2016 NFL Mock Draft: Matt Miller's Final 7-Round Picks

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Draft season is ending with a massive three-day event in Chicago, and now the wait is finally over.

The Los Angeles Rams are on the clock, and the 2016 NFL draft is finally here. Now, what will your team do in all seven rounds? From Jared Goff at No. 1 all the way down to Mr. Irrelevant at pick No. 253—every team, every selection—is covered in this final seven-round mock draft.

These picks represent what I'm hearing will happen—not a mock draft based on my rankings—as the final hours before the Rams go on the clock tick down. Goff and Carson Wentz are expected to be the top two selections, but from there craziness will ensue as general managers work the phones to secure the future of their franchise.

The NFL draft is where valuation meets evaluation, and with every pick predicted here, there are sure to be some surprises.

Check out the interactive mock draft above.

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The Pick: QB Jared Goff, California

No surprise here, as we reported Jared Goff would be the pick back on April 14.

In Goff, the Rams are getting a super-intelligent, accurate, poised passer with the football IQ and natural gifts to be a starter in Week 1. This isn’t a draft-and-stash pick, but a franchise quarterback ready to lead the Rams to the playoffs.

Goff’s accuracy and poise are an ideal fit for the fast-paced Rams offense. He’ll get help from a young, steady offensive line and running back Todd Gurley, and fans of Tavon Austin should be excited that he finally has a quarterback with the tools to get him the ball.

Goff ranks as the No. 1 quarterback in this class and has a draft grade tied with Jameis Winston's for the second-highest I’ve given—behind Andrew Luck—in my five years at Bleacher Report.

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The Pick: QB Carson Wentz, North Dakota State

Once the Cleveland Browns knew Jared Goff was coming off the board, they put the No. 2 pick up for sale. The Philadelphia Eagles, who began the draft process with pick No. 13 overall, made moves only seen on the movie Draft Day to come up for Carson Wentz.

A big, athletic passer, Wentz is what the NFL wants in the position today. He’s powerful as a runner and a thrower, is able to create plays on roll-outs and scrambles, and has the touch and accuracy to thread the ball all over the field. Wentz will give head coach Doug Pederson the athleticism and arm strength to open up his playbook.

The only question about Wentz is how he’ll transition from 23 games in college to the NFL. It may be best to sit him in a Blake Bortles-like move to start his rookie season.

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The Pick: T Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame

While the first two picks have been known for a few weeks, this one is coming down to the wire. I considered Laremy Tunsil, Jalen Ramsey and DeForest Buckner here, but everything I'm hearing in the last 24 hours before the draft points to Stanley as the selection.

A natural left or right tackle, Stanley has excellent length and football IQ. He'll step right into a lineup and make an impact as a run- and pass-blocker. The Chargers just spent a first-rounder on running back Melvin Gordon last year and then couldn't use him because the O-line was so bad.

This selection makes sense no matter how much they're paying King Dunlap.

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The Pick: CB Jalen Ramsey, Florida State

The Dallas Cowboys have a tough decision to make. Do they go with the best player available in Ramsey or fill needs with Joey Bosa or Ezekiel Elliott at pick No. 4? Or maybe even a surprise like Sheldon Rankins?

Everything I’m hearing, plus what I would do, matches up with Ramsey being the pick. He’s a dynamic playmaker with the build of Patrick Peterson and the range of Tyrann Mathieu. He’s versatile enough to have started at cornerback as a true freshman before moving around to safety and slot cornerback as a sophomore. That playmaking ability and matchup skill set make him a deadly defender.

Ramsey is the answer to the big wide receiver and athletic tight end. He’s an eraser who can take away the offense’s biggest weapon in the passing game each week from multiple alignments.

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The Pick: DE Joey Bosa, Ohio State

Bosa or Jack?

That’s the question I’ve been asking everyone in the NFL the last week, and no one has a solid feel for what the Jaguars will do. This is the front office that had everyone thinking Teddy Bridgewater in 2014, only to select Blake Bortles.

With a question mark on Myles Jack’s knee, Bosa becomes the best available player for the Jaguars defense. He’s a strong-side defensive end built to kick inside to a defensive tackle position on third downs. Opposite last year’s first-rounder Dante Fowler, Bosa would be an 8-10 sack end with the strength to stop the run in the AFC South.

The only disclaimer here is if the Jaguars cleared Jack’s knee when they met with him recently. If they believe his knee is fine for 2016 and beyond, he would give head coach Gus Bradley his Bobby Wagner in the middle of the defense.

