2015 NFL Mock Draft: Latest Predictions Before Week 14
It is never too early for a mock draft, especially when the inbound class is this good.
Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston make up one of the best quarterback duels in recent memory. Alabama wideout Amari Cooper might just take home the Heisman, leads an amazing class and could put up a fight for No. 1 overall. A deep class of corners and pass rushers make for happy defenses around the NFL, too.
It is a good time to have a draft pick. Sorry, Buffalo.
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Below, let's nail down an updated mock (using Odds Shark's latest odds to win this year's Super Bowl) to check in on which NFL teams need what and who might just fill those voids.
1. Oakland Raiders: Leonard Williams, DL, USC
Leonard Williams is a spoiler.
Like it or not, there is not a ton of flash with the No. 1 overall pick in 2015. Williams is a game-changing presence in the trenches who fills a major need for Oakland, a team with a quarterback of the future in Derek Carr and two talented linebackers in need of more room to operate.
Khalil Mack and Sio Moore get just that with Williams in town.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska
Gus Bradley's rebuild in Jacksonville is showing flashes of promise here and there, but the task in the 2015 draft is similar to Oakland's—grab the best talent available.
At this point in time, that is Nebraska defensive lineman Randy Gregory.
Depending on how the final order winds up, Gregory may very well be the No. 1 overall pick. He sets the edge well and will have a big impact as a rookie.
3. New York Jets: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
The New York Jets are back on the Geno Smith train as Rex Ryan looks to save his job, but neither may be employed in the Big Apple by the time the team walks to the podium for this one.
It really is quite simple. If there is one quarterback who can overcome the wasteland that is the Jets, it would be Marcus Mariota.
The Heisman favorite has 3,470 yards and 36 touchdowns to two interceptions this year. What more really needs to be said?
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
Lovie Smith, should he still be around for the 2015 draft, cannot be too happy about missing on Mariota.
With the proper guidance, Jameis Winston can be just as great, though. That said, Florida State's leader has had quite a strange season, as illustrated by ESPN.com's David Hale:
Winston can be a franchise quarterback in time. This is especially the case if he gets to play with quality weapons such as Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans.
5. Tennessee Titans: Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger has been a nice surprise with his booming arm and 1,287 yards with eight touchdowns to six interceptions in a few starts this season.
The Titans may have something on their hands there and will let it play out.
In turn, Ken Whisenhunt can get a much-needed rushing presence on the opposite side of the football with Shane Ray, the best pure rusher in the class.
6. Washington: Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
What exactly is the best course for Washington right now?
It really depends on who is head coach, but the smart move would be to fix the defense by getting more talent in the back end. Landon Collins continues to draw lofty comparisons to some of the best pros, as Bleacher Report's Matt Miller points out:
Collins is not the only thing Washington needs, but he is a strong foundation around which to build.
7. New York Giants: Dante Fowler Jr., DE, Florida
The New York Giants have generated all of 26 sacks this season. Jason Pierre-Paul needs some help other than Robert Ayers, who has been a nice surprise with five sacks.
This would be where Dante Fowler Jr. comes into play.
The staff in New York loves versatile linemen who can line up anywhere and bring the heat in any situation. Fowler does just that and makes the rotation much deeper.
8. Chicago Bears: Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington
Again, teams in need of a rush have come to the right place.
Chicago has not done horrible in this regard with 29 sacks, but one has to wonder how much longer it can last as Jared Allen climbs the age ladder.
Shaq Thompson is a smart add. The linebacking corps. still needs help, and it certainly does not hurt to get a quality rusher who can line up at multiple spots.
9. Carolina Panthers: Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
Cam Newton has been sacked 36 times this season.
Little else needs to be said. The Carolina Panthers went out of their way to get Newton help in the form of Kelvin Benjamin last season. Fine, but Newton can only be so effective while spending a large chunk of the time on his back.
Much debate will be had as to who the top tackle in the class is at this point, but right now the honor goes to Cedric Ogbuehi.
10. St. Louis Rams: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
Want to know why Cooper might just go No. 1 overall in time?
SEC Network provides some perspective:
St. Louis is not in a position to pass on such talent. There are other needs, sure, but the team continues to hang tough and needs to get healthy. Arguably the top player on the board so far down does not hurt.
