2016 NFL Draft: Rounding Up Experts' Latest Mock Draft Predictions
The NFL draft is a little over six weeks away, which makes this a good time to check in with where the experts stand on their mock drafts.
With the combine behind us and the biggest free-agent names already in new homes, the draft picture is starting to take shape.
For this exercise, we'll take a look at the most recent mock drafts for ESPN.com's Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr., NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah and Bleacher Report's Matt Miller.
We'll go through the first round team-by-team, looking at each expert's prediction and making a selection, which will correspond to the pictured prospect. In most cases the selection will represent the most likely pick of the options provided by the four draft experts.
1. Tennessee Titans
1 of 32
McShay: Laremy Tunsil
Kiper: Tunsil
Jeremiah: Tunsil
Miller: Tunsil
An argument could be made that the Titans don't need to spend a top pick on a left tackle due to the success of Taylor Lewan last season. But given their options, it will be tough to pass on Tunsil.
The only thing preventing Tunsil from going No. 1 overall could be a trade, which Kiper said he is "certain" the Titans prefer.
If a trade were to occur, it would probably be a team in search of a quarterback hoping to jump the Cleveland Browns.
2. Cleveland Browns
2 of 32
McShay: Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
Kiper: Wentz
Jeremiah: Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State
Miller: Wentz
The selection of Wentz makes sense given the franchise's desperate need for a quarterback, but their recent mass exodus in free agency could change this plan.
Do the Browns really want to bring in a young quarterback from the FCS and throw him into the fire behind an offensive line that just lost Alex Mack and Mitchell Schwartz?
It's hard to imagine any young quarterback succeeding in that scenario.
If the Browns pass on Wentz, Jeremiah's selection of Ramsey would be a solid backup plan.
3. San Diego Chargers
3 of 32
McShay: DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon
Kiper: Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
Jeremiah: Buckner
Miller: Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State
The San Diego Chargers can't go wrong, as all three players referenced here by the experts would be excellent fits.
Ramsey is the top available player in the scenarios presented by each expert and fills a glaring hole in San Diego. He would start immediately opposite Jason Verrett at cornerback, with the recently-signed Casey Hayward manning the slot corner position.
Brandon Flowers started in that role in 2015, but he is coming off a disappointing season. Adding Ramsey would make the expensive veteran expendable or potentially allow for him to make a position switch to safety.
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4. Dallas Cowboys
4 of 32
McShay: Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State
Kiper: DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon
Jeremiah: Bosa
Miller: Bosa
If Bosa is on the board, it's difficult to envision the Cowboys going any other direction.
With Greg Hardy unlikely to be re-signed and Randy Gregory serving a suspension, the Cowboys are in desperate need of a pass-rusher.
Bosa is a perfect fit as an edge-rusher in defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli's 4-3 system, which should put him high on the Cowboys draft board.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
5 of 32
McShay: Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State
Kiper: Ramsey
Jeremiah: Myles Jack, LB, UCLA
Miller: Jack
McShay and Kiper both have sound logic behind their selection of Ramsey, and the Jacksonville Jaguars would likely jump as the chance to add the versatile defensive back.
However, each of the four teams ahead of the Jaguars could justify a selection of Ramsey, making it unlikely that he'll fall.
The Jaguars have already shown a preference toward athleticism over size in recent years—they drafted 6'1", 218 pound linebacker Telvin Smith in 2014. The same traits they liked in Smith will likely draw them to Jack as well, who would be a great fit at weak-side linebacker in Jacksonville.
6. Baltimore Ravens
6 of 32
McShay: Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
Kiper: Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State
Jeremiah: Stanely
Miller: DeForest Buckner, DL, Oregon
The Ravens are a difficult team to analyze because all of the available top prospects could be justified, yet no one stands out as the obvious target.
It's easy to see why Miller likes Buckner for the Ravens given his versatility and the scheme Baltimore runs on defense.
Buckner primarily played defensive end at Oregon, lining up there in both 4-3 and 3-4 sets. At 6'7", 291 pounds he has the size and athleticism to play just about any position on the defensive line.
Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome has always favored versatile linemen, which will likely put Buckner on his short list of targets.
7. San Francisco 49ers
7 of 32
McShay: Jared Goff, QB, California
Kiper: Goff
Jeremiah: Goff
Miller: Goff
Consensus is rare outside of the top five, but in this case it's hard to come up with a reason not to match the 49ers with Goff.
It appears to only be a matter of time before Colin Kaepernick has a new home, and it's difficult to imagine the 49ers kicking off the Chip Kelly era with Blaine Gabbert at quarterback.
Goff is certainly not a finished product, but his accuracy is a trait that Kelly favors in his quarterbacks.
As long as someone doesn't snatch up Goff before he gets to No. 7, it's a safe bet that he'll be starting for the 49ers in Week 1.
8. Philadelphia Eagles
8 of 32
McShay: Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State
Kiper: Conklin
Jeremiah: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
Miller: Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida
The recent swap of first-round picks between the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins throws off our mock draft slightly. Of the four experts, only Miller and Jeremiah have updated their mock drafts to reflect the current order.
While the Eagles do need offensive line help, it's extremely difficult to envision them taking Conklin at No. 8, as Kiper and McShay predicted they would with the 13th selection.
Miller's selection of Hargreaves makes sense given the Eagles' recent trade of Byron Maxwell.
The combination of the bigger Eric Rowe and the more athletic Hargreaves would give Philadelphia a potentially elite duo at cornerback.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
9 of 32
McShay: Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida
Kiper: Hargreaves
Jeremiah: Hargreaves
Miller: Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson
The Buccaneers need to address their secondary and their pass rush, which all four experts recognize with their selections.
If Hargreaves is on the board, he'll be tough to pass up, but in our scenario we've followed Miller's lead and matched up Hargreaves with the Eagles at pick No. 8.
With the two elite corners off the board (Ramsey and Hargreaves) the Buccaneers would likely address the defensive line.
Shaq Lawson is a strong edge-rusher who wins with a combination of power and speed, and he would likely supplant either William Gholston or Jacquies Smith as a starter at defensive end.
10. New York Giants
10 of 32
McShay: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
Kiper: Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson
Jeremiah: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
Miller: Treadwell
The experts can't decide if the Giants should go offense or defense with this selection, which speaks to their wide range of needs.
Having addressed the defensive line in free agency with the additions of pass-rusher Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison, the Giants may now turn their attention to offense early in the draft.
General manager Jerry Reese is one of a small handful of executives who have drafted running backs in the first round in recent years (he took David Wilson with the 32nd pick in 2012). He may be willing to dip back into the that pool for an elite prospect like Elliott.
11. Chicago Bears
11 of 32
McShay: Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson
Kiper: Leonard Floyd, LB, Georgia
Jeremiah: Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
Miller: Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
The Bears are in a rebuilding process, as evidenced by the wide range of selections from the experts.
All four of these picks can be easily justified, but Miller's selection of Stanley offers the best match of value and need for the Bears.
As Jeremiah noted in his selection of Wentz, Jay Cutler won't be around much longer. Which can be used as evidence for the Bears taking Wentz.
By adding Stanley now, the Bears can start to build an offensive line capable of protecting whichever young quarterback comes in to replace Cutler in the next year or two.
12. New Orleans Saints
12 of 32
McShay: A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama
Kiper: Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville
Jeremiah: Rankins
Miller: Rankins
There's almost a consensus with Rankins, which comes as a mild surprise.
The Saints are in full rebuilding mode on defense, making it easy to justify a wide range of defensive prospects with this selection. As long as they take one of the top defenders on the board, it will be hard to argue with this pick.
All four experts agree on the Saints addressing the defensive line, which is exactly where a defensive rebuilding project should start.
Robinson would be a better fit at nose tackle, while Rankins is a little more versatile and could potentially even play at defensive end in a 3-4 scheme.
