2016 NFL Draft: Best remaining players heading into Day 2

Myles Jack.  Really.  Someone who had top five talent falls all the way out of the first round.  Jack admitted he has degenerative issues in his knee and might need eventual microfracture surgery.  This news came out in the days leading up to the draft.  Clearly Jack is the biggest name to fall.  The issue is his injury means that no one really knows what his obvious talent will translate to in an NFL career.  The news is so bad that Jack was not drafted in the first round, but Robert Nkemdiche was.  Here are some more names that remain on the board that should be early picks on day two.  This article is going to try and focus on a couple players without doubling positions.

Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama

Reed has been considered one of the best of a deep defensive tackle class.  It may have been the strength of this class that hurts.  Quite possible that teams figure they will still have defensive line help available in the second round so the urge to grab wide receivers and defensive backs in the first round.  Jarran is the typical run stuffer.  He is not a major pass rush presence.  At 307 pounds, he may not be a prototypical nose tackle so he seems like a good fit for some of the 4-3 teams in the front half of the second round.

Reggie Ragland, ILB, Alabama

Not the norm to watch Alabama defensive talent fall out of the first round like this.  Ragland had a reported red flag when teams discovered an enlarged aorta.  This was a player was projected to be off the board before the Packers drafted, but even the Packers scared off at this point.  Ragland is not the sort of player who is going to be great in pass coverage, but he is a great tackler and someone who brings an aggressive spirit to the middle of a defense.

Kevin Dodd, OLB/DE, Clemson

Another player given late first to early second round grades across the board.  What might have been the point pushing Dodd out of the first round is the lack of long-term production.  Dodd had a great season playing opposite Shaq Lawson (now of the Buffalo Bills).  Dodd presents a large body and a good combination of strength and size.  Could be a fit in either a 4-3 or a 3-4.

Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson

Sticking with the two-per-team theme, another top tier player from Clemson fell out of the first round.  Even with the run on defensive backs Alexander is still on the board.  His talent might be overshadowed by his 5' 10 1/2" height.  Still, Alexander is athletic and physical in press coverage and could be someone to play the slot in the NFL.  He might lack the straight line speed to play outside and that limits his ceiling.  Still, a productive option  at defensive back in the modern NFL is never something to look past.

Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State

Player along the lines of Josh Doctson.  Nice speed, but not a world beater.  Shows great production.  Great hands and finds the ball in traffic.  Someone who is not going to step in and be your immediate number one wide receiver, but he is going to be a productive option and someone who opens up the field.  Good size at nearly 6'3" and 212 pounds.  If you did not grab one of the pass catchers in the first round, this is the best remaining option.

Derrick Henry, RB Alabama

Hey, Packers fans would love to see another Crimson Tide running back in the late second round.  It would be very unlikely that Henry would still be there.  While the Cowboys hope Elliot is that once in a generation talent that is worth the early first round selection.  Henry shows the ability to be a game changing running back.  There has to be that concern over the pounding that Alabama players seem to face.  Getting this player in the second round is well more worth the wait.

Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State

The value here is the possibility that you get a starting quarterback in the second round.  He is a second round talent and was not overlooked to this point.  There was, of course, the chatter that someone (cough, Cleveland, cough, cough) might trade into the back part of the first round to make this pick.  Cleveland might start Friday with this pick so keep an eye on it.  If Cleveland passes, then look for a possible trade or someone looking for a quarterback to sit behind an older veteran like Tony Romo or Philip Rivers.