2016 NFL Mock Draft: Predictions for Top Prospects and More

With the college football season coming to a close and two-thirds of NFL fanbases anxious for a new start next year, the draft becomes a priority for many NFL teams.

It remains to be seen if there is a transcendent player in this year's crop of prospects, but there are certainly some talented players poised to go in the first round.

Let's take a look at predictions for all 31 first-round selections, as well as some analysis for a couple of top prospects:

Selection	Team	Player	Position	College
1	Tennessee Titans	Laremy Tunsil	OT	Ole Miss
2	Cleveland Browns	Paxton Lynch	QB	Memphis
3	San Diego Chargers	Jalen Ramsey	CB	Florida State
4	Dallas Cowboys	Joey Bosa	DE	Ohio State
5	San Francisco 49ers	Jared Goff	QB	California
6	Baltimore Ravens	Jaylon Smith	OLB	Notre Dame
7	Jacksonville Jaguars	Mackensie Alexander	CB	Clemson
8	Miami Dolphins	Vernon Hargreaves III	CB	Florida
9	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Ronnie Stanley	OT	Notre Dame
10	New York Giants	Emmanuel Ogbah	DE	Oklahoma State
11	New Orleans Saints	Reggie Ragland	ILB	Alabama
12	Philadelphia Eagles	Germain Ifedi	OT	Texas A&M
13	Detroit Lions	Myles Jack	OLB	UCLA
14	Chicago Bears	DeForest Buckner	DE	Oregon
15	Oakland Raiders	Taylor Decker	OT	Ohio State
16	Buffalo Bills	Laquon Treadwell	WR	Ole Miss
17	Indianapolis Colts	Leonard Floyd	OLB	Georgia
18	St, Louis Rams	Robert Nkemdiche	DE	Ole Miss
19	Atlanta Falcons	Shaq Lawson	DE	Clemson
20	Pittsburgh Steelers	Tre'Davious White	CB	LSU
21	Houston Texans	Connor Cook	QB	Michigan State
22	Washington	Corey Coleman	WR	Baylor
23	Seattle Seahawks	Desmond King	CB	Iowa
24	New York Jets	Ezekiel Elliott	RB	Ohio State
25	Kansas City Chiefs	Jack Conklin	OT	Michigan State
26	Minnesota Vikings	Josh Doctson	WR	TCU
27	Green Bay Packers	Jayron Kearse	SS	Clemson
28	Denver Broncos	John Theus	OT	Georgia
29	Cincinnati Bengals	Michael Thomas	WR	Ohio State
30	Arizona Cardinals	Noah Spence	OLB	Eastern
31	New England Patriots	Pick Forfeited	N/A	N/A
32	Carolina Panthers	Jason Spriggs	OT	Indiana

Titans Need Tunsil for Protection

When the Tennessee Titans drafted former Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft and named him their starter this year, they made it clear he is the future of the franchise.

If the order holds, Tennessee will be selecting first in this year's draft, and there is a player available who can help protect Mariota as well as anyone in Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil.

The 6'5", 305-pound junior is CBS Sports' No. 1 offensive tackle and No. 2 overall player. The following was written in his "Player Overview" section on the website:

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One of the best left tackles in the country and a former 5-star recruit, Tunsil isn't as flashy as teammates Robert Nkemdiche or Laquon Treadwell, but he might have the steadiest skill set for the NFL.

He returned to the field after missing the first seven games of the 2015 season due to NCAA infractions involving a booster, but showed little rust in dominating upon his return.

"

That skill set may not generally include catching touchdowns, but nevertheless, he showed off his versatility in a Sugar Bowl win over the Oklahoma State Cowboys, per SportsCenter:

Fans like to see flashy running backs, quarterbacks and wide receivers taken by their teams. But strength at the left tackle position is essential for an NFL squad, and Tunsil will bring just that to the Titans. 

Bosa Too Good for Cowboys to Pass Up

Ohio State defensive lineman Joey Bosa is the No. 1 overall draft prospect, per CBS Sports, despite the fact his stats this year have not matched up to his numbers in the past.

He had 13.5 sacks his sophomore season to go along with 21.5 tackles for a loss and four forced fumbles. In 2015, he dropped to five sacks and 16 tackles for a loss but did snag his first interception.

Former Ohio State and NFL linebacker Chris Spielman had high praise for Bosa, per Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports:

His season ended prematurely when he was thrown out of the Fiesta Bowl for targeting, and he confirmed shortly after that he will enter the 2016 draft.

Dane Brugler of CBS Sports raved about Bosa's NFL potential:

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Very disciplined and rarely loses contain, leveraging the edge and keeping his vision in the backfield. Rarely fooled with terrific secondary quickness, not taking himself out of plays due to hustle and ball awareness. Active on stunts with experience lining up inside and outside—proven threat anywhere in the front seven.

High degree of toughness with an understanding of what it takes to be great. Football bloodlines as the son of a three-year NFL veteran.

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The Dallas Cowboys are ranked 24th in the NFL with just 30 sacks heading into Week 17, and Bosa's "toughness" could heap pressure on opposing quarterbacks who have not fared well against a talented Cowboys secondary this season.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com lists the Cowboys' biggest needs as quarterback and running back, but it would be hard for them to pass on Bosa if he's still available. The good news for Dallas is the teams in front of it have other needs, meaning he could fall to No. 4 and become a mainstay on the Cowboys defensive line for years to come.

Treadwell Could Boost Buffalo Offense

There are plenty of talented wide receivers in this year's draft, but Laquon Treadwell may be the most complete package.

The Ole Miss junior finished the season with 82 receptions for 1,153 yards and 11 touchdowns after catching three scores in the Sugar Bowl against the Oklahoma State Cowboys, per ESPN.com: 

Treadwell put up those numbers after returning to the field from a gruesome knee injury that ended his 2014 season prematurely.

He is listed as the No. 1 wide receiver on most draft boards, including CBS Sports' prospect list. The Buffalo Bills have many needs, but if he could team up with talented wideout Sammy Watkins and emerging quarterback Tyrod Taylor, the Bills could spread the field and bring back memories of their early-1990s teams.

Zierlein lists the Bills' biggest needs as right tackle, linebacker, safety and defensive tackle, but if Treadwell is still available, it would make sense to grab the 6'2'', 210-pound receiver who could be a playmaker at the next level.

Brugler's assessment of Treadwell should have NFL execs excited about the possibility of adding the SEC's leading receiver: 

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One of the most physically gifted receivers at the college level even when he was a freshman. Even when covered, he's not covered due to his size, hand strength and catching radius to physically dominate defensive backs. Treadwell always picks up more yardage than he should after the catch due to his power and athleticism.

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With Karlos Williams and LeSean McCoy running the ball and Treadwell and Watkins streaking down the field catching passes, the Bills could have one of the more talented offenses in the NFL next season if they select the Ole Miss product.