggest question mark and while they could go a number of different ways CB is certainly a trouble spot.  Bashaud Breeland is a solid player but they need someone opposite him and Apple brings size and talent even if he is still pretty young.  DeAngelo Hall made a nice transition to safety last season out of necessity but it looks like he should stick there.  Apple would pair nicely with Breeland to give the Redskins the best set of CBs they have had in a long time.

22. Houston Texans (9-7): A’Shawn Robinson   DT   Alabama

The Texans started the offseason with QB and RB as the two most glaring holes on the roster and then signed Brock Osweiler and Lamar Miller to fill them respectively.  That is two big free agent signings leaving the team free to grab whomever they decide fills the biggest need in the first round.  The defensive line has DE Jared Crick as a free agent and NT Vince Wilfork is not getting any younger.  Robinson is used to playing in a multiple front system at Alabama and he could play the DE spot or slide inside and he’ll be tough at either one.  He is great value at this spot in the first round also and the only thing he may have to worry about is his teammate Jarran Reed getting picked instead.

23. Minnesota Vikings (11-5): Vonn Bell   SS   Ohio St.

This pick is a little bit of a reach as I don’t think Bell is quite this good but he is the best safety prospect in the draft and the Vikings desperately need to find someone to pair with Harrison Smith.  They made a run at Bengals’ free agent George Iloka who played for Mike Zimmer before but they struck out.  They ended up signing Titans castoff Michael Griffin but he is well past his prime.  They could take a WR to pair with break out star Stefon Diggs but Zimmer is a defensive coach and strong safety is a massive need.

24. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4): Josh Doctson   WR   TCU

I’m putting Doctson here because it seems like teams are starting to believe either Doctson or Corey Coleman are the next best WRs after Laquon Treadwell, I disagree but if they believe this I think Doctson fits better.  The Bengals need a WR after losing Marvin Jones to the Lions and Mohammed Sanu to the Falcons leaving AJ Green as their only legitimate WR.  I like Tyler Boyd best after Treadwell and I actually think his skillset and experience would translate best for the Bengals.  Doctson is tall and lean and he needs work while Boyd is also lean but is much better at going over the middle.  Boyd played in a more pro-style offense in college and he would be better suited for the weather in Cincinnati after playing college ball at Pitt.  Corey Coleman is the other option at WR but he is a deep speed WR and Andy Dalton needs someone to run the underneath routes for him.

25. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6): Jarran Reed   DT   Alabama

I desperately want to give the Steelers a CB here and William Jackson III would be a nice fit but the Steelers have needed CB help forever and yet they seem to always ignore it in the first round.  Reed is a powerful, versatile defensive lineman who was overshadowed by A’Shawn Robinson and Jonathan Allen but every NFL team knows who he is and I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes off the board ahead of Robinson.  The Steelers have Steve McClendon as a free agent and they need someone to bring some youth and depth to the line.  Reed could play any of the three positions on the Steelers defensive line and be fantastic at all of them.  This feels more like a Steelers first round pick than a CB would.

26. Seattle Seahawks (10-6): Jason Spriggs   OT   Indiana

The Seahawks have taken quite a few blows this offseason with the retirement of RB Marshawn Lynch, the free agent defections of LB Bruce Irvin, DT Brandon Mebane and G J.R. Sweezy and the uncertain future of free agent LT Russell Okung.  The offensive line was a problem last season and they need reinforcements even if they bring Okung back.  Spriggs is a potential Okung replacement at LT and they need to protect Russell Wilson better and get some steady play in the run game.  Spriggs would be a good place to start in rebuilding the offensive line and they shouldn’t stop with him.  It is entirely possible they look to replace Mebane at DT with one of the many talented players like Andrew Billings, Robert Nkemdiche or Sheldon Rankins but I think they can afford to wait due to the depth of talent on the defensive line in this draft while the same can’t be said for the offensive line prospects.

27. Green Bay Packers (10-6): Andrew Billings   NT   Baylor

I can’t believe I’m not giving the Packers a LB so they can move Clay Matthews back outside but that is going to have to wait because there isn’t a LB worth this slot and Billings is too good to pass up.  The Packers will be without BJ Raji and Billings would be a great replacement.  He isn’t tall or overly large for a NT but Billings is strong as an ox and he would look fantastic playing between Mike Daniels and Datone Jones.  He would collapse the pocket on passing downs far better than Raji and he has the brute strength to excel in run defense.  Billings and Daniels can have some epic power lifting competitions between the two of them just for fun.

28. Kansas City Chiefs (11-5): Sheldon Rankins   DT   Louisville

The Chiefs have done a nice job of re-signing their own free agents like Derrick Johnson, Tamba Hali and Jaye Howard on defense.  They didn’t go overboard and they brought back the veteran leadership on that side.  The made a very nice signing with RT Mitchell Schwartz and while they still need help on the offensive line I think Andy Reid will draft for value.  Reid has always leaned towards drafting on the lines and if there was an interior offensive lineman worthy of this spot he would jump on it but since there isn’t he’ll look to find a replacement for free agent Mike DeVito and Rankins would fill the spot nicely.  Rankins had a great Senior Bowl and has risen up the boards and deserves this spot.  He is listed as a DT but he can play the DE spot in the Chiefs 3-4 defense just fine.

29. Arizona Cardinals (13-3): Emmanuel Ogbah   DE   Oklahoma St.

The Cardinals need to get younger in the front seven on defense and they must find someone to help Markus Golden rush the passer.  Last season they tried aging veterans Dwight Freeney and Jason Babin in an attempt to get pressure on the QB and while Ogbah isn’t an obvious fit in their 3-4 defense the Cardinals have shown a knack for putting guys in a position to succeed on defense.  Ogbah can rush standing up or with his hand on the ground and that is all the Cardinals need him to do right away.  They could take a guy like William Jackson III for their secondary but Ogbah brings a much more important skill to their defense.

30. Carolina Panthers (15-1): Kevin Dodd   DE   Clemson

The Super Bowl proved that the Panthers need to address the OT position as the Broncos abused them with their pass rush.  The problem is at this point in the draft unless one of the top 5 tackles drops there isn’t one worth taking here.  Germain Ifedi or Shon Coleman might be worth a shot but that’s a bit of a reach when there is better value still on the board.  The Panthers need safety help too but that position is even thinner than OT after Darian Thompson looked quite pedestrian at the combine.  The team cut and then re-signed DE Charles Johnson to a cheaper deal and Jared Allen retired so they need to get some help for the emerging Kony Ealy who actually had a pretty good Super Bowl.  Dodd has been compared to Ealy and while he still needs some work he could be the 3^rd DE for a year and eventually replace Johnson.

31. Denver Broncos (12-4): Robert Nkemdiche   DT   Mississippi

The retirement of Peyton Manning and the departure of Brock Osweiler is going to have everyone putting a QB here but John Elway is not going to put the Super Bowl Champions in the hands of a rookie so unless he is quite certain Paxton Lynch or Connor Cook are future stars I think he passes on a QB here.  The loss of Malik Jackson on the defensive line leaves them a bit thin and they built their Super Bowl winning team on their defense.  It looks like they are going to have to go into the season with an underwhelming veteran choice at QB whether it’s Mark Sanchez, Ryan Fitzpatrick or someone else which is why they matched the offer sheet for RB CJ Anderson, they need offense to come form somewhere.  Nkemdiche has plenty of character questions but Denver has a veteran squad that could take him under their wing.  He is an incredible talent when he’s motivated and he could slide right into Jackson’s spot on the end of their 3 man front.

