Leonard Floyd
I Was Right, I Was Wrong: 2016 NFL Draft Edition
Of all the articles and mock drafts I write, this article is my favorite. Many draft experts will give you their opinions of players, the talented ones as well as the potential busts. However, I believe that all draft experts should own up to the players they missed on. By the same token, if a draft pundit gets an analysis right on a player, they should be able to flaunt it a bit. It’s hard analyzing the draft prospects every year, even if you have a trained eye for attributes.
I’m not a fan of draft grades or draft redos because it doesn’t let the readers and viewers know how the draft expert did with their analysis. With that being said, here’s the early verdict on the players of the 2016 Draft Class, the good, the bad, and the ones who the jury is still out on. Spoiler alert, I had a tough year.
I WAS RIGHT
1) My Power 5 Players– My final player grades of 2016 had a clear cut top five: Jalen Ramsey, Joey Bosa, Ronnie Stanley, Ezekiel Elliott, and Laremy Tunsil. No other player was remotely close to these five. Every single one of these players shined in their rookie year.
Ramsey struggled out of the gate, but he was terrific during the second half of the season. Bosa got a bad rep around draft time for “not being an elite athlete.” I felt this was a blinded point of view. Football players translate, and Bosa is a football player through and through. He proved it all throughout the season. Stanley and Tunsil were standouts on the offensive line, as virtually everyone predicted, and Zeke Elliott was well worth that top 5 selection.
Many felt that these players would become big time pros, but hey, when you’re right, you’re right.
2) Sterling Shepard- Shepard is of my big hits when it comes to last year’s draft. In the months leading up to the draft, many felt Josh Doctson, Will Fuller, and Laquon Treadwell were the top players in the wide receiver class, with Corey Coleman not too far behind. While I agreed that the wide out class was deep, I thought Shepard was being overlooked.
Shepard’s impact on the Giants offense has been undeniable. He’s taken coverage away from Odell Beckham and Victor Cruz, and he’s quickly became one of Eli Manning’s favorite targets. Shepard is someone who should be an impact player in the NFL for a while.
3) Germain Ifedi- It always feels good when you predict a player to bust and you get it right. Ifedi, along with the rest of the Seahawks offensive line, has been absolute garbage this year. They won’t replace him just yet, but don’t expect Ifedi to get much better.
Bonus Pick: Sean Davis and Artie Burns- Get ready Steelers fans, these two are going to be fun to watch. Both players really improved during the second half of the season, especially Sean Davis. He was flying around the ball late in the year. It wouldn’t shock me if these two are Pro Bowlers one day.
I WAS WRONG
1) Christian Hackenburg- Hack headlines my blunders of the 2016 Draft. While I’m hopeful this will turn around, the project looks really bad right now. Hackenburg has failed to develop during practice. He looked so bad that he couldn’t earn a shot to start down the stretch over Bryce Petty. Now the Jets think he might be two years away from potentially starting. If the last statement is true, he might never get the opportunity to start in the NFL.
2) Jack Conklin- Here’s another absolute whiff on my part. I felt Conklin was overrated all throughout the draft process. Needless to say, I wasn’t close. Conklin has solidified the right side of the Titans offensive line, and was a big help in the development of Marcus Mariota. The Titans now have two bookend tackles for years to come.
3) Laquon Treadwell and Josh Doctson- Treadwell was someone who I thought could be a red zone terror in the NFL. Even when he ran a slow 40 time, I was still confident that he would be a quality receiver in the NFL. Long story short: nope.
Doctson was my top wide receiver from last year’s draft, and someone who I thought had superstar potential. He did tear his achilles in late may, and that could be why he struggled so much. One thing’s for certain, he looked terrible before being placed on injured reserve in October.
4) The Falcons Big Three- I personally felt the Falcons reached on Keanu Neal, and totally whiffed on Deion Jones and De’Vondre Campbell. Through 16 weeks, these three have proved me wrong.
