It’s the Holiday Season, the college conference championships have happened so there’s no reason not to bless you and yours with my first mock draft.
1. Cleveland Browns – Paxton Lynch, QB – Memphis
There’ll be a lot of talk about this pick coming up on the draft, but there’s just no question about it. The Browns are going to draft Paxton Lynch. He might as well start picking out his house in LeBron’s neighborhood now.
2. Tennessee Titans – Joey Bosa, DE – Ohio State
For the second year in a row the Titans win the draft lottery, picking second but getting the exact guy they want and, in this case, the consensus best player in the draft.
3. San Diego Chargers – Robert Nkemdiche, DT – Ole Miss
The new Chargers regime will begin with defense and there’s no better way to start than with the best defensive tackle of maybe the best class of defensive linemen since 2011.
4. Baltimore Ravens – Miles Jack, OLB – UCLA
Injuries ruined the Ravens’ season, especially on a defense that isn’t getting any younger. Baltimore needs to work the free agent market hard, but Jack fills a need and is a day one starter.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jalen Ramsey, CB, – Florida State
With Dante Fowler Jr. coming back from his preseason knee injury, the Jaguars basically will field two first-round picks in 2016. They’ve built a talented young offense, but still have work to do on the defense. They could go anywhere, but cornerback is their biggest need and Ramsey is the top rated corner as of today.
6. Dallas Cowboys – A’Shawn Robinson, DT – Alabama
It wouldn’t shock me at all if the Cowboys took somebody like Laquon Treadwell here to pair with Dez Bryant, but there’s no reason to with the emergence of Terrance Williams. Instead, the Cowboys can beef up that defensive line and may need to if they don’t bring back Greg Hardy.
7. St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams – Laquon Treadwell, WR – Ole Miss
Whoever the Rams head coach is, and it shouldn’t be Jeff Fisher, they’ll be giddy at the prospect of bringing a receiver like Treadwell into whatever city (probably L.A.) the Rams are playing in.
8. New Orleans Saints – Jaylon Smith, OLB – Notre Dame
The Saints have to go defense and Smith is the prototype strong-side linebacker and pass rusher.
9. San Francisco 49ers – Jared Goff, QB – California
The 49ers passed up on a Cal quarterback a few years ago and have regretted it ever since. They won’t make the same mistake again.
10. Detroit Lions – Laremy Tunsil, OT – Ole Miss
The Lions need a corner, but protecting Matthew Stafford and building up that offensive line has to be the focus, for Jim Caldwell or whoever the Lions get to replace him.
11. New York Giants – DeForest Buckner, DE – Oregon
The Giants have been shedding pass rushers for years and when they didn’t let a guy go, he blew up his own hand. Buckner is the start of probably a full draft defensive rebuild.
12. Miami Dolphins – Vernon Hargreaves III, CB – Florida
Hargreaves won’t have far to move. The Dolphins need secondary help and he’s the best available here.
13. Oakland Raiders – Ezekiel Elliot, RB – Ohio State
The Raiders have specific needs all over, but Elliot will be the secret weapon on an already potent, and crazy-young offense.
14. Philadelphia Eagles – Connor Cook, QB – Michigan State
Unless Sam Bradford is able to get the Eagles to the playoffs and make a strong run, he probably won’t be back. And even if he returns, he won’t be the long-term answer so the Eagles will look to the draft and Cook falls right into their lap.
15. Chicago Bears – Andrew Billings, DT – Baylor
The Bears may look at Shaq Lawson here, but defensive tackles that can come in and make an impact as rookies are rare. Billings is too good to pass up.
16. Atlanta Falcons – Shaq Lawson, DE – Clemson
The Falcons added Vic Beasley last season and Lawson this season to a defense that wilted down the stretch in 2015.
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Mackensie Alexander, CB – Clemson
The Bucs have emerged as a contender late. Alexander can come right in and start as a rookie and improve the pass defense immediately.
18. Houston Texans – Christian Hackenberg, QB – Penn State
The Texans can’t screw around this year. They need a quarterback. I like Dak Prescott a lot, but Hackenberg and O’Brien have a history and this pick is happening.
19. Buffalo Bills – Ronnie Stanley, OT – Notre Dame
The Bills need a quarterback too and frankly Prescott fits their team and scheme perfectly. But I think Rex Ryan is too pig-headed to take one here and will instead bulk up the offensive line. There’s a chance they can land Prescott in the second round. A slim one, but it’s there.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Leonard Floyd, OLB – Georgia
The Steelers have big holes in the secondary, but James Harrison can’t play forever and outside linebacker is probably the most important player in their defensive scheme.
21. New York Jets – Reggie Ragland, ILB – Alabama
The Jets need an upgrade at quarterback too. I feel like Bryce Petty may be that guy, but if they don’t the Jets could pull the trigger on Carson Wentz or Prescott here. I think they go with a defensive player and see how the rest of the draft goes.
22. Seattle Seahawks – Taylor Decker, OT – Ohio State
The Seahawks’ offensive line has been a disaster this season and it’ll take multiple picks to begin to fix it.
23. Kansas City Chiefs – Jack Conklin, OT – Michigan State
The Chiefs have recently invested a high pick on an offensive tackle in Eric Fisher, but they need an upgrade on the other side.
24. Minnesota Vikings – Kenny Clark, DT – Baylor
With the emergence of Stefon Diggs, the Vikings can spend this pick on defense and Clark can add a playmaker to a position that Minnesota just has bodies in right now.
25. Washington Redskins – Michael Thomas, WR – Ohio State
It took 18 picks, but our second wide receiver comes off the board. Picking Thomas would allow the Redskins to move Pierre Garcon on DeSean Jackson into the slot.
26. Indianapolis Colts – Germain Ifedi, OT – Texas A&M
The Colts’ offensive line has been a sieve all season and just like the Seahawks, they’ll use multiple picks on it in this draft.
27. Green Bay Packers – Jonathan Allen, DE – Alabama
The Packers’ pass rush has faded in the latter half of the season. If one of the premier defensive tackles drops here, they’ll definitely take him. Otherwise, it’s defensive end or outside linebacker.
28. New England Patriots – No pick
We didn’t get much justice from DeflateGate, but we got this.
29. Arizona Cardinals – Adolphus Washington, DT – Ohio State
The Cardinals are old all over except the defensive backfield. They could look at a linebacker here, but Washington is the best defensive player left on my board.
30. Cincinnati Bengals – Jarran Reed, DT – Alabama
The Bengals will enter this offseason without a single legitimate need on either side of the ball other than depth and preparation for the future.
31. Denver Broncos – Jason Spriggs, OT – Indiana
The Broncos have solidified their future with Brock Osweiler. Now they need to ensure his continued health.
32. Carolina Panthers – Derrick Henry, RB – Alabama
Jonathan Stewart is still a productive back and the Panthers could look at Corey Coleman from Baylor here, but Henry will be a long-term weapon for a Panthers team that gets scarier every season.