 

 

 

After finally getting a chance to watch the NFL Combine stuff (thank God for my DVR and the NFL Network) and catch up on some more players I decided to do another Mock Draft, then I realized the free agency nonsense was about to start so I decided to wait until the stupidity stopped.  It’s a good thing too because we had a swap of first round picks (Philadelphia and Miami) and a number of signings that will change team needs in the first round.  The Texans addressed QB and RB with the signings of Brock Osweiler and Lamar Miller meaning big changes in their draft priorities.  The Giants spent money like a drunken sailor and a lot of it went towards their defensive line (although none of it addressed their o-line or linebacker issues).  Also the Jaguars and Raiders addressed big issues themselves.  As the dust settles I’ll have a better idea of where teams are looking in the draft and right now I have to figure out who the Broncos love at QB.

There are always players that I like that go far lower than they should and of course guys I wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole that go way too high so I decided to make a list of them instead.  As they say it only takes one team to love a prospect for him to get drafted higher than he should.  Let’s start with the prospects I really like because that’s just a nicer thing to do.

Prospects I like

Laremy Tunsil   OT   Ole Miss

Barring the Titans trading out of the top spot so someone else can draft a QB it certainly looks like Tunsil will go #1 overall.  Now, is Tunsil an Orlando Pace sort of #1 overall LT pick? No, but he’s way better than Eric Fisher who went #1 overall to the Chiefs a few years ago.  Tunsil is a beast and he checks all the athletic boxes you need to check and he is the safest offensive prospect in this draft.  He’s a far better player than guys like Fisher or Greg Robinson were when they came out and he has All-Pro potential.  If he hadn’t missed 7 games this last season due to breaking NCAA rules (trust me the NFL teams don’t give a damn about that) we probably wouldn’t be questioning him going 1^st in this draft.

Jalen Ramsey   DB   Florida St.

I list Ramsey as a defensive back because at this point he could either end up a Pro Bowl cornerback or a future Hall of Fame safety.  Yep, that’s how much I like him.  The only problem with Ramsey is figuring out which position his new team will want him to dominate once they draft him.  He has the potential to be one of the top CBs in the NFL but I truly think he could be a transcendent safety prospect.  His size, speed and agility are incredible and he might be the only guy on the planet that could defend Rob Gronkowski 1-on-1 and actually win.  Ramsey is a combination of Charles Woodson, Ed Reed and Ronnie Lott all rolled into one.  Defensive backs don’t go #1 overall in the NFL Draft but if he did I couldn’t argue with the pick.  My favorite player in this entire draft.

Ezekiel Elliott   RB   Ohio St.

Elliott is everything you want in a tailback in today’s NFL.  He’s a three-down player because he can run inside, run outside, catch passes out of the backfield, pick up the blitz in pass protection and if need be he can run down the field and throw a block.  And he will do any and all of these things without question and better than any “specialist” back possibly could.  A lot was made of his comments after Ohio St. lost to Michigan St. and Elliott complained about not getting the ball enough, I have no problem with those comments because he was 100% right.  Cardale Jones got a lot of credit for stepping in last year and leading the Buckeyes to a National Championship in his three starts but Elliott was the reason the pulled off that title not Jones.

Laquon Treadwell   WR   Ole Miss

Treadwell didn’t run the 40 at the combine because he wants to wait until his pro day and he probably won’t break 4.55 and might even come in around 4.6-4.65 range.  I don’t care.  His game is not predicated on speed and as long as he’s faster than 4.9 that’s fine by me.  We live in an NFL world where DBs aren’t allowed to get overly physical with WRs and Treadwell will eat them alive with his physicality.  He may not go in the top 5 like I have him in my first mock draft (it will be changing in my next one) but that is more a product of team needs than Treadwell’s ability.

Darron Lee   OLB   Ohio St.

I know I’m going back and forth between Ole Miss and Ohio St., it’s not on purpose.  Last season’s Buckeye defense featured guys like Joey Bosa, Eli Apple, Adolphus Washington, Von Bell and Joshua Perry and yet Lee is the guy that stands out to me as a prospect.  He is the new breed of LB in the NFL.  He can hit and he can cover and he has speed to burn.  Lee is everywhere and while his best position is as an OLB in a 4-3 defense he is versatile.  I’ll have to wait until I know what team drafts him but he has the potential to lead the league in tackles.

Jason Spriggs   OT   Indiana

Tunsil and Ronnie Stanley of Notre Dame are getting most of offensive line coverage and Jack Conklin (Michigan St.) and Taylor Decker (Ohio St.) are both very good first round prospects but I like Spriggs.  A lightly-recruited TE out of high school went to college and started to bulk up and they immediately moved him to OT.  It sounds like he went to Iowa but he actually went to Indiana, Kevin Wilson must have picked up on Kirk Ferentz’s style of building linemen.  Spriggs is a 6’7 athletic freak that looked fantastic at the combine with his athletic freakiness and long frame teams love.  He’s only been playing offensive line for 4 years so he’s still learning and if I were going to take a shot on a potential LT prospect towards the end of the first round I’m going with Spriggs.

William Jackson III   CB   Houston

Jackson flew a bit under-the-radar for a very good Houston team partly because he was fighting through a foot injury this season.  He has good size and very nice skills but teams were questioning if he could hang with the best athletes.  He went to the combine and his 4.37 second 40 erased a lot of questions.  Jackson is a talent and while he won’t push Ramsey and Vernon Hargreaves for the top CB spot don’t be surprised if he gives Mackensie Alexander and Eli Apple competition for the next CB off the board.

Tyler Boyd   WR   Pittsburgh

While all of the WR prospects are behind Laquon Treadwell most people would list Josh Doctson, Corey Coleman and maybe a few other players ahead of Boyd but I’m not one of them.  Doctson and Coleman are faster than Boyd but he’s an incredible talent.  He won’t blow anyone away athletically but he has an innate feel for the position.  Boyd can come in and step in immediately and contribute to a team without a long adjustment period.

Devontae Booker   RB   Utah

Booker has been hiding in plain sight out in Utah where the west coast bias was working against him because his games were on late at night.  He’s an extremely talented player who does a lot of things well.  He got injured with about 3 games left in the season and didn’t work out at the combine because he wasn’t fully healthy.  He isn’t Ezekiel Elliott but I would take him before guys like Derrick Henry and Alex Collins because I think he’s a better all-around player.  Booker could be a surprise starter in the NFL next season.

Jordan Howard   RB   Indiana

Yep, two Hoosiers on my list.  Howard was only on the Hoosiers for a year after transferring from UAB but he made the most of it.  Howard is one of those guys that makes it possible for teams to bypass a RB early in the draft because he’s very good and he’ll be available in round 3 or 4.  I love his game because he has speed and power and great balance.

Cody Whitehair   OL   Kansas St.

Whitehair started at three different positions while playing at Kansas St.  He was a guard, a right tackle and then a left tackle and while he could probably handle playing outside at OT and not embarrass himself he should be a dominating guard on day one.  His size and technique make him an immediate starter and someone is going to vastly improve their offensive line when they draft him.

Kendall Fuller   CB   Virginia Tech

Fuller’s year got off to a rough start and then got worse when he tore up his knee.  He’s not fully back yet so he can’t work out and that is going to knock him down a round or two but once he’s healthy he’s a starting CB in the league and a damn good one.

Players I don’t like

Derrick Henry   RB   Alabama

Yes I’m going to be that guy hating on Henry.  I know he won the Heisman (Christian McCaffery was robbed) and he had a great year.  Then he went to the combine and weighed in at 247 lbs. and blew the doors off all the workouts and every fell in love all over again.  Sorry I’m not buying it.  He’s big, he’s fast, he’s productive and all I see is Brandon Jacobs 2.0.  That’s not a bad thing unless someone is dumb enough to take him in the first 50 picks.  He’s too tall and runs too upright for the NFL he’s going to get killed.  He doesn’t have the all-around skillset of Elliott and I like Booker better too.

