NFL Mock Draft 2015: Early Projections for Top Prospects in 1st Round

The NFL calendar has morphed into an endless stream of discussion over the past decade. The Super Bowl champions are celebrated for a few days, and then the focus immediately shifts toward free agency and the 2015 draft.

Even though the season itself lasts only around five months, rarely does a day go by without some type of football talk. The draft process is a significant part of that, with every top prospect getting his chance to rise or fall in the spotlight.

Based on the way things are shaping up right now, there are really two ways the first round could go—one if a top quarterback slides outside of the top two picks and another if they both go right away. Let's examine the latter scenario.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

It would be a shock if the Bucs go with anything other than a quarterback. It's a major position of need, and there are two players worthy of consideration here. The outlook may change before draft day, but Mariota currently represents the safer option.

2. Tennessee Titans: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State

Winston is probably going to be watched more closely than any other prospect in the class. His talent is obvious, but he's dealt with numerous off-field issues that are going to force teams to ask a lot of questions. How he responds will ultimately determine his draft stock.

The Florida State product doesn't think everybody really knows him, though. Chantel Jennings of ESPN passed along comments from Winston about the public perception. He said those inside the locker room know a different guy:

"

People always can bring up old things but now I'm doing what I do. I'm a loving person -- I'm loving my teammates. I'm dependable. I'm accountable. I can't show out to the world that I'm that guy because you're not in the locker room and a lot of people don't know me for who I am.

Perception is reality but perceptions can also be false.

"

If the Titans come away from the draft process under the belief that his maturity level is high enough to succeed in the NFL, he's the right pick. He's got ideal size, the arm to make all the throws and can escape the pocket when necessary. All the tools to succeed.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa

Jacksonville is still several pieces away from making a major jump in the standings. One thing it absolutely must do is start winning more battles up front on offense. Scherff would go a long way in making sure that happens.

4. Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

Derek Carr flashed the potential to become the franchise signal-caller the Raiders have been waiting on. They must continue to work on putting more pieces around him, though. Cooper showed the ability to make all the plays during his time at Alabama.

Winslow Townson/Getty Images

5. Washington Redskins: Leonard Williams, DT, USC

The fact that Williams is still on the board at No. 5 illustrates the amount of top-end talent in the class. He could be in the conversation for the top spot if the need for quarterbacks wasn't so high. He would be a welcome addition to the Redskins line.

6. New York Jets: Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska

New York is probably hoping one of the marquee quarterback prospects slides to this spot. While possible, it didn't happen in this scenario. Gregory would be a terrific consolation prize to help further solidify the defense.

7. Chicago Bears: Landon Collins, SS, Alabama

Collins is capable of playing either safety spot with a high level of effectiveness. That type of versatility is always an added bonus for a top prospect. He's an ideal fit for the Bears secondary, which gave up too many game-changing plays this past season.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson

Although Beasley has his fair share of skeptics due to a lack of ideal size, his pass-rushing upside remains tough to ignore. For a team like the Falcons, who finished 30th in sacks, that may justify taking a risk on him early in Round 1.

Wade Payne/Associated Press

9. New York Giants: Shane Ray, DE, Missouri

The Giants finished 29th in total defense by giving up a shade over 375 yards per game. Since the offense showed some positive signs during the latter stages of the year, the defensive side of the ball should be the focus here. A well-rounded lineman like Ray would be a nice fit.

10. St. Louis Rams: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State

Waynes has separated himself from the pack in a relatively weak cornerback class. So he should go pretty early to a team looking for an immediate-impact player on the outside. The Rams definitely fall into that category.

11. Minnesota Vikings: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford

Teddy Bridgewater showed plenty of positive signs during his first season leading the Vikings offense. Now the team must work on protecting him better and adding more weapons. Peat represents the best value in that pursuit.

12. Cleveland Browns: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia

White could end up pushing Cooper to become the first wide receiver off the board. His ability to win 50/50 balls in tight coverage is a major asset. It's the type of advantage that should make him an outstanding weapon on third down and in the red zone.

He could still use some polish in terms of running routes and run blocking. Those are things that can be fixed relatively quickly, though. His ability to make plays is the focus, and Ryan McCrystal of Draft Ace sees shades of another big-name wideout when he watches the West Virginia star:

The Browns are still deciding how to move forward at quarterback. Whoever they decide on is going to need more talent on the outside in order to have sustained success. White is ready to make life easier on the QB right out of the gate.

13. New Orleans Saints: Alvin Dupree, DE, Kentucky

The Saints must focus on a defense that continues to hold the team back. There are needs at every level, which makes it tricky to predict exactly what the front office will target first, but Dupree makes sense given his wide-ranging skill set.

