Fantasy 2016 BigFooty Mock Draft Board

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The Pittsburgh Steelers select TE Beau Sandland from Montana State with pick #246.
6'4" 253lb


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Athletic frame with good mass and room for more. Exceptional arm length and hand size for the position. Capable seam worker. Long strides in vertical routes can overtake squatting safeties. Able to separate out of breaks. Competitive, able runner after catch.

He chose to fly across the country to Miami, Florida, to follow in the footsteps of many top-rated tight ends. But after one season (9-94 receiving in 13 games), Sandland decided he would rather attend a school closer to his home environment. He sat out the 2014 season transferring to FCS program Montana State. With a year in the offense under his belt, Sandland's game took off in 2015, as he earned All-American honors from the Associated Press and first-team All-Big Sky notice with 37 catches for 632 yards and nine scores.
 

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New York Jets select Daniel Braverman - WR - Western Michigan

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At 5'10" and 177lb, Braverman may not necessarily be the type of player the Jets are looking for to play in the slot (his favoured position) under Chan Gailey, but there's no denying that he has the chops to survive and potentially thrive in an NFL environment in that position. The Jets allowed Jeremy Kerley to walk after a season where Kerley was a non-factor on offense, but one suspects that if Braverman shows something in rookie and training camps, he will have an opportunity to have an impact in an offense that needs to plan for the future post-Marshall, Forte and Decker.

As a small school product, Braverman did not score an invite to the NFL combine, but he posted some decent numbers at Western Michigan's pro day. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds, the short shuttle in 4.2 seconds and the 3-cone in 6.86 seconds.

Given his role as a slot receiver, Braverman needs to rely on technique to succeed and he showed that he had the technique to create space with suddenness and route speed variation. He adjusts routes on the fly and will work back to a scrambling quarterback if required.

As a round 7 pick, the Jets are happy to take a flyer on Braverman.
 
With pick 248 the Packers select: DeAndre Elliot, CB, Colorado State

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Even though the Packers replaced House and Williams they have also lost Hayward, Richardson and Goodson leaving only Shields, Rollins, Gunter and Randall on the roster as I foresee Hyde becoming even more of a safety. Excellent size/weight prospect who is a little slow but in the 7th round why not take a shot.
 
With pick 235, the Jets select Tyler Ervin - RB - San Jose State

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Although the Jets signed Matt Forte to replace Chris Ivory and signed Dri Archer off the street, I think there's still room for another running back in the stable to open the season. Ervin was invited to the Combine and recorded the fastest 40 yard dash amongst running backs (4.41seconds), as well as a 39 inch vertical jump and a 130 inch long jump.

Ervin isn't a like for like replacement for Ivory as he profiles more like a Dexter McLuster type running back with a relatively lanky and lean frame (5'10", 192lb). However, he led San Jose State (playing in the Mountain West Conference) in rushing yards in 2014 (888 yards, four touchdowns) and 2015 (1469 yards, 13 touchdowns), as well as 73 passes for 642 yards in the previous two seasons. Ervin also appeals to the Jets as a possible kick returner (2374 career yards as a returner, with three touchdowns).

Ervin is shifty enough to find gaps in the defense and has the agility to bounce away from would-be tacklers with sudden directional change. However, he doesn't have the strength to gain extra yards after contact on a regular basis and his size and strength limitations will hinder his ability of being a true, third down back in the league. However, as the third running back in the room behind Forte and Powell, Ervin won't see a lot of time as a running back in 2016 and is more likely to make his bones as a returner for the Jets (provided he can see off Dri Archer).
 
Detroit Lions select Dadi Lhomme Nicolas - OLB - Virginia Tech

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Nicolas had a good campaign for Virginia Tech as a junior in 2014, when he racked up nine sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss. He thought about declaring for the 2014 draft but decided to return to school for his senior year. However, it's probably backfired on him, as he only had 2.5 sacks for the season, and it's prompted a fall into the seventh round for the linebacker.

Nicolas is a nimble athlete who will play well when he has the space to play. He has excellent first-step quickness and initial momentum to split double-teams when lined up as a three- or five-technique and to shave the corner when rushing off the edge. He is quick-footed to avoid blockers and will keep his eyes on the ball. He will also add value to the Lions on special teams, particularly in field goal attempts from the opponent, as he has a number of blocked field-goal attempts in his collegiate career.

