WWE Raw/Smackdown Mock Draft

Hello friends.  I am back.  It has been a while, I know, but the real world got in the way for a while.  I've missed the Stanley Cup finals (bah), and missed the NBA finals (well done LeBron), and most of the first part of the MLB season, but let's be honest:  The biggest sports and entertainment news of the recent weeks has been the brand split for the WWE!

That's right, WWE is going back to Raw and Smackdown will have exclusive rosters, titles, and PPVs.  Within the wonderful kayfabe (scripted) world of pro wrestling, Vince McMahon's two children will run the respective brands and compete with each other, hopefully making wrestling fans like me very happy.  This upcoming Tuesday, on the premier of Smackdown Live (finally being shown live on the night it happens, instead of recorded for Thursday or Friday broadcasts), we will have the return of the WWE Draft.  New storylines, new talent, new feuds: Everything is possible now!  Because I am obsessed with all sorts of drafts, I decided to recruit my wrestling smart mark (or smark, which just means a fan obsessed with wrestling, the backstage stuff, etc) padawan Colin to conduct a draft.  I will be representing Smackdown, and Colin will be in charge of Monday Night Raw.  Just a quick note- we kept almost all of the talent at NXT off limits.  There are a few people taken, but they are about to be called up to the main roster anyway.  He let me have the #1 pick, and we've got 30 rounds to go through.  Due to the depths of the draft, I will not analyze all the picks.  Plus, if you don't like WWE, you don't care.  So, let's get to it!

Round 1

Smackdown- Seth Rollins
Raw- John Cena

No surprises here.  I take possibly the best wrestler and best overall talent on the roster.  Rollins will be the face of Smackdown for years to come.  Colin takes the overall face of the company for over a decade, John Cena.  He gets to stay on the flagship show, appeal to the kids and the public at large, and continue to be Mr. WWE.

Round 2

Smackdown- AJ Styles
Raw- Brock Lesnar

I am thrilled, because AJ Styles and Seth Rollins are the two best wrestlers in the world.  Visions of them headlining Wrestlemania are running through my head.  Raw again goes with the biggest name, the crossover star Brock Lesnar.  His appeal is undeniable, since his headlining fight for UFC 200 drew the biggest PPV buyrate the company has ever had.  Even if he only appears 5 times a year, he is worth the pick.

Round 3

Smackdown- Bray Wyatt
Raw- Kevin Owens

Entirely possible that my current 2 favorite wrestlers went this round.  I chose Bray Wyatt because he needs to be away from the Raw writers.  With so much potential, Bray could be the new Undertaker.  He just needs to be let loose, which is what I will let him do.  Colin takes KO, who is on par with Rollins and Styles in terms of work rate.  He is beloved by smarks everywhere, and could be the top heel on Raw forever.

Round 4

Smackdown- Cesaro
Raw- Dean Ambrose

I get another indy darling and an amazing worker.  Raw gets the current WWE Champion, so Smackdown will have a tournament for our new title.

Round 5

Smackdown- Roman Reigns
Raw- Charlotte

I get Vince's favorite guy coming off of a wellness suspension.  He will no longer play the good guy character Vince wants him to be.  He isn't the next John Cena.  He isn't the next Rock.  But he can be the best villain in the world.  Raw gets the WWE Women's Champion.  Charlotte is fantastic, so no issues with that pick there.

Round 6

Smackdown- Finn Balor
Raw- Sasha Banks

Both are super popular, with more potential than anyone in the company.  Both are future champions.

Round 7

Smackdown- Sami Zayn
Raw- The Miz

The kings of the midcard have started.  Everything that Zayn can do in the ring, Miz does on the mic.

Round 8

Smackdown- The New Day
Raw- Enzo & Cass

Excellent tag teams, extremely over with the crowd, extremely entertaining. Plus, I get all 3 members of the New Day.  Points for Smackdown!

Round 9

Smackdown- Becky Lynch
Raw- Randy Orton

I have started my Women's division with the Irish Lasskicker.  I think her ring work is extremely underrated, so she will be given a chance to shine on Smackdown.  Raw gets the 2nd most consistent WWE talent behind John Cena.  Randy Orton is a no-doubt Hall of Famer, can fit anywhere on the card, and can be face or heel.

Round 10

Smackdown- Bayley
Raw- Dolph Ziggler

My Women's division foundation continues with the former NXT champion.  We now each have 2 of the "4 Horsewomen" who made women's wrestling relevant again.  In Ziggler, Raw gets a top wrestler who can put over anyone, and may finally get another shot at the WWE title with half of the roster out of the way.

Round 11

Smackdown- Rusev (with Lana)
Raw- Paige

Another female wrestler gone in Paige to Raw, and Rusev, who has a ton of potential, comes to Smackdown.

Round 12

Smackdown- Natalya
Raw- Alberto Del Rio

I think I get THE BEST female wrestler on the roster in Nattie.  Raw gets a solid top-to-midcard guy in ADR, who gets to stay on the same show as his real life girlfriend Paige.

Round 13

Smackdown- Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows
Raw- Chris Jericho

AJ Styles' running mates, Anderson and Gallows aka The Club join the Phenomenal One on Smackdown.  Chris Jericho, when he is around, is still an amazing talent who can work with anyone on the roster.

