2016 NFL Mock Drafts : Mock draft 2.0: Eagles set sights on future
1. Pick No.
1
Laremy Tunsil
OT
Mississippi
Why not protect the face of the franchise, Marcus Mariota, with a future All-Pro left tackle?
2. Pick No.
2
Jared Goff
QB
California
We all remember that Hue Jackson thought Carson Palmer would solve all of the Raiders' problems back in 2011. One has to wonder if he might believe the same thing with Goff, who might be Palmer-lite.
3. Pick No.
3
DeForest Buckner
DE
Oregon
Finding big men who can rush the passer isn't easy to do, but Buckner has size, length, athleticism and an ability to get after the quarterback. Rare traits get drafted early.
4. Pick No.
4
Jalen Ramsey
CB
Florida St.
Ramsey is viewed as a safety by many NFL teams, but whether he's a cornerback or a safety, he's a premium athlete with range and cover skills, which is something Dallas could use. His name will be red-hot after he smashes it at the combine.
5. Pick No.
5
Myles Jack
OLB
UCLA
I'm sure the Jaguars would love to see Jalen Ramsey slip to them, but Jack wouldn't be a bad consolation prize. Gus Bradley's defense covets hybrid athletes who can be moved around the field. Coach Bradley, meet Myles Jack.
6. Pick No.
6
Joey Bosa
DE
Ohio St.
The Ravens are getting old off the edge and pass rushing is always a valued commodity by Ozzie Newsome. Bosa has the size, athleticism and mindset to be a perfect fit for the Ravens' style.
7. Pick No.
7
Paxton Lynch
QB
Memphis
While I don't believe that most would put Lynch here, Chip Kelly's offense has never been fully realized since he's been in the league and Lynch, with his size and athleticism, would be an ideal trigger-man for the future if Kelly isn't sold on Colin Kaepernick's future value as a starter.
8. Pick No.
8
Ronnie Stanley
OT
Notre Dame
The Dolphins are in desperate need of offensive line help and Stanley could be a plug-and-play starter on the right side. Branden Albert will be a potential cap casualty after 2016, which would allow the team to save money while swinging Stanley to the left side.
9. Pick No.
9
Vernon Hargreaves
CB
Florida
This would be a tough spot for the Bucs because they need pass rush and cornerback help badly. Hargreaves doesn't have the size most teams want, but he's an immediate starter while some of the pass rushers available here might not be.
10. Pick No.
10
Kevin Dodd
DE
Clemson
This isn't a great year for edge rushers, but Dodd has high football character, size and projectable qualities that lead me to believe he can be a quality NFL pass rusher.
11. Pick No.
11
A'Shawn Robinson
DT
Alabama
Vic Fangio benefited from a physical, tone-setting defensive front in San Francisco. Robinson gets Chicago a step closer to that type of defensive line.
12. Pick No.
12
Noah Spence
DE
Eastern Kentucky
Spence is a great redemption story. He overcame drug addiction and a ban from the Big Ten to turn his life around. The Saints absolutely must address their pass rush and while I'm not this high on Spence, I know people around the league who believe he'll become a force.
13. Pick No.
13
Carson Wentz
QB
North Dakota St.
The Eagles are moving on from #TeamChip, but they still need to find a franchise player to lead them to greatness. Wentz wouldn't be ready right away, but his potential is worth the investment for the Eagles.
14. Pick No.
14
Jaylon Smith
OLB
Notre Dame
If Smith comes back from his injury at 100 percent and the Raiders are able throw Smith and Khalil Mack at offenses game in and game out ... then ... I don't even know what to say. Smith would be a "best-talent-available" selection here.
15. Pick No.
15
Laquon Treadwell
WR
Mississippi
I'm expecting a very pedestrian 40-yard dash time by Treadwell that will open up a round of discussions about his draft value. While I'm not in love with taking a wide receiver in this spot, he's ultra-competitive and steps in immediately to help the offense.
