The 2016 NFL Draft process rolls along this month with players conducting workouts at school Pro Days. That will be followed by private workouts, which just about marks the end of the pre-draft process. With that in mind, we're back for another round of Mike Mayock position rankings. We went through them in February leading up to the NFL Combine.
Mayock posted his latest positional rankings back on March 8. Free agency got in the way, but with that slowed down, I thought I'd go back through each of his positions over the next week and a half. I suspect Mayock will be back with more rankings sometime in early April after Pro Days wrap up. We started with edge rushers, and today we move on to defensive tackles.
On Monday, we learned that defensive tackle Ian Williams went through at least two ankle surgeries this offseason, and his status for the season opener is in question. That makes Mayock's defensive tackles a little more pertinent today. If Williams was not dealing with an ankle injury, the team likely would have added another defensive lineman. Now that Williams is dealing with an injury, it only adds to that.
DeForest Buckner is going to be the first defensive tackle off the board. It's simply a matter of when. He is a top ten player, and you could argue a top five talent. Team needs could bump him down toward the 49ers at No. 7, but there is a decent chance he's gone earlier. Former Bucs defensive end Stephen White broke down Buckner's film yesterday.
If Buckner is there at No. 7, do the 49ers grab him? Obviously it depends in part on who else is there, but if he drops to No. 7, it seems like he is probably the best available option. But given the defensive line depth in this draft, is it worth looking elsewhere a little later?
| Rk | February 10 | March 8 |
| 1 | DeForest Buckner | DeForest Buckner |
| 2 | Robert Nkemdiche | Sheldon Rankins |
| 3 | Sheldon Rankins | Jarran Reed |
| 4 | Jarran Reed | A'shawn Robinson |
| 5 | A'shawn Robinson | Robert Nkemdiche |