NFL Mock Draft 2016: 1st-Round Projections and Top Prospects' Stock Watch

There will be a lot of movement along draft boards in the next few weeks as teams make their evaluations heading into the 2016 NFL draft.

While the college football season has been over for more than a month, the stocks continue to rise and fall for many prospects. The senior bowl is in the past, but the upcoming combine, pro days and interviews will also play a major role in deciding where each top player is selected.

It's often difficult to keep up with the trends among the scouting community, but here is a look at the latest mock draft along with a breakdown of the stars on the rise. 

No.	Team	Player	Pos.	School
1	Tennessee Titans	Laremy Tunsil	OT	Ole Miss
2	Cleveland Browns	Carson Wentz	QB	North Dakota State
3	San Diego Chargers	Joey Bosa	DT	Ohio State
4	Dallas Cowboys	Myles Jack	OLB	UCLA
5	Jacksonville Jaguars	Jalen Ramsey	CB	Florida State
6	Baltimore Ravens	DeForest Buckner	DE	Oregon
7	San Francisco 49ers	Jared Goff	QB	California
8	Miami Dolphins	Ronnie Stanley	OT	Miami Dolphins
9	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Vernon Hargreaves III	CB	Florida
10	New York Giants	Shaq Lawson	DE	Clemson
11	Chicago Bears	Noah Spence	DE	Eastern Kentucky
12	New Orleans Saints	A'Shawn Robinson	DT	Alabama
13	Philadelphia Eagles	Laquon Treadwell	WR	Ole Miss
14	Oakland Raiders	Mackensie Alexander	CB	Clemson
15	Los Angeles Rams	Paxton Lynch	QB	Memphis
16	Detroit Lions	Jarran Reed	DT	Alabama
17	Atlanta Falcons	Jaylon Smith	OLB	Notre Dame
18	Indianapolis Colts	Taylor Decker	OT	Ohio State
19	Buffalo Bills	Darron Lee	OLB	Ohio State
20	New York Jets	Leonard Floyd	OLB	Georgia
21	Washington Redskins	Reggie Ragland	ILB	Alabama
22	Houston Texans	Ezekiel Elliott	RB	Ohio State
23	Minnesota Vikings	Jack Conklin	OT	Michigan State
24	Cincinnati Bengals	Corey Coleman	WR	Baylor
25	Pittsburgh Steelers	Eli Apple	CB	Ohio State
26	Seattle Seahawks	Robert Nkemdiche	DT	Ole Miss
27	Green Bay Packers	Sheldon Rankins	DT	Louisville
28	Kansas City Chiefs	Braxton Miller	WR	Ohio State
29	Arizona Cardinals	Kevin Dodd	DE	Clemson
30	Carolina Panthers	Vonn Bell	S	Ohio State
31	Denver Broncos	Cody Whitehair	OG	Kansas State

Top Prospects on the Rise

Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State

The Cleveland Browns clearly need a quarterback, but there is still some debate about who is the best in the class. Paxton Lynch has the size and arm strength, Jared Goff has the composure in the pocket, but Carson Wentz might be the best overall prospect at the position.

Mike Mayock of NFL Network—who listed Wentz as his No. 1 quarterback in his latest rankings—had high praise for the North Dakota State passer:

While there will be obvious question marks about the ability to transition from an FCS school to the NFL, the Browns can bring him along slowly until he is ready to compete. With that said, Wentz showed throughout his career an impressive understanding of the offense while leading his team to multiple national championships.

At 6'5", Wentz also has the size teams are looking for in a quarterback as well as the athleticism to make plays on the ground. Adding this to his accuracy in the pocket and we have the best quarterback in the class.

DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon

Ryan Kang/Associated Press

This draft is loaded with defensive linemen and edge-rushers but DeForest Buckner is among the best of the bunch. The 6'7", 290-pound monster uses his length and strength to force his way into the backfield and disrupt the offense on both passing and run plays.

Although Joey Bosa might still remain ahead of him in the draft due to his consistent play, Buckner might have even better upside due to his size and athleticism. 

Sam Monson of Pro Football Reference provide a simple look at the defensive end's abilities:

The Baltimore Ravens struggled defensively this season through the air and a lack of pass rush was a major issue in many games. Not a single player on the team finished with more than six sacks in 2015.

Buckner would provide some immediate help on passing downs and should eventually become an elite all-around performer on the defensive line. 

Braxton Miller, WR, Ohio State

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

The first round will be loaded with former Ohio State stars, but few are quite as intriguing as Braxton Miller. The former quarterback is one of the most dynamic players in the class and his athleticism gives him even more upside than teammate Michael Thomas.

Sure, Miller doesn't have elite size at just 6'1", but he is extremely dangerous with the ball in his hands.

After an impressive showing during the week of the senior bowl, Miller discussed what he could bring to a team, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press:

"

I can play any position that’s on offense. That’s really eye-opening for them. They need playmakers that can do that. Somebody that can go in motion, come in the backfield at times. Go to outside receiver, inside receiver, punt return. All that type of stuff. It’s a lot. And I bring that to the game, and it’s going to be fun doing that, and I love doing it, too, so I don’t mind. 

"

This is what makes him such a perfect fit for the Kansas City Chiefs. The offense has a few weapons in Jeremy Maclin and Travis Kelce, but otherwise the passing attack needs a lot of help. Maclin can be a game-changing player on offense or special teams, and as he continues to improve as a route-runner, he can eventually be an elite receiver.

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