1.Los Angeles Rams: Jared Goff, quarterback (California)
The Rams went out and made one of the splashiest deals in recent NFL Draft history dealing six picks include the number 15 overall pick in this year's and a first round pick in next year's draft to the Tennessee Titans for the number one overall pick. This high stakes trade is a risk the Rams pretty much had to take at this point in time since their lack of a viable starting quarterback has been a vast majority of the reason they've failed to make the playoffs since Jeff Fisher took over as head coach in 2012. They are in a very unique position with this pick because this draft has a pair of QB's in Goff and Carson Wentz that have equal upside as pro's. Since the Rams are entering their first season in the biggest media market in the United States, what this pick is going to ultimately come down to is marketability. While Wentz is arguably the more pro-ready prospect of the two, his soft-spoken demeanor and humble North Dakota roots are highly unlikely to woo fans in Southern California who've been without a football team since 1994. Goff is a Northern California boy with the big-school pedigree and unwavering aura of confidence needed to win over a Hollywood crowd.
2.Philadelphia Eagles: Carson Wentz, quarterback (North Dakota State)
Despite committing $56 million to quarterbacks this offseason with the re-signing of 2015 starter Sam Bradford and acquisition of ex-Chiefs backup Chase Daniel in free agency, the Eagles decided they weren't in good enough shape at the position and made a drastic deal with the Cleveland Browns to move up to the second pick. Head coach Doug Pederson was talking up Wentz like crazy in the media before they even made the trade with the Browns, so barring the Rams going against the odds and picking him over Goff, the North Dakota State product will be headed to Philly.
3.San Diego Chargers: Jalen Ramsey, cornerback/safety (Florida State)
This pick is going to play a pivotal role in how the rest of the first round plays out. The Chargers are in a very interesting position as they get first crack at the draft's top non-quarterback prospects and have a number of pressing needs (offensive line, secondary, defensive line) on both sides of the ball. Out of all the widely coveted prospects they could select here, Ramsey makes the most sense for them. Ramsey is a perfect complementary piece to put alongside rising star corner Jason Verrett and his freakish athleticism and versatility gives the Chargers the flexibility to plug him in anywhere they need him to play in the secondary.
4.Dallas Cowboys: DeForest Buckner, defensive tackle/end (Oregon)
It's going to be hard for an old-school football guy like Jerry Jones to pass on Ezekiel Elliot with this pick, but with Tony Romo just turning 36 and potentially on the cusp of retiring in the near future, the team is in win-now mode and adding a potential differencemaker on defense gives them the best chance of making a deep playoff run within the next two or three seasons. Buckner hasn't garnered as much fanfare as guys like Joey Bosa and Myles Jack, but his ability to play all four spots on the line paired with his equal proficiency in stopping the run and rushing the passer makes him an intelligent pick for a Cowboys squad that desperately needs to revamp their defensive line.
5.Jacksonville Jaguars: Myles Jack, inside/outside linebacker (UCLA):
A report that came out on Sunday night from NFL Network's Albert Breer revealing that Jack has a chondral defect in his knee has lead many league reporters and front offices to believe that Jack is going to slip in the draft. I'm not buying that notion in the slightest. There's been all sorts of conflicting reports on the status of Jack's knee throughout the draft process yet the Jaguars have continued to show heavy interest in him. The status of his knee definitely raises some red flags for his ability to stay healthy, but given that the Jaguars are only a few defensive pieces away from being a playoff team and Jack is a potential blue-chip talent at a position that they're desperate for help at, I believe they'll be willing to take the risk on him.
6.Baltimore Ravens: Joey Bosa, defensive end/outside linebacker (Ohio State):
The Ravens very well could end up be the biggest beneficiaries of the Rams and Eagles trading up for the top two picks. This is a team that only ended up with a pick this high due to an onslaught of season-ending injuries to their best players in 2015 and they've seemingly been repaid for their season of suffering by getting an opportunity to add a top-flight prospect to an already talent-filled roster. While I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they decided to find an eventual replacement for oft-injured left tackle Eugene Monroe or draft a second corner to put opposite Jimmy Smith with this pick, Joey Bosa seems like the player they'll gravitate to here. Getting Bosa, whose considered by many scouts and personnel guys to be the best player in the draft, at this spot would be a great value pick and with current top pass-rushers Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil set to turn 34 and 32 respectively before the end of the 2016 season, he would serve as a much-needed injection of youth at the position.
