NFL Draft 2015: Selection Order and Mock Draft Post-Divisional Round
The 2015 NFL draft order cleared up quite a bit after a wild, controversial and—above all else—entertaining playoff divisional round.
The Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots are the four teams left standing, which, of course, means the majority of NFL fans have one eye on the playoffs and the other on their teams' offseason plans—chief among them the NFL draft, where hope springs eternal.
Here is a look at my latest mock draft, with the updated selection order in mind.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
Marcus Mariota has the size, speed and intangibles to succeed in the NFL as a dual-threat passer.
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He may not be as league-ready as Jameis Winston, but he has absolutely none of the off-field concerns and likely has a better floor than the Florida State star, although the latter's ceiling could be higher due to his stronger frame and impressive arm strength.
It's going to be a tough choice either way for the Bucs, and one supposes it's still possible they go in another direction, but Mariota has the potential to become the face of a franchise for years to come.
2. Tennessee Titans: Leonard Williams, DT/DE, USC
The Titans might not be so inclined to give up on Zach Mettenberger and draft another quarterback at this point. With Mariota off the board, look for them to instead address a limp defensive line by adding USC's Leonard Williams, a versatile player who racked up 9.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks in 2014. The junior star has the size to play tackle in a 4-3 front and the quickness to line up at end in either of the two major fronts. The Titans can't afford to miss out on a player like him.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska
The Jacksonville Jaguars will continue to experiment with Blake Bortles at quarterback and considering the pockets of talent around him on offense, look for them to shore up the defense in 2014. Randy Gregory is a ferocious edge-rushing talent. His quickness off the ball is hardly matched in the collegiate ranks; he could become a very dangerous player in the NFL.
Offensive tackle is also a potential option for the Jags at the No. 3 spot. Trading down might also be a good idea for a struggling franchise desperate for hope in 2015 and with needs at multiple positions.
4. Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
The Oakland Raiders actually have a chance to turn their decade-and-change slump around in 2015. They won't win a ton of games, but they can at least move things in the right direction with Derek Carr at quarterback and Khalil Mack at linebacker. The Raiders have virtually no weapons of note for Carr to work with.
Drafting Amari Cooper would be a wise choice at this spot. He proved in college he knows how to get open even when he's the obvious focal point in the offense.
5. Washington Redskins: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
Should he declare for the draft, one offensive tackle to look for in the top 10 or 20 picks or so is Notre Dame's Ronnie Stanley. However, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller noted Stanley is still undecided on his future:
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Notre Dame left tackle Ronnie Stanley may be the first tackle drafted if he enters the 2015 class, but in talking to the redshirt sophomore Thursday morning, he remains very much undecided on if he'll head back to school or take on the NFL.
In this mock, let's assume Stanley stays in school and take a look at the other top-tier tackles, starting with Iowa's Brandon Scherff, who looks equally adept at both run and pass blocking.
6. New York Jets: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
Famous Jameis heads to the United States' biggest media market in this draft, an epic meeting of an already notorious persona and an unrelenting national spotlight. Winston would become an immediate source of competition for Geno Smith, with a strong chance of significant playing time in his rookie year, should the coaching staff (whomever that may be) choose to go that route.
Winston proved in college he can play well when the chips are down and his team is struggling. Resiliency is a useful trait when playing in New York; the Jets would be hard-pressed to pass up on Winston here. If they do, look for the Rams to pick him up at No. 10.
7. Chicago Bears: Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
The Bears have problems just about everywhere on defense. An edge-rusher is incredibly tempting here, but the secondary is short on talent as well. Landon Collins could be one of the safest choices in the draft. He's excellent in run support, has the vaunted Alabama pedigree and improved his coverage skills seemingly with each passing game in college.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Shane Ray, DE/OLB, Missouri
The Falcons pass rush was utterly anemic in 2014. Missouri's Shane Ray would be an excellent choice here, as Atlanta's primary concern should be figuring out a way to put pressure on the other quarterbacks in the NFC South, namely Drew Brees, Cam Newton and, perhaps, even a rookie Mariota.