13. Miami Dolphins
13 of 32
McShay: Myles Jack, LB, UCLA
Kiper: Jack
Jeremiah: Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson
Miller: Ezekiel Elliot, RB, Ohio State
Kiper and McShay originally awarded Jack to the Dolphins with the eighth pick, but he's unlikely to slip all the way to No. 13.
Based on value, Jeremiah's selection of Lawson makes sense for the Dolphins as they rebuild their defense.
The recent signing of Mario Williams was a strong short-term move, but it's only a two-year deal and he offers very little value beyond that due to his age.
Lawson is off the board in this scenario, but his teammate Kevin Dodd would make for a nice fallback option.
14. Oakland Raiders
14 of 32
McShay: Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State
Kiper: Apple
Jeremiah: Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State
Miller: Conklin
The Raiders still have free-agency decisions to make that could shake up their draft, most notably with free-agent left tackle Donald Penn.
If Penn returns, Apple could be a nice addition to their defense. However, if Penn is allowed to sign elsewhere the Raiders would have a gaping hole at left tackle.
The development of Derek Carr is going as planned so far and losing Penn without a viable replacement would potentially put Carr in position to take a step backwards in 2016.
Adding Conklin to fill that starting role could be a necessary decision with this selection.
15. Los Angeles Rams
15 of 32
McShay: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
Kiper: Treadwell
Jeremiah: Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor
Miller: Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State
All four experts see the Rams targeting a receiver, which is shocking given their obvious need for a quarterback.
Can the Rams really show up in Los Angeles and expect to attract fans with Nick Foles and Case Keenum?
Memphis' Paxton Lynch would be considered a reach here, but the Rams are desperate and may have to pull the trigger.
The team recently re-signed receiver Brian Quick, lessening the immediate need for another weapon, which should push them to find their quarterback of the future.
16. Detroit Lions
16 of 32
McShay: Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State
Kiper: A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama
Jeremiah: Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson
Miller: Maliek Collins, DT, Nebraska
Many Lions fans struggling to cope with the loss of Calvin Johnson are craving a wide receiver with this selection, but the recent addition of Marvin Jones reduces that need.
The Lions should use this selection to replace Ndamukong Suh, whose starting spot was not adequately filled after he signed with the Dolphins last offseason.
Alabama's A'Shawn Robinson isn't as disruptive as Suh, but he does an exceptional job plugging holes in the center of the line and moves well for his size. He would do well sharing time with Haloti Ngata early in his career before taking over the full-time job in the future.
17. Atlanta Falcons
17 of 32
McShay: Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State
Kiper: Lee
Jeremiah: Reggie Ragland, LB, Alabama
Miller: Lee
The Falcons have suffered through three seasons of Paul Worrilow at inside linebacker, despite him consistently ranking among the worst at his position, according to Pro Football Focus.
Lee is one of the freak athletes in this draft class and would be a massive upgrade at inside linebacker in Atlanta. He played on the outside at Ohio State, so there may be an initial learning curve, but Lee clearly has the athleticism to excel at the position.
Ragland, as suggested by Jeremiah, would fill the same need but he's a notch or two below Lee in terms of athleticism. Deciding between the two would come down to a preference of style for the Falcons.
18. Indianapolis Colts
18 of 32
McShay: Leonard Floyd, LB, Georgia
Kiper: Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State
Jeremiah: Decker
Miller: Noah Spence, LB, Eastern Kentucky
As Kiper said, the Colts need to simply take the "best offensive lineman available."
Protecting Andrew Luck is priority No. 1, and if any of the top offensive linemen are on the board, it would be extremely difficult for the Colts to justify any other selection.
Decker could be plugged in as their starting right tackle immediately, and he could even compete with Anthony Castonzo for the job on the left side.
19. Buffalo Bills
19 of 32
McShay: Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville
Kiper: Robert Nkemdiche, DL, Ole Miss
Jeremiah: Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State
Miller: Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson
This is a tough spot for the Buffalo Bills, who need another pass-rusher from a draft class that just doesn't have enough.
Rankins, Lee and Dodd have all been taken in this scenario and Robert Nkemdiche seems an unlikely selection based on his off-field concerns.