16. Pick No.
16
Jack Conklin
OT
Michigan St.
Conklin is a Michigan State grinder who can have an immediate impact with the running game and might be able to play on the left or right. While he's not as athletic as Detroit might like, he brings a toughness to the table that will appeal to the Lions.
17. Pick No.
17
Shaq Lawson
DE
Clemson
While he's not a pure-edge-speed guy, his hustle and power get him sack opportunities. He's a good power player to go along with Vic Beasley's finesse style.
18. Pick No.
18
Leonard Floyd
OLB
Georgia
I'm sure the Colts would love to plug an offensive lineman in here, but would reaching make sense? Floyd, it could be argued, might be a reach, but he has tremendous pass-rush traits and simply needs time to fill out that lanky frame.
19. Pick No.
19
Robert Nkemdiche
DT
Mississippi
While the talent and the traits should dictate an earlier slotting for Nkemdiche, fears about his character could cause him to drop. Rex Ryan won't care.
20. Pick No.
20
Vernon Butler
DT
Louisiana Tech
Surprise! With Mo Wilkerson's contract talks bogged down, franchising him makes sense, but finding a future replacement with pass-rushing ability along the defensive front makes sense as well.
21. Pick No.
21
Mackensie Alexander
CB
Clemson
The Redskins have to find an athletic cover corner to match up against the talented receivers inside the division. While Alexander's height is a little bit of a turnoff to some teams, his confidence and aggressiveness could make him the choice here.
22. Pick No.
22
Ezekiel Elliott
RB
Ohio St.
I plugged Elliott in here in my last mock draft and I will do so again now. The argument can and will be made that running backs rarely carry first-round value anymore, but Elliott is a clear exception since he never has to leave the field.
23. Pick No.
23
Cody Whitehair
OG
Kansas St.
The Vikings could go in a number of directions here, but I'll plug them in with quality at a need position. Whitehair is rock-steady and a Day 1, long-time starter for the Vikings. He's a solid core selection in the trenches.
24. Pick No.
24
Reggie Ragland
ILB
Alabama
The Bengals might also consider someone like Jarran Reed or Darron Lee here, but Ragland is a low-maintenance version of Vontaze Burfict who can play inside or outside. Ragland also showed some potential as an edge rusher in sub-packages during Senior Bowl week.
25. Pick No.
25
Hunter Henry
TE
Arkansas
Kevin Colbert believes in targeting the best players available. I don't see a quality cornerback available here and Henry has rare blocking talent to go along with his ability as a pass catcher. Henry could step in tomorrow and take over a starting spot.
26. Pick No.
26
Sheldon Rankins
DT
Louisville
While offensive tackle might be the need pick here, I'm betting on GM John Schneider taking the better talent at another position of need. Rankins isn't the biggest interior defender out there, but you won't find many who have fewer holes.
27. Pick No.
27
Le'Raven Clark
OT
Texas Tech
Clark still has some holes he's working on, but he's athletic and has freakishly long arms. Green Bay understands that they have to improve at the tackle spot and Clark has a very high upside, but a scary floor as well.
28. Pick No.
28
Taylor Decker
OT
Ohio St.
Decker has some holes in his pass-protection game, which should be a significant concern, but he is a dominant run blocker and fits a need the Chiefs are desperate to fill.
29. Pick No.
29
Emmanuel Ogbah
DE
Oklahoma St.
He's not the most dynamic athlete out there as an edge rusher, but he's powerful, productive and can often be too much against finesse tackles trying to protect the edge.
30. Pick No.
30
Will Fuller
WR
Notre Dame
Fuller is going to smoke the 40-yard dash at the combine and we'll all be talking about him after that. On tape, his hands are inconsistent, but he's always getting open, and he's getting open way down the field. Cam Newton has plenty of arm, so why not give him another deep target to score touchdowns with?
31. Pick No.
31