Are you ready for the NFL Draft?
2016 NFL Draft: Third Round
Mock Draft and Analysis By: Gregg Schutze
as of April 27, 2016
64. Tennessee Titans – Christian Westerman, 6’3”, 298lbs, OG, Arizona State
The Titans must shore up the offensive front after giving up a league-worst 54 sacks. After selecting an OT in Round 1, they continue to address the offensive front by looking to the interior of the line. Chance Warmack is solid at RG, but Jeremiah Poutasi was a bust at RT and struggled at RG, while Quinton Spain was an undrafted free agent from a year ago. Westerman is an athletic OG who can get out and pull and was the Combine’s strongest lineman, having put up 34 reps at 225 pounds in the bench press.
65. Cleveland Browns – Shon Coleman, 6’5”, 307lbs, OT, Auburn, Jr.
The Browns need depth up front and could use an upgrade over RT Austin Pasztor, who filled in admirably last year. Coleman, a cancer survivor, is the epitome of toughness. He’s a physical run blocker with excellent length. Coleman has good hand placement under his man’s pad level and drives him down the field with a powerful leg drive. He can collapse the left side and has a bit of a mean streak, often driving his man to the ground to finish his blocks. He’s still developing as a pass blocker though, as he often lunges for his man and will be off balance. Coleman would be a good fit on the right side and should challenge for a starting spot early. The Browns would just have to be comfortable with his health and the fact that he is 25, having sat out two years to battle leukemia.
66. San Diego Chargers – Jihad Ward, 6’5”, 297lbs, DE, Illinois
Kendall Reyes was not cutting it at DE and was released, leaving Darius Philon and Ben Gardner as the lone depth at the position. Ward has tremendous size and is incredibly athletic (please see the reverse dunk on Instagram), but the potential has outweighed the production to this point. Ward averaged 52 tackles over his two seasons with the Illini, dropping runners behind the line 13 times, along with 5.5 sacks. He did use his length to knock down 3 passes and create 4 fumbles. If Ward’s productivity were on par with his measurables, he’d be a potential 1st Round pick. If the Chargers can get him to live up to his potential, he could be a steal. However, if he stays on his same path, he may just be another guy that gets cut when he doesn’t perform.
67. Dallas Cowboys – Deion Jones, 6’1”, 222lbs, LB, LSU
The Cowboys must get faster on defense. Deion Jones is an undersized LB with sub-4.6 speed who might be the answer. Jones compares favorably to former LSU teammate Kwon Alexander, a 4th Round selection of the Buccaneers in last year’s draft. Alexander cemented his status as a starter in Tampa after making plays all over the field before an injury cut his rookie season short. Jones and Alexander not only have virtually identical measurables, their stats in their final year with the Tigers are very similar: tackles (Alexander – 90/Jones – 88); TFL (7.5/12.5); Sacks (1.5/5); Int. (0/2); PBU (1/3). Jones has been shooting up draft boards and he’d be a nice fit in Dallas.
68. San Francisco 49ers – Scooby Wright III, 6’0”, 239lbs, ILB, Arizona, Jr.
The 49ers have been looking for an ILB to play next to NaVorro Bowman ever since Chris Borland announced his retirement. They may have found him in Scooby Wright III, who has been drawing comparisons to Borland because of his productivity despite his lack of ideal size. Scooby was tremendous as a sophomore for the Wildcats, winning Lombardi Award, Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award after totaling a staggering 164 tackles, 31 for loss, and 15 sacks. He’s very instinctive, often on the move before the ball is even snapped. He beats blocks quickly and forces RB’s to alter their path. He shoots gaps well against the run and times his blitzes well to get to the QB. 2015 was supposed to be another banner year for Wright III, but he was only able to play in three games as he tore the meniscus in his knee and sprained his foot. However, if there were any questions about his competitive fire, in his final game, the New Mexico Bowl against the University of New Mexico, he tallied 15 tackles, 3.5 for loss and 2 sacks. He may only be an “average” athlete running a 4.87 40, but he’s an intense and ultra-competitive player whose passion rubs off on others. Expect Scooby to find a way into the starting lineup early.