Paxton Lynch   QB   Memphis

The shine has started to come off of Lynch a little bit and now he’s being talked about at the end of the first round not the middle or towards the front half, that’s good it means there is some sanity coming back into play.  Lynch looks great getting off the bus and he has great athleticism but I see issues with his throwing motion because it’s a bit slow and not consistent.  If a team with an aging starter wants to grab Lynch in the second round (San Diego? Pittsburgh? New Orleans?) I wouldn’t object because he’s got talent but he needs time.

Josh Doctson   WR   TCU

Doctson has speed (he ran 4.5 at the combine), he’s tall (6’2) and he was highly productive (TCU’s offense was videogame worthy).  The spread offense made things easier for Doctson because it makes his reads simple and he rarely faced press coverage.  He doesn’t have great bulk or strength so the physicality of the NFL is going to slow him down.  He’s a good WR but he isn’t a first rounder to me.

Corey Coleman   WR   Baylor

Coleman faces some of the same challenges as Doctson in the fact that Baylor’s offense was much the same as TCU’s so he didn’t run a lot of different routes making his game pretty simple.  He isn’t tall like Doctson, he’s 5’11, and Doctson catches better because Coleman has smallish hands and is too much of a body catcher.  His biggest asset is his ridiculous speed.  It will serve him well running deep but he doesn’t go over the middle and teams like their outside WR to be bigger than him.  Coleman has a place in the NFL but he shouldn’t have a place in round 1.

Robert Nkemdiche   DT   Ole Miss

Finally a guy from Ole Miss I don’t like.  Nkemdiche is a beast on the field yet sometimes he disappears.  He has some serious off-the-field concerns too.  While at the hotel the week of Ole Miss’s bowl game Nkemdiche got drunk, fell out a window and was cited for having marijuana in his possession.  He went to the combine and told teams and the media that the drugs were not his but they were in his room so he took the fall for them.  That may very well be true but he was still drunk and fell out a window and then he proceeded to tell teams that his teammate and potential #1 overall pick Laremy Tunsil was there at the time.  He may think this makes him look better but teams don’t like it when you publically throw your teammate under the bus.  Someone is going to take him in the first round but there are better DT prospects that don’t have his issues.

Mackensie Alexander   CB   Clemson

Alexander does not lack for confidence and that is a very good trait for a CB.  Unfortunately he’s a bit on the small side, he’s a bit young and he never had an interception in three years at Clemson.  Yep you read that right.  I get that he was very good and teams avoided him but that stat makes me wonder how he was never in a position to pick off a pass.  Jalen Ramsey and Vernon Hargreaves are clearly ahead of Alexander but I like William Jackson and Eli Apple better and I would pass on Alexander early and grab Kendall Fuller a round later.

Noah Spence   DE/OLB   Eastern Kentucky

This is another one of those character risk guys.  Spence was 5 star recruit that originally went to Ohio St. but was eventually kicked off the team by Urban Meyer for failing multiple drug tests and you have to ask yourself, “How many drug tests do you have to fail to get Urban Meyer to kick you off his team?”  Spence went to Eastern Kentucky and apparently cleaned up his act and is on the first round radar.  He was starting to climb draft boards after a good Senior Bowl week and everyone expected him to go to the combine and be a beast.  He wasn’t.  He wasn’t bad and he showed scouts that he could probably play DE or OLB in a 3-4 but he just wasn’t the athlete teams thought he would be.  He wasn’t nearly as fast or explosive as expected so he’s back down to the back third of the first round.  I would question if he has changed his life completely and with the recent problem of last year’s prospect with a drug issue Randy Gregory it would give me great pause to draft him early.

I’m a bit behind in my draft prep because the end of December was crazy and then I started classes for my Master’s degree at the beginning of January.  I’ve seen plenty of film on many of the top prospects but I’m a little behind in evaluating some of the lesser known guys.  Let’s just say my prospect knowledge isn’t as deep at this point as it usually is leading up to the Super Bowl.  The Senior Bowl was quite helpful and things have finally started to settle down so I’m taking a shot at my first mock draft of the year.  It’s an interesting year with no clear cut top player and especially with no clear cut top QB.  The defensive line is quite stacked but only DE Joey Bosa from Ohio St. truly stands out.  The best player in the draft might be Jalen Ramsey from Florida St. but it’s still a little unclear if he’s a CB or a safety.  LT Laremy Tunsil of Ole Miss is a beast and might be the safest prospect on the board but he missed the first 7 games of the year because of some eligibility issues due to extra benefits.  It’s going to be an interesting draft season so here we go.

1. Tennessee Titans (3-13): Laremy Tunsil   OT   Mississippi

It’s hard to call a team that went 3-13 and then made the least inspiring head coaching hire possible (Mike Mularky, really?) lucky but when it comes to this draft they are.  The Titans are a rare team picking first overall that doesn’t need a QB and that’s lucky because there isn’t one worthy of the top spot.  They got their QB last year in Marcus Mariota and while he struggled at times he was the least of their problems.  Mariota showed plenty of promise and now it’s time to protect their investment.  Taylor Lewan played LT last season but he would be better on the right side and grabbing Tunsil would make that possible.  Laremy Tunsil is a fantastic LT prospect and arguably the safest bet in this draft.  He has All-Pro potential and his worst case scenario is being a solid NFL starter.  It’s not a flashy pick and the Titans could certainly go another way, DE Joey Bosa and DB Jalen Ramsey would be immediate starters too, but Tunsil is an investment in the future health and safety of your franchise player.

2. Cleveland Browns (3-13): Carson Wentz   QB   North Dakota St.

No I haven’t lost my mind I really have the QB from North Dakota St. going #2 overall in this mock draft.  The Browns are a disaster and they have to cut bait with Johnny Manziel because he’s a head case.  They are a complete train wreck especially at QB and new head coach Hue Jackson knows he has to find a solution.  Wentz is the hot name at QB right now after a very good Senior Bowl week showed that he can play with the big boys.  North Dakota St. might be a FCS team but they are the best FCS team and they have won 5 consecutive FCS Championships.  Wentz, along with Cal’s Jared Goff and Memphis’ Paxton Lynch are the possible top QBs in this draft and right now Wentz has the momentum.  The Browns may have to go with a stopgap like Josh McCown again this season but the truth is even an untested rookie like Wentz could be a far better QB than they have had in a long while if Hue Jackson can work some magic.

3. San Diego Chargers (4-12): Joey Bosa   DE   Ohio St.

I went back and forth between Bosa and Jalen Ramsey on this pick and the Chargers can’t go wrong either way.  Ramsey could slot in at CB opposite Jason Verrett or as a replacement at safety for Eric Weddle but the Chargers secondary would be much improved if the front seven had someone to help OLB Melvin Ingram get pressure.  Bosa fits a 4-3 defense better than a 3-4 like the Chargers run but he could also be the Chargers version of JJ Watt and who would complain about that.  San Diego’s defensive line isn’t lighting the world on fire and if they could line up Bosa and Ingram on one side it would make life very difficult for opposing offenses.  Bosa is a special talent and an athletic freak that I don’t think the Chargers can pass on even for a guy like Ramsey.  The Chargers are in a great position at #3 overall no matter what because whether it’s Bosa, Ramsey or if Tunsil falls to this spot they are in a position to draft and immediate starter at a premium position.

