2016 NFL Draft: Big 12’s Top Five Seniors at Each Position

The Big-12 draft-eligible talent is huge this year, with a good mix of seniors and underclassmen. While the underclassmen group is strong, the Big-12 senior class is a solid group on its own.

The senior class is headlined by a few first round talents in Baylor’s Shawn Oakman and Spencer Drango, and two game changing wide recievers in Olkahoma’s Sterling Shepard and Texas Christian’s Josh Doctson.

By Kevin Knight

QBs

1. Trevone Boykin, QB, TCU, 6-1, 208, 4^rd-5^th round

Had 41 total touchdowns last year with 33 through the air, and 8 on the ground. Great athlete with above average arm strength. Accuracy and decision making can be inconsistent. Currently a project.

2. Sam B. Richardson, QB, ISU 6-2, 215, UDFA

Decent athlete at the QB position. Has average arm strength which leads to trouble fitting balls into tight windows. Accuracy and decision-making is inconsistent.

3. W. Walsh, QB, OSU, 6-2, 215, UDFA

Good athlete at the QB position that has some injury concerns. Above average arm strength, but accuracy is inconsistent. Possible position change candidate to WR.

4. Michael Cummings, QB, KU, 5-10, 212, UDFA

Undersized QB for the Jayhawks. A good athlete with average arm strength. Ball placement is inconsistent due to sloppy footwork. Possible position change candidate to RB. Had knee surgery in April.

5. Bram Kohlhausen, QB, TCU, 6-2, 203, UDFA

Adequate size at the QB position. A decent athlete, with average arm strength, with inconsistent accuracy. Could possibly be signed as a camp arm.

RBs

1. Aaron Green, RB, TCU, 5-11, 202, 3^rd-4^th round

Quick, agile running back who can make defenders miss with good cuts. Has good vision and has shown he can be a threat in the passing game as well. Needs to add weight to frame.

2. DeAndre Washington, RB, TTU, 5’8, 182, 3^rd-4^th round

Solid all-around back who does many things well. Isn’t the fastest runner, but can accelerate to his top speed quickly. Good agility allows him to keep speed in and out of his cuts. He excels in the passing game catching 30 passes for 328 yards last year. Needs to add weight to be an every down back.

3. Johnathan Gray, RB, UT, 5-11, 207, 5th-6^th round

Good size and athleticism. Runs east-west too often instead of finding a hole and hitting it north-south. Talent is there to be an impact, just hasn’t come together yet. Good in pass protection.

4. Taylor Cox, RB, KU, 5-11, 206, UDFA

Tough runner that goes north to south. Has shown some special teams ability doing kickoffs for KU. Got injured in fall practice.

5. De’Andre Mann, RB, KU, 5-9, 180, UDFA

More of a 3^rd down back. He has shown the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Had some injury issues last year. Needs to add weight to small frame.

WRs

1. Sterling Shepard, WR, OU, 5-10, 192, Late 1^st-2^nd round

Lightning quick wide receiver with great hands who uses his agility to get in and out of his routes fast. Able to get yards after the catch and make defenders miss. Able to get around press coverage because of how quick he is off the snap.

2. Josh Doctson, WR, TCU, 6-3, 195, Late 1^st– 2^nd round

Jump ball receiver in the mold of Vincent Jackson, huge catch radius as he can out jump most defenders. Could add some weight to his tall frame, and not the fastest.

3. Kolby Listenbee, WR, TCU, 6-1, 183, 3^rd-4^th round

Explosive athlete at the WR position who also runs track for TCU. Averaged over 18 yards a catch last year. Could potentially pass Doctson in this ranking at the end of the season.

4. Jakeem Grant, WR, TTU, 5-7, 163, 5^th-6^th round

Don’t let Grant’s size fool you, he is a very physical wide receiver, who is fast and quick out of his breaks. Can make defenders miss in the open field as he is very elusive. His size will make him go lower in the draft than he should. Will be an ideal slot receiver at the next level.

5. Quenton Bundrage, WR, ISU, 6-2, 191, 6^th-7^th round

Good athlete who is a threat after the catch. Creates good separation, and can overpower defensive backs in press coverage. Tore his right ACL in the season opener last year.

*LaQuan McGowan, TE, BU, 6-6, 392, 7^th round-UDFA

Only potential player to be drafted among senior tight ends. He is a huge massive TE that switched from OL to TE for this season. Already a good blocker, he just needs to continue slimming down. Can also be a lead blocker in a goal line package.

OL

1. Spencer Drango, OT, BU, 6-6, 310, 1^st round pick

Strong offensive tackle who plays with a wide base. Has good quickness to slide in front of defenders. Very good balance to stop defenders in their track and is rarely thrown off his feet. Should be impact player on a NFL OL next season.

2. Cody Whitehair, OG, KSU, 6-4, 309, 2^nd round

Has a good body to play OG at the next level. Uses to his quickness to leverage to wash defenders out of the play. Could work on adding mean streak to his play. Should be an impact player as a NFL OG next season.

