It wasn’t all that long ago that the 2016 draft was being considered as quite possibly the most boring, buzz-free draft in the modern era. No more. And it all seems to start in Cleveland where it appears that the Browns, who have the second pick overall in next week’s draft, have pretty much decided not to take a QB at that spot. With Los Angeles pretty much expected to take Carson Wentz of North Dakota State – and if not Wentz, then Cal’s Jared Goff – with the first pick overall next week, the Browns will have choice of the guy the Rams pass on with the second pick, but Cleveland’s new brain-trust appears to have decided to try and start to build a supporting cast before looking for their QB of the future.
To that end, the Browns have also let it be known that the 2nd pick is open for bids. And they are certainly likely to get several nibbles. Philadelphia, which apparently was in the running with the Rams to acquire the first pick overall, would certainly appear to be a factor. New Eagles’ head coach Doug Pederson said at the team’s pre-draft presser yesterday that both Wentz and Goff had the necessary physical tools and intangibles to become franchise NFL quarterbacks. Indeed, Pederson implied that there’s not much separation between the two on the Eagles’ board. Pederson also said that Memphis’ Paxton Lynch wasn’t that far behind, although for some reason Eagles’ GM Howie Roseman said later that Lynch was not a likely candidate for Philadelphia if they weren’t able to move out of the 8th pick.
Meanwhile, as noted yesterday, Dallas owner/GM jerry Jones and a contingent of other front office personnel including head coach Jason Garrett travelled to California to work out Goff for a second time last weekend. Under normal circumstances that would indicate some serious interest, although nothing ever seems to be normal with Jones and the Cowboys. Meanwhile, San Francisco is also still lurking out there. The 49ers haven’t said much about the issue at all, but will have Goff in for a visit later this week. Stay tuned.
What’s kind of interesting is that while the possibility remains high that there could be several trades which shake up the order of the early part of this year’s draft, they will likely result primarily in the top ten prospects or so going to different teams. Indeed, it would certainly appear likely at this time that the top rated 8-9 guys are going to be selected somewhere in the first 8-9 or so picks. On the other hand, there could be significantly more fluidity in the second ten picks next week. Nobody should be surprised, for example, if players like CBs Eli Apple of Ohio State and Houston’s Will Jackson, WRs Will Fuller of Notre Dame and TCU’s Josh Doctson, Alabama C Ryan Kelly, Indiana OT Jason Spriggs, and edge-rushing Boise State OLB Kamalei Correa end up going a whole lot closer to the top 15-20 picks than most analysts have projected.
On the other hand, nobody should be surprised if players like Ole Miss DT Robert Nkemdiche and Eastern Kentucky edge rusher Noah Spence slip out if the first round. Both are very talented players, but with real character concerns. And Nkemdiche only added to his resume when he told ESPN The Magazine that he wants to own a pet panther. In fact, he’s actively looking for one. Of course, it is hardly going to be a deal breaker, but if scouts were calling a player ‘strange’ even before they fell out of a second-story hotel window while trying to evade police officers – and then being charged with marijuana possession – it isn’t going to make many teams more comfortable about using an early pick on that player. At least he doesn’t want a pet python!
