NFL Mock Draft 2015: Updated Projections Following AFC, NFC Championships
Although the 2015 NFL draft is still months away, plenty of fans are beginning to examine how their favorite team(s) will approach the first round.
Especially with conference title games out of way, there's going to be a lot of downtime with which to talk about something other than the Super Bowl.
It's still a bit tough to make anything more than an educated guess about the first 32 picks, but one can get a broad idea of which players would fit with certain teams.
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Notes: Draft order is courtesy of NFL.com. Picks 31 and 32 are subject to change depending on playoffs.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
Jameis Winston's stock is rising at the moment, and given what will likely be a tough transition for Marcus Mariota into an NFL offense, you could understand why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might want to stay in state and draft Winston.
However, Mariota's athleticism can't be ignored, and he showed at Oregon that he's able to operate under pressure. The Bucs would be gambling here with the Ducks star.
As long as Tampa Bay committed to building around Mariota rather than fitting a square peg into a round hole, the team would have a franchise QB.
2. Tennessee Titans: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
Although some are slotting Winston into the No. 1 overall pick, he's not without his red flags. Obviously, there's the off-field stuff. On the field, his interception total nearly doubled in his sophomore year, going from 10 in 2013 to 18 in 2014.
Of course, Florida State lost Kelvin Benjamin and Devonta Freeman to the NFL, which made Winston's job that much harder.
Zach Mettenberger can't be the future for the Tennessee Titans. They can't pass up the chance to grab one of the top QBs.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Williams, DT, USC
Purely in terms of need, Leonard Williams isn't a smart pick for the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, he's one of the most talented players available. NFL.com's Bucky Brooks put the USC star atop his list of best defensive players in the draft pool:
Williams could be a fixture on the Jaguars' defensive line for the next decade potentially. His versatility would only make Gus Bradley's job easier.
4. Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
If Williams is off the board, the Oakland Raiders should set their sights on Amari Cooper. He's the best wide receiver available right now, and the Raiders are in dire need of a top target for Derek Carr.
Carr looked really good in his rookie season, playing above expectations. It's up to the team to provide him with the tools to succeed. Cooper can join the Raiders roster and provide an immediate impact from day one.
5. Washington Redskins: Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska
Randy Gregory is a serviceable run defender and has the potential to be an All-Pro pass-rusher. The Washington Redskins are just a bad football team, but they really lack somebody like Gregory who can wreak havoc on the defensive side of the ball.
Even if his run defense never improves one bit from where it is now, his ability to attack the quarterback will make him a devastating defender.
6. New York Jets: Vic Beasley, DE/OLB, Clemson
Given Todd Bowles' defensive specialization, it would make sense that the New York Jets look to improve defensively. Vic Beasley may be somewhat limited in the NFL by his more lanky frame; he may be unable to play at all on the defensive line.
Still, Beasley is a freak athlete with massive potential. He'd be a great option to come off the edge and complement New York's strength on the interior.
7. Chicago Bears: Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
Some may not view Landon Collins as a top-10 prospect. His struggles in pass coverage certainly ding his draft value. However, he's a great run defender and should grow as a pass defender with the right tutelage. He'd fill a major need for the Chicago Bears.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
Shane Ray's stock is bound to rise in the coming months as teams get a firsthand look at how athletic he truly is. Ray is so quick off the snap, and his effectiveness goes beyond his supreme athleticism. His technique can be a bit sloppy at times, but he has a variety of moves to get around his blocker.
The Atlanta Falcons pass rush was dreadful in 2014, so Ray would be a godsend in the draft.
9. New York Giants: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
This year's draft doesn't look to have that can't-miss left tackle like a Luke Joeckel, Eric Fisher or Greg Robinson.
At the top of the the 2015 class sits Brandon Scherff. Scherff is obscenely strong with the game to match. He's better in run blocking than he is in pass protection, which is less a red flag and more an acknowledgement of where he needs to improve once he hits the NFL.
10. St. Louis Rams: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
The St. Louis Rams might get lucky enough to have either Mariota or Winston fall to the 10th pick. Brett Hundley might have a great combine and work his way into the top 10.
Should neither of those things happen, the Rams should target somebody like Andrus Peat, who can shore up the offensive line. Given his solid athleticism, Peat offers a lot of potential, and unlike Robinson, he won't need a ton of seasoning before he becomes a reliable blocker.
