Take a look at our annual beat writer mock draft below. The first round of the 2016 NFL Draft will begin at 5 p.m. PDT on April 28 in Chicago.
RAMS DRAFT PRIMER:
- Inside the Rams’ trade for the No. 1 pick
- Rams will continue to develop a deep offensive line
- Molding an efficient receiving corps is a priority for the Rams
- Ogletree’s move to the middle looms as the key to Rams’ defense
- North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz is a ‘no-brainer’ choice for the Rams
Mock draft: Panthers take Oklahoma State DE Emmanuel Ogbah with 31st overall pick
Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State -- As tempting as Derrick Henry would be for the Panthers’ ground game, and as much as GM Dave Gettleman loves defensive tackles, Carolina needs an edge rusher more.
Kony Ealy is emerging, but Charles Johnson is aging. Ogbah was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year last fall.
Mock draft: Cardinals select Alabama C Ryan Kelly with 30th overall pick
Ryan Kelly, C, Alabama – The Cardinals would be tempted to take Robert Nkemdiche here, but I think they would take Kelly in this scenario. They have an opening at center and Kelly is as NFL ready as any lineman in the draft.
This would be the third time in four drafts that GM Steve Keim and Coach Bruce Arians take an offensive lineman in the first round. The other two (Jonathan Cooper , traded to NE) and (DJ Humphries, inactive every game as a rookie) haven’t worked out.
Mock draft: Patriots forfeit 29th overall pick
The Patriots lost their first-round pick as part of New England’s punishment for the “Deflategate†scandal.
The Patriots also were fined $1 million and will lose their fourth-round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Mock draft: Broncos select Mississippi DT Robert Nkemdiche with 32nd overall pick
Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Ole Miss – John Elway takes best player on board, and isn’t afraid of character risks as showed with Shane Ray and Bradley Roby. Elway has never taken offensive player in first round.
Mock draft: Chiefs draft Clemson DL/OLB Kevin Dodd with 28th overall pick
Kevin Dodd, DL/OLB, Clemson — Dodd is the best player on the board at this point, and the Chiefs might welcome his talent and versatility. Dodd had a breakout 2015, and he has the frame and athleticism to chip in at defensive tackle, defensive end and outside linebacker while shoring up their bets at each position.
You can never have enough pass rushers in today’s NFL.
Mock draft: Seahawks take Michigan State T Jack Conklin at No. 26
Jack Conklin, T, Michigan State – The Seahawks entered the off-season needing some reinforcements on the offensive line, and the team’s situation up front grew even more curious during free agency when Seattle lost starting guard J.R. Sweezy and left tackle Russell Okung.
Conklin played left tackle at Michigan State though some think he may be a better fit as a guard in the NFL. The Seahawks could use some of both positions as they expected to add several offensive linemen in the draft.
Mock draft: Packers select Ohio State LB Darron Lee with the 27th overall pick
Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State – The Packers are moving Clay Matthews back outside, so they need an inside linebacker who can run and cover. The club is also in the market for pass rushers and a replacement for nose tackle B.J. Raji.
Mock draft: Steelers go with Ohio State CB Eli Apple at No. 25
Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State – The Steelers are desperate for help in the secondary, specifically at cornerback. Apple fits the bill and can start as a rookie. He would be the first cornerback the Steelers have taken in the opening round since Chad Scott in 1997.
Mock draft: Bengals draft Texas Christian WR Josh Doctson at No. 24
Josh Doctson, WR, TCU -- The Bengals must fill the void left by Mo Sanu and Marvin Jones leaving in free agency. Doctson’s ability to high point the ball and pull in the contested catch makes him a natural fit next to A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert.
Mock draft: Memphis QB Paxton Lynch selected by New York Jets at No. 20
Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis – The Jets search for a franchise quarterback continues as the team takes a chance on Lynch. Ryan Fitzpatrick remains unsigned and is not a long-term answer anyway. The Jets trust offensive coordinator Chan Gailey to get the best out of players. The 6-foot-6 Lynch is a fascinating prospect and could give Todd Bowles a quarterback to build around.
Mock draft: Texans take Baylor WR Corey Coleman with No. 22 pick
Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor -- The Texans want a receiver with speed to stretch a defense. The explosive Coleman runs the 40 in 4.3 seconds and scored 20 touchdowns as a junior last season despite losing two starting quarterbacks with injuries.
Mock draft: Vikings select Mississippi WR Laquon Treadwell at No. 23
Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss – For the Vikings, finding a No. 1 receiver is the top priority and something the team didn’t address in free agency, where offensive line was the focus. Treadwell would give Teddy Bridgewater the physical, deep-ball mismatch the team has lacked for years.
Mock draft: Redskins draft Baylor DT Andrew Billings with 21st overall pick
Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor – The Redskins’ defense was a liability down the stretch. They didn’t get remotely enough pressure up front. GM Scot McCloughan believes you build teams in the trenches, and Billings would be a good fit.
Mock draft: Bills draft Eastern Kentucky LB Noah Spence with No. 19 pick
Noah Spence, OLB, Eastern Kentucky – St. Rex loves granting second chances to players just like Spence, the best edge rusher left on the board. A pass rush opposite Jerry Hughes is exactly what this defense needs after a franchise-low 21 sacks last season.
Mock draft: Colts take Ohio State T Taylor Decker with the No. 18 overall pick
Taylor Decker, T, Ohio State – Since Andrew Luck got to Indianapolis, the Colts have been trying to fix their offensive line. They allowed more quarterback hits last year than any team in the league, and they simply have to protect their franchise.
