2016 NFL Mock Draft: Most Polarizing Prospects and Full 1st-Round Predictions

This may not be the year to jump into the draft for Big Ten quarterbacks.

Take your pick of leaders like Connor Cook of Michigan State, Cardale Jones of Ohio State and Christian Hackenberg of Penn State. All have several of the attributes that scouts look for in a winning professional quarterback, but they also have several question marks that could cause problems.

Let's start off with Cook, who quarterbacked the Spartans to 34 wins during his four years in East Lansing, threw for 9,194 yards, completed 57.5 percent of his passes and had a 71-22 TD-to-interception ratio. Those numbers should indicate that Cook will be a first-round draft pick, but that appears to be quite questionable at this point.

One of the reasons for the hesitance may be his presence in the locker room. Many have questioned why Cook was never a captain or co-captain for the Spartans despite his high level of achievement. However, hat's just a question, and there are no definitive answers.

Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins was not a first-round draft choice either, and the former Spartan has done quite well for himself since coming into the league as a fourth-round draft choice in 2012. No matter where Cook goes this year, he should not let his draft status impact his ability to execute once he gets into the league.

Pick	Team	Player	Position	School
1	Los Angeles Rams	Carson Wentz	QB	North Dakota State
2	Cleveland Browns	Jared Goff	QB	California
3	San Diego Chargers	Jalen Ramsey	CB/S	Florida State
4	Dallas Cowboys	Myles Jack	LB	UCLA
5	Jacksonville Jaguars	Vernon Hargreaves III	CB	Florida
6	Baltimore Ravens	Laremy Tunsil	OT	Ole Miss
7	San Francisco 49ers	Joey Bosa	DL	Ohio State
8	Philadelphia Eagles	Ezekiel Elliott	RB	Ohio State
9	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Darron Lee	LB	Ohio State
10	New York Giants	Ronnie Stanley	OT	Notre Dame
11	Chicago Bears	Shaq Lawson	LB	Clemson
12	New Orleans Saints	Kevin Dodd	DE	Clemson
13	Miami Dolphins	William Jackson III	CB	Houston
14	Oakland Raiders	Reggie Ragland	LB	Alabama
15	Tennessee Titans	DeForest Buckner	DE	Oregon
16	Detroit Lions	Jack Conklin	OT	Michigan State
17	Atlanta Falcons	Mackensie Alexander	CB	Clemson
18	Indianapolis Colts	A'Shawn Robinson	DT	Alabama
19	Buffalo Bills	Paxton Lynch	QB	Memphis
20	New York Jets	Jonathan Bullard	DE	Florida
21	Washington	Corey Coleman	WR	Baylor
22	Houston Texans	Andrew Billings	DT	Baylor
23	Minnesota Vikings	Robert Nkemdiche	DL	Ole Miss
24	Cincinnati Bengals	Josh Doctson	WR	TCU
25	Pittsburgh Steelers	Eli Apple	CB	Ohio State
26	Seattle Seahawks	Leonard Floyd	LB	Georgia
27	Green Bay Packers	Sheldon Rankins	DT	Louisville
28	Kansas City Chiefs	Michael Thomas	WR	Ohio State
29	Arizona Cardinals	Noah Spence	DE/LB	Eastern Kentucky
30	Carolina Panthers	Mackensie Alexander	CB	Clemson
31	Denver Broncos	Connor Cook	QB	Michigan State

Jones burst onto the scene late in the 2014 season when injuries to Ohio State quarterbacks Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett put head coach Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes in a difficult spot. Jones could have folded under the pressure, but he rose up and he was sensational in helping the Buckeyes win the national championship.

Jones also emerged during the spring as Ohio State's No. 1 quarterback heading into the 2015 season, and that surprised a lot of observers because Barrett was such a spectacular athlete. Jones won the job largely because of his arm strength and ability to get rid of the ball quickly. He earned the nickname of 12 Gauge because of the strength of his arm. 

Meyer would eventually give the job back to Barrett, but Jones completed 109 of 175 passes for 1,459 yards with eight touchdowns and five interceptions.

Paul Vernon/Associated Press

Jones doesn't have the consistent track record that scouts and general managers feel more comfortable with, but there is little doubt about his fastball.

Dane Brugler of CBS Sports says that Jones needs to improve when it comes to accuracy, but there is every chance Jones will be drafted in the third or fourth round.

Hackenberg could go around the same time as Jones, and he appears to have the ideal size and build for an NFL quarterback at 6'4" and 223 pounds.

Hackenberg has quick feet and the athleticism and tools to succeed, but it's not always about physical ability. He decided to go to Penn State when Bill O'Brien was the head coach, and at least part of that decision was because of O'Brien's reputation as a quarterback guru.

O'Brien would leave before the start of the 2014 season to coach the Houston Texans, and that could have had an impact on Hackenberg's development—or lack thereof. He held onto the ball far too long during his career with the Nittany Lions, and that's something NFL coaches cannot allow.

Hackenberg was sacked 44 times in 2014, and he also threw just 12 touchdowns to 15 interceptions. 

Scouts still are interested in his overall talent and potential, but he has a long way to go before he will be a steady NFL quarterback.

Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Quarterbacks are not the only polarizing prospects in this year's draft; Ole Miss defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche is too. Nobody is doubting Nkemdiche's overall talent, but there has been a lack of consistency in his performance on the field and issues that have taken place off the field.

Nkemdiche did not play for the Rebels in the Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl against Oklahoma State because of a marijuana-related incident, per the Associated Press (h/t CBS Sports). However, he is a brilliant athlete with the potential to impact a lot of NFL games at 6'3" and 294 pounds. He has the kind of power and quickness that will allow him to handle double-teams at the next level.

Nkemdiche is an impact player who could go in the first round or early in the second round.

Noah Spence of Eastern Kentucky is another polarizing figure whose college career was surrounded by controversy.

Spence had a brilliant 2015 season in which he was named the Ohio Valley Conference co-Defensive Player of the Year after recording 22.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks.

Prior to playing at Eastern Kentucky, Spence had been an impact player at Ohio State—he had 14.5 tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks in 2013—but he tested positive for a banned substance and was suspended for the Orange Bowl and the first two games of the 2014 season.

Spence said something was put in his drink, but he later admitted to having a problem with Ecstasy. After failing a second drug test, he was permanently banned from the Big Ten.

He says watching the Buckeyes win the national championship in January of 2015, was the turning point in his life. "I just want to show the world that I am a better person than when I left Ohio State," he said, per Brugler and Rob Rang.

If he has put his past problems behind him, Spence has every chance to be a star in the NFL.