11. Minnesota Vikings: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
DeVante Parker might threaten Cooper to be the first receiver off the board in the first round.
He's a great blend of size and skill. At 6'3", Parker can leap above his defender and high-point the ball. He should be a great target in the red zone. Parker is also a polished route-runner who can do more than run downfield.
He and Cordarrelle Patterson could coexist in the same offense.
12. Cleveland Browns: T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
Parker would be an ideal pick here. With him off the board, the Cleveland Browns can attempt to solidify their offensive line for years to come.
T.J. Clemmings will undoubtedly need time when he gets to the NFL, given his inexperience at tackle. The presence of Joe Thomas would aid in the transition since Clemmings wouldn't need to anchor the Browns' line right from Week 1.
13. New Orleans Saints: Dante Fowler, OLB, Florida
Beyond Junior Galette and Cameron Jordan, the New Orleans Saints don't have much teeth in their pass rush. Dante Fowler ticks all of the boxes for a potential Pro Bowl edge-rusher. More importantly, Fowler is an effort guy who doesn't have those stretches of a game where he's completely anonymous.
The Florida star would help the Saints get much better at the point of attack.
14. Miami Dolphins: Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington
Shaq Thompson would give Andy Reid a run for his money in the punt, pass and kick competition. Thompson is a veritable Swiss Army knife, doing a little bit of everything for Washington during his college career.
The Miami Dolphins have struggled to find consistency at the linebacker position, even after the additions of Philip Wheeler and Dannell Ellerbe a few seasons ago. Thompson could be slotted into the Dolphins defense immediately and produce.
15. San Francisco 49ers: Kevin White, WR, West Virgina
The San Francisco 49ers can't expect Colin Kaepernick to improve demonstrably without an improved receiving corps. Kevin White would add a different dimension to the 49ers passing game because of his speed and ability to burn an opposing secondary.
Kyle Crabbs also showed how White is adept at getting separation from his defender:
The only problem for San Francisco is that the West Virginia star is shooting up draft boards, so it's becoming extremely likely that he won't fall much past the top 10.
16. Houston Texans: Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
Imagine a defensive line with J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney and Danny Shelton. It's not like Watt needs much help, but having Shelton on the inside would take some pressure off of Clowney and force the offensive line to compensate accordingly.
If a healthy Clowney couldn't succeed with Watt and Shelton beside him, something would be seriously wrong.
17. San Diego Chargers: La'el Collins, OT, LSU
The offensive line has been a problem area for the San Diego Chargers for a few years now. Drafting D.J. Fluker addressed the issue in part but didn't provide a total solution. Drafting La'el Collins would give the Chargers two young tackles around which to build for the future.
18. Kansas City Chiefs: Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
The Kansas City Chiefs simply cannot afford to go through the offseason without adding a wide receiver. It's almost appalling that any NFL team in this day and age could go without getting a single touchdown from one of its wideouts.
Jaelen Strong is among the best on the board. He's capable of making nearly any catch, but he can sometimes struggle making the simple catch—think somebody like Braylon Edwards. Unlike Edwards, Strong should be much more consistent.
19. Cleveland Browns: Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State
Benardrick McKinney is a bit like Landon Collins in that his struggles in pass coverage stunt his value somewhat. Athleticism isn't the issue, which leads one to believe that McKinney should round out his game with the right coaching.
The Browns need to toughen up on the inside, and with McKinney on the board, the fit is too perfect.
20. Philadelphia Eagles: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
It's possible that Mariota's stock takes such a big hit that he's available to the Philadelphia Eagles or at least falls to around 18th or 19th.
Should that fail to happen, the Eagles would be foolish to trade up and draft the Oregon QB. Trae Waynes would give Philadelphia the shutdown cornerback that it lacked in 2014. Waynes is so physical and has the size to be able to defend just about any receiver.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
Eddie Goldman is a massive presence on the defensive line, so stopping the run shouldn't be a problem with him on the field. The question is whether Goldman can become a somewhat consistent pass-rusher. He's not the second coming of Gerald McCoy, but it would be nice if the Seminoles defender could have that dimension in his game.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers: P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State
The Pittsburgh Steelers' playoff exit illustrated how badly they need to get younger in the secondary. Injuries really killed them, but it's on Pittsburgh that it didn't have any sort of backup plan when things start going wrong.
