2015 NFL Mock Draft: Latest Predictions Before Week 10
If NFL fans halt their busy day for just a moment and listen, they can hear the 2015 NFL draft off in the far distance, growing louder by the second.
The NFL season is merely at the halfway mark, and plenty of teams have yet to even take a bye, but that is in no way too early to mock the 2015 draft.
Look at it this way—NFL franchises around the league are hard at work scouting the college football landscape from top to bottom in search of ideal fits, busts, sleepers and all that jazz.
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Below, let's take the pulse of those efforts with a mock (using Odds Shark's latest odds to win this year's Super Bowl) to get a better idea of what each team is thinking and how the top prospects in the land stack up.
1. Oakland Raiders: Leonard Williams, DL, USC
Fans will grow tired of seeing this one, but the No. 1 overall pick is as plain as day, regardless of which team inhabits the top slot.
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller concurs:
Leonard Williams is a franchise centerpiece to build around—someone the Raiders could pair with Khalil Mack. Not only is he the best player available, but he fits perfectly.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska
Thanks to Blake Bortles and a number of strong rookie receivers such as Allen Hurns, the Jacksonville Jaguars can go a number of different ways.
That said, the front office has shown in the past it will go with the best player available. That would be Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory, whose edge-rushing skills are easily the best in the class.
Even better, Jacksonville has a serious need in this area that cannot be ignored any longer.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
Many will argue that Marcus Mariota is the best overall player in the class.
That is understandable, too, as not only is Mariota a rare talent on the field with great mobility, but he is smart, reserved and of high character off the field.
In order to save his job, Lovie Smith needs to stop toying with Josh McCown and Mike Glennon.
4. New York Jets: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
Few players have the natural talents right out of college that Jameis Winston possesses, but he also comes with some well-known maturity baggage that dips him below Mariota.
The New York Jets and (maybe) Rex Ryan will not complain, though, especially now that the Geno Smith experiment is over and the Michael Vick experience was a dud.
Winston is the type of quarterback who can win games as a rookie, but he is the pick because of his unlimited ceiling.
5. Tennessee Titans: Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
While he was a more well-known name last year, the hype around Vic Beasley will hit a fever pitch on the path to the draft.
Beasley is a special talent with a knack for hitting quarterbacks and is one of the best pass-rushers to come out in years. A note from CBS Sports' Will Brinson puts it best:
Tennessee is in the midst of a rebuild, so jump-starting the pass rush is a great way to make the process easier.
6. St. Louis Rams: Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
Austin Davis might just give Jeff Fisher and the St. Louis Rams enough to look elsewhere other than quarterback in the top 10 this season.
Should they do that, grabbing another elite offensive lineman prospect is a sound move, especially with Jake Long on injured reserve and the interior of the line not doing so hot, either.
Cedric Ogbuehi gives the Rams options in the short and long term, not to mention depth and a peace of mind that quarterbacks will be better protected.
7. Atlanta Falcons: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
Atlanta cannot be too happy with the Rams' selection in this scenario, but Brandon Scherff is one heck of a consolation prize.
Really, the Falcons could go a number of ways, but it makes sense to beef up the line in front of Matt Ryan to allow longer-developing plays more time. Wider running lanes would certainly do the offense well, too.
Defense is an issue as well, but the impressive depth of the class in that regard will push a quality talent to the Falcons in later rounds.
8. Minnesota Vikings: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
There are a lot of things wrong in Minnesota, but a pairing of Cordarrelle Patterson and Amari Cooper is impossible to pass up as the staff looks to help Teddy Bridgewater succeed.
Cooper is so great that many would consider him in contention for the No. 1 overall pick, so it should go without saying that he is in the Heisman race, too, as noted by Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus:
Patterson and Cooper would do damage for years to come, to say the least.
9. Washington: Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
Much of the attention goes to the quarterback drama in Washington, so it is easy to forget that the defense is mostly a chaotic mess too.
The front office can shore up at least one major problem area in a big way though with the addition of Alabama safety Landon Collins.
Whether it is staying in the box to stunt the run or dropping back into center field, nobody does it better in the class.
10. Chicago Bears: Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
Few prospects have matched Shane Ray's astronomical rise over the course of the collegiate season, and for good reason as he continues to terrorize quarterbacks at that level.
Ray is a bit of a tweener prospect, which is just fine for a Chicago Bears defense that needs more speed from its rushers at end and linebacker. Ray is a nice complement to the current roster who can help right away.