9. New York Giants: Dante Fowler Jr., DE, Florida
Jason Pierre-Paul could become a free agent in March, and the Giants were at their Super Bowl-stealing best when they boasted a fearsome pass rush. Dante Fowler Jr. fits the bill and would still be a fine choice at this lofty spot with Ray, Williams and Gregory already off the board.
10. St. Louis Rams: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
Andrus Peat has all the physical tools to succeed in the NFL, but some question the All-American's technique. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah broke down some of his concerns with Peat:
If he can wow scouts in the combine and at his pro day, Peat could go very high in the draft. The St. Louis Rams could use another tackle on the offensive line. Peat fits the bill.
11. Minnesota Vikings: La'el Collins, OT, LSU
The Vikings need to protect prized commodity Teddy Bridgewater and could use a boost from the line in the run game as well. La'el Collins did a fine job bulldozing a path for the likes of Leonard Fournette at LSU this season. He should be able to provide valuable competition at either tackle spot in the NFL.
12. Cleveland Browns: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
It's possible the Browns lose both Jordan Cameron and Josh Gordon this offseason, and the last thing they want to do is strand young Johnny Manziel without anyone to throw to.
Say hello to Kevin White, a dynamic presence on jump balls who won't make any Browns fan forget about Gordon should he depart, but he could at least alleviate some of the pain if a separation comes.
13. New Orleans Saints: Shaq Thompson, LB/S, Washington
Shaq Thompson is the kind of player who might as well come into the draft with the "athlete" tag that is applied to top high school recruits who are capable of playing multiple positions at the next level. Thompson played linebacker, safety and running back for Washington. The Saints are in dire need of help on defense; Thompson could fit into a number of different roles or schemes with this team.
14. Miami Dolphins: Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
Danny Shelton is a potential replacement pick here for Jared Odrick, who could depart as a free agent. Shelton is a burly defensive tackle capable of taking on multiple blockers and freeing up others to do the flashy work on defense.
15. San Francisco 49ers: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
The 49ers could very well go with an offensive lineman at this spot, but their aging wide receiver corps needs to be addressed as well. DeVante Parker is one of the top talents on the board in this mock. He was a favorite target of Bridgewater's at Louisville and could be a reliable source of production for Colin Kaepernick while benefiting from the tutelage of veterans such as Anquan Boldin.
16. Houston Texans: T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
The Texans need a quarterback and perhaps another wide receiver, but offensive line is the best position to address considering the talent available. T.J. Clemmings is an extremely agile, athletic tackle who should excel in pass blocking at the next level.
17. San Diego Chargers: Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
The Chargers have holes on defense, but there is hope that talented young players like Manti Te'o, Jerry Attaochu and Jason Verrett could develop into above-average players at their respective positions. Protecting Philip Rivers is the biggest concern for this franchise; his run as an upper-tier quarterback in this league essentially serves as the Bolts' window of opportunity for a Super Bowl. Cedric Ogbuehi would be a fine addition to the offensive line, and he'd help to keep Rivers healthy and upright.
18. Kansas City Chiefs: Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
The Chiefs wideouts scored zero touchdowns as a group in 2014. That's pretty much all one needs to know when assessing this team's top offseason priority. Arizona State's Jaelen Strong would seem to be a good bet to score a touchdown, considering he could use his size and strength to bully smaller defenders in the red zone.
19. Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo): Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
Cleveland was awful against the run in 2014. The Browns were often dominated at the point of attack, which makes the middle of the defensive line a top priority. Look for them to snatch up Malcom Brown and shore up this area of obvious concern with their second pick of the first round.