3. Le’Raven Clark, OT, TTU, 6-5, 316, 2^nd-3^rd round

Has the size to play OT or OG in the NFL. Has enough quickness to play LT in a pinch. Plays with a wide base to stop defenders in their tracks. Occasionally catches rushers rather than knock them back. Needs to stay low in order to maintain leverage.

4. Nila Kasitati, OG, OU, 6-4, 315, 4^th– 5^th round

Powerful OG for the sooners. Plays a little high at times. Has enough quickness to be a pulling guard. Plays with a mean streak through the whistle. Has the tools to be a starter or high end backup OG at the NFL level.

5. Halapoulivaati Vaitai, OT, TCU, 6-6 308, 5^th– 6^th round

Can play OT or OG at the next level. Strong offensive lineman who needs to work on his quickness. Can play a little high at times. Would like to see more of a mean streak.

DL

1. Shawn Oakman, DE, BU, 6-8, 280, Top 15

A tall, athletic freak at the pass rushing position. Has a good first punch to knock blockers back. Due to his height, leverage will always be an issue. Needs to develop more pass moves. Very boom or bust, but upside is tremendous.

2. Charles Tapper, DE, OU, 6-4, 283, 4^th – 5^th round

Nonstop motor coming from the DE position. Has long arms allowing him to give lineman trouble getting hold of him. Won’t put up crazy sack numbers, but will be a solid player from day one. High floor, low ceiling type of player.

3. Davion Pierson, DT, TCU, 6-1, 305, 6^th-7^th round

Good run stuffing DT, who plays with a low pad level. First step is inconsistent at times, but when he gets good jump he can get into the backfield quickly. Shows a swim move occasionally in addition to a decent bull rush. Should be part of a DL rotation at the next level.

4. Beau Blackshear, DT, BU, 6-3, 300, 7^th round-UDFA

Has the size to be a run stuffing DT in a 4-3. Needs to improve on anchoring down on run plays, and not get driven back as much. Limited moves as a pass rusher currently as he uses he strength to bull rush most of the time.

5. Terrell Lathan, DE, TCU, 6-4, 280, UDFA

Looks the part of a run stuffing DE. Can set the edge well. Has shown the ability to wreak havoc in the backfield but is inconsistent with his pass rushing ability. If he can add some weight to his frame, he can be part of a 3-4 DE rotation.

LBs

1. Eric Striker, OLB, OU, 6-0, 223, 2^nd– 3^rd round

Very explosive pass rusher, who can bend the edge. His lack of size is a cause for concern as he struggles with converting speed to power. Shows the ability to play in coverage as well.

2. Pete Robertson, OLB, TTU, 6-3, 243, 3^rd-4^th round

A nonstop pass rusher who uses his strong hands to knock back lineman. Can almost look mechanical at times with his movements and can struggle at times bending the edge. Should be a good strong side pass rusher in a 3-4.

3. Nick Kwiatkoski, ILB, WVU, 6-2, 235 5^th – 6^th round

Hard hitting inside linebacker for the Mountaineers. Very quick, but can get swallowed at times by lineman. Could add some more weight to his frame.

4. Ryan Simmons, ILB, OSU, 6-0, 240, 6^th-7^th round

Simmons doesn’t flash on film, but he is just a solid football player. Not the fastest, but he hits hard and makes the tackle. Coaches have high praise for his leadership abilities.

5. Ben Goodman Jr., DE, KU, 6-3, 250, 6^th-7^th round

Athletic DE for the Jayhawks who I believe projects to be an OLB at the next level. Very explosive off the snap. Struggles at times bending the edge. Could go a lot higher depending on his progression this season.

DBs

1. Karl Joseph, S, WVU, 5-11, 197, 2^nd round

Don’t let his size fool you, he plays a lot bigger than his 5-11 height. One of the hardest hitters in the country, and just loves to lay the wood. Has a knack for forcing fumbles with 8 of them in his career. Always plays at 100% speed. Needs to recognize when to go for the big hit or when to wrap up. Can improve coverage skills, but should be one of first safeties taken in next year’s draft.

2. Dante Barnett, S, KSU, 6-0, 190, late 2^nd – 3^rd round

A physical S for the Wildcats. He is an aggressive safety who likes to attack the ball carrier. Has shown the ability to play centerfield for his team and be a playmaker. Should be a solid pick for a team.

3. J. Dillon, S, WVU, 6-0, 203, 4^th-5^th round

Another physical S for the Mountaineers next to Joseph. Has shown solid coverage ability, and the ability to disrupt passes. Needs to show more consistency in his tackles as he can miss going for big hits. Could be a good back up safety at the next level.

4. Kevin Peterson, CB, OSU, 5-11, 190, 5^th – 6^th round

Physical CB for the Cowboys. Uses his length to match up well against jump ball receivers. Good tackler for the position. Back pedal can get sloppy at times, and average speed at the position.

5. Duke Thomas, CB, UT, 5-11, 178, 6^th-7^th round

CB who likes to play off the line of scrimmage. Reads the QB’s eyes well to disrupt plays. Has shown he can be a ball hawk with 6 picks over the past two seasons. Matches up well against quicker wide receivers. Could be a good fit as a nickel corner in the NFL.