7.San Francisco 49ers: Laremy Tunsil, tackle (Mississippi):
Any analyst that claims they have the 49ers pick locked down is lying through their teeth. The team is honestly in such bad shape on both sides of the ball that it's incredibly hard to predict what direction they'll go in with this pick. Based on value and the fact that no move general manager Trent Baalke is going to be salvage their 2016 campaign, Ole Miss tackle and one-time favorite to be the number one overall pick Laremy Tunsil would represent the "safest" possible choice at this juncture. The 49ers offensive line is desperate for new blood after a disastrous 2015 campaign and if Tunsil pans out as the once-in-a-generation prospect he's largely been pegged to be, he could be the eventual successor to perennial Pro Bowler (and one of the few good players left on this roster) Joe Staley at left tackle.
8.Cleveland Browns: Ezekiel Elliott, running back (Ohio State):
The new Browns front office continued to distance themselves from the mistake-filled past regimes by making the extremely unBrowns-like decision to trade down get more picks in this and next year's draft. Like the 49ers, the Browns lack of overall talent gives them the freedom to truly draft the best overall player here. The options are once again plentiful, but I'd be very surprised if they passed on Elliott if he was available. New head coach/offensive coordinator Hue Jackson is one of the few guys in the league that still highly values running the football and drafting a complete, three-down back like Elliott to pair with pass-catching specialist Duke Johnson would give the Browns a potentially dangerous running back combo to build their revamped offense around.
9.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Vernon Hargreaves, cornerback (Florida):
The Buccaneers defensive woes in 2015 squashed any chance the team had at making a surprise playoff berth and played a large part in the firing of head coach Love Smith this offseason. Their secondary was easily their biggest weakness and despite the fact they brought in productive veteran corner Brent Grimes in free agency, they still need to make additional moves if they want to turn the tide in 2016. Hargreaves is arguably the best pure cover corner in the draft and has a very good chance of coming in and developing into a long-term shutdown corner for this suddenly promising young team.
10.New York Giants: Ronnie Stanley, tackle (Notre Dame):
The choice may seem puzzling since the Giants just selected Ereck Flowers in the first round last year, but Flowers' overwhelmingly physical, often ugly style of play make him much better suited to play right tackle at the professional level. Stanley has the fluid footwork and well-rounded game needed to excel at left tackle in the NFL and he could possibly serve as the missing piece the Giants offensive line needs to build off the promise they showed in 2015 and become one of the league's premier units.
11.Chicago Bears: Shaq Lawson, defensive end/outside linebacker (Clemson):
The Bears are definitely in the market for a cornerback and left tackle in this draft, but there's no prospect at either of those positions that would be a natural fit here, which means edge-rusher is the default pick for them. Lawson's combination of pass-rushing prowess with the run-stopping efficiency that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio covets in members of his defensive front makes him by far the best fit of the remaining available edge defenders.
12.New Orleans Saints: Sheldon Rankins, defensive tackle (Louisville)
The Saints seems like prime candidates to trade down. Their defense is a disaster from the top-down and since they are in win-now mode as Drew Brees enters the twilight of his career, obtaining more picks could help them clog up some of the many holes they have on that side of the ball. However if they end up staying put, Rankins seems like the type of player that would fit in beautifully on this defense. Rankins-whose stock has benefited significantly from the character concerns and dedication issues that have respectively plagued fellow defensive tackles Robert Nkemdiche and A'Shawn Robinson throughout the pre-draft process-is an athletic and crafty interior pass-rusher with a high ceiling that could finally give them another disruptive presence upfront to pair alongside their criminally underrated defensive end Cameron Jordan.
