ESPN NFL Mock Draft 5 Released: McShay and Kiper Agree on 16 First Round Picks, None of Which Include Bridgewater
ByOne day after ESPN reported on Teddy Bridgewater's loss of value insurance, the former Louisville QB fell out of the first round in Mel Kiper and Todd McShay's latest mock NFL Drafts.
Nine days before the draft, the two ESPN draft experts each released their fifth editions of draft predictions and they might be their most similar to date. While the two tend to disagree in order to drum up a debate, their first 10 picks were nearly identical.
- Houston Texans: Jadeveon Clowney (McShay and Kiper)
- St. Louis Rams: Greg Robinson (McShay and Kiper)
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Sammy Watkins (McShay and Kiper)
- Cleveland Browns: Johnny Manziel (McShay and Kiper)
- Oakland Raiders: Khalil Mack (McShay and Kiper)
- Atlanta Falcons: Jake Matthews (McShay), Taylor Lewan (Kiper)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mike Evans (McShay and Kiper)
- Minnesota Vikings: Blake Bortles (McShay and Kiper)
- Buffalo Bills: Lewan (McShay), Matthews (Kiper)
- Detroit Lions: Eric Ebron (McShay), Odell Beckham Jr. (Kiper)
They went on to agree on nine more picks throughout the first round, but their agreement on Bridgewater falling out of the first round is especially confusing. Bridgewater was once seen as a potential target for the Texans to take first overall, but now his draft stock has fallen so much, he seems more realistic as the first pick of the second round.
Darren Rovell cited unnamed sources Monday who said Bridgewater added $5 million to his $10 million disability insurance policy for "loss of value." If Bridgewater is not taken in the first round and can prove an injury or illness, he collects $5 million tax-free.
There have been no indications that he is hurt or sick in any way, so his plummeting draft stock is particularly confusing.
For Kiper, it is the second straight mock draft with Bridgewater not in the first round. In McShay's previous mock draft, Bridgewater went 11th overall to the Tennessee Titans, but predicted the Louisville QB would be taken first overall in Dec.
