2016 NFL Mock Draft: Predictions for Most Intriguing Round 1 Prospects

The 2016 NFL draft might be one of the more interesting in recent memory.

Maybe "odder" is a better word. There isn't a runaway must-have quarterback, a line of thinking that also applies to wide receiver. Two offensive linemen fall into that category, but more than anything, this is a defensive-minded class, with quality rushers and defensive backs sure to steal the show in the first round.

Even so, "intriguing" is the right word. Can't-miss talents such as Jaylon Smith have to deal with an injury. Big names such as Joey Bosa and Noah Spence have question marks surrounding their stock.

Below is a stab at a mock based on team need and prospect value, along with a closer look at some of the most intriguing names.

2016 NFL Mock Draft

Pick	Team	Player	Position	School
1	Tennessee Titans	Laremy Tunsil	OT	Ole Miss
2	Cleveland Browns	Jared Goff	QB	California
3	San Diego Chargers	Ronnie Stanley	OT	Notre Dame
4	Dallas Cowboys	Joey Bosa	DL	Ohio State
5	Jacksonville Jaguars	Jalen Ramsey	CB/S	Florida State
6	Baltimore Ravens	Mackensie Alexander	CB	Clemson
7	San Francisco 49ers	Myles Jack	LB	UCLA
8	Miami Dolphins	Reggie Ragland	LB	Alabama
9	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	DeForest Buckner	DE	Oregon
10	New York Giants	Jaylon Smith	LB	Notre Dame
11	Chicago Bears	Jack Conklin	OT	Michigan State
12	New Orleans Saints	Noah Spence	DE/LB	Eastern Kentucky
13	Philadelphia Eagles	Taylor Decker	OT	Ohio State
14	Oakland Raiders	Vernon Hargreaves III	CB	Florida
15	Los Angeles Rams	Carson Wentz	QB	North Dakota State
16	Detroit Lions	Laquon Treadwell	WR	Ole Miss
17	Atlanta Falcons	Darron Lee	LB	Ohio State
18	Indianapolis Colts	A'Shawn Robinson	DT	Alabama
19	Buffalo Bills	Jarran Reed	DL	Alabama
20	New York Jets	Jonathan Bullard	DE	Florida
21	Washington	Michael Thomas	WR	Ohio State
22	Houston Texans	Robert Nkemdiche	DL	Ole Miss
23	Minnesota Vikings	Josh Doctson	WR	TCU
24	Cincinnati Bengals	Emmanuel Ogbah	DE	Oklahoma State
25	Pittsburgh Steelers	Eli Apple	CB	Ohio State
26	Seattle Seahawks	Ezekiel Elliott	RB	Ohio State
27	Green Bay Packers	Sheldon Rankins	DT	Louisville
28	Kansas City Chiefs	Corey Coleman	WR	Baylor
29	Arizona Cardinals	Leonard Floyd	LB	Georgia
30	Carolina Panthers	Shaq Lawson	LB	Clemson
31	Denver Broncos	Jason Spriggs	OT	Indiana

Predictions for Intriguing Prospects

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

Bosa and some of the other prospects mentioned are intriguing, but that word actually might not do Oregon's DeForest Buckner justice.

Just look at the man's measurements from the combine: a whopping 6'7" and 291 pounds. And with those numbers seemingly weighing him down, he still ran a 40-yard dash in 5.05 seconds, tallied 32 inches in the vertical jump and 116 in the broad.

Sounds like the total package, right? Not just yet. According to CBS Sports' Pat Kirwan, Buckner was one of the few to pass interviews in impressive fashion:

Now, one could label Buckner the total package, a guy who measures and interviews well and can be disruptive on the field while fitting into any scheme a coaching staff so desires.

If lucky, new Tampa Bay coach Dirk Koetter will get to toss Buckner into his 4-3 on the same line as Gerald McCoy, kick his feet back and watch the fireworks. The Buccaneers totaled 38 sacks last year, but there's no reason to avoid improving the number, especially with Jameis Winston coming around on the other side of the ball.

A Buckner-McCoy combo gives the Buccaneers one of the most lethal tandems in the league before a coach elects to bring extra guys on a blitz. Or to be more specific, that's how a team should go about countering a division featuring Drew Brees, Matt Ryan and Cam Newton.

16. Detroit Lions: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss

As mentioned, wideout isn't easy to figure out this year.

Most would concur that the top slot belongs to Ole Miss' Laquon Treadwell, but plenty of questions have circled his stock since the beginning of last year. Treadwell is a physically dominant player, but he's also known for emotional outbursts and had a nasty leg break.

Treadwell appeared to massage most of these concerns at the combine, in large part because he didn't receive much in the way of bad press while measuring in at 6'2" and 221 pounds and running drills.

In fact, the Ole Miss product garnered quite the interesting comparison, as touted by ESPN's Todd McShay.

“I think he’s a Dez Bryant-type player,” McShay said, via Joe Fann of 49ers.com. “I think he’s physical. I think he’s great when the ball is in the air, and I think he’s got a chance to be a really good player.”

High praise indeed, though perhaps not enough to get Treadwell fully into the top half of the draft. The Detroit Lions at No. 16 seem like the absolute floor, while that franchise awaits the decision from Calvin Johnson.

Should Megatron choose to hang up the cleats, the Lions look at a receiving corps led by Golden Tate, Lance Moore and Corey Fuller, which would see the offense heading in the wrong direction.

Treadwell feels like one of those players each team feigns interest in to hope another player falls. It's a close wideout class as it is, but Detroit won't have any qualms about taking the best on the board at this spot.

17. Atlanta Falcons: Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

The word "intriguing" hardly begins to describe Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee.

Lee hit the combine as one of the fastest risers in the class as more and more folks got their hands on his film. The biggest knock was a general perception that he's a small player for the position, something Lee reaffirmed by coming in at 6'1" and 232 pounds.

The negatives stop there. Lee ran a wicked 4.47 40-yard dash and measured among the best at his position in the vertical jump (35.5 inches), broad jump (133) and 20-yard shuttle (4.20 seconds).

Many raved about Lee before the event, but even more after. Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman provided the opinion of one observer:

The NFL continues to rethink positions. Running backs have to be able to do it all. Offensive linemen don't necessarily have to be huge burly guys who can only hold the point of attack. Safeties, in an ideal world, can seamlessly rotate between the two spots, if not play some nickel corner.

Lee might help further the evolution of linebackers, provided he lands in the right scheme. The Atlanta Falcons might provide such a scheme by letting Lee pin his ears back from the linebacker spot in the right scenarios.

Atlanta only managed 19 sacks last year, so adding a guy who can rush from a variety of points on the field makes sense. Understanding that Lee's athleticism pairs well with sheer talent and instincts, he also won't have many problems dropping into coverage against the pass.

The above makes Lee sound like a total package. It's going to take one team looking past his so-so height and slightly altering the thinking about the position to help him come off the board in the first round. 

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and are accurate as of Monday. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.