2016 NFL Draft: Players Who Will Book a Ticket to the Pro Bowl in Next 5 Years
Players in the National Football League tend to do quite a bit of traveling. This is a fact that some 250-plus 2016 draft prospects are about to learn personally, starting with the moment they have to report to their new employers.
While most trips taken during an NFL season are business trips to at least some degree, players will have opportunities to reach destinations they enjoy. This is especially true if those destinations involve events like the Super Bowl or the Pro Bowl.
We can't exactly predict which players selected in the upcoming draft will be taking a trip to the Super Bowl in the near future. Football is too much of a team sport, and if you've followed mock drafts to any extent, then you'll know that predicting draft destinations is difficult enough.
We can, however, try guessing which 2016 draft hopefuls have the individual goods to book a trip to the Pro Bowl in the near future—which is what we're going to do today. We'll be looking at a five-year window—which is the length of extended first-round rookie contracts—and we will be basing our decisions on factors like individual talent, past production, talent ceiling and scheme fit.
Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State
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There are a couple of reasons why Florida State Seminoles defensive back Jalen Ramsey can reach the Pro Bowl within the next five years. The first is versatility. Ramsey has the size at 6'1" and 209 pounds to excel at either cornerback, or at safety or both.
Few things excite Pro Bowl voters quite like a player who can do it all.
The second is that Ramsey's ability is so good that he might just be the best player in the entire draft.
"He's an impact player at the highest level" Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said of Ramsey, per Eric Prisbell of USA Today Sports. "He's been a guy that has played both safety and corner, and seems to be he plays them equally well. He shows up on the tape. He leaps off the tape. He's a great football player. No question about that.''
Ramsey produced 52 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss and 9 passes defended in 2015. These numbers alone wouldn't likely be enough to impress Pro Bowl voters. In the right system, however, he should be able to rack up much more over a 16-game NFL schedule.
It seems NFL fans are always looking for the next great shutdown corner or ball-hawking safety. If Ramsey can produce against quality competition and find a way to create some highlight-reel turnovers, then he'll definitely have voters clamoring to put him in the Pro Bowl.
Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State
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Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Joey Bosa should be making a trip to the Pro Bowl early in his NFL career for a couple of reasons. For one, he brings some sack potential, and eye-popping stats like sacks definitely get the attention of Pro Bowl voters.
Secondly, Bosa is a tremendous all-around defender. He can do much more than just rush the passer, as evidenced by his 2015 statistics. He racked up 51 tackles, 16.0 tackles for a loss, 5.0 sacks, a forced fumble, an interception and four passes defended in 2015.
Bosa has all the physical tools to become a disruptive defender at the pro level. He has both a relentless motor and a nearly ideal frame at 6'5" and 269 pounds. Bosa may lack truly elite athleticism, but he has consistently produced on college football's biggest stages.
"I get that some aren't sure how high Bosa's ceiling will be," Todd Archer of ESPN.com recently wrote. "But the kid produced in college at the highest level. I think he will be a fine pro."
Will Bosa be enough of a "fine pro" to earn a trip to the Pro Bowl within the next five years? We believe so.
Laremy Tunsil, OT, Mississippi
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Ole Miss Rebels offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil might be the closest thing we've seen to a blue-chip lineman in a draft in quite some time. He has the size of an elite tackle at 6'5" and 310 pounds, and he has the strength of one too.
Tunsil produced an impressive 34 reps of the 225-pound bench press at his pro day. He also showed some explosiveness with a 28.5-inch vertical jump.
However, Tunsil's biggest asset is his technique, as Bleacher Report NFL Draft Lead Writer Matt Miller recently explained:
"Tunsil is always in control, always poised and always shuffling his feet and keeping his hands loaded to strike," Miller wrote. "His length is a major asset in pass protection, and unlike many athletes with recovery speed at left tackle, Tunsil can also stun and stop defenders with his punch. He’s the total package."
Offensive linemen don't always generate a lot of buzz among Pro Bowl voters, but once they do, they tend to carry that Pro Bowl reputation for several years. This is why we sometimes see perennial Pro Bowl linemen getting into the all-star game even in down years. Of course, we don't expect Tunsil to have many of those.
"Good kid," one NFL personnel executive recently said of Tunsil, per Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "About the same as Tyron Smith. He has a chance to be in a bunch of Pro Bowls."
