2016 NFL Mock Draft: Round 1 – Picks 17-32

Last update: Thursday, Jan. 7, 2015. Major changes.
Next update: Next week. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

The order of this 2016 NFL Mock Draft based on the current NFL Draft Order.

NFL Draft Recent Links:
2025 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 10/2): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (10/4)
2026 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 7/24): Round 1 /Picks 17-32
Other 2026 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (7/17)
(More links to previous NFL mock drafts at the bottom of this page)


    *** This mock draft will be updated each week. Check out old versions of this 2016 NFL Mock Draft in the archived mock section. Follow @walterfootball for NFL Draft updates. ***



  1. Atlanta Falcons: Jonathan Allen, DE/DT, Alabama
    O’Brien Schofield saw a ton of snaps this past season. The Falcons would be better off if that didn’t happen – they finished with the fewest sacks in the NFL, racking up just 19 – so it’s possible that they could use a second-consecutive first-round pick on an edge rusher.

    Pick change; previously Laquon Treadwell, WR

  2. Indianapolis Colts: Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU
    There’s no interior lineman worth taking this high. The Colts have other pressing needs, including cornerback. Vontae Davis just had one of his worst seasons in a while, yet he’s still the best corner the Colts have. That tells you how the dire the situation is for Indianapolis at the position.

  3. Buffalo Bills: Robert Nkemdiche, DE/DT, Ole Miss
    I think this is the most natural spot for Robert Nkemdiche. Even before his latest off-the-field issues, the teams we spoke to believed that he was overrated. Both Charlie and I had him in the teens before his recent incident, but he could fall to around 20 or so.

    The Bills might snatch him up in a heartbeat. Rex Ryan has shown that he doesn’t care about character concerns, and defensive tackle is a big need. Kyle Williams, who turns 33 this offseason, is due $7 million in 2016, so the Bills could part ways with him.



  4. New York Jets: Reggie Ragland, ILB, Alabama
    The Jets haven’t enjoyed strong play from their inside linebackers for quite some time. David Harris has regressed over the past few years and is now a major liability. Yet, he’s still better than the other starter, Demario Davis. New York can fix this in the first round of the draft this year.

    Pick change; previously Scooby Wright, LB

  5. Washington Redskins: Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame
    Jaylon Smith tore up his knee, so he’ll drop from the top 10 into the 20s. I think this is a good spot for him though. Remember, Todd Gurley tore his ACL and still was a top-10 choice. The difference here is that Smith probably won’t be ready to play until late in 2016, but he’s still too talented to pass up.

    Keenan Robinson and Perry Riley, will be free agents in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Will Compton has been inserted into the lineup, but he hasn’t been much of an upgrade.

    Pick change; previously Reggie Ragland, LB

  6. Houston Texans: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
    The Texans were going to take Todd Gurley if he fell to them at No. 16 because the concerns about Arian Foster’s soft-tissue injuries are real. Foster has never been the same since foolishly changing his eating habits, and he’s never going to be a reliable player as a result. Houston will be looking for a new running back this offseason.



  7. Pittsburgh Steelers: Su’a Cravens, S/LB, USC
    The Steelers are going to have a hole at one of the safety spots next year. Michael Mitchell has played well, but Will Allen is a 34-year-old impending free agent. Shamarko Thomas can’t get on the field, so I’m not sure he’ll be in Pittsburgh’s future plans if the team can obtain a talented safety early in the 2016 NFL Draft. The Steelers could also opt to use Su’a Cravens at linebacker in a Deone Bucannon-type role.

  8. Seattle Seahawks: Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State
    The Seahawks almost have to upgrade their offensive line, don’t they? Russell Wilson was constantly running for his life earlier in the season. Seattle has since made some great adjustments, but the front office still has to look at improving the blocking.

  9. Green Bay Packers: Scooby Wright, LB, Arizona
    Things appeared to improve for the Packers’ defense when the coaching staff inserted Jake Ryan into the lineup, but Ryan has proven to be a liability down the stretch. Green Bay has to finally find an upgrade at inside linebacker.