4. Dallas Cowboys (4-12): Laquon Treadwell   WR   Mississippi

The bad news was that the Cowboys lost Tony Romo to a broken collar bone twice this season (the second time was for good) and wouldn’t you know it but neither Brandon Weeden, Matt Cassel or Kellen Moore proved to be an adequate replacement. The good news is that their horrible record got them the fourth overall pick in the draft.  Everyone is talking about how the Cowboys need to draft a QB of the future but unfortunately spending the #4 pick on a QB like Jared Goff or Paxton Lynch, or Carson Wentz if he’s still available, doesn’t help the Cowboys win while they still have Romo.  Lost in the Romo injury was the Dez Bryant injury that happened before it that kept Bryant out about half the year.  Terrence Williams was supposed to step into the #1 WR role but it became quite obvious he’s better as a #2 guy.  Treadwell is a lot like Dez Bryant on the field, good speed, great body control and uses his physicality better than most WRs.  Combining Bryant and Treadwell would give Romo a very nice pair of WRs and Treadwell will make a nice #1 WR for whomever the Cowboys find to be Romo’s eventually replacement.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11): Jalen Ramsey   DB   Florida St.

The Jaguars offense finally started to look like a real NFL offense this last season and with QB Blake Bortles, WRs Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, RB TJ Yeldon and a much improved offensive line it is time for the Jags to fix their defense.  They will essentially be adding two major pieces to the defense if they grab Ramsey here because last year’s first round pick Dante Fowler didn’t play a snap last season after going on IR before the season even started.  Fowler can be the pass rusher they need while Ramsey can upgrade the secondary at whichever position they play him at.  Ramsey has been a stud in the Seminoles defensive backfield since he was a freshman.  He started out as a safety, he has played slot corner and this last season he excelled as a full time CB.  He is better than every player in the Jags secondary and having him back there would give Fowler just a little bit more time to get to the QB.  The Jaguars have been very patient with Gus Bradley but it is time for him to fix this team’s defense and if he does they may make some noise this year because the offense certainly looks on track.

6. Baltimore Ravens (5-11): DeForest Buckner   DE   Oregon

The Ravens suffered through a number of injuries throughout the year and ended the season without QB Joe Flacco, WR Steve Smith, RB Justin Forsett and LT Eugene Monroe (to name a few).  RB Javorius Allen and WR Kamar Aiken stepped up and played well giving the Ravens some hope that their offense will be productive with the return of Flacco, Smith, Forsett and Monroe.  The defense lost OLB Terrell Suggs and their pass rush suffered because of it.  Suggs isn’t getting any younger and his return is questionable.  Elvis Dumervil isn’t a spring chicken either and it is time the Ravens look for some help getting to the QB.  There really isn’t a pass rushing LB worthy of this spot but luckily DeForest Buckner is the type of big, physical DE that can play the five-technique (he’s 6’7 290 lbs.) and while pass rushing isn’t his greatest skill he would bring more pressure than the Ravens current crop of DEs.  There is one other potential pick here and the only reason I’m not going with it is because it seems a bit high at #6.  Alabama ILB Reggie Ragland is just the type of player GM Ozzie Newsome loves (he did draft CJ Mosley just a couple of years ago).  Ragland isn’t the type of athlete Mosley is but he would be a fantastic fit inside next to Mosley and the current starter there is soon-to-be 34-year-old Daryl Smith.  Smith has been excellent the last 3 years for the Ravens but father time is going to catch up sooner or later.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Ravens either trade down to grab Ragland or if his stock continues to rise just take him here at #6.

7. San Francisco 49ers (5-11): Ronnie Stanley   OT   Notre Dame

This pick could be completely dependent on who is calling the shots in San Francisco.  GM Trent Baalke is still in charge but new head coach Chip Kelly is no stranger to usurping someone else’s authority.  The 49ers were bad this past year and it wasn’t all Jim Tomsula’s fault.  The offensive line is a good place to start the rebuild.  RT Anthony Davis was one of the 49ers’ early retirements before last year and they never adequately replaced him.  Davis may return but even if he does LT Joe Staley isn’t getting any younger.  Staley (not to be confused with Stanley) is 31 and has 9 years in the league and he may not be around long enough to see this team turn around.  Stanley is still a bit raw in his technique but he would be a huge upgrade at RT for now if Davis doesn’t return and he would be a solid eventual replacement for Staley.  This could all be moot if Chip Kelly decides he likes one of the QBs (Paxton Lynch perhaps?) and wants to start from scratch at that position.

8. Miami Dolphins (6-10): Myles Jack   OLB   UCLA

It is up to new head coach Adam Gase to work his magic on the Dolphins’ offense.  The line could use some help but they aren’t a huge problem and Gase’s work needs to be concentrated on getting Ryan Tannehill to be the franchise QB this team has needed since Dan Marino retired (that was a long time ago by the way).  RB Lamar Miller, WRs DeVante Parker, Jarvis Landry, Rishard Matthews and Kenny Stills and TE Jordan Cameron should give Gase and Tannehill plenty of playmakers on offense.  This team needs an infusion of talent on defense especially in the back seven.  A pass rusher to replace Cameron Wake would be nice eventually and the CB spot needs help but LB has been a problem for a while and Myles Jack is too good of player to pass up.  Jack is coming off a season lost to a knee injury but the injury occurred in September so his rehab should allow him to be ready early next season.  He’s the type of athletic playmaker this defense needs and while a CB like Vernon Hargreaves would be a welcome addition Jack is the superior prospect.  If Gase can get the offense going then the defense just has to be marginally better for this team to be in the playoff hunt.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-10):  Vernon Hargreaves III   CB   Florida

It’s rare that a team that started a rookie QB and won six games would fire their head coach but Lovie Smith is out and his offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter is in.  Obviously the franchise feels good about the direction of the offense under Koetter and QB Jameis Winston and they should.  WR Mike Evans and TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins give Winston some nice weapons and they need to re-sign RB Doug Martin who had a nice rebound year under Koetter.  The defense is where the problems exist and while they could use help on all three levels the secondary needs many reinforcements.  Hargreaves lacks the ideal measurables teams want in a CB but he’s one the best cover guys you’ll see.  He’s a fighter and he’s been starting at Florida since his freshman year so he has plenty of experience.  He immediately upgrades one side of the defense and he brings an attitude and swagger this defense needs.

10. New York Giants (6-10):  A’Shawn Robinson   DT   Alabama

When in doubt give the Giants a defensive lineman.  Other than QB and WR the Giants could use help pretty much everywhere so I’ll go with their most likely position in the draft.  They are aging at DT with Cullen Jenkins and Barry Cofield figuring prominently in their depth chart and Robinson would be a great addition next to Jonathan Hankins who is coming off an injury.  Robinson doesn’t rush the passer like a lot of the Giants previous DL draftees but he’s a force against the run and they could use that.  He’s not flashy but that fits with Giants profile.  There is a major wildcard in this draft at DE named Noah Spence out of Eastern Kentucky.  He was kicked off of Ohio St.’s team for multiple failed drug tests but he transferred to Eastern Kentucky and re-established his draft stock.  He had a good week at the Senior Bowl and this is the spot in the draft where he becomes a viable option.  I don’t think the Giants will take this big of a risk here but he’s in the discussion.

11. Chicago Bears (6-10):  Jaylon Smith   OLB   Notre Dame

The Bears offense found a little success last season under Adam Gase and now they will try to continue that without him.  They promoted QB coach Dowell Loggins to offensive coordinator to try to keep some continuity for Jay Cutler and the offense.  The defense wasn’t great and they need impact players wherever they can find them.  Smith is dealing with a knee injury that might keep him out of the beginning of the season and it may limit his effectiveness during his rookie year but he’s too good to pass up.  He can play in virtually any alignment and will make plays no matter where he lines up.  He could make a very nice bookend OLB to Pernell McPhee and give the Bears the playmaker they need on defense.

