NFL Mock Draft 2015: Analyzing Potential Improvements for Every 1st-Round Team
The NFL draft is about getting better in both the immediate and long-term future, and every team selecting in the first round of the 2015 draft will have a chance to do precisely that.
While it is inevitable that at least a few organizations will misfire and end up picking first-round busts, there is definitely enough talent to go around in the 2015 class. When push comes to shove, this is where general managers and front office personnel truly earn their money.
There is still a great deal of evaluation left to do between now and the start of the 2015 draft; however, here is a look at positive moves that every first-round team can make as things currently stand.
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1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
The Bucs already have some great offensive weapons in place, but they need someone who can make the most of them. Mariota is the top quarterback prospect in this draft, and he absolutely must be the pick at No. 1.
2. Tennessee Titans: Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska
Tennessee could also opt to select a quarterback due to its woes at that position, although it also needs help pressuring the opposing signal-caller. No player in this draft is better at doing that than Gregory.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
The Jaguars must do everything in their power to ensure that quarterback Blake Bortles has an opportunity to succeed. Taking a reliable offensive tackle like Scherff would help immensely in that regard.
4. Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
While Oakland definitely has some good, young talent in place, it lacks explosiveness offensively. Cooper would change that and give quarterback Derek Carr a true go-to option in the passing game.
5. Washington Redskins: Leonard Williams, DL, USC
Despite the fact that Williams may be best off as a defensive tackle in a 4-3 defense, he is talented enough to be an impact player in almost any system, which would make him a steal for the Redskins at No. 5.
6. New York Jets: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston was the toast of college football in 2014 after winning the Heisman Trophy and a national championship during the 2013 season, but questions linger about his draft stock due to off-field issues.
Winston also took a step back from a production standpoint in his sophomore year, with just 24 touchdowns as opposed to 17 interceptions during the regular season. However, he has the measurables and pedigree that NFL teams look for in a franchise signal-caller.
He has a flair for the dramatic and an ability to flip the switch during the biggest moments as well, which FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher believes is invaluable, according to AL.com's Natalie Pierre:
As seen in this timeline of off-field incidents, courtesy of FoxSports.com's Kevin Vaughn, though, it is understandable why some organizations might shy away.
The New York Jets are desperate for an answer at quarterback, however, and the fact that a new general manager and head coach are taking over means that they will most likely want to bring in their own guy rather than sticking with Geno Smith or Michael Vick.
Winston has the talent to be a franchise player, and former NFL quarterback Shaun King believes that is precisely what he will become, per CBS Sports Radio:
Even Vick agrees with that assessment, according to Darryl Slater of NJ.com.
"I think he's the future of the NFL," Vick said. "I've been around so long, I appreciate guys coming out of college. I look forward to watching him. I have high expectations for him."
The Jets swung and missed on their last attempt at a quarterback in Smith, but that doesn't mean they should shy away from trying again. Having a great quarterback is everything in this league, New York has a chance to return to respectability if Winston is as good as advertised.
7. Chicago Bears: Landon Collins, S, Alabama
The Bears have a long history of defensive excellence, but that has waned in recent years. Taking a true secondary leader like Collins won't change things overnight, although it would definitely send them in the right direction.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Shane Ray, DE/OLB, Missouri
Atlanta's inability to rush the quarterback with any type of consistency made life difficult for the defense. Ray specializes in that area, and he could conceivably make the defense far better as a whole.
9. New York Giants: Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington
The Giants defense lacks the playmakers that helped them win a pair of Super Bowls in recent years. Thompson is as athletic as they come at the linebacker position, and he will almost certainly make things happen at the next level.
10. St. Louis Rams: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
The fact that St. Louis' pass rush came on late in the 2014 season helped its suspect secondary significantly. Improvements still need to be made, though, and Waynes is the top option at cornerback in 2015.
11. Minnesota Vikings: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
The jury is still out on whether offensive tackle Matt Kalil was a good pick by the Vikings a couple years ago, but there would be less risk involved with taking Peat at this juncture, and his probability of success seems high.
12. Cleveland Browns: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
Even if Josh Gordon snaps out of it and becomes a model citizen moving forward, the Browns need another wide receiver. Aside from Cooper, Parker may be the most NFL-ready pass-catcher in this draft.
13. New Orleans Saints: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
The Saints defense was an absolute disaster in 2014, due largely to an inability to cover big-time receivers. Ekpre-Olomu did plenty of that while at Oregon, and he would be a great fit in New Orleans as a shutdown cornerback.
14. Miami Dolphins: Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State
Miami has one of the best front fours in all of football, but its linebacker corps leaves something to be desired. The Dolphins could use a playmaker in the middle who can make the most of the line in front of him, and McKinney fits that description.
15. San Francisco 49ers: Danny Shelton, DL, Washington
The 49ers are a team that could easily return to contention next season, but it is clear that they must add depth on defense. Shelton is a versatile lineman who can line up in any number of spots, so he makes a ton of sense for San Francisco.
16. Houston Texans: Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
Outside of Mariota and Winston, there are plenty of question marks regarding quarterbacks in this draft class. Some seem to believe that Hundley has the tools to be an NFL star, and the quarterback-needy Texans ought to take him if they agree.
17. San Diego Chargers: Cameron Erving, OL, Florida State
Perhaps no team in the league dealt with more injuries along the offensive line than the Chargers in 2014. Erving is the type of lineman who can play tackle, guard or center, and that versatility will be a huge asset to San Diego.
