NFL Mock Draft 2016: Best Landing Places for 1st-Round Prospects

Twenty.

That's the number of NFL teams shutting it down while the rest of the league heads to the postseason. They're the teams saving cash on a stadium's electric bill and funneling it into scouting departments unleashing individuals across the globe to scout the Jared Goffs and Ezekiel Elliotts of the world ahead of the 2016 NFL draft.

The task for a front office? Not only ensure the present of the organization with re-signings and a dip into free agency, but the future with the players of tomorrow.

It's heaviest on the Tennessee Titans, owners of the draft's top pick. Below, let's project how every team approaches the NFL's most important event based on team need, the draft board and more.

2016 NFL Mock Draft

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

Ideal Landing Spots for Top Stars

14. Oakland Raiders: Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, Florida

John Raoux/Associated Press

Look, it's never easy for a rookie to fill in for a legend such as Charles Woodson, but Florida's Vernon Hargreaves III certainly has the upside to one day justify this slot.

Hargreaves feasted in the SEC during Florida's down years, playing press and zone coverage with relative ease and making a name for himself as one of the country's top corners.

Well, except against one player. Hargreaves told Connor Smolensky of SECCountry.com that Amari Cooper helped his progression as a player.

“With Coop, he really gave me everything I asked for,” Hargreaves said. “That was the first game I’ve actually tracked somebody all game, following him whatever side he went to and I mean, ‘Wow.’ I couldn’t cover him. He killed us. He absolutely killed us.”

Oakland's building an incredible young core with Cooper, Derek Carr and others. What better way to keep the trend alive than with players not only loaded with talent, but familiar with each other and playing positions of need?

David Amerson has been a nice story this year and D.J. Hayden isn't going anywhere, but there's no such thing as too many defensive backs on a roster these days, especially not on a unit ranked 26th against the pass.

16. Detroit Lions: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State

Elliott does it all, hence his 149 yards and four touchdowns against Notre Dame in the 44-28 rout.

Now on his way to the pro level, Elliott won't have any problems keeping the trend of first-round backs alive despite how easy it is for teams to find them these days.

Really, it's because there isn't a back around like Elliott. There's no major weakness in his game, not even when it comes to pass-blocking or acting as a receiver. CBS Sports' Dane Brugler put it best:

The Detroit Lions won't be able to pass at this slot.

Ameer Abdullah showed promise this year with 597 yards and two scores on a 4.2 per-carry average, but he's more of a committee back than a workhorse and Joique Bell couldn't keep his body healthy in the face of his bruising play style, not to mention he's going on 30 years old next season.

The 7-9 Lions lacked balance. Quarterbacks attempted 632 passes to 354 total rushes. There are other issues, but Elliott is one of those players who can massage other roster blemishes through his versatility.

24. Kansas City Chiefs: Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor

Orlin Wagner/Associated Press

There's much debate on the way about who stands as the best wideout in the draft and where he'll go, but no matter how the argument ebbs and flows over the months ahead, Baylor's Corey Coleman won't go away.

Baylor offense or not, the speedy 5'11", 190-pound wideout posted gaudy numbers over his past two years hinting at what's to come as a pro:

YEAR	REC	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD
2015	74	1363	18.4	81	20
2014	64	1119	17.5	72	11

Coleman won't have any issues making an impact at the next level right out of the gates, especially if he joins the right offense.

Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs happen to have it. The Chiefs have gone from a laughingstock because none of their wide receivers could score touchdowns to 1,088 yards and eight scores by Jeremy Maclin this year.

Maclin needs a running mate across the field to further open things up for elite tight end Travis Kelce. Similar to Cincinnati and other teams building around alleged "game managers" under center, the Chiefs need to keep stockpiling weapons around quarterback Alex Smith.

At this slot, Coleman is the best way to go and makes the Kansas City offense even scarier.

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and accurate as of Jan. 4. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.