Is it too early to start thinking about the 2016 NFL Draft?
Countless websites and experts who specialize in this field disagree.
The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the draft is today, but the vast majority have already taken care of business. More than 100 have announced their intentions to leave school early, setting the stage for the previous record of 98 in 2014 to be broken.
On tap over the next couple of weeks are the various college all-star games, the biggest of which occurring next week in Mobile, Alabama. ClevelandBrowns.com will have blanket coverage of the Senior Bowl, an event that featured five Browns draft picks last year (Danny Shelton, Nate Orchard, Vince Mayle, Ibraheim Campbell and Hayes Pullard).
We'll produce a roundup of mock drafts once a month leading up to the actual draft, which begins April 28, in Chicago. Here's the first installment.
Pick: QB Jared Goff (Cal-Berkeley)
Of note: A quarterback has been selected with the No. 2 pick three times since 1999: Donovan McNabb (1999), Robert Griffin III (2013) and Marcus Mariota (2015).
Pick: Goff
Of note: Brooks and Jeremiah differ with their selection at No. 1. Jeremiah thinks it will be Ohio State DE Joey Bosa while Brooks picks Ole Miss OL Laremy Tunsil to land with the Titans.
Pick: Goff
Of note: Writes Kiper: "Goff has tremendous talent and upside. He has shown off an NFL arm since he arrived at Cal and has a great mind for the game. He has also shown how resilient he can be, growing with and leading that team at Cal, which would be a great trait in Cleveland."
Pick: QB Paxton Lynch (Memphis)
Of note: Lynch is 6-foot-7 and 245 pounds. In his junior season at Memphis, he threw for 3,776 yards, 28 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
Pick: DE Joey Bosa (Ohio State)
Of note: Bosa had just five sacks in 2015 but drew constant double teams, allowing his teammates to flourish.
Pick: Goff
Off note: Goff's final numbers from 2015: 64.5 completion percentage, 4,719 yards, 43 touchdowns, 13 interceptions.
Pick: Bosa
Of note: The Browns ranked 28th in the NFL with 29 sacks in 2015. Of those 29, 16 came in their wins over Tennessee and San Francisco.
Pick: Goff
Of note: Goff would become the sixth Cal QB to be drafted in the first round, joining Aaron Rodgers (2005), Kyle Boller (2003), Rich Campbell (1981), Steve Bartkowski (1975) and Craig Morton (1965).