12. New Orleans Saints (7-9):  Mackensie Alexander   CB   Clemson

The Saints defense reverted to being terrible again and it cost defensive coordinator Rob Ryan his job during the season.  They have been trying to find answers at CB for quite some time and last year’s free agent pickup Brandon Browner didn’t work out so well.  Alexander is young and still developing but he has a very high ceiling.  He can come in and play right away but there will be some growing pains.  He’s not the biggest guy but he can handle himself.  My only reservation about Alexander is drafting a CB that started for two years as a CB and never recorded an interception.  In 2015 teams avoided throwing his way but in 2014 he was a redshirt freshman starter and he should have had some opportunities.  It does make you wonder if he can be the kind of playmaker you want at CB.

13. Philadelphia Eagles (7-9):  Jared Goff   QB   California

Chip Kelly is out, Doug Pederson is in and Howie Roseman is back in charge of the draft.  The Sam Bradford experiment might continue but something tells me the team is ready to move on from one of Chip Kelly’s failed ventures.  Goff has some physical maturing to do but he’s a heady QB with a strong arm and he can run Pederson’s offense without a problem.  This team needs to find a way to use the talent of DeMarco Murray at RB and take advantage of some of the other playmakers on offense like WRs Jordan Matthews and Nelson Agholor and TE Zach Ertz.  Pederson spent the last few years running Kansas City’s offense with Alex Smith at QB so he knows how to get the best out of a QB.

14. Oakland Raiders (7-9): Taylor Decker   OT   Ohio St.

The Raiders are beginning to have a bit of success largely due to some very good luck in the draft.  They found a star defensive player to build around in Khalil Mack and they finally found a legitimate QB in Derek Carr.  Drafting WR Amari Cooper and signing free agent WR Michael Crabtree went a long way in Carr’s development now it’s time to protect him.  Donald Penn and J’Marcus Webb were the starters at OT last season and while they did okay the position can be upgraded.  Decker isn’t in Tunsil’s class and he’s slightly below Ronnie Stanley but he’s an upgrade at either right or left tackle for the Raiders.  Decker doesn’t wow you with his skills but he’s a solid athlete with a mean streak and he would not only protect Carr but help improve the running game.

15. Los Angeles Rams (7-9): Paxton Lynch   QB   Memphis

I’m not advocating for this pick because I think Lynch has a long way to go to be a viable starting QB in the NFL and the Rams don’t have that kind of time, more specifically Jeff Fisher doesn’t have that kind of time.  Lynch is a big (6’6 230 lbs.), athletic QB but his delivery needs work and so do his reads.  Unfortunately, the Rams are desperate since Nick Foles didn’t do much and Case Keenum isn’t the answer either.  The team is moving to LA, I apologize if I ever refer to them as St. Louis, and they may be looking to make a splash with a new shiny QB.  If they do take Lynch something tells me they will be introducing their new QB again when they move into their new stadium in about 3 years, that’s about how long they will need to realize Lynch isn’t the answer.  There is one way this might work and that is if the rumors are true and Rams can convince Peyton Manning to be their QB next year which would buy them a year to work on Lynch’s development before they throw him into the fire.  Learning for a year under Manning might be the only way Lynch gets to where he needs to be to be an NFL starter.

16. Detroit Lions (7-9): Jack Conklin   OT   Michigan St.

The loss of Calvin Johnson to retirement, assuming he really goes through with it, is going to lead to many mock drafts giving the Lions a WR in the first round especially right now since it just happened.  Unless Laquon Treadwell falls all the way to this spot, and that’s not happening, the Lions can wait to grab a WR later.  There are some good WRs but no one that is worth this spot.  Conklin would solve the Lions’ issues at RT and that is probably his best position.  He is athletically limited but he brings his lunch pail to work every day and would be a rock on the right side.  The Lions need to give Matthew Stafford every chance to succeed because they have invested so much in him and protecting him better and improving the run game would be a great start and Conklin would accomplish both those objectives.  The Lions started last year horribly and it led to a lot of staff changes but they finished strong and they need to build on that success.

17. Atlanta Falcons (8-8): Reggie Ragland   LB   Alabama

The good news for Atlanta was they started the year 5-0, Julio Jones stayed healthy and was dominant and Devonta Freeman emerged as a top-notch RB.  The bad news was they finished the year 3-8, their defense wasn’t very good and the offensive line struggled down the stretch.  This team needs a leader and an enforcer on defense and that is exactly what Ragland will be.  He can man the MLB spot and he can change the dynamic of the defense.  The Falcons could look for Roddy White’s replacement opposite Julio Jones with a guy like Corey Coleman or Josh Doctson but Dan Quinn knows he needs to improve the defense and Ragland is a step in the right direction.

18. Indianapolis Colts (8-8): Jason Spriggs   OT   Indiana

The Colts had a dismal year and much of it can be attributed to Andrew Luck not being healthy.  The team is about to hand Luck a $100 million extension and they would be wise to protect their investment.  Spriggs isn’t a name you hear a lot when it comes to the first round but he was impressive at the Senior Bowl and he looks the part of a starting offensive tackle in the NFL.  Indiana was a pass heavy team and Spriggs played LT in college so his pass protection is very advanced and that is what the Colts need.  He would likely move over to RT since they have Anthony Costanzo at LT but he could eventually be a LT.  He needs to work on his run blocking but that will come in time and keeping Luck upright is the primary concern.

19. Buffalo Bills (8-8): Noah Spence   OLB/DE   Eastern Kentucky

DE Mario Williams has played 10 years in the NFL and even if he wasn’t getting along in years this was still likely his last go around in Buffalo.  Rex Ryan needs a pass rusher and he’s never been shy about taking a guy who’s a character risk.  Spence got kicked off the Ohio St. team for failed drug tests (yes, plural) and I don’t even want to think about what it takes to get Urban Meyer to kick a guy off his team.  He transferred to Eastern Kentucky and seems to have turned his life around.  If the character concerns are alleviated by interviews and background checks Spence may go higher than this because he’s arguably the best pure pass rusher in this draft.  Ryan won’t let character concerns trump this kid’s talent so I see this spot as Spence’s low end.

20. New York Jets (10-6): Leonard Floyd   OLB   Georgia

The Jets still need a QB of the future but Ryan Fitzpatrick played very well for them this last year and I’m guessing they bring him back so unless they absolutely love Connor Cook they aren’t taking a 1^st round QB at this point.  What they do need is a replacement for Calvin Pace at OLB because contrary to popular belief he can’t play forever.  Floyd is still a bit raw but he took major strides this year to become a better overall LB and he isn’t just a pass rusher anymore.  That said his ability to bend the edge and his explosive first step are impressive.  Floyd is long and lean and looks like you could snap him in half but on the Jets team featuring a fantastic defensive line he would be well protected and allowed to flourish.  As a Patriots fan I really hope they don’t get him.

21. Washington Redskins (9-7): Shaq Lawson   DE   Clemson

The Redskins seem to have found an answer at QB with Kirk Cousins and now it’s time to build a team that can help him win.  A better defense would help and while rookie Preston Smith improved the pass rush the team can’t leave it all up to Smith and Ryan Kerrigan to get all the pressure.  Lawson had a great year and while he doesn’t look like an ideal fit in the Redskins base 3-4 defense they vary things enough to get Kerrigan, Smith and Lawson on the field in passing situations to create havoc.  Lawson isn’t a one trick pony as he is very effective against the run too.  He plays with violent hands and he would be a very solid addition to the Redskins defense.

