Dan Levine 2016 NFL Mock Draft – 26 December 2015

December 26, 2015 · Dan Levine

1. Joey Bosa 2. Paxton Lynch 3. Laremy Tunsil 4. Jalen Ramsey 5. Jared Goff

Round 1
1	Tennessee	Joey Bosa	DE/LB	Ohio State
Tennessee is in position to take the best player available with the first pick. Joey Bosa is that player. He’s a disruptive force that the defense could build around. With their quarterback presumably in place with Marcus Mariota, this is an obvious choice at No. 1.
2	Cleveland	Paxton Lynch	QB	Memphis
This pick all depends on how the Browns feel about Johnny Manziel as the future at quarterback. Though he’s played better of late, the jury is still very much out on the former Aggie. It would be hard to pass on a top quarterback prospect – in this case Lynch – at this spot.
3	San Diego	Laremy Tunsil	OT	Ole Miss
San Diego has had a very disappointing season. Philip Rivers isn’t getting any younger, and the offensive line has not blocked well for him or the running game. The Chargers should build from the inside out as they still have a lot of good offensive weapons when healthy.
4	Baltimore	Jalen Ramsey	CB	Florida State
In recent years, Baltimore’s defense has not resembled the tough units of the early 2000s – especially in the secondary. The Ravens get a stud at corner in Ramsey who has played for a strong defense on a national scale in college. He would likely start at the outset of training camp.
5	San Francisco	Jared Goff	QB	California
I think the 49ers would be jazzed with whichever quarterback prospect is here at five. They can finally move on from Colin Kaepernick and build around a young guy. Goff would also be a hometown favorite coming out of Berkeley. He’s got the arm strength to sling it down the field.
6	Dallas	Robert Nkemdiche	DT	Ole Miss
Dallas is likely in for a bounce back year in 2016 when Tomy Romo comes back healthy. They could go a number of different directions here, but Nkemdiche is the best talent on the board. It remains to be seen how far he drops due to his marijuana charge and off-field concerns.
7	Detroit	Vernon Hargreaves III	DB	Florida
It seems like Detroit is always drafting a defensive back in the first round, so why should 2016 be any different? Hargreaves can lock receivers down and was the best player on the best defense in the SEC in 2015. Jaylon Smith could also be in play here.
8	Miami	Jaylon Smith	OLB	Notre Dame
Miami’s defense has been very underwhelming after the addition of Ndamakong Suh. The Dolphins need to be a tougher team overall. Enter Jaylon Smith, who is one of the top ready-to-go linebackers in this class.
9	Jacksonville	Jarran Reed	DT	Alabama
Jacksonville could go a couple of places with this pick. Their offense seems to be finding itself a bit with Blake Bortles under center. With last year’s first rounder Dante Fowler coming back from injury, the Jags can really beef up that defensive line and be a force on both sides of the ball.
10	Chicago	DeForest Buckner	DE	Oregon
The Bears defense has been porous for the last few seasons. They do not resemble tough Bears’ defenses of the past. The star end for Oregon would be a great addition for a team that needs to improve their edge pressure. Defensive back and receiver could also be considered here.
11	St. Louis	Josh Doctson	WR	TCU
This is an interesting spot for St. Louis. Do they take a leap and grab a quarterback they desparately need? This spot may be too high for that. Instead they could take a huge weapon on the outside to continue and add offensive skill players. A trade could be an option as well.
12	New Orleans	Shaq Lawson	DE	Clemson
It looks like the Payton era may be over in New Orleans. Whoever is coaching the team next year knows that this is one of the worst defenses in the league. The secondary is a huge problem, but really any player drafted on that side will be a help.
13	New York Giants	Emmanuel Ogbah	DE	Oklahoma State
At this point, New York is not entirely sure what will happen with Jason Pierre-Paul in the offseason. Perhaps they will let him go after all of the drama that surrounded him this year. Either way Ogbah gives them a young, athletic talent off the edge for a defense that needs help.
14	Tampa Bay	Reggie Ragland	LB	Alabama
Tampa’s future looks bright with Jameis running the offense. The defense has not played poorly, but Ragland has been a standout on another stout Alabama defense. Ragland would provide an immediate upgrade at middle linebacker. He flies to the ball.
15	Atlanta	Ronnie Stanley	OT	Notre Dame
After a 5-0 start, the Falcons were exposed to be fraudulent. One big problem is the protection of Matt Ryan, who struggled for much of the season. An improvement on the O-line might go a long way, especially since the emergence of Devonta Freeman.
