The 2016 NFL Mock Draft Thread

TheRazorsEdge said:

What are peoples opion on Drake? I keep going back and forth on him myself, the big play ability is definitely there, relatively low miles and has that swiss army knife feel where he can be used in a variety of ways. Unfortunately pass blocking and running hard in-between the tackles arent strengths.

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Apparently an abysmal blocker as well. I don't see it.

TheRazorsEdge said:

How do you feel about Eric Striker ?

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A man with no real position in the NFL. Combination of size and lack of athleticism is the concern.

So I do a few (and by few I mean a bazilloon) mock drafts over at first pick. Helps me familiarize myself with guys that may not be household names (Shaq Mason last year, became a binky of mine thanks to this). I know the trading is unrealistic but it helps give a general idea early on. This is my latest (1 trade)

2.32 - Sterling Shepard, WR
3.29 - Joe Haeg, OT
4.5 - Johnathan Williams, RB
4.29 - La'Raven Clark , OT
6.21 - Braxton Miller ,WR
7.22 - Chris Swain , FB/RB
7.29 - Keenon Reynolds, QB/RB

Usually try to nab a pass rusher but this played out all offense and a navy double dip!

TheRazorsEdge said:

So I do a few (and by few I mean a bazilloon) mock drafts over at first pick. Helps me familiarize myself with guys that may not be household names (Shaq Mason last year, became a binky of mine thanks to this). I know the trading is unrealistic but it helps give a general idea early on. This is my latest (1 trade)

2.32 - Sterling Shepard, WR
3.29 - Joe Haeg, OT
4.5 - Johnathan Williams, RB
4.29 - La'Raven Clark , OT
6.21 - Braxton Miller ,WR
7.22 - Chris Swain , FB/RB
7.29 - Keenon Reynolds, QB/RB

Usually try to nab a pass rusher but this played out all offense and a navy double dip!

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Sounds like a good group. Problem right now is that it sounds like Miller is trending towards being a 2nd or even 1st round pick; check out the Senior Bowl thread where it's claimed by observers that the Pats (and a couple other teams) are eyeing him as a 2nd rounder.

2016 NFL Draft - New England Patriots

2nd Round - Spencer Drango, OG - Baylor
3rd Round - Willie Beavers, OT -Western Michigan
4th Round - Eric Murray, CB - Minnesota
6th Round - Mike Hilton, CB - Mississippi or Jake McGee, TE - Florida
7th Round - Marteze Waller, RB - Fresno State
7th Round - Hassan Ridgeway, DT - Texas

Compensatory picks will be amended when officially announced.

TheRazorsEdge said:

So I do a few (and by few I mean a bazilloon) mock drafts over at first pick. Helps me familiarize myself with guys that may not be household names (Shaq Mason last year, became a binky of mine thanks to this). I know the trading is unrealistic but it helps give a general idea early on. This is my latest (1 trade)

2.32 - Sterling Shepard, WR
3.29 - Joe Haeg, OT
4.5 - Johnathan Williams, RB
4.29 - La'Raven Clark , OT
6.21 - Braxton Miller ,WR
7.22 - Chris Swain , FB/RB
7.29 - Keenon Reynolds, QB/RB

Usually try to nab a pass rusher but this played out all offense and a navy double dip!

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The Braxton Miller pick is unrealistic at this point but aside from that, that's an outstanding mock. I'm a big Jonathan Williams fan and think your last two picks are realistic ones. Le'Raven Clark's size and length really intrigue me but he needs a lot of work but I think he too will go higher than the late 4th. But excellent mock all round.

manxman2601 said:

The Braxton Miller pick is unrealistic at this point but aside from that, that's an outstanding mock. I'm a big Jonathan Williams fan and think your last two picks are realistic ones. Le'Raven Clark's size and length really intrigue me but he needs a lot of work but I think he too will go higher than the late 4th. But excellent mock all round.

