For all but two teams, the page has been turned to the 2017 season, starting with free agency and draft preparation. Both are underway full-throttle with Broncos and everyone else who is not in Super Bowl LI.
How might the first round look?
DE/OLB Myles Garrett, Texas A&M:The value isn't there for a quarterback at No. 1, but it is for someone who can disrupt the quarterback. Garrett is the best edge-rushing prospect since fellow A&M product Von Miller.
DE Jonathan Allen, Alabama:So much is in flux regarding the 49ers and their defensive scheme, but the 6-foot-3, 292-pound Allen projects to any scheme, and is as strong against the run as he is in pass-rush situations.
QB Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina:The QB-driven NFL of 2017 ensures that Trubisky will get overdrafted despite just one year as Carolina's full-time starter. His performance in wet, windy weather against Virginia Tech's pressure defense (13-of-33, 58 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions) also raises cause for concern, especially if he lands in Chicago.
RB Dalvin Cook, Florida State:With Tom Coughlin running the show, you must note this: He's usually had a strong No. 1 back. He invested heavily in running backs in his last Jaguars stint, selecting James Stewart and Fred Taylor in the first round. Over 12 Giants seasons, Coughlin's teams ranked in the league's top 10 in that span in yardage per attempt, total rushing yardage and first-down rushing rate.
S Jamal Adams, LSU:The Titans can address their wide-receiver needs later. But their secondary needs work -- and desperately needs someone with the range and instincts Adams can provide.
CB Marshon Lattimore, Ohio State:If the Jets are happy with their young quarterbacks, then Lattimore is an ideal pick for a secondary that saw Darrelle Revis show signs of age last year. If they're not, they could look to Clemson's Deshaun Watson at this spot.
S Malik Hooker, Ohio State:It's back-to-back Buckeyes -- both in this mock draft, and also for the Chargers in the first round if they take Hooker, who is the best in this class at tracking the football and making plays on it, with seven interceptions last season.
OT Cam Robinson, Alabama:The value may not be there on Robinson, and if he is the Panthers' target, they could trade down. LSU's Leonard Fournette is a possibility here, but at some point, the Panthers need to re-invest in their offensive line, especially given that Cam Newton needs to begin his transition to becoming more of a pocket passer.
DE Solomon Thomas, Stanford:A game-saving sack of Trubisky to clinch the Cardinal's Sun Bowl win over North Carolina capped perhaps his best game and showed his versatility, as he can line up anywhere on the defensive line and wreak havoc. That sack came when he roared through the A-gap.
WR Mike Williams, Clemson:Questions linger about Tyrod Taylor's status, but the Bills' hiring of former Broncos offensive coordinator Rick Dennison -- who was Taylor's position coach in Baltimore in 2014 -- may put the focus on giving Taylor more weapons to create a passing game that can complement the Bills' LeSean McCoy-led ground attack.
ILB Reuben Foster, Alabama:An every-down linebacker who can provide pass-rush punch is exactly what the Saints' still-struggling defense needs.
QB Deshaun Watson, Clemson:Trubisky will be overvalued, but this is the right spot for Watson, both in draft value and team. Cornerback is also a possibility here.
CB Tre'Davious White, LSU: The best cornerback at last week's Senior Bowl ... and a chance for the Cardinals to go back to the LSU well that has bubbled up secondary talent for them in recent years.
CB Marlon Humphrey, Alabama:The actual coin flip to determine the 14th and 15th picks will be held at the Scouting Combine. For the purposes of this mock draft, I held a coin flip at my desk. Philadelphia won, and with pressing secondary needs, Humphrey is a good fit.
OLB Takkarist McKinley, UCLA:Indianapolis hopes new GM Chris Ballard does a better job finding first-round edge rushers than the dismissed Ryan Grigson did.
TE O.J. Howard, Alabama:A rare drop and misstep or two during last week's Senior Bowl practices were not enough to knock Howard off his perch atop a deep tight-end class.
S Jabrill Peppers, Michigan:Washington could pick just any position on defense and help its cause; defensive lapses single-handedly kept the Redskins out of last year's playoffs.
CB Quincy Wilson, Florida: Given the quality of defensive backs in this year's draft class, it would come as no surprise if the Titans used their two first-round picks to rebuild their struggling secondary.
WR John Ross, Washington: It's possible the Bucs could wait to fill their receiver need until a later round, and they could target defensive line again after adding Noah Spence last year.
RB Christian McCaffrey, Stanford:Offensive line is a big need, but that could be an area the Broncos prioritize in free agency, which would leave them the flexibility to take McCaffrey. Despite being listed as a running back, McCaffrey is an unclassifiable player who will be moved around -- you could almost call him a UB -- short for "ultra back." Other prospects will have better measurables, but is there another who can create more matchup problems?
DE Taco Charlton, Michigan:Only the Raiders had fewer sacks than the Lions (26) last season, A better pass rush could finally push the Lions over the top for their first division title since 1993.
LB Haason Reddick, Temple:If his Combine/Pro Day timing and strength numbers are as good as expected, his rise up the board will be complete after a strong Senior Bowl week in which he was converted from defensive line to linebacker.
RT Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin:His one year of film at the FBS level is terrific, but a hip issue and a lack of top-flight college experience are concerns.
CB Teez Tabor, Florida:Whether it's in the pass rush or coverage, the Raiders' pass defense needs serious help after finishing 30th in yardage allowed per pass play.
QB DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame:At this time last year, before signing Brock Osweiler, quarterback was a possibility for the Texans in the first round. It is once again.
OT Garett Bolles, Utah:Indiana guard Dan Feeney and Western Kentucky's versatile Forrest Lamp are other possibilities here, but the Seahawks have to use this offseason to rebuild an offensive line that threatens to close their championship window.
ILB Jarrad Davis, Florida:Derrick Johnson is 34 and coming off of a ruptured Achilles, so this fills a long-term need.
DE Derek Barnett, Tennessee:Barnett broke Reggie White's school record for sacks at UT, and fills a need for a pass rush that could use some improvement.
LB T.J. Watt, Wisconsin:The younger brother of Texans DE J.J. Watt and Chargers FB Derek Watt racked up 11.5 sacks last year. He is exactly the kind of playmaker Green Bay's defense needs.
OLB Tim Williams, Alabama:If Williams can channel his midseason form -- when he had at least a half-sack in eight consecutive games, seven of which were against SEC opponents -- he'll be a plus player for a team looking for some young blood on the edge.
DT Malik McDowell, Michigan State:Dan Quinn's defense made great strides this season, but needs some interior fortification to take the next step. (NOTE: Atlanta will pick 32nd if it wins Super Bowl LI.)
TE David Njoku, Miami (Fla.):New England might face a big need at this position. Martellus Bennett could cash in on the open market as an unrestricted free agent. Rob Gronkowski, while still the standard by which tight ends are measured, will by Sunday have missed 30 of a possible 92 games in the last five seasons. Njoku is a perfect fit for New England's offense -- whether as a No. 2 tight end or a potential No. 1. (NOTE: New England will pick 31st if it loses Super Bowl LI.)
Take an in-depth look at Andrew Mason's evaluations of the potential draft prospects from the 2017 Senior Bowl who caught his eye through Day 3. (Photos by Andrew Mason)
Working from the left tackle spot, Western Kentucky's Forrest Lamp demonstrated good power, particularly on one Tuesday run play where he drove Alabama DE Dalvin Tomlinson inside, sealing the right side and allowing BYU running back Jamaal Williams to race through to the second level and beyond. Lamp has worked at both tackle and guard this week, and while his pass protection is a work in progress, he already looks to be a solid run blocker.
South Alabama tight end Gerald Everett made some good catches, but he shows just as much potential as a blocker. He set up one of N.C. State RB Matt Dayes' best runs this week by blocking out TCU's Josh Carraway, getting into his stance quickly to the point where Carraway could not budge him. Everett also showed the ability to make plays outside and downfield as a pass-catching target, and he helps ensure that this tight end class is the deepest in recent memory.
Another notable tight end is Toledo's Michael Roberts, who not only has the biggest hands of any player at the Senior Bowl (11 5/8 inches), but the ability to use them effectively and get out in space to make plays, as he does here working past Saint Frances safety Lorenzo Jerome.
North Carolina WR Ryan Switzer is a natural slot receiver at 5-foot-8 and 179 pounds; he has the necessary quickness and ability to use a juke of his shoulder to gain separation. But his ability to get cornerbacks out of position could also make him useful as an outside receiver who plays every down in every situation, not just in three-receiver formations.
Syracuse WR Amba Etta-Tawo is a long, lean 198 pounds, and showed good body control on some of his receptions Tuesday, including this one where he leaped over Lamar cornerback Brendan Langley for a deep reception during North team practice.