16	Philadelphia	Myles Jack	LB	UCLA
The Eagles offense did not necessarily live up to the hype, but their defense has been downright bad, giving up nearly 26 points per game and 40 points multiple times. Myles Jack’s injury will need to check out, but he is an athletic freak who makes plays. He would bring some intensity.
17	Oakland	Ezekiel Elliott	RB	Ohio State
Oakland hasn’t picked this late in a long time. They aren’t quite a great team yet, but they finally have some stability at quarterback. They would really solidify their offense as an elite unit with a young, tough running back. Elliott fits that bill. He, Carr, and Cooper could be the next triplets.
18	Buffalo	Kendall Fuller	CB	Virginia Tech
Fuller was injured this past season, but he is a first-round talent when he’s healthy. Buffalo’s defense did not perform to Rex Ryan’s usual expectations this year. They may look at a quarterback, but I think they take the best defensive player available at this spot.
19	Houston	Connor Cook	QB	Michigan State
Houston, if they are smart, will select whatever remaining quarterback is atop their board. They have cycled through four different guys this season. Cook is in a pro-ready system with loads of experience. They would finally have someone to build around.
20	Pittsburgh	Su’a Cravens	SS	USC
The Steelers are an offensive juggernaut, which is a much different look than the old Steel Curtain Pittsburgh teams. Their defense could use a boost. They are still looking for a permanent replacement for Troy Polamalu. Su’a Cravens, another USC safety, would be a great addition.
21	Washington	MacKensie Alexander	CB	Clemson
Most assumed Washington would go after a quarterback in the first round, but Kirk Cousins looks like he is the solution there – at least for now. The defense still needs a lot of work. Enter Alexander who played for an undefeated Clemson team. Receiver is also an option here.
22	Indianapolis	Jack Conklin	OT	Michigan State
It seems like ever since Andrew Luck entered the NFL he has gotten hit and sacked more than most quarterbacks. This season it cost him playing time. Indianapolis should keep building their line until they find the right combination to protect their franchise guy. Conklin will help.
23	New York Jets	Desmond King	CB	Iowa
The Jets are a nice team this season with a strong defense. Their pick could go on either side of the ball, but why not add to an already great unit? The cornerbacks are getting a bit older and so King would add some insurance on the edge.
24	Minnesota	Kenny Clark	DT	UCLA
Minnesota looks like a team that will stay in the playoff hunt for years to come. They could go a number of directions with this pick. They could use another wideout next to Stefon Diggs. But Kenny Clark is a good value here and adds to an already good defense.
25	Kansas City	Corey Crawford	WR	Baylor
Crawford may be a bit of a stretch here, but it’s hard to deny the FBS leader in receiving touchdowns is worthy. Kansas City finally has life at the wide receiver position with Jeremy Maclin. They would vault to a top-tier receiving corps with Maclin, Kelce, and Crawford in the mix.
26	Seattle	Taylor Decker	OT	Ohio State
Seattle has been steamrolling toward the playoffs after a suspect start. But they will have to improve that offensive line next offseason, which was one of the worst in the league. Plus, Russell Okung’s due for a new contract so there are a lot of unknowns at the position.
27	Green Bay	Tre’Davious White	CB	LSU
The Packers have had a rollercoaster of a year with all of their injuries and occasional ineptitude offensively. The loss of Jordy Nelson would compel you to think they need another receiver. I think they continue to bolster the defense in the high-flying NFC North.
28	Cincinnati	Leonard Floyd	OLB	Georgia
The Bengals have a very good team, and it’s a shame that their starting QB got injured heading towards the playoffs. They are in a position at No. 28 to choose the best player available. Marvin Lewis loves defense. Floyd is a linebacker that would fit right in in Cincinnati.
29	Denver	Joshua Garnett	G	Stanford
Though Peyton Manning did not play his best this season, the offensive line did not help anything. They lost a few pieces on the interior this offseason. This would be a great time for the first guard to come off the board. Garnett is the best prospect at the position.
30	Arizona	Scooby Wright	LB	Arizona
Arizona has been balling recently. A team with very few flaws can bolster a great defense with one of the best defenders in the FBS. Scooby Wright is a tackling machine with a nose for the ball. He will be a great rotational piece if not a starter for the Cardinals.
31	New England	Pick Forfeited