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DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon
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As we mentioned before, sack potential is definitely going to get a young defender noticed by Pro Bowl voters. Luckily, Oregon Ducks defensive end DeForest Buckner has plenty of it. From physical ability to experience, Buckner has nearly everything an NFL team could want from a defender.
"Among the most dominant players in college football the last two seasons, DeForest Buckner had the look of a top-15 pick after the 2014 season" Bleacher Report's Matt Miller recently wrote. "He elected to return to Oregon for one more year, and in that time he solidified himself as a top-10 player in the class."
Last season, Buckner racked up 83 tackles, 17.0 tackles for a loss, 10.5 sacks and five passes defended. The 6'7", 290-pound defender may be capable of an even more impressive stat line at the pro level.
Buckner possesses the type of long, flexible frame that NFL teams want from an edge-rusher, and he combines it with the vision and patience of an edge-setting defensive lineman. He has a variety of moves that allow him to get to the quarterback or ball-carrier, as well.
Expect Buckner to make eye-popping defensive plays with regularity in the NFL and to earn a trip to a Pro Bowl soon as a result of them.
Myles Jack, LB, UCLA
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Defensive players who consistently make plays in different areas of the field can quickly find themselves on the receiving end of a Pro Bowl ticket. This is precisely the type of player UCLA Bruins' Myles Jack is.
At 6'1" and 245 pounds, Jack possesses adequate—but not elite—size for the inside linebacker position. Jack is elite in his ability to play from one end of the field to the other. He can tackle, cover and disrupt blockers at the point of attack.
In 2014, when Jack played a full season, he racked up 87 tackles, 8.0 tackles for a loss, seven passes defended and an interception.
There are some concerns about Jack's health following the serious knee injury he suffered in 2015. According to NFL Media's Albert Breer, these concerns surround a "chondral defect" in Jack's right knee. Some may believe the injury could lead to further injuries and shorten Jack's career.
Even if Jack's pro career does wind up being on the shorter side, he should emerge as one of the better overall defenders from this draft class. His ability to excel in so many areas gives him the potential to be an impact player and the true centerpiece of a defense.
This is exactly the type of player who can book a Pro Bowl trip.
Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
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It almost feels like former Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliot already has a trip to one of the next five Pro Bowls in his possession. The 5'11" and 225-pound runner can do a little bit of everything, and he can do all of it well.
Elliott produced more than 1,800 yards in each of his past two seasons at Ohio State , and he averaged more than 6.0 yards per carry in each. He has also proven to be a capable pass-catcher with 55 receptions over the past two years.
At the pro level, Elliott's 4.47-second, 40-yard dash speed will serve him well, as will his uncanny ability to break tackles. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller recently explained:
"With tree-trunk legs, Elliott will run through arm tackles. He has excellent footwork and churns his legs through the contact. A tackler going for his leg is likely to get a knee to the facemask. Even at 5'11", Elliott has a stout, compact frame that can get low behind his pads. He doesn't run at full height until well into the open field.
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Fans are going to enjoy watching Elliott play on Sundays, and they will likely marvel at his ability to catch passes, break tackles and eat up open turf with regularity. If he doesn't see a Pro Bowl within the next five seasons, it will likely be because of injury or because he lands with a team that forgets to use him.
Jared Goff, QB, California
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California Golden Bears' Jared Goff shouldn't have to wait very long to receive his Pro Bowl ticket. He projects as one of the smartest and most NFL-ready quarterback prospects to enter the NFL in some time. At 6'4 and 215 pounds, he also has adequate size for the position, even if he is a little thin.
It's hard to question what Goff has put on film, too. Last year with the Golden Bears, he racked up 4,719 yards passing with 43 touchdowns and just 13 interceptions. These numbers alone would almost certainly be enough for Goff to earn a Pro Bowl nod.
Goff's high football intelligence and throw anticipation will allow him to find mismatches and set up big plays before the ball is even downfield. He should have no trouble stepping in and starting from Day 1.
"Goff is as close to NFL-ready as a college quarterback can be in the age of spread offenses," Bleacher Report's Matt Miller recently wrote. "He has a high football IQ, started three seasons for the Bears and has all the athletic tools needed to succeed at the position."
Also working for Goff is that he should be landing with either the Philadelphia Eagles or the Los Angeles Rams. Neither of these teams are bare in the offensive-talent department, so he should have a fine support structure around him.
