ESPN draft expert Todd McShay hosted a conference call on Wednesday for media around the country to ask draft-related questions.
The call came on the heels of the release of McShay's Mock Draft 3.0. In the analyst's newest slate of predictions, he has the San Francisco 49ers selecting Cal quarterback Jared Goff with the seventh-overall pick. That's a change from his previous mock in which he had the 49ers going with Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell.
Here are the five things we learned from McShay's call, beginning with his choice for the 49ers.* *1. 49ers might face tough choice on Goff
"Goff was available. He wasn't last time," McShay said referring to his last mock draft in which the Browns selected the Cal quarterback at pick No. 2.
McShay then referred to San Francisco's quarterbacks currently on the roster and how it's yet to be determined just how much of a need the 49ers have at the position.
"If Goff is there, it will be tough to pass on him unless you feel like you have the guy in house," he said.
- You should know Kamalei Correa
The Boise State pass-rusher is a name to acquaint yourself with. Correa's 40-yard dash time of 4.69 seconds was the third-fastest of any defensive lineman at last week's NFL Scouting Combine. The performance in Indianapolis comes after two productive seasons on the field with 19 combined sacks and five forced fumbles.
McShay said that the former Bronco has the tools to be a good starter in the league and could even find his way into the end of the first round.
"I watched his tape a couple of weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised," he said of the 6-foot-3 pass-rusher. "I love the way he plays. He's aggressive, he's physical and he's got some quick twitch to him. I think the one thing he's going to have to continue to improve upon is his hand use and his array of pass-rushing moves.
"I think he fits perfectly when you start to think about a 3-4 outside linebacker."
- Wentz to Browns at No. 2 a Better Fit in NFC North
You'll be hard pressed to find a draft analyst who thinks the Cleveland Browns will draft a position other than quarterback with the second-overall selection. What is yet to be determined is if they will take Goff, North Dakota State's Carson Wentz or another signal-caller.
The ESPN analyst noted he has similar grades on the top two quarterback prospects, but that Wentz's size should break the tie for the Browns.
"Wentz being a little bit thicker and stronger, and being a guy in that division with the physical defenses that you play, and then having the 10-inch hands... which I know we've overblown it, and I get it, but there's a difference," McShay explained.
"If you're playing in bad weather more consistently, then you're probably likely to favor a quarterback who has bigger hands and can grip the football in the rain and throw it a little bit better."
In terms of sheer speed, Wentz topped Goff with a 4.77-second 40-time compared to a 4.82-second time for the latter.
- Dallas should go QB in the first round
McShay recently told 49ers.com that the Dallas Cowboys pick at No. 4 is his most intriguing of the first round. Do they take a quarterback of the future or opt for a "win now" approach?
"I believe the wise move long term, would be to use that pick on a quarterback. (That's) if they grade both quarterbacks similarly," McShay said.
That said, the analyst predicted that Dallas will stray from the quarterback position and take Ohio State pass-rusher Joey Bosa instead.
- Vernon Adams is an 'intriguing prospect'
The former Oregon quarterback began his college career at the FCS level with Eastern Washington. Adams transferred to Oregon as a senior and led the Ducks to a 9-3 regular season record, including a six-game winning streak to close Pac-12 play.
In addition, two of Oregon's losses came when Adams was out with a broken finger.
McShay provided a long-winded – and mostly positive – review of Adams' play. He said the quarterback could be a Day 2 selection but will more likely go on Day 3. The draft expert reiterated that he gives Adams much more of a chance to succeed in the NFL now than he did before studying the tape.
"I am struggling with him," McShay began. "I see a lot of good things in his tape. I wish there was more of it at this level. He's a leader. He's a winner. When he was healthy, Oregon was one of the three or four most dangerous teams in terms of teams you didn't want to play at the end of the year. His week of practice at the East-West Shrine Game was solid, but the game was sensational. You can just see he's got something to him in terms of the leadership and the character.
"Guys just naturally gravitate to him. When you study the tape, there are flashes of anticipation and throwing to spots. He certainly has the athleticism, and he has the arm. I think he's going to be one of the most intriguing prospects leading up to the draft."
Adams' size, just 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, is the biggest knock on his draft ranking.