Round 14

Smackdown- Baron Corbin
Raw- American Alpha

Baron Corbin is the prototypical WWE superstar in size and stature.  He has shown some promise in his short time on the main roster.  American Alpha, while still on NXT, will be on the main roster very soon.  The combined athletic ability and pedigree of Chad Gable and Jason Jordan cannot be overstated.

Round 15

Smackdown- Neville
Raw- Mauro Ranallo

The first big surprise of the draft!  Announcer Mauro Ranallo drafted to be the voice of Monday Night Raw.  His UFC/non-WWE background has been a welcome departure from Michael Cole's overselling, and he has been one of the best announcers on WWE TV since his arrival.  In Neville, I get a high flyer with big match ability.  While he is on the smaller size, his move set could make him a huge star.

Round 16

Smackdown- Emma
Raw- Nikki Bella

Round 17

Smackdown- Apollo Crews
Raw- Luke Harper

Round 18

Smackdown- Breezango (tag team of Tyler Breeze & Fandango)
Raw- The Dudley Boyz

Round 19

Smackdown- Corey Graves
Raw- The Undertaker

The legend that is the Undertaker may only wrestle once a year, but his impact will always be felt.  As for my pick, I could not let the best color analyst in WWE join the best play by play guy, so I took for NXT superstar turned announcer Cory Graves.  Undertaker, Graves.  Get it?

Round 20

Smackdown- Braun Stroman
Raw- Mark Henry

Round 21

Smackdown- The Lucha Dragons
Raw- Sheamus

Round 22

Smackdown- Zack Ryder
Raw- The Big Show

Round 23

Smackdown- Dana Brooke
Raw- Naomi

Round 24

Smackdown- The Social Outcasts
Raw- Jack Swagger

Round 25

Smackdown- Renee Young
Raw- Darren Young

A history-making round, perhaps?  I choose Renee to be the 1st ever female play-by-play announcer in WWE history.  She has done it before on NXT, and has shown her skill hosting the PPV preshows.  Raw gets Darren Young, most famous currently for publicly coming out of the closet last year.  His brave decision and talent could allow him to be a trailblazer for equality in the industry.

Round 26

Smackdown- Summer Rae
Raw- Erick Rowan

Round 27

Smackdown- The Vaudvillans
Raw- Titus O'Neil

Round 28

Smackdown- Eva Marie
Raw- Golden Truth (tag team of Goldust and R-Truth)

Round 29

Smackdown- Daniel Bryan (GM)
Raw- Paul Heyman (GM)

Vince McMahon decided that each of his children would have to pick a GM to run their brand on a day-to-day basis.  I chose former WWE Champion Daniel Bryan, who is rumored to actually be the Smackdown GM that will be announced on Monday.  Colin chose Paul Heyman, an ingenious way to keep the founder of ECW and possibly the best talker in the company around when his client Brock Lesnar is not.

Round 30

Smackdown- The Usos
Raw- Kane


Supplemental Announcer Free Agent picks (each show needs announce team of 2, plus backstage interviewer)-
Smackdown- JoJo for backstage
Raw- Byron Saxton for color commentary, Cathy Kelly for backstage


Rosters:

Smackdown                                 Raw
Seth Rollins                                  John Cena
AJ Styles                                       Brock Lesnar
Bray Wyatt                                    Kevin Owens                      
Cesaro                                           Dean Ambrose
Roman Reigns                              Charlotte
Finn Balor                                     Sasha Banks
Sami Zayn                                    The Miz
The New Day                               Enzo & Cass
Becky Lynch                                Randy Orton
Bayley                                          Dolph Ziggler
Rusev (with Lana)                        Paige
Natalya                                         Alberto Del Rio
Anderson & Gallows                   Chris Jericho
Baron Corbin                                American Alpha
Neville                                          Mauro Ranallo
Emma                                           Nikki Bella
Apollo Crews                                Luke Harper
Breezango                                     Dudley Boyz
Corey Graves                                The Undertaker
Braun Stroman                              Mark Henry
Lucha Dragons                              Sheamus
Zack Ryder                                    Big Show
Dana Brooke                                  Naomi
Social Outcasts                              Jack Swagger
Renee Young                                  Darren Young
Summer Rae                                  Erick Rowan
Vaudvillans                                    Titus O'Neil
Eva Marie                                      Golden Truth
Daniel Bryan (GM)                      Paul Heyman (GM)
The Usos                                      Kane
JoJo                                             Byron Saxton/Cathy Kelly



So there you have it!  Almost every wrestler on the current WWE main roster was taken.  I think that these shows would both thrive with their new talent.  I'd like to thank Colin for participating in this little endeavor, and thank you for taking the time to read it.

NFL Draft- 10 Takeaways from Days 2 and 3

Another NFL Draft has come and gone.  It was a weird one, but full of some very memorable moments.  Some players slipped, some teams reached, but in the end 253 young men got to hear their name called as they headed off to start their NFL careers.  Here are a few of my thoughts on Days 2 and 3 of the Draft, covering Rounds 2-7.

