2016 NFL Draft: 1st-Round Order and Prospects Worth an Early Gamble

The start of the 2016 NFL regular season is still months away, but football is back at the forefront of sports discussion as teams finalize their preparations for the highly anticipated 2016 NFL draft in Chicago.

Plenty of question marks remain, including who will go No. 1 overall and if the Tennessee Titans will even hold on to the top pick. Also, it is unclear whether Carson Wentz or Jared Goff has been established as the top quarterback, and where each will ultimately land.

In addition to that, there are several big-name talents in the class who come with a great deal of risk. They could pay big dividends but are far from sure things.

Here is a closer look at some of those players who are worth gambling on, along with a rundown of the full first-round draft order.

Pick	Team
1	Tennessee Titans
2	Cleveland Browns
3	San Diego Chargers
4	Dallas Cowboys
5	Jacksonville Jaguars
6	Baltimore Ravens
7	San Francisco 49ers
8	Philadelphia Eagles (via MIA)
9	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
10	New York Giants
11	Chicago Bears
12	New Orleans Saints
13	Miami Dolphins (via PHI)
14	Oakland Raiders
15	Los Angeles Rams
16	Detroit Lions
17	Atlanta Falcons
18	Indianapolis Colts
19	Buffalo Bills
20	New York Jets
21	Washington Redskins
22	Houston Texans
23	Minnesota Vikings
24	Cincinnati Bengals
25	Pittsburgh Steelers
26	Seattle Seahawks
27	Green Bay Packers
28	Kansas City Chiefs
29	Arizona Cardinals
30	Carolina Panthers
31	Denver Broncos

Jaylon Smith

Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith seemed poised to establish himself as one of the top selections in the 2016 NFL draft, but after suffering a torn ACL and MCL in the Fiesta Bowl, his stock is a huge question mark.

Smith didn't take part in the NFL Scouting Combine or Notre Dame's pro day due to the injury, and NFL Network's Mike Mayock was told by representatives of multiple teams that the status of the talented linebacker's knee was "bad" at the combine, according to NFL.com's Chase Goodbread.

Despite that, Smith remains upbeat about his health and is confident that he will return to top form, as seen in this interview via the NFL's official Twitter account:

Smith also recently revealed that he is making great progress in his rehab and believes that he is rapidly regaining strength, per Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports: "A few weeks have made a huge difference, even the past two weeks. I can feel it. Rehab is going great. I am leg-pressing over 600 pounds right now. I am squatting over 400 pounds. I am getting that strength back. It's just a matter of time."

The 20-year-old star is due for a medical recheck, and the results of that examination figure to go a long way toward determining where he will be selected.

According to ESPN's Todd McShay, Smith would undoubtedly be a high pick if not for the injury, perhaps even worthy of the No. 1 overall selection:

Complementing his on-field excellence, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller tabbed Smith as a safe pick from a character perspective as well:

It isn't yet known if Smith will be ready for the start of the 2016 season or if he will be able to play at all as a rookie, but the payoff for picking him could be huge if he gets back to his previous level of play, even if it takes a year or more.

That makes him worth a first-round gamble, especially for a team in the latter stages of the round that doesn't necessarily need an impact player right away.

Robert Nkemdiche

Defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche was highly touted when he arrived at Ole Miss as the top recruit in the nation, and while he showed flashes of brilliance, there are concerns regarding whether he can put it all together in the NFL.

The versatile star registered seven tackles for loss and three sacks in 2015 for the Rebels. Although those numbers don't necessarily jump off the page for a player of his caliber, he was often double- and triple-teamed at the collegiate level.

Lack of effort may have contributed to his lack of production as well, which is something Nkemdiche actually acknowledged at the combine, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post: "There's times I didn't finish, times I was lazy on some plays. But I told [NFL teams] I'm going to keep growing as a player and I'm going to keep learning how to finish and I'm going to keep becoming more of a student of the game and focus on being the best NFL player I can be."

Despite Nkemdiche's insistence that he plans to turn things around in that regard, an anonymous scout isn't buying into him due to potential character issues, per Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "His character will keep him off the board for us. He's talented enough to be in the top 10. But holy [expletive], buyer beware on this one."

Much of the character concern likely stems from a December incident that saw him fall out of a hotel window. Marijuana cigarettes were found on the scene, and while Nkemdiche initially took responsibility, he later said he "took the fall" for others and indicated that Ole Miss teammate and potential No. 1 overall pick Laremy Tunsil was also in the room, according to Edholm. 

There is no shortage of red flags surrounding Nkemdiche, but he is a strong, quick, versatile player who can likely fit in a number of different defensive systems.

Those factors make him an extremely intriguing pick, and he is worth a flier based on his talent alone, especially for a well-run organization that can handle polarizing personalities. 

Braxton Miller

Former Ohio State wide receiver and quarterback Braxton Miller is easily one of the most interesting prospects in the 2016 class due to the combination of his supreme athleticism and relative inexperience at wideout.

Miller was a Heisman Trophy contender as a signal-caller, but after suffering an injury in 2014 and essentially being surpassed by both Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett on the depth chart, he converted to wide receiver and instantly became an impact player.

He was a threat whenever the ball was in his hands, whether he was catching it or running it, and kept opposing defenses honest on a regular basis.

Investing a first-round pick in a player who has played so little wide receiver could be a tough sell, but Miller believes he compares favorably to one of the NFL's best players at that position, according to Robert Klemko of The MMQB: "I look at myself as an [New York Giants wide receiver] Odell Beckham-type of player. He loves the game and loves making plays. I want to be that guy you can always count on to go up and make a play."

Miller has yet to prove that he can be a dominant outside threat like Beckham, but his quickness, agility and blazing speed make him an ideal option out of the slot.

College quarterbacks like Antwaan Randle El and Julian Edelman have gone on to enjoy strong NFL careers as wide receivers, but there is little doubt that Miller has more physical tools than either of them.

Players like Miller are needed in the pass-heavy NFL to take short throws and turn them into huge plays, and with so many receiver-needy teams in the latter portion of the first round, he has a legitimate opportunity to be one of the first 31 players off the board.

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