JOHN SCHMEELK
1. There will be only one quarterback taken in the top ten, and that quarterback will be Johnny Manziel.
2. Four offensive tackles will be off the board in the first 10 picks.
Those four tackles, in my opinion, are better than all the tackles drafted last season.
3. Khalil Mack will be drafted before Jadeveon Clowney.
Mack has a much higher floor than Clowney and only a slightly lower ceiling. I feel he is a better fit in Houston's scheme and he will end up being selected by Houston first overall. The Texans will try to trade down but will fail in their attempt.
4. The player that was predicted to go high in this year's draft but will end up dropping is going to be Anthony Barr.
Teams want impact players right now, but he is still very raw and is going to need some seasoning. I could see him getting close to 20, but I think Dallas nabs him as their heir apparent to Demarcus Ware at 16. CJ Mosley is also going to drop past 20 since teams are concerned about his ability to stay healthy in the NFL.
5. Twelve wide receivers will get taken in the first two rounds of the NFL draft.
There will probably close to an even split with six in each round. It will be the most selected position in the draft's first two rounds.
DAN SALOMONE
1. No quarterback will be taken with the first 10 picks.
I'm probably spoiled by the Andrew Lucks, Russell Wilsons and Robert Griffin IIIs of the league, but I'm just not sold on any of these quarterbacks to be franchise players from Week 1. And with a top 10 pick, you need a player who can make an impact right away. I think this is the year general managers fight the temptation to reach for a QB.
2. Four offensive tackles will be selected in the top 10.
We've seen recently that teams won't bite on the skill positions and take the safer route of building in the trenches. The talent is definitely there with this class for it to happen.
3. Darqueze Dennard will be the first cornerback drafted.
Justin Gilbert may be the most skilled, but Dennard brings the physicality and competitiveness that teams covet. It's splitting hairs between the two All-Americans, but the draft may align for Dennard to go first.
4. A running back will be taken in the first round.
One of the major storylines of this year's draft is the devaluation of the running back position. These things are cyclical, but the NFL has taken notice of the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, who play great defense and have a power running game. I could see a team with multiple first-round selections taking a running back or trading back to get Carlos Hyde near the end of the first round.
5. Khalil Mack will be the first member of this draft class to be an All-Pro selection.
Bottom line is this guy is a football player, top to bottom. He looks the part, plays the part, and acts the part of an impact player in the league for years to come. You get a gut feeling about certain guys, and I'm guilty of that with Mack.
