Mel Kiper Jr. 2016 Mock Draft: Notable Picks from ESPN Guru's Final Predictions

When it comes to the NFL draft, no name rings louder than Mel Kiper Jr.’s, especially in the realm of mock drafts.

A pioneer of the draft process and one of the individuals responsible for the booming industry that has morphed into a year-round process and even crafted a day arguably as big as the Super Bowl itself, Kiper is a juggernaut of the predraft analysis.

Like any mock draft, Kiper’s listings offer an intimate look at the prospect stock market and team needs, not to mention the complex ripple effects that just a single pick can have on the entire order.

Given his credentials, Kiper predictably set the Internet on fire with his latest mock draft, available at ESPN.com. Below, let’s take a look at some of the notable lessons and picks from the offering before things get underway Thursday at 8 p.m. ET in Chicago.

The Quarterback Dilemma

Kiper went along for the wild ride with everyone else when both the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles decided to throw wrenches in the entire process by moving up to the top of the order to presumably assure themselves of one of the top quarterbacks in the class.

Given the shaky depth of the class, the trades made sense, and Kiper follows through in his latest mock by sending Jared Goff first to Los Angeles and Carson Wentz second to Philadelphia.

Neither team could really go wrong after selling the farm to move up. Goff is a pro-style quarterback who looks the part, and Kiper hasn’t been shy of singing his praises in the past, ranking him fifth overall on his latest big board before dishing some eye-opening praise: "Goff is the most gifted passer in this draft class when you add up all the tools it takes to succeed at the position. He has the big arm, the deft touch, the ability to anticipate and diagnose, and a sixth sense for how to maneuver and handle pressure."

Wentz has received plenty of his own hype, though, as also looks the part at 6'5" and 237 pounds with a booming arm. The big knock on him has been his level of competition since he suited up at North Dakota State, but an adjustment period is a small price to pay if he can pan out to be as great as the top two teams in the order seem to think he can be.

Though not a surprise, Kiper has painted a strong picture as to how the opening of the draft will unfold, regardless of how much of a mystery the league hopes it remains.

Surprises at Offensive Tackle 

For a long time, Laremy Tunsil has dominated the offensive tackle discussion when it comes to the 2016 draft, and that's been the end of the discussion.

Notre Dame's Ronnie Stanley has put on quite the late push, though, with NFL Network's Michael Silver even hinting a few days before the draft the San Diego Chargers would consider him at No. 3.

As for Kiper—Stanley goes eighth to the Cleveland Browns, with Tunsil sticking at third with San Diego.

Still, it's not hard to see why Stanley, 6'6" and 312 pounds with freakish athleticism, has received a lot of hype. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller helped soothe concerns about Stanley making a surprise late push in the court of public opinion:

Speaking of late pushes, don't forget about Michigan State's Jack Conklin. He actually landed fourth, ahead of Goff, on Kiper's latest big board—so it isn't a shock to see him come off the board 10th to the New York Giants. He gives veteran gunslinger Eli Manning some help, per Kiper: "The Giants get a much-needed starter at right tackle. I know [Leonard] Floyd has been in the discussion here, but in this scenario he's off the board."

Quarterbacks and defenders have received most of the attention for the length of this process, but Kiper has made it clear offensive tackle is a major spot to watch too.

The Fate of Myles Jack

The situation around UCLA linebacker Myles Jack has dwarfed all other draft storylines.

One of the best linebackers to come out in recent years, Jack has a knee issue that doesn't sound like it will go away anytime soon.

Just ask Jack himself, as Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post captured:

"

This quote to me from Myles Jack today about his knee can hardly be comforting to teams. pic.twitter.com/A6BwGYb6lu

— Bart Hubbuch (@BartHubbuch) April 27, 2016"

At one point, Jack was in the conversation as the top pick—he's that good. An elite athlete who can drop in coverage well and was so athletic that he took snaps at running back, he obviously has the speed and mental side of things down well enough to act as a sideline-to-sideline enforcer.

There's a reason on his latest big board that Kiper described Jack as "an almost perfect prospect for the NFL of 2016..."

So where does Kiper plant Jack in his latest mock? Thirteenth to the Miami Dolphins, which is a smart risk for a team accustomed to making big splashes after adding Ndamukong Suh one year ago. Drafting Jack would craft a unit that folks might not want to sleep on in the coming years, should everyone stay healthy.

Kiper's explanation for the shocker: "He's off some boards because of concerns about his knee, but Jack can't fall too far. He'd be a great fit here. The Dolphins have a clear need here and could jump for this pick."

If Kiper feels this strongly about the issue, chances are he's not far off from the truth. A rare talent, Jack is the prospect to watch Thursday.

Stats are courtesy of NFL.com and accurate as of April 28. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.