Louisville WR Jamari Staples has good body control and can work his way into position despite having tight coverage from a defender -- or in this case, two defenders. However, he needs to do a better job completing the catch; he failed to come down with this reception.
Texas A&M defensive lineman Daeshon Hall says he's talked with teams about a potential role in a 3-4 defense, even though his 6-foot-5, 265-pound frame would seem to make him a more ideal fit in a 4-3 alignment. Hall should be able to add bulk to his size, and did receive some three-technique work at times during his college career. He also practices with intensity; none of the South team defensive linemen made their tackling dummies hit the ground with as loud of a thwack as Hall did.
Villanova defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon had some bursts into the backfield, but is still working on his consistency. The 6-foot-7 former FCS standout has plenty of tools, but also needs to strengthen his lower body; he weighs 280 pounds but looks like he could carry up to 300.
Grambling State wide receiver Chad Williams had some of the day's best receptions, showing good body control in mid-air to adjust to deep balls in one-on-one coverage.
Texas A&M WR Josh Reynolds can make receptions in tight one-on-one coverage. Here, he doesn't get much sedation from Florida State's Marquez White, but does a good job adjusting to the flight of the football for a deep catch up the right sideline in a one-on-one period.
UCLA defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes showed enough spark in pass-rushing drills with an effective bull rush to draw double-teams during the team periods of Wednesday's practice. His persistence should earn him immediate playing time as a rookie as part of an interior rotation.
There isn't a Dak Prescott in the quarterbacks in Mobile, but Pitt's Nate Peterman of the North team looks like the highest pick of the six passers here -- and is the most accurate on deep passes, including work on one-on-one periods.
The best wide receiver at the Senior Bowl is Eastern Washington's Cooper Kupp, who runs precise routes. Kupp is proficient at using a bob of his shoulder to generate separation and leave cornerbacks flat-footed.
Of all the offensive linemen on hand this week, Western Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Moton has the best chance of moving into the first round alongside potential Round 1 picks Cam Robinson (Alabama), Ryan Ramczyk (Wisconsin) and Garett Bolles (Utah). At 330 pounds, Moton has a strong upper body and uses it well, planting his legs like tree trunks and effectively taking the bull rush out of play. His feet are also quick enough to allow him to counter inside and outside moves. Some analysts project him as a guard, but he looks like he should be able to handle right tackle well.
Tennessee quarterback Josh Dobbs has made some good decisions, but also needs to be more decisive and adjust to the narrow windows at the next level. In the pocket, Dobbs must avoid drifting forward unnecessarily. Late in Wednesday's practice, he stepped up and into Clemson defensive tackle Carlos Watkins, resulting in a sack.
At 310 pounds, Iowa's Jaleel Johnson could see some action as a 3-technique in a 3-4 alignment. The North team had some three-lineman looks during Tuesday's work, and he used a bull rush on Temple's Dion Dawkins to collapse the pocket and get to Iowa QB C.J. Beathard as he threw into the right flat.
Florida inside linebacker Alex Anzalone has some work to do in coverage, but against the run, he's been the best linebacker in the two days of practice so far, reading plays as they develop, filling holes and avoiding missed tackles.
LSU cornerback Tre'Davious White injured his ankle Wednesday and will not play in Saturday's game, but he did enough to cement his status as the best cornerback in this week's work, and could find himself in the first round.
Temple's Haason Reddick made a nearly-flawless transition from defensive line to the second line of defense. What impressed me was how solid he was in coverage; as the three days progressed, he became less susceptible to step-fakes from opposing tight ends, and prevented them from getting separation when they tried to cut to the outside.
East Carolina WR Zay Jones, the NCAA's all-time receptions leader with 3999, also had a strong week -- and showed his strength here, fighting through contact from Iowa's Desmond King to make the catch with little difficulty. Jones displayed a knack for making catches like this through heavy obstruction throughout the week, and doesn't need separation to make plays.
How do you get this wide open in a red-zone one-on-one period? Run a perfect route. Eastern Washington's Cooper Kupp cut inside and froze West Virginia's Rasul Douglas, then cut back toward the sideline and upfield, leading to an easy touchdown.
Working at right tackle Thursday, Bucknell's Julien Davenport encountered difficulty containing Illinois' Dawuane Smoot, who worked past him to pressure Pitt QB Nate Peterman. Davenport tried to guide Smoot outside and behind Peterman, but didn't have good balance and fell, allowing Smoot a chance for what would have been a sack or a hit in game conditions. Davenport has moments where he uses his size and athleticism to his advantage, but remains a work I'm progress.
