2016 Draft: First Round Reaction

Best Pick: Cardinals take Robert Nkemdiche.

                This pick made perfect sense. The Cardinals get a highly productive and talented lineman who can collapses the pocket and raw attention from Chandler Jones and Calais Campbell. While he slid due to his off-the-field issues and streaky effort, Bruce Arians has dealt with those before. The Cardinals have a support system in place and Tyrann Mathieu can be a great mentor is moving past these types of issues. They got a top 10 talent without having to give up a single pick to get him. Great Pick.

Worst Pick: Titans trading up to take Jack Conklin

2016 Mock draft

1. Los Angeles Rams – Carson Wentz – QB– North Dakota State

                While taking the local Cali-boy makes a ton of sense from a marketing perspective, there’s just too much about Wentz that fits with what Jeff Fisher likes to do. Wentz is big, athletic and was a very productive senior form a smaller school. Sound like anyone we associate with Jeff Fisher? (Steve McNair) I see them putting Wentz in the same backfield and Todd Gurley and letting him grow in the same way Ben Roethlisberger grew, leaning on a great running game and a strong defense.

2. Philadelphia Eagles – Jared Goff – QB– California

                Eagles fans will most likely have mixed feelings on having Goff slip to them at two. But given what happened the last time they took a QB with the second overall pick, they needn’t be. Goff is a perfect fit into Doug Pederson’s version of the west coast offense and should settle the QB questions that have been plaguing the Eagles wince Donovan McNabb was traded away following the 2009 season.

3. San Diego Chargers – Laremy Tunsil – OT – Ole Miss

                Philip Rivers has been sacked 155 times since Marcus McNeil left after the 2011 season. Their success is tied to being able to keep the aging Rivers productive and upright. Tunsil gives them a stud offensive tackle who can do that. As much a defensive prospect such as Jalen Ramsey or Joey Bosa will be tempting here, the Chargers aren’t going to be fielding a top-five defense next year.

4. Dallas Cowboys – Jalen Ramsey – FS – Florida State

                While the Cowboys have ranked 31^st in sacks each of the last two years, the athletic prowess of Ramsey is going to impossible to pass up. The Cowboys have been searching for an elite free safety since the days of Ken Hamlin and find one sliding to them in Ramsey. Strengthening the defensive backfield will also help give the pass rush a few more seconds to find the QB.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars – Myles Jack – LB – ULCA

                We’ve seen enough players recover from Torn ACLs in recent years for me to dismiss it as a major problem. Jack might not fit any specific need for the Jags, but they are in need of talent more than anything. Jack will provide them with the type of impact sideline-to-sideline defender that keyed the 2000s Ravens and 2002 Bucs defense.