Below is my 11th annual NFL mock draft on buffalobills.com. As I always state this is how I believe things could play out in round one on Thursday night.
The trades we've seen already at the top of the draft I believe will spur more teams to try and move up or down for specific prospects or better value. That being said I'm not going to predict trades. My mock draft hopefully serves to provide a better feel for what other teams will be looking to address in terms of position need.
Enjoy the draft, Bills fans, and follow our wall-to-wall draft coverage at buffalobills.com!
Team
Top 3 Needs
Possible Selections
- Los Angeles
QB, CB, LB
Top choice: QB Jared Goff - Cal
QB Carson Wentz – North Dakota St.
The Rams made a bold move up the board to get their franchise quarterback. Goff is believed to be their preference over Wentz.
- Philadelphia
DB, OT, QB
Top choice: QB Carson Wentz – North Dakota St.
CB Jalen Ramsey – Florida State
The Eagles swung two trades and parted with three first-round picks to get to the number two position. You don't do that for anything but a quarterback you believe in 100 percent.
- San Diego
DE, OT, DB
Top choice: DE Jalen Ramsey – Florida St.
DE DeForest Buckner - Oregon
San Diego's offensive line was a mess last season, but it was more an issue of injury than talent. Ramsey is a rare player who could handle DeMaryius Thomas and Amari Cooper twice a year.
- Dallas
DE, DB, QB
Top choice: DE DeForest Buckner - Oregon
RB Ezekiel Elliott – Ohio State
The Cowboys need help up front with the Greg Hardy mess and DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory suspensions. Buckner offers a higher ceiling than Joey Bosa.
- Jacksonville
LB, DL, OL
Top choice: LB Myles Jack - UCLA
OT Laremy Tunsil – Ole Miss
The Jaguars bank on Jack's knee holding up hoping to get one of the most dynamic athletes in the class.
- Baltimore
OT, LB, RB
Top choice: OT Laremy Tunsil – Ole Miss
OT Ronnie Stanley – Notre Dame
After handing Joe Flacco a $66M extension the Ravens invest in their QB again and take one of the top pass protectors in the class.
- San Francisco
DL, CB, OL
Top choice: DE Joey Bosa – Ohio State
OT Ronnie Stanley – Notre Dame
The 49ers are supposed to get former first-round pick Anthony Davis back after a brief retirement, so the 49ers grab a blue collar edge defender.
- Cleveland
OL, DL, DB
Top choice: OT Ronnie Stanley – Notre Dame
OLB Leonard Floyd – Georgia
The Browns are fortunate to see Stanley still on the board. He can immediately replace Mitchell Schwartz at right tackle who left in free agency.
- Tampa Bay
DE, CB, S
Top choice: DE Leonard Floyd - Georgia
CB Vernon Hargreaves - Florida
The Bucs signed DE Robert Ayers in free agency, but speed & athleticism off the edge is needed and Floyd can provide that immediately.
- NY Giants
OL, CB, DT
Top choice: RB Ezekiel Elliott – Ohio State
OT Jack Conklin – Michigan State
This is not a typical Giants pick, but Elliott is a rare talent that helps an aging Eli Manning immeasurably on offense.
- Chicago
DT, OT, S
Top choice: DT Sheldon Rankins - Louisville
OT Jack Conklin – Michigan State
The Bears need a starter on the defensive interior and in a 4-3 front Rankins can be that guy as the run on defensive tackles begins.
- New Orleans
CB, DL, OL
Top choice: DE Shaq Lawson - Clemson
CB William Jackson III - Houston
The Saints begin addressing their league-worst defense with some help up front for Cameron Jordan.
- Miami
CB, S, LB
Top choice: CB Vernon Hargreaves - Florida
CB William Jackson III - Houston
Miami needs help at corner and Hargreaves offers the coverage and run support a team is looking for in a top flight corner.
- Oakland
CB, OL, DT
Top choice: CB William Jackson III - Houston
OT Jack Conklin – Michigan State
After finishing 26th against the pass the Raiders boosted their pass rush with free agent Bruce Irvin. Now they get help on the back end.