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I definitely agree esp on Miller. Clark intrigues me especially due to size. I've read he may be a better fit for LG or RT vs. LT. I do know getting all excited about size alone can prove to be fatal(Cannon anyone?). Going to be interesting to see how the next few months play out.

TheRazorsEdge said:

I definitely agree esp on Miller. Clark intrigues me especially due to size. I've read he may be a better fit for LG or RT vs. LT. I do know getting all excited about size alone can prove to be fatal(Cannon anyone?). Going to be interesting to see how the next few months play out.

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It's Clark's arm length (36.5") that intrigues me. A full inch longer than Solder. Clark's problem is that he plays in an air raid system so that he always starts in a 2 point stance and is always on his back foot. That means he's a catcher rather than a puncher and has little run block experience. He'll need time to adjust (which we can give him with Solder/Vollmer the starters) but I like his upside.

manxman2601 said:

It's Clark's arm length (36.5") that intrigues me. A full inch longer than Solder. Clark's problem is that he plays in an air raid system so that he always starts in a 2 point stance and is always on his back foot. That means he's a catcher rather than a puncher and has little run block experience. He'll need time to adjust (which we can give him with Solder/Vollmer the starters) but I like his upside.

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So basically in a sense the opposite of Mason?

TheRazorsEdge said:

So basically in a sense the opposite of Mason?

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Good point.

ATippett56 said:

2016 NFL Draft - New England Patriots

2nd Round - Spencer Drango, OG - Baylor
3rd Round - Willie Beavers, OT -Western Michigan
4th Round - Eric Murray, CB - Minnesota
6th Round - Mike Hilton, CB - Mississippi or Jake McGee, TE - Florida
7th Round - Marteze Waller, RB - Fresno State
7th Round - Hassan Ridgeway, DT - Texas

Compensatory picks will be amended when officially announced.

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I just don't see BB taking an OG this high. He always talks about that 2nd year jump and he more than likely feels that Jackson and Mason will make that jump.

TheRazorsEdge said:

What are peoples opion on Drake? I keep going back and forth on him myself, the big play ability is definitely there, relatively low miles and has that swiss army knife feel where he can be used in a variety of ways. Unfortunately pass blocking and running hard in-between the tackles arent strengths.

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I feel lime he started from the bottom, but has really elevated his game to get him here

PATS68 said:

I just don't see BB taking an OG this high. He always talks about that 2nd year jump and he more than likely feels that Jackson and Mason will make that jump.

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But does Mason deserve to be our LG of the future? I'm just not good with that yet. I still wonder if his
best position here isn't at Center, with Stork moving to Right Guard (I'm also not sure about his ability to
play Mankins-level LG either). I wasn't impressed with Jackson this year (I didn't want him in the draft anyway), and don't like any of Jackson, Fleming & Cannon. Kline regressed, either because of injury or just regular suckage. Could we really not have afforded Evan Mathis? He would've been a difference-maker because he would've pushed back everybody else into rungs on the ladder more befitting their talents or lack thereof.

Solder - high draft pick/vet free agent - Mason/Stork - Stork/Mason - Vollmer as our starters, and…

high draft pick - Kline - Andrews - Jackson - Waddle/Fleming/Cannon as our backups seems to be the
best-case scenario going into next season.

captain stone said:

But does Mason deserve to be our LG of the future? I'm just not good with that yet. I still wonder if his
best position here isn't at Center, with Stork moving to Right Guard (I'm also not sure about his ability to
play Mankins-level LG either). I wasn't impressed with Jackson this year (I didn't want him in the draft anyway), and don't like any of Jackson, Fleming & Cannon. Kline regressed, either because of injury or just regular suckage. Could we really not have afforded Evan Mathis? He would've been a difference-maker because he would've pushed back everybody else into rungs on the ladder more befitting their talents or lack thereof.

Solder - high draft pick/vet free agent - Mason/Stork - Stork/Mason - Vollmer as our starters, and…

high draft pick - Kline - Andrews - Jackson - Waddle/Fleming/Cannon as our backups seems to be the
best-case scenario going into next season.

