2016 NFL Draft Live Tracker and Grades, First Round

By Vincent Frank on Thursday, April 28th 2016
2016 NFL Draft Live Tracker and Grades, First Round

1. Los Angeles Rams (from Tennessee): Jared Goff, Quarterback, California

This was the expected pick. After Los Angeles moved up to the top spot earlier in April, it was going to be either Goff or Carson Wentz. As the draw inched closer, it becama apparent Goff would be the guy. Regardless of the bounty Los Angeles gave up for Goff, he's by far my top quarterback in the class. In fact, he's the only quarterback I have with a first-round grade. Goff is a Day 1 starter with All-Pro potential. Los Angeles made the right pick here. No questions asked. (Grade: A)

 

2. Philadelphia Eagles (from Cleveland): Carson Wentz, Quarterback, North Dakota State

This is absolutely absurd. Philadelphia exhausted multiple high-round picks to move up six spots in order to select a small-school quarterback that it won't ask to start Day 1. We aren't entirely sure how that works in the grand scheme of things. You pick a quarterback in the top 10 in order for him to start immediately. You definitely don't trade so many assets to move up for a quarterback that won't be starting. Just an odd decision. (Grade: D) 

 

3. San Diego Chargers: Joey Bosa, Defensive End, Ohio State

This one came directly out of left field. Most talk surrounded offensive tackles Laremy Tunsil and Ronnie Stanley or defensive back Jalen Ramsey. Instead, the Chargers went with a defensive end in Joey Bosa that is in no way a scheme fit in the team's 3-4 defense. It's a shocker. And in reality, it makes very little sense. (Grade: C)

 

4. Dallas Cowboys: Ezekiel Elliott, Running Back, Ohio State

Not too shocking here. Dallas had been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Elliott. Though, with Darren McFadden on board and after signing Alfred Morris, running back didn't seem like much of a need for the Cowboys. A generational talent, it's hard to criticize this pick too much, It's still rather shocking considering the needs this team had elsewhere. (Grade: B)

 

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jalen Ramsey, Defensive Back, Florida State

Jacksonville gets my top overall player in the draft at a need position with the fifth pick. That's absolutely absurd. While we want to give the team credit here, it's more about what the squad before Jacksonville did. Either way, great haul here for the Chargers. Best pick of the draft thus far, no matter where Ramsey plays (corner or safety) in Jacksonville. (Grade: A+)

 

6. Baltimore Ravens: Ronnie Stanley, Offensive Tackle, Notre Dame

Stanley is NOT my top offensive tackle in the draft. That goes to Mississippi's Laremy Tunsil. Though, this is a solid pick at a position of need for the Ravens. They need a franchise left tackle in front of Joe Flacco and now have that. (Grade: A)

 

7. San Francisco 49ers: DeForest Buckner, Defensive Line, Oregon

This was a perfect fit for San Francisco. Buckner is a tremendous scheme fit, boasts the highest upside of any defensive player in the draft and is a physically imposing freak. At 6-foot-7 and 291 pounds, Buckner will play defensive end opposite former Oregon teammate and 2015 first-round pick Arik Armstead. Tremendous pick. (Grade: A)

 

8. Tennessee Titans (from Cleveland via Philadelphia): Jack Conklin, Offensive Tackle, Michigan State

This pretty much means that Laremy Tunsil's draft-day fall is real after a video surfaced of him allegedly smoking marijuana immediately prior to the draft. Not sure what to think of this deal. Conklin is a very good football player, but he's never going to be an elite offensive tackle in the NFL. In fact, there's a darn good chance that Conklin will only fit as a right tackle in the league. Grade: C 

 

9. Chicago Bears (from Tampa Bay): Leonard Floyd, EDGE, Georgia 

We had thought long and hard about the Bears going pass rush with this pick leading up the draft. By yielding a fourth-round pick to the Buccaneers, Chicago nabs this fast-riser, someone that can come in and make an impact from a pass-rush only standpoint. It's a solid pick at a need position. (Grade: A)

 

10. New York Giants: Eli Apple, Cornerback, Ohio State

This is absolutely horrendous. Apple had a late first-round grade from me leading up to the draft, and most of that was based on projection three years down the road. He's not ready to play at a NFL level out of the gate and is more of a project. That's not something you select in the top 10. (Grade: D)

