2015 NFL Draft Breakdown

       Another draft is in the books, and while this draft was as entertaining as your nephew’s boring graduation ceremony, there was a lot to digest. Right before our eyes teams got better, and teams got worse. It seems every year there is a changing of the guard in the NFL as some teams peak, and others grow to heights never reached before. The draft has a way of accelerating either one of those processes. One thing we have to remember, is that we don’t watch the draft for entertainment, we watch to attempt to understand, where the NFL goes next. I may have modified that line in my graduation speech in 2003. Nevertheless, here is your comprehensive breakdown of the 2015 NFL Draft. 

 Best Pick By Round…

1^st Round: Amari Cooper to the Raiders:

Kudos to the Raiders for finally being able to resist temptation by taking the faster more athletic Kevin White. Instead the Raiders took the smart, more dependable pick in Amari Cooper.

2^nd Round: Randy Gregory to the Cowboys:

 I firmly believe that Gregory will be the best defensive player in this draft, and the Cowboys got him at the end of the 2^nd round.

3^rd Round: Jalen Strong to the Texans:

He was being mocked by most in the 1^st round. But even if he is not as good as a 1^st rounder, there is major value with Strong in the 3^rd.

4^th Round: Bryce Petty to the Jets:

If they can coach him up, the Jets may have stumbled into their starting quarterback.

5^th Round: Karlos Williams to the Bills:

One of the most underrated players in this draft. Williams has only 2 years of running experience, which means the ceiling is higher than his 4.0+ carry per game, and he has a lot of treed left on the tires.

6^th Round: Michael Bennett to the Jaguars:

Great value in the 6^th round; Bennett could be a future starter by season’s end.

7^th Round: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu to the Browns:

Prior to tearing his ACL, Ekpre-Olomu was being regarded as a 1^st-2^nd Round talent. The Browns will have to wait a while to see where his knee is at. But if he can recover, this is spectacular value in the 7^th round.

Head Coach Now On The Clock…

Jim Tomsula, San Francisco 49ers

            Not exactly the first draft you want to have as a first year head coach. The 49ers placed a lot of faith into their coach by nominating him when Jim Harbaugh left. Too bad the front office couldn’t have matched their zeal with a quality draft. The 49ers are going to be bad next year, and Tomsula could be a one and done.

Way too early to get excited, but that has never stopped me…

St. Louis Rams will make the playoffs

            This team has been far too good on defense and have yet to find an identity on offense…then they drafted Todd Gurley. Gurley is only five months removed from tearing his ACL, and while he hopes to be back by Training Camp, there is a strong possibility he will not return until October. When the Buffalo Bills drafted Willis McGahee in 2003 after being 4 months removed from the same injury, he took off his entire rookie campaign.

            So why do I like the Rams so much if Gurley may not even be 100% this season? One word, momentum. The Rams are on an upswing with a team that has improved each of the last two seasons, and a division that is taking step backs with each season. While teams like the Cardinals have a lot of question marks, the 49ers are in a state of decline, the Rams could take a large step forward this year. And when Gurley is ready to play, he could provide the Rams the final boost they need, and the identity they have craved.

           

3 Winners in one sentence…

1) Jacksonville Jaguars won because they found value in nearly every round.

2) New York Jets won because they stuck with what they know and took chances.

3) Oakland Raiders won because they were not the Oakland Raiders of the past.

3 Losers in one sentence…

1) San Francisco 49ers lost because they tried being too creative.

2) Indianapolis Colts lost because they forgot how bad they were on defense.

3) Kansas City Chiefs lost because Andy Reid thought too much with his mustache and not his head.

2016 NFL Mock Draft

Pick	Team	Player	College	Position
1	Cleveland Browns	Cardale Jones	Ohio State	QB
2	Washington Redskins	Christian Hackenberg	Penn State	QB
3	Tennessee Titans	Joey Bosa	Ohio State	DE
4	San Francisco 49ers	Laremy Tunsil	Ole Miss	OT
5	Kansas City Chiefs	Connor Cook	Michigan State	QB
6	Chicago Bears	Robert Nkemdiche	Ole Miss	DE
7	Houston Texans	Ronnie Staley	Notre Dame	OT
8	Jacksonville Jaguars	Duke Williams	Auburn	WR
9	Oakland Raiders	Vernon Hargreaves	Florida	CB
10	Minnesota Vikings	Spencer Drago	Baylor	OT