2016 NFL Mock Draft: v 4.0

Late hour update.

1. Los Angeles Rams - QB Jared Goff, California
2. Philadelphia Eagles - QB Carson Wentz, North Dakota State
3. San Diego Charges - CB/S Jalen Ramsey, Florida State
4. Dallas Cowboys - RB Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State
5. Jacksonville Jaguars - DE Joey Bosa, Ohio State
6. Baltimore Ravens - OT Laremy Tunsil, Ole' Miss
7. San Francisco 49ers - QB Paxton Lynch, Memphis
8. Cleveland Browns - OG/OT Jack Conklin, Michigan State
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - OLB Leonard Floyd, Georgia
10. New York Giants - OT Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame
11. Chicago Bears - DE DeForest Buckner, Oregon
12. New Orleans Saints - DT Sheldon Rankins, Louisville
13. Miami Dolphins - OLB Myles Jack, UCLA
14. Oakland Raiders - CB Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida
15. Tennessee Titans - OT Taylor Decker, Ohio State
16. Detroit Lions - DE/DT Robert Nkemdiche, Ole' Miss
17. Atlanta Falcons - DE Shaq Lawson, Clemson
18. Indianapolis Colts - OG/C Ryan Kelly, Alabama
19. Buffalo Bills - DE Kevin Dodd, Clemson
20. New York Jets - DE/OLB Noah Spence, Western Kentucky
21. Washington Redskins - S Karl Joseph, West Virginia
22. Houston Texans - DE/DT Jarran Reed, Alabama
23. Minnesota Vikings - WR Laquon Treadwell, Ole' Miss
24. Cincinnati Bengals - WR Josh Doctson, TCU
25. Pittsburgh Steelers - S Keanu Neal, Florida
26. Seattle Seahawks - CB William Jackson, Houston
27. Green Bay Packers - DE/DT Vernon Butler, Louisiana Tech
28. Kansas City Chiefs - DE/DT Kenny Clark, UCLA
29. Arizona Cardinals - CB/S TJ Green, Clemson
30. Carolina Panthers - CB Eli Apple, Ohio State
31. Denver Broncos - DE/DT Chris Jones, Mississippi State

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Here is my final Mock Draft, in anticipation of tonight's festivities.

Enjoy.

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1. Los Angeles Rams - QB Jared Goff, California. I applaud the Rams trade up for this pick. Yes, they gave up a steep price. But the roster is very solid thanks to good drafting and the Robert Griffin III trade. Without a real quarterback, the primes of several young players will be wasted. Time will tell if Jared Goff is the answer, but I have preferred him to Carson Wentz throughout this whole process.

2. Philadelphia Eagles - QB Carson Wentz, North Dakota State.
The Eagles will most likely be bad in 2016, but they did not want to wait until next year's draft, and traded up to land Carson Wentz. If Wentz had went to USC instead of North Dakota State, he would be the no doubt top pick in the draft. Of course, he only started a handful of games after being a backup for a few years. Scouts love his makeup and leadership abilities. The plan is for Wentz to sit as a rookie, but plans like that never really work out. He will see the field.

3. San Diego Chargers - OT Laremy Tunsil, Ole' Miss.
Nobody on Earth knows what direction the Chargers are going to go. This could be Laremy Tunsil, Jalen Ramsey, DeForest Buckner or even Ronnie Stanley. So I will just go with the best prospect available. Tunsil is still a bit raw, but offers out of this world potential. It is hard to fathom that Ronnie Stanley could be drafted ahead of him, but it is possible.

4. Dallas Cowboys - DE Joey Bosa, Ohio State. This pick is probably 45/45 with Jalen Ramsey and Joey Bosa (Ezekiel Elliott takes the other 10 percent). I think Bosa has the better chance to make an immediate impact for a team that hopes to return to the playoffs in 2016. Dallas had a talented group of defensive ends, but Greg Hardy, Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence couldn't keep their head on straight. Bosa is the ultimate professional who is stout against the run and a good (but not great) pass rusher.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars - CB/S Jalen Ramsey, Florida State.
Jacksonville will be tempted to take Leonard Floyd here, but Ramsey is too talented to pass up. The Jaguars are still looking to replace Rashean Mathis and Ramsey's future should be at cornerback.