13.Miami Dolphins: Leonard Floyd, defensive end/outside linebacker (Georgia)
The depth of the Dolphins once-feared pass-rush basically went out the window this offseason when Oliver Vernon and Derrick Shelby left the team in free agency. Given the potential effect of the free agent departures and the fact that they're current top pass rushing duo (Cameron Wake and Mario Williams) are well into their 30's, the addition of Floyd could be a potential godsend for this defense. Floyd lacks ideal size and strength for the position, but he's an instinctive and often explosive player that could come in and make a major impact from the jump.
14.Oakland Raiders: Reggie Ragland, inside linebacker (Alabama):
The Raiders patched up a lot of their needs on defense in free agency, but they still have a major hole at inside linebacker. Ragland is easily the best natural inside linebacker in this draft class and his elite instincts and cover skills could make him the piece that pushes this up-and-coming Raiders defense into dominant territory.
15.Tennessee Titans: Eli Apple, cornerback (Ohio State):
Just about every major draft analyst is mocking a tackle to the Titans, but I don't believe that's the direction they'll decide to go in. Cornerback is a much more pressing need for the Titans and Apple is the type of long, physical corner that new defensive coordinator Dick LaBeau salivates over.
16.Detroit Lions: Jack Conklin, tackle (Michigan State):
With Calvin Johnson out of the equation and a highly conservative offensive coordinator in Jim Bob Cooter calling the shots, the Lions are going to need to beef up their offensive line in order to stay afloat in the ultra competitive NFC North this season. The highly underrated Conklin is a mauler with a nasty mean streak that excels in both run-blocking and pass-protection who has the potential to come in instantly change the attitude and playing style of the entire Lions O-line.
17.Atlanta Falcons: Kevin Dodd, defensive end/outside linebacker (Clemson)
The Falcons spent their first round pick in 2015 on edge rusher Vic Beasley and while Beasley had a respectable rookie campaign, the Falcons were still dead last in the league in sacks with a paltry 19 sacks on the year. Dodd's relentlessness and burst off the edge has caused him to soar up draft boards despite the fact that he was only a one-year starter at Clemson. With the proper coaching and usage, Dodd has the potential to be a stud at the next level and alongside fellow Clemson Tiger Beasley, form one of the most exciting, athletic young pass-rushing tandems in the league.
18.Indianapolis Colts: Ryan Kelly, center (Alabama):
Anyone that watched the Colts play for more than five minutes last season knows that Andrew Luck, Matt Hasselbeck and every other random D-list schmuck they were forced to trot out at quarterback due to injuries got absolutely pummeled due to their horrid offensive line play. Center might not be the sexy pick at this juncture of the draft, but a polished, scrappy force like Kelly on the interior of the line gives the Colts the best chance of fixing their offensive line woes and avoid spending another season watching Luck get lit up every time he drops back to pass.
19.Buffalo Bills: Darron Lee, inside/outside linebacker (Ohio State)
While talking heads and football fans across the country have spent no shortage of time ripping Rex Ryan and defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman's coaching for the Bills defensive problems last season, the real reason the Bills defense fell way short of expectations was the horrendous play of their linebackers. Ryan and Thurman's scheme needs versatile, athletic linebackers that can drop back into coverage and aid the defensive line in stopping the run in order to thrive and the Bills simply didn't have that last season. While Lee needs to become a more consistent tackler at the next level, his has jaw-dropping sideline-to-sideline speed and solid coverage skills make him a perfect fit for this defense.
20.New York Jets: Taylor Decker, tackle (Ohio State):
There's a lot of buzz surrounding the Jets taking Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch here, but I don't see them actually pulling the trigger on him. The Jets are basically married to Ryan Fitzpatrick at this point in time and given the advanced age of a majority of their key offensive players, they're not likely to have the patience to wait for the very raw Lynch to develop into a viable starting quarterback. The Jets may have brought in ex-Bronco Ryan Clady to replace the recently retired D'Brickshaw Ferguson at left tackle, but given Clady's recent injury history, he's a longshot to be a long-term solution at the position. Decker is far from the most pro-ready tackle in this draft class, but he has the raw physical tools needed to evolve into a productive starting left tackle in the NFL two or three years from now.
