2015 NFL Draft Order: Updated Selection List After Wild Card Weekend

Unfortunately for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals and Detroit Lions, their losses this weekend eliminated them from Super Bowl contention. Looking on the (very, very dim) bright side, though, they can finally begin preparing for their offseason by having a firm grasp on where they'll be drafting in April.

The Wild Card Weekend festivities allowed the first 24 picks in April's bonanza to crystallize, with the two AFC North teams moving into the No. 21 and 22 spots while the NFC sides took up the rear. Cincinnati's consolation prize for its fourth straight first-round loss is its third opportunity in that span to pick at No. 21. (The Bengals traded the No. 21 pick in 2012 to the New England Patriots.) 

From a pure outlook perspective, little changes about how the draft should fall. We're way too far away to accurately project how players will come off the board, as free agency and veteran cuts are still months away. By April the needs of certain teams may have changed wildly.

So instead of mocking away and having the results deemed moot a week from now, let's check in on what we do know. Here's a look at how the 2015 first-round selections would play out if the draft were held today and analysis of top storylines that should develop in the coming months.

(Note: Picks Nos. 25-32 are based on regular-season record. They will change based on playoff results.)

Selection	Team
1	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2	Tennessee Titans
3	Jacksonville Jaguars
4	Oakland Raiders
5	Washington Redskins
6	New York Jets
7	Chicago Bears
8	Atlanta Falcons
9	New York Giants
10	St. Louis Rams
11	Minnesota Vikings
12	Cleveland Browns
13	New Orleans Saints
14	Miami Dolphins
15	San Francisco 49ers
16	Houston Texans
17	San Diego Chargers
18	Kansas City Chiefs
19	Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo)
20	Philadelphia Eagles
21	Cincinnati Bengals
22	Pittsburgh Steelers
23	Detroit Lions
24	Arizona Cardinals
25	Carolina Panthers*
26	Baltimore Ravens*
27	Indianapolis Colts*
28	Dallas Cowboys*
29	Denver Broncos*
30	Green Bay Packers*
31	Seattle Seahawks*
32	New England Patriots*

Top Storylines

Will Jameis Winston Go No. 2?

Barring an unforeseen surprise, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will select Marcus Mariota with the No. 1 pick in April. They have a significant need for a franchise quarterback, and Mariota, while not perfect, has emerged as the safest bet in this class. With Tampa Bay already investing a first-round choice in Mike Evans last offseason, Mariota is a natural progression in the rebuild.

The real questions begin at No. 2, where it's entirely unclear where the Tennessee Titans will land. Tennessee needs a franchise quarterback. The Jake Locker experiment is on its last legs, and 2014 sixth-round pick Zach Mettenberger proved more adept at taking selfies than throwing footballs this season. In normal cases, selecting a player with Winston's collegiate resume and physical gifts wouldn't be a question.

We all know Winston is far from a normal case. His off-the-field issues are well-documented, ranging from the mildly amusing to the deeply concerning. His on-field antics have frustrated coaches, as Florida State's Jimbo Fisher made so obviously clear when threatening to bench his quarterback in Thursday's loss to Oregon.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

It should also be noted that Winston's counting stats in nearly every positive category went down while his negatives skyrocketed. He threw 15 fewer touchdowns and eight more interceptions as a sophomore than he did as a freshman. He completed a lower percentage of his passes at fewer yards per attempt. His QBR went down nearly 15 points.

For all his physical gifts—Winston would probably challenge Mariota at No. 1 based on those alone—this is not a player with a guaranteed future. The front office and coaching staff who select him will be banking their jobs on his development, and the teams that pass will be banking on his lack thereof.

The Titans have needed a franchise face at quarterback since Steve McNair left. Winston will be there for the taking. Will they roll the dice?

Will a RB Go in Round 1?

Brian Blanco/Getty Images

In the history of the NFL draft, a running back has failed to go in the first round only twice: 2013 and 2014. Increased understanding of the position's fungibility and short shelf life have caused front offices to shy away, as have the proliferation of pass-oriented systems.

Trent Richardson, Doug Martin and David Wilson came off the board in 2012. All three of their respective teams would probably take a mulligan on that pick.

The Cleveland Browns had near-instant buyer's remorse with Richardson, sending him to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a 2013 first-round choice. Richardson was replaced by someone called Zurlon Tipton and 2012 sixth-rounder Daniel Herron during Indy's first-round playoff matchup on Sunday.

Martin had an excellent rookie season but has followed it up with back-to-back lousy campaigns. Wilson is out of football after suffering a career-ending injury.

Three bad picks don't necessarily preclude a position from consideration. The recent run of high-profile selections juxtaposed against the values found later in drafts, though, has made it infinitely tougher for a guy to earn lock status.

This year could be the litmus test for how far the running back has truly fallen. In generations past, Melvin Gordon and a pre-ACL tear Todd Gurley would have been contenders for top-10 selections. Gordon's junior campaign finished with the second most rushing yards in a single FBS season (2,587), and he's the type of all-around playmaker who makes scouts drool.

Listed at 6'1" and 207 pounds, Gordon has the size and playmaking ability to be an outlier talent. He's averaged 7.8 yards per carry in his college career across 631 attempts. Wisconsin's offense doesn't lend itself to running back production in the passing game—Gordon had 21 career receptions—but he has the open-field vision and explosiveness to make big plays after the catch. It'd be a minor shock for a team in the late teens or early 20s to not take a chance.

Gurley is the more interesting question. A no-doubt-about-it first-rounder before going down, it's difficult to assess his status before knowing how quickly he can return. Gurley tore his ACL in Georgia's 34-7 win over Auburn. Over the last two seasons he's been limited to 288 rushing attempts due to a combination of injuries and a suspension.

From a pure physical-tools standpoint, a healthy Gurley is one of the best running back prospects in recent memory. How far he slides on draft day could be the latest indicator of how fragile life can be at that position.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.