6. Baltimore Ravens - OT Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame.
This pick could come down to Ronnie Stanley and DeForest Buckner. Stanley's stock has picked up major steam over the past few days, to the point where he could be drafted over Laremy Tunsil. Eugene Monroe has been a disappointment in Baltimore. Though he will likely remain through 2016, Stanley is NFL ready and should start right away. He grades out as a solid run blocker.

7. San Francisco 49ers - QB Paxton Lynch, Memphis. Paxton Lynch is in no way worth a top ten selection, but the board dictates this pick. As does the fact that Colin Kaepernick will not be on the 49ers roster come training camp, and the thought of Blaine Gabbert as the only starting option scares me. So Lynch, who has talent but is extremely raw, is the pick here.

8. Cleveland Browns - OG/OT Jack Conklin, Michigan State. The Browns new analytics brass has decided to load up on as many draft picks as possible, and has over ten selections. Trading down opens up possibilities for pretty much any position. The term "plug and play offensive lineman" has been thrown around a lot the past few years, and Jack Conklin could qualify. Expect a team to draft him in the top fifteen and install him as an immediate starter at guard or right tackle. Cleveland has a need for both.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - OLB Leonard Floyd, Georgia. As Myles Jack's stock has tumbled, Leonard Floyd is picking up the slack. Teams on the lookout for a do it all linebacker have to like what Floyd brings to the table. He would be a great fit as a strong side linebacker in Tampa Bay, who can get to the quarterback as well as drop back into coverage.

10. New York Giants - RB Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State. The Giants need more beef along the offensive line, but with the top three offensive tackles off the board, New York opts for the one true 20 carry per game back in this draft. Elliott has mentioned he would love to play for the Giants, and his arrival would take some pressure off of the passing game.

11. Chicago Bears - DE DeForest Buckner, Oregon. Buckner's game isn't flashy, but he is an ideal fit as a 3'4 end, who reminds me of former Duck Haloti Ngata. The Bears lack beef along the defensive line, and Buckner would immediately come in and start. He is a complete end.

12. New Orleans Saints - CB Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida.
I am not a huge fan of Vernon Hargreaves here, but the Saints had the worst defense in the NFL last year. What Hargreaves lacks in speed and size, he makes up for in playmaking ability and smarts. He is ready to start from day one.

13. Miami Dolphins - CB William Jackson, Houston.
The Dolphins will be tempted to take Myles Jack here, but should stick to the plan and upgrade an abysmal secondary. William Jackson might be a reach here, but this is a passing league, and cornerbacks are drafted high. His size and strength fits what Adam Gase and company will try to implement on defense.

14. Oakland Raiders - DT Sheldon Rankins, Louisville. The Raiders have drafted extremely well the past few seasons, but there are still plenty of needs. A team can never have too much pass rushing, and Sheldon Rankins offers plenty from the interior. His slight build would be negated somewhat playing next to the mountainous Dan Williams.

15. Tennessee Titans - OT Taylor Decker, Ohio State. The Titans have a laundry list of needs, but at the top is more offensive line help. This will be a running team, and Taylor Decker is a ready made run blocking right tackle.

16. Detroit Lions - DE Shaq Lawson, Clemson. The Lions need everything but quarterback. Shaq Lawson is raw, but offers strong pass rushing potential.

17. Atlanta Falcons - OLB Myles Jack, UCLA. It is very difficult to mock players like Myles Jack, who might be the most talented person in this draft but has been flagged for injury. He could fall out of the first round all together. In theory, he would fill a monster need for the Falcons, and might be worth the risk here.

18. Indianapolis Colts - OG/C Ryan Kelly, Alabama. The Colts have done a poor job building a roster around Andrew Luck, and there are holes a plenty. Ryan Kelly is ready to start from day one. His best position is center, but he can play guard in a pinch and would help fortify a terrible Indianapolis line.