1.  Connor Cook fell because he lacked intangibles?  That sounds fairly silly to me.  Mel Kiper said in one of the draft podcasts that if Cook had Kirk Cousins' intangibles, he'd be a 1st round pick.  As it is, he slipped to Oakland Round 4, pick 100, and is now the backup of an entrenched young starter in Derek Carr.  It may be the worst possible situation for a player that could have been the heir apparent to Tony Romo in Dallas, or legitimate competition to RG3 in Cleveland.  So, what are these intangibles that Cook lacks?  Leadership, I suppose.  Many teams were hung up on the fact that he wasn't a captain of his team as a senior starting QB.  They see that, and deduce that he cannot be a strong leader in the huddle or the locker room.  I have no idea if that is a legitimate issue.  All I know is that he won a lot in college, and Michigan State QBs are better than average-good backup QBs in this league.  At worst, Cook could be Drew Stanton.  At best, he is Kirk Cousins (maybe even better).  Now, barring an injury to Carr, we may never find out.

2.  Last year, the Cleveland Browns had a massive need at receiver, and they drafted one- Vince Mayle.  Vince was recovering from a broken thumb, was cut early in the regular season, and ended 2015 on the Cowboys practice squad.  Cleveland then lost Travis Benjamin, their best wideout, to the Chargers this offseason.  So, coming into the Draft, WR was still a big need for the Browns.  Well, at least this new front office crew is trying.  They drafted 5 (yes 5!) wide receivers!  If they can hit on 3 of them, this is genius.  They hit on 2, it is a solid draft class.  Hell, if they hit on 1, he will be one of the best Browns wideouts in recent history.  While I think the Corey Coleman pick was a reach with the other guys that were there, the Browns showing some effort in establishing an actual professional WR corps may be a good sign of things to come.

3.  Some teams wish they had as good of a NFL Draft has the Ravens had in the 4th Round.  Tavon Young, Temple; Chris Moore, WR, Cincinnati; Alex Lewis, OT, Nebraska; Willie Henry, DT, Michigan; and Kenneth Dixon, RB, Louisiana Tech.  5 picks that all fit needs.  The Ravens need a ton of help in their secondary, and Young (and 7th Rounder Maurice Canady from UVA) can compete right away for playing time opposite Jimmy Smith.  The same can be said about Chris Moore (and Keenan Reynolds, who I will get to), since Steve Smith and Breshaud Perriman are both recovering from injury.  Alex Lewis can develop into a starting right tackle, or can bump inside to guard.  He adds great depth behind #1 pick Ronnie Stanley.  Willie Henry is a versatile D-lineman who fits the mold of a Ravens defender- tough, explosive, and even played for the other Coach Harbaugh at Michigan.  Finally, Kenneth Dixon, #2 all-time in touchdowns in the NCAA, may be the most talented RB on the Ravens roster the second he suits up.  It was a round played perfectly by Ozzie Newsome, and should provide immediate benefits.

4.  A bit of homer-ism, but I am very happy for Stanford QB (and Gonzaga College High School grad) Kevin Hogan, who was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in Round 5.  Let's look at the way they talk about Hogan- extremely smart, winner, great athlete, less than ideal arm strength.  That sounds an awful lot like Alex Smith to me.  Now he can develop and learn behind Smith, and under the tutelage of Andy Reid.  It really was the perfect situation for a great young man who continues to make his fellow Gonzaga alums proud.

5.  Round 2 began with some serious good feelings.  Jaylon Smith and Myles Jack, both Top 5 talents whose stock was hurt due to knee injuries, were drafted early in the day.  The joy on their faces is why I love the draft so much.  Both of these young men will get a chance to live their dream of playing in the NFL.  Smith will probably have to redshirt for a year in Dallas, but if he is able to recover to 80% of the promise he showed before his injury, then the Cowboys got a steal.  The same can be said for Myles Jack in Jacksonville.  He is healthy now, but there is a question about whether or not his knee will hold up over time.  Even a 5-year career, with Jack's talent, makes his value exceptional where they drafted him.  Speaking of the Jaguars...

6.  The Jacksonville Jaguars won the draft, and they only took 7 guys.  The Titans, with their commitment to protecting Mariota, and the Ravens, with the moves mentioned above, are right there with them, but the Jags ability to get both Jalen Ramsey and Myles Jack to help improve a suspect defense is fantastic.  6 of the players that they took were on defense.  Add that young talent to their free agent additions, and add that defense to their explosive young offense, the Jaguars could make the biggest jump in terms of wins next season, and will compete for a playoff spot.

7.  I already mentioned Day 2's good moments.  Day 3 provided a half hour of awesomeness in the form of picks 180 and 182.  The first pick came in the form of Moritz Boehringer from Germany, a young man who became a fan of the NFL after watching Adrian Peterson videos on Youtube.  Really, you have to see how it played out right here.  A great moment.  The kid is the 1st player ever to be drafted directly from Europe, and says he wants to be the NFL's Dirk Nowitzki.  Not to be outdone, two picks later the Ravens drafted Keenan Reynolds out of Navy.  Reynolds, the NCAA all-time leader in touchdowns, is the classiest, highest-character guy in the entire draft.  He is a legend at the Naval Academy.  I hope he is able to work out a deal with the Navy to serve his commitment concurrently, much as Patriots longsnapper and former Midshipman Joe Cardona has done.  He clearly has a nose for the end zone, could be an excellent slot receiver and return man, and his QB background opens up the offense for some special trick plays.  There could be no greater locker room presence than Keenan Reynolds, and it is thrilling to see he will get his chance to play so close to Annapolis.  Everyone in Germany is rooting for Boehringer.  Everyone in America should be rooting for Keenan Reynolds.