Neal has been worth the selection, and one of the best defensive rookies this year. Deion Jones has been up and down, but even that is better than I thought he’d be. He has the athleticism to be a quality starter. Lastly, Campbell was one of the most underrated rookies during the second half of the season. He has been an impact player in coverage for the Falcons, and a key piece in Dan Quinn’s defense.
5) Jonathan Bullard and Leonard Floyd- Bullard was one of my underrated players of last year’s draft. I thought going to Chicago was a perfect fit for him. Bullard’s inconsistent effort level would prevent him from seeing the field, and now the Bears are back to square one in terms of their front line on defense.
Conversely, I thought Leonard Floyd was a bust waiting to happen. He had a limited move set, and I didn’t think pure speed would translate. However, Floyd proved to be an impact pass rusher, and could break out in 2017 if he’s healthy.
TO BE DETERMINED
1) Corey Coleman- Coleman was a first round wide receiver in my opinion, but his inconsistent play has many concerned. The emergence of Terrelle Pryor should have made the transition easier for Coleman, but injuries and inconsistent routes kept him from emerging. When he’s right, he’s proved to be a playmaking receiver. Time will tell whether he can develop into a number one wideout.
2) Eli Apple- Apple was dreadful during the first half of the year, as I predicted (I had a fourth round grade on him). Even though he looked lousy, the Giants stayed with him, and his play really improved during the second half of the year. I’m almost willing to chalk up Apple as a miss, but because of his inconsistency, the jury is still out on him.
3) Jared Goff- I was undecided on Goff, and when he went to Los Angeles I became concerned that he wouldn’t succeed because of the environment he was in. Jeff Fisher didn’t do him any favors by starting Case Keenum over him for most of the year, but Goff looked very bad when he took over. Plenty of rookie quarterbacks have struggled their first year and rebounded in year two, but I’m not sure Goff will be one of those players.
Jordan Katz- Media Mock Draft: Final Predictions
The NFL Draft is finally upon us. For many fans, this is the official start of the new season. Regardless of what your team did or did not do in free agency, the draft is where everyone has a chance to improve their team and set up success in the future.
For mock draft pundits, however, this is the culmination of the draft process. From the hours of scouting, to the evaluation of the combines and pro days, to deciphering which rumors have merit, and which ones have been facilitated to the media to create buzz, the NFL Draft is our chance to see where our predictions and evaluations stacked up.
In this year’s draft, there isn’t as much talent as in the last couple of years. There are significantly more question marks surrounding the top picks, and there might not be a true “can’t miss,” prospect in the draft.
In my opinion, that’s when the draft is the most fun. It becomes harder to find the true gems, harder to predict, and typically you see a lot of chaos in round one. We have already seen the top two picks in the draft get traded.
In this final “media mock draft,” I tried to get all the picks correctly. I based my selections on the rumors I’ve read, teams pre-draft workouts and visits, and team needs. I did not use my personal evaluations, this is strictly a predictions mock draft. There’s not as much analysis in this one, as my views on players and team needs have bee well documented. Let’s hope I get a few right.
ROUND ONE
1) Los Angeles Rams via Tennessee Titans- Jared Goff, QB California- Goff being more NFL ready than Carson Wentz will be the deciding factor.
2) Philadelphia Eagles via Cleveland Browns- Carson Wentz, QB North Dakota State– I think the Eagles decision to “redshirt,” Wentz will benefit him greatly.
3) San Diego Chargers- DeForest Buckner, DE Oregon- It’s hard to decipher which rumors are true and which are smoke screens at this stage in the draft. One thing is for sure though; the Chargers decision between Buckner, Laremy Tunsil and Jalen Ramsey will have a domino effect on the rest of the draft.
4) Dallas Cowboys- Jalen Ramsey, CB/S Florida State- If Ramsey is available, I believe he will be the pick. If he’s not, I think the Cowboys take ‘Zeke Eliiott.