69. Jacksonville Jaguars – Cyrus Jones, 5’10”, 187lbs, CB, Alabama
If the Jags don’t go with Jalen Ramsey or Vernon Hargreaves at No. 5, they will have to take a corner at some point. Cyrus Jones is a smooth athlete on the outside. He stays low in his back pedal, transitions well and has good ball skills, having intercepted 7 passes and knocked away another 25. He doesn’t have elite size, but he’s quick enough to stay with WR’s out of their breaks. Jones is also a threat in the return game, taking four punts back for TD in 2015. He’s sudden, has excellent vision and has enough speed to take it the distance. Expect Jones to take over return duties for the Jags and then compete with Prince Amukamara and Aaron Colvin for the starting spot opposite Davon House.
70. Baltimore Ravens – Nick Kwiatkoski, 6’2”, 243lbs, ILB, West Virginia
Eugene Monroe is on shaky ground. Will we see him in a Ravens uniform in 2016? Even if he’s back, Baltimore needs an insurance policy. The ILB position needs attention in this draft and Kwiatkoski is flying under the radar, but was extremely productive for the Mountaineers. He’s instinctive and trusts his eyes. Kwiatkoski was at his best playing downhill against the run, shooting gaps and getting penetration into the backfield. However, he’s also effective making plays in pass coverage with 6 Int. and 10 pass breakups under his belt. Kwiatkoski will likely get time early on special teams, but it shouldn’t take long for him to see the field on defense.
71. New York Giants – Shilique Calhoun, 6’4”, 251lbs, DE, Michigan State
If you were to think of the Giants defense over the last decade, names like Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, Osi Umeniyora, and Jason Pierre-Paul. The pass rush was fierce and intimidating and arguably the league’s best. All of that is gone. The Giants mustered only 23 sacks last year, a number bested by all but two teams. The jury is still out on JPP, who has gone through a multitude of surgeries on his hand that was mangled in a fireworks accident. Can he be anywhere close to the JPP of old? The Giants brought in Olivier Vernon to inject some life into the pass rush, but adding another edge rusher is a priority. Calhoun is a relentless pass rusher with 27 career sacks to his name. He has a good initial burst to beat the OT off the ball and used his hands, often using a rip move to get to the edge. Calhoun bends well to run the arc and gets to the QB in a hurry. He also continued to get better year after year, from making a few splash plays to be a consistent rusher frustrating QB’s by continually working to affect the passer in some way.
72. Chicago Bears – Le’Raven Clark, 6’5”, 318lbs, OT, Texas Tech
The Bears brought in Bobby Massie from Arizona, who will hold down one OT position next season. Kyle Long is penciled in as the other starter at the tackle position, but I’m sure the Bears would love to move Long back to OG. To do that, Chicago needs to take an OT early. Le’Raven Clark is an athletic OT with a huge 85-inch wingspan who started 51 games for the Red Raiders. He has the lateral quickness to mirror speed rushers and can cut off inside moves with ease. He recovers well when beaten and his length makes it difficult for rushers to get to the edge on him. Clark can also seal the edge as a run blocker. He’d be a higher pick on my board if it weren’t for the fact that he’s too often found leaning against his man, which causes him to lose balance at times. Clark gets into trouble when he’s bending at the waist, lunging at his man. If Chicago can work on keeping Clark upright, they may have a steal on their hands.
73. Miami Dolphins – Kenneth Dixon, 5’10”, 215lbs, RB, Louisiana Tech
The Dolphins lost Lamar Miller to the Texans this offseason, leaving Jay Ajayi and Damien Williams to handle the bulk of the load on the ground. New head coach Adam Gase likes having a stable of versatile RB’s in his offense, so adding a back like Dixon to the fold makes sense. Dixon is the second-most prolific scorer in FBS history, amassing 87 total TD’s in his career at LA Tech. Dixon can run with power between the tackles and isn’t afraid to drop his pad level to finish runs. Maybe Dixon’s staples are his excellent vision and lateral quickness to make jump cuts to the cutback lane; his quick feet allow him to make defenders miss in the hole. Despite racking up 4,483 yards on the ground in his career with the Bulldogs, Dixon may be better known for his prowess as a receiver. He hauled in 87 passes for nearly 1,000 yards and scored 15 TD. Dixon is a natural pass catcher, showing he can haul the pass in with his hands away from his body. Dixon also has excellent body control to adjust to the ball in the air. Dixon’s versatility would have gotten him drafted earlier had it not been for the fact that he’s already had 800 touches in his career, so he already has quite a few miles on his legs, but coming to Miami and sharing the load should lessen that concern. Then there’s the concern over ball security, as Dixon fumbled 13 times in his career. If he can show he can hold onto the ball, Dixon has a chance to be a playmaker at the next level in all facets of the game.
74. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Pharoh Cooper, 5’11”, 203lbs, WR, South Carolina, Jr.
Jameis Winston has two big wideouts to throw to in Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans, but could use a speedy weapon in the slot. Dirk Koetter would welcome a player as versatile as Cooper to his offense. At South Carolina, Cooper was asked to do a little bit of everything. He could accelerate past defenders on the outside on one play, then work underneath routes across the middle the next. Cooper was a threat as a runner as well, taking fly sweeps and lining up in the Wildcat formation, where he was even known to throw a few passes, 4 of which went for TD. He even brings some return ability to the table. Cooper runs effective routes, breaking them off to create separation or setting up double moves to run by defenders. He just might be the right complement to take some pressure off Evans and Jackson from the slot.
75. Oakland Raiders – Braxton Miller, 6’1”, 201lbs, WR, Ohio State
Oakland will look to provide QB Derek Carr with more weapons at the skill positions in this year’s draft. Amari Cooper is legit and Michael Crabtree is holding down a starting spot, but while Seth Roberts and Andre Holmes were more than serviceable with 46 combined receptions, adding an athlete like Miller to man the slot WR position would be a nice pickup at this point in the draft. Miller may be new to the position, having converted from the QB position prior to the 2015 season, but he’s come a long way in one year’s time. He has the speed to get vertical, is an improving route runner and has shown off a pretty large catch radius. He’s starting to get a better feel for how to adjust to the ball when it’s in the air.
76. Tennessee Titans (from Los Angeles) – Joe Schobert, 6’1”, 244lbs, OLB, Wisconsin
The Titans continue to improve their roster with their sixth pick in this year’s draft. This time, they go after a pass rusher to push starters Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan for playing time. Orakpo and Morgan finished the 2015 season with a combined 11.5 sacks, so Tennessee must find ways to get after the QB. Schobert has a quick burst off the line to get to the edge, uses his hands well to get off blocks and has a high motor to the QB. He knows how to finish, having racked up 9.5 sacks a season ago. However, Schobert was also effective disrupting the run with 20 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
77. Cleveland Browns (from Detroit via Philadelphia) – Sheldon Day, 6’0”, 293lbs, DE/DT, Notre Dame
Cleveland has no depth up front behind starters John Hughes and Desmond Bryant and it showed as the run defense, ranked 30th in the league, was nonexistent. Sheldon Day has a low center of gravity, which he uses to his advantage playing with leverage. Day’s first step is so quick, he’s beating O-linemen off the ball, then uses his powerful hands to drive his man back then can dip his shoulder to turn the corner. Once he’s off his block, Day shows surprising quickness to get after the football. His motor is always running, which allows him to be so disruptive in the backfield. Day was moved all over the line at Notre Dame, playing both inside and outside. His versatility will give DC Ray Horton options.
78. New Orleans Saints – Nick Martin, 6’4”, 299lbs, OG, Notre Dame
Tim Lelito started 13 games at LG a season ago and is back after signing a one-year deal to stay with the Saints. However, there’s a need at RG as Mike McGlynn is a free agent and Cyril Lemon is just a backup at this point. Martin is a physical OG who plays with a bit of a mean streak. He plays with good leverage, balance and active hands. He’s tough, having fought through a knee injury during his career with the Irish. Martin also brings versatility to the Saints, having also lined up at Center during his career. Keep in mind, Max Unger is a free agent after this year, so if he’s not re-signed, Martin could be an option as his replacement.