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The Pick: T Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss

The Ravens are in an excellent position to draft the best player available—and with the quarterbacks going one-two, general manager Ozzie Newsome will have a top-tier player to choose from.

If Ronnie Stanley is off the board at No. 3, Laremy Tunsil makes the most sense in Baltimore, where left tackle Eugene Monroe is 29 and battling injuries. Tunsil would have a legitimate chance to start as a rookie on the left side.

He is an athletic specimen with excellent movement skills and patience as a blocker. He doesn’t get rattled and in the last two seasons showed himself to be an elite pass protector.

The other options in play here would be a surprise pick like Leonard Floyd to bolster a Baltimore pass rush that has grown stagnant.

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The Pick: DL DeForest Buckner, Oregon

The San Francisco 49ers will sit, wait and let a top player fall to them. I’m convinced the 49ers will be content to draft the best available offensive tackle or Oregon defensive lineman DeForest Buckner at pick No. 7.

Buckner would make back-to-back first-round picks from the Oregon defensive line—joining Arik Armstead to round out a front three that is all of a sudden very tall, very long and very athletic. Buckner also has the pass-rushing skills to kick inside to defensive tackle and rush the quarterback, which is something the 49ers had success with when Justin Smith was manning the 5-technique slot.

Buckner may not be a sexy or exciting pick in Round 1, but he’s a rock-solid player who will step right into the lineup and take care of a must-have position for a decade.

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The Pick: LB Myles Jack, UCLA

Myles Jack looked like a top-five lock when the season ended, but a meniscus tear that may have revealed a lack of cartilage in his knee has teams concerned. Allegedly.

Jack’s value in this draft will vary team by team, but it’s tough to imagine a top-tier talent like this falling outside the top 10 picks when the concern isn’t about his ability to play right now, but instead about his long-term health.

The Browns have been linked to Jack Conklin and Paxton Lynch here, but throughout the draft process I heard from scouts in Cleveland that building the defense would be a priority of the front office. If that information holds true, and the team doctors gave the go-ahead on Jack’s knee, he’s too valuable to pass up at pick No. 8.

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The Pick: CB Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida

With a new head coach in Tampa Bay, general manager Jason Licht may want to give Dirk Koetter an offensive lineman to better protect Jameis Winston. But with Vernon Hargreaves III on the board and Alterraun Verner struggling last season as a marquee free-agent signing, you have to think the Bucs will consider him here.

Hargreaves isn’t big, but he’s a technician with an excellent vertical jump that helps make up for short arms and a 5’10” frame. He would be a dynamite player in tandem with Verner and Johnthan Banks in a remade defense.

Other names to consider: Leonard Floyd, Shaq Lawson and Jack Conklin.

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The Pick: LB Leonard Floyd, Georgia

Where there is smoke there’s usually fire, and the smoke all draft season has pointed to Leonard Floyd with the New York Giants.

Floyd is an upside prospect with excellent athleticism but limited production on tape at Georgia. Many I’ve spoken with in the NFL believe his best days are ahead of him once he can get into a pro system and be coached up at one position instead of the versatile role the Bulldogs deployed him in.

The Giants love pass-rushers, and Floyd would allow them to move Jason Pierre-Paul inside to defensive tackle on third downs—something they did during their last Super Bowl run with great success. Floyd is athletic enough to play linebacker against the run and bump down to defensive end in nickel situations.

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The Pick: RB Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State

The Chicago Bears let Matt Forte walk in free agency. So why not draft a younger version of him at No. 11?

Running back doesn’t rank as the biggest need in Chicago, but when need and value meet, you generally make the pick. Elliott is the most complete running back in this draft class and a true three-down impact. With Jeremy Langford already in place as a complementary piece, Elliott is the type of weapon to push this offense over the top.

General manager Ryan Pace may look at his roster and feel the need to go defense here—and Shaq Lawson has been a favorite pick of mine recently for the Bears—but passing on Elliott would be a tough decision for any general manager with playoff expectations.

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The Pick: QB Paxton Lynch, Memphis

When pick No. 12 comes up tonight, I will not be surprised if the New Orleans Saints have traded out of it. If they stay, Paxton Lynch does make sense for a team that’s reportedly tried to land Marcus Mariota and Jared Goff via trades up in the last two drafts.

