2016 NFL Mock Draft: Preview, Predictions for 1st-Round Prospects

As many football fans unwrapped their gifts throughout the holidays, many NFL teams have started to look forward to April when they can select some gifts of their own in the 2016 NFL draft. 

With just a select few college football games left this season, teams around the league only have one more chance to see some of the top players in the country in game action before a winter of scouting, combines and tryouts. 

Continue for my latest mock draft for the first round. The draft order has been decided by the current NFL standings heading into Week 16. This season, there will be only 31 picks after the New England Patriots were forced to forfeit their first-rounder due to Deflategate.

Pick	Team	Player	Position	School
1	Tennessee Titans	Laremy Tunsil	OT	Ole Miss
2	Cleveland Browns	Paxton Lynch	QB	Memphis
3	Baltimore Ravens	Jalen Ramsey	DB	Florida State
4	San Diego Chargers	Laquon Treadwell	WR	Ole Miss
5	Dallas Cowboys	Jared Goff	QB	California
6	San Francisco 49ers	Joey Bosa	DE	Ohio State
7	Miami Dolphins	Vernon Hargreaves	CB	Florida
8	Jacksonville Jaguars	Andrew Billings	DT	Baylor
9	New Orleans Saints	Ronnie Stanley	OT	Notre Dame
10	Chicago Bears	A'Shawn Robinson	WR	Ole Miss
11	Detroit Lions	Myles Jack	LB	UCLA
12	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Tre'Davious White	CB	LSU
13	New York Giants	Emmanuel Ogbah	DE	Oklahoma State
14	Indianapolis Colts	Jack Conklin	OT	Michigan State
15	Oakland Raiders	Jaylon Smith	LB	Notre Dame
16	Philadelphia Eagles	Connor Cook	QB	Michigan State
17	Buffalo Bills	Taylor Decker	OT	Ohio State
18	St. Louis Rams	Josh Doctson	WR	Ohio State
19	Atlanta Falcons	DeForest Buckner	DE	Oregon
20	New York Jets	Leonard Floyd	DE/LB	Georgia
21	Minnesota Vikings	Vadal Alexander	G	LSU
22	Seattle Seahawks	Mackensie Alexander	CB	Clemson
23	Kansas City Chiefs	Shaq Lawson	DE	Clemson
24	Pittsburgh Steelers	Jayron Kearse	S	Clemson
25	Washington Redskins	Robert Nkemdiche	DE	Ole Miss
26	Houston Texans	Ezekiel Elliott	RB	Ohio State
27	Green Bay Packers	Kenny Clark	DT	UCLA
28	Denver Broncos	Jason Spriggs	OT	Indiana
29	Cincinnati Bengals	Su'a Cravens	S	USC
30	Arizona Cardinals	Reggie Ragland	LB	Alabama
31	Carolina Panthers	Adolphus Washington	DE	Ohio State

Notable Picks

San Diego Chargers: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss

The San Diego Chargers need wide receivers. When Keenan Allen went down for the season, the pass-heavy offense didn't deviate much from its game. The problem was, there was no reliable receiver to really give quarterback Philip Rivers a set of hands to rely on. 

In their Week 16 loss to the Oakland Raiders on Thursday, San Diego's leading receivers were former backup running Danny Woodhead followed by second-year receiver Dontrelle Inman, who started the year as a third or fourth option.

Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell could be just the solution that the Chargers need. At 6'2", Treadwell has good size, but his ability to go up to get the ball makes him almost impossible to cover. 

He's a wonderful mix of physicality and agility as he's capable of overpowering coverage and then creating yards after the catch.

Treadwell could flourish with the Chargers and become such a threat with Rivers delivering passes to him. He could start as the team's No. 2 receiver under a healthy Allen and then develop his professional game even further under him. 

Dallas Cowboys: Jared Goff, QB, California

In one of the weakest divisions in the league, quarterback depth has killed the Dallas Cowboys this season. Due to Tony Romo's run in with injuries, Dallas has started three different quarterbacks in Brandon Weeden, Matt Cassel and Kellen Moore. 

They've limped to a 4-10 record and were eliminated from playoff contention against the Green Bay Packers after Week 14. 

Throwing in inexperienced, albeit veteran quarterbacks into the Cowboys offense didn't work as all three passers have looked lost at times attempting to navigate the Dallas offense. 

Bringing in a young arm like Goff and grooming him under Romo during his last years in the league would be the right way to go for the Cowboys. 

Goff ranks sixth in the NCAA with 4,252 yards passing and 37 touchdowns for California this season, both ranking in the top six among all quarterbacks in the nation. 

He's mobile enough to extend plays much like Romo can while showing accuracy to all parts of the field. Goff shows the patience to pick apart defenses with the power on his throws to fit in some tight windows.

Put him in an offense with Dez Bryant and the Cowboys could make some serious noise if he's able to transition well into the league. 

Houston Texans: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State

Arian Foster is not a reliable running back. Simple as that. 

With seven years in the league, Foster has played in just two full seasons. In 2015, he played in only four games due to injury. 

Playing with Alfred Blue and Chris Polk, along with Brian Hoyer as a starting quarterback, the Texans are still in the driver's seat for the AFC South division. Add a legitimate, healthy threat in the backfield and Houston would've had this division wrapped up some time ago. 

Which is why it should seriously consider drafting one this year in Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott. 

Elliott is a patient runner, the kind that waits for blocks to develop and lanes to open up in front of him. Once his opportunity reveals itself, he's quick enough to make a cut or two, hit the hole and move upfield. He's a hard-working runner who has shown that he doesn't slow down as the game progresses.

He also is a nice receiving option out of the backfield if the quarterback is under pressure. Having a back with his hands would help Houston's quarterback, whoever it might be next season, settle in and get comfortable in the system. 

Stats courtesy of ESPN.com