2015 NFL Mock Draft: Predictions for Surefire 1st-Round Prospects
The NFL draft order is slowly becoming complete with each passing week. Twenty-four teams now know when they'll be selecting in Round 1.
Of course, they won't know who they can take with those picks until draft day.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have it easy. They can have whomever they want. Will they choose to address needs defensively or along the offensive line, or will they take a quarterback capable of challenging Josh McCown and Mike Glennon? Those will be the first questions answered on the day of the draft.
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It's all a guessing game until the Bucs are officially on the clock.
Below are the best guesses as to where the NFL's top prospects will play following the conclusion of Round 1.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
This is unquestionably the right choice for the Buccaneers. Neither McCown nor Glennon is the answer to the ongoing quarterback problem in Tampa Bay. Marcus Mariota, who combined for 55 total touchdowns and just three interceptions last season, is the one who will eventually lead the Bucs back to relevance.
2. Tennessee Titans: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
Once thought to be a lock to enter the draft, Jameis Winston could very well shock everyone and return to Florida State next season. Yahoo Sports' Rand Getlin has the latest on the former Heisman Trophy winner:
"Winston hasn’t made any formal declarations, and there are no indications that he has made a concrete decision, but his camp has taken material steps to pave the way for the talented redshirt sophomore to return for at least one more season in Tallahassee, should he ultimately decide to do so, according to one well-placed source.
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If Winston decides to take his talents to the NFL, then the Titans will be all over him at No. 2. It's time for them to move on from Jake Locker, and it's obvious that Winston is a better option than Zach Mettenberger.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
To build around Blake Bortles, the Jaguars must start in protection. They have a young core of wide receivers who will develop into sturdy options. You can't have a young quarterback without a line that can keep him on his feet, though. Brandon Scherff, the best lineman in this class, is a lock to be a 10-year starter in the NFL.
4. Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
Another team with a young, high-ceiling quarterback, the Raiders need to put some weapons around Derek Carr. James Jones and Mychal Rivera aren't enough. Throw Amari Cooper into the mix, though, and Carr is poised for a breakout second season. Cooper's crisp route-running coupled with Carr's strong arm will create big gains.
5. Washington Redskins: Leonard Williams, DT, USC
Leonard Williams is the kind of player who can improve any defense in football, so the Redskins should be happy to snag him at No. 5. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah gave a succinct evaluation of the defensive tackle:
Anchoring Washington's defensive line for years to come, Williams will prove to be one of the most reliable players taken in the draft.
6. New York Jets: Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska
The No. 6 pick is largely tied to which coach and general manager the Jets bring in. Will the new regime like Geno Smith enough to stick with him? If not, then the Jets could trade up for Winston or trade back and perhaps take Brett Hundley.
Should they stand pat, Randy Gregory is the pick. He's a hybrid pass-rusher who excels at bullying around offensive tackles and forcing his way into the backfield.
7. Chicago Bears: Landon Collins, S, Alabama
Landon Collins can do whatever a defensive coordinator asks of him. He can drop back and play coverage in the secondary, he can tackle in the open field, and he can come up and tackle in the box. Collins is an all-around defender who will aid the Bears immensely next season. Chicago lacked such players this year.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Vic Beasley, DE/OLB, Clemson
Atlanta couldn't stop too many offenses this season, so its first-round selection has to address defensive needs. Vic Beasley can rush the quarterback off the line and also drop back into coverage as a linebacker, making him a versatile asset to the eventual new head coach. Beasley has the chops to be a player a defense can be built around.
9. New York Giants: Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
You can build a defense around Shane Ray too, so the Giants won't be too upset they missed out on Beasley. With Jason Pierre-Paul no certainty to return in free agency, Ray can easily be his replacement on the edge. He and Kerry Wynn, who came on strong in the latter portion of the season, could very well be the starting defensive ends next season.
10. St. Louis Rams: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
The Rams can bring a ton of pressure up front, but the secondary is a bit weak in terms of depth. Trae Waynes plays tight coverage and contests the ball at the point of catch, giving him the potential to be a top-tier corner. He can also hold his own against the run. As St. Louis continues its climb up the NFC West, adding pieces like Waynes can only help.
