This new section highlights which players have improved or worsened their 2016 NFL Draft stock as the draft approaches.
By Charlie Campbell.
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2016 NFL Draft Stock Up
Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State As we wrote in the rumormill, Wentz has impressed NFL evaluators and they feel that he has early-round potential. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound Wentz broke his wrist and missed seven games to end the season. He just returned to practice recently and is expected to play in the Senior Bowl barring a setback. Sources say that Wentz is a good player, and obviously, they love his size. The Senior Bowl is going to be huge for his draft stock. A great week could send him skyrocketing up draft boards, and teams feel that he has first-round potential.
Keanu Neal, S, Florida Sources say that Neal has impressed them in 2015 and they are giving the junior a third-round grade. However, they believe that the team that likes Neal enough to draft him, could take him in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
Neal has 85 tackles with 3.5 for a loss, two sacks, one pass broken up and an interception this season. The 6-foot-1, 216-pounder is a hard hitter who can be an eighth man in the box, but also has speed and athleticism to develop more coverage skills. Marcus Maye has been Florida’s free safety, but teams feel that Neal has the potential for flexibility as a pro. I’ve heard from sources that Neal is likely to enter the 2016 NFL Draft, and if he does, he can expect to hear his name called on Friday night.
James Beavers, OT, Western Michigan Beavers has been the Broncos’ starting left tackle the past few seasons. His quality play earned him an invitation to the Senior Bowl. The 6-foot-5, 309-pound Beavers has some size, quickness and length to him. A big week in Mobile would be huge for his draft stock as the 2016 NFL Draft looks thin at left tackle, so Beavers has the capacity to rise with demand at the position.
Joe Dahl, OT, Washington State Dahl broke into the lineup as a sophomore starter at guard. But, he has played left tackle for Washington State over the past two seasons. In the Cougars’ offense, Dahl has received a lot of preparation for blocking in pass protection on the edge. The 6-foot-5, 310-pounder is another tackle who has the capacity to rise. He could help himself at the Senior Bowl.
Connor McGovern, G, Missouri Missouri didn’t have an impressive season, but McGovern earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl. Thus, he impressed talent evaluators enough to get a spot at the best all-Star game available. McGovern (6-4, 300) could use another 10-20 pounds of power for the NFL.
Cole Toner, OT, Harvard The Senior Bowl likes to mix in some Ivy League and small-school players to give them an opportunity to show they can compete at a higher level. Sometimes it works out, like with Ali Marpet in 2015, but most of the time, those players don’t turn into highly rated prospects. Toner will have the chance to show he belongs in the NFL with an invitation to play in Mobile. It speaks well for Toner (6-6, 303) that he even earned the right to go to Mobile, Alabama and play in the best college all-star game.
Jihad Ward, DT, Illinois During the tenure of Ron Zook, Illinois produced a lot of NFL talent, including some defensive linemen. Ward is one of the few prospects to come from Tim Beckman’s disappointing run. The junior college product Ward had 51 tackles with 8.5 for a loss and three sacks in his debut season in 2014. As a senior, he had 53 tackles with 3.5 for a loss and 1.5 sacks. Ward (6-6, 295) has good size and is an interesting sleeper prospect to watch.
Sheldon Rankins, DE/DT, Louisville Rankins has been an impressive defender for Louisville this year. He totaled 53 tackles with 12 for a loss, and six sacks during the regular season. Rankins was even better in 2014 when he had Lorenzo Mauldin on the edge drawing attention. As a junior, Rankins totaled nine sacks, 54 tackles and 14.5 tackles for a loss. The 6-foot-2, 305-pounder could be a speedy three-technique for the NFL. Rankins could rise at the Senior Bowl.
2016 NFL Draft Stock Down
Brandon Williams, CB, Texas A&M Texas A&M staff has been pumping up Williams to NFL scouts and evaluators, but the pros aren’t buying it. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound running back-turned-cornerback has 34 tackles with seven passes broken up during the regular season. Sources say that while the senior has size, he is extremely tight, and lacks feel and instincts. Teams are grading Williams in the undrafted ranks as a priority free agent. They feel he is a huge project at corner and is primarily a special teams player for the NFL.
Adolphus Washington, DT, Ohio State Washington had an excellent 2015 regular season and looked like an early-round talent with his combination of size and quickness on the defensive line. After an impressive year, Washington hurt his draft stock significantly with an arrest for solicitation. He has 49 tackles and four sacks this year, but this arrest will make his Senior Bowl and combine interviews critical for his draft stock. Washington’s status for Ohio State’s bowl game hasn’t been determined.
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