Did you ever wonder what would happen if NFL teams drafted strictly on a talent grade, regardless of need? I must admit, I’ve had that thought numerous times myself. Well, this year, curiosity has gotten the best of me; so let me lay down the criteria of this mock.

1 – Talent grades are based on those posted on NFL.com. I was unable to find out just who is responsible for compiling the list and giving out the grades, but I suspect that Gil Brandt has something to do with it.

2 – The team drafting MUST take the highest ranking player available – regardless of need. The only exceptions are as follows. A) any case where there are more than one player with the exact same grade; then the team on the clock may choose – out of those players only – which one to take. B) The severity of Notre Dame OLB Jaylon Smith is such that he may not be able to play at all in 2016. For that reason, he is excluded from this mock draft.

3 – These selections DO NOT NECESSARILY reflect the players whom Bill Wunkle would take if he were conducting his own independent mock draft.

With that said . . . here’s the 2016 “What if” NFL mock draft.

ROUND ONE

Laremy Tunsil – OT – Mississippi

Myles Jack – OLB – UCLA

DeForest Buckner – DE – Oregon

Ezekiel Elliott – RB – Ohio State

Jalen Ramsey – CB/FS – Florida State

Joey Bosa – DE – Ohio State

Jared Goff – QB – California

Vernon Hargreaves – CB – Florida (from MIA)

Ronnie Stanley – OT – Notre Dame

A’Shawn Robinson – DT – Alabama

Leonard Floyd – OLB – Georgia

Reggie Ragland – ILB – Alabama

Henry Hunter – TE – Arkansas (from PHI)

Paxton Lynch – QB – Memphis

Andrew Billings – NT – Baylor

Cody Whitehair – OG – Kansas State

Jack Conklin – OT – Michigan State

Kevin Dodd – DE – Clemson

Robert Nkemdiche – DT – Mississippi

Laquan Treadwell – WR – Mississippi

Carson Wentz – QB – North Dakota State

Mackensie Alexander – CB – Clemson

Shaq Lawson – DE – Clemson

Chris Jones – DT – Mississippi State

Jarran Reed – DT – Alabama

Sheldon Rankins – DT – Louisville

Emmanuel Ogbah – DE – Oklahoma State

Hassan Ridgeway – DT – Texas

Jordan Howard – RB – Indiana

Vernon Butler – DT – Louisiana Tech

Derrick Henry – RB – Alabama

OTHER CLEVELAND BROWNS PICKS

32: Will Fuller – WR – Notre Dame

65: Christian Westerman – OG – Arizona State

100: DJ White – CB – Georgia Tech

139: Sean Davis – CB/S – Maryland

142: Joe Dahl – OG – Washington State

173: Blake Martinez – ILB – Stanford

174: Victor Ochi – DE/OLB – Stony Brook

177: Devon Johnson – RB – Marshall

223: Ryan Malleck – TE – Virginia Tech

224: Andy Janovich – FB – Nebraska

That’s all for now. This is Bill Wunkle signing off from the padded cell. Have a good night, Everybody!