NFL Draft 2015: Breaking Down Experts' Latest Mock Drafts

The outlook of the NFL draft is always changing. 

In just the past week alone, news broke that Cedric Ogbuehi had suffered a torn ACL (per Yahoo Sports' Rand Getlin), while underclassmen Shilique Calhoun (via Michigan State) and Ronnie Stanley (via himself) both chose to return to college, causing a significant shakeup of the first round. 

Up next, the Senior Bowl will alter the stock of guys like T.J. Clemmings, Kevin White, La'el Collins and other potential first-round picks. 

Before that happens, though, let's take a look at how some of the experts from Mock Draft Land see the first 32 picks playing out. 

Pick	Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN (Jan 15)	Chris Burke, Sports Illustrated (Jan 15)	Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com (Jan. 14)	Dane Brugler, CBS Sports (Jan 12)
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers	QB Jameis Winston, FSU	QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon	QB Jameis Winston, FSU	QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon
2. Tennessee Titans	QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon	DE Randy Gregory, Nebraska	DE Randy Gregory, Nebraska	QB Jameis Winston, FSU
3. Jacksonville Jaguars	DL Leonard Williams, USC	DL Leonard Williams, USC	DE Dante Fowler, Florida	DL Leonard Williams, USC
4. Oakland Raiders	WR Amari Cooper, Alabama	WR Amari Cooper, Alabama	WR Kevin White, West Virginia	WR Amari Cooper, Alabama
5. Washington Redskins	DE Randy Gregory, Nebraska	OT Brandon Scherff, Iowa	DL Leonard Williams, USC	DE Randy Gregory, Nebraska
6. New York Jets	DE Shane Ray, Missouri	DE Vic Beasley, Clemson	QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon	DE Vic Beasley, Clemson
7. Chicago Bears	SS Landon Collins, Alabama	SS Landon Collins, Alabama	DE Shane Ray, Missouri	SS Landon Collins, Alabama
8. Atlanta Falcons	DE Dante Fowler, Florida	DE Shane Ray, Missouri	WR Amari Cooper, Alabama	DE Dante Fowler, Florida
9. New York Giants	OT Brandon Scherff, Iowa	LB Shaq Thompson, Washington	DT Danny Shelton, Washington	DE Shane Ray, Missouri
10. St. Louis Rams	OT T.J. Clemmings, Pitt	QB Jameis Winston, FSU	CB Trae Waynes, Michigan St.	OT Andrus Peat, Stanford
11. Minnesota Vikings	WR DeVante Parker, Louisville	OT Andrus Peat, Stanford	WR DeVante Parker, Louisville	WR DeVante Parker, Louisville
12. Cleveland Browns	DT Danny Shelton, Washington	WR DeVante Parker, Louisville	OT T.J. Clemmings, Pitt	WR Kevin White, West Virginia
13. New Orleans Saints	DE Vic Beasley, Clemson	DE Dante Fowler, Florida	DE Arik Armstead, Oregon	OT Brandon Scherff, Iowa
14. Miami Dolphins	LB Shaq Thompson, Washington	ILB Benardrick McKinney, Miss. State	ILB Benardrick McKinney, Miss. State	OT T.J. Clemmings, Pitt
15. San Francisco 49ers	WR Kevin White, West Virginia	CB Trae Waynes, Michigan St.	DT Malcom Brown, Texas	DT Malcom Brown, Texas
16. Houston Texans	CB Trae Waynes, Michigan St.	TE Maxx Williams, Minnesota	OT Andrus Peat, Stanford	CB Trae Waynes, Michigan St.
17. San Diego Chargers	DE Arik Armstead, Oregon	DT Danny Shelton, Washington	DT Eddie Goldman, FSU	OT La'el Collins, LSU
18. Kansas City Chiefs	WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Oklahoma	OT La'el Collins, LSU	WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Oklahoma	LB Shaq Thompson, Washington
19. Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo)	OT Ereck Flowers, Miami	DT Eddie Goldman, FSU	WR Devin Smith, Ohio St.	OLB Bud Dupree, Kentucky
20. Philadelphia Eagles	CB Marcus Peters, Washington	WR Kevin White, West Virginia	SS Landon Collins, Alabama	CB Marcus Peters, Washington
21. Cincinnati Bengals	OLB Bud Dupree, Kentucky	OT T.J. Clemmings, Pitt	OLB Bud Dupree, Kentucky	DT Eddie Goldman, FSU
22. Pittsburgh Steelers	CB Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest	CB Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest	FS Gerod Holliman, Louisville	DT Danny Shelton, Washington
23. Detroit Lions	DT Malcom Brown, Texas	OT Ereck Flowers, Miami	CB P.J. Williams, Florida St.	DT Michael Bennett, Ohio State
24. Arizona Cardinals	RB Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin	LB Paul Dawson, TCU	DE Eli Harold, Virginia	RB Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin
25. Carolina Panthers	OT Andrus Peat, Stanford	CB Jalen Collins, LSU	OT Brandon Scherff, Iowa	CB Deonte Flowers, Montana St.
26. Baltimore Ravens	WR Devin Funchess, Michigan	CB Marcus Peters, Washington	WR Devin Funchess, Michigan	DE Eli Harold, Virginia
27. Dallas Cowboys	DT Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma	OLB Bud Dupree, Kentucky	RB Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin	DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa, UCLA
28. Denver Broncos	ILB Benardrick McKinney, Miss. State	DT Michael Bennett, Ohio State	OT La'el Collins, LSU	TE Maxx Williams, Minnesota
29. Indianapolis Colts	WR Jaelen Strong, Arizona St.	LB Denzel Perryman, Miami	DE Vic Beasley, Clemson	WR Jaelen Strong, Arizona St.
30. Green Bay Packers	DT Eddie Goldman, FSU	DE/OLB Markus Golden, Missouri	LB Denzel Perryman, Miami	ILB Benardrick McKinney, Miss. State
31. New England Patriots	WR Sammie Coates, Auburn	WR Devin Funchess, Michigan	RB Todd Gurley, Georgia	WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Oklahoma
32. Seattle Seahawks	WR Devin Smith, Ohio St.	RB Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin	DE Preston Smith, Miss. St.	WR Devin Funchess, Michigan

