2015 NFL Mock Draft: Latest Predictions Before Week 16
The complexities of the 2015 NFL draft can be overwhelming.
Right now, the draft is in limbo. It is unknown whether players such as USC's Leonard Williams will declare. Names such as Dorial Green-Beckham can disrupt the entire event in unknown ways. Some players, such as Michigan receiver Devin Funchess, do not have a surefire position.
These things will work themselves out in time. For now, a mock draft is a resource that not only takes the temperature of the NFL but also provides a closer look at the players who might make up the 2015 class.
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Below is an updated mock (using Odds Shark's latest odds to win this year's Super Bowl) to accomplish those things in one swoop.
1. Oakland Raiders: Leonard Williams, DL, USC
Williams is the best player in the draft outside of the quarterback position, although nothing is officially set in stone just yet, as captured by Bleacher Report's Matt Miller:
Athletic linemen who can apply pressure and clog lanes at a high level are quite rare, so he makes perfect sense for an Oakland Raiders team that continues to trend in the right direction.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska
The Jacksonville Jaguars have a nice surprise in Ryan Davis (5.5 sacks), but an additional edge-rusher is necessary in order for the defense to take the next step.
Randy Gregory is as good as it gets this year, which is nothing close to a bad thing.
He is a natural rusher who demands the attention of more than one offensive lineman, which will open things up even more for Sen'Derrick Marks and others.
3. New York Jets: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
This year's Heisman winner will go No. 1 overall if a team in need rests at the spot.
If not, expect a dramatic bidding war for the rights to secure Marcus Mariota.
The New York Jets will sprint to the podium in this scenario, as Mariota's addition frees the franchise of the failed Geno Smith era. While the Oregon product does not fix everything on his own, there is no better way to reboot a team this year.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
Jameis Winston is in the middle of a down year from a stats standpoint (24 touchdowns to 17 interceptions), but little debate remains about his on-field talent.
He can make all of the big-league throws. He can diagnose a defense and make changes at the line. Really, he remains the reason Florida State is still undefeated and through to the College Football Playoff.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will want to get over the Mike Glennon-Josh McCown conundrum in dramatic fashion this year. Winston does that.
5. Tennessee Titans: Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
Free from his status as a backup behind Michael Sam and Kony Ealy, Shane Ray is now the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, per the SEC Network:
Tennessee needs an athletic rusher on the edge to free up those in the middle and allow the secondary to spend less time in coverage.
Ray does that right off the bat, even if it is just on a rotational basis.
6. Washington: Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
The league's 17th-ranked pass defense is weakest in the back end of the secondary. With that in mind, it only makes sense that Washington pulls the trigger on a safety in the top 10.
Only if it is Landon Collins, of course.
The Alabama product can hold his own in coverage, although he is at his best when used in a downhill manner to assault running lanes and finish plays.
7. New York Giants: Dante Fowler Jr., DE, Florida
Many will cry foul that the New York Giants grab a rusher in this scenario.
Fair enough. The Giants rank 30th in the league against the rush, but understand that Florida's Dante Fowler Jr. is one of the most versatile players in the class.
He has experience all along the defensive line and has even spent time at linebacker. This gives the coaching staff a wealth of flexibility as to how it uses one of the draft's freak athletes.
8. Chicago Bears: Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington
The fate of one of the draft's top rushers will remain unknown for the time being.
Christian Caple of The Tacoma News Tribune has the scoop:
Provided he declares, Shaq Thompson is a major boost for a Chicago Bears defense that is older on the edges. Jared Allen, of course, is a suitable mentor for a budding talent.
9. St. Louis Rams: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
Amari Cooper is the best wideout in the class.
When it comes to Cooper—one of three Heisman finalists—115 grabs for 1,656 yards and 14 scores do the talking.
The St. Louis Rams do not have a major need at wideout, but Cooper is hard to pass up. Besides, the team will need a franchise receiver to help along whatever happens under center in the coming years.
10. Miami Dolphins: Nate Orchard, DE, Utah
Nate Orchard's peers have spoken—he is the best.