8.  The Buffalo Bills made possibly the ultimate boom or bust QB pick when they took Cardale Jones in the 4th Round.  We know that Jones has all the physical attributes, and showed flashes of brilliance in his first 3 games as a starter, winning the Big 10 Championship game, the National Semifinal, and the National Championship two seasons ago.  However, last season he was inconsistent, inaccurate, and lost his starting job to JT Barrett.  If he is able to sit and learn how to play in the NFL, and is able to work on his accuracy and mechanics, then this could be a major coup in Buffalo.  They have Tyrod Taylor in place as their starter for the next 2 seasons, but have already said that they will not sign him to an extension.  Furthermore, they said they will likely not pick up the 5th year option on backup EJ Manuel, a former 1st round pick from Florida State.  This means that Jones has 2 full seasons before he is the only QB on the roster.  He needs to take that time to learn, grow, and turn his game into that of a successful NFL starting signal-caller.

9.  Punters and Kickers!  Punters and Kickers!  I don't always get picks right in my mock draft.  In fact, I usually get them very wrong.  But that I called Tampa Bay getting Florida State kicker Roberto Aguayo made me very happy.  What is even better is that the Buccaneers actually traded up into the 2nd round to get him, ahead of my Round 3 projection.  Aguayo is the most accurate kicker in NCAA Division I history, and the Bucs are in desperate need of kicking consistency.  He never missed a field goal from inside 40 yards.  That sounds perfect now that the extra point is a 35-yard kick.  A thing of beauty taking a kicker that high.  And then, 4 punters were drafted, most notably my man Riley Dixon from Syracuse.  If you happen to follow me or @NunesMagician on twitter, then you know the deep, undying love Cuse fans have from Dixon.  To see him get drafted by Denver, and have a legit shot at being their starter since their incumbent punter is set to make over $3 million next season, and count $4 million against the salary cap.  Dixon is a talented and cheap alternative.  Plus, he is super-athletic.  He once hurdled an LSU defender on a fake punt!  And I know Denver has some QB issues.  Why wouldn't you want a guy that throws clutch TD passes to win games in OT?  That's Riley Dixon!

10.  The Redskins had a great, though not flashy, draft.  Again, a bit close to home since I am a Skins fan.  The Doctson pick surprised me, but I like it the more I look at it.  Su'a Cravens was one of my favorite players in the draft, and if they Skins use him at strong safety, he could be a nightmare for players coming across the middle.  He's also an excellent run defender.  The same can be said about Matt Ioannidis, DT, Temple and Steven Daniels, ILB, Boston College.  Both players were chosen to help improve the #28 rush defense from a year ago.  Kendall Fuller, of the NFL CB Fuller family, should be a great pick if he comes back from a knee injury 100%.  Adding Josh Norman and Fuller alongside Bashaud Breeland and Quinton Dunbar gives the Skins depth, youth, and talent at one of their biggest need positions.  They can now afford to cut injured and disappointing CB Chris Culliver after June 1 and save $8 million on the cap.  Nate Sudfeld is a big arm QB that needs a ton of refinement and coaching.  He will be able to sit behind Captain Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy as he develops.  Keith Marshall has blazing speed, and could be an excellent complimentary back and kick returner if he can stay healthy.  Hell, Scot McCloughan was able to get 3 new draft picks for next year as well, getting a 2017 4th, 5th, and 6th for moving back in the Draft.  Really, my only complaint about this draft is that the Redskins did not address their situation at center.  Hopefully they are able to find some depth there.  But on the whole, I love the class.  Let's see how they develop.


I hope you all enjoyed the Draft as much as I did.  It is one of my favorite sports weekends of the year.  Now, let's take a break from football for two months, enjoy the NBA/NHL playoffs, the MLB season heating up, and the beginning of summer before mini-camps open in July.

10 Thoughts on Round 1 of the NFL Draft

Well, last night was a weird first round.  Between attempted blackmail, prospects falling, cut off dress shirts, reaches, and the Cowboys, a lot of unexpected things went down.  Here are the 10 big takeaways I had from Draft Night 1, and none of them involve the QBs taken at 1 or 2.

1.  The Cowboys went for star power over need.  Don't get me wrong here- Ezekiel Elliot is a great prospect.  Hands down the best back coming out of college.  Yet he doesn't fit any real need on Dallas.  They have Darren McFadden and added my man Alfred Morris.  That should be more than enough to keep their high powered offense going, if Romo can stay healthy of course.  What they needed was help on the defense.  They were middle of the road in every sense of the word last year, and they have lost Greg Hardy and Randy Gregory.  I get that Joey Bosa went to the Chargers and he should have been the pick, but Jalen Ramsey or Deforest Buckner would have filled a bigger need that Elliot.

