2015 NFL Mock Draft: Latest 1st-Round Predictions for Top Prospects in Class

Now that the dust has somewhat settled from an unpredictable and wild first few days of free agency, many teams around the league have a better feel for their biggest needs in the 2015 NFL draft.

The chief necessity for some teams atop Round 1 may not have changed over the last few days, but it feels like practically everything else has. Some of the league's biggest names have been trading spots on top contending teams, and other middle-of-the-road organizations signed franchise-changing talents.

But the focus never stays away from the draft for long, and that's the case this year with some franchise players and Day 1 starters in the mix. Here's the latest look at a first-round mock as the weekend approaches.

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jameis Winston, QB, FSU
2	Tennessee Titans	Leonard Williams, DT, USC
3	Jacksonville Jaguars	Dante Fowler, DE/OLB, Florida
4	Oakland Raiders	Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
5	Washington Redskins	Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska
6	New York Jets	Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
7	Chicago Bears	Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
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	Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
12	Cleveland Browns	Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
13	New Orleans Saints	La'el Collins, OT, LSU
14	Miami Dolphins	DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
15	San Francisco 49ers	Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
16	Houston Texans	Gerod Holliman, FS, Louisville
17	San Diego Chargers	Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
18	Kansas City Chiefs	T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
19	Cleveland Browns *via Buffalo*	Arik Armstead, DT/DE, Oregon
20	Philadelphia Eagles	Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
21	Cincinnati Bengals	Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	Alvin "Bud" Dupree, DE, Kentucky
23	Detroit Lions	Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
24	Arizona Cardinals	Eddie Goldman, DT, FSU
25	Carolina Panthers	D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida
26	Baltimore Ravens	Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
27	Dallas Cowboys	P.J. Williams, CB, FSU
28	Denver Broncos	Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
29	Indianapolis Colts	Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State
30	Green Bay Packers	Denzel Perryman, ILB, Miami
31	New Orleans Saints *via Seattle*	Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
32	New England Patriots	Cameron Erving, C, FSU

2. Tennessee Titans: DT Leonard Williams, USC

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Unsurprisingly, the Tennessee Titans haven't been much of a hot bed for free agents in the first few days of the new NFL year, but they don't have to look past the second overall pick to get a franchise-changing player.

USC defensive tackle Leonard Williams established himself long ago as the most dominant defensive player in a draft filled with elite edge-rushers—the most valued position in an NFL defense. He has the ability to disrupt plays single-handedly and open up plays for his teammates.

In an encouraging development for Tennessee, Williams lauded his time with Titans coaches, per SiriusXM NFL Radio:

Conventional wisdom would suggest a team like the Titans—without a well-established signal-caller—would target one of the top quarterbacks in the draft with either Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota sure to be available. But whether it's blind faith or a sound investment, Tennessee seems to be committed to young quarterback Zach Mettenberger—a better fit for Ken Whisenhunt's offense than Mariota.

And when it comes to chasing down said quarterbacks, few can do it better than Williams, who had a message for teams like Tampa Bay and Tennessee, per Fox Sports Live:

"

USC DE Leonard Williams has a message for any team that wants to pick a QB ahead of him in the NFL Draft. https://t.co/itpo7w5pL8

— FOX Sports Live (@FOXSportsLive) March 12, 2015"

The Titans re-signed defensive lineman Jurrell Casey to a big-money deal before the 2014 season, but multiple workhorses are needed up front in the 3-4 scheme that the Titans are implementing. Tennessee may be an edge-rusher or two away from taking the next step defensively, but whoever emerges as that player will have plenty more opportunity with Williams and Casey in front of him.

4. Oakland Raiders: WR Amari Cooper, Alabama

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

One way or another, the Oakland Raiders are going to have to make a splash signing or draft selection at the wide receiver position to help quarterback Derek Carr survive in his first few years. What better place to do so than with the fourth overall pick?

When a receiver of Amari Cooper's potential is available, passing up on him is tough—even with one of the top picks in the draft. The best receiver in Alabama history has the complete package, possessing the ability to make chain-moving grabs in tight coverage and also go down the field for long gains.

West Virginia receiver Kevin White has overtaken Cooper in the minds of some entering the predraft season, but many aren't convinced of that just yet, per ESPN College Football:

The Raiders haven't had much of a go at some of the top receivers in free agency, and it's becoming more and more likely that they look to make that splash with the fourth overall pick. For what they're expecting of such a selection, Cooper could fit right in and make the strides necessary to take Oakland's offense to the next level sooner rather than later.

18. Kansas City Chiefs: OT T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

No team in the draft—not even Oakland—seemed to need a receiver more than the Kansas City Chiefs, but that all changed when they signed former Philadelphia Eagles wideout Jeremy Maclin to a multiyear deal. Now, other improvements are needed up front to protect Alex Smith and inject more punch into the run game.

It may be a relatively weak class for offensive linemen, with no top-10 picks in this mock, but the top couple of tackles in the class are still capable of being first-year starters and Day 1 impacts. One of them is T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh's mammoth offensive tackle.

Clemmings still trails the likes of Stanford's Andrus Peat and Iowa's Brandon Scherff, but he's helping himself with workouts, as NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala noted:

Now that the Chiefs locked up their biggest need out on the perimeter, they can make the sound move of bolstering their offensive line. Clemmings is the type of player capable of contending for a starting job right away, but Kansas City has enough depth up front to give him time in his rookie season to come along.