- Tennessee
CB, OT, LB
Top choice: OT Jack Conklin – Michigan State
ILB Reggie Ragland - Alabama
The Titans are interested in moving back up, but Conklin falling to them at 15 would be perfect. Their 18th ranked run defense could use a stuffer in the middle too.
- Detroit
OT, DL, DB
Top choice: OT Taylor Decker – Ohio State
DT Jarran Reed - Alabama
Answers in the trenches is what the Lions will be looking for and Decker is the best option on offense.
- Atlanta
LB, S, OL
Top choice: ILB Reggie Ragland - Alabama
LB Darron Lee – Ohio State
The Falcons need a true 'mike' linebacker for their 4-3 front and Ragland is a better fit for what they need than Lee.
- Indianapolis
LB, NT, OL
Top choice: LB Darron Lee – Ohio State
DT Jarran Reed – Alabama
Colts GM Ryan Grigson could go with a big man early, but depth in the draft at DT allows him to add some much needed speed at linebacker.
- Buffalo
LB, DL, S
Top choice: DT Jarran Reed - Alabama
CB Eli Apple – Ohio State
A linebacker of interest to Buffalo goes a pick before them, but they're more than happy to scoop up a hustling run stuffer who offers more pass rush than some might think. Trading down is possible.
- NY Jets
LB, QB, OL
Top choice: QB Paxton Lynch - Memphis
C Ryan Kelly - Alabama
The Jets may feel the need to trade up to get Lynch, and may use DE Muhammad Wilkerson to do so. Lynch here would be the third QB drafted by New York in the last four years.
- Washington
DL, RB, S
Top choice: DL A'Shawn Robinson - Alabama
S Vonn Bell – Ohio State
Washington may look to move down here as the value isn't ideal, but Robinson fits their 3-4 scheme.
- Houston
OL, WR, S
Top choice: WR Josh Doctson - TCU
C Ryan Kelly – Alabama
Doctson has enough speed to threaten defenses vertically and enough size to win jump balls. He'll get a lot of one-on-one matchups with De'Andre Hopkins on the other side.
- Minnesota
WR, CB, LB
Top choice: WR Laquon Treadwell – Ole Miss
CB Eli Apple – Ohio State
The Vikings have plenty of speed in their receiving corps, but are short on size. Treadwell provides a big target, who can make plays after the catch for the NFL's 31st pass offense in 2015.
- Cincinnati
WR, LB, OL
Top choice: WR Corey Coleman - Baylor
C Ryan Kelly - Alabama
The free agent losses of Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones prompt this move for one of the more elusive pass catchers in the class.
- Pittsburgh
CB, DL, LB
Top choice: CB Eli Apple – Ohio State
NT Vernon Butler – Louisiana Tech
The Steelers luck into seeing the third best corner in the draft still on the board.
- Seattle
OT, DL, LB
Top choice: DT Vernon Butler – Louisiana Tech
DE Noah Spence – Eastern Kentucky
The departure of Russell Okung leaves a hole at left tackle, but the value isn't there.
- Green Bay
LB, DL, OL
Top choice: DT Kenny Clark - UCLA
DE Kevin Dodd – Clemson
The Packers have drafted defense first each of the last four years. The value points them in that direction again as they address the loss of B.J. Raji, who is stepping away from football.
- Kansas City
S, WR, DL
Top choice: S Vonn Bell – Ohio State
S Keanu Neal – Florida
The Chiefs need a bona fide starter to pair with Eric Berry at safety. Bell can provide that.
- Arizona
OT, QB, CB
Top choice: OLB Noah Spence – E. Kentucky
CB Mackensie Alexander - Clemson
With one of the best edge rushers left on the board, the risk fits the reward at the bottom of round one.
- Carolina
CB, OT, LB
Top choice: CB Mackensie Alexander - Clemson
OT Germain Ifedi – Texas A&M
The parting of ways with Josh Norman makes Alexander a logical pick to fill the void.
- Denver
LB, DL, QB
Top choice: QB Connor Cook – Michigan State
DE Kevin Dodd – Clemson
Absent a quarterback deal with the Jets or Philadelphia, the Broncos may have to go best on the board at the bottom of round one.
There are only 31 picks in round one this year because the New England Patriots forfeited their first-round pick at 29 as part of the Deflategate scandal. *
