2016 Draft: Q&A with Draft Guru Dane Brugler

With the college bowl season fast approaching, it also means the NFL draft talk is revving up and who better to talk to than CBS Sports’ Dane Brugler. If you follow the draft, then Brugler is one of the top guys you’ll want to be following as we inch closer to the draft season. For me, he’s my goto analyst above the rest.

I wanted to pick Dane’s brain and introduce some names for you all if you haven’t been keeping up with potential draft prospects for the upcoming NFL draft.

Let’s dig into the questions

1. Let’s get right into it – QBs. The 2016 QB class doesn’t look so impressive, is this the case in your opinion? If there’s a team in need of  QB with the #1 overall pick, who could potentially be the guy?

 Dane Brugler: In terms of quarterback talent at the top of the draft, last year was better. If Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota were in this draft class, they would be the top quarterback. But the overall scope of the position this year is encouraging and very similar to the 2014 class, which had four top-40 picks (Bortles, Manziel, Bridgewater, Carr) and 14 total quarterbacks drafted. The 2016 class doesn’t have that no-brainer passer at No. 1, but there are four quarterbacks who are in the first round discussion (Goff, Lynch, Cook, Wentz) followed by several quarterback prospects who will make up rounds two through seven. Could a quarterback come off the board at No. 1? That’s definitely possible, but right now in December, it’s just as likely that a quarterback won’t go top-5. Cal’s Jared Goff and Memphis’ Paxton Lynch are both very intriguing players and well-liked by scouts. Both are future NFL starters, but people around the league are very split on where their “value” actually is.

1. 2. Should the Cowboys first draft pick be at the QB position? If not where should they start? If they don’t draft a qb first, is it because there isn’t a bunch of high quality qbs’ in this class?

DB: I think all options should be on the table this early in the process. Pre-determining the position to select in the first round 4-5 months before the draft would be a mistake. I was against the Cowboys drafting a quarterback earlier in the season, but after the season-ending injury to Romo, I’m much more open to the idea. Regardless, the front office needs to have a plan B at quarterback in the off-season. If it’s not drafting a quarterback top-10, then what is it? Trading back into the late first for Cook for Wentz? Drafting a middle-round guy? If the Cowboys believe Goff, Lynch or someone else is capable of developing into a playoff caliber quarterback then he needs to be strongly considered. Would a LB or DB in the top-10 help the Cowboys in 2016? Sure, but non-QBs aren’t sure things either and Dallas isn’t one player away. Bottom line, all options need to be on the table at this point. Certain members of the Cowboys front office learned from this season that they need a viable contingency plan for the quarterback position moving forward and I’ll bet we see that reflected at some point in the 2016 NFL Draft.

1. 3. In your Dec. 6 mock draft you had LB Myles Jack as the Cowboys selection. Do you see Jack as an instant impact starter and if you were Dallas where would they likely plug him in at considering Lee and Hitchens will be here in 2016?

DB: If healthy (currently rehabbing his knee), Jack is a plug-and-play starter in the NFL. His best fit is weakside so if he’s the pick then good chance we see Lee back in the middle. All 32 NFL teams need linebacker depth, specifically linebackers who can cover and that might be Jack’s best quality – and not only backs and tight ends, but also receivers. He is a special player, but his medical evaluations are paramount.

1. 4. For those who are trying to get familiar with RBs to watch during the draft process, who are the guys that could go early? Where do you see Derrick Henry at as a prospect, is he his own type of back or more of a Lacy or Richardson type player?

DB: Ezekiel Elliott is the top running back in this class and likely the only first round pick. He’s not on Gurley’s level in terms of rare talents, but he’s a better overall prospect than Melvin Gordon and would be an outstanding fit in Dallas. He’s one of the top-10 talents in this class, however, I’m not drafting a running back top-10. Like most years, the junior class will dictate how strong the running back position is in this draft so we’ll have a better feel for the overall depth next month. Derrick Henry is definitely his own type of back and I think that’s the issue that some have with him – he’s a tough evaluation because he’s unlike any back currently in the NFL. His closest comparison, in my opinion, is a blend of LeGarrette Blount and Matt Jones. Nonetheless, he can contribute early and often in his career and although I don’t think he’ll dominate like he has at Alabama, I do think he can be a consistent starter. His value is likely somewhere in the top-75 picks – where he lands could ultimately depend on how many other running backs declare and what the overall depth looks like.

1. 5. The Cowboys may need to get a cornerback in the 1st round depending what they do in free agency. With that being said, who are the guys we should get to know better as draft season revs up? Is there a Patrick Peterson level player in this draft class?

DB: There aren’t any Patrick Peterson’s, but Jalen Ramsey is a fantastic ballhawk. He was a phenomenal safety last season as a sophomore before moving to corner this past season with mixed results. The NFL teams I’ve talked to about him have him graded as both, but I think it’s clear, he’s a much better safety where he can use his long strides, range and ballhawking skills to be an impact player in the secondary. The other two corners to know in the top-20 are Florida’s Vernon Hargreaves and Clemson’s Mackensie Alexander. I’m told both are declaring and teams appear split on the better player between the two, some prefer Hargreaves while others like Alexander better. I don’t see Hargreaves as a top-10 pick personally, mostly due to his size, but some will disagree with that.

1. 6. When Dez Bryant went down with injury it seemed like the Cowboys didn’t have a #2 they could lean on to pick up the slack and thus there are some that would say the Cowboys need to consider adding another starter type WR. Who in your mind could come in and have a legitimate shot at getting playing time and contributing immediately?

DB: Laquon Treadwell is a tremendous talent and should be considered by the Cowboys as early as the top-10. He’s a less dynamic version of Dez with similar body control, ballskills and attacking ability. He would help open the offense and give Dallas a legitimate outside threat if Bryant ever did go down again. He might be the only receiver who is drafted top-20 this year. Baylor’s Corey Coleman and TCU’s Josh Doctson are both in the late first, early second round conversation. Not all scouts are sold on them, mostly because of the offenses they come from. Both need route work and are raw in areas, but the talent jumps off the screen. Either would give Dallas an upgrade at the No. 2 WR spot. Another player to keep an eye on is South Carolina’s Pharoh Cooper, who might be this year’s version of Randall Cobb and can be had on day two.

1. 7. Every year we think the Cowboys are going to add a defensive tackle and they forgo using a pick on the position. Talking specifically of 1-tech DTs, who are some players that could be taken outside the 1st round?

DB: I’d love to see Baylor’s Andrew Billings in Dallas, but they’d have to take him in the first round, which won’t happen. This is a strong defensive tackle class in the top-50 so if the Cowboys target a defensive tackle in the second round, Louisville’s Sheldon Rankins, UCLA’s Kenny Clark or Penn State’s Austin Johnson are possibilities. We could have 9-10 defensive tackles drafted in the top-50 picks this year, it’s that strong of a group at the top.

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I want to thank Dane for taking time from his day to conduct this Q&A with us and I hope this has been helpful in getting you a bit more familiar with some players to watch as this process revs up. If you aren’t following Dane on Twitter, get to it and follow him here. Keep an eye out for his annual draft guide, it’s a must have! His work is fantastic and thorough, you’ll enjoy the amount of info Dane brings to the table.

What’s your thoughts on the draft? Who would you like the Cowboys to consider drafting in 2016?