22. Houston Texans (9-7): Ezekiel Elliott   RB   Ohio St.

Conventional wisdom says the Texans should grab a QB as soon as possible especially after Brian Hoyer’s poor performance in the playoffs.  If Bill O’Brien thinks that Connor Cook can be his guy than I think he should take him but I don’t think he does.  Connor Cook as a rookie is not going to be a whole lot better than Brian Hoyer was last season.  Also consider that Hoyer wasn’t the biggest problem with the Texans offense last year it was the loss of Arian Foster and the inconsistent running game.  Foster isn’t going to be brought back so it’s time to get a new bell cow and that’s Ezekiel Elliott.  Elliott took some guff for speaking out last season about how the Buckeyes needed to get him the ball more and while taking those concerns public wasn’t advisable he wasn’t wrong.  He is an exceptional RB that a team like the Texans can rely on and he would take a lot of pressure off of Brian Hoyer (or Christian Hackenberg after O’Brien drafts Hackenberg in the second round).

23. Minnesota Vikings (11-5): Darron Lee   OLB   Ohio St.

The Vikings were a surprising 11-5 and won their division over the Packers, it was surprising because this was sooner than they expected to be this good.  OLB Chad Greenway has been a mainstay for years but his contract is up and virtually everyone expects Greenway to ride off into the sunset.  Former UCLA LBs Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks have taken over the other two spots but there is no obvious replacement on the roster for Greenway and Lee is the type of athletic player that would slide right in.  Lee is a versatile athletic LB who would be an excellent fit with Barr and Kendricks and give the Vikings a talented trio for the foreseeable future.

24. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4): Tyler Boyd   WR   Pittsburgh

The good news is that Andy Dalton did not have another failure in a playoff game, the bad news is the Bengals still lost in the first round when Dalton missed the game with a broken thumb.  Dalton had a fantastic year until he broke that thumb and the Bengals need to be sure he doesn’t regress.  The offense returns almost everyone except for all the WRs behind AJ Green.  They have 4 WR free agents and they can’t bring them all back.  Boyd spent 3 years at Pitt breaking all of Larry Fitzgerald’s records (yes, that Larry Fitzgerald).  He isn’t getting the hype of Corey Coleman or Josh Doctson but those two come from spread offenses that put up crazy stats.  Boyd has a thin frame, as do both Coleman and Doctson, and while he may not be a fast he’s a better technician than either of them.  Boyd is a naturally smooth athlete who will be a better complement to Green and whichever of the free agent WRs the Bengals re-sign.

25. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6): Eli Apple   CB   Ohio St.

I’ve been beating the “Steelers need to draft a CB” drum for what seems like forever now maybe this is the year they take my advice.  If they get healthy along the offensive line and get LeVeon Bell back the offense should be fine but the defense still needs help.  Apple is a third-year sophomore that left the Buckeyes early and while he’s still young and a bit raw he has size and is the type of physical corner the Steelers need.  Apple would bring talent and youth to a position that desperately needs it.  The Steelers may look to go with the safety position to upgrade their secondary and if they do Darian Thompson of Boise St. would be a solid bet.

26. Seattle Seahawks (10-6): Cody Whitehair   OL   Kansas St.

The Seahawks won 10 games but their offensive line was less than stellar all year long and if they expect Thomas Rawls to replace Marshawn Lynch full-time next season it would be easier if he had some blocking.  Whitehair gives the Seahawks some options because while his best position is likely inside at OG he could play RT for them if they need him or they could try him out at C.  He played all over the line at K-State starting his career at guard, moving to right tackle and eventually playing LT the last two seasons.  He would be a huge upgrade for them at center, right guard or right tackle and would allow them to draft the best offensive lineman in a later round regardless of position.

27. Green Bay Packers (10-6): Jarran Reed   DT   Alabama

The Packers need depth on the offensive line and they still need help at LB but Reed is too good to pass up. They have Mike Daniels and Datone Jones lining up at DE in their base 3-4 defense but BJ Raji may not return and Reed has the versatility and skillset to play between Daniels and Jones or in place of them.  He was routinely overshadowed in the media by his more ballyhooed teammate A’Shawn Robinson but Reed was just as good.  Reed, Robinson and Jonathan Allen (who surprising returned to Alabama) formed the devastating front line of the Crimson Tide’s National Championship team.  DTs who do their job don’t always get a lot of press clippings but the teams know their value and the Packers would be crazy to pass up this kind of talent if Reed is available this late in the first round.

28. Kansas City Chiefs (11-5): Shon Coleman   OT   Auburn

If Coleman makes the first round it will be the best story of the draft.  Coleman’s college career started late because he was diagnosed with cancer before he ever got started and he spent two years fighting the cancer and eventually beat it.  He started his football career after that and it took him a couple of years to get back into football playing shape but he never gave up and finally took over as the stating LT for Auburn after Greg Robinson was drafted two years ago.  He will be 25 when the NFL season starts and he is mature beyond his years but he’s still a bit raw as a player.  The Chiefs won’t mind because they desperately need help on the offensive line and they know a thing or two about guys coming back from cancer.  Shon Coleman and Eric Berry could have some very inspirational conversations.

29. Arizona Cardinals (13-3): Jonathan Bullard   DE   Florida

The Cardinals had a very good year and they kept Carson Palmer healthy which kept their offense running at a high level.  The defense played well be they are getting old on the edges of their front seven at DE and OLB.  If you don’t believe me just consider that at the end of the year they were starting Dwight Freeney at OLB, and no it’s not the son of the guy that played for the Colts it’s the same Dwight Freeney.  Jonathan Bullard is a versatile defender that has the size and skill to line up at DE in the 3-4 and play well against the run or pressure the pocket.  He isn’t a speed rusher but he gives the defense a presence that just isn’t coming from the likes of Frostee Rucker or Ed Stinson.

30.  Carolina Panthers (15-1): Darian Thompson   S   Boise St.

For a team that went 15-1 and made it to the Super Bowl the Panthers have plenty of holes to fill. The Super Bowl proved they need help at OT, they need some depth at DE, their WR corps is still lacking no matter what they try to tell you and even though Josh Norman was outstanding at CB this year their secondary could be improved.  Darian Thompson is fantastic safety prospect out of Boise St. and he’s a legitimate 1^st round prospect who could go higher than this for sure.  Safety isn’t a deep position in this draft so his value is even a bit higher because of that.  Thompson offers the best value for this spot as the Panthers would be getting the top safety in the class instead of the 5^th or 6^th best DE or OT.  WR is a distinct possibility but I’m not a big believer in Corey Coleman, Josh Doctson or Michael Thomas being instant impact players.

31.   Denver Broncos (12-4): Emmanuel Ogbah   DE   Oklahoma St.

The Super Bowl was likely Peyton Manning’s last game and almost certainly his last game as a Bronco.  Luckily for the Broncos they have Brock Osweiler around so they don’t need to grab a QB at this point.  It also could be the last hurrah for Demarcus Ware and while they might like last year’s rookie Shane Ray you can never have too many pass rushers.  Ogbah isn’t a perfect fit in Denver’s 3-4 defense but something tells me DC Wade Phillips would find a way to use him.  Replacing aging veteran TEs Owen Daniels and Vernon Davis should be high on the Broncos priority list but that isn’t going to happen early in this draft because TE is the weakest position this year.