    Pick change; previously Michael Thomas, WR



  10. Kansas City Chiefs: Kenny Clark, DT, UCLA
    Andy Reid loves bolstering the trenches. I’ve had him taking an offensive lineman all this time, but he could also find someone for his defensive front. Jaye Howard and Mike DeVito have both been outstanding this season, but they also happen to be impending free agents. It’ll be difficult to keep both around.

  11. Minnesota Vikings: Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State
    Mike Wallace has proven to be a predictable disappointment, while Stefon Diggs seems like he would be best served as a No. 2 receiver. The Vikings may want to find a top-notch target for Teddy Bridgewater so that their young quarterback could take the next step.

    Pick change; previously Vadal Alexander, G

  12. Cincinnati Bengals: Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama
    The Bengals need to bolster the interior of their defensive line, as Domata Peko is no longer the same player he once was. There should be a couple of defensive tackles to choose from at the end of the first round.



  13. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Bullard, DE, Florida
    Outside of Calais Campbell, the Cardinals aren’t all that talented on their defensive line. Plus, Campbell isn’t getting any younger, as he’ll turn 30 this upcoming offseason.

    Pick change; previously Jonathan Allen, DE/DT

  14. Denver Broncos: Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas
    The Broncos traded for Vernon Davis in the middle of the season, but that turned out to be a failure. Davis did nothing but drop passes. The Broncos will have to go back to the drawing board in terms of replacing Julius Thomas. They could find the solution with Hunter Henry at the end of the first round.

    Pick change; previously Jonathan Bullard, DE/DT

  15. Carolina Panthers: Kendall Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
    Carolina’s defense has obviously been terrific this season, and even Charles Tillman has played well across from Josh Norman (when he was healthy). That will be a problem going forward, however, as Tillman will be a 35-year-old free agent in March.



    Go to 2016 NFL Mock Draft: Round 2




    Go to 2016 NFL Mock Draft: Round 3 | Go to 2016 NFL Mock Draft: Round 3


    Go to 2017 NFL Mock Draft | Back to 2016 NFL Mock Draft: Picks 1-16


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NFL Draft Links:

My 2003 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/24): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3
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2004 NFL Draft Prospects/ 2004 NFL Draft Grades (Re-graded 6/6/08)
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My 2007 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3/ Round 4/ Round 5/ Round 6/ Round 7
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Alternative 2008 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/7): Round 1 /Round 2
2008 NFL Re-Draft - Round 3 (UPDATED 4/27)
2008 NFL Draft Prospects (UPDATED 8/5)
Other 2008 Mock Drafts: Matt McGuire (4/25)/ Craig Smith (4/22)/ Emmitt Smith (4/21)/ Matt McGuire Shocker (4/21)/ Matt McGuire Backwards (4/19)/ Forum Mock (4/15)/ April Fools (4/1)
2009 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
Other 2009 Mock Drafts: Re-Draft (4/26) /Matt McGuire (4/25) /Reader Mock (4/25) /Hunter Ansley (4/24) /Backward Mock (4/19) /Emmitt Smith (4/16) /Celebrity Mock (4/9) /April Fools (4/1) /Experts (3/30) /KFFL (3/14)
2010 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/22): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2010 NFL Mock Re-Draft Day 3 (4/24): Round 4 (Walt's) / Round 4 (Matt's)
2010 NFL Mock Re-Draft Day 2 (4/23): Round 2 (Walt's) / Round 3 (Walt's) / Round 2 (Matt's) / Round 3 (Matt's)
Other 2010 Mock Drafts: Matt McGuire (4/22) /Backward Mock (4/20) /Emmitt Mock (4/17) /Celebrity Mock (4/8) /Experts (3/17) /Reader (4/13) /Consensus (2/25)
2011 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2011 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/30): Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 2 /Round 3
Other 2011 Mock Drafts: Free Agency (5/9) /Greg Cox (4/28) /Backward Mock (4/22) /Emmitt Mock (4/21) /Team Big Boards (4/21) /Celebrity Mock (4/13) /Experts (4/7) /Not Mock (4/6) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Greg Cox's 2012 Mock (2/22) /Matt McGuire (1/8)
2012 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/26): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2012 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2012 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/26) /Pick History (4/23) /Emmitt Mock (4/19) /Not Mock (4/19) /Backward Mock (4/17) /Celebrity (4/15) /Goals (4/10) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock (4/1) /Free Agent Mock (3/6) /Greg Cox (9/9)
2013 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2013 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/27): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2013 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/25) /GM Mock (4/21) /Charlie's Trade Mock (4/20) /Goals (4/19) /Rapid Reader Mock (4/18) /Emmitt Mock (4/14) /Not Mock (4/13) /Pick History (4/5) /Backward Mock (4/4) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/7) /Archived 2013 NFL Mock Drafts
2014 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATE 5/8): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2014 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 5/10): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2014 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (5/8) /Goals (5/3) /Not Mock (4/27) /Emmitt Mock (4/20) /Trades Mock (4/13) /Celebrity Mock (4/11) /Backward Mock (4/4) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/6) /Overreaction Mock (12/30)
2015 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/30): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2015 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 5/2): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2015 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/30) /Goals (4/25) /Not Mock (4/19) /Emmitt Mock (4/17) /Trades Mock (4/12) /Celebrity Mock (4/10) /Backward Mock (4/3) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Free Agent Mock (3/5) /Overreaction Mock (12/29)
2016 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2016 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/30): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2016 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/28) /Combo (5/8) /Goals (4/23) /Not Mock (4/22) /Emmitt Mock (4/17) /Trades Mock (4/16) /Celebrity Mock (4/10) /Backward Mock (4/7) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/6) /Overreaction Mock (1/4)
2017 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/27): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2017 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/29): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2017 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/27) /Combo (5/7) /Goals (4/22) /Not Mock (4/21) /Emmitt Mock (4/16) /Backward Mock (4/9) /Celebrity Mock (4/7) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/7) /Overreaction Mock (1/2)
2018 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/26): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2018 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2018 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/26) /Combo (5/6) /Goals (4/21) /Not Mock (4/20) /Emmitt Mock (4/15) /Trades Mock (4/13) /Backward Mock (4/8) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/11) /Senior Bowl (1/27)
2019 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2019 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/27): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2019 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/25) /Combo (5/5) /Goals (4/20) /Not Mock (4/18) /Witten Mock (4/14) /Trades Mock (4/12) /Emmitt Mock (4/7) /Backward Mock (4/5) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Free Agent Mock (3/10) /Senior Bowl Mock (1/26) /Video Mock (1/8) /Overreaction Mock (12/31)
2020 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/23): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2020 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2020 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/23) /Combo (5/3) /Goals (4/18) /Emmitt Mock (4/12) /Trades Mock (4/8) /Backward Mock (4/5) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Free Agent Mock (3/16) /Corey Long (3/13) /Senior Bowl Mock (1/27) /Overreaction Mock (12/30)
2021 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/29): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2021 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 5/1): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2021 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (5/17) /Goals (4/23) /Backward Mock (4/18) /Emmitt Mock (4/11) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Senior Bowl Mock (1/30) /Overreaction Mock (1/4)
2022 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2022 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/30): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2022 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/28) /Goals (4/22) /Backward Mock (4/20) /Emmitt Mock (4/15) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Senior Bowl Mock (2/5) /Overreaction Mock (1/10)
2023 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/27): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2023 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/29): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2023 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/27) /Backward Mock (4/19) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Senior Bowl Mock (2/4) /Overreaction Mock (1/9)
2024 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6
Other 2024 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/25) /April Fools Mock (3/31)
2025 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 10/2): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (10/4)
2026 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 7/24): Round 1 /Picks 17-32
Other 2026 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (7/17)
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