Latest 2016 NFL mock: Penn State's Christian Hackenberg goes No. 6, one of five first-round QBs

Let’s just go ahead and call the 2015 Big Ten football season what it really is: The Year of the Quarterback. Start with the Ohio State situation where Urban Meyer has three elite quarterbacks on his roster — 2014 super sub Cardale Jones and proven dual-threats Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett.  That’s quite a depth chart. And don’t forget about two other strong-armed right-handers in the Big Ten East, Penn State junior Christian Hackenberg and Michigan State fifth-year senior Connor Cook, who opted to stay with the Spartans in 2015 instead of declaring for the NFL draft. Hackenberg, Cook and Jones are all pegged as first-round picks in the latest mock draft, courtesy of Dane Brugler of NFLDraftScout.com. The 6-4, 236-pound Hackenberg, the 2013 Big Ten Freshman of the Year who experienced some growing pains last season while operating behind PSU’s rebuilt offensive line, is slotted No. 6 overall and goes to the New York Jets, a bit of a curious destination given the Jets’ fourth-round selection of Baylor QB Bryce Petty over the weekend. Five QBs are first-round picks in Brugler’s mock draft but I doubt you’ll guess the two quarterbacks who join Hackenberg, Cook (No. 12, Cleveland) and Jones (No. 24, Arizona) in Round 1. California junior Jared Goff is the first QB taken off the board, headed to the Washington Redskins one pick ahead of Hackenberg (No. 5 overall). Goff, a 6-4, 210-pounder, had an exceptional 2014 campaign for the Golden Bears, throwing for 3,973 yards and completing 62 percent of his passes. His TD-to-INT ratio (35-7) was also outstanding. And the fifth QB to go is Cincinnati’s Gunner Kiel, landing at No. 16 overall to Bill O’Brien’s Houston Texans. Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones’ brilliant play during the stretch run of the Buckeyes’ national championship season could be a sign of things to come in the fall. He could end up a first-round pick in 2016.AP/Gail Burton  So … Goff, Hackenberg, Cook, Kiel and Jones. Five QBs in Round 1 in 2016. …

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