The Bills would probably be open to trading down in this scenario, but they could also target Baylor's Andrew Billings.
Kyle Williams and Marcel Dareus have the defensive tackle position locked down in Buffalo for now, but Williams is 32 years old with just two years left on his contract. Billings could be an investment in the future for the Bills.
20. New York Jets
20 of 32
McShay: Noah Spence, LB, Eastern Kentucky
Kiper: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
Jeremiah: Leonard Floyd, LB, Georgia
Miller: Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
If Ezekiel Elliott somehow falls to No. 20, Kiper will likely be correct. But that's a long way for one of the elite talents in this class to drop.
It's easier to side with McShay's scenario given the likelihood that Spence will be available and the Jets' need for an edge-rusher.
Spence could team with 2015 third-round pick Lorenzo Mauldin to give the Jets two quality speed-rushers on the edge, who would pair nicely with their powerful defensive line.
21. Washington Redskins
21 of 32
McShay: Jarran Reed, DL, Alabama
Kiper: Reggie Ragland, LB, Alabama
Jeremiah: Reed
Miller: Reed
Seeing three experts agree on a pick in the 20s is rare, but Reed would be an excellent addition to a depleted Redskins defensive line.
McShay praised Reed for his "very good gap discipline versus the run, showing the ability to beat double-teams and penetrate the backfield."
The upgrade Reed brings against the run is what sets him apart and makes him a great fit in Washington.
22. Houston Texans
22 of 32
McShay: Vernon Butler, DT, Louisiana Tech
Kiper: Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame
Jeremiah: Fuller
Miller: Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor
The Houston Texans filled their glaring holes at quarterback and running back in free agency, allowing them to be a little more flexible in the draft.
All of the experts' scenarios are easy to understand, but Miller's pick of Coleman is the most intriguing.
Coleman's ability as a deep threat makes him a perfect fit to play opposite the less-explosive DeAndre Hopkins.
Brock Osweiler could be in for a big season with Coleman and Hopkins as his two go-to weapons on the outside.
23. Minnesota Vikings
23 of 32
McShay: Vonn Bell, S, Ohio State
Kiper: Josh Doctson, WR, TCU
Jeremiah: Doctson
Miller: Doctson
The Vikings' top priority this offseason was addressing the offensive line, which they accomplished by adding Alex Boone.
The next step is to provide Teddy Bridgewater with another weapon.
Kiper, Jeremiah and Miller are all in agreement on Doctson, and it's tough to argue with their selection.
Doctson's ability to win the battle for contested catches puts him in an elite category and makes him the most NFL-ready receiver in this year's class.
24. Cincinnati Bengals
24 of 32
McShay: Josh Doctson, WR, Ole Miss
Kiper: Noah Spence, DE, Eastern Kentucky
Jeremiah: A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama
Miller: Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame
After losing Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones in free agency it's tough to justify a selection that doesn't provide Andy Dalton with another weapon in the passing game.
Doctson and Fuller are both viable options, but Ole Miss' Laquon Treadwell hasn't been used in this scenario and would be an excellent fit in Cincinnati.
Treadwell is a possession receiver who has the ball skills to make an immediate impact, which makes him a slightly better fit for Cincinnati compared to a less-polished finesse receiver like Fuller.
25. Pittsburgh Steelers
25 of 32
McShay: Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson
Kiper: William Jackson, CB, Houston
Jeremiah: Alexander
Miller: Alexander
All four experts agree that the Pittsburgh Steelers need to address their depleted secondary.
The Steelers still have Cortez Allen and William Gay at cornerback, but they lack a true No. 1 corner to match up with elite receivers such as A.J. Green, who hauled in 22 receptions for 321 yards and three touchdowns against them in 2015.
Alexander is slightly undersized at 5'10" but has shown the ability to be competitive against bigger receivers.
McShay described Alexander as "quick-twitched, instinctive and capable versus the run."
26. Seattle Seahawks
26 of 32
McShay: Robert Nkemdiche, DL, Ole Miss
Kiper: Kendall Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
Jeremiah: Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State
Miller: Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State
The experts are all over the board with this selection, which demonstrates just how difficult the Seahawks are to figure out.
