Picking the best team to win this year's College Football Playoff – FOXSports.com

People love drafts. People love college football. But you don’t often see a draft involving college football. Until now.

In looking ahead to the 2015 season, FOX Sports college football writers Stewart Mandel and Bruce Feldman decided to hold a draft of the nation’s best players.

Note: This is not a fantasy football draft, but rather the two putting together an actual team to compete against each other for a fictitious spot in this year’s College Football Playoff.

Here are the rules:

* Each writer picks a starting 22, a second quarterback and a kicker and punter for a total of 50 picks, divided into a first and second round.

* Each writer had to select at least one player at every position but could decide for himself whether to run a 4-3 or 3-4 defense, two running backs or three receivers, etc.

* Each writer had to select at least one true freshman.

* The draft order goes in a snake. Stewart got the first pick, so Bruce got the No. 2 and 3 picks, followed by Stewart going No. 4 and 5, and so on.

In this first installment, Stewart and Bruce trade compliments, barbs and insight while conducting their first 25 picks. Nos. 26-50 and completed lineups will be revealed Tuesday, at which point readers can vote and comment on who picked the better team. They’ll also discuss their picks in a new episode of The Audible podcast on Tuesday.

Let the draft begin!

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1) Stewart: Other than quarterback, I believe no player on the field can influence a game more than a dominant defensive lineman — particularly inside. I take massive Alabama DT A’Shawn Robinson, modestly listed at 6-foot-4, 312 pounds and so disruptive.  

2) Bruce: Wow, I like the way you think, Stew. He was high on my list. But you got me nervous because I thought you were going to take my No. 1 player, Ohio State DE Joey Bosa. His stats last year: 21 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles. Big energy guy. He’s my building block.

3) Bruce: I’m doing myself a favor, because now he will be pissed off that he’s not my No. 1 pick: Arizona OLB Scooby Wright. He might not be as high on your board, but with 163 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles and 14 sacks, Two-Star Scooby is a five-star guy in my eyes.

4) Stewart: Wow, that’s one heck of a pass-rushing tandem. They might cause problems for my next pick, TCU QB Trevone Boykin. Overall this isn’t a great group of quarterbacks coming back, but Boykin had a huge year in 2014 (3,901 yards, 33 TDs) and has all his receivers coming back.

5) Stewart: Since you made a run on pass-rushers, I feel like I need one myself, and that’s why I’m taking Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett. The stud sophomore, who had 11.5 sacks as a true freshman, is already one of the most talented payers in the country at any position.

6) Bruce: Well, you just took my No. 5 guy. Because you took Myles Garrett, I’m taking Notre Dame OT Ronnie Stanley to anchor my offensive line.

7) Bruce: Next, I’m going to take Notre Dame OLB Jaylon Smith, who was No. 3 on my board. Since I already took Scooby, I have some hesitation about taking another linebacker that high, but he’s so good I think I will. He’s a way more athletic linebacker than Manti Te’o was.

8) Stewart: First of all, I see you love yourself some Fighting Irish. Speaking of Stanley, I, too, think it’s important to lock up an elite pass protector to keep Trevone healthy. That’s why I’m taking Baylor OT Spencer Drango, a four-year starter who is used to blocking for 40 to 50 pass plays a game.

9) Stewart: Sticking with offense, there are a LOT of great running backs out there. First on my list is Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott. He will pick up where he left off with that amazing postseason run (232.0 yards per game vs. Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon), especially behind a veteran O-line.

10) Bruce: I guess you weren’t all in on Utah’s Devontae Booker after all … I’m taking Florida State CB/S Jalen Ramsey. He’s a great player, and now I feel so good about my defense, that I feel like no matter who else you pick, it’s not going to be as good as mine.

11) Bruce: This is a guy who I thought you were going to take when you took Drango — Ohio State OT Taylor Decker. He’s big, competitive and gave up only one sack last year. Ohio State coaches think he’ll be a first-round pick. Nine of my top 11 players are now gone.

