After months of waiting, the 2016 NFL Draft is finally here to render all our mock drafts useless. But before Commissioner Roger Goodell starts calling out those names, let’s get one more mock draft on the record and make predictions for the top five picks in the draft.
Read on below for those picks and why they’ll end up where they do. And for more draft coverage, check out our predictions for the most likely draft busts here.
Barring some unbelievable curveball, the Los Angeles Rams will use the No. 1 pick – the one they traded a King’s ransom for – to draft their new franchise quarterback. And among the consensus top two QBs – Jared Goff or Carson Wentz – most signs point to the Rams going with the California kid, Goff, to be the face of the franchise.
The Cal product looks like the more pro-ready QB of the two. He faced better competition in the Pac-12, and has showed better decision-making with superior presence in the pocket.
No. 2 – Philadelphia Eagles – Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota St.
Again, it would be incredibly unlikely for the Eagles to trade all the way up to No. 2 and not take a quarterback. They’ll have to take whichever QB the Rams pass on, and that is most likely Wentz.
Wentz is widely considered the better athlete and has a stronger arm than Goff, but is still considered more of a project at this point. Philly still has Sam Bradford (for now) and Chase Daniel at quarterback, though, so Wentz doesn’t necessarily have to play right away.
No. 3 – San Diego Chargers – Laremy Tunsil, LT, Ole Miss
Don’t be surprised one bit if the Chargers continue the trading frenzy by trading down on draft day. But if they do, in fact, stay put at No. 3, they have a potential franchise tackle waiting for them in Laremy Tunsil, and they won’t pass him up.
Widely considered the best football player in the class for most of the draft process, Tunsil has all the tools necessary to be a stud tackle. And with the Chargers’ problems protecting Philip Rivers in recent seasons due to an injury-plagued O-line, Tunsil would be a very logical pick.
No. 4 – Dallas Cowboys – Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio St.
The Cowboys are in desperate need of a pass rusher, and that was before defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence was popped with a four-game suspension. The most logical move would be to take arguably the best edge pass rusher available, Ohio State’s Joey Bosa, and that’s what the Cowboys will likely do with the No. 4 pick.
Bosa was wildly productive in college with the Buckeyes. He was an elite pass rusher despite consistently commanding double-teams, and is also a very capable run defender.
No. 5 – Jacksonville Jaguars –Jalen Ramsey, CB, Florida St.
Ramsey is a -160 favorite to be drafted ahead of Laremy Tunsil, but there’s still a chance Ramsey drops lower than the left tackle. He won’t drop very far, though, as the Jaguars are ready to pounce at No. 5.
Ramsey was a versatile player in college, playing both cornerback and safety for Florida State. But Ramsey envisions himself more as a cornerback in the NFL, and that’s a position where the Jaguars could desperately use some elite-level talent.