79. Philadelphia Eagles – Xavien Howard, 6’0”, 201lbs, CB, Baylor, Jr.
The Rams put the franchise tag on Trumaine Johnson, but lost Janoris Jenkins to free agency. Coty Sensabaugh tempers the loss of Jenkins a bit and E.J. Gaines is returning from a knee injury that forced him to miss last season. However, Gaines’ health is a bit of an unknown, so adding another corner of the mix is definitely in the cards in the draft. Howard is a press corner who likes to play up on the line. He uses his size and strength to press WR’s at the line and muscle them off their routes. He does a good job reading the QB’s eyes and drives quickly on the football, having totaled 10 Int. and 23 pass breakups in just three seasons at Baylor.
80. Buffalo Bills – Leonte Carroo, 6’1”, 205lbs, WR, Rutgers
Sammy Watkins was a 1,000-yard WR a season ago, while Robert Woods is holding down the other starting spot. However, depth is an absolute concern as Percy Harvin announced his retirement and Chris Hogan left for the Patriots this offseason. Carroo was a playmaker for the Scarlet Knights, finishing the 2015 season averaging 20.7 yards per catch. He has 4.5 speed and has a knack for finding the end zone, having scored 29 TD in just three seasons at Rutgers.
81. Atlanta Falcons – Austin Hooper, 6’4”, 254lbs, TE, Stanford, Jr.
The Falcons have been lacking a playmaking TE since Tony Gonzalez retired following the 2013 season. Jacob Tamme was the third-leading receiver behind Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman, but he only scored 1 TD. Hooper was an athletic weapon for Stanford QB Kevin Hogan down the middle of the field, showing incredible athleticism for his size to adjust to the ball in the air by contorting his body or high pointing the ball to haul in a pass. He was a QB’s dream with a large catch radius and an ability to pluck the ball out of the air with his hands. Hooper was also an option in the red zone and had a knack for making plays. Hooper is far from a finished product as a blocker, but he does play with a wide base and can sustain blocks on the edge when he extends his arms and keeps his hands inside.
82. Indianapolis Colts – Jerell Adams, 6’5”, 247lbs, TE, South Carolina
The Colts have been running a two-TE set with Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen providing options for Andrew Luck down the middle of the field. Now Fleener is in New Orleans, meaning Indy will likely be on the lookout for another TE. Jerell Adams was a receiving threat down the middle of the field for the Gamecocks. He presents mismatches against LB’s because of his 4.6 speed that allows him to get vertical up the seam.
83. New York Jets – Connor Cook, 6’4”, 217lbs, QB, Michigan State
The Jets have yet to reach a deal with Ryan Fitzpatrick and even if he does come back, he’s not a long-term answer, but to this point, neither are Geno Smith or Bryce Petty. Connor Cook was 34-4 in his career as a starter and 23-2 versus Big 10 opponents. He also threw for nearly 9,700 yards with 71 TD and just 22 Int. in his career. Cook has all the physical tools to be a starting QB in the NFL. He has good size and the arm strength to make all the throws. You see the poise in the pocket, feeling the rush and moving well to buy time and avoid pressure. Cook’s 57.8% completion percentage is a concern. If he can’t complete 60% of his passes in college, what makes you think he can do that at the next level? If you take the starting QB’s in this year’s NFL playoffs, the cumulative collegiate completion percentage was 63.05% and the only QB’s under 60% for their career were Brian Hoyer and Carson Palmer, who still completed 63.5% of his passes during his Heisman campaign. Russell Wilson completed just 57.8% of his passes in his three seasons at NC State before completing nearly 73% of his passes at Wisconsin. Cook has yet to eclipse the 60% mark in a season. A big part of that is the inconsistent footwork, not always setting his feet or stepping into his throws. Then there’s the fact that Cook was not named a team captain despite being the team’s veteran QB. If you want this guy to ultimately be the face of your franchise, this has to be a concern. New York will have to do their homework on Cook to ensure he can be a franchise QB.