18. Kansas City Chiefs: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
The Kansas City Chiefs fell just short of making the playoffs in 2014, and it can be argued that they would have had they gotten any type of production from their wide receivers.
Quarterback Alex Smith favored throwing to tight end Travis Kelce and running back Jamaal Charles over his wideouts partly due to his conservative nature, but also because he doesn't have any true playmakers at that position. That resulted in the Chiefs shockingly going an entire season without a wide receiver catching a touchdown, according to ESPN Stats & Info:
Smith needs someone he can trust to attack the ball and make plays even when covered, and West Virginia wide receiver Kevin White is that type of player.
The 6'3, 210-pound pass-catcher is a freakish athlete who put up monster numbers in 2014 with 109 catches for over 1,400 yards and 10 touchdowns. He even excelled against top programs like Alabama, Oklahoma and Baylor, so White is no flash in the pan.
He is easily one of the most talented wide receivers in this draft class, and Dane Brugler of CBS Sports views him as a great consolation prize for any team that isn't lucky enough to land Cooper:
Kansas City is in no position to nab Cooper unless it trades up and mortgages the future, but it is very much in White's wheelhouse at No. 18.
The Chiefs can't afford to neglect the wide receiver position any longer, and White has to be the pick if he his still on the board.
19. Cleveland Browns (from Buffalo Bills): Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
The Browns defense didn't come along as well as most hoped in the first year under head coach Mike Pettine. As someone who loves to blitz and pressure the quarterback, though, a pure pass-rusher like Beasley could be massive addition.
20. Philadelphia Eagles: P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State
Philadelphia has been searching for answers in the secondary for the past several years, and while one player won't necessarily solve everything, Williams definitely has the potential to be a quality NFL starter.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Dante Fowler, DE, Florida
The Bengals ranked dead last in sacks during the regular season and have few pass-rushing threats aside from Carlos Dunlap. If Fowler lives up to his potential, though, opposing quarterbacks will start to fear Cincinnati's front.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers: Alex Carter, CB, Stanford
Pittsburgh has needed to get younger in the secondary for the past several years, and it will finally take a step toward doing so with this pick by nabbing a talented, young cornerback in Carter.
23. Detroit Lions: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
While Peters' stock has dropped a bit since getting dismissed from Washington's football team, a case can be made that he's the most talented corner in this draft. That makes him worth the risk for a Lions team that needs cornerback help.
24. Arizona Cardinals: Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky
Even though Arizona's pass rush came on late in the season, it is still flawed and lacking in terms of depth. Provided Dupree continues to thrive in the NFL like he did at Kentucky, the Cards will have a more sustainable rush.
25. Carolina Panthers: Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
The Panthers are a flawed team despite qualifying for the playoffs, and their struggles to protect quarterback Cam Newton may be the biggest issue. Ogbuehi is definitely a risky pick, but he could pay off big and become a cornerstone tackle.
26. Baltimore Ravens: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
Running back Justin Forsett came from out of nowhere to have a remarkable season for the Ravens, but he is 29 and can't play forever. That means Baltimore could benefit from a more permanent answer at the position like Gordon.
27. Dallas Cowboys: Nate Orchard, DE, Utah
The Cowboys simply won't find a true replacement for DeMarcus Ware at this point in the first round, but Orchard is a skilled and athletic pass-rusher. Dallas needs more explosiveness on defense, and Orchard will provide it.
28. Denver Broncos: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
It can be argued that the Denver Broncos have the most talented offense in the entire NFL, and while their defense has some star power as well, there is no question that there are more issues on that side of the ball.
The Broncos have a pair of elite pass-rushers in Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware; however, the rest of the front seven is hit or miss. Denver could certainly use some help in the middle of the defensive line in order to shut down opposing running games, which is why defensive tackle figures to be a target in the first round of the draft.
Due to the fact that there aren't a ton of teams with a similar need, it is possible that a supremely talented player like Florida State's Eddie Goldman could fall this far. Goldman is a physical specimen at 6'4" and 320 pounds, and he is coming off of a great junior year that saw him rack up 35 tackles and four sacks during the regular season.
Goldman can do a little bit of everything in terms of rushing the quarterback and stopping the run, which prompted Bleacher Report's Matt Miller to grade him out as a top player at his position in the 2015 class:
Nobody would bat an eyelash if a team decided to take Goldman as early as the top 15, but there are always at least a few players who fall further than they should.
If Goldman is available for the Broncos this late, then they'll have no choice but to jump all over him.
29. Indianapolis Colts: A.J. Cann, OG, South Carolina
Quarterback Andrew Luck is everything for the Colts, and he could definitely use a bit more talent in front of him along the offensive line. Cann is the best pure guard in this class, and he fills a position of need for Indy.
30. Green Bay Packers: Denzel Perryman, ILB, Miami (Fla.)
Inside linebacker is Green Bay's biggest need by far, as it has been forced to shift Clay Matthews into that role. Perryman is a great athlete and sure-handed tackler, which means he could be an immediate starter for the Packers.
31. New England Patriots: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
The Patriots tend to be somewhat unconventional on draft day, and they don't hesitate to take chances. Green-Beckham will enter the NFL with some baggage, but the Pats could use some help at receiver, and he could have more pure talent than any pass-catcher in the 2015 class.
32. Seattle Seahawks: Devin Funchess, WR/TE, Michigan
The Seahawks are fairly inconsistent when it comes to integrating the tight end in the passing game, but if they can land an elite athlete like Funchess, then one can only assume that quarterback Russell Wilson will do everything possible to get him the ball.
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