11. Carolina Panthers: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
No cornerback has yet to come out and cement himself as the best at the position in the class, but a team in need of a press corner can do no wrong with Washington's Marcus Peters.
Peters is a big-bodied defensive back who stands at 6'0" and 190 pounds, which means he can throw his weight around against the run and match up against the bigger pro receivers.
Carolina has a major need in his area, especially in the pass-happy NFC South against players such as Julio Jones.
12. Cleveland Browns: Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan
With or without Josh Gordon, the Cleveland Browns need another receiver to run with Andrew Hawkins.
Devin Funchess is as good as it gets at this point, as his 6'5", 230-pound frame easily dominates smaller defensive backs.
Chris Trapasso of NFL.com is one of many who are high on Funchess:
The best part? Cleveland is far from done in the round.
13. Houston Texans: Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
Bill O'Brien is slowly learning the errors of his ways after ignoring the most important position of all last year.
He will not make the same mistake twice.
UCLA's Brett Hundley has faded from the spotlight as his play has dipped, but O'Brien is known as a bit of a quarterback savant. Hundley needs plenty of work, but in time he can be the franchise quarterback that Houston desires.
14. Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo): Shawn Oakman, DE, Baylor
Here goes Cleveland again—this time getting another outstanding value and killing a need in one blow with Baylor defensive end Shawn Oakman.
Numbers provided by Nick Canizales of KCEN News tell much of the story:
In short, Oakman is a force in all facets who will do much to mask the developing linebackers and secondary in Cleveland.
15. New York Giants: Dante Fowler Jr., DE, Florida
If one team in recent history has proved there is no such thing as having too many quality pass-rushers, it would be the New York Giants.
So while Jason Pierre-Paul and Damontre Moore will someday form a great tandem, adding Dante Fowler Jr. to the mix sure cannot hurt.
Fowler is a well-rounded prospect who can make an impact right away, which makes him an attractive option for the struggling Giants. Offensive line is a problem as well, but the value is not right at this spot.
16. Miami Dolphins: Shilique Calhoun, DE, Michigan State
A superb Miami Dolphins defense that currently ranks No. 2 overall against the pass seems to need little help, but keep in mind that Cameron Wake will be 33 years old by the start of next season.
Adding a talent such as Shilique Calhoun to rotate in now and eventually take over is nothing short of a smart long-term move for the franchise.
It may not be that immediate-impact move that fans seem to love, but players like Calhoun do not come around all that often.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington
While the man may be slightly biased due to conference allegiances, UCLA's Jim Mora puts it best in regard to Shaq Thompson, per ESPN's Chantel Jennings:
Pittsburgh could use another potent pass-rusher to throw at opposing quarterbacks. Thompson certainly fits the bill and gives the Steelers another long-term prospect in that area to build around in the coming years.
18. Kansas City Chiefs: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
West Virginia's Kevin White is another massive receiver (6'3", 210 pounds) whose name continues to make the rounds because of his sheer talent.
White already has 75 catches for 1,075 yards and eight scores this season. His ability to act as a chain-moving presence and pick up yardage after the catch is something that fits well in Andy Reid's offense—and something Kansas City is not getting a whole lot of from veteran Dwayne Bowe.
19. Baltimore Ravens: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
Trae Waynes is another cornerback who could eventually claim the top spot at the position.
For now, though, he is a perfect fit with the Baltimore Ravens, who simply need to start over at the position. No. 1 corner Lardarius Webb has been an absolute disappointment this year, coming in as the No. 102 overall corner at Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Waynes will have typical rookie struggles, but it is a necessary move at this point.
20. Cincinnati Bengals: La'el Collins, OT, LSU
The Cincinnati Bengals have done a great job of being proactive in the draft over the course of the past few seasons in regard to major needs.
It makes sense, then, that the front office would next insulate itself from the inevitable dip in play from left tackle Andrew Whitworth, who is going on 33 years old.
La'el Collins makes sense at the spot, and one former LSU star can groom a more recent one for an eventual critical role with an AFC contender.
21. San Diego Chargers: A.J. Cann, OG, South Carolina
As one can see from a note by CBS Sports' Dane Brugler near the start of the season, A.J. Cann is this year's coveted interior offensive lineman:
That is nothing but good news for one Philip Rivers, who has a hodgepodge of names in front of him at the moment.
