2015 NFL Mock Draft: Post-CFP Championship Predictions for 1st-Round Prospects
With Ohio State's national championship victory, the college football season officially drew to a close. As a result, those players heading into the 2015 draft are running out of opportunities to impress NFL scouts and coaches.
Even though the college season is over, the current hierarchy of prospects is almost certainly going to change over the coming months as teams scrutinize each player more and more.
For now, the mock below provides an early road map for where the teams in the first round may look with their respective picks.
.png?w=256)
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Notes: Draft order is courtesy of NFL.com. Picks 29-32 are also subject to change depending on outcome of playoffs.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
In a more quarterback-rich draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could probably afford to pass on Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston and wait until the second or third round to address the position. This isn't one of those years. There aren't a lot of options beyond Mariota and Winston.
Mariota gets the edge right now. There are questions as to whether he can adjust to an NFL offense, but he has all the physical tools to succeed at the next level.
2. Tennessee Titans: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
A case could be made that Winston should be selected ahead of Mariota. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller put the Florida State star atop his draft board last week:
Winston's game is more suited to the NFL than Mariota's, but the Seminole comes with more off-field baggage. He can also make some poor mistakes downfield, as evidenced by his 28 interceptions in two years at Tallahassee. Still, the Tennessee Titans need a QB, and Winston is worth the gamble.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Williams, DL, USC
On pure talent alone, Leonard Williams could easily be the first pick in the NFL draft. Both Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy illustrate how much havoc a versatile interior lineman can wreak on an opposing offense. Williams is the total package in terms of athleticism and strength. The Jacksonville Jaguars would be foolish to look past him if he's on the board.
4. Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
No wide receiver in this year's draft is more polished than Amari Cooper. He doesn't have blinding speed, but he's quick enough to create separation in the secondary. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah also praised Cooper's route running:
The Oakland Raiders have their franchise quarterback in Derek Carr. Should they add Cooper, their passing game would be set for the long term.
5. Washington Redskins: Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska
Simply put, Randy Gregory was put on this planet to rush the passer. He's so quick off the snap that the tackle barely has time to think before Gregory has already gained more than enough leverage and is on his way to the quarterback.
Pressuring the QB was a major issue for the Washington Redskins last year, so adding Gregory would be a massive boost to the defense.
6. New York Jets: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
The best two quarterbacks are off the board, and no cornerbacks appear worthy of going this early in the first round. With those two positions out of the question, the New York Jets would do well to improve up front. Brandon Scherff is really, really strong. Unlike former Iowa Hawkeye Robert Gallery, though, Scherff's footwork isn't a massive issue.
7. Chicago Bears: Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
There's little not to like about Landon Collins. The biggest concern is that he won't improve in pass coverage, thus limiting his effectiveness. However, the right coaching staff should get the best out of Collins and help him fulfill his massive potential.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
There's some debate as to whether Shane Ray should be drafted higher than Gregory. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein made no bones about his preference:
Much like Gregory, Ray gets off the snap quickly and can get into the pocket in a flash. In terms of technique, the Missouri star is a bit lacking. But you take that trade-off considering how great of an athlete he is. The Atlanta Falcons would be getting a steal, should Ray fall this far.
9. New York Giants: Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
Drafting Vic Beasley would be a bit of a risk in that he's one-dimensional and doesn't have the prototypical size (he's 6'2", 235 lbs) that teams look for in an edge-rusher. With that said, he should grow into a dominant pass-rusher, which is something the New York Giants should look to add in the draft.
10. St. Louis Rams: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
Like the Jets, the St. Louis Rams might be hurt by the dearth of first-round-caliber QBs. Drafting Andrus Peat would at least set up the offensive line for the next few years. Peat might be the most complete blocker in the draft. He doesn't possess Scherff's skill when it comes to run blocking, but he might be Scherff's superior in pass protection.
11. Minnesota Vikings: La'el Collins, OT, LSU
Left tackle was a problem for the Minnesota Vikings this year. The team did invest a high pick in Matt Kalil not that long ago, but it's probably time to upgrade at left tackle. At the very least, the Vikings could play Kalil at LT next year and line up La'el Collins on the inside. Should Kalil struggle for another year, Collins could replace him.
