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).