NFL Draft 2015: Complete 1st-Round Mock Draft and Prospects Worth Trading Up for

There are some players in the 2015 NFL draft class who could change the fortunes of a team—if only it were in position to draft them. 

The cornerback, running back and defensive-line talent concentrated at the end of the draft could make for some enticing trade scenarios, as teams with multiple needs, such as the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons, could really benefit from an extra pick at the end of the first round after making their earlier selections. 

Let's break down how the first round could look if those three teams decide to trade back into the first:

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

Prospects Worth Trading Up For

Predicting first-round trades is the ultimate guessing game; of all the draft projections made a month out, trades are truly a bolt from the blue. No one, not even general mangers themselves, knows what trades are going to be made until selections start coming off the board on Day 1.

That being said, I've still gone ahead and identified three trade scenarios in Round 1 that make sense, both for the team trading back into the first round as well as the team moving down. 

Atlanta Falcons Trade Up for Melvin Gordon

Mike McGinnis/Getty Images

In this scenario, the Falcons have addressed their big need on defense for a stud pass-rusher with Vic Beasley at No. 8 overall. 

But the Falcons also have a hole at running back, and a weak running game will make Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Roddy White more ineffective, as well, without the ability to run a balanced offensive attack.

Devonta Freeman and Antone Smith, who are at the top of the depth chart at the position, are not going to accomplish that. 

Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon could be the answer to their needs, but the Falcons know he might be off their board by their next selection at No. 42 overall. So they make a trade with the Denver Broncos to move up and grab him, giving up No. 42 and a fourth-round selection in return. 

The trade makes sense for Denver because, if they have their sights set on a defensive tackle, they may still be able to get Jordan Phillips, whose stock has been falling, at No. 42. They also get an additional fourth-round selection. 

The Falcons, meanwhile, satisfy two of their biggest holes in Round 1 and get a player who rushed for 2,587 yards in 2014 and had 17 runs of more than 40 yards. 

That would certainly give offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan options. 

New York Jets Trade Up for Eli Harold

Mike Stewart/Associated Press

If quarterback Marcus Mariota is on the board for the New York Jets at No. 6, as he is in this mock draft, they have to take him. Quarterback may not be their biggest need, but Geno Smith is serviceable at best. 

The Jets have been a team on the brink for years in the AFC, but subpar quarterback play has kept them from being true contenders. 

If the Jets take Mariota at No. 6, however, they still have a big need to address in a pass-rusher, and they need an instant contributor. That's why they initiate a trade with the Green Bay Packers to move up to No. 30 and grab Virginia's Eli Harold, knowing he could be off the board by their next selection at No. 37.

It's a smart move for the Packers, who could be targeting Clemson inside linebacker Stephone Anthony as their first selection. No. 30 is a little high to take him, but No. 37 would be a great value in the second round, plus they'd get a fourth-round selection to boot. 

Harold started every game over the last two seasons for the Cavaliers, amassing 36.5 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks.

He's exactly the kind of high-impact player Todd Bowles needs on the defense. "The motor never quits, always going full-speed to the ball until the whistle," CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler wrote about Harold. 

Harold is on the Round 1/Round 2 bubble, but the Jets don't want to risk him being off the board by their next pick, as the pass-rusher talent falls off after Harold.

San Francisco 49ers Trade Up for Arik Armstead

Ryan Kang/Associated Press

The San Francisco 49ers have multiple needs heading into the draft, especially on defense. Linebacker, defensive line and cornerback are all possible uses for the 49ers' first selection, and in this mock they address the secondary first, drafting Trae Waynes at 15th overall. 

But Justin Smith hasn't yet told the organization whether or not he plans to retire, and if he does, defensive line becomes a huge need for the 49ers.

In this scenario, the 49ers see that Oregon defensive tackle Arik Armstead is still on the board at No. 31 and initiate a trade with the New Orleans Saints, who hold that pick from the Seattle Seahawks, in order to grab him. 

In this mock, the Saints have already addressed their need for a pass-rusher with Randy Gregory, who falls to them at No. 13.

They give up their second first-round selection knowing that there will be plenty of options for them with the 49ers' pick at No. 46, including, potentially, tight end Maxx Williams, defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa, cornerback Jalen Collins or wide receiver Breshad Perriman. 

Plus, they gain an extra mid-round pick.

The 49ers, meanwhile, ensure that what has been their bread and butter the last few years, their penetrating and dominant defensive line, doesn't get any weaker. Armstead had 46 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, despite facing frequent double-teams in 2014.