12. Cleveland Browns: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
You can't fault the Cleveland Browns for opting to trade with the Buffalo Bills rather than draft Sammy Watkins. More questionable was their decision to not draft a wide receiver at all. The Browns can't afford a repeat, especially with Josh Gordon's situation.
This past season proved that DeVante Parker didn't just look good simply because Bridgewater was throwing him passes. Parker has good hands and size (6'3", 208 lbs). Even if he becomes nothing more than a possession receiver, he'd be a huge help for Cleveland.
13. New Orleans Saints: Dante Fowler Jr., DE/OLB, Florida
After a strong 2013 campaign, the New Orleans Saints defense regressed in a big way in 2014. The unit again became among the league's worst.
Drafting Dante Fowler Jr. would help the Saints improve at the point of attack. He has experience playing at linebacker, defensive end and defensive tackle in college, illustrating his versatility. Fowler would also take pressure off Junior Galette and Cameron Jordan.
14. Miami Dolphins: Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington
Speaking of versatility, few players in this year's pool are more versatile than Shaq Thompson. He ran for 456 yards and two touchdowns last year in addition to recording 71 total tackles and two defensive touchdowns.
Even after the free-agent additions of Dannell Ellerbe and Philip Wheeler a few years ago, linebacker remains a problem spot for the Miami Dolphins. Drafting Thompson would offer a solution to that problem.
15. San Francisco 49ers: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
Pretty much any wide receiver would be a nice addition for the San Francisco 49ers. The franchise can't expect Colin Kaepernick to progress as a quarterback until it upgrades its receiving corps. Kevin White can be the downfield threat the 49ers have lacked in recent years. He also has the potential to be the best WR to come out of this draft.
16. Houston Texans: Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
Imagine a defensive line with Jadeveon Clowney, J.J. Watt and Danny Shelton. He would not only strengthen the interior of the Houston Texans line but demand attention from the opposing offensive line, which could help free up Clowney on the outside.
Given how much injuries limited his production, it would be unfair to call Clowney a bust. It's important, though, for him to make some steps forward in his second year. If he can't succeed with Shelton and Watt beside him, something might be wrong.
17. San Diego Chargers: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
The San Diego Chargers are a little bit thin on the interior of the line. Eddie Goldman looks to be right there with Shelton in terms of the best defensive tackle available. Goldman is a massive presence (6'4", 320 lbs) and impressive run-stuffer. He's also light enough on his feet that he should add some more dimension to his game as his career unfolds.
18. Kansas City Chiefs: Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
If you're reading this, you should pat yourself on the back because you caught as many touchdown passes as every Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver.
It's clear the position is an issue for the team—one the Chiefs should look to rectify in the first round. Although the top options are gone, Kansas City could still get somebody like Jaelen Strong. He can make the difficult look easy on a routine basis, and he could be a red-zone target for Alex Smith as soon as he enters the league.
19. Cleveland Browns: Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
The Browns ranked dead last in rushing yards allowed per game in 2014. The easiest way to improve that stat is add a defensive tackle like Malcom Brown. At this stage, he is a bit limited; his pass-rushing skills aren't too advanced just yet.
For what Cleveland needs, though, he'd be a good fit.
20. Philadelphia Eagles: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
Dave Spadaro of PhiladelphiaEagles.com threw a wet blanket on all of that Mariota-to-Philadelphia talk:
Unless Mariota's stock bottoms out, it's not worth it for the Eagles to trade up and draft him. Quarterback is a need, but not that big of a need.
Instead, Philly should target somebody like Trae Waynes. He is a massive (6'1", 182 lbs) ball hawk in the secondary and knows how to get positioning so the receiver doesn't get the advantage. In addition, the Michigan State corner is adept at reading the play and putting himself in the right spot.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
With Andrew Whitworth entering the final year of his contract, drafting Ronnie Stanley might be the way to go for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Stanley is still relatively young and will need time to grow. One thing the Bengals do so well is nurture and develop draft picks. By the time Whitworth departs, Stanley would have a little more seasoning and be prepared to take on a larger role on the offensive line.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
Anybody who watched the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs knows how much the team needs to upgrade the secondary. Injuries hit Pittsburgh in a big way, but the team can't go into next year without adding one or two impact players.
Marcus Peters comes with a bit of baggage, but all of the talent is there. The Steelers are also a well-run organization, so the team should be able to handle any potential off-field problems with Peters.