Lynch is an exciting, big-armed athlete with the mobility to execute the roll-outs in Sean Payton’s scheme. He also has the arm to throw down the field and up the seam—something Drew Brees does very well. The knock on Lynch is that he’s not pro-ready, but in New Orleans he doesn’t have to be with Brees in place for at least 2016.

Sheldon Rankins has often been mocked here and could still be in play for the Saints if they decide to wait on a quarterback. A name to keep in mind, based on what a scout in New Orleans told me, is Ole Miss defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche.

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The Pick: CB Eli Apple, Ohio State

The Dolphins see Ezekiel Elliott come off the board in front of them and go to their next-biggest need: cornerback.

Eli Apple is a big, physical press corner with the skill set to be an impact right away in man coverage. With Byron Maxwell holding down one cornerback spot, Apple can step into a defense with an elite set of pass-rushers and a stud safety in Reshad Jones and not be asked to be the man right away.

There will be a temptation to move up for Elliott, and I wouldn’t rule out Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee here either, but getting a cornerback when you play against Brandon Marshall, Sammy Watkins and Julian Edelman six times each season is arguably the bigger need.

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The Pick: DL Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss

After months of speculation about how far Robert Nkemdiche would fall (no pun intended) in this year’s draft class, he still manages to be a top-15 pick.

When he’s plugged in and fired up, Nkemdiche is one of the special talents in this draft class. His film against Alabama will make you a believer in his elite athleticism and pass-rushing ability. He comes to the NFL fully prepared as a 3-technique rusher—showing a spin move that can leave offensive guards hugging air and the first-step quickness to penetrate gaps.

The Raiders have a need for a pass-rushing defensive tackle—especially with concerns about Mario Edwards after a neck injury uncovered what might be a genetic condition that could limit his career. With that in mind, Nkemdiche becomes both a need and a value if the Raiders have done their homework and feel confident they can manage any off-field concerns he brings with him.

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The Pick: T Jack Conklin, Michigan State

A player many are linking in the top 10, Jack Conklin is a natural fit for the Tennessee Titans at right tackle. But he’s a much better value at No. 15 than he would be in a trade-up scenario.

Conklin graded out as an early second-round player on my final big board, but need trumps value in Tennessee where it must protect second-year quarterback Marcus Mariota. Taylor Lewan stays on the left side, and Conklin comes down from Michigan State to man the right side from day one.

The Titans have many needs and could look at a cornerback or pass-rusher here, but the smart money is on grabbing an offensive tackle and using their three Round 2 picks to get a wide receiver, defensive lineman and defensive back.

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The Pick: DL Sheldon Rankins, Louisville

New general manager Bob Quinn inherits a defense with a talented end (Ezekiel Ansah), linebacker (DeAndre Levy) and a promising young secondary. What this team lacks since losing Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley is an inside rushing presence. Sheldon Rankins can change all that.

Rankins is a natural 3-technique rusher. He doesn’t have great height, but he wins with first-step quickness and developed pass-rushing moves. He can dip-and-drive, rip through blocks and is quick enough to turn the shoulders of offensive linemen on his way to the quarterback.

A new general manager makes projecting a draft pick an even tougher job, but the Lions’ main needs come along both lines. Other players to consider are Taylor Decker, Ryan Kelly and Chris Jones.

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The Pick: LB Darron Lee, Ohio State

One of the best fits in the first round, Darron Lee belongs in Dan Quinn’s defense.

Playing middle linebacker, Lee’s speed and instincts would be unleashed in multiple ways. He’s agile enough to split out and cover tight ends and receivers in the slot, but he has the toughness and strength to rush off the edge or stack up runs between the tackles.

Lee, a redshirt sophomore entry, is a young player with a big, bright future. On a team desperately needing athleticism at linebacker, he’s an instant impact.

Other names to consider: Karl Joseph, Shaq Lawson, Kevin Dodd.

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The Pick: C Ryan Kelly, Alabama

Andrew Luck will return to the field in 2016, and the Indianapolis Colts are duty-bound to finally give him protection in the middle of the offensive line. Center Ryan Kelly received the highest grade I’ve ever assigned to a player at that position. He’s a plug-and-play impact for the Colts.

While many like to link the Colts to offensive tackles, that’s the strength of the line with Anthony Castonzo and Joe Reitz. Add in promising young guard Jack Mewhort, and this line could be good in a hurry if he and Kelly live up to expectations.

General manager Ryan Grigson has been awful about addressing the line through the draft, so don’t be surprised if the pick here is an edge-rusher, but there is no doubt it should be Kelly.

