Todd McShay NFL Mock Draft 2016: Notable Picks from ESPN Guru's 5th Mock

ESPN draft expert Todd McShay revealed his fifth mock draft on Thursday, and this version had a few bombshells to ponder and analyze.  

Below, we'll take a look at his mock draft and break down his various projections for all 31 teams making a selection in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft.

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Los Angeles Rams	Jared Goff, QB, Cal
2	Philadelphia Eagles	Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
3	San Diego Chargers	Jalen Ramsey, CB/S, Florida State
4	Dallas Cowboys	Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
5	Jacksonville Jaguars	Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State
6	Baltimore Ravens	Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
7	San Francisco 49ers	Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
8	Cleveland Browns	DeForest Buckner, DE, Cleveland Browns
9	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State
10	New York Giants	Darron Lee, OLB, Ohio State
11	Chicago Bears	Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia
12	New Orleans Saints	Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville
13	Miami Dolphins	Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson
14	Oakland Raiders	Reggie Ragland, MLB, Alabama
15	Tennessee Titans	Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, Florida
16	Detroit Lions	A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama
17	Atlanta Falcons	Myles Jack, MLB, UCLA
18	Indianapolis Colts	Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State
19	Buffalo Bills	Chris Jones, DT, Mississippi State
20	New York Jets	Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State
21	Washington	Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama
22	Houston Texans	Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor
23	Minnesota Vikings	Laquon Treadwell, WR, Mississippi
24	Cincinnati Bengals	Josh Doctson, WR, TCU
25	Pittsburgh Steelers	William Jackson III, CB, Houston
26	Seattle Seahawks	Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Mississippi
27	Green Bay Packers	Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor
28	Kansas City Chiefs	Artie Burns, CB, Miami (Fla.)
29	Arizona Cardinals	Ryan Kelly, C, Alabama
30	Carolina Panthers	Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson
31	Denver Broncos	Germain Ifedi, OT, Texas A&M

Chargers Select Jalen Ramsey

Don Juan Moore/Getty Images

This isn't a huge surprise, as McShay had Jalen Ramsey as the pick for the San Diego Chargers in his prior mock draft. In that mock, however, offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil was already off the board.

So, why not Tunsil? McShay explains:

"

Protecting Philip Rivers would seem like the bigger priority, so Tunsil and Ronnie Stanley are distinct possibilities. But I keep hearing Ramsey. Is he a safety? Is he a corner? I don't really care. One of the best pure football players in this class, Ramsey is a true difference-maker. The Chargers have a need at safety, which he could fill, while also contributing as a corner.

"

You can't knock the Chargers if they make this pick. Ramsey is arguably the best player in this draft, after all, and has the versatility to line up anywhere in the secondary. As McShay noted, Ramsey could fill the team's need at safety to begin his career, though his future is likely at cornerback. 

Ronnie Stanley Off Board Before Laremy Tunsil

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

This is where McShay's mock draft gets really fascinating. In his last mock, he had Tunsil as the top overall pick to the Tennessee Titans. Two trades atop the draft board obviously changed that, but it's interesting to see Ronnie Stanley going to the Baltimore Ravens a pick before the San Francisco 49ers select Tunsil.

McShay noted that "some teams are cooling a little bit on Laremy Tunsil" and added "can you rely on him after he missed time in each of his three college seasons because of injury and suspension?"

So, the basis for projecting Stanley higher was that he is "the safer prospect in some eyes."

On the field, however, it's hard to argue that Stanley is on the same level as Tunsil.

Doug Farrar of Sports Illustrated noted: "Last season, he [Tunsil] gave up zero sacks, zero hits and five quarterback hurries in 235 pass-blocking snaps, and the only charted sack he allowed in his college career came back during his freshman season. Over the last three seasons, he kept his quarterbacks clean more consistently than any other high-level tackle."

And Tunsil said at the NFL Scouting Combine, per Farrar: “I think I have the great feet, the great frame. I just think I’m the best. You’ve got to have that swagger about yourself. You’ve got to be confident.”

Character concerns are always a major factor for NFL teams, and as Farrar noted, Tunsil was charged with domestic assault in June 2015 after an altercation with his stepfather and was suspended seven games for "taking impermissible benefits and failing to be forthcoming with NCAA investigators."

So, yes, that's where Stanley becomes the "safer" prospect. In those terms, McShay's projection is feasible. But if teams are willing to look past the injuries and suspension, Tunsil's talent and upside appear to be much higher.

Myles Jack Falls Out of Top 15

Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press

Indeed, McShay has Myles Jack falling from the No. 5 selection all the way to No. 17. Part of the reason for the fall from No. 5 is the two quarterbacks coming off the board in the first two picks, which leaves a player like Joey Bosa available to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

But will Jack—a player tied with Ramsey for the highest grade in this draft class, per Bleacher Report's Matt Miller—really fall that far? And why?

McShay acknowledged, "I'm still trying to get all of the info on Jack's medical reports, but right now, I'm not sure if teams in the top 10 are willing to take the risk on his knee."

There are conflicting reports on Jack's knee. Earlier in this month, Miller noted the following:

And multiple NFL executives refuted any notion that Jack's medical reports on his knee raised major red flags, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported:

"

The timing of the UCLA linebacker's surgically repaired knee and recovery from a torn meniscus is not ideal—and it's something teams are exploring and researching thoroughly—but there are no indications it should significantly alter his draft status, according to those sources, and no concerns that he might have a truncated career because of it.

"

The NFL draft is where misinformation reigns supreme, so it's hard to know if teams are really concerned about Jack's knee or if they are saying they are to lower his draft stock so he falls to them down the board. If his knee does raise major red flags, of course, a drop down the board wouldn't be surprising in the least.

If Jack's knee is progressing nicely, however, it's difficult to imagine him falling out of the top 10.

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