2016 NFL Mock Draft: 1st-Round Order and Predictions After Super Bowl 50

The Carolina Panthers failed to lift the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday, but their road to the Super Bowl and perhaps future championships began on April 28, 2011.

That is the day the franchise chose superstar quarterback Cam Newton with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft after he won the Heisman Trophy and the national title at Auburn. Now, he is the MVP of the league and led his team to an NFC title.

While there may not be any future MVP quarterbacks in the 2016 draft class, there are certainly a number of players who will bolster the Super Bowl chances for their new franchises. The trick is scouting the right talent before the draft and finding the ideal situation in which the players can thrive.

With the Super Bowl officially over, every front office will turn its attention toward doing just that before April’s draft. Here is a look at a mock first round as well as some Rookie of the Year candidates in this class.

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

Rookie of the Year Candidates

No. 2 Cleveland Browns: Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State

Carson Wentz would have to win the starting quarterback job in Cleveland first before he can compete for Rookie of the Year honors. But Josh McCown will be 37 years old next season, and the troubled Johnny Manziel is reportedly on his way to being cut, per ESPN.com's Pat McManamon.

McCown may be a solid veteran, but the Browns aren’t going to win a Super Bowl with him under center, so they may as well see what they have in Wentz.

Rob Rang of CBS Sports believes Wentz is the ideal candidate for Cleveland:

"

Showing not only all of the physical talent scouts are looking for in a franchise quarterback but the leadership and composure as well, Wentz stole the show at the Senior Bowl. Bigger and possessing a stronger arm than Goff, Wentz is a better fit in Jackson's offense and the elements that often come into play at FirstEnergy Stadium. An FCS prospect earning this high of a pick is certainly rare but not unprecedented. The Houston Oilers drafted the late Steve McNair out of Alcorn State No. 3 overall back in 1995.

"

That strong arm could have two legitimate targets if suspended wide receiver Josh Gordon is reinstated and returns and the team brings back Travis Benjamin. Gordon led the league with 1,646 receiving yards in 2013, and Benjamin racked up 966 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 2015. 

The 6’6” Wentz threw for 3,111 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2014 and worked his way back from injury to lead the Bison to their fifth straight national title in 2015. Some may be scared off by the FCS label, but Wentz is an ideal pocket passer who would rack up serious yardage by hitting Gordon and Benjamin with deep balls in this hypothetical situation. 

What’s more, the 3-13 Browns ranked 27th in total defense and 29th in scoring defense in 2015 and will likely find themselves behind plenty in 2016 with that group. That means Wentz will throw more in comeback mode, which will only help him tally the necessary numbers to compete for Rookie of the Year.

No. 7 San Francisco 49ers: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss

Jonathan Bachman/Associated Press

Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith were the two leading receivers for the 49ers in 2015. However, Boldin is 35 years old, and Smith’s yardage has decreased in each of the last two seasons after his only 1,000-yard campaign in 2013.

San Francisco needs a young playmaker who can serve as a go-to option for years to come. Laquon Treadwell fits the bill, but the 20-year-old also has the skill set to contribute in his rookie season after he finished with 1,153 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in 2015. He also caught three touchdowns in Ole Miss’ Sugar Bowl victory over Oklahoma State and demonstrated his ability to high-point passes at 6’2” with leaping prowess.

His NFL.com profile portrayed someone who can slide right into San Francisco’s attack:

"

Hands catcher with adequate body control who can climb the ladder and high point catches over defenders. Truly shines with ball-­tracking skills and rarely gives away location of the ball with early movements when racing downfield against cornerbacks. Has subtle shiftiness in his routes thanks to his clean footwork. Can stagger and stutter feet while still working through his routes. Zone eater who has great understanding of positioning in space and giving his quarterback cleanest throw possible.

"

Someone who can run routes like that and keep the chains moving could thrive in head coach Chip Kelly’s quick-hitting offense as well. Like the Browns, the 5-11 49ers will likely find themselves trailing a number of times next season, which will force them to air it out. 

That means plenty of opportunities for Treadwell.

No. 10 New York Giants: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The New York Giants were seventh in the league in passing offense but a middling 19th in rushing offense in 2015. There was not a consistent enough balance to reach the postseason, even in the abysmal NFC East.

Rashad Jennings finished with a solid 868 rushing yards, but 432 came in the final four games. He will also be 31 years old next season and isn’t the running back of the future for the Giants. Enter Ezekiel Elliott. 

The Ohio State product combines speed, vision, power (225 lbs) and shiftiness in the open field and inspired this take from Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network:

One AFC executive said, “Ezekiel Elliott is one of my favorite players in the draft. No risk, high reward,” per Daniel Jeremiah, Charles Davis and Lance Zierlein.

Elliott won the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year award in 2015 and topped 1,800 yards rushing in each of the last two seasons. He was also the star player during Ohio State’s run to the national title in 2014 and scored four times against Oregon in the championship game.

What’s more, Ryan Jenson of Pro Football Focus said Elliott “didn’t allow a sack, hit or even a hurry on 103 pass-blocking snaps,” which is a testament to his ability to serve as a three-down back who does more than just rack up rushing yards.

With that skill set, Elliott will step right into a dangerous Giants offense and compete for Rookie of the Year honors. Defenses can ill afford to stack the box against New York because of the Eli Manning-Odell Beckham Jr. combination, and the former Buckeye will have plenty of holes to burst through as a first-year player.