11. Minnesota Vikings: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
The Minnesota Vikings have struggled to get Cordarrelle Patterson involved this season, hence his 30 catches for 350 yards and one score.
But the front office must continue to lay the foundation for the future around rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
To that end, grabbing a top receiver such as Kevin White insulates the team from a talent deficiency around the quarterback position. In turn, things may open up even more for Patterson, too.
12. Houston Texans: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
Jonathan Joseph is not getting any younger, and the Houston Texans continue to look miserable against the pass.
The team ranks 29th in that facet of defense despite the efforts of J.J. Watt up front. To help mitigate the issue, the front office can make Trae Waynes the first cornerback off the board.
As the linchpin that holds an elite Michigan State defense together, Waynes knows a thing or two about being called upon on each and every down.
13. Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo): Shawn Oakman, DE, Baylor
The surprising Cleveland Browns have back-to-back picks to work with.
First up is a way to address a defense that ranks 29th against the rush. To that end, Baylor defensive end Shawn Oakman is a quality fit.
At 6'9" and 280 pounds, Oakman fits the build of what the Browns want to do in an AFC North division that loves its freakishly athletic linemen who contribute in all phases.
14. Cleveland Browns: Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan
Many look at Devin Funchess' 733 yards and four touchdowns and cringe. The numbers are miserable given the talent Funchess has, but one has to remember the horrible situation he is in with 5-7 Michigan.
Michael Spath of TheWolverine.com puts it best:
Funchess running with Jordan Cameron and Josh Gordon is a scary thought for defensive coordinators.
15. Atlanta Falcons: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
Matt Ryan has only been sacked 24 times, but his team ranks 25th in rushing with an average of just 97.2 yards per game on the ground.
Defense is a major issue as well, but the wheels will completely fall off if Ryan cannot stay healthy and the ground game continues to struggle.
Brandon Scherff is the top name on the board at this juncture and can kick inside if need be until he hears his name called upon for a job on the edges.
16. Miami Dolphins: Nate Orchard, DE, Utah
The Miami Dolphins are one of the better teams in the NFL this year when it comes to rushing the passer (33 sacks) but could certainly add another for good measure.
Nate Orchard is a slow riser this year but has the tools to one day develop into an every-down player.
As a way to build for the future, Orchard going under Cameron Wake's wing sounds like a great deal, right?
17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
Again, this is a draft heavy on quality rushers, folks.
Vic Beasley was one of the biggest names last year before a dip in performance this season. No matter, though, as a team riddled by injuries and inefficiency on defense such as the Pittsburgh Steelers (21 sacks) could take advantage of a tumble down the board.
Beasley figures to run well with Jarvis Jones, Ryan Shazier and others as Pittsburgh continues to usher in a new era on the defensive side of the ball.
18. Kansas City Chiefs: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
This is the easiest pick of all.
The Kansas City Chiefs need more help through the air. As Hale notes, Louisville wideout DeVante Parker would go much higher had he appeared in more games:
Andy Reid loves explosive players. Parker's ability to go over the top will only be amplified as defenses throw resources at Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis.
19. Baltimore Ravens: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
A Week 13 loss to San Diego tells the whole story for the Baltimore Ravens—the 31st-ranked pass defense allowed 383 passing yards and three scores, along with the game-winning pass with less than a minute left in regulation.
Marcus Peters might just be the most talented corner in the 2015 class. He comes with baggage, though.
Baltimore will take the risk.
20. San Francisco 49ers: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
The San Francisco 49ers need to do few things on the defensive side of the ball other than get healthy.
That said, the offense is not exactly in need of more talent at the moment.
In a league where teams can have no such thing as too many quality defensive backs, look for the 49ers to grab Ifo Ekpre-Olomu. Even if he essentially redshirts, the 49ers cannot have too many corners to choose from in a rough division.
21. San Diego Chargers: A.J. Cann, OG, South Carolina
Philip Rivers completes nearly 70 percent of his passes this season, but the only way that will bleed into future years as he continues to age is if he stays upright and healthy.
With that in mind, the Chargers can ignore a surprising defense that ranks 15th or better against the pass and rush and instead grab the draft's top interior lineman.
That would be A.J. Cann, who combined to help all South Carolina rushers this year to average a minimum of five yards per carry.
22. Dallas Cowboys: Charles Gaines, CB, Louisville
There is still work to be done in Dallas when it comes to an improving secondary that actually ranks 20th against the pass this season.