23. Detroit Lions: Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State
Ndamukong Suh hasn't left yet, but it sure seems like he's going to be playing elsewhere when the 2015 season begins. It's impossible to replace Suh like-for-like this late into the first round, but the Detroit Lions can at least try to fill the void he'll leave on the line.
Michael Bennett is at least a defensive tackle who can get after the passer, so his style is somewhat similar to Suh's. That should help with the transition away from the All-Pro defensive tackle.
24. Arizona Cardinals: Alvin Dupree, DE, Kentucky
Alvin Dupree's stock is likely to rise after the combine. He's the kind of player who really benefits from showcase events because he's such a great athlete. If he's still available for the Arizona Cardinals, they should jump on him immediately.
As good as the Cardinals defense was last year, Arizona only finished 24th in sacks. Nobody is questioning Dupree's pass-rushing acumen, so he'd help improve that sack number.
25. Carolina Panthers: T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
The Carolina Panthers offensive line improved as the season went on, but left tackle remains a massive problem. T.J. Clemmings is still a work-in-progress, given how not that long ago he was making the transition to the offensive line.
Clemmings would at least give Carolina something to build around on that line.
26. Baltimore Ravens: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
Somebody is going to gamble on Todd Gurley in the first round, right?
The Baltimore Ravens would be a perfect situation for Gurley, should they re-sign Justin Forsett. He could be the feature back in 2015. Gurley, meanwhile, could get a few carries here and there, while his knee heals and his body catches up with the game speed.
Then, by the time Forsett moves on, Gurley would be in position to take over the full-time duties.
27. Dallas Cowboys: Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU
Danielle Hunter is more the sizzle than he is the steak right now. His potential is through the roof, and he's a physical specimen. However, he had just 1.5 sacks this past season. His 13 tackles for loss were nice, but it's hard to get over that sack total, especially if you're talking about a potential first-rounder.
The Dallas Cowboys might be reaching here with Hunter, but the risk is arguably worth the reward. A lot of people questioned DeMarcus Lawrence last year, and that worked out pretty well for the Cowboys.
28. Denver Broncos: Ty Sambrailo, OT, Colorado State
It's tough figuring out what the Denver Broncos will do, given so many questions remain unanswered—the biggest two being Peyton Manning's future and whom the team will hire to replace the recently fired John Fox, per ESPN's Adam Schefter:
Ty Sambrailo would benefit by adding a little more weight, but the talent is there for him to become a solid NFL offensive lineman for years to come.
*29. Indianapolis Colts: Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
It's really hard to gauge Cedric Ogbuehi's draft stock after Monday's report that he tore his ACL, per Yahoo Sports' Rand Getlin:
One of Ogbuehi's greatest assets was his athleticism, so a major knee injury will call into question his NFL potential. Miller didn't sugarcoat the offensive tackle's situation, tweeting he could realistically fall to the third or fourth round:
Ogbuehi still has some time to recover between now and training camp. Somebody like the Indianapolis Colts could gamble late in the first round.
*30. Green Bay Packers: Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State
Clay Matthews didn't rock the boat when he was moved to inside linebacker, but that doesn't mean the Green Bay Packers should continue with the experiment. Matthews is better utilized on the outside.
Drafting Benardrick McKinney could help facilitate that move. He is great defending the run, but questions remain about his coverage skills. As long as Green Bay's coaches would be willing to work with him, he should become good enough to remain an every-down linebacker.
*31. New England Patriots: Nelson Agholor, WR, USC
This is admittedly a massive reach. The New England Patriots would be wise to improve the passing game and give Tom Brady a wide receiver who provides an immediate impact.
Nelson Agholor could be that player. He doesn't have a high ceiling; we're not talking about the next Odell Beckham Jr. The USC star is, however, a great route-runner with great hands. He also doesn't mind getting physical with the opposing cornerback.
*32. Seattle Seahawks: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
Dorial Green-Beckham is the classic risk/reward player. On talent alone, DGB is a surefire first-rounder. But he carries some massive baggage. Bleacher Report's Dan Hope went so far as to say that Green-Beckham could end up going undrafted:
With so many big personalities in the team, the Seattle Seahawks should be able to handle Green-Beckham and keep him out of trouble.
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
