NFL Mock Draft 2016: Predictions for 1st-Round Prospects Entering Free Agency

The 2016 NFL Scouting Combine is now complete, and we're in a dead period until NFL free agency kicks off on Wednesday. 

Let's use this opportunity to dive into some NFL mock-draft scenarios that may not be popular but are worth discussing. 

With nearly two months remaining until the NFL draft, it's impossible to create the perfectly accurate mock draft. So instead of shooting for accuracy, let's run through some scenarios to see how the draft could look if certain teams go in a surprising direction near the top. 

Here's look at the mock-draft scenario followed by an explanation of a few notable selections: 

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

Notable Picks

4. Dallas Cowboys: Ezekiel Elliott

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick has tossed out the idea of Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott as a top-four pick on Twitter:

It's an interesting scenario that hasn't appeared in many mock drafts, but there's sound logic behind it. 

Riddick doesn't cite a source specifically linking Elliott to the Cowboys, but if any team at the top of the draft were to gamble on a running back, the Cowboys appear to make the most sense. 

Taking a running back in the top five isn't a franchise-altering move, which is one of the reasons why teams have shied away from spending high picks on the position in recent years. And since most teams in the top five are in rebuilding mode, the selection of Elliott would only be a minor step forward. 

The Cowboys, however, have every reason to believe they can compete in 2016 with a healthy Tony Romo at quarterback. 

Their most glaring need is at running back, especially after the Cowboys struggled to establish a running game after losing DeMarco Murray in free agency last offseason. 

Elliott would not only be one of the safest picks for the Cowboys, but he'd also plug their biggest hole on the offensive side of the ball. 

7. San Francisco 49ers: Myles Jack

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

The 49ers are linked to a quarterback in many mock drafts—for example, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller has them taking California's Jared Goff. But let's explore their options if general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Chip Kelly don't fall in love with one of the top signal-callers this year. 

If UCLA linebacker Myles Jack is still on the board, his skill set would seem to fit perfectly with the type of athletes Kelly has favored on defense. 

For example, in the third round in the 2015 draft, Kelly selected Texas linebacker Jordan Hicks for the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Hicks checked in at 6'1" and 236 pounds at the combine and tested as one of the best athletes at his position. 

Jack had a far more productive college career than Hicks, and the physical similarities are enough to demonstrate that Jack (6'1", 245 lbs) fits the profile of a linebacker Kelly would like on his roster. 

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Vernon Hargreaves III

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

This could be a dream scenario for the Buccaneers, as they fill a need and satisfy the fanbase with a player many fans rooted for in college as well. 

Cornerback Vernon Hargreaves solidified his place near the top of the draft with an elite performance at the combine. 

According to Zach Whitman of Three Sigma Athlete, Hargreaves tested as one of the top players based on SPARQ, a formula developed by Nike which compiles measurables into a single score: 

Hargreaves is slightly shorter than the ideal cornerback at 5'10", but his dominant combine performance should ease concerns about his ability to compete at a high level in the NFL.