2016 NFL Mock Draft: 1st-Round Predictions and Stock Watch for Hyped Prospects

The NFL draft is approaching fast, and there's still plenty of moving and shaking to be done before Thursday.

The shock value of the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles trading for the top two picks is all but gone. Now, it's time for teams to start figuring out who they're going to draft in the first round.

The only thing certain when the draft rolls around on Thursday is Jared Goff and Carson Wentz should go first and second to L.A. and Philadelphia, respectively. After that, it's anybody's guess.

Here's the latest mock draft as well as some players whose stock you should keep an eye on.

1	Los Angeles Rams (via TEN)	Jared Goff	QB	Cal
2	Philadelphia Eagles (via CLE)	Carson Wentz	QB	North Dakota State
3	San Diego Chargers	Laremy Tunsil	OL	Ole Miss
4	Dallas Cowboys	Joey Bosa	DL	Ohio State
5	Jacksonville Jaguars	Jalen Ramsey	DB	Florida State
6	Baltimore Ravens	Ronnie Stanley	OL	Notre Dame
7	San Francisco 49ers	DeForest Buckner	DL	Oregon
8	Cleveland Browns (via PHI)	Myles Jack	LB	UCLA
9	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Vernon Hargreaves III	DB	Florida
10	New York Giants	Ezekiel Elliott	RB	Ohio State
11	Chicago Bears	Shaq Lawson	DE	Clemson
12	New Orleans Saints	Leonard Floyd	OLB	Georgia
13	Miami Dolphins (via PHI)	William Jackson III	DB	Houston
14	Oakland Raiders	Eli Apple	DB	Ohio State
15	Tennessee Titans (via LA)	Laquon Treadwell	WR	Ole Miss
16	Detroit Lions	Jack Conklin	OT	Michigan State
17	Atlanta Falcons	Sheldon Rankins	DT	Louisville
18	Indianapolis Colts	Noah Spence	DE	Eastern Kentucky
19	Buffalo Bills	Robert Nkemdiche	DL	Ole Miss
20	New York Jets	Paxton Lynch	QB	Memphis
21	Washington Redskins	Reggie Ragland	LB	Alabama
22	Houston Texans	A'Shawn Robinson	DT	Alabama
23	Minnesota Vikings	Will Fuller	WR	Notre Dame
24	Cincinnati Bengals	Keanu Neal	S	Florida
25	Pittsburgh Steelers	Darron Lee	OLB	Ohio State
26	Seattle Seahawks	Taylor Decker	OT	Ohio State
27	Green Bay Packers	Vernon Butler	DT	Louisiana Tech
28	Kansas City Chiefs	Mackensie Alexander	DB	Clemson
29	Arizona Cardinals	Ryan Kelly	C	Alabama
30	Carolina Panthers	Kendall Fuller	DB	Virginia Tech
31	Denver Broncos	Connor Cook	QB	Michigan State

What to Watch For

It's clear Goff and Wentz are the top two quarterbacks in this class. They both possess terrific arm strength and poise in the pocket and are the most NFL-ready signal-callers. It wouldn't be a surprise to see them start Week 1.

But what about the other two quarterbacks? Memphis' Paxton Lynch and Michigan State's Connor Cook are expected to go after Goff and Wentz, with both going late in the first round in this mock.

The last mock had Cook going to the New York Jets at No. 20, with the defending world champion Denver Broncos waiting to take Lynch at No. 31. This is a development to keep an eye on, because of the teams near the bottom of the draft board, the Broncos and Jets need a quarterback the most. The Broncos could end up taking the quarterback who was not selected by the Jets.

If Ryan Fitzpatrick's contract situation wasn't such a big issue, the Jets could move on with one of the late-round receivers like Josh Doctson, Corey Coleman or Will Fuller. But with the draft just days away, some concerns around the league have come up in regards to the Michigan State quarterback, per Tom Pelissero of USA Today.

One quarterbacks coach told Pelissero, "There’s something about him that you just don’t trust him."

One general manager followed up with, “I don’t mind the kid at all. I’ll take an (expletive) who wins games over a nice guy who loses games. But there’s something missing with him.”

How much this stock is taken into consideration remains to be seen, but it makes you wonder if the Jets are seriously considering the project Lynch over the pocket passer Cook. Lynch has yet to show he's a surefire pick, which is why Cook was considered a solid choice for a team needing a steady presence in the pocket.

It wouldn't be a shock to see the Jets go with Lynch and have two projects to work with in him and Bryce Petty, but if there are teams concerned about Lynch, it's something to keep an eye on.

Another thing to watch is the number of defensive players that will go in the middle of the first round. There's a good chance at least seven defensive players could go from picks 10-19—three defensive backs and the rest pass-rushers.

One team to watch is the Oakland Raiders at No. 14, who need cornerback help despite signing Sean Smith. Ohio State defensive back Eli Apple is the fourth-best corner behind Jalen Ramsey, Vernon Hargreaves III and William Jackson III. If Oakland is in dire need of a corner, it wouldn't be a shock to see it grab Apple one pick after the Dolphins take Jackson.

If the Raiders decide against going with secondary help, keep an eye on Ole Miss receiver Laquon Treadwell. Quarterback Derek Carr already has Amari Cooper. Imagine putting Treadwell alongside Cooper for an up-and-coming Raiders squad.

The Tennessee Titans should also have their sights on Treadwell at No. 15. If they get any sense of Oakland taking the top receiver in this class, expect a swap of picks between the two teams.