2.  That was an interesting evening for Laremy Tunsil, huh?  10 minutes before the draft starts, someone hacks his account and posts an old video of him smoking weed out of a gas mask.  Suddenly, he sees Ronnie Stanley and Jack Conklin get taken before him, and the presumptive #1 pick a month ago falls to #13.  He lost millions of dollars.  Next, the hackers post text messages of him asking coaches at Ole Miss for money to pay for his mother's electric bill.  The idiocy of NCAA players not getting paid aside, this means Tunsil had to address those questions after being drafted, and said he did get money from them.  I am unsure if this is different from the event which led to his suspension for improper benefits, but it is still a concern for a team.  Now, however, he claims to be drug and issue free.  For his sake, I hope so.  South Beach isn't the best place for a guys with issues.  The Dolphins are taking a risk on an extremely talented kid.  If his issues are only with the NCAA rules and not with the NFL going forward, then getting Tunsil at 13 was a steal.

3.  The first pick for the 49ers under Chip Kelly seemed to make some sense.  DeForest Buckner is a great talent, played at Oregon, and fits a need.  To be honest, the 49ers have needs everywhere.  So I have no issue with that pick.  I am extraordinarily confused, however, with trading back into the 1st round to take Joshua Garnett, the guard from Stanford.  He or Cody Whitehair (who I like more) would have been there in the 2nd Round where they were picking (pick 37 overall).  With all the great defensive talent that fell, there wasn't going to be a run on guards.  To give up two picks, including a second, to move up was foolish.

4.  Speaking of reaches, everyone seems to dislike the Giants pick of Eli Apple at 10. I had him going at 13, so it wasn't as much of a stretch to me.  Where I had the problem was that they could have taken Vernon Hargreaves, or fit a more important need, like taking Tunsil to keep Eli Manning upright.  If they were able, they could have traded back and probably still gotten Apple.  Like I said, not as much of a stretch for me, but at least they now lead the NFL in guys named Eli.

5.  The Titans won Round 1.  By trading back from the #1 pick, they got a mighty haul, including a 1st and 3rd next year from the Rams.  Then, they were still able to move up and get Jack Conklin, one of the top 3 tackles in the Draft.  There is no denying Conklin's ability- just look at how good Michigan State was both running and passing behind him.  He handled the likes of Bosa and Buckner quite easily.  The question was where he was graded vs Tunsil.  It seems like it was close enough that Tunsil's red flags pushed Conklin past him, since Conklin in an ultimate character guy.  Now the Titans have him and Taylor Lewan entrenched at OT for years to come, making sure their franchise QB Marcus Mariota stays upright and healthy.  A great draft so far.

6.  Something about Ole Miss players and character issues, huh?  Robert Nkemdiche's off the field issues were apparently supposed to cost him his chance at being drafted in Round 1.  The Cardinals felt differently, and got a Top 5 talent (when he wants to play) at pick 29.  Paired with Calais Campbell and Chandler Jones, Nkemdiche could make the Cardinals D-line the best in football.  But the issues off the field for Robert (and possibly Jones too) have to be monitored.  Its a boom or bust pick.  If he can concentrate on the job paying him millions of dollars, then he should make fans in Arizona very happy.

7.  Myles Jack is still on the board.  This shocks me.  I understand that he has some fairly significant questions about his knee.  I also know he is a Top 10 talent.  This isn't necessarily like Jaylon Smith, where teams aren't sure he'd ever be able to run at a high level again.  Jack is running right now.  The question is whether or not he needs microfracture surgery down the road.  Now that he has fallen to Round 2, I think he is a complete steal.  Long-term durability can be a concern for a guy in Round 1.  Round 2, it is more than worth the risk.  Expect Jack to be off the board fast.  I'd personally like it (for my team) if he fell to the Redskins, but he won't last that long.

8.  There was a run on WRs in the early 20s.  The Texans traded up 1 pick (just to make sure another team didn't?) to draft speedster Will Fuller out of Notre Dame.  The Redskins, now at pick 22, surprised everyone and took Josh Doctson from TCU, perhaps the most complete WR in the draft.  I was very confused at first.  WR isn't the biggest need the team had, but when a player like that comes to you, what harm is there in adding another weapon.  Plus, Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson will both be free agents after the 2016 season.  I doubt Washington will keep both of them, and even re-signing one may not be possible.  Doctson comes in, can gain experience behind those veterans, then team with Jamison Crowder, Jordan Reed, and Kirk Cousins to form an excellent young passing attach.  The Vikings didn't have to move at all and still got Laquon Treadwell from Ole Miss.  They have Stefon Diggs as a deep threat, but needed that Anquan Boldin-type possession WR.  Treadwell should build a great chemistry with Teddy Bridgewater.  The surprise WR pick was Baylor's Corey Coleman to the Browns at 15.  I'd put Coleman as the #4 WR at best, and had Cleveland getting him in the 2nd Round.  He doesn't run routes well, and had too many drops in college.  However, his speed and playmaking ability is undeniable, and he certainly fits a massive need for the Browns.  Maybe RG3 convinced them to reach for his fellow Baylor Bear instead of going with a safer pick like Doctson or Treadwell?