21.Washington Redskins: Andrew Billings, defensive tackle (Baylor):
The Redskins defense took a huge blow this offseason when their run-stuffing monster nose tackle Terrence Knighton signed with the Patriots in free agency. At 6'1, 303 lbs with a background in competitive weightlifting, Billings is the Redskins best chance of replicating the powerful, pile-moving presence Knighton brought to their defensive interior.
22.Houston Texans: Corey Coleman, wide receiver (Baylor):
This pick marks the start of what I believe will be a massive run on wide receivers at the tail end of the first round. Gauging who is going to come off the board first is extremely difficult as there are currently four or five receiver in this class generating equal amounts of buzz in the days leading up to the draft. For this pick, I have to give Coleman the slight edge over guys like Laquon Treadwell, Josh Doctson and Will Fuller. Coleman's mix of speed, after-the-catch ability and the versatility to line up in the slot or outside gives him a terrific opportunity to emerge as a highly productive complement to their big, physical superstar wideout DeAndre Hopkins.
23.Minnesota Vikings: Laquon Treadwell, wide receiver (Mississippi):
For much of the past month, I thought Treadwell's "slow" 40 time (4.65) was going to force him to slip into the second round. But once I re-watched some of his tape and further contemplated how NFL team will view his skill set, I realized that he'd be a perfect fit for a team like the Vikings that features an offense that is far more concerned with constantly moving the chains than making splash plays. Treadwell's size, physicality and tremendous vertical jump makes him an ideal redzone target for a conservative Vikings passing attack that is in dire need of a receiver that has a nose for the endzone.
24.Cincinnati Bengals: Josh Doctson, wide receiver (TCU):
The Bengals taking a receiver here is one of the biggest no-brainer picks in the first round since they lost both Marvin Jones and Mommahed Sanu in free agency and currently have Brandon "I catch 1 in every 10 passes thrown to me " LaFell penciled in as their number two wideout. Doctson is a sure-handed, sharp route-running wideout who could very well flourish in the Bengals wide-open passing attack.
25.Pittsburgh Steelers: William Jackson III, cornerback (Houston):
I have strong feeling that 2016 will be the year that the Steelers finally address their lingering secondary issues and use a first-round pick to take a cornerback. Jackson III's plethora of starting experience (three years) in college combined with his excellent ball and route recognition skills make him a dark horse contender to be the most pro-ready corner in this draft.
26.Seattle Seahawks: Jason Spriggs, tackle (Indiana):
With the departure of starting left tackle Russell Okung and guard J.R. Sweezy in free agency making this talent-barren offensive line even weaker, the Seahawks pretty much have to select an offensive lineman with this pick. Spriggs is a quick, freakishly athletic tackle that would be an ideal fit for the Seahawks uptempo offense.
27.Green Bay Packers: Jarran Reed, defensive tackle (Alabama):
Another season, another potential steal for the perennially draft-savvy Packers. Reed's inability to consistently get to the quarterback (4 sacks during his four-year tenure at Alabama) has forced his stock to slip recently, but he's quite possibly the best pure run-stopping defensive lineman in this year's draft. For a Packers squad that has finished in the bottom half of the league in run defense for four consecutive seasons, Reed's specialty skill set would be a gift from the football gods.
28.Kansas City Chiefs: Mackensie Alexander, cornerback (Clemson):
Alexander was a highly productive college player that possesses the ability to be a potential lockdown corner at the professional level, but character concerns might keep him out of the first round of the draft. Sound familiar? That was the exact same narrative that followed Chiefs 2015 first-round pick and reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Marcus Peters coming into the draft. Alexander has the skill set to come in and compete for the vacant starting job alongside Peters and immediately succeed in the NFL.
29.Arizona Cardinals: Noah Spence, defensive end/outside linebacker (Eastern Kentucky)
There's been plenty of speculation that Spence won't be picked in the first round because of his dismissal from Ohio State and subsequent banning from the Big Ten in 2014 after he tested positive for MDMA twice. While there may be validity to these rumors, I don't think the Cardinals will be one of the teams scared off by Spence. Spence has taken a number of steps since his dismissal from Ohio State to get clean including voluntarily checking into rehab and requesting random once-a-month drug tests while he was at Eastern Kentucky in 2015 and his immense potential as a pass-rusher makes him far too attractive for an edge-rusher needy squad like the Cardinals to pass up. The Cardinals were willing to take a chance on Tyrann Mathieu when no one else would and like Mathieu, drafting Spence could end up paying major dividends for the team.
