2015 NFL Mock Draft: Prospects with More to Prove After the Combine

There are big decisions to be made in the 65 days leading up to the 2015 NFL draft—franchise-making decisions, according to some. But while teams have plenty of legwork and thinking to do, there are a handful of prospects who still have more to prove following the combine.

Whether it's proving there is more to their playing ability than their combine performance or more to their character than past headlines, there is work to be done before April 30 rolls around.

But first, a look at our working first-round mock draft:

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

Jameis Winston

This isn't about his 40-yard dash time. For Tampa Bay general manger Jason Licht, it's about his character.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated's Peter King, Licht admitted concern for the Heisman Trophy winner.

“But I’d be lying if I said I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the off-field stuff. It’s always in the back of your mind," Licht said.

Winston's combine interviews allegedly went so well they dispelled concern regarding his character, per Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman. But as Freeman points out, Johnny Manziel also did well in interviews last year—and that didn't turn out quite as well as Cleveland may have hoped.

Licht referred to the decision as the "most important pick, potentially, in the history of the franchise."

There is a lot riding on this decision for Licht and Tampa Bay—and Winston has 64 days to win their hearts over and prove previous off-field activity is no longer a cause for concern, but rather a thing of the past.

Amari Cooper

Julio Cortez/Associated Press/Associated Press

The Alabama product was looking like the draft's top wide receiver prospect—until Kevin White's combine performance. White recorded a 36.5" vertical jump and a 4.35-second 40-yard dash, beating Cooper's 33" vertical and 4.42-second 40.

It isn't a question of whether these two prospects will go in the first round—it's when.

"Well, I certainly want to be the best receiver, not just in this class but overall wherever I go," Cooper said at the combine on Friday, per Jared Dubin at CBSSports.com. "And I'm going to work hard to try to be that."

If Cooper wants to be the best in the 2015 class, he'll have to prove what he has to offer is better than what the 6'3", 215-pound product from West Virginia can.

Paul Dawson

David J. Phillip/Associated Press/Associated Press

Mike Mayock's top linebacker prospect had a poor performance at the combine. The TCU product clocked in one of the slowest 40-yard dash times of his position group at 4.93 seconds.

But it wasn't just the 40 time. It was the vertical jump too. His 28" mark was dead last among the linebackers. The other workouts weren't all that great either—he finished in the middle of the pack in about every one.

If his defense of his performance is right and if film really does hold more weight, then perhaps his draft stock won't drop significantly. But if he wants to remain in the first-round conversation, or even top-50, he has a lot to prove between now and the end of April.