2016 NFL Mock Draft: 1st-Round Predictions, Prospects Who Will Shape Day 1

As the calendar turns to April, most of the NFL attention will steer toward the draft in just four short weeks. 

Will the Tennessee Titans hold onto the No. 1 pick? Which teams will take a lofty step in selecting their next franchise quarterbacks? We take an in-depth look at these questions, which will be answered soon. 

Here is a look at the latest mock draft and a few storylines to keep an eye on:

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

Titans Rightfully Trying to Trade No. 1 Pick

The Titans have a slew of holes on their roster that they hope to address in this year’s draft. And normally, having the first overall selection is a coveted position to be in. 

But since no glaring names stand out at the top of the draft boards in 2016 and the Titans already drafted a franchise quarterback in Marcus Mariota last year, Tennessee is wisely seeking to trade the selection and gain more draft picks in return. 

"We would like to move on from having the No. 1 pick, but we want to capitalize on it and try to make an impact to our roster," new general manager Jon Robinson said at the NFL combine in February, per Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today. 

The Dallas Cowboys (fourth overall pick), San Francisco 49ers (seventh) and Los Angeles Rams (15th) are believed to be in the market for a quarterback, but all seem to be standing pat. But why?

Perhaps it’s because there isn’t a consensus on which of the top quarterbacks has the ability to become a franchise superstar. 

Cal’s Jared Goff, Memphis’ Paxton Lynch and North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz are among the top QB prospects, but they pale in comparison to last year’s duo of Mariota and Jameis Winston.

The Titans are also reportedly seeking a “king’s ransom” for the pick, according to Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com. It makes sense they would want a big return, but given the unknown among the top prospects this year in particular, it’s also understandable why teams appear hesitant to make such a trade.

If the Titans are unable to strike a deal before draft day, they’d be wise to take top offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. The Ole Miss product could beef up Mariota’s blind side and bolster a unit that last year allowed 54 sacks—tops in the league. 

It makes sense why the Titans are trying to trade the pick, but if all else fails, protecting their lofty investment from a year ago is a logical choice.

Landing Spots for Top QBs Remain Unclear

Wentz, Goff and Lynch are the top trio of quarterback prospects, but where they will go in the draft remains a huge mystery. 

Even though they signed Sam Bradford to a pricey extension this offseason and added Chase Daniel as his backup, the Eagles met with Wentz earlier this week, per CSNPhilly.com. They’re also working out him, Goff and Lynch this week, according to Chase Goodbread of NFL.com. 

Of the three, Lynch seems the most likely to fall to Philly, which holds the No. 8 pick. 

The big question mark is whether the Cleveland Browns, fresh off acquiring Robert Griffin III, will take a quarterback with the second pick. From there, the domino effect will be in place. Adding a top offensive lineman such as Tunsil—if available—or the comparable Ronnie Stanley to protect RG3 would make a lot of sense. 

The Cowboys need to consider bringing in Tony Romo’s heir, and spending the fourth overall pick on such a player would be a wise move. The San Francisco 49ers, who pick seventh, appear to be sticking with Colin Kaepernick, though his name has been linked to trade rumors throughout the offseason—notably with the Denver Broncos, per Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole. 

The 49ers still worked out Goff Wednesday—a day before Kaepernick’s $11.9 million base salary became guaranteed. With the incumbent’s status still somewhat in limbo, the 49ers could make a move on Goff if he’s there. 

If the Broncos don’t acquire another quarterback before the draft, they could take one with the 31st overall pick. Now that Brock Osweiler and Peyton Manning are gone, and with the questionable Mark Sanchez and 2015 seventh-round pick Trevor Siemian as the only quarterbacks on the roster, it would make sense for Denver to make such a move.