Jeremiah Jensen of KSL.com provides the details:
Orchard has the talent to change games on his own, which is something the Miami defense could use in the trenches. He can also help the team build for the future, as Cameron Wake is already 32 years old.
11. Cleveland Browns: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
Green-Beckham is perhaps the most polarizing potential addition to the 2015 class. He is also one who has draft experts such as Mel Kiper Jr. buzzing (subscription required): "At nearly 6'5" and 225-plus pounds, he'd have a chance to challenge Amari Cooper as the top wide receiver in the 2015 draft class if not for his significant off-field red flags. And even though he was kicked off the team at Missouri, his talent level may be too tantalizing to pass up."
Owners of two first-round picks, Cleveland will have no issues with a gamble to pair DGB with Josh Gordon if it means Johnny Manziel succeeds.
12. Houston Texans: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
Now 30 years old, Johnathan Joseph needs some help in order to turn around the league's 27th-ranked pass defense.
Trae Waynes comes into play in this range. The leader of the Michigan State defense might just be a better pro prospect than former teammate Darqueze Dennard, so the Houston Texans get a great value through a long-term lens.
13. Minnesota Vikings: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
Senior West Virginia wideout Kevin White left his stamp on the collegiate scene in dramatic fashion with 102 catches for 1,318 yards and nine touchdowns.
White is an ideal fit in Minnesota, a franchise that will someday need to replace Greg Jennings and get production from Cordarrelle Patterson.
The addition of White will open things up for Teddy Bridgewater, which right now is the long-term goal.
14. Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo): Shawn Oakman, DE, Baylor
Human beings are rarely built like Shawn Oakman.
At 6'9" and 280 pounds, he is a force in the trenches who needs a bit of fundamental refinement to come out of his shell as an all-around player.
Cleveland seems an ideal fit with the second of two picks in the first round. A growing defense only gets more athletic up front with his addition.
15. Atlanta Falcons: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
The Atlanta Falcons have allowed Matt Ryan to be sacked 25 times this year, which is 25 times too many in the eyes of those in charge.
In all seriousness, though, the Falcons need to look toward the future and build in the trenches to remain competitive.
The NFC South calls for plenty of passes, so a versatile piece such as Brandon Scherff provides contributions now and into the future.
16. San Francisco 49ers: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports reports that Marcus Peters will enter the draft:
He has a bit of baggage after being dismissed from Washington, but that will not stop the San Francisco 49ers. More talent in the secondary is necessary, even if the team happens to be one of the deepest in the league overall.
17. Carolina Panthers: Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
Free from the shadows of Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews, it is clear that Cedric Ogbuehi has more raw talent than either of them.
Now all he needs is some refinement.
Ogbuehi will get that in Carolina, another NFC South member that needs to take to the air more often. More importantly, the front office needs Cam Newton healthy to be competitive.
18. Kansas City Chiefs: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
DeVante Parker did not see a ton of action this season, but 35 grabs for 735 yards and five scores show well enough what a special talent he can be when healthy.
Andy Reid enjoys big-play threats such as Parker. The Kansas City Chiefs have next to nothing to show from their wideout corps this season, which will need to change in a hurry.
Parker is a great start.
19. San Diego Chargers: A.J. Cann, OG, South Carolina
This is similar to Ryan above—San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is on the wrong end of 27 sacks this year.
Really, this news is no shock. Over at Pro Football Focus (subscription required), 80 guards are ranked by performance this year. Chad Rinehart comes in at No. 77. Johnnie Troutman is No. 79.
A.J. Cann is the best interior lineman in the draft. Boom.
20. Cincinnati Bengals: La'el Collins, OT, LSU
The future is the focal point for the Cincinnati Bengals, which means it is time to start thinking about what happens when left tackle Andrew Whitworth (33 years old) hangs up the cleats.
One offseason removed from letting Anthony Collins walk, the Bengals will need to add a talent such as La'el Collins in the trenches.
Having one LSU product on the receiving end of lessons from another is a good way to keep things moving in the Queen City.
21. New Orleans Saints: Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky
Alvin Dupree does not hail from a traditional SEC powerhouse.
His combination of length, explosiveness and motor ensures he will be off the board in the first round, though.