Cann can start right away at a number of spots and help boost the play of the unit as a whole, so the pick makes sense, even if interior linemen are not always ideal this early.
22. Detroit Lions: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
The Detroit Lions currently tout the NFL's second-to-last rushing attack, which has had a negative impact on the offense as a whole.
Thanks to a stunning performance by the defense, which ranks in the top five against the pass and rush, the Lions can go offense here and grab the surefire Heisman winner had he not been suspended, Todd Gurley.
Backs normally do not go this high, but most backs lack Gurley's rare combination of skills.
23. New Orleans Saints: Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky
Rob Ryan's defense, should he make it to the next draft, needs a serious kick-start.
Health is one thing; a lack of a sound rush is another. Ryan's 3-4 needs another strong presence to complement Junior Galette and Cameron Jordan, so Alvin Dupree is a strong fit.
In an amoeba look, dealing with Dupree on each down will cause offensive coordinators fits.
24. Philadelphia Eagles: Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State
Benardrick McKinney is a name that will continue to slowly climb up draft boards. Inside linebackers do not usually go this high either, but McKinney is so productive in the heart of his defense that he is impossible to ignore.
Chip Kelly's unit needs another presence in the middle too, especially with DeMeco Ryans out for the year.
With or without Ryans, McKinney is the future in the heart of Kelly's defense, should he be the pick.
25. Indianapolis Colts: Arik Armstead, DE/OLB, Oregon
The Indianapolis Colts get a blessing in disguise here.
Oregon's best defender, Arik Armstead, has been hurt for much of the season and unable to create a lot of hype for himself.
The Colts will not complain, though, as few rushers are more talented. Armstead is easily a starter from Day 1 who helps a young unit improve in a number of ways.
26. Arizona Cardinals: Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
Many are slowly awakening to the physical freak that is Washington defensive tackle Danny Shelton.
A nugget from ESPN's Mel Kiper says it all (subscription required):
"I spent more time on Shelton this week, and I feel like I overstated his ability to move and get up the field initially. But he's still capable of clogging things up and has plenty of value there. A massive defensive tackle at nearly 340 pounds, Shelton does have some ability to disrupt and good instincts in his ability to find the ball. He wasn't remotely off the radar before, but this could be a breakthrough year.
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Arizona could use another athletic, versatile presence in the defensive trenches to keep the unit strong for years to come.
27. Dallas Cowboys: P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State
P.J. Williams is yet another corner who could eventually take over as the No. 1 at the position.
At 6'1" and 196 pounds, he also happens to be strong in press coverage and would give the Dallas Cowboys something it has yet to get from Morris Claiborne.
Dallas has exceeded expectations on defense this year, but not enough to ignore a talent like Williams.
28. San Francisco 49ers: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
Rinse and repeat—Ifo Ekpre-Olomu is flirting with top-corner status too. He might just get it as scouts pick apart his entire body of work on the path to the draft.
Ekpre-Olomu's stock has taken a dive this year, but his upside in no way prevents him from slipping into the first round.
This is especially the case with a team like San Francisco hanging around and in serious need at the position.
29. Green Bay Packers: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
The bandwagon for Eddie Goldman is slowly blossoming as many continue to realize that he might just be what makes the superb Florida State defense tick.
Bleacher Report's Ian Wharton points out that Goldman has played himself into first-round consideration:
The B.J. Raji experience is all but over in Green Bay, so Goldman is a natural fit.
30. New England Patriots: Ty Montgomery, WR, Stanford
Brandon LaFell has been a nice surprise for the New England Patriots this year (36 catches, 514 yards, five scores), but Tom Brady could use another versatile weapon.
Ty Montgomery fits the bill—not to mention he provides a serious spark on kick returns.
While not as high profile as some of his fellow wideouts, Montgomery is the typical New England receiver who can do it all.
31. Seattle Seahawks: Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State
Seattle could use some help in the defensive trenches this season, even if just in a rotational sense.
Michael Bennett's fall can come to an end with this in mind. He does a number of things well, including holding strong at the point of attack and helping to collapse pockets from the interior.
32. Denver Broncos: Mario Edwards, DE, Florida State
The raid on the Florida State defensive line continues.
Denver has some quality depth in the defensive trenches, but more never hurts when most teams spend their time taking to the air in order to keep up with an offense led by Peyton Manning.
Mario Edwards is a strong rotational contributor right out of the gate whose abilities take pressure off the secondary. He's not a bad luxury pick if the Broncos wind up in the last slot.
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