P.J. Williams can be a bit too overeager at times, jumping routes and failing to make a play. His go-for-broke nature and physical style would be a nice fit for the Steelers, though.
23. Detroit Lions: Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State
It's impossible for the Detroit Lions to find a like-for-like substitute for Ndamukong Suh in the draft without trading up and snagging Leonard Williams.
Michael Bennett would help soften Suh's seemingly inevitable departure. Stylistically, Bennett is somewhat like Suh in that his game goes beyond being just a big body to occupy space on the defensive line.
24. Arizona Cardinals: Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky
The Arizona Cardinals have one of the better defenses in the league, but they still struggled to get after the passer at times.
Alvin Dupree is a physical specimen, which will likely help him at the scouting combine and in Kentucky's pro day. Dupree isn't a great run defender, which will limit how often he's on the field. But his presence on the edge is exactly what's missing in Arizona's defense.
25. Carolina Panthers: Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
At least for now, Ereck Flowers doesn't look to have Pro Bowl upside. That shouldn't preclude him from being a steady tackle in the NFL, which is what the Carolina Panthers lack. Cam Newton can only do so much until the team makes a concerted effort to improve its pass protection.
26. Baltimore Ravens: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
Until Todd Gurley proves otherwise, there will always be the worry that he'll never quite reach the heights in the NFL that he did at Georgia. Before his knee injury, he was almost a lock for the first round—quite an endorsement in today's NFL.
Even if the Baltimore Ravens re-sign Justin Forsett, they'd still need a long-term answer at running back. By bringing Forsett back, Baltimore could afford to let Gurley fully recuperate until he's physically ready to hit the NFL.
27. Dallas Cowboys: Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
Morris Claiborne has been a disappointment ever since the Dallas Cowboys drafted him. The franchise might be wary of taking another LSU cornerback, but Jalen Collins shouldn't flame out quite as quickly. Collins is a bit of a risk in the first round, but the Cowboys aren't going to get much better at No. 27.
28. Denver Broncos: Ty Sambrailo, OT, Colorado State
A lot of the Denver Broncos' offseason plans hinge on what Peyton Manning does. If Manning returns, the team needs to supply him with more protection up front. While Ty Sambrailo is a bit lean for a 6'5" offensive tackle, he has really good footwork. If Sambrailo were really strong but had below-average footwork, then that would be more of a concern.
29. Indianapolis Colts: Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
Coming off of major knee surgery, it's hard to figure how far Cedric Ogbuehi might fall. Without the ACL injury, he was a surefire first-rounder and could've potentially sneaked into the top 10. Now, it's anybody's guess as to who will gamble on him.
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller tweeted that the third or fourth rounds might be realistic landing spots:
The Indianapolis Colts need to improve the offensive line, but it might be hard to find value this late in the first round. Ogbuehi, if he gets back to 100 percent and returns to his old self, would offer fantastic bang for the buck.
30. Green Bay Packers: Denzel Perryman, ILB, Miami
Clay Matthews was a good sport about moving to inside linebacker, but it's not a strategy the Green Bay Packers should pursue in the long term. Drafting Denzel Perryman would allow Matthews to move back outside.
While Perryman's not a great athlete for his position, he's an instinctual defender who finds himself in the right place at the right time.
31. New England Patriots: Nelson Agholor, WR, USC
Tom Brady can't go forever. The New England Patriots should try to capitalize on their current window for success and try to surround Brady with as many weapons as they can. Nelson Agholor's upside isn't through the roof, but he should be able to contribute right away with his new team.
Agholor is a great route-runner who has enough quickness to be more than a possession receiver, which New England has enough of presently.
32. Seattle Seahawks: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
Dorial Green-Beckham is perhaps the biggest boom/bust player in this year's draft. He could go in the first round, or he could be undrafted altogether:
It may sound cliche, but the Seattle Seahawks' winning culture may be exactly what Green-Beckham would need to stay out of trouble. The team can win without him, so Pete Carroll wouldn't be afraid to take DGB to task when he screws up.
If he can avoid any major off-field issues, Green-Beckham could be an All-Pro NFL receiver.
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