2015 NFL Mock Draft 4.0 – Round 5
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163.) Dallas Cowboys – OLB Mike Hull, Penn St
Has the versatility to play inside or out but his best fit would be at weak side OLB. That’s where the Cowboys have Sean Lee pegged, but with his injury history it would be smart to have a quality backup on the roster.
164.) Denver Broncos – TE Tyler Kroft, Rutgers
I think TE Virgil Green has break out potential taking over for free agent loss Julius Thomas, but just in case it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Broncos to bring in some depth at TE. Kroft has good length, the speed to get deep down the seem and soft hands, but needs to get stronger and stay healthy.
165.) Indianapolis Colts – OLB Marcus Golden, Missouri
This is way too late for Golden and he could go as high as late round 2, but his slow combine times and sluggish performance in the position drills make me think he will drop in the draft. Golden is a classic tweener, but has proven he can get to the QB and this late in the draft it’s a low risk, high upside pick for the Colts. Golden has a legit shot to develop into a solid edge rusher.
166.) Green Bay Packers – LB Kyle Emanuel, North Dakota St
One of the most productive DII pass rushers, who showed good fluidity at the combine and should be able to handle the transition to LB at the next level. He has the instincts to play the run and the natural pass rush skills to get to the QB. I have a hunch Emanuel will fit in great with the Packers at either inside or outside LB and be productive early in his career.
167.) Seattle Seahawks – OLB Zach Howard, Harvard
Is a little short for the Elephant role in the Seahawks hybrid scheme, but has he tenacity to find the QB and the ability to bend off the edge to beat bigger tackles. He may not ever be a starter, but should have sub package value and get a handful of sacks if given enough snaps.
168.) Tampa Bay Bucs – ILB Zach Vigil, Utah State
The Bucs need a replacement at MLB for Mason Foster (who was a bad fit there anyway) and Vigil has underrated play recognition instincts combined with good speed and solid tackling technique. It may take him a year or two to crack the starting lineup, but he’ll be a good special teams player in the meantime. He’s one of the most underrated ILBs in the draft.
169.) Carolina Panthers – WR Justin Hardy, East Carolina
The Panthers basically had only one WR teams had to plan for, Kelvin Benjamin, and he was a rookie so they definitely need some more help at the position even after taking Philip Dorsett in round 2. Hardy doesn’t stand out in any one aspect, but is pretty good at everything and seemed to find a way to get open when needed his whole career. He’s a nice #2 between Benjamin at #1 and Dorsett in the slot.
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170.) Seattle Seahawks – WR Vince Mayle, Washington St
Ran a slow 40 time at the combine (4.67), but has a wide frame (6’2 | 224), long arms (32″), runs sharp routes, and has shown natural ball skills and the ability to make big plays with three 50+ yard TDs last year. I watched multiple WSU games and didn’t see a corner who could cover Mayle consistently. He’s one of my favorite day 3 WRs, which is why I assume a smart team like the Seahawks will end up with him. Mayle has the potential to beat out any of the Seahawks current WRs as a rookie and would be a fantasy sleeper if he ends up in Seattle.
171.) Baltimore Ravens – NT Terry Williams, East Carolina
He’s not on many prospect lists, but he should be because there aren’t many 350 pounders with Williams’ agility. He has a decent first step and at times shows the ability to both generate pressure and hold up vs the run. The problem is that Williams is only productive in small spurts. His tape against Virginia Tech is pretty impressive, Williams just didn’t repeat it enough even against weaker competition. The Ravens have a ton of picks and just lost starting NT Ngata, so can risk a dice roll on a high-upside player like Williams.
172.) Kansas City Chiefs – LB Geneo Grissom, Oklahoma
The Chiefs franchised All-Pro OLB Justin Houston and I had them drafting an ILB earlier (Ramik Wilson), but they could use some depth at both positions. Grissom is the type of raw athlete who could eventually become a solid player at either LB position while being a standout special teams player during his development.
173.) Kansas City Chiefs – DT Joey Mbu, Houston
Current Chiefs NT Dontari Poe is a force inside, but he plays almost every defensive snap and they have little to no depth behind him. Mbu is a raw talent who has a wide lower body and the ability to hold up against double teams once he gets a little stronger. He has a quick first step for a guy his size and in a year or two could be a solid rotational NT. Players who are 330+ pounds with athleticism are hard to find and Mbu is worth the risk at this point of the draft.
174.) Houston Texans – OT Austin Shepard, Alabama
The Texans have a very solid offensive line, but there isn’t much depth behind the quality starters. Shepard’s feet are a little slow for the tackle position and he isn’t quite strong enough to play immediately at guard, but in a year or two Shepard could be able to handle both as a solid swing tackle.
175.) Baltimore Ravens – OT Laurence Gibson, Virginia Tech
Unusual tackle prospect who is barely 300 pounds and not very strong by NFL standards, but has very long arms (35 1/8″) and might have the best lateral quickness of any OT in the draft. Gibson could become an elite pass blocking left tackle with his unique set of skills that make him more qualified than most to handle speedy edge rushers or he could ultimately be too small, overpowered on a regular basis and out of the league in a few years. The potential is worth a gamble with a compensatory pick in round 5.