The college football season is nearly complete, which can mean only one thing: The NFL draft is rapidly approaching.
The mock draft below, our first to preview 2016, projects all 31 first-round picks. (Remember, the Patriots lost their selection as a result of Deflategate sanctions.) It goes without saying that a lot will change between now and April 28, including the draft order, team needs and the grades of many of our top prospects, as we continue our tape evaluations and dig deeper into intangibles and medical status. Some of the players included here are underclassmen who haven't yet decided whether they'll enter the 2016 draft, and some teams will inevitably undergo regime changes in the coming weeks.
But this mock draft can serve as an early primer on where the draft board stands right now, and the prospects teams could be considering with their picks in 2016.
Two quick notes: (1) We used ESPN's Football Power Index to project what the order will be at the end of the season. Read more about the FPI here. (2) All underclassmen are noted with an asterisk.
1. Tennessee Titans
Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State Buckeyes*
Even with the Titans' apparent needs on offense, it would be hard for them to pass on the best player in the draft. Bosa is scheme-versatile, with experience playing defensive end on both sides and moving inside to defensive tackle on obvious passing downs. And with 51.0 tackles for loss in 40 career games, he has the production you look for in a top pick.
2. Cleveland Browns
Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis Tigers*
Lynch has been an extremely efficient passer for the Tigers this season (69.0 completion rate, 28 TDs vs. 3 INTs) -- and he showed up in a big way against Memphis' best opponent (Ole Miss). He has not yet declared for the draft -- and I still have a lot of work to do on him in terms of analyzing his work ethic, leadership skills, mental makeup and durability history -- but Lynch has the physical skills to develop into a good starting NFL QB, which Cleveland needs.