9.  The Broncos found their QB of the future, and his name is Brock Osweiler 2.0... I mean Paxton Lynch.  Yes, the man who is comparable to Osweiler in his measurable is now under the tutelage of John Elway and Gary Kubiak.  I thought the best spot for Paxton would be the Cardinals, since he has to sit for a while and learn how to play the NFL game.  Now, unless the Broncos are prepared to enter the season with Mark Sanchez as their starter, they are going to have to throw the kid to the fire sooner than expected.  Lynch has all the physical tools and a great mindset.  The issues is adjusting to the NFL game.  A Super Bowl championship certainly buys the franchise some time to take calculated risks, and this was a 6'7" one.

10.  There are still some great players available.  Myles Jack, Jarran Reed, A'Shawn Robinson, Andrew Billings, Reggie Ragland, Mackensie Alexander, Noah Spence, Vonn Bell... And that's just on defense!  Heisman winner Derrick Henry is on the board.  My top guard Cody Whitehair is still there too.  QBs like Connor Cook and Christian Hackenberg need a home.  A lot of talented guys will hear there names called on Day 2.


Hope you enjoyed last night's weirdness.  Rounds 2 and 3 start tonight at 7 pm ET.  I'll try to type up my reactions tomorrow tonight or during Day 3.  Have a great weekend everyone!

JFLANland 2016 NFL Mock Draft- Round 7

Here it is.  The end of the line, and of weeks of work.  Round 7.  Thank you all for reading.

Round 7

1 (222). Tennessee Titans- Aaron Green, RB, TCU

2 (223). Cleveland Browns- Mike Thomas, WR, Southern Miss

3 (224). San Diego Chargers- Kevin Peterson, CB, Oklahoma State

4 (225). Seattle Seahawks- Mike Bercovici, QB, Arizona State

5 (226). Jacksonville Jaguars- Trae Elston, S, Ole Miss

6 (227). Miami Dolphins- Deiondre' Hall, CB, Northern Iowa

7 (228). Denver Broncos- David Morgan II, TE, Texas-San Antonio

8 (229). Pittsburgh Steelers- Darion Griswold, TE, Arkansas State

9 (230). Chicago Bears- Pearce Slater, OT, San Diego State

10 (231). Miami Dolphins- Daniel Braverman, WR, Western Michigan

11 (232). Washington Redskins- DJ Pettway, DE, Alabama

12 (233). Philadelphia Eagles- Nile Lawrence-Stample, DE, Florida State

13 (234). Oakland Raiders- Caleb Bennenoch, OT, UCLA

14 (235). New York Jets- LeShaun Simms, CB, Southern Utah

15 (236). Detroit Pistons- Parker Ehinger, OG, Cincinnati

16 (237). New Orleans Saints- Trevone Boykin, QB, TCU
Drew Brees won't be there forever.  It may be time to find his heir.

17 (238). Atlanta Falcons- Jordan Walsh, OG, Iowa

18 (239). Indianapolis Colts- Jake Rudock, QB, Michigan
Jim Harbaugh's old QB now gets backed up by his most recent QB.

19 (240). Minnesota Vikings- DJ Foster, RB, Arizona State

20 (241). New York Jets- Clayton Fejedelem, S, Illinois

21 (242). Washington Redskins- Luke Rhodes, ILB, William & Mary

22 (243). New England Patriots- Jake Coker, QB, Alabama

23 (244). Minnesota Vikings- Cre'von LeBlanc, CB, Florida Atlantic

24 (245). Cincinnati Bengals- Antwione Williams, OLB, Georgia Southern

25 (246). Pittsburgh Steelers- Anthony Zettel, DT/DE, Penn State

26 (247). Seattle Seahawks- Dan Vitale, FB/HB/TE, Northwestern

27 (248). Green Bay Packers- Tre Madden, RB, USC

28 (249). Kansas City Chiefs- Nick Richter, OT, Richmond

29 (250). New England Patriots- Nila Kasitati, OG, Oklahoma

30 (251). Philadelphia Eagles- Elijah Shumate, S, Notre Dame

31 (252). Carolina Panthers- Vernon Adams, QB, Oregon

32 (253). Denver Broncos- Chris Swain, FB, Navy



That's it!  All 7 rounds in the books!  Thank you so much for following along.  Most of these picks will be wrong.  Some will be right.  I hope that your team gets better, and that your favorite players from college find a place in the NFL.  Enjoy the 2016 NFL Draft everyone!

JFLANland 2016 NFL Mock Draft- Round 6

Almost done.  Here we go.

Round 6

1 (176). Cleveland Browns- Brandon Allen, QB, Arkansas

2 (177). Los Angeles Rams- Austin Blyth, OC, Iowa

3 (178). San Francisco 49ers- Ben Braunecker, TE, Harvard

4 (179). San Diego Chargers- Matt Ioannidis, DT, Temple

5 (180). Minnesota Vikings- De'Vondre Campbell, OLB, Minnesota

6 (181). Jacksonville Jaguars- Ron Thompson, DE, Syracuse
First Orangeman gone!  Hope at least one guy from my Alma Mater is taken.

7 (182). Baltimore Ravens- Victor Ochi, OLB, Stoney Brook

8 (183). Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Thomas Duarte, WR, UCLA

9 (184). New York Giants- Matt Judon, DE, Grand Valley State

10 (185). Chicago Bears- Temarrick Hemingway, TE, South Carolina State

11 (186). Miami Dolphins- Jared Norris, ILB, Utah

12 (187). Washington Redskins- Kevin Hogan, QB, Stanford
The Skins need to develop a young QB just in case Kirk doesn't pan out. Bringing in a local product (Hail Gonzaga!) would be a smart move.