84. Washington Redskins – Hassan Ridgeway, 6’3”, 303lbs, DT, Texas, Jr.
The Redskins could easily use a pick in one of the first two rounds on a defensive lineman, but if they don’t, Ridgewaycould be a steal at this point in the draft. Ridgeway entering the draft was a bit of a surprise because his back injury prevented him from having a breakout 2015 season. However, pop tape in of his sophomore season, where he racked up 11 tackles behind the line and 6.0 sacks, you’ll see the quickness off the ball and the power in his hands that make him an effective interior pass rusher. Ridgeway can also anchor at the point of attack against the run. Ridgeway could be a three-down player for the Skins and should be a rotation player early. He’ll have to improve conditioning to have a shot at starting.
85. Houston Texans – Adolphus Washington, 6’3”, 301lbs, DT, Ohio State
Houston needs a running mate for J.J. Watt now that Jared Crick left in free agency. Washington is an agile interior lineman with an ability to rush the passer with a variety of pass rush moves. He struggles to keep his balance in the run game along the interior, but is a productive tackler and should thrive as a DE in a 3-4 scheme.
86. Minnesota Vikings – Jaylon Smith, 6’2”, 223lbs, OLB, Notre Dame, Jr.
Smith was considered a top prospect for the NFL Draft until he suffered a major ACL injury in the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame and his surgeon has noted there is damage to the peroneal nerve in his knee. While the nerve damage is temporary, he recommends Smith sit out the 2016 season to recover. Once considered a guaranteed top-five pick in the draft, the question now is just how far Smith will fall. With a good prognosis, you can expect Smith to be taken in the first 90 picks. The fact that Smith will be sitting out 2016 may be just fine with Minnesota since they brought Chad Greenway back for one more season. That way Greenway can have his swan song while Smith recovers and the move would give Smith a veteran mentor from whom to learn. Imagine a linebacker corps consisting of Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks and Jaylon Smith. It could happen in 2017 and if it does, the Vikes would instantly have the most athletic trio of LB’s in the league. Prior to the knee injury, Smith may have been the most athletic player in this year’s draft. He’s solidly built with 4% body fat and had the speed to make plays all over the field. Smith, the 2015 Butkus Award winner and a finalist for the Award the year before, finished his Irish career with 284 tackles, 23.5 for loss, 4.5 sacks, 10 pass breakups, 3 forced fumbles and 3 fumble recoveries. He’s instinctive, reads the play in front of him and decisive in his movement to the ball. He comes downhill in a hurry, takes on and slips blocks to then shoot the gap and drop a RB in the open field for little gain. Smith is also explosive laterally, avoiding blockers in space and working through traffic to beat the backs to the perimeter. He was often asked to spy on QB’s, reading their eyes and quickly breaking on the ball to make a play. If the QB breaks the pocket, he closes quickly to force the QB’s hand and force an errant throw. Smith can turn and run with RB’s and TE’s in coverage and doesn’t need safety help over the top, staying stride for stride with his man. Smith was a team captain at Notre Dame and is the type of high character guy you want on your football team. Smith is already doing football drills just under four months since the knee injury in January 1, so you can expect Smith to do everything he can to be ready to go by 2017. That’s why he’s worth the risk at this point in the draft.
87. Cincinnati Bengals – Darian Thompson, 6’2”, 212lbs, FS, Boise State
The Bengals lost Reggie Nelson to free agency and Shawn Williams is set to be a free agent next season, so it’s possible to see George Iloka and Derron Smith penciled in as the starting Safeties going into the draft. They could do better and Thompson is a ballhawk with 19 career Int. He does an excellent job reading the QB’s eyes to anticipate throws and make plays on the ball. He’s also a physical presence on the back end of the secondary. So why is Thompson coming off the board late in Round 3? Simple, he gave up too many big plays, letting WR’s get behind him way too easily. He gave up 10 Int. over the last three seasons. If he can play more disciplined football, he could wind up being a steal at this point in the draft.