Mock draft: Falcons select Alabama LB Reggie Ragland with No. 17 pick
Reggie Ragland, ILB, Alabama – The Falcons need an enforcer in the middle of their defense. They gave up 20 rushing touchdowns last season, tied for the most in the league. Instincts, nastiness and tackling ability are qualities the Falcons covet.
Mock draft: Titans select Notre Dame T Ronnie Stanley with No. 15 pick
Ronnie Stanley, T, Notre Dame – Early in the draft process it looked like the Titans might take Laremy Tunsil No. 1, but after the trade they turn their attention to the second-best tackle in this class to protect second-year quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Mock draft: Houston DB William Jackson selected at No. 14 by the Raiders
William Jackson, CB, Houston – After taking a Houston cornerback, D.J. Hayden, in the first round three years ago, the Raiders do a do-over for a bigger, faster model. The club, which is also looking for an inside linebacker, might try to trade down if given a chance.
Mock draft: Lions take Clemson DE Shaq Lawson at No. 16
Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson – In this scenario, the Lions would be tempted to fill their need at right tackle with Michigan State’s Jack Conklin, but Lawson provides more impact and the Lions have just as big a need at defensive end, with just three edge rushers currently on their roster.
He’d likely play as a rotational backup as a rookie and give the Lions a nice 1-2 punch with Ziggy Ansah going forward.
Mock draft: Saints take Louisville DT Sheldon Rankins with No. 12 pick
Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville – The Saints are desperate for pass-rush help. They ranked 31st in total defense and allowed an NFL record 45 TD passes last season. Great pass defense starts up front, and Rankins is the best interior pass rusher in the draft.
Mock draft: Dolphins draft Clemson CB Mackensie Alexander with No. 13 pick
Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson – The Dolphins need an immediate starter to play opposite Byron Maxwell, and Alexander has the best feet of all the cornerbacks. Miami will target a tailback in the second day.
Mock draft: Bears select D-lineman A’Shawn Robinson of Alabama with No. 11 pick
A’Shawn Robinson, DL, Alabama – With Loenard Floyd off the board, the Bears fill their need for a defensive end with the massive Robinson, who oozes upside. They wait until Day 2 to pick an edge rusher and improve their speed in the front seven.
Mock draft: Buccaneers take Florida CB Vernon Hargreaves at No. 9
Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida – The Buccaneers lack talent and upside at that position, and Hargreaves provides both. In a division with four franchise quarterbacks, it’s imperative that you can knock down passes once in a while. The Bucs allowed quarterbacks to complete 70% of their passes last season.
Mock draft: Giants select Georgia LB Leonard Floyd with 10th overall pick
Leonard Floyd, LB, Georgia – After using their last four first-round picks on offensive players, the Giants turn to defense over taking another offensive lineman. They haven’t selected a linebacker in the first round since taking Carl Banks in 1984, but Floyd has the athleticism and explosion this linebacking corps desperately needs.
Mock draft: Eagles pick up Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliot with No. 8 pick
Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State – With DeMarco Murray gone and Ryan Mathews prone to injuries, the Eagles have a need at the position. They could wait until the third round to address this, but Elliott is a special player worthy of being the first running back off the board.
Mock draft: Mississippi’s Laremy Tunsil drops to the Ravens with the No. 6 overall pick
Laremy Tunsil, T, Ole Miss – The Ravens have prioritized finding a playmaker on either side of the ball, but they couldn’t resist getting a long-term answer at left tackle.
Eugene Monroe’s ongoing injury issues have made left tackle a concern. With Joe Flacco coming off a knee injury, the Ravens need to make sure he’s protected.
Mock draft: 49ers draft Oregon DE DeForest Buckner at No. 7
DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon – Chip Kelly’s up-tempo offense will put pressure on San Francisco’s defense. Buckner, who was recruited to Oregon by Kelly, would probably be the team’s best defensive lineman on Day 1.
Mock draft: Jaguars select UCLA LB Myles Jack with No. 5 overall pick
Myles Jack, LB, UCLA – If Jalen Ramsey and Joey Bosa are gone, the Jaguars will go with Jack. They were 24th in total defense last year, so they need to upgrade on that side of the ball.
The defense will be tested early: In the Jaguars’ first four games this season, they face Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers, Joe Flacco and Andrew Luck.
Mock draft: Cowboys take Ohio State DE Joey Bosa with fourth overall pick
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Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State -- The Cowboys need pass-rushing help. It’s been a problem for a couple years, and it’s the team’s biggest area of need after the Greg Hardy experiment failed. Bosa is the best pass rusher in the draft.
Mock draft: Florida State DB Jalen Ramsey selected by the Chargers with third overall pick
Jalen Ramsey DB, Florida State – This is something of a best-case scenario for the Chargers as they’ll be able to select the top available player on their board with the third pick.
Ramsey is as good a bet as any, a versatile DB who would step in at safety for a secondary now without Eric Weddle.
Mock draft: Browns select California quarterback Jared Goff with the No. 2 overall pick
Jared Goff, QB, California – The Browns have not drafted a quarterback in the top five since Tim Couch in 1999.
Goff has demonstrated the ability to be the quarterback that this franchise has sorely needed. Hue Jackson coached at Cal, has a special place in his heart for the school, and loves Cal guys.
—Mary Kay Cabot, Cleveland Plain Dealer
Mock draft: Rams select North Dakota State QB Carson Wentz with the No. 1 overall pick
Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State – The Rams wowed star-driven Los Angeles and the NFL by trading up to draft a quarterback. It will be the second time in seven years the franchise takes a quarterback No. 1.
Wentz does not have major-school pedigree like talented Jared Goff, but he played in a pro-style system and has the tools, temperament and upside worthy of the pick.