13 (188). Philadelphia Eagles- Josh Ferguson, RB, Illinois

14 (189). Dallas Cowboys- Cody Core, WR, Ole Miss

15 (190). Los Angeles Rams- DeMarcus Robinson, WR, Florida

16 (191). Detroit Lions- Ronald Blair, DE, Appalachian State

17 (192). Buffalo Bills- Jeff Driskel, QB, Louisiana Tech

18 (193). Tennessee Titans- Rees Odhiambo, OG, Boise State

19 (194). Oakland Raiders- Beau Sandland, TE, Montana State

20 (195). Houston Texans- Brandon Doughty, QB, Western Kentucky

21 (196). New England Patriots- Romeo Okwara, DE, Notre Dame

22 (197). Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Wendell Smallwood, RB, West Virginia

23 (198). San Diego Chargers- DeAndre Washington, RB, Texas Tech

24 (199). Cincinnati Bengals- De"Runnya Wilson, WR, Mississippi State

25 (200). Green Bay Packers- Donte Deayon, CB, Boise State

26 (201). Jacksonville Jaguars- Avery Young, OT, Auburn

27 (202). Detroit Lions- Nate Sudfeld, QB, Indiana

28 (203). Kansas City Chiefs- DJ Reader, DT, Clemson

29 (204). New England Patriots- Jordan Lucas, S, Penn State

30 (205). Arizona Cardinals- Kyle Friend, OC, Temple

31 (206). Chicago Bears- James Crowder, DE, Southern Utah

32 (207). San Francisco- Daryl Worley, CB, West Virginia

33 (208). New England Patriots- Jayden Mickens, WR, Washington

34 (209). Baltimore Ravens- Geronimo Allison, WR, Illinois

35 (210). Detroit Lions- Dadi Lhomme Nicolas, OLB, Virginia Tech

36 (211). San Francisco 49ers- Cody Kessler, QB, USC
I know, I had them take Hackenberg.  I don't trust him, and Kessler would provide an experienced alternative who was a winner in college.

37 (212). Dallas Cowboys- Keith Marshall, RB, Georgia

38 (213). San Francisco 49ers- Adam Gotsis, DT, Georgia Tech

39 (214). New England Patriots- Nick Kwiatkoski, ILB, West Virginia

40 (215). Seattle Seahawks- Joe Thuney, OG, NC State

41 (216). Dallas Cowboys- Tyrius Powell, S, Ohio State

42 (217). Dallas Cowboys- Henry Kriegercoble, TE, Iowa

43 (218). Buffalo Bills- Ka'imi Fairbairn, K, UCLA

44 (219). Denver Broncos- Kavon Frazier, S, Central Michigan

45 (220). Pittsburgh Steelers- Aziz Shittu, DE, Stanford

46 (221). New England Patriots- Keenan Reynolds, RB/WR/QB, Navy
The best player in NCAA last year gets his name called by one of the premier franchises.  He deserves to be drafted, and could be the next great weapon for the Patriots.  They also need all the positive press they can get.


Almost done.  One more round to go.

JFLANland 2016 NFL Mock Draft- Round 5

Another day, another round of the Draft.  After all, its only one more sleep til Draft Day!

Round 5

1 (140). Tennessee Titans- Jason Fanaika, DE, Utah

2 (141). Cleveland Browns- Evan Boehm, OC, Missouri

3 (142). San Francisco 49ers- Kenyan Drake, RB, Alabama

4 (143). Oakland Raiders- Blake Martinez, ILB, Stanford

5 (144). Denver Broncos- Keyarris Garrett, WR, Tulsa

6 (145). San Francisco 49ers- Malick Collins, DT, Nebraska

7 (146). Jacksonville Jaguars- Bralon Addison, WR, Oregon

8 (147). Miami Dolphins- Brandon Shell, OT, South Carolina

9 (148). Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Alex Lewis, OT, Nebraska

10 (149). New York Giants- Jayron Kearse, S, Clemson

11 (150). Chicago Bears- Cardale Jones, QB, Ohio State
He would have been a 1st Round pick if he came out after winning the National Championship. Now he goes late, but gets to sit behind Jay Cutler for a bit and refine his game. If Cutler struggles, the Bears fans may start clamoring for Jones.

12 (151). Detroit Lions- Harlan Miller, CB, SE Louisiana

13 (152). New Orleans Saints- Travis Feeney, OLB, Washington

14 (153). Philadelphia Eagles- Kevon Seymour, CB, USC

15 (154). Oakland Raiders- Roger Lewis, WR, Bowling Green

16 (155). Indianapolis Colts- DeAndre Houston-Carson, S, William & Mary

17 (156). Buffalo Bills- Briean Boddy-Calhoun, CB, Minnesota

18 (157). Denver Broncos- James Bradberry, CB, Samford

19 (158). Washington Redskins- KJ Dillon, S, West Virginia

20 (159). Houston Texans- Morgan Burns, CB, Kansas State

21 (160). Minnesota Vikings- Tom Hackett, P, Utah
Punters are people too!

