NFL Draft 2015: Risers and Fallers in Experts' Latest Mock Predictions

The outlook of the NFL draft is always changing. 

Whether it's the Senior Bowl, the East-West Shrine Game, the scouting combine, pro days or just a random lunch meeting where an NFL general manager decides to change his mind, prospects are constantly moving up and down draft boards. 

The same goes for pundits, who are consistently doing more research and altering their evaluations of players. Even with no more college football games to be played, players' draft stocks are going to continue to rise and fall drastically over the next few months. 

That said, let's take a look at the most recent expert mock drafts, as well as some of those players who are already seeing the biggest changes in perceived value.

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

Sources: CBS Sports' Dane Brugler, SB Nation's Dan Kadar, Bleacher Report's Dan Hope, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.

Note: Brugler has the Seahawks taking Dorial Green-Beckham at No. 31, and the Patriots taking Devin Funchess at No. 32.

Riser: Dante Fowler, DE, Florida

Even after recording three sacks against East Carolina in the Birmingham Bowl, Dante Fowler's collegiate numbers are slightly underwhelming for a potential first-round pick: 37 games, 14.5 sacks. 

But while those numbers certainly don't jump off the page, don't let that fool you into thinking it was an unproductive career. Disruption is production, and Fowler was a nuisance who created constant pressure in the backfield. 

The 6'3", 260-pound beast has a tantalizing blend of speed and strength off the edge, but he has also showed incredible versatility, making plays anywhere from the outside to over the nose. He once looked like an early-teens selection, but now he's suddenly in contention to be the first edge-rusher taken off the board. 

Faller: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Say you wanted to make a 3D print of the perfect left tackle, because, you know, that's totally a normal thing to do.

Odds are, the model would look a lot like Andrus Peat, who stands at a massive 6'7" and 316 pounds. Combine that with solid athleticism, quick feet, long arms and tremendous strength, and he has everything needed to dominate in both the pass and run game. 

Cardinal head coach David Shaw offered up extraordinary praise, via NFL.com's Bryan Fischer:

"

I don't know if there's been anybody else in our conference, in the last eight years, that is as good as Andrus Peat has been and can be. In my entire career, nine years in the NFL, the only offensive lineman that was a step above of where Andrus can be is Jonathan Ogden—one of the best tackles to ever play. Besides that special, special player, he's the most talented I've ever been around.

"

While the ideal frame and high talent level are unmistakable, though, he has shown some inconsistency, playing too upright and getting beat on occasion. It seems that lack of steady, dependable play has worried some pundits, as Kadar and Kiper each have him slipping to No. 25, while Hope has him falling out of the first round completely. 

With Ronnie Stanley pulling out of the draft and Cedric Ogbuehi tearing his ACL, it's hard to imagine Peat, one of the only prospects with upside as a franchise left tackle, slipping very far. But clearly, not everyone is convinced. 

Riser: Arik Armstead, DL, Oregon

Potential can be a tricky thing. While Peat seems to be drawing doubts for not yet reaching his upside, Arik Armstead is skyrocketing draft boards because of the kind of player many believe he can still become. 

There are few others in the draft quite like Armstead, who is basically a small tree at 6'8" and 275 pounds but also has the athleticism and mobility that helped him play basketball for a short time while at Oregon.

His package of size, length and power are tantalizing, but impressive physical traits don't always equal success in the NFL.

More importantly, he has shown a desire to improve, as Oregon defensive line coach Ron Aiken discussed, via GoDucks.com's Rob Moseley:

"Arik matured greatly on and off the field during the past two seasons. He was a huge contributor to our success. He made himself into a student of the game, watching film and finding tips that assisted us in ballgames. He’s always searching for an edge."

Armstead has climbed into the first round in three of the above mock drafts, while NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah (not listed) slots him all the way up at No. 13.

Don't expect the hype to stop here. There's a good chance that after the combine, when the 275-pound giant potentially runs a sub-5.00 40-yard dash and shows off a basketball vertical, his stock will only continue to ascend. 

Faller: P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State

Mike Groll/Associated Press

P.J. Williams, who won Defensive MVP at the 2014 national championship, was pretty commonly mocked among the first 32 picks throughout the regular season, but he's really starting to slip. Only Kadar has him going on the first day, and that's at No. 32 to the Seattle Seahawks. 

There's no real obvious reason for the sudden decline. Williams was a bit inconsistent this season, but he usually played well for the Seminoles. He is a big, physical corner with the speed to make plays down the field and the versatility to play on the outside or in the slot. 

Jeremiah put it simply:

This is a fairly deep cornerback class, with Trae Waynes and Marcus Peters sitting atop most draft boards. However, with the league becoming increasingly focused on the passing game, and several teams in the late teens and early 20s needing secondary help, it's difficult to bet on Williams falling out of the first round.