According to Mel Kiper’s 2016 NFL mock draft and Big Board, there are plenty of members from the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes that we should keep an eye on. Cardale Jones, who returned to Columbus rather than entering the 2015 draft, tops Kiper’s quarterback watch list.
And aside from the highly-scouted men on defense, Kiper attends to the field generals, pointing to Christian Hackenberg (6-foot-4, 228 pounds; 103 yards, INT vs. Temple), Connor Cook (6-foot-4, 220 pounds; 256 pass yards, 2 TD vs. Western Michigan) and Jared Goff (6-foot-4, 215 pounds; 309 pass yards, 3 TD, INT vs. Grambling State) as late first-rounders in 2016.
Moving onwards from Kiper’s who-to-watch list, SB Nation also filed its own mock draft with a fair portion of first-round picks residing in the SEC or along the Atlantic Ocean coastline, rounding out with Oregon’s defensive end DeForest Buckner going to Green Bay at a projected 32 spot.
Below is a list of juniors and seniors that have huge upside potential in next year’s draft or, if one wishes, to return for their senior years.
QB Cardale Jones, Ohio State
6-foot-5, 250 pounds
vs. Virginia Tech: 9-of-18, 186 pass yards, TD; 13 rushes, 99 yards, TD
Next opponent: Hawaii
RB Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State
6-foot-1, 225 pounds
vs. Virginia Tech: 11 rushes, 122 yards, TD
Ezekiel Elliott goes 80 yards to the house. https://t.co/7F1l7vJiuf
— Athlon Sports (@AthlonSports) September 8, 2015
Next opponent: Hawaii
WR Braxton Miller, Ohio State
6-foot-2, 215 pounds
vs. Virginia Tech: 6 rushes, 62 yards, TD; 2 receptions, 78 yards, TD
Next opponent: Hawaii
DT Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss
6-foot-4, 296 pounds
vs. Tennessee-Martin: 3 tackles, OFF TD
Next opponent: Fresno State
Atheist, if God doesn't exist then how do you explain Robert Nkemdiche? http://t.co/iahWbczFyu
— Kyle Cole (@ColeMissSports) September 7, 2015
WR Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss
2014 – suffered season-ending leg injury against Auburn
6-foot-2, 210 pounds
vs. Tennessee-Martin: 4 receptions, 44 yards
Next opponent: Fresno State
QB Treyvon Boykin, TCU
6-foot-2, 205 pounds
vs. Minnesota: 26-of-42, 246 yards, TD, INT
Trevone Boykin already creating that Heisman highlight reel. TCU 17, Minn. 3. https://t.co/u4FUBq8BJc
— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) September 4, 2015
Next opponent: Stephen F. Austin
RB Derrick Henry, Alabama
6-foot-3, 242 pounds
vs. Wisconsin: 13 rushes, 147 yards, 3 TD
Next opponent: Middle Tennessee
S Jalen Ramsey, Florida State
6-foot-1, 201 pounds
vs. Texas State: 4 tackles, pass defended
Next opponent: South Florida
QB Taysom Hill, BYU
Out for season – fractured foot against Nebraska
6-foot-2, 234 pounds
vs. Nebraska: 268 pass yards, pass TD; 2 rush TD
This is where the season-ending injury occurred for Taysom Hill. https://t.co/ZJ2gFyX85u
— Dave Noriega (@davenoriega) September 6, 2015
Next opponent: Boise State
RB James Conner, Pitt
Out for season – MCL injury against Youngstown State
6-foot-2, 240 pounds
vs. Youngstown State: 8 rushes, 77 yards, 2 TD
https://twitter.com/JoshNorris/status/640981955790655488
Next opponent: Akron
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports
