2016 NFL Mock Draft: Predictions and Analysis for Most Exciting Prospects

Just when you think you have your mock draft all figured out, well, a major trade just has to go and shake things up.

So before we go over some of the first round's most exciting prospects, let's take a look at how the Los Angeles Rams' acquisition of the first-round pick from the Tennessee Titans for a small fortune affected my mock draft:

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Los Angeles Rams	Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
2	Cleveland Browns	Jared Goff, QB, California
3	San Diego Chargers	Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
4	Dallas Cowboys	Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State
5	Jacksonville Jaguars	Myles Jack, LB, UCLA
6	Baltimore Ravens	Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State
7	San Francisco 49ers	Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
8	Philadelphia Eagles (from MIA)	Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
9	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon
10	New York Giants	Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
11	Chicago Bears	Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson
12	New Orleans Saints	A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama
13	Miami Dolphins (from PHI)	Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, Florida
14	Oakland Raiders	Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville
15	Tennessee Titans	Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State
16	Detroit Lions	Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
17	Atlanta Falcons	Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson
18	Indianapolis Colts	Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State
19	Buffalo Bills	Darron Lee, OLB, Ohio State
20	New York Jets	Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia
21	Washington	Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama
22	Houston Texans	Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame
23	Minnesota Vikings	Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor
24	Cincinnati Bengals	Josh Doctson, WR, TCU
25	Pittsburgh Steelers	William Jackson III, CB, Houston
26	Seattle Seahawks	Robert Nkemdiche, DT/DE, Ole Miss
27	Green Bay Packers	Reggie Ragland, LB, Alabama
28	Kansas City Chiefs	Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson
29	Arizona Cardinals	Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State
30	Carolina Panthers	Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State
31	Denver Broncos	Cody Whitehair, G/T, Kansas State

For starters, Carson Wentz and Jared Goff will come off the board with the first two picks. If you're the Rams, you don't trade two No. 1 picks, two No. 2 picks and two No. 3 picks for any position other than a quarterback. 

So, the real question is whether they'll go with Wentz or Goff, though NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock thinks it's clear the Rams will go with the former.

"I don’t think there’s a question. I think it’s pretty obvious and it’s going to be Wentz," Mayock said of the Rams pick, per NFL Media, before adding, "Wentz fits exactly who they are and what they do."

There are mixed feelings about who the top quarterback is on the board, however, with Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd reporting that Goff is the player most teams covet:

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, on the other hand, believes Wentz to Los Angeles and Goff to the Cleveland Browns is exactly what each team wants:

The Browns could trade the No. 2 pick to a team that hopes to select a top quarterback. But if the Browns really love Goff, they have to take him. Cleveland hasn't had an elite quarterback for decades. If the Browns feel Goff can end that run of misfortune, they have to target him.

From there, the entire board is turned on its head. The San Diego Chargers can't pass up on the chance to bolster their offensive line, with Laremy Tunsil falling into their laps. The Dallas Cowboys can't pass on Jalen Ramsey, arguably the best player in this draft. The Baltimore Ravens can't pass up Joey Bosa, the best edge-rusher in this draft.

Which leads us to the new most compelling pick in the draft, the San Francisco 49ers, where everything—and I mean everything—hinges on Colin Kaepernick's future.

If the team has plans in place to trade him, it will take Paxton Lynch. If the 49ers can work things out with Kaepernick, DeForest Buckner will likely be the pick. I'm banking on the former. But it will be fascinating to monitor the Niners leading up to the draft.

Now, let's move to two of the first round's most exciting prospects.

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State

Ezekiel Elliott established himself as one of the most exciting and intriguing prospects in the 2014 season, when he rushed for more than 200 yards three straight times to close the season. The fact that those games came in the Big Ten championship game and the Buckeyes' two playoff games on their way to a national title only compounded Elliott's ascent into the elite.

In those three wins, Elliott rushed for a whopping 696 yards and eight—yes, eight—touchdowns. So, what did he do for an encore?

Oh, he just rushed for 1,821 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2015, adding 27 receptions for another 206 yards. While Elliott might not have that one trait that defines him—like Jamaal Charles' speed, Todd Gurley's power or LeSean McCoy's shiftiness—he is one of the most well-rounded running backs to hit the draft in years.

Need a guy who can break arm tackles with power or juke out a defender? Elliott can do that. Need a playmaker out of the backfield in the passing game? Elliott can do that. Need someone who can block in the passing game? Elliott can do that.

Wanna wear down a defense late in the game? Elliott is your guy. Need a player who can stay on the field for all three downs? Yup, that's Elliott.

A player who has the ability to affect the offense in every capacity, while being a team's primary playmaker, is darn exciting. Elliott is going to be the focal point of a team's offense for the next decade.

That's darn exciting, too.

Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame

Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

If you enjoy a deep threat in the passing game—and let's be honest, most of us do—you're going to have fun watching Will Fuller at the next level. While he doesn't have great size and his hands sometimes leave a bit to be desired, no one in this draft will stretch a defense like Fuller will. 

He averaged an impressive 20.3 yards per catch this season, finishing with 62 receptions, 1,258 yards and 14 touchdowns for Notre Dame. 

Fuller isn't just a threat down the field, though, as he can also be a danger while catching short passes and making plays after the catch with his explosive speed. If you're looking for a comparison, think DeSean Jackson—but bigger (6'0", 186 lbs) and probably slightly less explosive.  

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