20. Philadelphia Eagles: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
The Eagles struggled to stop opposing passers from doing as they pleased in 2014, making bolstering the pass defense a top priority in Philly. The team has a decent pass rush thanks to the likes of Connor Barwin, so look for them to shore up the secondary with Michigan State's Trae Waynes, a strong cover corner with excellent ball skills. Waynes tallied 34 tackles, three picks and eight pass breakups in 2014, per CFBStats.com.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky
The Bengals notched just 20 sacks in 2014. A pass-rusher is in order, and if they don't trade up for one, they would be foolish to pass up on a supreme athlete like Alvin "Bud" Dupree. Bleacher Report's Adam Wharton considers him a top-notch prospect:
Dupree is a rangy, powerful player who would likely become an early fixture in the Bengals' defensive machinations.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
Marcus Peters might not fall this far in the draft—the Eagles would certainly take a long look at him at No. 20, as could the Saints at No. 13—but if he does, the Steelers should take him and inject youth into an aging secondary.
23. Detroit Lions: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
The Detroit Lions could find themselves trying to replace Ndamukong Suh or Nick Fairley this offseason—or, perhaps, both if something goes terribly wrong. Look for them to snatch up a defensive tackle with this spot. Florida State's Eddie Goldman fits the bill as a big heavy who can play the run as well as rush the quarterback.
24. Arizona Cardinals: Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan
The Cardinals might've seen the last of Larry Fitzgerald in red and white, as the star wideout could be headed out the door with an enormous cap hit for 2015. Should he depart, look for the Cardinals to draft Devin Funchess, a super-sized wideout who could also moonlight as a tight end in certain packages.
25. Carolina Panthers: Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
The Panthers could use a pass-rusher, and even with so may top talents already off the board, there is still potential value at this low end of the round. Vic Beasley could go to any number of teams, but if he drops to this spot, he's highly unlikely to sink any further.
26. Baltimore Ravens: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
This would certainly be a risky pick for Baltimore, and the Ravens do have other areas of concern—adding youth to an aging defensive line being one—but Todd Gurley has all the makings of a once-in-a-generation talent at running back. He's powerful, quick to the hole and an option on special teams should the Ravens opt to squeeze another year out of running back Justin Forsett, who turns 30 in October.
Forsett is also an impending free agent, so there is no guarantee he sticks with the team after a career year in the league.
27. Dallas Cowboys: Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
The Dallas Cowboys could use a big cornerback on defense, and Jalen Collins put together another solid season for the Tigers in 2014. He could have trouble against the speedier wideouts in the league, but his strength and ball skills make him an intriguing late first-round option.
28. Denver Broncos: Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
The Broncos loss to the Colts on Sunday led to a host of questions regarding the future direction of this team. One area of immediate concern, however, appears to be the offensive line, according to ESPN Insider's (subscription required) Field Yates:
"Left tackle Ryan Clady is a Pro Bowl-caliber player when at his best, but injuries affected him this season and he didn't play at the level we're accustomed to seeing him. The offensive line didn't surrender a ton of sacks -- some of that is attributable to Manning's pocket presence and getting the ball out quickly -- but the group wasn't dominant and had moments of true struggle. The team will likely address the interior of the offensive line this offseason.
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Look for the Broncos to address issues on the interior in the later rounds and snatch up offensive tackle Ereck Flowers out of Miami in the first round.
29. Indianapolis Colts: Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State
Benardrick McKinney just seems to have the constitution of a player who is going to have a long pro career. He's a solid tackler, a proven team leader and unafraid to do the dirty work against the run. The Colts would be wise to snatch up a player like him at the end of the first round.
30. Green Bay Packers: Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA
The Packers say "Aww, shucks" after just missing out on McKinney but don't shy away from addressing an area of obvious need. Eric Kendricks might actually be a better athlete than McKinney and could inject some much-needed speed and tenacity into the Packers front seven.
31. New England Patriots: Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
One wouldn't be surprised if the Pats took Dorial Green-Beckham at this spot, considering Bill Belichick's ability to keep players in line. However, the team needs reinforcements on the defensive line, a fact made painfully obvious by its lackluster performance against Forsett and the Ravens in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. Jordan Phillips could one day replace Vince Wilfork.
32. Seattle Seahawks: Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
The Seattle Seahawks should target a wide receiver or a tight end at this spot. With the top talents like Funchess, Cooper, Parker, etc., long gone, it might have to be tight end. Maxx Williams is the only one worth taking this early and could prove to be an immediate upgrade over the likes of Luke Willson and Cooper Helfet.
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