5) Jacksonville Jaguars- Myles Jack, OLB UCLA- The Jaguars have loved Myles Jack throughout the process. If his knee checks out, he’ll be the pick.
6) Baltimore Ravens- Laremy Tunsil, OT Ole Miss- General Manager Ozzie Newsome takes what many feel is the best player in the draft.
7) Tennessee Titans via San Francisco 49ers- Ronnie Stanley, OT Notre Dame- I think the Niners are talking up the idea of them going offensive line to get Tennessee to trade up for the pick. The Titans trade back into the top ten for their right tackle; the Niners get extra draft picks.
8) Miami Dolphins via Cleveland Browns from Philadelphia Eagles via Miami Dolphins- Ezekiel Elliott, RB Ohio State- The rumors around the Dolphins are that they’d love to jump the Bears for Ezekiel Elliott. The Browns have so many options here, so they can slide down a few spots and pick up the player they want while adding a day two pick.
9) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Joey Bosa, DE Ohio State- I think Bosa could slide on draft day, and it wouldn’t shock me if the Bucs were given a gift at this pick.
10) New York Giants- Vernon Hargreaves, CB Florida- The Giants didn’t get good play out of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie last year. Based on their massive spending this offseason, he could be a cap cut next year. This means the Giants would need a replacement.
11) Chicago Bears- Leonard Floyd, EDGE Georgia- The Bears need a dominant pass rusher and many feel Floyd is that.
12) New Orleans Saints- Sheldon Rankins, DT Louisville- The Saints are enamored with Rankins, but they’ve also had internal discussions about Robert Nkemdiche. My guess is that one of the two will be the pick.
13) Cleveland Browns from Miami Dolphins via Philadelphia Eagles- Jack Conklin, OT Michigan State- The Browns slide down and still get the right tackle they want.
14) Oakland Raiders- Robert Nkemdiche, DT Ole Miss- I’ve read that we should expect Nkemdiche off the board somewhere in the top 20. Rumor has it that the Raiders are one of the teams connected with taking him.
15) San Francisco 49ers from Tennessee Titans via Los Angeles Rams- Paxton Lynch, QB Memphis- I think the Niners are still heavily interested in Paxton Lynch, and they can easily trade down and select him.
16) Indianapolis Colts via Detroit Lions- Ryan Kelly, C Alabama- The Lions are being linked to Ryan Kelly, a player whom the Colts desire. I think the Lions can finagle extra value out of this pick if they choose to.
17) Atlanta Falcons- Darron Lee, OLB Ohio State- I have a second round grade on Lee, but I think this is a very good scheme fit.
18) Detroit Lions via Indianapolis Colts- Taylor Decker, OT Ohio State- The Lions need a tackle to start next year and move to the left side once Riley Reiff departs.
19) Buffalo Bills- Jarran Reed, DE/DT Alabama- There are two edge rushers from Clemson on the board for Rex Ryan, but I hear the Bills like Jarran Reed. Don’t be surprised if this is Christian Hackenburg either.
20) New York Jets- Shaq Lawson, EDGE Clemson- The Jets ideal scenario is to go edge rusher at this pick. Lawson could fall on draft day, but that’s not a reflection on the player he is.
21) Washington Redskins- A’Shawn Robinson, NT Alabama- The Redskins need someone in the middle of the defense to replace Terrance Knighton.
22) Houston Texans- Corey Coleman, WR Baylor- The Texans are going to look to give Brock Osweiler a new weapon on draft day. Coleman’s speed and route running will make him an attractive player to Head Coach Bill O’Brien.
23) Minnesota Vikings- Josh Doctson, WR TCU- The Vikings cut Mike Wallace to make room for a wide receiver in this draft, and many think it will be Doctson.
24) Cincinnati Bengals- Will Fuller, WR Notre Dame- I think the Bengals will pass on Laquon Treadwell for a deep threat like Fuller.
