NFL Insiders redraft the first five picks of the 2016 class
— -- How would the 2016 NFL draft have panned out if teams knew then what they know now? Would Jared Goff and Carson Wentz still have gone before Dak Prescott? Would Ezekiel Elliott still have ended up with the Dallas Cowboys?
With the regular season in the rearview mirror, our panel of NFL Insiders took a crack at redrafting the first five picks of the 2016 class. The panel included Matt Bowen, John Clayton, Mike Sando, Aaron Schatz and Field Yates.
As a reminder, the actual top five of last year's draft went as follows: ?
1. Rams: Jared Goff, QB, Cal
2. Eagles: Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
3. Chargers: Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State
4. Cowboys: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
5. Jaguars: Jalen Ramsey, CB, Florida State
Important note: For the purpose of this redraft, we reverted to the original 2016 draft order, before Los Angeles and Philadelphia traded up to select quarterbacks Nos. 1 and 2 overall. Tennessee held the first pick, followed by Cleveland, San Diego, Dallas and Jacksonville.
1. Tennessee Titans
Joey Bosa, DL, Ohio State
Yates: The Titans found themselves in a unique situation with the first overall pick, given that they already had their quarterback of the future. That, in essence, allowed them to auction off the top pick in the actual draft. For the purpose of this exercise, Tennessee has to press forward with pick No. 1. The decision wasn't a difficult one.
Bosa, who missed one quarter of his rookie season, was still just one of 16 players with double-digit sacks. He already has established himself as one of the most disruptive edge players in the league, combining explosion off the edge with an advanced arsenal of pass-rush moves. He's a legitimate candidate for future Defensive Player of the Year awards. Though Tennessee does have a pair of established pass-rushers in Derrick Morgan and Brian Orakpo, Bosa would immediately become the foundation of the Titans' defense for the next decade.
If this exercise were to pick a player for just one season, there's a case to be made that cornerback Jalen Ramsey would have filled a more pressing need than Bosa in 2016 given Tennessee's secondary issues. But a year after landing a franchise quarterback, the Titans get their defensive cornerstone in Bosa. It should be noted that the player Tennessee took in the actual 2016 draft, offensive tackle Jack Conklin, was outstanding as a rookie. Still, Bosa's ability at an integral position is too much to pass up on.
2. Cleveland Browns
Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi State
Sando: Prescott would have a much tougher time flourishing in Cleveland the way he has in Dallas. He'd be forced into too many pure passing situations and struggle as a consequence. That's no reason for the Browns to talk themselves out of this pick. They need a franchise quarterback to build around, and Prescott seems ideally suited for the role.
The poise and better-than-expected throwing accuracy Prescott has shown, combined with his size and dual-threat ability, make this a logical choice for Cleveland.
Still not convinced? Think of it the other way around: What would it take for a team to acquire Prescott from the Cowboys right now? It would take more than the second overall choice. Dallas, once set on taking Paxton Lynch and? Connor Cook, at this point wouldn't trade Prescott for Carson Wentz or Jared Goff or any other quarterback in the 2016 draft. If forced to choose between Prescott and fellow super-rookie Ezekiel Elliott, positional value could be the top consideration.?
3. San Diego Chargers
Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State
Schatz:? Philip Rivers is 35 years old, but you don't use a top-three draft pick on your heir apparent at quarterback unless you know your starter has just one year left.
The Chargers definitely needed young defensive talent going into this season, and the consensus best defensive players were Bosa?and Ramsey. If they didn't take Bosa, they were going to take Ramsey, who had an excellent rookie year in Jacksonville. A Ramsey pick would have given them a really nice trio of cornerbacks for the next few years, teaming Ramsey with? Jason Verrett?and free-agent addition Casey Hayward.
4. Dallas Cowboys
Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
Bowen: If Bosa were still on the board, I could understand the argument for the Cowboys to add the top edge rusher in the class. That's a true need for Rod Marinelli's defense. However, given the skill set of Elliott and the offensive identity the Cowboys are building, the Ohio State running back is still the pick at No. 4.
I don't buy the narrative that "anyone" could run behind this offensive front in Dallas, because I'm not seeing that on the tape. Elliott is a special talent -- a running back with vision, developed patience, lateral ability and the speed/power combo to finish runs. He averaged more than 5 yards per carry (5.07) this season, and he scored 15 touchdowns while leading the NFL (as a rookie) with 1,631 yards rushing.
Pairing Elliott with that offensive line in Dallas allows the Cowboys to control tempo and play with physicality. Yes, it's an old-school formula. It's also a proven formula with a young back who can wear down opposing defenses for a team that averaged 149.8 yards per game on the ground this season.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State
Clayton:?With Ramsey off the board, I'll go with Conklin. He's proved, as a rookie, that he's the best right tackle in the league, being named a first-team All Pro.
Conklin brought a physical presence to Tennessee and would do the same for Jacksonville, giving the Jags a steady presence for years to come. Sure, I thought about taking Wentz to give the Jaguars a long-term replacement for Blake Bortles,?but Conklin is the safer bet for the future. He also could strengthen the Jaguars' running game, which could make things easier for Bortles and the offense.