22 (161). Cincinnati Bengals- Justin Simmons, S, Boston College

23 (162). Kansas City Chiefs- Jocoby Brissett, QB, NC State

24 (163). Green Bay Packers- Malcolm Mitchell, WR, Georgia

25 (164). Philadelphia Eagles- Denver Kirkland, OG, Arkansas

26 (165). Kansas City Chiefs- CJ Prosise, RB, Notre Dame

27 (166). Houston Texans- Daniel Lasco, RB, Cal

28 (167). Arizona Cardinals- Glenn Gronkowski, FB/HB/TE, Kansas State
Mini Gronk goes to add even more weapons to an explosive Cardinals offense.

29 (168). Carolina Panthers- Tyler Ervin, RB, San Jose State

30 (169). Detroit Lions- Kelvin Ferguson, RB, Florida

31 (170). Arizona Cardinals- Jatavis Brown, OLB, Akron

32 (171). Seattle Seahawks- Paul McRoberts, WR, SE Missouri State

33 (172). Cleveland Browns- Tavon Young, CB, Temple

34 (173). Cleveland Browns- Halapoulivaati Vaitai, OT, TCU
Winner of the "Name of the Draft" award

35 (174). San Francisco 49ers- Kevin Crawley, CB, Colorado

36 (175). San Diego Chargers- Kevin Byard, S, Middle Tennessee State


Only two more rounds to go!  Has your favorite college player gone yet?  Where will all the remaining QBs go?  We'll find out shortly.

JFLANland 2016 NFL Mock Draft- Round 4

Keep rolling along.

Round 4

1 (99). Cleveland Browns- Adolphus Washington, DT, Ohio State

2 (100). Cleveland Browns- Paul Perkins, RB, UCLA
I love this guy.  Outside of Zeke Eliiot, the best all-purpose back in the draft in my opinion.

3 (101). Dallas Cowboys- Sheldon Day, DT, Notre Dame

4 (102). San Diego Chargers- Leonte Carrou, WR, Rutgers

5 (103). Jacksonville Jaguars- Spencer Drango, OG, Baylor

6 (104). Baltimore Ravens- Cole Toner, OT, Harvard

7 (105). San Francisco 49ers- Tyler Matakevich, ILB, Temple

8 (106). Chicago Bears- Maurice Canady, CB, Virginia

9 (107). Miami Dolphins- Alex Collins, RB, Arkansas

10 (108). Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Darian Thompson, S, Boise State

11 (109). New York Giants- Joe Dahl, OG, Washington Stsate

12 (110). Los Angeles Rams- Zack Sanchez, CB, Oklahoma

13 (111). Detroit Lions- Willie Beavers, OT, Western Michigan

14 (112). New Orleans Saints- Kenny Lawler, WR, Cal

15 (113). Los Angeles Rams- Nick Vannett, TE, Ohio State

16 (114). Oakland Raiders- DJ White, CB, Georgia Tech

17 (115). Atlanta Falcons- Tyler Higbee, TE, Western Kentucky

18 (116). Indianapolis Colts- Keivarae Russell, CB, Notre Dame

19 (117). Buffalo Bills- Jordan Jenkins, OLB, Georgia

20 (118). New York Jets- Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi State
I think Dak has the talent to be a NFL QB. If he sits for a year and learns, I expect good things.  Certainly a leader with all the intangibles a franchise would want.

21 (119). Houston Texans- Jerrell Adams, TE, South Carolina

22 (120). Washington Redskins- Tajae Sharpe, WR, UMass

23 (121). Minnesota Vikings- Charles Tapper, DE, Oklahoma

24 (122). Cincinnati Bengals- Max Tuerk, OC, USC

25 (123). Pittsburgh Steelers- Graham Glasgow, OG/C, Michigan

26 (124). Seattle Seahawks- Eric Striker, OLB, Oklahoma

27 (125). Green Bay Packers- Bryce Williams, TE, East Carolina

28 (126). Kansas City Chiefs- Aaron Burbridge, WR, Michigan State

29 (127). Chicago Bears- Kolby Listenbee, WR, TCU

30 (128). Arizona Cardinals- Johnathan Jones, CB, Arizona

31 (129). Carolina Panthers- Shawn Oakman, DE, Baylor

32 (130). Baltimore Ravens- Eric Murray, CB, Minnesota

33 (131). Green Bay Packers- Fahn Cooper, OT, Ole Miss

34 (132). Baltimore Ravens- Javon Hargrave, DT, South Carolina State

35 (133). San Francisco 49ers- Issac Seamalo, OG, Oregon State

36 (134). Baltimore Ravens- Sean Davis, S, Maryland

37 (135). Dallas Cowboys- Joe Schobert, OLB, Wisconsin

38 (136). Denver Broncos- Jonathan Williams, RB, Arkansas

39 (137). Green Bay Packers- Jordan Peyton, WR, UCLA

40 (138). Cleveland Browns- Nick Vigil, ILB, Utah State

41 (139). Buffalo Bills- Bronson Kaufusi, DE, BYU


Round 4 in the books.  Round 5 coming up next, with some more familiar names, and some future late-round superstars.