He makes sense for a wobbly New Orleans Saints defense that ranks 26th against the pass and 29th against the rush. Dupree can wreak havoc with his hand in the dirt or standing upright while continuing to make plays downfield.
22. Baltimore Ravens: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu does not have nearly as much hype as he did last season, but he remains one of the sole reasons the Oregon defense surrenders just 22.5 points per game.
With how much opposing offenses take to the air to keep up with Mariota, that is a great number.
A No. 30 rank is not so great, which is where a once-proud Baltimore Ravens defense rests against the pass. Ekpre-Olomu is the first of many picks used to upgrade the secondary.
23. Philadelphia Eagles: Arik Armstead, DE/OLB, Oregon
Make that two Oregon products in a row.
As Steve Palazzolo of PFF notes, Arik Armstead is an upside-based pick:
Chip Kelly's Eagles have 47 sacks on the year. Armstead fits well in the scheme and gets to run wild before assuming a large role a few years down the line. What is not to like?
24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
The Pittsburgh Steelers are another AFC North defense in need of a turnaround.
Pittsburgh has just 24 sacks on the season. To improve in this area, the versatile Vic Beasley is the answer.
He is a bit like Ekpre-Olomu in that his hype is a bit down in comparison to last year, but Pittsburgh will not complain about getting a pro-ready contributor.
25. Arizona Cardinals: Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
What could go wrong under center for the Arizona Cardinals this year simply has—at least from a health standpoint.
Coach Bruce Arians is no fool and will look to build a bit for the future in this draft with a dual-threat player such as Brett Hundley.
Hundley is quite raw for the pro level, but guidance from Carson Palmer and Arians will do the trick.
26. Detroit Lions: Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
What the future holds for Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley is impossible to predict.
It is difficult to imagine the Detroit Lions can hang onto both, though, so Danny Shelton is a great grab near the end of the first round.
He is a classic run-stuffing machine who figures to have minimal issues in his transition to the pro game if deployed strategically by the coaching staff.
27. Indianapolis Colts: Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State
Defensive players such as Benardrick McKinney will always play a secondary role to a quarterback such as Dak Prescott.
Until the path to the draft.
McKinney is impossible to ignore as the best interior linebacker in the 2015 class. Now that D'Qwell Jackson is 31 years old, the front office in Indianapolis will have no issues with the selection of another leader and contributor in the heart of the defense.
28. Dallas Cowboys: Charles Gaines, CB, Louisville
The Dallas Cowboys are a decent surprise this year defensively.
Really, though, the fact the unit ranks 23rd against the pass speaks volumes to the quality of play as of late.
To continue to rebuild that side of the football in the pass-happy NFC East, look for Jerry Jones and Co. to grab a high-upside corner such as Charles Gaines.
29. Denver Broncos: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
Andrus Peat's warpath to the draft continues with an accolade from those he lined up against, as Stanford captures on Twitter:
Peat is a building block for the future even if he only protects Peyton Manning for a few years. When an eventual transition under center needs to take place, the Cardinal standout will be there to help the process.
30. Green Bay Packers: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
Eddie Goldman rarely receives enough credit as the cog that makes the Florida State defense tick.
Teams in need such as the Green Bay Packers know the deal, though.
Goldman can create unorthodox pressure up the middle at a consistent clip, as well as shovel linemen out of the way so the linebackers behind him can go to work. Green Bay's biggest defensive need is all of the above.
31. New England Patriots: Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan
Funchess is a great offensive weapon. The last sentence reads as such because Kiper and others do not view his as a wideout.
SportsCenter captures the dilemma:
Regardless, the creative mind of Bill Belichick and the elite arm of Tom Brady make the discussion over his position a moot point.
32. Seattle Seahawks: Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
The Seattle Seahawks still do not have a receiver who has breached the 700-yard mark due to a 31st-ranked passing attack.
While the defending champions are a run-first team at heart, more production through the air would be nice. Jaelen Strong out of Arizona State is productive (75 receptions, 1,062 yards, 10 touchdowns) and has plenty of upside to grow into the role of No. 1 wideout.
Note: Stats courtesy of NFL.com as of December 16 at 4 p.m. ET. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
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