12) Stewart: I like what you’re doing on defense. Speaking of which, my No. 3 overall player is still out there. That’s Ole Miss DT Robert Nkemdiche. Like I said, if you’ve got a dominant D-tackle you can stuff the run, making a team one-dimensional. You will not be able to run on me with Nkemdiche and Robinson.

13) Stewart: Give me Ohio State OLB Darron Lee. The redshirt sophomore was arguably Ohio State’s best defensive performer in the playoff, and he’s entering only his second year as starter. I think he will have a huge year.

14) Bruce: Lee was the next linebacker on my board, but the next guy overall on my board, and I feel like I have to take him here, is Baylor DE Shawn Oakman. He had 13 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss last year. Between him and Bosa, you’re going to have to double team us a lot.

15) Bruce: This guy was not in my top 20, but he’s that much better than every guy at his position: Florida State K Roberto Aguayo. He won the 2013 Groza Award and was even better last year, going 3-of-4 from 50-plus. He’s better than every other kicker by a lot. I didn’t want you to get him.

(Stewart: Well, shoot. I really wanted him, but not THAT badly. I have a good Plan B, and now I don’t have to take him until the very end.)

16) Stewart: It’s funny how, in the NFL Draft, this position has been so devalued, but in college this year, there are just so many good running backs that I want to get ’em all. So I’m going to pair up Ezekiel Elliott with LSU RB Leonard Fournette.

(Bruce: That sucks! I didn’t think you were going to do that. That’s the first guy you’ve taken where I really regretted not getting him earlier, because he’s my No. 8 overall guy.)

17) Stewart: I want to go back to defense for this one and take my bookend pass-rusher, Michigan State DE Shilique Calhoun. He’s been one of the best in the country two years running, notching 16.5 sacks, and I was a little surprised he came back for his senior year.

18) Bruce: Well, now I don’t have to take running backs or another D-lineman until the very end. I had six quarterbacks I was considering. I’m going to take Michigan State QB Connor Cook. He’s played in a lot of big games, has a really good arm, and he’ll appreciate I gave him two good tackles.

19) Bruce: With this pick I take Virginia Tech CB Kendall Fuller. Three other Fullers have played in the NFL, and I’m told this one is the best of the bunch.

20) Stewart: Well, you got the two highest-rated cornerbacks on my board. So far I’ve neglected the secondary. For this one, let me go get UCLA ILB Myles Jack. The hype from his freshman year wore off a little last season, but he’s still an unbelievable athlete and big-time playmaker.

21) Stewart: Sticking in the same city, I need a DB, and it’s USC CB Adoree Jackson. He’s USC’s first three-way player in nearly 20 years. I plan to use him as a return guy (he ran back two kickoffs for TDs), but I believe he can be an elite cornerback. Maybe we’ll play him a little at receiver as well.

22) Bruce: It’s interesting how one position that hasn’t been touched yet is wide receiver. I was on the fence which one to take, but I really like Auburn WR Duke Williams. He’s a physical red zone receiver, and I expect his quarterback, Jeremy Johnson, to put up really big numbers.

23) Bruce: I like having flexibility in the back seven, and I want versatility and playmaking. I take USC S/LB Su’a Cravens. He had 17 tackles for loss and three picks last year. With him and Jalen Ramsey, I feel like I can do anything. Right now my plan is to do something like a 3-3-5 defense.

24) Stewart: Like you, I’m not in any hurry to snap up receivers, because there’s no Amari Cooper out there. I take Alabama OT Cam Robinson. If he’s good enough to start on that line as a true freshman for Nick Saban, you know he’s extremely talented.

25) Stewart: It’s time to take my second quarterback: Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett. Urban Meyer can decide whichever starter he wants for his team. Mine will come down to a competition between two of last year’s top five Heisman vote getters, Boykin and Barrett. What an enviable decision. 

(Bruce: I’ll be honest, I have four QBs left on my list, and J.T. Barrett is not one of them. I thought you were going to take Clemson’s Deshaun Watson.)

(Stewart: No, I’m concerned about his knee.)

That’s it for Round 1. Who had the better first round? You can vote in the poll above and make your case in the comments below. Check back Tuesday for the rest of the draft.

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