Nicolas, however, does not have the core strength to hold up in the trenches, and he will need coaching on his hand use, as he typically relies on his lower body to do the heavy lifting. Nicolas is too small to play as a defensive end and will have to show his wares as an outside linebacker in the 4-3 alignment, which is the preferred alignment for the Lions.
 
First round is in the books. Here's how we all went:

Code:
Pick Mock Player                Act'l Player
---------------------------------------------------------
   1 TEN  L. Tunsil (OT)        LAR   J. Goff (QB)
   2 CLE  C. Wentz (OT)         PHI   C. Wentz (QB)
   3 SDC  D. Buckner (DE)       SDC   J. Bosa (DE)
   4 DAL  J. Bosa (DE)          DAL   E. Elliott (RB)
   5 JAX  M. Jack (LB)          JAX   J. Ramsey (DB)
   6 BAL  J. Ramsey (DB)        BAL   R. Stanley (OT)
   7 SF   J. Goff (QB)          SF    D. Bruckner (DE)
   8 PHI  V. Hargreaves (CB)    TEN   J. Conklin (OT)
   9 TBB  S. Lawson (DE)        CHI   L. Floyd (OLB)
  10 NYG  R. Stanley (OT)       NYG   E. Apple (CB)
  11 NYJ  P. Lynch (QB)         TBB   V. Hargreaves (CB)
  12 NOS  A. Robinson (DT)      NOS   S. Rankins (DT)
  13 MIA  E. Elliott (RB)       MIA   L. Tunsil (OT)
  14 OAK  D. Lee (OLB)          OAK   K. Joseph (S)
  15 LAR  W. Fuller (WR)        CLE   C. Coleman (WR)
  16 DET  J. Conklin (OT)       DET   T. Decker (OT)
  17 ATL  S. Rankins (DT)       ATL   K. Neal (SS)
  18 IND  R. Ragland (ILB)      IND   R. Kelly (C)
  19 BUF  N. Spence (DE)        BUF   S. Lawson (DE)
  20 CHI  M. Alexander (CB)     NYJ   D. Lee (LB)
  21 WAS  J. Reed (NT)          HOU   W. Fuller (WR)
  22 HOU  L. Treadwell (WR)     WAS   J. Doctson (WR)
  23 MIN  T. Decker (OT)        MIN   L. Treadwell (WR)
  24 CIN  J. Doctson (WR)       CIN   W. Jackson III (CB)
  25 PIT  W. Jackson III (CB)   PIT   A. Burns (CB)
  26 SEA  L. Floyd (OLB)        DEN   P. Lynch (QB)
  27 GBP  A. Billings (DT)      GBP   K. Clark (DT)
  28 KCC  C. Coleman (WR)       SF    J. Garnett (OG)
  29 NEP forfeited
  30 ARI  R. Nkemdiche (DT)     ARI   R. Nkemdiche (DT)
  31 CAR  K. Dodd (DE)          CAR   V. Butler (DT)
  32 DEN  E. Ogbah (DE)         SEA   G. Ifedi (OT)

drd23 nailed the right pick at the right time, with Nkemdiche going to the Cardinals at pick #29, just as predicted. Chris25 also correctly predicted that Wentz would go second overall, but unfortunately Wentz went to the Eagles, not the Browns.

The biggest reach would appear to be Myles Jack, taken by the Jaguars at pick #5, but not yet drafted. Then, we have Noah Spence, taken by the Bills at pick #18. He has not yet been drafted. He is closely followed by Mackenzie Alexander, taken by the Bears at pick #20. There was also a big reach on Paxton Lynch (taken at pick #11 in the mock draft and at pick #26 in the real draft).

The following players were taken in the mock draft who have not yet been drafted: Myles Jack, A'Shawn Robinson, Noah Spence, Mackenzie Alexandar, Jarran Reed, Andrew Billings, Kevin Dodd and Emmanuel Ogbah.

Players selected in the real draft's first round not selected in the first round: Eli Apple, Karl Joseph, Keanu Neal, Artie Burns, Kenny Clark, Joshua Garnett, Vernon Butler and Germain Ifedi.
 
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