 

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Chicago): Vernon Hargreaves, Cornerback, Florida

The Bucs have to thank New York for taking Apple. Hargreaves was the best pure corner in the draft and a top-eight player. He can come in and immediately start opposite Brent Grimes. This solidifies the secondary for Tampa Bay. (Grade: A+) 

 

12. New Orleans Saints: Sheldon Rankins, Defensive Tackle, Lousiville

Here's one of the few picks we got right in our final mock. Rankins is a dominating interior force along the defensive line, someone that can collapse the pocket and get to the quarterback. That's an extremely underrated aspect of the pass-rush dynamic in the NFL. Most quarterbacks tend to struggle more with pressure from the inside than around the edge. For a Saints defense that's been disastrous the past couple seasons, this is a big deal. (Grade: A) 

 

13. Miami Dolphins (from Philadelphia): Laremy Tunsil, Offensive Tackle, Mississippi

Here's a pick that no one saw coming. Miami was said to be targeting a running back or corner with the 13th pick. When Tunsil fell due to that entire video being released of him allegedly smoking marijuana, it became apparent that the Dolphins had to go best player available. As my No. 2 overall player in the draft, this is an absolute coup for the Dolphins. (Grade: A+) 

 

14. Oakland Raiders: Karl Joseph, Safety, West Virginia

This started to gain a ton of traction leading up to the draft, so no one was really surprised by the pick. Unfortunately, the Raiders did reach a tad here for a player at a need position. At 5-foot-10 and just over 200 pounds, there are questions regarding Joseph's ability to hold up at the next level. What's not in question is his ability against both the run and the pass. (Grade: B) 

 

15. Cleveland Browns (from Tennessee): Corey Coleman, Wide Receiver, Baylor

Wide receiver was definitely a need for the Browns. I am just not sold on Coleman being that guy in Cleveland. While he's a dynamic down-field threat, he's not the possession guy an unproven guy like Robert Griffin III needs. The better pick here would have been Laquon Treadwell from Mississippi. Still, can't question the Browns' ability to continue adding picks while selecitng players at positions of need. (Grade: A)

 

16. Detroit Lions: Taylor Decker, Offensive Tackle, Ohio State

This is a tremendous pick for a Lions team that has made it known it's committed to Matthew Stafford over the long term. The key here is going to be to provide him with elite-level pass protection. By selecting Decker, the Lions can eventually move Riley Reiff to right tackle. (Grade: A)

 

17. Atlanta Falcons: Keanu Neal, Safety, Florida

Safety was definitely a need for the Falcons. And outside of Jalen Ramsey (should he play safety for Jacksonville), Neal is the best pure cover player at this position in the draft. What's going to be interesting here is whether the Falcons play him at strong safety, a position he seems to translate better playing at the NFL level. If so, they are going to get a good combination of run-stopping and coverage from that position, a rarity in today's NFL. (Grade: B+)

 

18. Indianapolis Colts: Ryan Kelly, Center, Alabama

At least the Colts went with need here. Kelly is the consensus top center in the entire draft. He's also a dramatic upgrade over Khaled Holmes at this position. Good for Ryan Grigson and Co. (Grade: A) 

 

19. Buffalo Bills: Shaq Lawson, EDGE, Clemson

Rex Ryan gets his Clemson guy here. Lawson is one of the most physically dominating EDGE players in the draft. He has 10-plus sack potential out of the gate and is a future All-Pro performer down the road. Instincts, athleticism and pass-rush moves. Three facets of playing the EDGE position in the NFL. Three things that Lawson boasts a ton of. (Grade: A+) 

 

20. New York Jets: Darron Lee, Linebacker, Ohio State

A value pick at a position of need. I absolutely love this for the Jets. While Lee will likely have to put on some weight to hold up as an inside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, his athleticism and coverage ability is second-to-none among off-ball linebackers in the draft. (Grade: A+)

 

21. Houston Texans (from Washington): Will Fuller, Wide Receiver, Notre Dame

Coleman would have likely been the pick here. But the Texans saw him go off the board a half dozen picks before to Cleveland. Fuller brings the same thing to the table in terms of stretching the field opposite DeAndre Hopkins. Unfortunately, his hands are a major question mark right now. A bit of a reach at 21. (Grade: C) 