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The Pick: EDGE Shaq Lawson, Clemson

A potential top-10 pick lands in the laps of the Buffalo Bills, and for a defensive-minded head coach in Rex Ryan, this is too good to be true.

Teaming up with Jerry Hughes, Lawson would offer the thunder to his lightning to give the Bills a dynamic pass-rushing duo for their versatile scheme. In Lawson, Ryan has the Terrell Suggs-like player to drop from defensive end to linebacker depending on the offensive personnel.

Lawson may not be here tonight when the picks start flying, as I’ve heard his name mentioned as early as pick No. 9 overall. If he’s available for the Bills, they should resist the urge to get a quarterback and grab the best pass-rusher available.

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The Pick: T Taylor Decker, Ohio State

What will the Jets do at pick No. 20? They’ll draft the best player available. Period.

Last year’s draft had first-time general manager Mike Maccagnan sitting at pick No. 6 overall with zero needs along the defensive line, and yet he still selected Leonard Williams because the USC defensive tackle was the top-ranked player for them. He’ll do the same here—and like last year, the Jets will fill a future need by getting a right tackle to replace Breno Giacomini.

The Jets added Ryan Clady from Denver in a trade and seem content with Giacomini’s replacement-level play on the right side, which could turn their attention to Noah Spence of Eastern Kentucky or one of the top wide receivers still on the board.

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The Pick: WR Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss

The first wide receiver off the board will start a run on the position, and in this scenario Ole Miss star Laquon Treadwell comes off first.

Treadwell looked like a future top-10 pick in 2014, but a serious break in his lower leg saw him return in 2015 with less explosion in his cuts and open-field moves. Even so, he’s a physically dominant wide receiver who cannot be jammed at the line of scrimmage. Like a young Anquan Boldin, Treadwell brings a huge catch radius and a tough-as-nails ability to pick up yards post-catch.

With smaller players DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon already in place, Treadwell gives Kirk Cousins a receiver who can bail him out on 50/50 balls.

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The Pick: WR Will Fuller, Notre Dame

The Houston Texans seem set on adding a speedy wide receiver to the offense. Notre Dame’s Will Fuller is the premier deep threat in this draft class, and coming out of a complex system in South Bend, he’s mentally prepared for head coach Bill O’Brien’s scheme.

Fuller is an electric playmaker over the top and will force safeties to play on their heels. That will help out new running back Lamar Miller and existing stud wideout DeAndre Hopkins as Brock Osweiler gets acclimated to a full-time starting job.

If Fuller is off the board, Corey Coleman could be in play for the Texans, but I expect this to be the pick tonight.

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The Pick: WR Josh Doctson, TCU

Three wide receivers in a row? It’s possible, as the Minnesota Vikings must add a top-tier wide receiver to pair with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

After addressing the offensive line in free agency, the Vikings are in an ideal position at pick No. 23 to take the best receiver available. For them, that’s expected to be Josh Doctson. A physical jump-ball receiver from TCU, Doctson has the big catch radius Teddy Bridgewater needs. And in Norv Turner’s offense, Doctson can dominate on the “Bang 8” route made famous by Michael Irvin.

Doctson, Corey Coleman (Baylor) or even Michael Thomas (Ohio State) could be in play here, but I also wouldn’t be shocked if general manager Rick Spielman went after safety Karl Joseph from West Virginia.

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The Pick: WR Corey Coleman, Baylor

Marvin Jones is in Detroit. Mohamed Sanu is in Atlanta. The Cincinnati Bengals are without two of their best three wide receivers from 2015. That opens the door for a Bengals pick of wide receiver.

Corey Coleman has the speed and vertical ability to play perfectly opposite A.J. Green in the Cincinnati offense. He’s also a tough son of a gun with the ball in his hands and could be deployed as a true weapon in a creative offense.

Coleman is the expected pick, but the Bengals can be unpredictable. It wouldn’t be a surprise if a defensive tackle or safety were the pick at No. 24.

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The Pick: CB William Jackson III, Houston

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a need at cornerback for as long as I’ve been writing mock drafts at Bleacher Report. And finally, general manager Kevin Colbert goes after a long cover man with ball skills in Round 1.

Jackson has the skill set to be a true No. 1 cornerback. He’s NFL-ready coming out of the Houston defense and showed in the Peach Bowl against Florida State that he’s talented enough to compete against elite players.

With the Steelers, you can never be 100 percent sure on anything, and safety Keanu Neal may be tempting here, but Jackson is the right pick if he’s on the board.