88. Green Bay Packers – Jordan Jenkins, 6’3”, 259lbs, OLB, Georgia
The Packers recorded 43 sacks a season ago, 17 of which came from the duo of Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers. Matthews was often asked to play inside, which limited his effectiveness getting after the QB. Green Bay will address the ILB position early in this draft, but adding an edge rusher has to also be a high priority. While Peppers racked up 10.5 sacks, his ninth season with 10+ sacks, he’s 36 years of age and is in the final year of his contract. Then there’s Nick Perry, a disappointment last season with only 3.5 sacks during the regular season, but came to life in the playoffs by matching the total he had during the regular season. That was enough for the Pack to bring him back to a one-year deal. However, there wasn’t any pass rush production outside of Peppers, Matthews and Perry at the OLB position, which is why Jordan Jenkins makes sense with this pick. Jenkins has the athleticism to play both in space as an OLB, but can also get after the passer and set the edge versus the run playing with his hand in the ground. Jenkins has excellent length that he uses to his advantage to keep himself off blocks. He stacks and sheds well and can knife into the backfield to drop the ball carrier. He has quick hands as a pass rusher to slap the OT’s hands down off the snap and can bend to turn the corner.
89. Pittsburgh Steelers – Bronson Kaufusi, 6’6”, 285lbs, DE/OLB, BYU
The Steelers need depth at DE behind Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt and need a push at OLB as Jarvis Jones has disappointed and James Harrison will be 38 years of age. Lucky for Pittsburgh, they may be able to land one of the more versatile players in this year’s draft in Kaufusi. He’s 6’6” and 285 pounds with 34 ½-arms, so he has the size to be a 3-4 DE. However, the former BYU basketball player has the athleticism and pass rush ability in space to play OLB. While his position may not be clearly defined, just take a look at his career numbers and it’s clear he can affect offenses in a multitude of ways: 42.5 tackles for loss, 25.5 sacks, 14 pass breakups, 2 Int. and 6 forced fumbles. I would imagine Kaufusi will push for playing time early at the DE position, but when Harrison retires, he may be asked to push Jones for playing time opposite Bud Dupree at OLB. Either way, I expect Kaufusi to find the field early.
90. Seattle Seahawks – Max Tuerk, 6’5”, 298lbs, C, USC
Seattle will be looking to address the OL at some point in this draft. It’s possible Ryan Kelly or Germain Ifedi could go in Round One, or possibly Jason Spriggs in the 2nd Round, but if they address other needs with their first two picks, you can bet this pick will be used on an O-lineman and how about going after a guy with experience all along the offensive line. Tuerk has 38 career starts –18 at Center, 14 at LG, 5 at LT and 1 at RT. Tuerk was also a Freshman All-American after starting the final five games at OT in 2012; was an All-Pac 12 selection in 2013 at LG; and he was named 1st Team All-Pac-12 in 2014 at the center position. Tuerk was poised to challenge for the Rimington Award in 2015 before a knee injury in USC’s fifth game against Washington cut his season short. Tuerk is an athletic lineman who plays with good leverage, bending naturally at the knees, and is consistent with his hand placement under his man’s pad level. He uses his large 10 ¾” hands to latch onto linemen and once he’s engaged his man, he’s not letting go. He’s agile to get out in space and will locate and punish defenders in the open field, but can also anchor against the bull rush. He’s tall and slender for the Center position and may struggle with NFL power. Can he add weight to his frame? I think the Seahawks won’t shy away because of Tuerk’s versatility and he’ll find a home somewhere along the Seattle’s line.
91. New England Patriots – Tavon Young, 5’9”, 183lbs, CB, Temple
New England needs to target the CB position at some point in this draft as there is little depth behind starters Logan Ryan and Malcolm Butler. Tavon Young is one of the more underrated prospects in this year’s draft. While Young doesn’t have ideal height for the position at the next level, he plays much bigger than his five-foot-nine-inch frame. Young has good technique staying low in his back pedal and is smooth in his transitions with quick hips to open up. He was often out on an island in man-to-man coverage and showed excellent ball skills, finishing with 5 Int. and 22 passes broken up. Young didn’t pick off any passes in his senior season, but that was largely due to the fact that there were many games where he didn’t see much action his way. He does an excellent job driving on the football and finds a way to get a hand in to make a play. He showed up very well against Notre Dame when matched up against Will Fuller. He broke quickly on a comeback route to Fuller and timed his hit to force an incompletion. On a throw in front of him, Young was able to keep Fuller in front, wrapped him up and didn’t let him get upfield. When Fuller ran a double move, Young bit on the out, but spun and recovered nicely with his sub-4.5 speed, leaping in the air with Fuller to bat the ball away. He’s tough, competitive and won’t give up on a play. He’s also not afraid to make a hit and is very good tackling in space.
