2016 NFL Mock Draft

Last update: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015. Major changes.
Next update: Next week. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

The order of this 2016 NFL Mock Draft based on the NFL Power Rankings.

NFL Draft Recent Links:
2025 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 10/2): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (9/27)
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)


    *** 2016 NFL MOCK DRAFT (3 rounds) updated Nov. 11. This NFL Mock Draft will be updated occasionally for important events. Check out old versions of this 2016 NFL Mock Draft in the archived mock section. Follow @walterfootball for NFL Draft updates. ***
  1. Detroit Lions: Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
    The Lions upgraded the guard position in the 2015 draft, but they still have a huge hole at right tackle. Riley Reiff is playing poorly as well on the blind side. I can’t imagine them failing to address this void two years in a row, and they are now in position to grab one of the top two tackles in this class. Save for the Chicago game, Matthew Stafford is having an awful season, but he can improve with better blocking. Thus, I can’t see the Lions eschewing the chance to draft Laremy Tunsil.

    Follow @walterfootball for updates.

  2. San Diego Chargers: Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
    Is there any doubt that the Chargers will target a tackle if they’re drafting this high? Philip Rivers’ pass protection has been a mess this year, and it could be worse going forward with Joseph Barksdale bound to hit free agency. Meanwhile, blind-side protector King Dunlap hasn’t been able to stay in the lineup, thanks to numerous injuries. San Diego absolutely has to do something about its horrendous blocking.

    Pick change; previously Jalen Ramsey, S/CB

  3. Cleveland Browns: Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
    The Browns weren’t in position to draft a quarterback in a previous mock, but they definitely are now – and it definitely helps that there currently appear to be three top-10 signal-caller prospects again in the wake of Paxton Lynch’s amazing season.

    We haven’t spoken to our NFL sources about Lynch yet, but unless he struggles to close out the year, I have to believe that he’ll grade out as a top-10 prospect, and perhaps the top quarterback in the class. Even if he doesn’t, teams get desperate and reach for players at his position. The Browns obviously need a signal-caller, as Johnny Manziel is an idiot who has no future (or present) in the NFL.



  4. Jacksonville Jaguars: Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida
    I’ve had the Jaguars picking a tackle for the longest time, but they can’t do that now because both blue-chip players at that position are off the board. Instead, they’ll “settle” for Vernon Hargreaves, who will provide a huge boost for their secondary. Jacksonville actually has some quality aspects to its defense, generating good pressure on the quarterback and stopping the run well, but it barely has any talent at cornerbck, as Davon House desperately needs to be upgraded.

  5. Tennessee Titans: Jalen Ramsey, S/CB, Florida State
    The Titans have major issues on defense, as they recently allowed Miami to have an offensive explosion. One of their many glaring holes is at the safety position, where Michael Griffin has been terrible for years. The front office finally needs to stop screwing around and upgrade him as soon as possible, and they can do so with one of the two best defensive back prospects in this class.

    As Charlie Campbell reported, some teams are concerned about Ramsey moving to cornerback this season, but he’ll ultimately find a home at safety in the NFL, given that he’s seen as such a special talent at that position.

    Pick change; previously Ronnie Stanley, OT

  6. Baltimore Ravens: Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State
    An overreaction to Terrell Suggs’ injury? Perhaps, but Suggs may never be the same coming off his second Achilles tear. Pernell McPhee is also long gone, so Baltimore could look into obtaining a pass-rusher in the first round this April.

    Besides, Joey Bosa is the top prospect who makes sense here, though Charlie Campbell recently reported that Bosa is regarded by some as a 5-7 overall player; not a top prospect as many believe he is. You can read all about it in the NFL Draft Rumor Mill. However, the one caveat is that Bosa could rise in a weaker class, and I have to think the Ravens would love to grab him in an attempt to improve their underwhelming defense.



  7. Dallas Cowboys: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
    Jerry Jones loves to draft talented receivers who fall to him, and Laquon Treadwell could be his next target. It’s not like the Cowboys couldn’t use Treadwell; they were completely devoid of talented weapons when Dez Bryant was out of the lineup with an injury, so even though Brandon Weeden and Matt Cassel have been terrible, they haven’t really had much of a chance.

  8. San Francisco 49ers: Jared Goff, QB, California
    It appears as though Colin Kaepernick’s time in San Francisco is done, as the pizza delivery guy coaching the team has decided to bench him in favor of Blaine Gabbert. San Francisco will almost certainly release Kaepernick this offseason, so unless Gabbert has an amazing finish, they’ll target one of the top-10 quarterbacks available in this class. Jared Goff can be the leader of a team that, according to Trent Dilfer, has a roster to die for.

    Some teams have concerns about the offense in which Goff plays in, but his pocket awareness and movement, as well as his intelligence have stood out. Things could change – and knowing how fluid the draft process is, they probably will – but Goff appears to be the No. 2 quarterback prospect right now.

  9. Miami Dolphins: Myles Jack, LB/RB, UCLA
    The Dolphins currently possess just one linebacker who can play all three downs, and that would be Jelani Jenkins. Koa Misi is joining him by always being on the field, but he’s a liability in coverage and should be relegated to two downs. Drafting Myles Jack could change that.

