Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

2016 NFL Mock Draft: Pick Predictions and Analysis of Top Prospects

Ryan McCrystal

The 2016 NFL Scouting Combine wraps up Monday, bringing teams closer to finalizing their draft boards.

Draft projections will change dramatically in the coming weeks of NFL free agency, but the combine performances are a major step toward slotting players into certain ranges in mock drafts. 

Many of the team-prospect matchups will change before April, but after seeing prospects in the all-star circuit and the combine, we have a strong grasp on where players belong compared to their peers.

Here's a look at our most recent mock draft heading into the final day of the combine:

NFL Mock Draft
Pick Team Player Position School
1 Tennessee Titans Laremy Tunsil OT Ole Miss
2 Cleveland Browns Jalen Ramsey DB Florida State
3 San Diego Chargers Ronnie Stanley OT Notre Dame
4 Dallas Cowboys Joey Bosa DE Ohio State
5 Jacksonville Jaguars Myles Jack LB UCLA
6 Baltimore Ravens DeForest Buckner DL Oregon
7 San Francisco 49ers Jason Spriggs OT Indiana
8 Miami Dolphins Darron Lee LB Ohio State
9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Noah Spence DE Eastern Kentucky
10 New York Giants A'Shawn Robinson DT Alabama
11 Chicago Bears Jared Goff QB California
12 New Orleans Saints Carson Wentz QB North Dakota State
13 Philadelphia Eagles Taylor Decker OT Ohio State
14 Oakland Raiders Mackensie Alexander CB Clemson
15 Los Angeles Rams Corey Coleman WR Baylor
16 Detroit Lions Sheldon Rankins DT Louisville
17 Atlanta Falcons Shaq Lawson DE Clemson
18 Indianapolis Colts Jack Conklin OT Michigan State
19 Buffalo Bills Kevin Dodd DE Clemson
20 New York Jets Ezekiel Elliott RB Ohio State
21 Washington Redskins Vernon Hargreaves III CB Florida
22 Houston Texans Derrick Henry RB Alabama
23 Minnesota Vikings Cody Whitehair OG Kansas State
24 Cincinnati Bengals Laquon Treadwell WR Ole Miss
25 Pittsburgh Steelers Eli Apple CB Ohio State
26 Seattle Seahawks Vernon Butler DT Louisiana Tech
27 Green Bay Packers Reggie Ragland LB Alabama
28 Kansas City Chiefs Leonard Floyd LB Georgia
29 Arizona Cardinals Andrew Billings DT Baylor
30 Carolina Panthers Xavien Howard CB Baylor
31 Denver Broncos Ryan Kelly OL Alabama

Notable Picks

7. San Francisco 49ers: OT Jason Spriggs, Indiana

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

After a stellar combine, Jason Spriggs has established himself as one of the top offensive linemen in this year's draft class.

Spriggs' performance was reminiscent of Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Lane Johnson, whose stock also skyrocketed after a dominant week at the combine in 2013. Johnson eventually went fourth overall to the Eagles, and a similar rise is plausible for Spriggs. 

The 49ers are one of the teams near the top of the draft with a number of holes on the offensive line to fill. Spriggs' athleticism would make him an ideal fit in head coach Chip Kelly's offense in San Francisco. 

8. Miami Dolphins: LB Darron Lee, Ohio State

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

Ohio State's Darron Lee is another hot prospect after a dominant combine performance. 

As Ohio State director of player personnel Mark Pantoni pointed out, Lee's 40-yard dash put him in company with wide receivers:

Only 6 WRs ran faster than @DLeeMG8 😳

— Mark Pantoni (@markpantoni) February 28, 2016

Pure speed is a small piece of the equation, but Lee's well-rounded combine performance confirmed his elite athletic traits that were apparent on the field.

With only two years of starting experience at linebacker (he played cornerback in high school), Lee is still developing, and he has the athleticism to reach an elite level.

The Miami Dolphins could be an early landing spot for the former Buckeye. Drafting Lee would allow them to add a new style of linebacker to their relatively stiff defense. Lee's elite range would be a welcome addition in Miami and help jump-start its defensive rebuilding process. 

27. Green Bay Packers: LB Reggie Ragland, Alabama

L.G. Patterson/Associated Press

In previous years, Reggie Ragland may have been the cream of the crop at linebacker. But we're starting to see more and more teams lean toward the elite athletes such as Lee and Myles Jack.

As a result, a strong, albeit more traditional, linebacker such as Ragland could slip down the board on draft day. If Ragland falls, Green Bay should be quick to scoop him up. 

Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com reported earlier in the offseason that the Packers want to move Clay Matthews back to outside linebacker in 2016. The addition of Ragland would make that move possible.

   

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