NFL Draft 2016: Rounding Up Top Experts' Latest Big Boards
While not as popular as its mock-draft counterpart, NFL draft big boards provide a narrowed perspective on the upcoming proceedings.
It's a necessary one, too. There's nothing fancy about big boards—observers have a comprehensive guide to the top 100-300 prospects in their hands when crafted by an expert.
Whereas mock drafts also trifle with team need and projecting how a live draft would pan out, trades possibly included, big boards paint the stock market down to the smallest detail after hundreds of hours of study.
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With the draft on Thursday, here's a look at the notable recent big boards to use.
Board Notable: No. 6 Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
One of the more interesting recent debates in the draft process concerns wide receiver, where Ole Miss' Laquon Treadwell originally entered as the top name but wound up losing out to guys like Corey Coleman and Josh Doctson.
Not in the mind of Sports Illustrated's Chris Burke, though. Despite his poor times at the school's pro day, Treadwell is riding high for Burke:
"But as always, it goes back to what a player can do on the field. Treadwell remains WR1 in our rankings because the way he performed for Ole Miss outweighs any sluggishness in the 40-yard dash. Not everyone will approach the variables in the same manner—that’s why every Big Board looks different and every team’s approach to the draft is unique.
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For those keeping track, the sixth slot is higher than notables such as DeForest Buckner, Ronnie Stanley, Noah Spence and more.
It's a lot of weight to throw behind Treadwell, but Burke is right in suggesting the 40-yard-dash times don't mean much. He's huge at 6'2" and 221 pounds and one of the better prospects at attacking the ball while it's high in the air—so it doesn't really matter if a smaller defensive back arrives at the spot on the field first.
While it's hard to imagine Treadwell will come off the board in the top 10, it's not hard to imagine he'll make an impact like a top-10 player.
Board Notable: No. 17 Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Ole Miss
Many big boards mirror each other near the top but get rather interesting as the table approaches the 20s and beyond.
Such is the case here with Rob Rang of CBSSports.com, who ranks Ole Miss defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche 17th.
For those out of the loop, Nkemdiche is one of the biggest risks in the class after a collegiate career in which many questioned his motivation, which was followed by an off-field incident toward the end.
Rang still believes in the upside, though:
"Nkemdiche might just be the most gifted prospect in the country, boasting a combination of power and athleticism sure to intrigue every team in the league, and it wasn't at all surprising that he impressed in the combine's athletic drills. Nkemdiche and his draft stock took a dip on Dec. 12 when police found him hurt after falling through a hotel room window, one of several off-field incidents while he was in college.
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It appears certain teams might be ready to take the risk, too, according to Bleacher Report's Matt Miller:
There's no question Nkemdiche is one of the most talented prospects in a long time. In an alternate timeline where there's no off-field drama and his motor looks unstoppable, he might rank No. 1 on many of these boards.
Alas, Rang seems to have the perfect handle on this one.
Board Notable: No. 4 Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State
Well, this is a new one.
When one thinks about the 2016 class, the offensive linemen on the mind are usually Ole Miss' Laremy Tunsil and Notre Dame's Ronnie Stanley. Those guys make a strong appearance in Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest offering at first and sixth, respectively, but Michigan State's Jack Conklin gets a surprise nod at No. 4.
It's the first major piece of hype for Conklin, and a convincing one: "A throwback player, Conklin is a great technician with a physical edge you rarely find in today's game. There are reasonable questions about whether he ends up as a left tackle or a right tackle, but he's a top-10 talent in this class wherever he ends up."
Conklin comes in at 6'6" and 308 pounds, the perfect size to play on the edge given his insane athleticism—the guy ran a 40-yard dash in five seconds flat at the combine.
Miller confirmed this recent hype for the Michigan State product, too:
While this is a late push, sometimes the media simply falls behind what the NFL thinks. This could be a case of the world catching up to the NFL, or just one of the most elaborate smokescreens in years.
Regardless, it's not hard to see on paper why the NFL might love the idea of Conklin. It helps that when it comes to edge tackles in this class, the three mentioned in this section are pretty much it, too. Scarcity increases value for a guy like Conklin.
Other Notable Big Boards
Stats are courtesy of NFL.com and accurate as of April 26. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.
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