2016 NFL Mock Draft

Last update: Thursday, Nov. 26, 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:
2024 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/16): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5
Other 2024 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/15) /April Fools Mock (3/31)
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (3/23)
(More links to previous NFL mock drafts at the bottom of this page)


    *** 2016 NFL MOCK DRAFT (3 rounds) updated Nov. 26. 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. Cleveland Browns: Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
    The Browns weren’t in position to draft a quarterback in a previous mock, but they 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. Whatever hope Cleveland had for Manziel is now gone, as he won’t stop his partying ways. Perhaps he can fool everyone again with another PR-move trip to rehab, but it’s likely that he’s done with the Browns.

    Follow @walterfootball for updates.

  2. San Diego Chargers: Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
    Is there any doubt that the Chargers will target a tackle if they’re drafting this high? If the front office doesn’t improve the offensive line, Philip Rivers might just retire on the spot. That, or grow even uglier facial hair.

    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.

  3. Tennessee Titans: Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida
    Tennessee’s defense has been better recently, but the team still has glaring holes in the secondary. Both the cornerback and safety positions need to be upgraded. This would address the former, as getting Blidi Wreh-Wilson out of the lineup would be in everyone’s best interest. Vernon Hargreaves would potentially provide a huge boost and would make the matchup against Andrew Luck more competitive.



  4. 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.

    Some might be wondering about a defensive back (Vernon Hargreaves, Jalen Ramsey), but that position is seldom selected so early in the draft. There’s more positional value with a player who can rush the passer.

  5. Detroit Lions: Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
    The Lions upgraded the guard position in the 2015 draft, but they still have a huge hole at right tackle. Riley Reiff has also played poorly as well on the blind side (though he’s been a bit better of late). 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 a couple of games, 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 either Laremy Tunsil or Ronnie Stanley.

  6. 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 – unless they’re forced to keep him because of the injury – 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.



  7. Dallas Cowboys: Jalen Ramsey, S/CB, Florida State
    I have a feeling that Jerry Jones will be interested in a defensive back out of Florida State. He needs to upgrade his safety position anyway, as neither J.J. Wilcox nor Barry Church is very spectacular. Both players will be impending free agents after the 2016 season, so the Cowboys need to keep that in mind as well.

    As Charlie Campbell reported, some teams are concerned about Jalen 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.

  8. Miami Dolphins: Myles Jack, LB/RB, UCLA
    The Dolphins have issues on every level of their defense, and the best player on the board who can help their stop unit is Myles Jack. The linebacking corps is in need of an upgrade. Jelani Jenkins is the only linebacker they have who’s not terrible in coverage, and he’s just OK.

    And yes, Myles 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 Tre’Davious White, CB

  9. Oakland Raiders: Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame
    The Raiders have some solid building blocks on defense, but they still need lots of help on this side of the ball, particularly at linebacker. Jaylon Smith would provide a big boost in the lacking middle of Oakland’s stop unit, and he also happens to be one of the best prospects available at this juncture, so he makes sense for multiple reasons.



  10. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State
    It’s time to cut ties Luke Joeckel. Three years is a large enough sample size to know that a player sucks, and Joeckel hasn’t shown anything this entire time. The Jaguars need to give Blake Bortles better protection; otherwise, he could turn into the next David Carr after being knocked around so much.

    Jack Conklin has been outstanding lately, and I think he has moved into top-10 consideration. He was dominant in the victory over Ohio State.

    Pick change; previously Myles Jack, OT

  11. St. Louis Rams: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
    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. Laquon Treadwell is one of the top two available prospects, and he makes more sense than his teammate.

  12. Washington Redskins: Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU
    If the Redskins are in position to upgrade their secondary at this juncture, I have to believe that they’ll pull the trigger. Their defensive backfield has been an abomination for far too long, and they won’t be able to count on DeAngelo Hall being around in the near future.

    Pick change; previously Reggie Ragland, ILB



  13. Chicago Bears: Robert Nkemdiche, DE/DT, Ole Miss
    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 could potentially offer a potentially massive upgrade.

    And yes, Nkemdiche could easily drop to the teens. 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.

    Pick change; previously Leonard Floyd, DE/OLB

  14. Philadelphia Eagles: DeForest Buckner, DE/DT, Oregon
    The Eagles have an outstanding defensive line, but Vinny Curry and Cedric Thornton are impending free agents. It’ll be difficult to keep the two of them, so if one (or both) leaves, Chip Kelly, if he hasn’t fled to USC, LSU or Texas, may decide to snatch another Oregon Duck to help him fill a need.

  15. New Orleans Saints: Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State
    It’s sounding like Sean Payton won’t be around next year, and he could take Drew Brees with him. It’s a shame that New Orleans could part ways with Brees after all he’s done for the city and organization, but the truth of the matter is, he’ll be a 37-year-old due $19.75 million in a contract season.

    If the Saints bring in a totally new regime, they may want their own guy, and the only first-round quarterback remaining is Connor Cook. The Michigan State product 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.

  16. New York Jets: Reggie Ragland, ILB, Alabama
    The Jets’ defense has been performing better than expected, but that doesn’t mean that they couldn’t use some upgrades. The middle of their defense could use some help. David Harris will be 32 in January, while Demario Davis will be entering free agency in the spring.

    Pick change; previously Scooby Wright, DE/OLB


    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







2024 NFL Mock Draft - April 16


NFL Power Rankings - Feb. 22


Fantasy Football Rankings - Feb. 19


NFL Picks - Feb. 12






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 4/16): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5
Other 2024 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/15) /April Fools Mock (3/31)
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (3/23)
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