 

22. Washington Redskins (from Houston): Josh Doctson, Wide Receiver, Texas Christian

I really expected the Redskins to go defense here. Instead, they get that big-bodied receiver for Kirk Cousins. Doctson's frame suggests he can dominate in space on intermediate routes. He also boasts the best set of hands in the draft. A solid pick for the Skins here. (Grade: A) 

 

23. Minnesota Vikings: Laquon Treadwell, Wide Receiver, Mississipi

Potentially the best pick of the first round, Treadwell was my top receiver in the class and a top-10 overall player. He's also the big-bodied receiver that Minnesota needs for Teddy Bridgewater. The ability to go up and get the ball while providing a large catch radius. This is something Minnesota has been missing for year. (Grade: A+) 

 

24. Cincinnati Bengals: William Jackson III, Cornerback, Houston

Cincinnati showed its hand and it backfired horrible. Everyone in the world knew they were going receiver, so the three picks immediately proceeding Cincinnati's selection were receivers. Instead, the Bengals doubled down on a corner position that they have drafted in the first round for the third time in five years. Jackson is a darn good prospect, but there were needs elsewhere. (Grade: B-) 

 

25. Pittsburgh Steelers: Artie Burns, Cornerback, Miami (F) 

Not a fan of this pick. Burns' bump-and-run ability will work well in Pittsburgh's defensive scheme, but I didn't even have a top-100 grade on him. Too much inconsistency. Too many issues with technique on the outside. Vulnerable against the deep ball, Burns will need plus-level safety play over the top out of the gate. (Grade: D) 

 

26. Denver Broncos (from Seattle): Paxton Lynch, Quarterback, Memphis

Well, John Elway got his man by trading up from the 31st spot. Considering this only cost Denver its third-round pick, it's not too bad for the defending champs. I just worry about what the Broncos are doing at quarterback. Lynch may possess plus-level upside, but he's nowhere near ready to start in 2016. This means that Mark Sanchez is the likely starter as of now. That's not good for anyone involved. Long-term? Really solid move for Denver (Grade: B) 

 

27. Green Bay Packers: Kenny Clark, Defensive Tackle, UCLA

This is a perfect fit for the Packers. At 6-foot-1 and 310 pounds, Clark will work well setting the edge for Green Bay's pass rushers at outside linebacker. The only real issue here is value. Both Andrew Billings and A'Shawn Robinson were available. Much better all-around players. (Grade: B-)

 

28. San Francisco 49ers (from Kansas City): Joshua Garnett, Guard, Stanford

Not a fan of moving up for a guard. But there's three things we need to point out here. First off, offensive line was the 49ers' weakest link last year. Legitimately, Jordan Devey might have been one of the worst offensive linemen I have ever seen. Secondly, Garnett's elite-level run-blocking fits what the 49ers are trying to do in that aspect of the game. Finally, all San Francisco yielded to move up from 37 to 28 was a fourth and sixth rounder while taking a seventh-round pick back. That's solid value. (Grade: B+)

 

29. Arizona Cardinals: Robert Nkemdiche, Defensive Tackle, Mississippi

If this dude is straight off the field and keeps out of trouble, he's going to be one of the best all-around picks in the draft. A dominating skill-set rushing the passer with the strength to stop the run, he's going to fit well into what Arizona has build in the defensive front. Add him and Chandler Jones to the mix, and the Cardinals have added a ton of talent with their top two picks. (Grade: A)

 

30. Carolina Panthers: Vernon Butler, Defensive Tackle, Louisiana Tech

This REALLY didn't seme like a need for the Panthers with Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei already on the roster. While there is some value to be had here, the Panthers had more pressing needs at offensive tackle, cornerback and wide receiver. (Grade: C) 

 

31. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver): Germain Ifedi, Offensive Tackle, Texas A&M

I had a mid second-round grade on Ifedi, so there's not much value in Seattle taking him in my book. With that said, the team needed to find an offensive linemen in the first round. Whether Ifedi plays tackle or guard doesn't matter, the Seahawks need an upgrade at both positions. Being able to add a third-round pick in a move down with Denver, Seattle also added some value to this pick while addressing a huge need. (Grade: B+) 

 

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