NFL Draft Preview: Cris Collinsworth

‘Tis the season for Mock Drafts.

While that’s definitely not how the song goes, it’s hard to deny the truth of the above statement with the 2016 NFL Daft approaching in just two days. Whether by fans or by analysts, mock drafts have taken over the internet and television the last few weeks. With such major changes like the trade between the Tennessee Titans and the L.A. Rams, it’s hard to not change around a mock draft.

From the very beginning though, NFL expert Cris Collinsworth seemed to know the Rams would end up with the No.1 pick, a change he predicted in his first mock draft. Since he predicted this trade that should mean who he predicted for the Rams to pick, should not have changed.

In his latest mock draft released Monday though, Collinsworth changed his prediction on who he believed the Rams would take.

With the Eagles striking a deal with the Browns for the second pick in the first round, Collinsworth predicts the Eagles will be the team to take North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz. Collinsworth previously predicted Wentz going to the Rams, but has now predicted the Rams will pick up California quarterback Jared Goff. Before his recent mock draft update Collinsworth predicted Goff to go to the Cleveland Browns, who were second to pick in this year’s draft.

Collinsworth says the Eagles’s move for the second pick of the draft was probably a result of Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie’s desire to have options for a good quarterback.

The Eagles traded five selections–three in this year’s draft, a first-round pick from next year’s draft, and a second-round pick in 2018’s draft to the Browns for the No.2 pick this year.

With two quarterbacks predicted to be picked in the top ten of the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Collinsworth only has one receiver going to a team in the top ten picks in his mock draft, Baylor’s Corey Coleman. In Collinsworth’s mock draft, the New York Giants (who have the tenth pick of the first round) is the team who has a need for a wide receiver.

Collinsworth says the Giants could benefit from having another main wide receiver other than Odell Beckham, Jr., who caught for 1,450 yards and averaged for 15.1 yards per reception last season.

Other players Collinsworth predicts to go in the top ten picks include Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil (No.3 Chargers), Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey (No. 4 Cowboys), Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa (No.5 Jaguars), UCLA linebacker Myles Jack (No.6 Ravens), Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner (No.7 49ers), Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves (No. 8 Browns), and Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (No. 9 Buccaneers).

The 2016 NFL Draft begins Thursday evening at 8 p.m. with coverage starting on ESPN Gainesville 95.3 FM at 7 p.m.