25) Pittsburgh Steelers- Karl Joseph, FS/SS West Virginia- I’ll believe the Steelers selecting a first round cornerback when I see it.
26) New York Giants via Seattle Seahawks- Reggie Ragland, ILB Alabama- Seattle is being incredibly quiet on their draft plans. I think that’s because they’d like to get a few extra picks.
It would be very anti-Giants to trade back into the first round. However, word from Giants camp is that this could be an unorthodox draft for the G-Men. They move back up to get the quarterback of their defense that they need.
27) Green Bay Packers- Chris Jones, DE/DT Mississippi State- Jones is getting a lot of buzz in the back end of round one. The Packers need defensive line help, so they could be Jones’ ultimate destination.
28) Kansas City Chiefs- William Jackson III, CB Houston- The Chiefs need to replace Sean Smith, and rumor is they want a cornerback in round one rather than on day two.
29) Dallas Cowboys via Arizona Cardinals- Kevin Dodd, DE Clemson- I think the Cardinals will trade out of round one on draft day. In this case, the Cowboys come up to get an edge rusher they desperately need.
30) Carolina Panthers- Mackensie Alexander, CB Clemson- Cornerback is now priority number one for the defending NFC Champs after the departure of Josh Norman.
31) Denver Broncos- Nick Martin, C/OG Notre Dame- There’s always a surprise in round one where a team takes a player at a need over best available player. I think Nick Martin could be that guy.
TRADES IN ROUND ONE
1) Tennessee Titans trade the #15 and the #43 to the San Francisco 49ers for the #7 and the #178.
2) Miami Dolphins trade the #13, #42 and the #147 to the Cleveland Browns for the #8 and the #77.
3) Indianapolis Colts trade the #18 and the #82 to the Detroit Lions for the #16 and the #151.
4) New York Giants trade the #40, #71 and the #184 to the Seattle Seahawks for the #26 and the #124.
5) Dallas Cowboys trade the #34 and the #101 to the Arizona Cardinals for the #29 and the #167.
ROUND TWO
32) Cleveland Browns- Laquon Treadwell, WR Ole Miss
33) Tennessee Titans- Eli Apple, CB Ohio State
34) Arizona Cardinals via Dallas Cowboys- TJ Green, CB/FS/SS Clemson
35) San Diego Chargers- Jason Spriggs, OT Indiana
36) Baltimore Ravens- Noah Spence, EDGE Western Kentucky
37) San Francisco 49ers- Cody Whitehair, OG Kansas State
38) Jacksonville Jaguars- Shon Coleman, OT Auburn
39) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Sean Davis, CB/FS/SS Maryland
40) Seattle Seahawks via New York Giants- Germain Ifedi, OT Texas A&M
41) Chicago Bears- Derrick Henry, RB Alabama
42) Cleveland Browns via Miami Dolphins- Kamalei Correa, EDGE Boise State
43) San Francisco 49ers via Tennessee Titans from Los Angeles Rams via Philadelphia Eagles- Michael Thomas, WR Ohio State
44) Oakland Raiders- Su’a Cravens, OLB/SS Southern California
45) Tennessee Titans via Los Angeles Rams- Kenny Clark, NT UCLA
46) Detroit Lions- Vernon Butler, DL Louisiana Tech
47) New Orleans Saints- Artie Burns, CB Miami Florida
48) Indianapolis Colts- Justin Simmons, FS/SS Boston College
49) Buffalo Bills- Emmanuel Ogbah, EDGE Oklahoma State
50) Atlanta Falcons- Keanu Neal, SS Florida
51) New York Jets- Christian Hackenburg, QB Penn State
52) Houston Texans- Austin Johnson, DT/NT Penn State
53) New England Patriots via Washington Redskins- Leonte Carroo, WR Rutgers
54) Minnesota Vikings- Vonn Bell, SS Ohio State
55) Cincinnati Bengals- Javon Hargrave, DT South Carolina State
56) Seattle Seahawks- Joshua Garnett, OG Stanford
57) Green Bay Packers- Jaylon Smith, ILB/OLB Notre Dame
58) Pittsburgh Steelers- Andrew Billings, NT Baylor
59) Kansas City Chiefs- Sterling Shepard, WR Oklahoma
60) Washington Redskins via New England Patriots- CJ Prosise, RB Notre Dame
61) New England Patriots via Arizona Cardinals- Yannick Ngakoue, EDGE Maryland
62) Chicago Bears via Carolina Panthers- Jonathan Bullard, DE Florida
63) Denver Broncos- Hunter Henry, TE Arkansas
TRADES IN ROUND TWO
1) New England Patriots trade the #60 and a 2017 4th to the Washington Redskins for the #53.