Such is life in the high-flying NFC East. In order to keep a budding defense heading in the right direction the Cowboys can look to Charles Gaines, an underrated corner out of Louisville who can do it all in coverage.
Gaines is a savvy add who can play right away in certain packages and only helps along an improving secondary.
23. Cincinnati Bengals: La'el Collins, OT, LSU
Andy Dalton is one of the more well-protected quarterbacks this year, considering he has only been sacked 14 times.
That in no way means the Cincinnati Bengals can ignore the trenches.
Left tackle Andrew Whitworth continues to climb the age ladder, and right tackle Andre Smith is out for the season. After Anthony Collins left this past offseason, it is clear the team could use a developmental talent such as La'el Collins.
24. New Orleans Saints: Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky
Alvin Dupree continues to be one of the fastest risers in the draft thanks to explosive play and details such as this, via CBS Sports' Rob Rang:
"The staff at Kentucky speaks highly of Dupree's work ethic and willingness to switch positions to help the team. Dupree, who has gained 15 pounds of muscle since signing with the Wildcats and was voted a team captain last year, specifically mentioned that he returned for his senior campaign "to help Coach Stoops with the program" and is on pace to graduate with a degree in Community and Leadership Development.
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A struggling New Orleans defense that ranks 28th against the pass needs to spend less time in coverage. Adding a player such as Dupree certainly accomplishes that goal.
25. Detroit Lions: Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
Free agency is closer than most realize, which means Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley are on their way to the market.
This is not to suggest the Detroit Lions lose one or both of those players, but now would be a good time to see what is out there.
Danny Shelton comes to mind. A larger tackle who swallows running lanes on his own means the Detroit linebackers will continue to have plenty of time to go to work.
26. Arizona Cardinals: Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
Carson Palmer has a fat new contract, but there is no time like the present to grab a developmental quarterback who can blossom into a starter in a few years.
Brett Hundley is the obvious choice, especially as all signs say he will enter the draft this year, per CollegeFootball 24/7:
Bruce Arians will love nothing more than the dual-threat quarterback's raw ability that is simply in need of a mold.
27. Indianapolis Colts: Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State
Benardrick McKinney is a boom-or-bust prospect who has all of the traits one hopes to find in an every-down linebacker on the inside.
McKinney can cover when asked but has good recognition and great sideline-to-sideline speed.
A marriage with Indianapolis makes sense as the Colts attempt to get younger in that particular unit.
28. Philadelphia Eagles: Arik Armstead, DE/OLB, Oregon
The Philadelphia Eagles are a strange team.
Defensively speaking, at least. The defense ranks 26th against the pass but has generated 42 sacks on the year.
More talent in terms of short coverage and a quality rush will help to mitigate these issues in the pass-happy NFC East, so look for Chip Kelly to get himself yet another talented, versatile rusher.
29. Green Bay Packers: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
Green Bay does a lot of things right this season, but rush defense is certainly not on the list.
The Packers allow an average of 132.3 rushing yards per game, good for the 28th rank. The B.J. Raji experience wound up a dud, and most of the names in his place at this point struggle at best.
To help turn things around in the trenches, the front office can grab Eddie Goldman, a hog in the middle who does not get enough credit as the catalyst of a solid Florida State defense.
30. Seattle Seahawks: Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
Russell Wilson's passing attack ranks 29th in the league not just because the team is so good at rushing the ball.
The personnel is just not there.
Good thing Jaelen Strong is still on the board. Strong hardly drops anything thrown his way and has 75 grabs for 1,062 yards and 10 scores this season. He instantly becomes the No. 1 in Seattle.
31. Denver Broncos: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
The protection around Peyton Manning has been solid this year (13 sacks), but that is no reason for the Denver Broncos to take the foot off the gas.
Manning's health will only continue to creep into the spotlight as his career wears on, so better to be proactive than reactive.
Andrus Peat has lost a ton of steam in comparison to his preseason hype, but that was destined to happen for an offensive lineman on a struggling 7-5 Stanford team.
32. New England Patriots: Markus Golden, DE, Missouri
Markus Golden is the other superb Missouri defensive end who continues to get national hype. Bleacher Report's Dan Hope puts it best:
Golden fits well in New England as a rush specialist who can make an impact right away. Not bad for a luxury pick.
Note: Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
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