30.Carolina Panthers: Artie Burns, cornerback (Miami):
This was a pick that I really struggled with throughout the duration of the mock draft process as the Panthers had a number of areas where they could improve (tackle, safety, pass-rush, wide receiver), but no real glaring holes that needed to be addressed with a first round pick. That all changed when they unexpectedly rescinded the franchise tag from star cornerback Josh Norman last Wednesday and he signed with the Redskins 48 hours later. While Burns clearly won't be able to match the lockdown presence of Norman this season, his combination of physicality and excellent ball skills should allow him to step in and contribute immediately.
31.Denver Broncos: Paxton Lynch, quarterback (Memphis):
Given that Goff and Wentz are locks to be the top two overall picks and a handful of teams outside of the Rams and Eagles are desperate enough to overdraft a quarterback with the hopes that he turns into a viable long-term starter, I highly doubt that Lynch will make it to this pick. However, I do think the Broncos will be the team that ends up selecting him once their aggressive general manager John Elway finds a trade partner in the late teens/early 20's (my money would be on the Bills or Redskins). Lynch is an extremely raw prospect with questionable mechanics and zero experience in a pro-style offense, but his superb athleticism and quality decisionmaking gives the Broncos a better chance of making another deep playoff run than current de facto starter Mark Sanchez does.
Round 2:
32.Cleveland Browns: Connor Cook, quarterback (Michigan State)
33.Tennessee Titans: Germain Ifedi, tackle/guard (Texas A&M)
34.Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott, quarterback (Mississippi State)
35.San Diego Chargers: Le'Raven Clark, tackle (Texas Tech)
36.Baltimore Ravens: Kendall Fuller, cornerback (Virginia Tech)
37.San Francisco 49ers: Emmanuel Ogbah, defensive end/outside linebacker (Oklahoma State)
38.Jacksonville Jaguars: Karl Joseph, safety (West Virginia)
39.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A'Shawn Robinson, defensive tackle (Alabama)
40.New York Giants: Michael Thomas, wide receiver (Ohio State)
41.Chicago Bears: Derrick Henry, running back (Alabama)
42.Miami Dolphins: Xavien Howard, cornerback (Baylor)
43.Tennessee Titans: T.J. Green, safety (Clemson)
44.Oakland Raiders: Vonn Bell, safety (Ohio State)
45.Tennessee Titans: Robert Nkemdiche, defensive tackle (Mississippi)
46.Detroit Lions: Vernon Butler, defensive tackle (Louisiana Tech)
47.New Orleans Saints: Will Fuller, wide receiver (Notre Dame)
48.Indianapolis Colts: Kamalei Correa, defensive end/outside linebacker (Boise State)
49.Buffalo Bills: Chris Jones, defensive tackle/end (Mississippi State)
50.Atlanta Falcons: Keanu Neal, safety (Florida)
51.New York Jets: Jordan Jenkins, defensive end/outside linebacker (Georgia)
52.Houston Texans: Cody Whitehair, guard (Kansas State)
53.Washington Redskins: Su'a Cravens, safety/outside linebacker (USC)
54.Minnesota Vikings: Christian Westerman, guard (Arizona State)
55.Cincinnati Bengals: Kenny Clark, defensive tackle (UCLA)
56.Seattle Seahawks: Austin Johnson, defensive tackle (Penn State)
57.Green Bay Packers: Hunter Henry, tight end (Arkansas)
58.Pittsburgh Steelers: Jeremy Cash, safety (Duke)
59.Kansas City Chiefs: Tyler Boyd, wide receiver (Pittsburgh)
60.New England Patriots: Tyler Matakevich, inside linebacker (Temple)
61.New England Patriots: Sean Davis, cornerback/safety (Maryland)
62.Carolina Panthers: Justin Simmons, safety (Boston College)
63.Denver Broncos: Alex Garnett, guard (Stanford)
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