Breakdown of Mel Kiper Jr.’s new 2016 NFL Mock Draft

Breakdown of Mel Kiper Jr.’s 2016 NFL Mock Draft.

Yesterday I took a look at Daniel Jeremiah’s updated mock draft and today we a chance to look at Mel Kiper Jr’s latest version. Both draft analysts are highly respected and have unique access to different opinions from NFL executives. This is one of the reasons we see so much difference between the two mock drafts.

The biggest similarity is the placement of North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz over California’s Jared Goff as the first quarterback off the board. This is a recent trend with Wentz using the Senior Bowl to garner more attention and move up draft boards. The truth is that Wentz a real talent who has been on the draft radar for awhile.

However, Goff remains my top rated quarterback because of his quick decision making and high football IQ. He does his damage from inside the pocket and doesn’t rely on his legs to move the chains.

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Goff and Wentz are the only two quarterbacks Kiper has as first-round picks. This means that Memphis’ Paxton Lynch slips to the second round. Lynch has had first-round buzz for most of the year, but has seen his stock slide a little with the rise of Wentz.

One big surprise in Kiper’s mock draft is that Ohio State’s Joey Bosa drops to the Baltimore Ravens at pick No. 6. Bosa is seen by many as the No. 1 talent in this draft which would make landing him at No. 6 a major steal for the Ravens.

Kiper has Bosa’s college teammate, Eli Apple, landing with the Oakland Raiders at pick No. 14. Apple is a physical cornerback who isn’t afraid to support the run or fight for position in contested situations. The knock on Apple that he doesn’t show elite speed which is typically seen as an important skill for cornerbacks.