19. Buffalo Bills - DE Kevin Dodd, Clemson. Buffalo's ferocious pass rush disappeared in 2015. Mario Williams is gone, leaving only Jerry Hughes. Taking a pass rusher makes sense. Kevin Dodd is a bit of a project, but really made a name for himself during the College Football Playoffs. Pass rushing is at a premium, and he looks like a mid to late first round guy.

20. New York Jets - DE/OLB Noah Spence, Western Kentucky. The Jets are on the cusp of the playoffs, and taking a chance on a guy like Noah Spence could push them over the edge. Spence is a pure 3-4 pass rushing outside linebacker, something the Jets lack.

21. Washington Redskins - S Karl Joseph, West Virginia.
Karl Joseph has rocketed up draft boards this past week or so. He is a stout, hard hitting safety who is solid in coverage as well. The Redskins just signed Josh Norman and continue to rework their secondary with the addition of Joseph.

22. Houston Texans - DE/DT Robert Nkemdiche, Ole' Miss. Every mocker on the planet has the Texans taking a receiver here. It's a possibility, but I think the thought of pairing Nkemdiche with JJ Watt could be too tempting for Houston to pass up. They play in the NFL's most winnable division, and Nkemdiche could immediately produce, if he can keep his off the field issues in check.

23. Minnesota Vikings - WR Laquon Treadwell, Ole' Miss. Scouts are obsessed with 40 times, especially with receivers. If Treadwell drops this far the Vikings should pounce. He would be a great fit for weak armed Teddy Bridgewater. Think a young Brandon Marshall. Treadwell is a physical beast who catches anything thrown at him.

24. Cincinnati Bengals - WR Josh Doctson, TCU. Wide receiver is an easy need in Cincinnati. The Bengals cannot afford to have teams load up on AJ Green. Doctson might not be as quick as Corey Coleman or strong as Laquon Treadwell, but he is extremely well rounded and a complete professional. He should make a very good number two and keep the ball moving in Cincinnati.

25. Pittsburgh Steelers - S Keanu Neal, Florida. The Steelers have not traditionally drafted secondary players in the first round, but seem to be locked into that position this year. That is wise. Keanu Neal is raw, but offers traditional safety qualities. He is solid in coverage. It might take a year or two, but the Steelers coaching staff is one of the best at developing defensive players.

26. Seattle Seahawks - DT Jarran Reed, Alabama. The Seahawks deep defensive line has taken a hit in recent seasons. Seattle likes to employ a deep rotation. Reed is not a penetrator, but excels as plugging holes and stopping the run.

27. Green Bay Packers - DE/DT Vernon Butler, Louisiana Tech. Reggie Ragland would make sense here, but Ted Thompson does not spend early picks on traditional middle linebackers. Vernon Butler could play nose tackle, but is agile enough to handle end.

28. Kansas City Chiefs - DE/DT Chris Jones, Mississippi State. The Chiefs lost Mike DeVito to retirement. Andy Reid loves drafting offensive and defensive lineman early. Jones has the versatility to play either end or tackle in a 3-4 alignment.

29. Arizona Cardinals - CB/S TJ Green, Clemson. Throughout the draft process, Mackenzie Alexander was the Clemson cornerback to draft. TJ Green has raced past him late in the process. He has outstanding athletic ability and scouts are enamored with his 6'3, 200 pound frame. Arizona missed out on the pass rushers, but land a hybrid who can fill in at any secondary position.

30. Carolina Panthers - CB Eli Apple. The Panthers lost Josh Norman, so add cornerback to the long list of Carolina needs. Eli Apple is very raw, but offers tantalizing size.

31. Denver Broncos - DE/DT Kenny Clark, UCLA. Everyone assumes the Broncos are going to draft a quarterback here, but I think one will be available at the end of round two.  Denver lost several key defenders during the off season. Kenny Clark has the ability to get to the quarterback from the 3-4 defensive end spot.

Jonathan Carrano

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