We've seen some excellent early returns from the 2016 NFL draft class. Many of the top draft picks -- such as Ezekiel Elliott, Joey Bosa, Jack Conklin, Jalen Ramsey and Keanu Neal -- had huge rookie seasons. The list below excludes the top selections and instead ranks the 12 players who presented the greatest value based on their draft slot (example: QB Dak Prescott going from a fourth-round pick to 13-4 as a starter).
Let's dive in, starting with the biggest surprise of the 2016 NFL season.
1. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
Pre-draft grade: Fourth round | Drafted: Fourth round
I liked Prescott's frame, mobility, intangibles and toughness, but I worried that he would need a lot of time to develop coming from Mississippi State's zone-read spread offense. Prescott ended up finishing third in Total QBR. Granted, a great offensive line protected him well and Ezekiel Elliott helped provide balance, but there's no doubt that Prescott improved his mechanics. That led to his showing more accuracy as a rookie than we saw on the college tape we studied (67.8 completion rate in 2016, fourth in the NFL).
2. Jatavis Brown, LB, Los Angeles Chargers
Pre-draft grade: Fourth round | Drafted: Fifth round
We really liked Brown coming out and ranked him as the 12th overall outside linebacker. The biggest concern was his undersized frame (5-foot-11, 227 pounds) and, consequently, where he was going to play. But he was all over the field at Akron. Brown showed great range versus the run, he could rush the QB, and he was solid in coverage. Brown ended up leading the Chargers with 79 tackles and added six passes defensed and 3.5 sacks. The Chargers have to be thrilled with the early returns from their rookie class: Brown, Bosa and TE Hunter Henry all made an impact in Year 1.
3. Tyreek Hill, WR/RS, Kansas City Chiefs
Pre-draft grade: Free-agent | Drafted: Fifth round
This comes with a big asterisk. Hill's off-the-field character was so poor that we took him off our board. Hill pled guilty to domestic abuse stemming from a December 2014 incident in which he strangled his pregnant girlfriend, and his off-the-field baggage was the only reason Hill fell to the fifth round. Hill proved to be a versatile playmaker on the field. He ranked second on the team with 61 catches for 593 yards and six TDs. Hill was named a first-team All-Pro for his return ability -- 27.4 kickoff return average, 15.2 punt return average and three return TDs. In total, he scored 12 combined touchdowns as a rookie.
4. Brian Poole, CB, Atlanta Falcons
Pre-draft grade: Free agent | Drafted: Free agent
We ranked Poole as the 40th cornerback in the 2016 class, and there were only 31 CBs taken. Going undrafted did not stop Poole from making a big impact as a rookie. He wound up starting nine games (played in all 16) and had an interception to go with 59 tackles. He and fellow 2016 rookie Keanu Neal gave the Falcons the youth/speed/tenacity upgrade they needed in the secondary. Atlanta has drafted very well on defense the past two years, selecting seven starters.
5. Jordan Howard, RB, Chicago Bears
Pre-draft grade: Third round | Drafted: Fifth round
We were higher on Howard than most, ranking him as the sixth overall running back in the 2016 draft. He was the 10th running back selected. Howard ended up being the best part of the Bears' offense last season. He showed great vision and the same tough running style that served him well at Indiana. Howard finished second in the NFL with 1,313 rush yards and was very efficient, averaging 5.2 yards per carry (fourth in the NFL among qualified RBs).
6. Joe Thuney, G, New England Patriots
Pre-draft grade: Fringe fourth/fifth round | Drafted: Third round
We had Thuney as the 10th-ranked offensive guard in the 2016 class coming out of NC State. The Patriots placed a premium on protecting Tom Brady up the middle and selected Thuney with one of their three third-round picks. Thuney started every game at left guard and was a big part of New England's improved pass protection on the way to winning Super Bowl LI.
7. Tavon Young, CB, Baltimore Ravens
Pre-draft grade: Early fourth round | Grade: Fourth round
Young was a good athlete and showed nice technique coming out of Temple, but his lack of ideal size (5-foot-9, 183 pounds) was a big factor in his falling to the fourth round. Injuries forced Young to play on the outside 71 percent of the time as a rookie, and he held up surprisingly well in that role. Young finished the season with eight passes defensed and two interceptions.
8. Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints
Pre-draft grade: Second round | Drafted: Second round
The Saints' actions in recent weeks should speak volumes about their confidence in Thomas. They traded WR Brandin Cooks in exchange for the Patriots' first-round pick. Thomas had a bigger impact as a rookie than any of the five wide receivers selected before him last year: Corey Coleman, Will Fuller, Josh Doctson, Laquon Treadwell and Sterling Shepard. He led the Saints with 92 catches and nine touchdowns and proved to be a nice weapon in the red zone.
9. Yannick Ngakoue, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars
Pre-draft grade: Fringe fourth/fifth round | Drafted: Third round
Ngakoue played 66 percent of the Jaguars' defensive snaps as a rookie out of Maryland, showing good pass-rushing ability. Ngakoue compiled 8.0 sacks and four forced fumbles in a Jacksonville defense that got a big boost from last year's draft class.
10. Cody Whitehair, C, Chicago Bears
Pre-draft grade: Fringe second/third round | Drafted: Second round
We had Whitehair ranked as the 59th overall prospect and the third-best interior offensive lineman. The Bears took him 56th overall, and he was the fifth interior O-lineman off the board. Whitehair made a successful transition from college left tackle to NFL center and started all 16 games as a rookie.
11. Chris Jones, DT, Kansas City Chiefs
Pre-draft grade: Fringe first/second round | Drafted: Second round
We had Jones ranked 28th overall entering the draft, but he didn't come off the board until the 57th pick. He played like more of a first-round talent as a rookie. Jones was on the field for just over half of the Chiefs' defensive snaps and showed the ability to play multiple positions along the D-line. The Chiefs let DT Dontari Poe walk in free agency, a sign they're high on Jones' ability to continue to develop after posting two sacks and four batted passes in 2016.
12. Malcolm Mitchell, WR, New England Patriots
Pre-draft grade: Fourth round | Drafted: Fourth round
Mitchell finished with six catches in Super Bowl LI, one of which converted a crucial third-and-11 in the fourth quarter to keep the Patriots' comeback bid alive. Mitchell showed the kind of growth you hope to see in a rookie. In the first eight games of his rookie season, he had just seven catches for 95 yards and zero touchdowns. Those numbers ballooned to 32-381-4 in Mitchell's final eight games.