Happy New Year draftniks. This 2016 NFL mock draft order is now set for picks 1-20 (non-playoff teams). Regarding 21-31, those will fall into line as the playoffs unfold. Ohio State had nine underclassmen declare for the NFL Draft! Nine! That’s almost the ten underclassmen that we saw leave early at LSU two years ago.
So, if this 2016 NFL mock draft is heavy on the Buckeyes, that’s why. This is where their 2014 National Title team goes pro. You could say that Columbus is the new Tuscaloosa in that regard.
1. Tennessee, Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
Tunsil is projected #1 overall in several mock drafts, but I just can’t commit to putting him that high in my 2016 NFL mock draft….yet. There’s a whole host of reasons for that, just like the “San Diego Super Chargers” have a whole host of team needs.
2. Cleveland, Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State
Ah, the Cleveland Browns. No team’s fanbase is more engaged in the NFL Draft, year round, year in, year out, then this team. The Brownies fan club love themselves a good NFL mock draft; even in August. Of course, don’t mock another OT to the Browns because they’ll let you have in the comments section and/or on Twitter.
Bosa is as blue-chip a prospect as you’ll ever find. The Big Ten didn’t have anyone taken in the top ten 2008-2014. (Although they did provide the 11th overall selection both last year and in 2009). The streak ended end this April when Iowa’s Brandon Scherrf went to Washington with the fifth overall selection.
For more on Joey Bosa go here
3. San Diego, Jalen Ramsey, S, Florida State
Such a weak safety class in 2015. It was truly broke, and 2014 wasn’t anything special either. Now, finally in 2016 we’ll see a legit blue-chip safety prospect for this ultra pass happy league. Ramsey is more than that. He can play corner effectively too.
Go here for more on Ramsey
4. Dallas, Myles Jack, LB, UCLA
An elite prospect due to his natural play-making abilities with extraordinary athleticism and instincts. Jack suffered a serious knee injury Sept. 23 but if teams are satisfied with his rehabilitation and convalescence, he’ll be fine.
5. Jacksonville, Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, Florida
In today’s NFL, you can never have enough pass-rushers, pass-protectors or elite pass-defenders. The best of the best at those positions will always have a premium placed upon them. Hargreaves is the elite corner of this class; and a slam dunk top ten selection. Plus JAX have the added bonus of staying local.
Go here for more on Hargreaves
The Jaguars have a lot of explosive weapons on offense. No seriously, that’s not a typo. So you should see a lot of defensive players mocked to JAX in your given 2016 NFL mock draft.
6. Baltimore, Ronnie Stanley, OL, Notre Dame
Stanley won’t exactly ace the interview portion of the Scouting Combine, as he’s not much of a soundbite. But this is the NFL Draft, not a talk show. And Stanley’s job is to make pancake blocks, not make good copy. He did have this “zinger” though on New Year’s/Fiesta Bowl Eve Eve.
Q. Gotten any Joey Bosa questions?
RONNIE STANLEY: A million.
That’s as close to entertaining as a Stanley interview will ever get.
For more on Ronnie Stanley go here.
7. San Francisco, Jared Goff, QB, California
Goff goes went slightly overlooked because people don’t stay up late to watch those Pac 12 games, and Cal has been so down for so long. However, Goff is a star in the making, and he’s shown a mastery for a high-powered complex offense that will make him very pro ready. Sonny Dykes’ “The System” and its up-tempo “bear raid” offense has helped Goff flourish. Jared made big strides in 2014; putting up an impressive 35-7 TD-INT ratio for the season. Niners stay local here.
The media really overdo the “homecoming/local boy done good” stories, so the MSM will definitely go nuts over this.
For more on Jared Goff, click here
8. Miami, DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon
Buckner seems to be a consensus top 10-15 pick. Dolphins need pass-rushing help, so if the shoe fits.
9. Tampa, Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State
Ogbah is shooting up the 2016 NFL mock draft boards so fast that he might not last this long
10. New York Giants, A’Shawn Robinson, DT/DE, Alabama
Watch this kid in the national title game. Even if you DOOOOOOON’T CAAAAAAARE about either team, like I do, Robinson is worth tuning in for. Giants could use talent/youth upgrade on the DL for sure.