 

There will only be 31 picks in the first round this year because the Patriots were docked their first rounder last year because of the deflated football b*llsh*t…err… incident and Robert Kraft’s boneheaded move to agree to the sanctions leveled by Roger Goodell.  Kraft never should have agreed and he should have taken Goodell and the NFL to court but I guess this was just his way of leveling the playing field so other teams still have a chance.  At least Bill Belichick can’t blow a first round pick on a bad CB or some dude out of Rutgers he’ll have to wait until the second round to do that this year.

 

I’ve been saying for weeks that the rankings don’t matter because everything will work itself out eventually and this past Thanksgiving weekend went a long way towards proving me right.  I’m going to advise all Hawkeye fans to ignore the College Football Playoff Committee rankings this week because they are completely pointless.  It’s possible Michigan St. jumps Iowa for the 4th spot in the rankings because of their dismantling of the completely overrated Nittany Lions.  People are overrating how good Penn St. is and by people I mean media people…okay I mostly mean ESPN.  Penn St. is not very good and Michigan St. destroyed them (seriously Penn St.’s best win of the year was over San Diego St.).  I get it, Michigan St. looked good but to paraphrase Kirk Ferentz this is football not gymnastics, there are no style points.  On Saturday everything goes out the window and the two teams will settle it on the field.

The CFP Committee might as well not even meet this week because the teams are almost decided.  Of course then what would ESPN do for that hour on Tuesday night they spend bashing Iowa and praising Alabama who, by the way, lost a game earlier this year.  Clemson has to play North Carolina in the ACC Championship but the truth is unless they get blown out by the Tar Heels they are in even if they lose.  Alabama only has to beat a Florida team that looks pretty bad at the moment.  Oklahoma is in after they beat Oklahoma St. for the Big 12 title and Notre Dame lost to Stanford.  The final spot goes to the Iowa-Michigan St. winner and Big Ten Champion.  If Clemson gets blown out and Alabama loses to Florida than it’s possible Ohio St. could slip into he playoff picture or potentially Iowa even if they lose the Big Ten Title game.  In other words it’s going to be Clemson, Alabama, Oklahoma and Iowa.

Coaching Carousel Hott Reads

• Georgia fired Mark Richt after 15 years as their head coach.  They were nice enough to offer him a chance to take a position in the athletic administration at Georgia but at 55 he still wants to coach.  If the Miami Hurricanes aren’t sprinting to Georgia (or better yet flying really fast in a private jet) to offer their head coaching job to Richt they are idiots.  Richt is known as a very good guy coaching in the cesspool that is the SEC and he still winning quite a bit.  The Bulldogs went 9-3 this season, yep 9-3 and he got fired.  Be careful what you wish for Bulldog fans look at Tennessee and Nebraska.  The latest rumor is Richt is coveted by Maryland, that should scare the crap out of everyone in the Big Ten East because Maryland could actually live up to it’s potential with a coach like Richt.
• Supposedly the top choice to replace Richt is Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart.  It looks smart to get Nick Saban’s right-hand man and Smart is a Georgia alum so the fan base should be happy but Georgia defense isn’t the problem so they better hope Smart can find a brilliant offensive coordinator to fix that side of the ball.
• The dumpster fire that is Rutgers athletics is in full inferno mode right now.  The University finally fired head coach Kyle Flood after letting him come back from his 3 game suspension for rules violations earlier this year.  The also fired AD Julie Hermann because of the disaster she has been the last few years after she was hired to come in a clean up an athletic department that was in disarray.  She couldn’t pull that off because of her own problems and Rutgers decided not to compound their coaching problem by having their athletic director problem lead the search.  They have hired Patrick Hobbs, who was the dean emeritus at Seton Hall University School of Law, as their new AD.  I have no idea who he is but simply by the law of averages he has to be better than their last two ADs.
• Ultra hot coaching candidate Justin Fuente has left Memphis to take over Virginia Tech following Frank Beamer’s retirement.  Fuente’s name was on everyone’s list and he took a pretty good job.  He also did a very smart thing and kept Beamer’s long-time defensive coordinator Bud Foster and it’s very likely Fuente will stock the rest of the staff with young aggressive recruiters.  Virginia Tech’s recruiting has fallen off a bit in the last few years but if they can get some talent for Fuente to use on offense and Foster to use on defense they could get Tech back on track very quickly.
• ISU’s Jaime Pollard proved me wrong by being extremely aggressive in his coaching search and finding his guy very quickly.  Toledo’s Matt Campbell just turned 36 so he’s very young but unlike Dan McCarney, Gene Chizik and Paul Rhoads before him Campbell actually has head coaching experience.  He has been Toledo’s head man for 4 years.  The good news for the Cyclones is that Campbell is young and hungry, he’s an excellent coach and has the youth and exuberance to be a tireless recruiter (an absolute must in Ames).  The bad news is if Campbell can get Iowa St to 7 or 8 wins in year 2 or 3 he’ll be out the door to the next big opportunity before he’s 40.  We’ll call this the Chizik plan.  There seems to be some consternation among Cyclones fans that Campbell is bringing in many of his Toledo staff and recruiting guys he was recruiting to come to Toledo.  In case you hadn’t noticed Toledo was very good and ranked in the Top 25 for most of the year.  Maybe if Paul Rhoads had had some of those Toledo guys on his team he might still have the job.
• The Fighting Illini of Illinois decided that hiring an outside coach while you’re athletic department is in complete upheaval isn’t the best idea so they gave Bill Cubit a two year contract to hold down the fort and see if he can give them a reason to give him a real contract.  This is a stop-gap measure much like the one Minnesota gave Jerry Kill’s replacement Tracy Claeys to coach the Gophers.  Cubit is a good man that stepped into an almost impossible situation and held his own.  He has head coaching experience so he’s not going to be overwhelmed by the job.  The toughest part about a short term contract for Cubit or Claeys is the fact that it will be used against them in recruiting.  There is a very valid reason why coaches usually get a minimum of a four year contract because that way they can tell kids they are going to be their coach for their entire career…even though we all know it’s untrue.
• Speaking of Claeys he made some moves with the holdover staff members by firing offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover and quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski.  It was a stunning move considering how long all of them had worked together under Kill but apparently Claeys thinks he can do better.  I’m not sure about Zebrowski’s prospects but someone should snatch up Limegrover quickly, he’s an excellent offensive mind.  Like I said Claeys must think he can do better but at offensive coordinator he’s going to have a tough time upgrading.
• Mike London got fired at Virginia which was basically like the sun rising in the east, very predictable.  London did horribly and it was time to go.
• Penn St. head coach James Franklin fired his offensive coordinator John Donovan but throwing him under the bus isn’t going to take the pressure off of Franklin.  QB Christian Hackenberg looked excellent his freshman year under former coach Bill O’Brien and he has done nothing but regress under Franklin.  Penn St. expects more and if Franklin gets Hackenberg to return for his senior year and they don’t get better it could get ugly next season in Happy Valley.
• Purdue fired offensive coordinator John Shoop, defensive coordinator Greg Hudson and defensive line coach Rubin Carter but for some inexplicable reason is keeping head coach Darrell Hazell.  This is basically trying to replace the deck chairs on a sinking ship except you have to find chairs that are willing to get on a ship that’s sinking.  How is Hazell supposed to hire new assistants when those assistants will know full well that Hazell’s seat is molten hot.  It means he’s probably only going to get coaches no one else wants.
• USC went big game hunting for a new head coach and struck out, don’t believe the “we knew we had the right man here all along” BS line they are feeding everyone.  They wanted a big name but when it became apparent that Chip Kelly wasn’t coming, Bob Stoops had resurrected his legacy at Oklahoma and no other big name was dying for the Trojans job they went with Clay Helton.  I know the fans and media attention have been pretty negative about Helton getting the job but the last time the fans and media were this upset over the coaching hire at USC was when they hired a failed NFL coach named Pete Carroll.
• South Carolina is in a strange position at the moment.  Initially one of the big names attached to the job was Memphis’ Justin Fuente but he has taken the Virginia Tech job.  Kirby Smart was a possibility but now that the Georgia job is his if he wants it it would be a major upset if he took the South Carolina job.  Tom Herman looks like he is staying at Houston and isn’t interested in the Gamecocks position (we all know Herman is just waiting for the Iowa job when Kirk Ferentz retires, hey I can hope if I want to).  South Carolina is going to have to go back to the drawing board.
• Central Florida hired Oregon offensive coordinator Scott Frost as their head coach and that should make for a nice stepping stone for the former Nebraska QB.  Frost can spend a couple of seasons getting head coaching experience before he replaces Mike Riley in Lincoln.  Okay maybe just a year of experience if the Huskers go 5-7 again.
• Miami has interviewed Butch Davis, Mario Cristobal and Greg Schiano that we know of, I still say offer Richt the moon and hope he takes it.