Lastly, Goff will have a tremendous chance of reaching the Pro Bowl because elder quarterbacks tend to frequently drop out of the game. This opens up opportunities for younger signal-callers to make the trip.
The previous Pro Bowl saw second-year quarterbacks Derek Carr and Teddy Bridgewater on the field, as well as rookie Jameis Winston. First-year starter Tyrod Taylor also received a Pro Bowl trip.
Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
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Quarterbacks tend to get all the attention, and North Dakota State Bison product Carson Wentz is likely to get plenty of it over the next half decade. As the future face of a franchise, this is extremely good for his Pro Bowl chances.
Though Wentz isn't the most experienced of quarterbacks and doesn't come from a major college program, there's a lot to like about what he brings to the playing field. He has the size of a future star signal-caller at 6'5" and 237 pounds. He also has impressive athleticism. He ran a 4.77-second 40 at the scouting combine to go with a 118-inch broad jump and a 6.86-second three-cone drill.
A strong arm and above-average size should give Wentz the tools he needs to maximize the talent around him.
As we mentioned before, the nature of the Pro Bowl and its recent history of turning away older quarterbacks like Tom Brady or Ben Roethlisberger should open up opportunities for guys like Wentz to make the trip.
Wentz could well be a work-in-progress for his first couple of seasons in the league, but we believe he'll be playing well enough by Year 5 that a Pro Bowl ticket is nearly inevitable.
Josh Doctson, WR, TCU
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There are a few talented receiver prospects in this year's class who should have a good shot at reaching the Pro Bowl within the next five years. However, we believe TCU Horned Frogs' Josh Doctson is the safest bet to make the trip.
Doctson does a little bit of everything well, but his biggest asset might be that he comes into the NFL with extremely polished route-running skills. This, along with above-average size and physical attributes, should set Doctson up for early success.
The 6'2", 202-pound Doctson ran a good-but-not-great 4.5-second 40 at the combine. However, his 41.0-inch vertical jump, 131.0-inch broad jump and 4.08-second short shuttle all suggest elite explosiveness and short-area quickness.
His skills were good enough to allow Doctson to produce 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2015. If he can produce similar numbers at the pro level, then there's almost no way Pro Bowl voters could leave him sitting at home during the all-star event.
Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida
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Probably the best pure corner in this draft, Florida's Vernon Hargreaves has a great shot at landing in the Pro Bowl within the next half decade. He is a fiery and physical competitor, and he has the ball skills of a highlight-reel defender.
He finished the 2015 season with 33 tackles, four passes defended and four interceptions.
Hargreaves isn't the biggest defensive back at 5'10" and 204 pounds, but he doesn't back down from competition, and he brings a wealth of experience in both man and zone coverages. One scout even compared him to another notable Florida product.
"Very smart, very instinctive. [A] Joe Haden-type player," the unnamed scout said, per Mark Eckel of NJ.com. "Gets his hands on a lot of balls. Very physical in the run game. He's a real competitor."
Haden, a 2010 draft pick out of Florida, made it to two Pro Bowls in his first five seasons with the Cleveland Browns. If the comparison between him and Hargreaves is even close to accurate, then Hargreaves should be on the all-star field in the very near future.
Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama
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Offensive playmakers make highlight reels. Highlight-reel plays usually lead to Pro Bowl votes. When you're a 6'3", 247-pound running back like Alabama Crimson Tide's Derrick Henry, you're likely to generate plenty of both.
There isn't a lot of variety to Henry's game, and he offers little outside of being a ball-carrier. However, he is going to deliver some violent did-you-see-that collisions, and he should receive plenty of opportunities to pad his stats with late-game closeout duty.
Henry racked up 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns during his Heisman Trophy winning campaign of 2015. He probably won't see those kinds of numbers as a pro, but he is a natural goal-line back who should see double-digit scores with regularity.
It is Henry's combination of size plus speed that will likely earn him Pro Bowl trips, though, as Bleacher Report's Matt Miller recently explained:
"A 4.54-second 40-yard dash at 247 pounds is jaw-dropping. Henry shows that speed on film when he gets an opening, as he'll accelerate away from defenders down the field. Henry had 28 runs of 15-plus yards on the year, showing his ability to beat defenders at the first and second level.
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Big hits, plus long runs plus scoring plays should add up to at least one Pro Bowl booking in the next five years for Henry.
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