11. Chicago, Reggie Ragland, ILB, Alabama
Like Curtis Conway told me at the NFL Network’s NFL Draft Media luncheon in Chicago last year, Foxy will go defense, let him go heavy defense. Let him run this team. Hence we slot Defensive Best Player Available here. Plus the Bears desperately need to rebuild their LBs anyway. The era of Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher feels like it was 30 years ago, not 3.
12. New Orleans, Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
There was a lot of talk that the Saints were going to draft Drew Brees’ successor in 2015. Those reports also indicated that it might happen in 2016 instead. Again I think they’ll pass on signal caller and go best player available. Treadwell is probably the best receiver in Ole Miss history and likely one of the best in SEC history.
13. Philadelphia, Robert Nkemdiche, DT/DE, Ole Miss
You’re just not supposed to move like Nkemdiche does when you’re his size. You just can’t. He sometimes looks super-human on film, like Jadeveon Clowney or Ndamukong Suh did when they were coming out of college. DL used to be the Lions strength, but that position deteriorated in a hurry; especially after Suh left.
13. Philadelphia, Su’a Cravens, S/LB, USC
Versatile stud who will see his stock continue to rise throughout the evaluative process because he can play so many positions.
14. Oakland, Leonard Floyd, OLB/DE, Georgia
Put this guy into a defense with Khalil Mack, probably the best young emerging defender in the game today, and wow you really have a nice foundation developing in Oakland.
15. St. Louis, Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
It seems like they’re ready to take a new signal caller, and although this is a very weak class, spot #15 is a good place to do so.
16. Detroit, Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State
An elite player at a very high value position in a class that’s very much loaded. Lots of OTs in this 2016 NFL mock draft. Plus this pick works well with local appeal as East Lansing is obviously pretty close to Detroit.
Go here for more on Conklin
17. Atlanta, Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State
Decker is a dynamite player, great talker and a stand-up guy off the field we’re told. He also gave the most realistic and truthful soundbite you’ll ever hear from a college football player in response to a NFL mock draft.
“I think a big thing they look for is do you improve as a player year to year,” said Decker at Big Ten Media Day.
“I had a decent projection coming out of this year, but I want to improve upon it. If they sense complacency, it won’t improve my stock at all.”
He also used the word “shit” at Big Ten Media Day, which was pretty awesome.
Go here for more on Taylor Decker.
18. Indianapolis Colts, Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
Everyone was talking about Elliott, all Fiesta Bowl week long, and everyone was extolling his virtues. Urban Meyer probably said it best though in postgame:
“I think Zeke, all due respect to all the great running backs in Ohio State history, my first-round draft pick, I’d pick Zeke Elliott. What he does without the ball, his work ethic in practice, just his attitude every day, the way he shows up, bounces around with us. I love him.
“He’s as good a running back as I’ve ever been around.”
For more on Elliott, go here.
19. Buffalo, Connor Cook, QB Michigan State
Cook made the right call by returning to school. The Cotton Bowl performance showed us everything we need to know about the pro potential of Connor Cook. He has tremendous ability, but he’s certainly not there yet. You saw some throws that needed to be delivered accurately that weren’t. With his size, arm and his ability to beat you from the pocket he’ll be a franchise level QB eventually.
Cook is a guy who’s truly developed and progressed through his time in East Lansing. At first, he was a game-manager relying on his defense. Now he’s the focal point of not just the offense, but the entire team.
For more on Connor Cook go here
20. NY Jets, Scooby Wright, LB, Arizona
Said Fox Sports Joel Klatt:
“the personnel matchup that has led to Arizona’s success is Scooby Wright. He is the best defensive player in America. He leads the defense in the 3-3-5 scheme that adjusts well to the spread and they tackle well in space.”
“INNNNNNNN SPAAACCEEEEEE”
For more on Scooby go here.
21. Houston, Christan Hackenberg, QB, Penn State
Yes, we mocked Hack to his former college coach.