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The Pick: DE Kevin Dodd, Clemson

The Seahawks have a load of needs on the offensive line and could look to add both a running back and a wide receiver at some point in this draft, but can general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll resist a versatile pass-rusher to pair with Michael Bennett?

Kevin Dodd had a tremendous 2015 season—coming out of the shadow he played in when Vic Beasley and Shaq Lawson were running things. With Beasley in the NFL and Lawson hurt to end the season, Dodd exploded with a fantastic performance against Oklahoma. It doesn’t hurt that he posted 23.5 tackles for loss this season, either.

Dodd is a value pick for the Seahawks, who may go toward need and grab Texas A&M tackle Germain Ifedi or Kansas State interior lineman Cody Whitehair.

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The Pick: DL Vernon Butler, Louisiana Tech

A big, bad 3-technique with the skill set to play the nose tackle position on first and second down, Vernon Butler is the name I’ve heard most often associated with the Green Bay Packers.

Earlier this week, I projected Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland here, and then I remembered a nugget from a scout who knows general manager Ted Thompson. The Packers general manager doesn’t value inside linebackers early in the draft and would rather wait until Round 2 to get a value pick. That meshes perfectly with the late buzz surrounding Butler.

The Packers have other needs, of course. An outside cornerback is a need, as it would allow Damarious Randall to move into a hybrid cornerback/safety role, and there is a definite need for an inside linebacker to push Clay Matthews back outside.

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The Pick: CB Artie Burns, Miami (Fla.)

As a football fan, I'd love to see Cody Whitehair come off the board here to play left guard and dominate defenses next to center Mitch Morse. However, the Chiefs have a big need at cornerback opposite Marcus Peters and must fill it through the draft.

Artie Burns is a top-notch athlete with the length and size to cover No. 1 receivers in the NFL. His coverage skills were underdeveloped at Miami, but he has the raw tools to learn on the job and still hold his own playing alongside last year's first-rounder. 

With a dominant pass rush, a top-tier young cornerback (Peters) and a Pro Bowl safety in Eric Berry, the selection of Burns solidifies the Chiefs secondary for the long haul.

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The Pick: CB T.J. Green, Clemson

No player in this first round has generated more buzz in the last week than T.J. Green.

A big, fast, physical safety prospect from Clemson, Green is being projected by many teams as an outside cornerback. He played all over the defense for the Tigers, showing off a mean streak and the cover skills to hang with wide receivers on the edge and get physical up near the line of scrimmage.

The Cardinals would most likely love to see center Ryan Kelly available here, but adding another dominant defensive back also makes sense. Green can play opposite Patrick Peterson and allow Tyrann Mathieu to roam and match up against slot receivers and tight ends.

With Mathieu and Tony Jefferson both hitting free agency soon, this pick is also about protecting the future of the defense.

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The Pick: SS Keanu Neal, Florida

The Carolina Panthers have big needs at cornerback, offensive tackle, slot receiver and safety, but that doesn't mean general manager Dave Gettleman will stick to the script and draft for need. In fact, he rarely does draft for a hole and instead goes with a true "best player available" model.

Keanu Neal is one of the best players available. A punishing safety prospect, he can play down in the box or even line up as a nickel linebacker in a Deone Bucannon role. He's a hitter with ball skills, and many I've spoken to say he's a mini Kam Chancellor. That sounds pretty good in an already aggressive Carolina scheme.

Neal may be overlooked for a bigger need, and a player like Xavien Howard could tempt Gettleman since he likes ball skills and speed, but it will be tough to let Neal slip by this pick.

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The Pick: LB Reggie Ragland, Alabama

The defending Super Bowl champions have Mark Sanchez at quarterback, which makes it an enormous need. But that doesn't mean John Elway should reach for a passer here if he doesn't like the value. In fact, that would be an awful thing to do given the talent he's accumulated on defense and at wide receiver. 

Instead, look for Elway to continue building through value picks. Reggie Ragland in this slot is a value, and he also helps fill the hole created when Danny Trevathan went to Chicago in free agency.

Ragland is often labeled as a two-down thumper, but I see a complete linebacker with open-field speed, instincts and enough athletic range to stay on the field in coverage or as an attacking pass-rusher on third downs. 

If Elway pulls the trigger on a trade for Sam Bradford or Colin Kaepernick, this pick won't be involved and should instead be used to keep adding talent to a defense that took hits in free agency.