NFL Mock Draft 2015: Projections for Top Prospects in Anticipated 1st Round

With most of the 2015 NFL draft prospects having solidified their stock at this point, all 32 franchises are hard at work as they attempt to position themselves to select players who could change their fortunes moving forward.

This year's draft class looks to have plenty of talent, and it even seems to boast several players who look like surefire stars at the next level. There are also quite a few players who could potentially reach that status based on their physical tools alone, but they are prime examples of why the draft is a crapshoot.

Along with a full first-round mock draft, here is a closer look at some high-ceiling prospects who will likely have observers buzzing when they come off the board.

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
2	Tennessee Titans	Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
3	Jacksonville Jaguars	Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
4	Oakland Raiders	Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
5	Washington Redskins	Leonard Williams, DL, USC
6	New York Jets	Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska
7	Chicago Bears	Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
8	Atlanta Falcons	Shane Ray, DE/OLB, Missouri
9	New York Giants	Landon Collins, S, Alabama
10	St. Louis Rams	Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
11	Minnesota Vikings	Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
12	Cleveland Browns	DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
13	New Orleans Saints	Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
14	Miami Dolphins	Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State
15	San Francisco 49ers	Danny Shelton, DL, Washington
16	Houston Texans	Dante Fowler, DE/OLB, Florida
17	San Diego Chargers	Cameron Erving, OL, Florida State
18	Kansas City Chiefs	Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF
19	Cleveland Browns (from BUF)	Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky
20	Philadelphia Eagles	Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
21	Cincinnati Bengals	Owa Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest
23	Detroit Lions	Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
24	Arizona Cardinals	Eli Harold, OLB, Virginia
25	Carolina Panthers	La'el Collins, OT, LSU
26	Baltimore Ravens	Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
27	Dallas Cowboys	Shaq Thompson, LB/S, Washington
28	Denver Broncos	Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
29	Indianapolis Colts	Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon
30	Green Bay Packers	Denzel Perryman, ILB, Miami (Fla.)
31	New Orleans Saints (from SEA)	Devin Funchess, TE/WR, Michigan
32	New England Patriots	Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma

Most Intriguing First-Round Athletes

Breshad Perriman

One of the fastest-rising prospects in the 2015 draft class is undoubtedly Central Florida wide receiver Breshad Perriman. He has good size at 6'3" and is coming off a 1,000-yard season, but the biggest hook when it comes to Perriman is his blazing speed.

According to Art Stapleton of The Record, Perriman ran the 40-yard dash in an impressive 4.27 seconds at UCF's pro day:

That took Perriman from being a likely second-round prospect to a potential first-round selection. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. was so impressed that he vaulted Perriman into the top 10 of his rankings, per ESPN College Football:

Perriman has all the physical tools teams look for in a top-flight receiver, but he has yet to put it all together from an on-field perspective. Provided he is coached up well, though, there is reason to believe that Perriman could become a star.

One team to watch is the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 18, as they are coming off a season in which not one wide receiver caught a touchdown. They have tried to remedy that by bringing in Jeremy Maclin, and adding Perriman to the mix would be a step in the right direction as well.

It is entirely possible that Perriman could be a flash in the pan, but for the Chiefs, it is likely worth it to gamble on a player with such a strong skill set.

Shaq Thompson

Most prospects have a defined position and role in mind ahead of the NFL draft, but that isn't necessarily the case when it comes to Washington's Shaq Thompson. The versatile athlete played both linebacker and running back for the Huskies, and he seems to be stuck in between linebacker and safety with the draft approaching.

Thompson is an explosive player who made plenty of big plays in college, but his size could be a hindrance. At the same time, he could be a useful weapon due to his ability to move all over the field and contribute in different areas.

As pointed out by Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com, Thompson is a jack-of-all-trades and master of none who is able to play a number of different roles:

Despite the obvious skepticism regarding Thompson's NFL prospects, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller believes he could become an elite linebacker in the same mold as San Francisco 49ers star NaVorro Bowman:

A team that simply needs a playmaker on its defense could very well target Thompson in the first round, and the Dallas Cowboys look like a prime candidate at No. 27.

Not only could they use some help at outside linebacker, but they also have some question marks at safety. If Thompson can contribute at both of those positions depending on the defensive sets, then he will be invaluable.

Thompson is far from a sure thing, but he could provide an extremely high reward if his ability translates to the NFL level.

Dorial Green-Beckham

Wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham has long been tabbed as a future superstar, and while he was unable to reach those heights during his collegiate career, he will have a chance to realize his promise in the NFL.

DGB was dismissed from Missouri's football team last year due to off-field issues, which meant he had to sit out the entire 2014 season. Green-Beckham transferred to Oklahoma during that time, and he believes that helped him grow as a person, according to Eric Bailey of the Tulsa World:

"

I've never missed a season in my entire life, even growing up. I just felt like it was a big deal to me. I felt like I regretted all the mistakes that I've had, but I know I've become a better person by being here, being around all these guys. They took me in and let me know they have my back, and I know they made me a better person.

"

If Green-Beckham is truly reformed and his problems are a thing of the past, then that makes him an even more attractive prospect. He doesn't come without other concerns, though, as ESPN's Louis Riddick doesn't believe he is a complete receiver yet:

Riddick may have a point, but DGB can get by on his skill alone while he improves his route running and other aspects of his game.

One team that can afford to be patient is the New England Patriots. They won the Super Bowl without a true outside threat at wide receiver, but their offense could be even more dangerous with a guy like DGB in the fold.

New England has the luxury of developing Green-Beckham and bringing him along slowly, so nabbing him with the No. 32 pick if he is still available could be a major steal.

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