11. Minnesota Vikings: Shaq Thompson, LB, Washington
Shaq Thompson played running back and linebacker at Washington, so there are no questions about his athletic ability entering the draft. His future is on defense, so the Vikings will take him in hopes that he and Anthony Barr can anchor the resurgence of a dominant Minnesota D.
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller evaluated Thompson so highly that this could prove to be a steal for Minnesota at No. 11:
At the very least, Thompson gives Minnesota some versatility because of his athleticism.
12. Cleveland Browns: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
The Vikings could very well take DeVante Parker and pair him with Teddy Bridgewater, as both played at Louisville, but Cleveland is the ideal landing spot for the wide receiver. CBS Sports' Dane Brugler thinks the Browns will target him at No. 12:
Parker runs routes well and has soft hands, which he uses to catch balls thrown anywhere near him. It doesn't matter who the quarterback is for the Browns. Parker will make his job easier.
13. New Orleans Saints: Dante Fowler, DE/OLB, Florida
The New Orleans defense experienced a major setback this season, so it's clear the unit needs more revamping. Dante Fowler, a versatile linebacker and defensive end, is a nice start. He can be used in a variety of different packages, ultimately helping out the veteran members of the defense who need breathers from time to time.
14. Miami Dolphins: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
In need of a corner to start opposite Brent Grimes, the Dolphins should be in on Marcus Peters if they don't address that need in free agency. Peters is athletic and showed excellent coverage skills at Washington. The AFC East doesn't have the most talented receivers in football, but Peters will be tasked with guarding the opposition's No. 2 guys from the start.
15. San Francisco 49ers: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
There are few more imposing figures in college football than Andrus Peat. He's 6'7" and 300 pounds, and Colin Kaepernick will surely appreciate having that wall of a man blocking for him when he's scrambling around and trying to make something happen. This isn't the flashy pick 49ers fans might want to see, but sometimes the hard-nosed selections make more of a difference.
16. Houston Texans: Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
Houston's top need is at quarterback, but the Texans won't be able to find one in this range. That means they can wait until Round 2. At No. 16, they'll grab somebody who has successfully protected quarterbacks. Cedric Ogbuehi excels at keeping quarterbacks standing upright due to his ability to prevent the pocket from collapsing.
17. San Diego Chargers: P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State
The Chargers need some speed in their secondary to keep up with guys such as Emmanuel Sanders, Demaryius Thomas and Wes Welker. If the Raiders take Cooper, there's another threat who will need monitoring. If the Chiefs (who pick next) take who they should, then he'll need stopping as well.
P.J. Williams can come in on Day 1 and start opposite Jason Verrett. The secondary let San Diego down at times this year. Adding Williams can prevent that from happening often next season.
18. Kansas City Chiefs: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
The fact that Kansas City's wide receivers scored zero touchdowns this season speaks to the lack of depth at the position as well as Alex Smith's inability to get comfortable with his main targets. He'll find it easy to develop chemistry with Kevin White. He's a big target at 6'3", and his leaping ability makes him seem even larger. He and Smith will hook up for multiple scores next season.
19. Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo): Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State
An inside linebacker who can also shift to the outside on occasion, Benardrick McKinney can help give the Browns defense an identity. Cleveland has talented pieces in Joe Haden and Paul Kruger, but there isn't a force on the inside of the defense uniting the individual parts. McKinney has the talent and the leadership qualities to help this defense take the next step in its progression.
20. Philadelphia Eagles: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu may have dropped out of the first round because of his knee injury.
When he went down, Oregon defensive coordinator Don Pellum told Joseph Hoyt of DailyEmerald.com that losing him was a problem because of more than just his on-field talent: "Not having Ifo, we lose a very talented player, but we lose kind of a spiritual leader there, a guy with a lot of experience, a guy that’s been in the battle, the heat of the battle."
