2016 NFL Mock Draft: Early 1st-Round Predictions and Surprises for Top Prospects

There's no time to rest in the NFL. After all 32 teams got done adding talent in the 2015 draft, scouting eyes turn toward next year in what is shaping up to be a stellar class with the No. 1 overall pick still very much up for grabs. 

Unlike the last two years, in which Jadeveon Clowney and Jameis Winston went wire to wire as the consensus top picks, 2016 can go in any number of directions based on how things play out during the college football season. 

There's intrigue with the top quarterbacks, stellar talent on the defensive side both at pass-rusher and cornerback and the 2014 national champion Ohio State Buckeyes figuring to have a much bigger presence in the first round than they did this year (none).     

Here are early projections for next year's first round, as well as the biggest surprises among the class. Draft order is based on Odds Shark's odds to win Super Bowl 50. 

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

The Cardale Jones Dilemma

With three quarterbacks projected to go in the top 10 in this mock draft, it figures to be a better year for teams seeking upside and impact at the position than 2015. Yet the nagging question going into this season is Ohio State's Cardale Jones and what to do with him. 

If that sounds familiar, it should. Jones had a chance to enter the 2015 draft coming off a meteoric rise that started in December against Wisconsin during the Big Ten Championship Game and culminated in a win over Oregon in the national title game. 

Instead, with just three starts under his belt, Jones opted to return to school. Despite the limited experience, Zac Jackson of Fox Sports Ohio spoke to one team executive in January who said Jones could have gone in the top half of Round 1 this year.

"Maybe he would have gone in the second round," that exec said, "but I think it's just as likely we could have gone in the top 10 or 15. Look at that body, that arm -- and look at his competition (in the 2015 draft)."

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

The 2015 quarterback class didn't light anyone's world on fire. After Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota went No. 1 and No. 2, there wasn't another player at the position taken until Garrett Grayson by New Orleans at No. 75.

Time will tell if next year's group is stronger. Jones is the most intriguing of the major prospects because there's an element of the unknown with such limited starting experience. 

If one executive was confident enough to say that Jones could have gone in the top 10 to 15 picks this year, there's no limit to how high he can climb with a strong 2015 season. 

Of course, that would require Jones to play next season. Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has declared there will be an open competition between Jones, Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett. It's a nice problem for the Buckeyes to have but doesn't mean great things for Jones' NFL prospects if he's on the bench. 

Ezekiel Elliott's Rise

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Reports of the running back's demise in NFL draft circles have been greatly exaggerated. Todd Gurley, coming off a torn ACL, was taken 10th overall by St. Louis, while San Diego traded up two spots to take Melvin Gordon 15th overall. 

With more teams coveting a power running game—it's easy to point out Seattle because Marshawn Lynch is a freak, but Dallas and Green Bay used it to great effect in 2014—there should be less resistance to taking a running back in the first round. 

Ezekiel Elliott will be the player everyone is keeping an eye on. The Ohio State star was team's best offensive weapon after Barrett went down with an injury in the regular-season finale against Michigan. He ran for 696 yards and eight touchdowns in three games against Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon. 

Bucky Brooks of NFL.com highlighted a number of skills Elliott already possesses that will make him attractive to teams in next year's draft if he decides to leave school:

"

From Elliott's ability to slither through creases at the point of attack on inside zone plays, counters and powers to his sticky hands and receiving skills, he displays the skills NFL coaches covet in marquee runners. In addition, he showed the ability to carry the load as a workhorse runner by topping the 200-yard mark in each of the Buckeyes' postseason games (Big Ten Championship, College Football Playoff semifinals and finals) and registered at least 20 carries in each contest.

"

Brooks did note Elliott isn't a finished product, as his blocking needs to improve and scouts will want to see that his is a product of his talent instead of "the Buckeyes' scheme or powerful offensive line."

Elliott is closer in skill to Gordon than Gurley. He's a bruising Big Ten runner who can turn on the jets once he finds a hole to move through. He was the reason a lot of those big plays Jones made with his arm down the field were open, as opposing defenses had to respect the run even though they had no way of stopping it. 

Another year with at least one running back taken in the first round wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Teams continue to see the value of having a strong rushing attack and need to take advantage of the position whenever possible. 

Laquon Treadwell's Playmaking Skills

Of the three wide receivers projected to go in the first round, Laquon Treadwell is the wild card teams will be keeping a close eye on. The Mississippi star was having a breakout sophomore season last year with 632 yards and five touchdowns in nine games before suffering a broken leg against Auburn. 

In February, Treadwell posted a video on Instagram in which he was running at an accelerated speed on the field. 

While that doesn't say what will happen once Treadwell appears in games, it's an encouraging step in the rehab process. 

Ken Bradley of The Sporting News had no problem ranking Treadwell as the No. 2 receiver in the country heading into next season, offering this explanation:

"He's big (6'2", 225), athletic and a red zone mismatch for defenses," Bradley wrote. "Expect new Rebels quarterback Chad Kelly to find him early and often in Hugh Freeze's offense."

As long as Treadwell returns and shows that explosive burst he displayed before the injury, to go along with top-shelf athleticism and all the matchup problems he possesses, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Ole Miss star slide into the top 10 when all is said and done.