2016 NFL Mock Draft

Last update: Thursday, Dec. 3, 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 12/11): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (12/13)
2026 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 11/29): Round 1 /Picks 17-32
Other 2026 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (11/23)
(More links to previous NFL mock drafts at the bottom of this page)


    *** 2016 NFL MOCK DRAFT (3 rounds) updated Dec. 3. 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. Tennessee Titans: Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
    Marcus Mariota has taken an absolute beating thus far, and he hasn’t even played his entire rookie campaign yet. The Titans have to do something about this; they cannot afford to have Mariota transform into David Carr.

    Laremy Tunsil is the best prospect who makes sense for Tennessee, anyway. With Tunsil on the roster, the Titans will have outstanding bookend tackles, allowing Jeremiah Poutasi to slide inside to guard, where he would probably be more comfortable.

    Follow @walterfootball for updates.

    Pick change; previously Vernon Hargreaves, CB

  2. 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.

  3. 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 were 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.



  4. San Diego Chargers: Joey Bosa, DE/OLB, Ohio State
    A tackle will be the popular mocked pick here, but with Laremy Tunsil off the board, the Chargers may feel that they can address the position in the second round. Besides, if they go best player available, I’m sure they’ll strongly consider Joey Bosa, who can help their lacking pass rush. Melvin Ingram, who hasn’t been able to stay healthy, is entering his contract year in 2016.

    Charlie Campbell 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 Chargers would love to grab him in an attempt to improve their underwhelming defense

    Pick change; previously Laremy Tunsil, OT

  5. San Francisco 49ers: Jared Goff, QB, California
    It appears as though Colin Kaepernick’s time in San Francisco is done. 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 – not crazy to say, as he has shown improvement – 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.

  6. Philadelphia Eagles: Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida
    Chip Kelly, assuming he’s still with the team, will have to atone for the mistakes he made at cornerback last offseason. He overpaid for Byron Maxwell and didn’t acquire any other proven talent at the position. As a result, No. 1 receivers have roasted Philadelphia’s secondary all season. That obviously has to change.

    Vernon Hargreaves is the best player available at this juncture. He’s not from the Pac-12, but he still makes the most sense for the Eagles.



  7. 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 knee, 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.

  8. Jacksonville Jaguars: Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
    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. Ronnie Stanley is one of the top players available, so this is a no-brainer selection.

    Pick change; previously Jack Conklin, OT

  9. Baltimore Ravens: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
    I’m not breaking any news by writing that the Ravens are desperate for receiving help. Kamar Aiken is their No. 1 wideout right now. Steve Smith’s future is uncertain because of his injury, while Breshad Perriman hasn’t been able to take the field because of health reasons. Baltimore desperately needs to find a play-maker for Joe Flacco, and it could be argued that Laquon Treadwell is the best talent remaining on the board.

    Pick change; previously Joey Bosa, DE/OLB



  10. St. Louis Rams: Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State
    The Rams almost have to pick a quarterback, don’t they? They paid Nick Foles this past offseason, but he looks like a lost cause right now. Jeff Fisher appears to be fed up with him, and I have to believe that this organization will desperately be searching for a new face of the franchise – especially if it makes the move out west to Los Angeles.

    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 Laquon Treadwell, WR

  11. New Orleans Saints: Robert Nkemdiche, DE/DT, Ole Miss
    With all three first-round quarterbacks off the board, the Saints can focus on upgrading their woeful defense. Almost every position needs to be addressed, so why not start up front with the best player still on the board? New Orleans’ best interior defender this season has been Kevin Williams, which is sad because he’s like 50 years old. The Saints have to find some young talent that can rush the passer, and Robert Nkemdiche would offer a perfect solution.

    And yes, Nkemdiche could easily drop below No. 10. 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 Connor Cook, QB

  12. Detroit Lions: Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State
    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. Stafford was awful during the first half of the 2015 season, but he can improve with better blocking. Thus, I can’t see the Lions eschewing the chance to draft a tackle in the first round if the value is there.

    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 Ronnie Stanley, OT



  13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame
    The Buccaneers need better play out of their linebackers. Lavonte David is having a down year, but he’s obviously a mainstay in Tampa’s defense. Kwon Alexander, however, has been worse, and there are some PED-suspension issues with him. I’m sure the Buccaneers would like to have him on the field for only two downs, so obtaining a better third linebacker makes a lot of sense.

    Pick change; previously Taylor Decker, OT

  14. New York Giants: Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor
    The Giants are tied with the Falcons for the fewest sacks in the NFL. Jason Pierre-Paul’s early-season absence obviously had something to do with that, but it hasn’t helped that they haven’t had any sort of pass-rushing presence next to Johnathan Hankins. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if New York grabbed the best lineman available, and that happens to be Andrew Billings, who had a monstrous finish to his 2015 campaign.

  15. Oakland Raiders: Leonard Floyd, DE/OLB, Georgia
    The Raiders were getting decent play out of Aldon Smith, but he’s been suspended for an entire season. Trusting him for the long term is probably not a good idea, so they could have interest in Leonard Floyd, the top player on the board, as a replacement.

    Pick change; previously Jaylon Smith, LB

  16. Buffalo Bills: A’Shawn Robinson, DE/DT, Alabama
    I’ve mentioned Mario Williams as someone who hasn’t played up to his potential. The same can be said for Kyle Williams, who turns 33 this offseason. Considering that he’s due $7 million in 2016, the Bills could part ways with him.


    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 - Dec. 13


2025 NFL Mock Draft - Dec. 11


NFL Power Rankings - Dec. 9


2026 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 29


Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4






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 12/11): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (12/13)
2026 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 11/29): Round 1 /Picks 17-32
Other 2026 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (11/23)
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