2016 NFL Draft Preview

Here are my favorite prospects in the 2016 NFL Draft. This isn't a comprehensive Big Board, because I don't watch every game and I don't grade every player. But as a college football fanatic, these are the guys that jumped off the screen when I watched them play. If your favorite team snags one of these guys, they're getting a great player.

Offense

1. Laquon Treadwell - WR - Ole Miss ... My favorite player in this year's draft, this guy catches everything thrown his way. He's big, he's strong, and he comes down with the ball in traffic. Yeah, I know, he didn't run the fastest 40-yard-dash, but did I mention he catches everything thrown his way? I think the Michael Crabtree comparisons are spot-on; Crabtree was also a big, strong, super-productive college receiver and has become a super-productive NFL pass-catcher. I expect the same from Treadwell. I'm a Vikings fan, and they need a receiver: I hope they get this guy. 

2. Derrick Henry - RB - Alabama ... He absolutely dominated college football last year, rushing for over 2200 yards, scoring 28 TDs, and winning the Heisman Trophy. He's as big as a linebacker, but faster. Every team that played Alabama last year knew he was going to get the ball, yet they still couldn't stop him. To me, he's easily the best RB in the draft, but for some reason a lot of pundits project him as a 2nd-round prospect. They're overthinking it. If you need a running back, don't overthink it, just take the best running back in college football.

3. Sterling Shepard - WR - Oklahoma ... This guy caught a lot of passes (223 career receptions) for a big-time school in a big-time conference. I think he'll be a perfect quick-and-shifty slot receiver in the NFL, and every team can use one of those. He reminds me a little of Rashad Greene from Florida State last year; He's played a lot of football, ran a lot of routes, and caught a lot of passes in big-time games. Greene is carving out a nice role at the pro level, and I think Shepard will do the same.

Defense 

1. A'Shawn Robinson - DT - Alabama ... This draft is loaded with premier D-Line prospects, and everybody has their own preferences, but Robinson is my guy. He's 6-4, 300 pounds, and amazingly athletic. What do I mean by amazingly athletic? Watch this clip, in which he jumps over an LSU offensive lineman to block an extra point. I repeat: he's 6-4, 300 pounds, and he jumps over an offensive lineman. You sometimes see this in the NFL, where a 200-pound free safety gets a twenty-yard running start and jumps over the line to block a kick, but I can't stress this enough... A'Shawn Robinson is 6-4, 300 pounds, with no running start, and he jumped over a lineman to block an extra point. I've never seen anything like it in my life. 

2. Jalen Ramsey - FS - Florida State ... Most pundits would agree that Ramsey is a difference-maker in the secondary. I think he could play cornerback in the NFL, but a lot of mock drafts project him as a safety. He'll probably play a little bit of both, but there's no doubt he'll make plays. Worthy of a top-5 overall pick. 

3. Noah Spence - DE - Eastern Kentucky ... His off-the-field problems are well-documented, but his on-the-field prowess is just as easy to see. He's a superb pass rusher and was productive at both Ohio State and Eastern Kentucky. I believe him when he says he's learned from his mistakes, and I also believe it would be a mistake to pass on this guy if your team needs someone that can get to the quarterback. 

GIRF List

Here are some Guys I'm Rooting For (GIRF). Not sure what round they'll be selected, but I enjoyed watching them play college football and I hope they get drafted by a team I like, and that they get a chance to show what they can do. 

Kendall Fuller - CB - Virginia Tech

Keith Marshall - RB - Georgia

D.J. Foster - RB - Arizona State

Braxton Miller - WR - Ohio State
Corey Coleman - WR - Baylor
Pharoh Cooper - WR - South Carolina

Connor Cook - QB - Michigan State

Dak Prescott - QB - Mississippi State

Vernon Adams - QB - Oregon