NFL Mock Draft 2016: 1st-Round Projections and Safest Prospects Available

April 28 will be one of the most important moments for the lives of many young athletes who are attempting to join one of the most popular leagues in the world. 

The NFL draft features seven rounds and is stretched out over a weekend as teams around the league look to find pieces that could help build them into championship contenders. 

Most of the time, though, the first round is where the bulk of the talent comes from, which puts extra pressure on teams with high selections. 

Let's take a look at my latest mock draft and some of the safest prospects.

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

Safest Prospects 

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State

With the exception of Todd Gurley, the NFL draft hasn't provided much of an impact when it comes to the running back position lately. 

That should change with Elliott's arrival, though. 

In each of the past two seasons at Ohio State in Urban Meyer's pro-style offense, Elliott has rushed for more than 1,800 yards and 18 touchdowns. He's also had 25-plus receptions in each of those seasons, which indicates he could be a solid dual threat in the NFL. 

Elliott is a strong runner who is patient in the backfield, which can't be taught at the next level. He can wait and choose the perfect moment to attack the line of scrimmage in order to gain maximum yardage. 

With a career average of 6.7 yards per rush in his three years at Ohio State, it was a safe bet that the Buckeyes were getting positive yards every time he touched the ball. 

He's already gotten some high praise from NFL coaches. An AFC running backs coach compared Elliott to one of the game's best right now when speaking with NFL.com's Lance Zierlein:

"

I feel the same way about (Ezekiel) Elliott that I felt about Adrian (Peterson). It was hard to find weaknesses for Adrian coming out and it's hard to find weaknesses for Elliott. I don't usually believe in taking running backs in the first round, but Elliott is one of those guys you make an exception for just like with Adrian Peterson.

"

While the first seven teams in the draft have more pressing needs, the Philadelphia Eagles, who are entrenched in a nightmare scenario after trading DeMarco Murray in the offseason, could use Elliott to inject some life into the backfield. 

Laremy Tunsil, OL, Ole Miss

Laremy Tunsil has been considered the bona fide No. 1 pick going to the Tennessee Titans for most of the offseason. But sources told Walter Football's Charlie Campbell on March 15 that Florida State defensive back Jalen Ramsey is the Titans' favorite. 

That could force Tunsil to drop to No. 3, where the San Diego Chargers would snatch him up in a heartbeat. They are in need of some help along the offensive line. 

If they get Tunsil, they'd acquire a stud of an offensive lineman who could move mountains with his strength. 

The SEC Network took an abbreviated look at his bench press; at his pro day, he put up 34 reps of 225 pounds:

The performance really impressed a scout who spoke with NFL Network's Ian Rapoport:

"

Scout at OM Pro Day: "The most impressive thing was Laremy Tunsil's bench, how explosive he was… (We) looked at each other like "holy s***"

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 28, 2016"

Tunsil exhibits above-average lateral movement and the quickness that could keep him locked onto speedy pass-rushers. 

The NFL took a look at his quick feet and movements:

Any offensive line would covet him, and if he stays healthy, Tunsil is going to be a force in the NFL.

If the Titans pass up on him, they might kick themselves for years to come, as they could use a safety blanket to protect Marcus Mariota.