2016 NFL Draft: Random Thoughts as Thursday Approaches

Over the span of the offseason I've had a few thoughts that weren't big enough to be expanded into their own article... and so I shoved all of them into one post here. Feel free to share your own thoughts below. below.

- I think Jalen Ramsey is the best prospect in the draft. There is a strong argument for Laremy Tunsil and even DeForest Buckner, but Ramsey is at the top of my board. He's such a unique player and I think he fits well at either corner or safety. Some feel strongly that he's a safety, but I disagree. He's shown more than enough as a CB to feel confident in his abilities at that spot. I hope he goes to Dallas fourth overall, if only to prevent him from going to Jacksonville.

- Joey Bosa does a lot of things well and should be a solid contributor on any team. I think he relied too much on power in college though. I don't see him becoming an elite defensive end in the NFL.

- I think if the Titans trade up, it'll be for Ronnie Stanley.  To me there is a clear hierarchy on the offensive tackles in this draft, and I could see Jon Robinson moving up for Stanley because the drop from Stanley to Conklin and Decker is significant (and this is coming from someone who likes Conklin). There is so much to like about Stanley. He combines both power and finesse, and has played both tackle spots. I don't particularly like the idea of trading up for a right tackle. With many projections stuffing four tackles into the top 16 picks, I can understand why Robinson would feel compelled to make a move.

- If you draft Ronnie Stanley, your scouts need to be completely convinced there are no concerns about his work ethic and passion for the game.

- This wide receiver class is weak. Josh Doctson is my favourite receiver. Love the catch radius and great hands. Laquon Treadwell is such a tough evaluation. He was so good on intermediate routes in college but I don't anticipate him being able to separate consistently from NFL corners. The whole receiver group is just not that exciting. Football Outsiders posted their yearly Playmaker Score projections for the class and does not look favourably on several of the top receivers.

- A few names on my buyer beware list: Eli Apple, Jarran Reed and Robert Nkemdiche. Apple just doesn't stand out to me on tape. I can understand why a team will fall in love with him. There are plenty of positives to get excited about, but I'd be cautious to select him. He struggles with awareness and tackling. For Reed, I think if you're drafting a DT in the first round he better be able to play all three downs. There are two points for Nkemdiche for me. With all the off field questions popping up, I just don't trust him. Even if I were to ignore those concerns, I find him frustratingly inconsistent.

- The Titans are in a perfect position to bolster their defense on the second day of the draft. The two rounds on Friday should have plenty of pass rushers and safeties available, and its one of the reason I'm hoping they stick and pick at 15th overall. The second day may very well prove to be even more crucial than Thursday for this team. There are going to be so many possibilities. Perhaps they add Emmanuel Ogbah, Karl Joseph and Kamalei Correa. Maybe its Artie Burns, Vonn Bell and Noah Spence. Whatever the combination, this roster is going to get a lot of young talent added quickly.

- Emmanuel Ogbah could be a tremendous edge rusher for Dick LeBeau. He was extremely productive in college but also still is improving his game. If you haven't already seen Football Outsiders' SackSEER projection for him, you should check it out. He still struggles in the run game a bit.

- It is always amazing to me how all 32 teams are able to get the top player on their draft board for each pick. They are always so fortunate!

- The draft is always an exciting time to be a fan. Either the "experts" rave about your team's draft picks, or they hate your team's draft picks - in which case you're always reminded of their wrong projections in the past. Its easy to see why the NFL Draft has become so big, and how the NFL sells optimism this time of year.