2) Chicago Bears trade #72 and a 2017 4th to the Carolina Panthers for the #62.
ROUND THREE
64) Tennessee Titans- Chris Moore, WR Cincinnati
65) Cleveland Browns- Nick Kwiatkoski, OLB/ILB West Virginia
66) San Diego Chargers- Darian Thompson, FS/SS Boise State
67) Dallas Cowboys- Connor Cook, QB Michigan State
68) San Francisco 49ers- Shilique Calhoun, EDGE Michigan State
69) Jacksonville Jaguars- Jordan Jenkins, EDGE Georgia
70) Baltimore Ravens- Alex Collins, RB Arkansas
71) Seattle Seahawks via New York Giants- Jihad Ward, DE/DT Illinois
72) Carolina Panthers via Chicago Bears- Tyler Boyd, WR Pittsburgh
73) Miami Dolphins- Kendall Fuller, CB Virginia Tech
74) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Darian Thompson, FS/SS Boise State
75) Oakland Raiders- Paul Perkins, RB UCLA
76) Tennessee Titans via Los Angeles Rams- Christian Westerman, OG Arizona State
77) Miami Dolphins via Cleveland Browns from Philadelphia Eagles via Detroit Lions- Austin Hooper, TE Stanford
78) New Orleans Saints- Deion Jones, OLB LSU
79) Philadelphia Eagles- Jalen Mills, CB/S LSU
80) Buffalo Bills- Cardale Jones, QB Ohio State
81) Atlanta Falcons- Nick Vannett, TE Ohio State
82) Detroit Lions via Indianapolis Colts- KeiVarae Russell, CB Notre Dame
83) New York Jets- Le’Raven Clark, OT Texas Tech
84) Washington Redskins- Kyler Fackrell, EDGE BYU
85) Houston Texans- Joe Schoebert, OLB Wisconsin
86) Minnesota Vikings- Hassan Ridgeway, DT Texas
87) Cincinnati Bengals- Connor McGovern, OG Missouri
88) Green Bay Packers- Caleb Beneroch, OT UCLA
89) Pittsburgh Steelers- Xavien Howard, CB Baylor
90) Seattle Seahawks- Kenneth Dixon, RB Louisiana Tech
91) New England Patriots- Joshua Perry, OLB Ohio State
92) Arizona Cardinals- De’Vondre Campbell, OLB Minnesota
93) Carolina Panthers- Carl Nassib, DE Penn State
94) San Francisco 49ers via Denver Broncos- Harlan Miller, CB Sotheastern Louisiana State
95) Detroit Lions (compensatory)- Braxton Miller, WR Ohio State
96) New England Patriots (compensatory)- Jerald Hawkins, OT LSU
97) Seattle Seahawks (compensatory)- Bronson Kaufusi, EDGE BYU
98) Denver Broncos (compensatory)- BJ Goodson, ILB Clemson
TRADES IN ROUND THREE
1) Denver Broncos trade the #94 to the San Francisco 49ers for Colin Kaepernick.
Enjoy the Draft everyone.
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