NFL Mock Draft 2016: Taking a swing in Los Angeles

OT. Michigan State. Jack Conklin. 9. player. 48. <p>This is a 21-pick (!) disparity from our last NFL mock draft and that basically says it all.</p> <p>To put it simply, that means that Matt Miller is (much) lower on Jack Conklin than Todd McShay is, but it also illustrates that much of the draft process is in the eye of the beholder. Conklin ranks as the number two available offensive tackle available for McShay as the Bucs come on the clock here, but when choosing between Conklin and Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley, scheme fit and roster construction become quite interesting.</p> <p>The Bucs are actually looking for a right tackle specifically, and that is a change from most squads that would value a left tackle much higher in a vacuum. Tampa Bay might follow that line of thinking if all things were equal, but they aren’t here, and Conklin profiles as a potentially elite NFL right tackle given the way that he excels in the running game as a punishing blocker with good mobility and toughness.</p> <p>If Tampa Bay does not <em>quite</em> see Conklin in this positive of a light, the Bucs could easily look toward the cornerback position, and they have been linked to Florida’s Vernon Hargreaves III throughout the draft process. For me, though, Conklin is the much safer pick and given what this team is building with Jameis Winston and Mike Evans offensively, the former Michigan State tackle would fit quite nicely for 2016 and beyond.</p>