14. Miami Dolphins: Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington

Miami may ultimately choose to go with an offensive skill position player here. If the Dolphins are able to address that need through free agency, it would allow them to take a player like Thompson. He can help a run defense that struggled in 2014.

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15. San Francisco 49ers: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville

Yes, Colin Kaepernick must play better if the 49ers are going to rebound next season. That said, San Francisco can help the process by putting more explosive playmakers around him. The talented Parker falls into that category.

16. Houston Texans: La'el Collins, OT, LSU

The Texans have concerns at quarterback. But unless they fall in love with one of the second-tier options over the next few months, it's an issue that may not get addressed here. If not, Collins would be a solid value selection to help the line in front of the eventual QB choice.

17. San Diego Chargers: Danny Shelton, DT, Washington

San Diego had a strong enough team to make some noise in the playoffs. A promising start slipped away, in large part due to a porous rush defense, however. Shelton is still a bit raw but has a reasonable chance to develop into a major force in the middle.

18. Kansas City Chiefs: Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State

Few selections make more sense than the Chiefs choosing a wide receiver. Many teams have several holes to fill, making their pick somewhat of a toss-up. Kansas City needs a wideout badly. Strong is the best one left on the board.

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

19. Cleveland Browns (from BUF): Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State

The Browns upgraded their offense with the earlier pick. Now they get a chance to bolster the defense. Goldman is still quite a ways from his sky-high ceiling, but getting a prospect with his long-term outlook is very good for this stage of the round.

20: Philadelphia Eagles: Dante Fowler Jr., OLB, Florida

Since the Eagles like to play an up-tempo, aggressive style, they need to find players who fit that mold. It's more specialized than most of the teams. They would likely be quite happy if Fowler was still on the board when their picked arrived.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington

The Bengals struggled against the pass for most of the campaign. It was especially evident down the stretch and into the playoffs. That should make upgrading the secondary a top priority heading into the offseason.

Peters is the best cornerback left on the board. In fact, he might have the best overall skill set of any player at the position. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller notes off-field problems have left his stock a bit in limbo, though:

Since Cincinnati was able to reach the playoffs despite its secondary issues, it can afford to take a little bit of a risk. If Peters pans out, he could be the piece that finally pushes the Bengals over the hump and into title contention.

22. Pittsburgh Steelers: Malcom Brown, DT, Texas

Pittsburgh has done a nice job of going through a transition on defense without a huge drop-off. It's really an ongoing process, with needs both up front and in the secondary. Brown is a good match, capable of playing a rotational role at the outset.

23. Detroit Lions: P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State

Though the Lions defense made some nice strides, there's still room for further improvement in the secondary. Williams is a prospect who comes from a winning system at Florida State. He's probably best served playing in select packages as a rookie before stepping into a larger role.

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

24. Arizona Cardinals: Nate Orchard, DE, Utah

The Cardinals exceeded expectations, but the overall stats don't suggest they will be able to match their 11-5 record without some key additions. Orchard is a very capable pass-rusher and has improved in terms of stopping the run.

25. Carolina Panthers: T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh

Cam Newton was under far too much siege this past season. That's a major reason his passing numbers dropped off. Adding an experienced lineman like Clemmings should go a long way in making sure the story doesn't remain the same next year.

26. Baltimore Ravens: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin

Baltimore was able to patch together a solid rushing attack thanks to Justin Forsett. There are still questions about the future of the position, though. Enter Gordon, who's proved himself as a reliable rusher without having too many carries under his belt.

27. Dallas Cowboys: Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU

The Cowboys were probably one overturned call away from the NFC title game. That's nice progress, but they still need to do a better job of winning battles in the trenches. Hunter is a player who's willing to do that heavy lifting.

28. Denver Broncos: Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota

It's clear the Broncos must find a way to add tight end production if Julius Thomas doesn't end up back in Denver. The offense started to sputter once he began battling injuries. Williams isn't on the same level yet, but he's the best bet to fill the void.

29. Indianapolis Colts: Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State

McKinney has a wide range of potential picks. That's often the case for the best player at a position without a ton of depth. If he does reach this point, it would be surprising if the Colts didn't snag him. He's a terrific fit.

30. Green Bay Packers: Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State

Green Bay's biggest issue was inconsistent play against the run. It finished 23rd in rush defense, giving up nearly 120 yards per game on the ground. Bennett is a talented player on the interior who would provide good value here.

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

31. New England Patriots: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma

Green-Beckham could end up coming off the board long before the Patriots pick. He could also last into the second round or beyond. It's simply too early to tell because of his off-field issues. But he would be a nice piece for Tom Brady to work with.

32. Seattle Seahawks: Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan

The Seahawks have become the team to beat because of their top defense and heavy-hitting running game. If they can add more targets to utilize through the air, the task of beating them becomes even tougher. Funchess is a big target with great red-zone potential.