2015 NFL Mock Draft: Latest Forecast for Each Selection in Round 1

The wait is finally over. After years of hype surrounding certain players and months of feverish speculation, the 2015 NFL draft will begin Thursday night and bring a ton of long-awaited answers.  

Is Florida State's Jameis Winston still the virtual lock at No. 1 overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Just how far will the likes of Randy Gregory and Shane Ray fall? Which mid-round teams will pull the trigger and move up? What on earth are the Tennessee Titans going to do with the No. 2 overall pick?

For the sake of simplicity and just to avoid things getting really nutty, let's rule out trades and keep all of the current Round 1 picks as they are before breaking down one last NFL first-round mock draft.

2015 NFL First-Round Mock Draft

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jameis Winston, QB, FSU
2	Tennessee Titans	Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
3	Jacksonville Jaguars	Dante Fowler Jr., DE/OLB, Florida
4	Oakland Raiders	Leonard Williams, DT, USC
5	Washington Redskins	Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
6	New York Jets	Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
7	Chicago Bears	Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
8	Atlanta Falcons	Alvin Dupree, DE, Kentucky
9	New York Giants	Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
10	St. Louis Rams	Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
11	Minnesota Vikings	DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
12	Cleveland Browns	Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
13	New Orleans Saints	Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska
14	Miami Dolphins	Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
15	San Francisco 49ers	Arik Armstead, DT/DE, Oregon
16	Houston Texans	Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF
17	San Diego Chargers	Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
18	Kansas City Chiefs	Nelson Agholor, WR, USC
19	Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo)	Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
20	Philadelphia Eagles	Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
21	Cincinnati Bengals	Eddie Goldman, DT, FSU
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
23	Detroit Lions	Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
24	Arizona Cardinals	D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida
25	Carolina Panthers	La'el Collins, OT, LSU
26	Baltimore Ravens	Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
27	Dallas Cowboys	Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
28	Denver Broncos	Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
29	Indianapolis Colts	Damarious Randall, FS, Arizona State
30	Green Bay Packers	Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut
31	New Orleans Saints (via Seattle)	Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
32	New England Patriots	Cameron Erving, C, FSU

2. Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

The crazy carousel of rumors, reports and simple speculation of Marcus Mariota's NFL future will finally be brought to a halt Thursday evening. It's looking more and more likely that will happen with the No. 2 overall pick one way or another.

From the moment Winston emerged as the consensus No. 1 overall pick, the rumor mill churned forward with potential trade partners with the Tennessee Titans—who have been giddy over young quarterback Zach Mettenberger. It was figured that they would either take a trade down or select the best overall prospect for a roster devoid of star talent.

But with the opportunity to get Mariota, will the Titans act? General manager Ruston Webster shed some light, per Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean:

"

"If you think a player is a franchise quarterback, then that supersedes everything else," Webster said. "I think we like (Winston and Mariota) both. It is really not a factor what Tampa does. If we were to go that direction, what Tampa did would not affect what we did."

"

For all of the public support they have given Mettenberger, Titans coaches and front office personnel have not been shy on proclaiming their affinity for Mariota as well. He may not be the ideal fit in Ken Whisenhunt's offense, but if his talent and work ethic are as advertised, he can overcome that within a season or two.

In most other scenarios, the Titans' coaches are coaching for their jobs in 2015. This just might give them a bit of time as they get Mariota accustomed to the next level. 

15. San Francisco 49ers: Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon

Ryan Kang/Associated Press

Keeping it with the Oregon Ducks, Arik Armstead could find his way into a situation with the San Francisco 49ers that puts him on the fast track for early stardom.

For all of the turmoil in San Francisco stemming from Jim Harbaugh's departure and an exodus of veterans, the 49ers still have the pieces for an elite defense. NaVorro Bowman figures to be making his long-awaited return, Aldon Smith should be a full go after a suspension-plagued 2014 and the team just recently signed Darnell Dockett.

Where does that leave Armstead, you ask? Well, it leaves him in line to be one of the impact players if he's surrounded with that type of talent.

Armstead is so well-liked in San Francisco that Bleacher Report's Matt Miller reports the Niners may trade down if he isn't there at No. 15:

While there should be some changes on the offensive side of the ball, the defense shouldn't change too much as San Francisco comes off this coaching change—at least up front. That should allow for Armstead to have more opportunities than he would in most other situations.

17. San Diego Chargers: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia

John Bazemore/Associated Press

In a draft class thin on first-round talents, the San Diego Chargers will be doing jumping jacks if Todd Gurley falls into their laps at No. 17.

There's still the possibility of moving up to No. 2 overall and trading Philip Rivers, but all indications during draft week have been that there's been no discussion of such a deal, per Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego. Assuming San Diego keeps the offensive band together, Georgia's running back would fit in nicely.

He's been hampered by a recovering knee injury throughout predraft workouts, but Gurley showed all he needed to show throughout three star-studded seasons at Georgia. There's belief in at least one front office that Gurley is the best overall prospect, as NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported:

If that team isn't among the top 16 picks, San Diego has to pull the trigger on drafting Gurley. It desperately needs a dependable rock-toter if it plans on riding out Rivers' career, and there's no doubting Gurley has a great chance to grow into a workhorse.

The drawback that the running back might possibly need a year off isn't exactly a nightmare either. The Chargers did just lose Ryan Mathews, but they have plenty of potential between Danny Woodhead, Branden Oliver and Donald Brown to batten down the hatches for most of one season before Gurley takes over.