NFL Draft 2016: Updated Selection Order and Prospects to Watch in 1st Round

It feels like just yesterday Peyton Manning was ending his career in legendary fashion as the Denver Broncos won Super Bowl 50.

Yet, in just a little under three weeks, the best players in college football will begin the journey to Chicago for the 2016 NFL draft.

Below is the selection order for the first round, followed by three players who are among the best at their respective position.

First-Round Order of Selection

Pick	Team
1	Tennessee Titans
2	Cleveland Browns
3	San Diego Chargers
4	Dallas Cowboys
5	Jacksonville Jaguars
6	Baltimore Ravens
7	San Francisco 49ers
8	Philadelphia Eagles (from Miami Dolphins)
9	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
10	New York Giants
11	Chicago Bears
12	New Orleans Saints
13	Miami Dolphins (from Philadelphia Eagles)
14	Oakland Raiders
15	Los Angeles Rams
16	Detroit Lions
17	Atlanta Falcons
18	Indianapolis Colts
19	Buffalo Bills
20	New York Jets
21	Washington Redskins
22	Houston Texans
23	Minnesota Vikings
24	Cincinnati Bengals
25	Pittsburgh Steelers
26	Seattle Seahawks
27	Green Bay Packers
28	Kansas City Chiefs
29	Arizona Cardinals
30	Carolina Panthers
31	Denver Broncos

Note: The full 2016 draft order for the remaining six rounds is available at NFL.com.

First-Round Prospects to Watch

Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss

Tunsil was long thought to be the best fit for the Titans with the first overall pick. Tennessee needs to find an offensive lineman who can protest Marcus Mariota's blind side, and the Rebels left tackle is the most talented player at his position in this year's draft class.

In March, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller made the case the Titans could afford to pass on Tunsil if they chose to do so:

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The Titans must look at obvious things like which player is graded higher, but they should also factor in the overall strength of the draft class. Smart teams look at the draft as a puzzle and consider the package of picks they can make in the first three or four rounds. This is what the Titans should do.

With that in mind, would you rather have [Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey] at No. 1 and an offensive tackle like Germain Ifedi (Texas A&M) at No. 33 overall or Tunsil and Eli Apple (Ohio State)? Knowing where the class is strong will help inform smart decisions—not just in Round 1 but in the entire draft.

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Should Tunsil not hear his name called first on draft night, he won't have to wait long to find a different team. The Cleveland Browns could use a long-term successor to Joe Thomas, and in the event they go in a different direction, Tunsil wouldn't fall past the Baltimore Ravens at No. 6.

Tunsil has everything NFL teams look for in an offensive tackle. He has the strength to open up holes for his running back, and he's agile enough to handle pass-rushers coming off the edge. Unlike some other highly drafted OTs in years past, Tunsil also isn't much of a work in progress in terms of technique. Put him in an NFL offense, and he can become a Pro Bowl-caliber blocker right away.

Jalen Ramsey, CB, Florida State

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Since 1970, nine Florida State defensive backs have been drafted in the first round, and another seven went in the second round, per Pro-Football-Reference.com. Jalen Ramsey will carry on the tradition in 2016.

In an interview with Miller, he discussed what it means to be the next in line:

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It's super important because I feel like FSU is still DBU (Defensive Back U) and Deion [Sanders] is the guy who made playing defensive back cool. He made the position fun. Following in his footsteps—him and Terrell Buckley and so many others—and being in conversations as a legend like they are is huge, especially because of their NFL success.

"

At Florida State's pro day, Ramsey made the case for why he should be the No. 1 overall pick in an interview with NFL Media's Albert Breer (via the NFL):

Pro Football Focus' Steve Palazzolo projected the Seminoles star to go No. 1 to the Titans in his most recent mock draft: 

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Back in Mock Draft 4.0, Ramsey grabbed the top spot and he remains the pick for the Titans. He’s an excellent all-around player, capable of playing underneath zone coverage while providing the best run support in the draft of any cornerback. The upside is what separates Ramsey. He has the size and athleticism to develop into a top man-coverage corner, but he’s not there yet, and at worst, he’s a versatile zone/man corner that’s also capable of playing free safety. Ramsey gives the Titans a lot of options on defense.

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No team has ever selected a cornerback with the first overall pick. Only three cornerbacks—Shawn Springs in 1997, Bruce Pickens in 1991 and Bennie Blades in 1988—went as high as No. 3 overall, per NFL.com. Ramsey has a great chance to break new ground for his position.

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State

Paul Vernon/Associated Press

Before the then-St. Louis Rams selected Todd Gurley ninth overall last year, it looked like the days of running backs going in the top 10 were part of a bygone era. Now, it might happen two years in a row.

Ezekiel Elliott is as complete a running back as fans are going to see come out of college. He's not the most dynamic or most explosive and isn't a generational talent. But Elliott is a skilled runner who can catch passes out of the backfield and help out in pass protection.

Over the last two years, the former Ohio State Buckeye ran for 3,699 yards and 41 touchdowns. Even more impressive was the fact he rushed for 6.6 yards a carry during that stretch. Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer was seemingly the only person who could slow Elliott down.

"I feel the same way about Elliott that I felt about [Adrian Peterson]," said one AFC running backs coach, per NFL Media's Lance Zierlein. "It was hard to find weaknesses for Adrian coming out and it's hard to find weaknesses for Elliott. I don't usually believe in taking running backs in the first round, but Elliott is one of those guys you make an exception for just like with [Peterson]."

Myles Jack, OLB, UCLA

In some cases, a major knee injury can tank a player's draft stock. Undeterred, Myles Jack entered the 2016 draft despite still recovering from the knee injury he suffered in September.

NFL Media's Michael Silver reported Jack won't run a 40-yard dash before the draft, which would hurt a top player in certain circumstances. Silver spoke to an NFL personnel executive who said, "It won't hurt him at all. He's so good it doesn't matter," while an NFL general manager made the comparison to Gurley, who suffered a torn ACL the year before entering the NFL draft.

There's no question how good Jack can be if he makes a full return. He's an athletic marvel who recorded 178 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss and four interceptions, in addition to 395 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns in his three years at UCLA.

Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson shared a clip of Jack's supreme athleticism in action:

The former Bruins star still carries some risk because not every player recovers from an injury in the same way. Just because Gurley made a Pro Bowl and rushed for 1,106 yards, it doesn't mean Jack will enjoy similar success so quickly.

Despite that risk, plenty of NFL teams will target Jack early in the first round.