Iowa dispatched Purdue by 20 points locking up their first division title since the Big Ten went to divisions (sorry, they never won a Legends title) and now they await their opponent.  Michigan St. upsetting the Buckeyes on a last second field goal changed the outlook of the East division.  Now if Michigan St. handles Penn St. this weekend it’s the Spartans heading to Indianapolis to take on the Hawkeyes but if Sparty loses the winner of the Ohio St.-Michigan matchup wins the East.  I had been saying all week that Iowa needed Ohio St. to stay unbeaten and meet up with the Hawkeyes in Indy in order for Iowa to earn a shot at the College Football Playoff by beating the Buckeyes.  That is no longer the case because of a few things that happened this weekend.  First Ohio St. and Oklahoma St. lost meaning Iowa and Clemson are the only Power 5 schools left undefeated (Houston was knocked from the ranks of the unbeaten also but that didn’t really change anything).  If Iowa beats Nebraska it no longer matters which team they play in the Big Ten Championship because there is no way the College Football Playoff Committee is leaving an undefeated Big Ten Champion out of the Top 4 if they are one of only two undefeated teams in the FBS (assuming Clemson stays unbeaten).  It’s conceivable the Committee could take one or even two 1-loss teams over the Hawkeyes but if they take three Jim Delaney will nuke the Committee.  The second thing that happened was Notre Dame’s awful showing against Boston College Saturday night at Fenway Park.  The Irish looked horrible turning the ball over 5 times and only escaped with a 3-point win because BC is terrible this year.  I think the Committee might downgrade the Irish this week in the rankings but even if they don’t if the Irish play this week against Stanford the way they played against BC it will be a moot point, you don’t survive against a good team turning the ball over that much.  Iowa moved ahead of Notre Dame in both the AP and Coaches’ Polls this week up to #3 and I think they might leapfrog the Irish in the eyes of the Committee too.  I haven’t tried to predict what the CFP Committee will do but I wouldn’t be surprised if the rankings this week are 1. Clemson 2. Alabama 3. Iowa 4. Oklahoma 5. Notre Dame and that would be a tenuous hold on #5 for the Irish as Baylor will be nipping at their heels.

Iowa is a legitimate contender and they have done an excellent job of being laser focused on the each individual week.  This week it is a Nebraska team that is hoping to play spoiler and earn bowl eligibility.  Those may be motivating factors for the Huskers but the Hawkeyes are looking at a possible undefeated season and shot at the Playoffs if they can beat Nebraska and win in Indy.  This game isn’t going to come down to motivation because both teams have something to play for meaning it’s going to come down to who is the better team and Iowa is clearly the better team this season.  The Hawkeyes have won some tough road games this year and they have won ugly at times but all that matters is that they have done nothing but win.

College Football Hott Reads

• The Iowa St. Cyclones have relieved Paul Rhoads of his duties at the end of the year.  I didn’t know if AD Jamie Pollard would pull the plug on Rhoads given the money he is owed on the contract Pollard gave him and the fact that there are a lot of job openings but I guess blowing a huge lead to KSU was the final straw.  Rhoads tried the old “fire the coordinator and blame everything on him” a few weeks ago but it wasn’t enough and now Pollard is on to another coaching search.  There are a boatload of jobs available that are better than the Iowa St. job (seriously I’m not going to list them all) so Pollard has his work cut out for him.  He has no shot at the hot young head coaches (Tom Herman, Justin Fuente, Matt Campbell or PJ Fleck) because there are too many good jobs and not enough young guns to fill them.  I’m not sure he’ll have much luck with hot coordinators either like TCU’s Doug Meachum, Baylor’s Kendal Briles or Oregon’s Scott Frost because as guys like Herman, Fuente, Campbell and Fleck move up those jobs open up for those coordinators.  His best bet is an older coach at a small school.  James Madison’s Everett Withers (52), Illinois St’s Brock Spack (53) or Georgia Southern’s Willie Fritz (55) could be had and all three are good coaches.  The only problem is these three have been around long enough to know how hard of a job Iowa St. really is.  I will be interested to see which direction Pollard goes and who he eventually ends up with.  If he calls and asked my advice (as all College AD’s and NFL GM’s should) I would tell him to target Southern Miss coach Todd Monken or Miami Dolphins Senior Offensive Assistant Ken O’Keefe (I’m joking about one of those names).  A couple of names that might not inspire a lot of confidence but are better coaches than they get credit for would be former Michigan coach Brady Hoke and LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, the Cyclones have done worse.  I do love the fact that some Cyclone fans are delusional enough to think they have a shot at Les Miles if he parts ways with LSU.
• Syracuse decided to throw their hat into the circus ring that is sure to be this off season’s coaching carousel when they fired Scott Shafer.  Shafer replaced his former boss Doug Marrone when he left to take the Buffalo Bills job a few years ago, yeah neither of those things worked out well.  Maybe Syracuse should call Marrone up again since he’s now the offensive line coach of the Jaguars.
• Supposedly LSU is getting tired of winning a lot with Les Miles as head coach and they want to try to win more with someone else.  I’m not sure what makes them think Nick Saban or Jimbo Fisher are actually going to take the job and leave their cushy positions at Alabama and Florida St. to take over the Tigers but they need to be careful what they wish for.  When they strike out on Saban and Fisher (who are sure to use the LSU job to get raises into the $10 million/year range) they are just as likely to end up with the next Gerry Dinardo as they are the next Saban.  Dinardo had a couple of good years (’96 &’97) in Baton Rogue but it was Saban and then Miles that made LSU an SEC power.

NFL Hott Reads

• Brock Osweiler replaced Peyton Manning in the starting lineup for the Broncos this week and he played well.  He threw for 250 yards and 2 TDs and didn’t have an interception so that was new for Denver’s offense.  Gary Kubiak already announced Osweiler will start next Sunday night against the Patriots as Manning still has a foot issue.  Let’s be real, Kubiak is moving on to QB that is a better fit to run the offense he wants to run.  Manning apparently wants to play next year even though it looks like a long shot that he’ll be back in Denver.  Manning may want to play another year but his age, his injury history and his performance are going to make it tough to get someone to want him as their QB.  Although he is tight with the Browns owner so maybe Manning can fill in as GM, head coach, offensive coordinator and starting QB.  He should host SNL again too.
• The NFL is down to 2 unbeaten teams, the Patriots which isn’t much of a surprise and the Carolina Panthers which kind of is.  Ron Rivera should be running away with Coach of the Year honors.  Cam Newton would be a shoo-in for MVP if this were a normal year but Tom Brady is running away with that award.