NFL mock draft: Wentz should be Ram's top pick

Here is my projection for the first round of the NFL draft, given where things stand as of Tuesday:

1. RAMS (from Teesse)

Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State

Tough choice between quarterbacks, but ultimately, the Rams gamble on upside and pro-style experience instead of the safer, high-floor option in Jared Goff.

2. CLEVELAND BROWNS (from San Francisco)

Jared Goff, QB, Califoia

Expect the Browns to shop this pick until the bitter end in hopes of trading down, but if they stay put, Goff could be the quarterback they’ve been missing.

• Bonsignore: Mock Draft 2.0

3. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State

The best player in the draft falls to San Diego, who drafts Ramsey in hopes of adding to one of the league’s best secondaries.

4. DALLAS COWBOYS

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State

Too high for a ruing back? Perhaps. But Elliott is an elite talent at a position of need and could push the Cowboys over the hump.

5. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Laremy Tunsil, OT, Mississippi

Protecting your young franchise quarterback is important and drafting Tunsil could be a huge aid in Blake Bortles’ development.

6. BALTIMORE RAVENS

Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State

The Ravens need to rebuild their defensive front and Bosa, once the favorite to go No. 1, is the best defensive end prospect in the draft.

7. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Myles Jack, LB, UCLA

A Top 3 talent, Jack may fall because of medical questions. But at this slot, the 49ers should happily pick him to anchor their defense for the next decade.

8. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (from Miami)

Veon Hargreaves, CB, Florida

A candidate to trade up. If the Eagles stay put, they desperately need help in the secondary and Hargreaves is a future lockdown coer.

9. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

DeForest Buckner, DL, Oregon

Another falling prospect that could provide huge value, the Bucs, with their mediocre defensive front, shouldn’t blink in pulling the trigger on this monstrous end.

10. NEW YORK GIANTS

Roie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame

In need of offensive line help, the Giants get one of the best pass-blocking left tackles to come out in the past five years.

11. CHICAGO BEARS

Leonard Floyd, DE/LB, Georgia

The talent drops off here, but with the Bears in need of some pass rushers, Floyd is a natural fit even if he needs some seasoning to reach his full potential.

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12. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama

Take your pick of defensive tackles for a team that was an abomination on defense. Reed will help bolster the run defense; they could use a pass-rusher, too.

13. MIAMI DOLPHINS (from Philadelphia)

Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson

The coerback class is deep and despite Alexander’s size, he could be the best cover man option in the draft, which is an important need for Miami.

14. OAKLAND RAIDERS

Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville

Oakland could opt to add to its offense here, but a more fearsome front with a stud penetrator such as Rankins could make the Raiders dominant on defense.

15. TENNESSEE TITANS (from Rams)

Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State

The Titans trade down and still can get their right tackle of the future. Conklin is a mauler in run blocking and a perfect addition with DeMarco Murray in the fold.

16. DETROIT LIONS

Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson

Detroit’s defensive line coach compared Lawson’s workout to Jadeveon Clowney. Detroit needs a pass-rush threat opposite Ziggy Ansah. Seems like a natural fit.

17. ATLANTA FALCONS

Darron Lee, OLB, Ohio State

Desperately low on talent at linebacker, Atlanta adds a blazing athlete to the fold in Lee, who can also cover tight ends and the slot.

18. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State

The Colts need to make protecting Andrew Luck their No. 1 priority and by adding a solid right tackle in Decker, they can hopefully improve in that area.

19. BUFFALO BILLS

Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Mississippi

Nkemdiche could fall even further given off-the-field questions, but with his Top-5 talent, here’s betting that Rex Ryan takes a chance on him.

20. NEW YORK JETS

Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis

Given quarterback scarcity, Lynch may not fall this far. If he does, the Jets would be glad to entrust the tall, athletic signal-caller with their offense’s future.

21. WASHINGTON

A’Shawn Robinson, NT, Alabama

Any number of defensive interior players could be in play here, but Robinson is a 310-pound freak of nature who probably shouldn’t fall this far.

22. HOUSTON TEXANS

Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor

Houston needs speed opposite of DeAndre Hopkins and Coleman has plenty of it. With Brock Osweiler now in the fold, the Texans need to add weapons.

23. MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Laquon Treadwell, WR, Mississippi

Treadwell might be slow, but he’s a big-bodied, natural foil to the speedier Stefon Diggs. Like Houston, Miesota needs to add talent around Teddy Bridgewater.

24. CINCINNATI BENGALS

Josh Doctson, WR, TCU

The receiver run continues as the Bengals replace the wideouts they lost in free agency with perhaps the draft’s best all-around receiver.

25. PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State

Pittsburgh needs to get younger in the secondary and Apple would be a huge boon, and a no-brainer pick, if he falls this far.

26. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Cody Whitehair, OG, Kansas State

Tough slot to pick in for a team in desperate need of offensive linemen, so Seattle reaches on the draft’s best interior lineman in Whitehair.

27. GREEN BAY PACKERS

Reggie Ragland, ILB, Alabama

Another player who could go much earlier, Ragland would fit perfectly into the Packers’ linebacking corps as Clay Matthews moves back to the outside.

28. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

William Jackson III, CB, Houston

After losing Sean Smith in free agency, the Chiefs will be ecstatic to find one of the draft’s top coerbacks all the way at the end of the first round.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Forfeited pick

29. ARIZONA CARDINALS

Noah Spence, EDGE, Easte Kentucky

Some have him falling out of the first because of off-field issues, but Spence is a Top-10 talent and Bruce Arians runs a tight ship. Could be a huge steal.

30. CAROLINA PANTHERS

Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson

The less hyped of Clemson defensive ends in this round, Dodd could be a crucial addition to the Panthers’ aging rushing group.

31. DENVER BRONCOS

Veon Butler, DT, Louisiana Tech

A quarterback could be in play here, but if Denver passes on Coor Cook or gets Colin Kaepeick in a trade, defensive line should be the focus.