92. Arizona Cardinals – Christian Hackenberg, 6’4”, 234lbs, QB, Penn State
Carson Palmer isn’t getting any younger. The former Heisman Trophy winner and No.1 overall pick is 36 years of age and will be entering the final year of his contract next season. Now is the time for the Cards to find its QB of the future for Palmer to mentor for the next couple of seasons. Three years ago, Christian Hackenberg came to Happy Valley as the No. 1 rated QB. As a freshman under Bill O’Brien’s tutelage, Hackenberg threw for nearly 3,000 yards while completing 58.9% of his passes with 20 TD and 10 Int. Everyone was anointing him as the top pick in the 2016 draft following the promising freshman season. Then O’Brien took the job with the Houston Texans and James Franklin came in as the Nittany Lions head coach. Hackenberg struggled in that offense, completing a fewer percentage of passes (54.7%) and throwing more Int. (21) than TD (18) in his final two seasons. Hackenberg would show flashes of brilliance, giving people a glimpse of the talent he brought to Penn State. He has tremendous arm strength with an ability to make any throw and the ball gets to the WR in a hurry. He can push the ball down the field and his anticipation allows him to throw WR’s open. However, for all the wow plays, Hackenberg had just as many that left you scratching your head. His ball placement was inconsistent, often overthrowing his man or putting the ball too far out in front. He struggled with changing speeds, throwing passes really hard on a line that needed touch with some trajectory over LB’s. His deep ball location does not make it easy for WR’s. Hackenberg was also sacked 103 times in three seasons and while much of that was the result of a struggling offensive line, several were also the result of hanging onto the ball too long. If you’re going to take Hackenberg, you’re selecting him based on the physical talent and potential. He’s a high character guy and started all 38 games in his Penn State career, so despite the pounding he took, he was quite durable. If there’s any question on whether Hackenberg is the right pick for Arizona, expect Palmer to have the inside scoop as his brother Jordan conducted his pre-draft training in Orange Country, CA. The question will be whether he can rebound.
93. Carolina Panthers – B.J. Goodson, 6’1”, 242lbs, OLB, Clemson
Thomas Davis is the heart and soul of Carolina’s defense but at 33 years of age, his days in the league are numbered, so the Panthers would be wise to find his eventual replacement. While the Clemson Tigers had Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd up front and Mackensie Alexander and Jayron Kearse in the secondary, the heart of that defense was B.J. Goodson. He was a team captain and a guy who could affect both the run and the pass. Last season, he not only had 108 tackles, 14.0 TFL and 5.5 sacks, but also picked off 2 passes and knocked down 3 more. Goodson does an excellent job filling holes downhill, shooting inside to drop the RB for little gain. He also does well reading the QB’s eyes in coverage. Goodson wasn’t much of a factor in his first three seasons, so Carolina will have to be convinced he wasn’t just a one-year wonder.
94. Denver Broncos – Matt Ioannidis, 6’3”, 299lbs, DT, Temple
Denver signed Jared Crick to start opposite Derek Wolfe to make up for the loss of Malik Jackson to the Jags, but there isn’t any depth at the DE position. Ioannidis was a consistent presence along the Temple defensive line. While he played outside early in his career, he was at his best along the interior of the defensive front, using his quickness off the ball and ability to outwork his man to get penetration. Ioannidis uses an effective rip move at the point to beat his man off the ball and can extend his arms into his man and walk him back into the backfield with an effective bull rush. Ioannidis finished his career with 30 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, so he has the ability to affect both the run and the pass. His performance at the Senior Bowl, where he consistently beat OL in one-on-one drills, really put him on the map as a player to be drafted in the first three rounds and could easily come off the board before this point.
