2016 NFL Mock Draft: Early Predictions for Nation's Top Prospects

Stopping to smell the roses is overrated.

The 2015 NFL draft is old news. Sure, it hasn’t even started yet, but you know the prospects left and right at this point. There have been mock drafts for a calendar year, and the players had an entire college season and predraft process to prove themselves to front offices around the league.

Let’s just go ahead and fast-forward to the 2016 draft.

Here is a look at an early first-round mock and some prospects to watch for next year’s draft. The order of selections is purely speculative based on predictions for how the 2015 season will unfold.

Pick	Team	Player
1	Oakland Raiders	Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State
2	Cleveland Browns	Cardale Jones, QB, Ohio State
3	San Francisco 49ers	Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida
4	Tennessee Titans	Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
5	Jacksonville Jaguars	Duke Williams, WR, Auburn
6	Washington	Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
7	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
8	New York Jets	Robert Nkemdiche, DE, Ole Miss
9	New York Giants	Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
10	Chicago Bears	Christian Hackenberg, QB, Penn State
11	Houston Texans	Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State
12	St. Louis Rams	Kendall Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
13	Buffalo Bills	Leonard Floyd, DE/OLB, Georgia
14	Minnesota Vikings	A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama
15	Kansas City Chiefs	Tyler Boyd, WR, Pittsburgh
16	New Orleans Saints	Nate Andrews, S, Florida State
17	Detroit Lions	Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame
18	Miami Dolphins	Spencer Drango, OT, Baylor
19	Atlanta Falcons	Jalen Ramsey, CB, Florida State
20	Cincinnati Bengals	Myles Jack, LB, UCLA
21	Philadelphia Eagles	Travin Duval, WR, LSU
22	San Diego Chargers	Scooby Wright, DE/OLB, Arizona
23	Carolina Panthers	Shawn Oakman, DE/DT, Baylor
24	Dallas Cowboys	Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama
25	Pittsburgh Steelers	Su'a Cravens, S, USC
26	Arizona Cardinals	Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State
27	Baltimore Ravens	Cameron Sutton, CB, Tennessee
28	Indianapolis Colts	Shilique Calhoun, DE/OLB, Michigan State
29	Denver Broncos	O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
30	Green Bay Packers	Darron Lee, DE/OLB, Ohio State
31	New England Patriots	Eddie Jackson, CB, Alabama
32	Seattle Seahawks	Vadal Alexander, G, LSU

Prospects to Watch 

Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State

Defensive end Joey Bosa could have been a top-five pick in this year’s draft if he was allowed to leave school after only two seasons. Instead, he will destroy offenses at the amateur level for another year before he goes No. 1 in the 2016 draft.

Bosa was the 2014 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and finished with 21 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks. He also posted 13.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in his freshman season. Best of luck to the rest of the Big Ten if his numbers continue to improve.

Now that defensive tackle Michael Bennett is no longer in Columbus, Bosa will face double-teams throughout the 2015 campaign, which will help him prepare for the physically grueling nature of the NFL game. How Bosa handles those constant double-teams will go a long way toward impacting his draft status, even if his numbers aren't quite as head-turning as a result.

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer discussed Bosa, per Bill Bender of Sporting News: “I think he should be the best D-lineman in America. He’s got a tremendous work ethic. He and (defensive line coach Larry) Johnson have a tremendous chemistry right now; the way they are working. He's trying to take his game to the next level, which we all know is pretty high.”

Bosa is a one-man wrecking crew for offenses because of his ability to overpower single blockers. When opponents do double him, it opens up opportunities for his teammates to make plays. The performance of the rest of Ohio State's defensive line will be as much of a testament to Bosa's presence as his own numbers.

Bosa's strength, power and athleticism will all translate to the next level as the best prospect in the 2016 draft.

Kendall Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech

Kendall Fuller is the younger brother of Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller and will follow in his footsteps as a first-round draft pick.

Kendall Fuller was the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year during his freshman season when he finished with six interceptions. Offenses stopped throwing the ball his way as much in 2014, but he still tallied 15 passes broken up and two interceptions during his sophomore campaign.

It helps that Kyle Fuller was an immediate starter for the Bears because teams will likely compare the two brothers when Kendall Fuller turns in another impressive campaign in 2015. 

Virginia Tech's top cornerback brings elite speed to the table that helps him lock down even the nation's fastest receivers. It helps him cut off deep balls downfield and pursue underneath routes against possession receivers. 

PAUL VERNON/Associated Press

Fuller also boasts impressive instincts when the ball is in the air (hence the interception and passes defended totals), which will translate to the next level.

He even helped the Virginia Tech defense befuddle the eventual national champion Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus. The Hokies were the one defense all season that really contained the Ohio State offense, and the press coverage from Fuller on the outside was a major contributing factor. 

There will likely be two Fullers playing cornerback in the NFL in 2016.

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

For as much deserved credit as quarterback Cardale Jones received for Ohio State’s run to the national title, running back Ezekiel Elliott was the workhorse who carried the team in the dramatic three final contests.

Elliott finished with 220 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game, 230 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and 246 rushing yards and an incredible four touchdowns against Oregon in the national title game. It wasn’t just the raw numbers, either, but the way Elliott picked them up that truly stood out.

Elliott exploded through even the narrowest of holes, used his open-field speed to burst past desperate grasps from the secondaries and bullied his way into the end zone when he got near the goal line.

Eric Gay/Associated Press

Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com was impressed by Elliott's efforts:

"

Ezekiel Elliott was the best player on the field in Ohio State's 42-20 win over Oregon Monday night in the CFB Playoff National Championship Game. He was the clear difference in the game, rushing for 246 yards and four touchdowns against a Ducks defense that was baffled by the run all night.

Elliott's running style reminds me of Fred Taylor's. He was explosive between the tackles as well as outside. He gave the Buckeye's favorable situations throughout game, and was money in short yardage.

"

Jeremiah wasn't the only one who took note:

Elliott is primed to dominate college football this season after leading the Buckeyes to the national championship. He has the speed and the physicality needed to be a playmaker at the next level and will be the rare first-round pick for a running back in today’s game.

First, he will challenge for the Heisman Trophy in 2015.