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I like your thinking! That line with Mason/Stork or Stork/Mason definitely on paper, sounds intriguing.

captain stone said:

But does Mason deserve to be our LG of the future? I'm just not good with that yet. I still wonder if his
best position here isn't at Center, with Stork moving to Right Guard (I'm also not sure about his ability to
play Mankins-level LG either). I wasn't impressed with Jackson this year (I didn't want him in the draft anyway), and don't like any of Jackson, Fleming & Cannon. Kline regressed, either because of injury or just regular suckage. Could we really not have afforded Evan Mathis? He would've been a difference-maker because he would've pushed back everybody else into rungs on the ladder more befitting their talents or lack thereof.

Solder - high draft pick/vet free agent - Mason/Stork - Stork/Mason - Vollmer as our starters, and…

high draft pick - Kline - Andrews - Jackson - Waddle/Fleming/Cannon as our backups seems to be the
best-case scenario going into next season.

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The problem is when Josh and BB both said he is the most athletic OG they have ever coached. I think that is a solid endorsement that they see upside with him. He was a 1st year player and if you want to use being a 1st player against him then you would have say the same things about Hightower when he was in his 1st year.

In the Denver playoff game he gave up 1 pressure which is pretty dam good.

Not a mock but I've had a bit of a rethink. The prospects at the top of my wish list currently are (not in order):

LeRaven Clark - I like big linemen with length.
Braxton Miller - Natch!
Jonathan Williams - Still my favourite RB
Jerrell Adams - Athletic TE that can block inline
Deion Jones - Fast linebacker that can cover. Passing down guy only but is also a special teams beast.
Sterling Shepherd - probably the most likely plug and play WR in the draft
Kevin Peterson/Eric Murray - Physical CBs. Murray could play a Browner role.
Joe Dahl - I'm starting to lean towards LG as a need.

This will undoubtedly change in time but this is where I am currently.

PATS68 said:

The problem is when Josh and BB both said he is the most athletic OG they have ever coached. I think that is a solid endorsement that they see upside with him. He was a 1st year player and if you want to use being a 1st player against him then you would have say the same things about Hightower when he was in his 1st year.

In the Denver playoff game he gave up 1 pressure which is pretty dam good.

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How I feel about Mason, to the T. I saw ALOT of potential there , whether that be at LG or C or RG ... I dont know that much just yet but I know hes got some sick upside.

TheRazorsEdge said:

How I feel about Mason, to the T. I saw ALOT of potential there , whether that be at LG or C or RG ... I dont know that much just yet but I know hes got some sick upside.

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Reading Matt Light's comments it seemed more like coaching than talent. The 2nd year jump will be huge for the two OG's.

PATS68 said:

The problem is when Josh and BB both said he is the most athletic OG they have ever coached. I think that is a solid endorsement that they see upside with him. He was a 1st year player and if you want to use being a 1st player against him then you would have say the same things about Hightower when he was in his 1st year.

In the Denver playoff game he gave up 1 pressure which is pretty dam good.

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Perhaps in time, maybe as early as the end of next season, Mason could become, despite his height disadvantage, a decent-enough starting-caliber LG…but by then he could also become, with his athleticism, a Pro-Bowl-caliber Center, while at the same time Stork becomes a much, much more athletic RG than Jackson, Cannon or Fleming.

captain stone said:

Perhaps in time, maybe as early as the end of next season, Mason could become, despite his height disadvantage, a decent-enough starting-caliber LG…but by then he could also become, with his athleticism, a Pro-Bowl-caliber Center, while at the same time Stork becomes a much, much more
athletic RG than Jackson, Cannon or Fleming.

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He will never be the center for this team, they are 2 deep at C. What your not looking at is the Pats became a pass happy team and they put all their linemen in a 2-point stance for the entire game. Where Mason and Jackson are at their best is pulling and getting down field and hitting LB's. BB and Josh had glowing things to say about Mason, and I only see upside.

Go back and watch his youtube highlights.