95. Detroit Lions (Compensatory Selection) – Maliek Collins, 6’1”, 311lbs, DT, Nebraska, Jr.
Haloti Ngata is 32 years of age and will be entering the last year of his contract next season. Caraun Reid has shown he can start at the position while Gabe Wright and Tyrunn Walker were simply depth players. I expect the Lions to take a DT in the first three rounds to ultimately push for playing time. Collins is an athletic DT with a good burst off the ball to shoot gaps and penetrate the line of scrimmage. He had a promising Sophomore campaign, finishing the year with 45 tackles, including 13 for loss and 4.5 sacks. However, Collins failed to produce in 2015, finishing with just 29 tackles, 7 TFL and just 2.5 sacks. Collins played too often with a high pad level and struggled with balance as a result. I think Collins would have benefited from another year at Nebraska. He’ll get drafted higher than his production would suggest because of his potential.
96. New England Patriots (Compensatory Selection) – Sean Davis, 6’1”, 201lbs, S, Maryland
The Patriots need help in their secondary and taking a player like Davis, who has played both CB and Safety, would give them options on the back end of their defense. Davis is a ripped, hard-hitting DB with the athleticism to challenge WR’s on 50-50 balls. Davis racked up over 100 tackles in his Sophomore and Junior seasons at Safety and would throw his body around to make an impact with a big hit. He moved to CB as a senior, he was among the FBS leaders with 5 forced fumbles while also picking off 3 passes and recording 88 tackles. He’s aggressive when the ball is in the air, showing good ball skills and strong hands to pluck the ball out of the air. Davis is likely a Safety at the next level, playing behind Patrick Chung and Devin McCourty, but would also provide depth at corner. I would also expect him to be a standout on Special Teams.
97. Seattle Seahawks (Compensatory Selection) – Travis Feeney, 6’3”, 230lbs, OLB, Washington
Seattle needs an OLB to team with Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright and Pete Carroll and John Schneider could be looking at a local product to fill the role. Feeney is a tall, lanky and is gifted athletically, bringing 4.5 speed to the LB position. Feeney racked up 8.0 sacks a season ago with explosive speed off the edge. He can bend when running the arc and does a good job with his hands to get off blocks. Feeney is also very quick laterally and has the speed to cover a lot of ground in a hurry. He is at his best in space where he can fly around to the ball.
98. Denver Broncos (Compensatory Selection) – Tyler Ervin, 5’9”, 192lbs, RB, San Jose State
Denver’s ground game finished in the middle of the pack a season ago, but the duo of C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman are back for 2016. Denver matched an offer sheet that Anderson signed with Miami, which ultimately resulted in a four-year extension. Hillman signed a one-year extension as well. However, the Broncos have never shied away from having a stable of RB’s to share the load. Ervin is not the biggest RB in this year’s draft, but after finishing the 2015 season with the second-most all-purpose yards per game in the FBS, it’s safe to say he’s one of the more versatile weapons in this year’s draft. His explosiveness was definitely on display at the Combine, running a 4.41 40 time and an impressive 39-inch vertical leap. As a runner, Ervin does an excellent job pressing the line of scrimmage and is patient to allow blocks to develop. He has the vision to find the cutback lane and his suddenness allows him to quickly put his foot in the ground and hit the hole. From there, Ervin has the acceleration to quickly make it to the second level where he’s a dynamic playmaker in the open field. Ervin may only be 5’9” and 192 pounds, but he has no problem being a workhorse. In 13 games for the Spartans in 2015, Ervin carried the ball at least 20 times in eight of those games, including a 300-yard effort against Fresno State on 42 carries, followed by 27 carries and 160 yards versus Auburn and three weeks later carried the ball 36 times for 263 yards against New Mexico. Ervin is also an accomplished receiver out of the backfield, having hauled in 87 passes in his collegiate career, including 45 in his senior season. Ervin has soft hands and catches the ball away from his body. He also does a good job adjusting to the ball while it’s in the air. I would imagine Ervin’s biggest initial impact will be in the return game, where he’d be an upgrade over Emmanuel Sanders and Omar Bolden, having returned three kicks and two punts for touchdown at San Jose State.