These five early round picks from the 2016 NFL Draft might disappoint their fans in Year One. Fan bases have high hopes for these players as early as this season, but the results might not match those expectations.
Leonard Floyd, OLB, Chicago Bears
Draft:Round 1, No. 9 overall
Put away your pitchforks, Bears fans. I'm not telling you that your guy is a bust. I'm simply saying that if you are hanging your pass-rushing hopes on Floyd for the 2016 season, you might come away disappointed. League sources confirmed that by the time individual workouts came around this spring, Floyd had already dropped a chunk of the 244 pounds he carried at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. I've believed all along that Floyd would need a full year of an NFL training table and weight-room work to build his body up in order to handle the physicality of the league. While he might have some flashes in 2016, I think 2017 will be a much greater indicator of his abilities.
Corey Coleman, WR, Cleveland Browns
Draft:Round 1, No. 15 overall
Coleman's explosiveness and big-play ability is unquestioned, but he might find that the transition from his college scheme to what he will see in the pros will take time to get used to. Coleman had success with short, catch-and-run passes combined with go routes to maximize his talents at Baylor. With NFL hashmarks, he won't have as much free room to work with, and he'll be facing much faster and physical competition across from him. We haven't even delved into the question of whether or not Robert Griffin III can put it back together this season. Coleman's emergence might have to wait a year or longer.
Germain Ifedi, OG, Seattle Seahawks
Draft:Round 1, No. 31 overall
The Seahawks are going to give Ifedi every opportunity to win the starting right guard spot vacated by the departure of J.R. Sweezy. While Ifedi has the traits of a tackle, his best fit is likely at guard, where he could be the next Kelechi Osemele. That's high praise and I think it will happen, but 2016 could be a bumpy rookie season for Ifedi. Ifedi, like all linemen from spread-based college schemes, will have to acclimate to firing out off the snap. He won't have the benefit of playing next to an established starter at right tackle, so communication issues could also be a problem from time to time. He should get there eventually, but it won't be easy in 2016.
Xavien Howard, CB, Miami Dolphins
Draft:Round 2, No. 38 overall
Howard's 32 passes defensed -- including nine interceptions -- show how much talent the big, aggressive cornerback has when the ball is in the air. Here is the problem: Howard logged a stunning 14 pass-interference and five holding penalties over the last two seasons. Howard's jiu-jitsu coverage tendencies will be immediately flagged at the NFL level. Getting him to trust his feet and technique will take longer than OTAs and one preseason camp.
William Jackson III, CB, Cincinnati Bengals
Draft:Round 1, No. 24 overall
This one really depends on what the fans' expectations are for Jackson as a first-rounder. Clearly, the Bengals have some talent at the cornerback position already in place. Jackson was more of a best-player-available pick than a need pick. While he saw some decent competition in his conference (American Athletic Conference) at wide receiver, the jump in talent will be substantial. With the Bengals just a stone's throw away from competing for a Super Bowl berth, this might be more of a redshirt season for Jackson as they prepare him to take over in the future.
Follow Lance Zierlein on Twitter @LanceZierlein.
