NFL Mock Draft 2015: 1st-Round Projections for Most Exalted Prospects

Following the dramatic conclusion of Super Bowl XLIX, the 2015 NFL draft's selection order is set. However, that order isn't likely to remain the same through draft day.

Trades are a big part of the draft's first round each and every year. We only need to look back to 2014 to see a prime example, as the Buffalo Bills traded up for the Cleveland Browns' No. 4 overall selection to nab prolific Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins.

That was just one of the five first-round trades from a year ago.

Don't expect things to be any different heading into this year's draft, as Bleacher Report's Jason Cole has already reported a rumor of the Browns trading up to select former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota:

That said, let's take a look at where each first-round prospect is likely to land until a frenzy of draft-day trades completely shake things up.

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
2	Tennessee Titans	Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
3	Jacksonville Jaguars	Leonard Williams, DT, USC
4	Oakland Raiders	Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
5	Washington Redskins	Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska
6	New York Jets	Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
7	Chicago Bears	Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
8	Atlanta Falcons	Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
9	New York Giants	Landon Collins, S, Alabama
10	St. Louis Rams	Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
11	Minnesota Vikings	Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
12	Cleveland Browns	DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
13	New Orleans Saints	Dante Fowler, DE/OLB, Florida
14	Miami Dolphins	Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
15	San Francisco 49ers	Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
16	Houston Texans	La'el Collins, OT, LSU
17	San Diego Chargers	Vic Beasley, DE/OLB, Clemson
18	Kansas City Chiefs	Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
19	Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo)	Bud Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky
20	Philadelphia Eagles	Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
21	Cincinnati Bengals	Shaq Thompson, OLB, Wasington
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State
23	Detroit Lions	Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
24	Arizona Cardinals	Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Miss State
25	Carolina Panthers	T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
26	Baltimore Ravens	Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
27	Dallas Cowboys	Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
28	Denver Broncos	Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
29	Indianapolis Colts	Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
30	Green Bay Packers	Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon
31	Seattle Seahawks	Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
32	New England Patriots	Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn

Analyzing Draft's Top-5 Selections

The first handful of picks in the draft's first round can make or break the immediate future of a franchise.

Sometimes, gambling on a player pays dividends—the Houston Texans made a wise decision selecting Mario Williams over Reggie Bush in 2006, as Williams now has 91 career sacks while Bush has struggled to fit in to offensive schemes.

Unfortunately, sometimes things just don't pan out—remember JaMarcus Russell?

As we anxiously wait to see what this year's draft class has in store for us, here's a look at the first five players expected to come off the board in 2015 and a look at what each brings to the table for their prospective NFL teams.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

Tampa Bay has a wide-receiver duo of Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson, yet finished 25th in the league in passing offense in 2014.

Without a viable quarterback, this team won't go anywhere, so if the Buccaneers decide to remain at No. 1 overall, the choice here should be simple: Marcus Mariota.

The former Ducks quarterback has great NFL size at 6'4" and 215 pounds and a blend of athleticism, a strong arm, intelligent decision-making, great accuracy and the ability to make plays with his legs gives him the upside to become an elite franchise quarterback. Even if he takes a little time to develop, the Buccaneers are a growing team and will be able to provide him with patience.

2. Tennessee Titans: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State

Tennessee has a troupe of electrifying wide receivers, but the team still finished the 2014 season ranked as the league's 22nd passing offense. The Titans aren't heavily invested in former sixth-round pick Zach Mettenberger, and during his rookie season, he didn't exactly give the team a reason to stick with him for the long haul.

At No. 2, the Titans will grab the enigmatic Jameis Winston, hoping this isn't a Peyton Manning-Ryan Leaf situation. While Winston does come with some off-field concerns, his on-field prowess is undeniable. He is 6'4" and 232 pounds, he has a rocket for an arm, good athleticism, poise, toughness and competitiveness—everything you're looking for in a rookie quarterback.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Williams, DT, USC

Jacksonville heavily invested in the offensive side of the ball in 2014, and it's now time to start building up its defense.

This team needs a playmaker along the defensive line, and grabbing Leonard Williams at No. 3 overall would be a steal, considering he probably would have gone at No. 1 or 2 if those teams didn't have such dire needs at the quarterback position.

Williams stands at 6'5" and 298 pounds with long limbs, giving him a dangerous blend of length, power, speed and athleticism. These qualities allowed the Trojans to rotate him all along the defensive line, and Jacksonville will be able to do the same. With great durability and toughness, Williams can be counted on to provide consistent production for years to come.

4. Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

Oakland has been looking to turn its franchise around for years now, but it just can't seem to get all of the right pieces in place.

The team took a big step forward in 2014 by selecting quarterback Derek Carr, as he showed signs of developing into a legitimate franchise quarterback down the road. Now, to continue his progress, the Raiders must supply him with adequate weapons.

Amari Cooper was one of the nation's most prolific receivers in 2014, racking up 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns on 124 receptions. He has good size at 6'1" and 210 pounds, but his best attributes are his speed and acceleration.

Cooper has the knack of burning better cornerbacks off the line, finding himself open in a hurry and hauling in passes with his soft, reliable hands. He'll become Oakland's top option immediately.

5. Washington Redskins: Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska

Possibly one of the most well-rounded defenders in this year's draft class, Randy Gregory can bring some much-needed playmaking ability to Washington.

After all, Brian Orakpo's future is in doubt, and this team desperately needs a complement for Ryan Kerrigan, who tallied 13.5 of the team's 36 sacks in 2014.

At 6'6" and 245 pounds, Gregory has the length to separate by exploding off the line and extending his long arms into blockers. After knocking an offensive lineman off balance, Gregory utilizes great speed and balance to quickly get around the edge before the blocker can recover.

While he played 4-3 defensive end at Nebraska, Gregory has the agility and quickness to star as a 3-4 outside linebacker in Washington.