If Decker were still on the board, he would be a great fit in Seattle—especially if the Seahawks are unable to re-sign Russell Okung. However, the scarcity of elite linemen in this class makes that scenario unlikely.
The Seahawks are a candidate to gamble on Robert Nkemdiche's character concerns given Pete Carroll's track record with players who may struggle to fit into the culture of other locker rooms.
In Seattle, Nkemdiche could become a versatile weapon, lining up at multiple spots on their defensive line.
27. Green Bay Packers
27 of 32
McShay: Reggie Ragland, LB, Alabama
Kiper: Kamalei Correa, LB, Boise State
Jeremiah: Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor
Miller: Leonard Floyd, LB, Georgia
Early this offseason Packers head coach Mike McCarthy stated his intention to move Clay Matthews from inside linebacker back to his original position on the outside.
For that to work, however, the Packers need to replace him on the inside.
Ragland would be an ideal fit in Green Bay, giving them an upgrade at inside linebacker and allowing Matthews to resume his duties as an edge-rusher.
28. Kansas City Chiefs
28 of 32
McShay: Chris Jones, DL, Mississippi State
Kiper: Jarran Reed, DL, Alabama
Jeremiah: William Jackson, CB, Houston
Miller: Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor
The Chiefs have retained the majority of their free agents (most notably Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali) but defensive end Mike DeVito is still on the market.
Jones and Reed would both be candidates to fill DeVito's spot and should be capable of stepping into immediate starting roles.
In addition to earning accolades from those who scout players in a traditional sense, Jones has been a favorite of the Pro Football Focus crew. He finished the 2015 season with an impressive plus-45.1 grade from PFF.
29. Arizona Cardinals
29 of 32
McShay: Kamalei Correa, LB, Boise State
Kiper: Emmanuel Ogbah, LB, Oklahoma State
Jeremiah: Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
Miller: Correa
The Cardinals have an opportunity to build upon their strength with this selection by adding to an already dominant defense.
If the Cardinals defense is lacking in any one area, it would be their pass rush.
As athletic as their linebackers are, they lack an elite speed-rusher off the edge, which is the hole Correa could fill.
McShay described Correa as "a dynamic athlete with the versatility to rush the quarterback and hold up in coverage."
30. Carolina Panthers
30 of 32
McShay: Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State
Kiper: Von Bell, S, Ohio State
Jeremiah: Artie Burns, CB, Miami FL
Miller: William Jackson, CB, Houston
At first glance it may seem surprising to see two experts go with cornerbacks for the Carolina Panthers, given the emergence of Josh Norman this season. However, there's very little depth in the Panthers secondary behind their star corner.
Jeremiah and Miller went with Burns and Jackson due to the fact that Ohio State's Eli Apple had already come off the board in their scenarios. But if he's still there, Apple would likely get the nod over those two.
Apple is an impressive athlete with excellent length who can challenge the bigger receivers in the league.
With Julio Jones and Mike Evans in their division, a secondary featuring Apple and Norman could intrigue the Panthers front office.
31. Denver Broncos
31 of 32
McShay: Jason Spriggs, OT, Indiana
Kiper: Spriggs
Jeremiah: Chris Jones, DT, Mississippi State
Miller: Germain Ifedi, OL, Texas A&M
It's worth noting that the majority of the experts filled out their latest mock draft before Brock Osweiler bolted for the Texans. But the Broncos could still target the offensive line with this selection.
In fact, an argument could be made that addressing the offensive line is even more important given the Broncos' obvious downgrade at quarterback.
Presumably, the Broncos will become an even more run-oriented team in 2016 and will need to improve their line to remain effective in that area.
Spriggs would be an ideal fit at right tackle for the Broncos. Ifedi played tackle at Texas A&M but is a candidate to shift to guard in the NFL.
No Pick: New England Patriots
32 of 32
The New England Patriots do not own a first-round pick as a result of their Deflategate punishments.
The Patriots' first pick will come in the second round with the 61st overall selection.
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