Sources: Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN (subscription necessary), Chris Burke of Sports Illustrated, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com, Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com

Mariota or Winston?

With the exception of the Josh McCown and Mike Glennon supporters—there are dozens of us!—most believe the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will select a quarterback with the top overall selection. 

Do not expect there to be any agreement on which quarterback. 

The four experts above are split down the middle on Heisman winner Marcus Mariota and Heisman winner Jameis Winston, and unless the Bucs reveal their plans, it's likely a debate that will continue to be even-sided all the way up until draft day.

Winston is the more prototypical QB. He has the size (6'4", 230 lbs) and arm strength to stand tall in the pocket and make every throw on the route tree at the professional level. Perhaps more impressively than his physical traits, he showcases timing and anticipation that few other players his age are able to exhibit. 

Former NFL QB Trent Dilfer, via ESPN's Rich Cimini, argued that Winston is more ready to make an impact from Day 1: 

Winston has drawbacks—concerns about his perceived immaturity and 28 interceptions in two seasons, in particular—but his highs are that of a future franchise quarterback. 

As for Mariota, he's going to be labeled a system quarterback. But while he'll certainly escape the pocket and make more plays with his legs than most guys, he has shown the ability to operate in between the tackles and make NFL throws, as Rotoworld's Cian Fahey explained in this terrific piece. 

In every aspect of the evaluation process, these two guys couldn't grade out more differently. Don't worry, Lovie, it's not like your job or the future of the franchise depends on you getting this right. 

Who Will Be the First Offensive Lineman Off the Board?

Justin Hayworth/Associated Press

These four experts have three different players as their top O-line prospects. Kiper and Burke each like Brandon Scherff in the top 10, Jeremiah has Clemmings going No. 12 to the Cleveland Browns, and Brugler favors Andrus Peat. 

Scherff looks like he has been curling cows—or whatever they do in Iowa—for his entire life. Featuring unbelievable strength (he squats 655 pounds, benches 395 and cleans 480, per BTN.com's Bent Yarina), the 2014 Outland Trophy winner is an absolute punisher in the run game and could fit either at tackle or guard. 

That's going to draw some comparisons to Zack Martin. While that's probably unfair—not every draft is going to have a first-team All-Pro right out of the gate like Martin—Scherff has the skill set to help teams right away. 

Clemmings and Peat, while talented enough to start as rookies, stand more as projects with major upsides. 

A former defensive end recruit who has just two years experience on the offensive line, Clemmings is still a bit raw in pass protection, but he has the athleticism and power to engage in blocks and get to the second level. 

Peat has battled bouts of inconsistency this year, but his blend of size (6'7", 316 lbs), quick feet and intelligence paint the picture of a left tackle for a very long time. 

Does Melvin Gordon (or Todd Gurley) Break "The Streak"?

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

It just doesn't make much sense to take running backs in the first round any more. Not only are there always talented guys in the later rounds, but the typically short lifespan at the position makes it a risky investment. The last two running backs to be taken in the first round—Trent Richardson and Doug Martin in 2012—represent the danger. 

But this looks to be the year that trend changes. 

All four experts have Melvin Gordon hearing his name called in the first round, ranging from Arizona at No. 24 to Dallas at No. 27 to Seattle at No. 32. 

The Wisconsin product enjoyed one of the most productive seasons in college football history, tallying 2,587 rushing yards (on a ridiculously efficient 7.5 yards per carry) and 32 total touchdowns. Sure, running behind the Badgers' brutish offensive line helped, and stats aren't always all that important in judging a prospect. 

But Gordon's patience, explosiveness and breakaway speed are all easily apparent almost every time he touches the ball. Moreover, as Jeremiah pointed out, he has already shown the ability to be a three-down player:

Jeremiah also has Todd Gurley, a freakish talent who was well on his way to being a top-16 pick before tearing his ACL in November, slipping into the first round of his mock draft.

While it's difficult to imagine teams risking a first-round pick on a running back coming off major knee surgery, the Georgia product's talent makes him a potential steal on the second day.