NFL Draft 2016: Latest Rumors, Potential Landing Spots Surrounding Top Prospects

With the 2016 NFL draft approaching, fans want to get their hands on any information they can about who their favorite team will select.

It's often difficult to trust the rumors that circulate in the final week before the first round. Some of them are misleading, while others are intentionally wrong in order to confuse other teams. In reality, why would an organization leak to the world who it intends on taking?

Even with the smoke screens, though, there is still knowledge to be gained from various sources around the league. Although it might not always yield information about who will be picked, it provides a mindset from the different teams.

With that in mind, here is a look at the latest buzz surrounding teams selecting early in Round 1.

Ronnie Stanley to the Chargers

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Before the Tennessee Titans traded away the No. 1 overall pick, most expected Laremy Tunsil to be the first player off the board, providing a team that already drafted its quarterback of the future with some much-needed protection. Since then, the prevailing thought has been Tunsil will still be taken early and certainly will be drafted first among offensive linemen.

Surprisingly, this may no longer be the case, as Michael Silver of NFL Network explained:

Ronnie Stanley isn't as athletic as Tunsil, but he has a large frame at 6'6" with the technique necessary to win at the line of scrimmage. He can excel on passing plays as well as running plays and should be a starter from his first day with his new team.

The San Diego Chargers need offensive line help, and they should take who they believe is the best player at the position, which could easily be Stanley. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller agrees:

There are plenty of other options available, especially considering the top two picks will likely be quarterbacks. San Diego will have its choice of the best players in the class, including the top two tackles as well as Jalen Ramsey, Joey Bosa and DeForest Buckner. Whether Stanley is taken or someone else, this pick will likely cause a major shift in approach for all of the remaining teams.

Ezekiel Elliott to the Cowboys

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Like San Diego, the Dallas Cowboys will have plenty of options to fill a variety of needs on the roster. While a player like Bosa or Ramsey might be a key addition to help the defense, Ezekiel Elliott is the player who might be selected No. 4 overall.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk recently explained the team's mindset, even noting the possibility of trading down:

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Surely, the Cowboys would like to get a transcendent player. And it’s no secret that they have developed a strong affinity for Ohio State Ezekiel Elliott.

Some think the ultimate choice will be between Elliott and his former Ohio State teammate, defensive end Joey Bosa. Others think that the Cowboys may try to slide down a few spots and still emerge with their preferred choice.

"

It might be too risky to trade down because you never know who will end up trying to take the player you want. While some might question taking any running back that high, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones is fine with it in this case. 

"I think he's worthy of being in the top 10, for sure," Jones said of Elliott, per Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. "Where we ultimately end up with him is still a work in progress, he's obviously a very quality type player and seems like he's pretty much universally looked at as a guy who deserves to be in that category."

Elliott is clearly the best running back in this class and seems to be one of the best prospects at the position in years. He has all the tools to be a quality player in any offense, meaning he could be a star behind the Cowboys offensive line.

This would be the game-changer owner Jerry Jones would love with little risk of ending up badly.

Joey Bosa to the Ravens

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While once thought of as the best player in the class, Bosa has seen his stock slide a bit to possibly out of the top five picks. If he does drop this far, the Baltimore Ravens will be waiting with open arms.

ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley explained the team's strategy:

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The Baltimore Ravens are focused on Ohio State's Joey Bosa and other pass-rushers at the No. 6 overall pick, an industry source said Tuesday.

Bosa is considered by some experts to be the top overall pick in this draft and is the type of young pass-rusher the Ravens want to pair with Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil, both of whom are in their 30s.

"

Hensley also noted the organization believes the Ohio State star can make an easy transition to a 3-4 defense despite playing in a 4-3 in college. He would have to become an outside linebacker and rush the quarterback from the edge after excelling as a defensive end the last few years.

If Bosa is gone, look for the Ravens to go after other pass-rushers who could immediately help out the defense.

Baltimore used to be known for its stout defense, but last year's squad struggled, especially against the pass. Opposing quarterbacks posted a quarterback rating of 99.6 against this defense, ranking just 27th in the NFL.

Adding an elite pass-rusher would put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks and make the entire defense look much better.

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