Welcome to “Christian Hackenberg NFL Draft Stock Column 2015,” it’s bigger and bolder than “Christian Hackenberg NFL Draft Stock Column 2014.”
For much much more on Hackenberg go here
22. Washington, Carl Nassib, DL, Penn State
Nassib is the first consensus All-American for Penn State since Devon Still in 2011. In a breakout season, Nassib has collected first team All-America honors from every outlet you can imagine. I have no idea why I keep ending up with college teammates going back to back in this 2016 NFL mock draft. It’s happened now with PSU, OSU, MSU Ole Miss and Alabama. Weird coincidences.
23. Kansas City, Maliek Collins, DT, Nebraska
Being that this is the NFL Draft, there will be extensive scrutiny of personality and character. Being that Maliek Collins is a NU Defensive Lineman, he’ll be compared to Randy Gregory and Ndamukong Suh; at least on a superficial level.
Go here for more on Collins
24. Pittsburgh, Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State
It’s always good to mock a linebacker to the Steelers, because it seems like they draft one almost every other year. You have a good chance of getting the pick right.
25. Seattle, Vadal Alexander, OL, LSU
Alexander started out his career at right tackle in 2012. LSU made a really smart decision by moving him inside to guard for 2013 and the sophomore made huge progress in his game. He had a solid 2014, but he should to return to Baton Rouge.
Could have left this year, if he really wanted to, but he’s making the right decision by staying in school.
For more on Vadal Alexander go here
26. Green Bay, Kenny Clark, DL, UCLA
It’s always good to mock defensive best player available to the Pack.
27. Minnesota, Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State
Michael Thomas has size, speed, separation, ability to win contested situations, ball skills, great at 50/50 balls, scouting buzzword XYZ, Todd McShay catch-phrase ABC, Draftnik cliche 123, insert Mel Kiper Jr phrase here.
Go here for more on Thomas.
28. Denver, Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama
Call your broker and tell him to buy as many shares of Derrick Henry NFL Draft stock. He’s a first round lock, right? After all this was the year of the running back in college football and he was the best back in the nation.
Actually, running backs are devalued these days on NFL Draft night and the Alabama Crimson Tide superstar is inspiring mixed opinions. Go here for more on the mixed opinions Henry is generating.
As the Broncos rebuild their offense around Brock Osweiler, he’ll be helped by having a strong running game, good stable of backs.
29. Arizona, Sheldon Day, DL, Notre Dame
Cards could use a run-stuffer, and Day fits that mold nicely. He’s really more of a second-round grade prospect but Draft day always sees “upsets” of this sort each year. Day could end up playing his final college game in the same stadium in which he plays his NFL ball?
30. Cincinnati, Shilique Calhoun, DE/OLB, Michigan State
Calhoun was one of only two defensive players in college football in 2013 to score three touchdowns. He’s a long athletic pass rusher, who surprised us all when he opted to go back, because he could have been in the first round mix. Like Leonard Williams, he can play either DE or DT so expect his stock to soar like Apple Corporation during the evaluative process.
Go here for more on Calhoun
31. Carolina, Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame
A member of ND’s “Money Team,” Fuller had a monster season. he does drop some here and there, and he is a bit small, but the numbers don’t lie and the speed kills. At Fiesta Bowl Media Day, Fuller said he got his NFL draft feedback , but he didn’t want to talk about it. That’s understandable. When asked if he’s happy with the feedback, Fuller said “Maybe, I don’t know. Maybe.”
32. New England (PICK FORFEITED) So we’ll slot Jackmerious Tacktheritix or Hingle McCringleberry to the Pats here.
It’s an odd place/way to end the 2016 NFL mock draft, but it is what it is.
This 2016 NFL mock draft is over, and it’s listed on numerous databases, including Walter Football, DC Pro Sports Report, and Eat, Drink and Sleep Football.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and sometimes writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. The website is also featured on News Now.
Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye. He also appears regularly on numerous television and radio talk shows all across the country. Catch him Tuesdays on KOZN 1620 The Zone.
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