    And yes, Jack is still a first-rounder and a possible top-10 prospect. Jack tore his ACL, yet he’s still in play to go this high. Todd Gurley was chosen No. 10 overall despite his knee injury, and Jack got hurt so early that he’ll be ready for the 2016 NFL season opener.

    Pick change; previously Ezekiel Elliott, LB



  10. Chicago Bears: Robert Nkemdiche, DE/DT, Ole Miss
    Jay Cutler has played well enough this year that the Bears could consider keeping him for another season. Things will be difficult going forward without Adam Gase, who could earn a head-coaching job this offseason, however.

    Still, I think John Fox will want to upgrade his defense, and he can do that by obtaining the ultra-talented Robert Nkemdiche. The Bears’ defensive line is comprised of mediocre players, at best, and Nkemdiche would offer a potentially massive upgrade.

    The teams we’ve spoken to aren’t as impressed with Nkemdiche as the national media is, so it wouldn’t be surprising to slip into the 8-14 range. However, he’s the top prospect available who makes sense for Chicago at this juncture.

    Pick change; previously Connor Cook, QB

  11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State
    The Buccaneers drafted Donovan Smith to go with Demar Dotson, but Smith has struggled mightily thus far, so perhaps he could move inside. Also, with Dotson, he’ll be entering his contract season as a soon-to-be 31-year-old, so this could be a long-term solution.

    Pick change; previously Connor Cook, QB

  12. Kansas City Chiefs: Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State
    The next eight games will be crucial for Alex Smith (and also the fans) in Kansas City. Smith can save his job by playing well down the stretch and taking the team on a run into the playoffs. The fans, as a result, will be miserable because they’ll have to watch more of Smith’s dinks and dunks going forward. However, if Smith continues to struggle, the stubborn Andy Reid may be forced to abandon him. If so, a quarterback is in play at this juncture.

    Connor Cook has some accuracy and consistency issues that NFL teams are legitimately worried about, but once again, teams will reach for quarterbacks, so he should end up being a top-15 selection.

    Pick change; previously Taylor Decker, OT



  13. Houston Texans: Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame
    The Texans miss out on the top quarterbacks, but that’s OK because they have other glaring needs to address. For instance, the inside linebacker spot has to be upgraded. Benardrick McKinney looks solid so far, but he’s just a two-down player. Brian Cushing, who is on the field all of the time, isn’t a good player anymore. Houston is expected to move on from him this offseason.

  14. Washington Redskins: Reggie Ragland, ILB, Alabama
    Washington’s two primary inside linebackers, Keenan Robinson and Perry Riley, will be free agents in 2016 and 2017, respectively. They haven’t played particularly well anyway, so if the Redskins aren’t in a position to improve the secondary, perhaps they’ll look into bolstering their linebacking corps.

  15. New Orleans Saints: Leonard Floyd, DE/OLB, Georgia
    The Saints spent a second-day selection on Hau’oli Kikaha, but they’ll have to use another early pick on someone who can get to the quarterback. With Junior Galette gone, the pass-rushing options are minimal.

  16. St. Louis Rams: Tyler Boyd, WR, Pittsburgh
    The Rams had interest in DeVante Parker as a candidate for No. 10 overall, but they opted to go with Todd Gurley instead. Perhaps they’ll find a top receiver next spring because they absolutely need to get Kenny Britt out of the starting lineup. I wrote earlier that I thought about dropping Tyler Boyd recently in the wake of his DUI arrest, but the Rams are a team that tends to take chances on troubled players.


    Go to 2016 NFL Mock Draft: Picks 17-32

    Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I’ve received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwidth.

Go to 2016 NFL Mock Draft: Round 2 | Go to 2016 NFL Mock Draft: Round 3


Fantasy Football Rankings







NFL Picks - Oct. 3


2025 NFL Mock Draft - Oct. 2


Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4


NFL Power Rankings - Aug. 28






NFL Draft Links:

My 2003 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/24): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3
2003 NFL Draft Grades (Re-graded 6/8/08)
My 2004 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/24): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3
2004 NFL Draft Prospects/ 2004 NFL Draft Grades (Re-graded 6/6/08)
My 2005 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/23): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3
2005 NFL Draft Prospects
2005 NFL Draft Grades (Re-graded 6/4/08)
My 2006 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3
2006 NFL Draft Prospects (UPDATED 4/28)
2006 NFL Draft Grades (Re-graded on 7/3)
My 2007 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3/ Round 4/ Round 5/ Round 6/ Round 7
Other 2007 Mock Drafts:April Fools
2007 NFL Draft Prospects (UPDATED 4/24)/Kenny Ortiz's Top 40 Prospects
2007 NFL Combine and Pro Day Results
2007 NFL Draft Grades
2008 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/26): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3/Round 4/Round 5/Round 6/Round 7
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 (9/27)
2026 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 7/24): Round 1 /Picks 17-32
Other 2026 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (7/17)
2018 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2017 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2016 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2015 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2014 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2013 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2012 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2011 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2010 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2009 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2008 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2007 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2006 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2005 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2004 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2003 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2002 NFL Draft Re-Mock