32	Carolina	Laquon Treadwell	WR	Ole Miss
Kelvin Benjamin will be returning from injury and Devin Funchess has emerged as a viable option alongside the blazing speed of Ted Ginn. However, Treadwell is the best player available if he drops this far (which may not happen). Cam would have weapons all over the place.
Round 2
33	San Diego	Noah Spence	OLB	Eastern Kentucky
After going offense in Round 1, San Diego needs to fill some holes on defense and boost the past rush. The Ohio State transfer would be a nice move here.
34	Cleveland	Eli Apple	CB	Ohio State
Apple on the other side of Haden? That sounds like a good recipe for Cleveland.
35	Tennessee	Derrick Henry	RB	Alabama
This is where the Heisman winner could come off the board. If Tennessee can boost the running game, then the pressure would be off Mariota. This would be ideal for the Titans.
36	San Francisco	Shilique Calhoun	DE	Michigan State
San Francisco got their quarterback in the last round, now they can work on their shoddy defense. Calhoun manhandled people in the Big Ten.
37	Detroit	Vadal Alexander	G	LSU
Continuing to add pieces to protect Matthew Stafford is a good idea for the Lions. They did it last year in Round 1. Keep it going in 2016.
38	Dallas	Carson Wentz	QB	North Dakota State
This is an area where the Cowboys might look to their future at quarterback position post-Romo. Wentz might not be here at 38, but if he is this would be great value for the Cowboys.
39	Baltimore	Vonn Bell	S	Ohio State
Baltimore continues to add to that defense by plucking one of the better safeties on the board. They could look at a wide receiver here as well.
40	Miami	Hunter Henry	TE	Arkansas
Here is where the first tight end comes off the board. With Jordan Cameron in Miami, now the offense can operate with two tight end sets and give Tannehill another option.
41	New Orleans	Andrew Billings	DT	Baylor
Billings could go a bit earlier. New Orleans continues to build the defense. Secondary is a strong consideration here.
42	St. Louis	Christian Hackenburg	QB	Penn State
St. Louis decided to bypass a quarterback in this mock draft. So they come back in the second round and take Hackenburg. He has underperformed this season, but has the arm talent.
43	Chicago	Jayron Kearse	S	Clemson
Chicago stays on defense and adds some safety help with another Clemson stud.
44	Jacksonville	Derron Lee	OLB	Ohio State
Jacksonville adds to the front seven with an experienced player in Lee.
45	Atlanta	Adolphus Washington	DT	Ohio State
That’s two Ohio State players in a row. Atlanta has to get better at stopping the run.
46	Oakland	Reuben Foster	LB	Alabama
Oakland hits the defensive side in round two. Adding Foster to the linebacking unit with Khalil Mack in place will be an immediate boost to the front seven.
47	New York Giants	Cody Whitehair	G	Kansas State
Eli is getting older, and it’s always good to protect your franchise guy.
48	Houston	Will Fuller	WR	Notre Dame
This would be a value pick for Houston. What a receiving corps it would be with DeAndre Hopkins, Fuller, Jaelen Strong, and Nate Washington.
49	St. Louis (from PHI)	Bucky Hodges	TE	Virginia Tech
The Rams load up on offense with Hodges. They could add to their underperforming defense here, but the offense needs the most help.
50	Buffalo	Karl Joseph	S	West Virginia
Another secondary player in Buffalo. Joseph is a fast guy who can add some pop on that side of the ball.
51	Tampa Bay	Sheldon Day	DT	Notre Dame
Tampa could go tight end here or an offensive lineman. Day is a great value at No. 51.
52	Pittsburgh	Jourdan Lewis	CB	Michigan
Pittsburgh adds a great Big Ten corner to continue to improve the defense.
53	Indianapolis	Jonathan Bullard	DE	Florida
Indianapolis’s defense has not been great this season. It always helps to improve the pass rush.
54	Washington	Jeremy Cash	S	Duke
Continuing to bolster the secondary, the Redskins add a safety.
55	Minnesota	Michael Thomas	WR	Ohio State
Thomas will likely go much earlier, but Minnesota goes after their wide receiver in Round 2.
56	New York Jets	Devontae Booker	RB	Utah
Booker could be a great get for the Jets at No. 56. He has to recover from his injury, but he would add to the great skill players on the Jets offense.
57	Seattle	Jonathan Allen	DE	Alabama
Seattle takes a defender who can add to their defensive line that is not quite as stout as the last few years.
58	Kansas City	Cassanova McKinzy	LB	Auburn
The future of Derrick Johnson is in question. McKinzy adds some insurance.
59	Green Bay	Tyler Boyd	WR	Pittsburgh
Green Bay adds their receiver to hopefully alleviate the loss of a Nelson or Cobb.
60	Cincinnati	Leonte Carroo	WR	Rutgers
Cincinnati adds a wide receiver to run alongside AJ Green. Carroo is a good value here.
61	Denver	Carl Nassib	DE	Penn State
Denver’s defense is great, but DeMarcus Ware is getting old and Derek Wolfe’s future is unknown. Nassib could fill a void.
62	Arizona	Ryan Kelly	OL	Alabama
Keep Carson Palmer upright and good things will happen.
63	New England	Jason Spriggs	OT	Indiana
New England’s first pick in this draft is an offensive lineman. Their losses on that unit have been evident of late, so they need quite a bit of depth.
64	Carolina	C.J. Prosise	RB	Notre Dame
Jonathan Stewart has been great, but he’s not a young man anymore. Prosise could be the heir apparent.

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Dan Levine 2016 NFL Mock Draft – 26 December 2015

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