We know Eagles head coach Chip Kelly has a soft spot for Oregon Ducks, so don't be surprised if Kelly takes him at No. 20—even if the knee injury is scary enough that he could go early in Round 2.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: La'el Collins, OT, LSU
The Bengals have found a gem of a running back in Jeremy Hill, so drafting a guy who can help make things easier on him should be priority at No. 21. La'el Collins has immense strength and size at 6'5", but he has the footwork to play both tackle and guard.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers: Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU
Pittsburgh's early playoff exit had a ton to do with the absence of Le'Veon Bell, but it would've helped to get more pressure on Joe Flacco. Adding a fast defensive end such as Danielle Hunter would help make the Steelers defense more well-rounded and capable of getting into the backfield consistently.
23. Detroit Lions: Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
Strictly an insurance policy for Ndamukong Suh, Danny Shelton is capable of playing from the start. But the Lions don't need Shelton unless Suh walks in free agency—which he very well could do. Shelton has some upside because of his strength and persistence in getting around blockers, so this is a smart pick.
24. Arizona Cardinals: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
Arizona's defense played as inconsistently as its offense down the stretch, so upgrades are necessary. Eddie Goldman is 320 pounds and can use his size to stuff gaps and make it easier for blitzing linebackers or safeties to penetrate and hit the ball-carrier.
25. Carolina Panthers: T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
T.J. Clemmings is 6'5" and 305 pounds. Carolina's run game was strong toward the end of the season with Jonathan Stewart doing most of the heavy lifting, but adding Clemmings on the offensive line would make running the ball even easier. He's fast enough to hold his own against speedy edge-rushers, allowing the Panthers to run more sweeps and pitch plays to his side.
26. Baltimore Ravens: Gerod Holliman, S, Louisville
Baltimore's secondary needs to improve this offseason. One player to monitor is Gerod Holliman, who had himself quite the season at Louisville, as Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets:
Holliman could use some work in coverage (most of his interceptions came on jumped routes), but he's a solid NFL prospect who would fit well with the Ravens.
27. Indianapolis Colts: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
Dan Herron is a restricted free agent, Ahmad Bradshaw is an unrestricted one, and Trent Richardson is useless, so the Colts have a glaring need for a running back who can take some pressure off Andrew Luck. Enter Melvin Gordon.
The Heisman Trophy finalist will be a three-down back in the NFL from the start. He won't break records right away like he did in college, but Gordon has the chance to star in the right situation. With a quarterback who can stretch the defense, Gordon will find plenty of lanes to run through.
28. Dallas Cowboys: Shilique Calhoun, DE, Michigan State
Offense has been the story for the Cowboys, so much so that the inconsistencies on defense have been overlooked. Addressing them in the offseason is imperative if Dallas wants to repeat its success next season. Shilique Calhoun, should he declare, is a consistent pass-rusher who can take pressure off the secondary by forcing errant throws.
29. Green Bay Packers: Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
Ronnie Stanley is long at 6'6", but he uses his long arms to keep defensive ends at bay. The Packers need someone such as Stanley to protect Aaron Rodgers, especially because he has proved he is human when it comes to injuries (he missed seven games last year and a few quarters in recent weeks as well).
30. Denver Broncos: Cameron Erving, C, Florida State
Cameron Erving excels in pass protection and blocking while on the move. He's an intriguing prospect for the Broncos. They obviously need competent linemen to protect Peyton Manning, but Erving may need more experience at center after also playing tackle during his career at Florida State. He's worth taking a chance on.
31. Seattle Seahawks: Devin Funchess, WR/TE, Michigan
Russell Wilson has excelled without viable options in the passing game. Just imagine if he had a big-time playmaker.
Devin Funchess is a bit of a tweener. He can line up at tight end or wide receiver, but it really doesn't matter where he plays. Funchess can be a poor man's Jimmy Graham, lining up all over the place and making things difficult for defensive coordinators.
32. New England Patriots: Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn
Brandon LaFell became a competent receiver this season thanks to Tom Brady, but there's still room for another threat in the passing game in New England. Sammie Coates can go get the football over the top of defenses, something that has been lacking recently with the Patriots.
Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn
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