2015 NFL Mock Draft: Predictions for 1st-Round Prospects Entering Offseason

The NFL may be more of a pass-happy league than it has been in the past, but the importance of stopping the run hasn't changed. In fact, looking over the 2014 regular-season standings, seven of the league's top 10 teams against the run earned trips to the playoffs.

Failing to effectively stop the run has an equal adverse effect for a team's success, as just one of the league's worst 10 teams against the run made it to the postseason. Considering more than half of the NFL's teams allowed more than 110 rushing yards per game in 2014, we should expect many changes in this department.

While successfully stopping the run takes the efforts of an entire defense, having the right defensive tackle in the fold sure makes things easier. These gap-stuffers play integral roles in both 4-3 and 3-4 base defenses, and luckily for teams in need, there's plenty of talent at this position in the draft's first round.

Here's a look at predictions for the draft's first 32 selections, followed by some in-depth analysis for every first-round defensive tackle.

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
2	Tennessee Titans	Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
3	Jacksonville Jaguars	Leonard Williams, DT, USC
4	Oakland Raiders	Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
5	Washington Redskins	Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska
6	New York Jets	Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
7	Chicago Bears	Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
8	Atlanta Falcons	Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
9	New York Giants	Landon Collins, S, Alabama
10	St. Louis Rams	Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
11	Minnesota Vikings	Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
12	Cleveland Browns	DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
13	New Orleans Saints	Dante Fowler, DE/OLB, Florida
14	Miami Dolphins	Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
15	San Francisco 49ers	Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
16	Houston Texans	La'el Collins, OT, LSU
17	San Diego Chargers	Vic Beasley, DE/OLB, Clemson
18	Kansas City Chiefs	Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
19	Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo)	Bud Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky
20	Philadelphia Eagles	Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
21	Cincinnati Bengals	Shaq Thompson, OLB, Wasington
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State
23	Detroit Lions	Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
24	Arizona Cardinals	Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Miss State
25	Carolina Panthers	T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
26	Baltimore Ravens	Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
27	Dallas Cowboys	Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
28	Denver Broncos	Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
29	Indianapolis Colts	Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
30	Green Bay Packers	Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon
31	Seattle Seahawks	Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
32	New England Patriots	Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn

Analyzing First-Round Defensive Tackles

3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Williams, DT, USC

At No. 3 overall, the Jaguars are in position to potentially grab arguably the highest-ranked player in the draft. That's great news for Jacksonville, as it really invested in its offense in the 2014 draft, letting the defense fall by the wayside. If this team is to improve upon its 27th ranking against the run, selecting a viable defensive tackle is in order.

The 6'5", 298-pound Williams could cure all of the Jaguars' defensive woes. He has NFL size, freakish athleticism, devastating power and versatility. His large frame, length, speed and technique allow him to dominate in the trenches against both the run and the pass.

With a wide base and great upper-body strength, Williams can hold his ground against stronger offensive linemen. He is also quick off the snap and can knife his way through blockers and into the backfield to cause problems for opposing quarterbacks. His ability to rush the passer allowed USC to move him all around the defensive line to create favorable matchups.

7. Chicago Bears: Danny Shelton, DT, Washington

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

There's plenty of changes going on in Chicago heading into the 2015 league year. John Fox now resides as head coach of the Bears, and one of his first orders of business should be fixing a defense that ranked 17th in the league against the run in 2014. The hiring of Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator was already a big step in the right direction.

Fangio made the San Francisco 49ers one of the league's top defensive units with his 3-4 base defense. However, personnel changes will be needed in Chicago to make the switch to a new scheme. That's where the 6'2", 343-pound Shelton comes in.

A wide body and an enormous lower half give Shelton the prototypical size for an NFL nose guard. He's incredibly difficult to move and can successfully anchor himself against double-teams. Not only sound against the run, Shelton can also make plays in passing situations by utilizing his mean bull rush to walk offensive linemen back into the pocket.

23. Detroit Lions: Malcom Brown, DT, Texas

Eric Gay/Associated Press

It's not often the league's top-ranked run defense from a season ago is looking to upgrade at defensive tackle, but that's the case here, as the Lions may lose Ndamukong Suh via free agency. While the Lions have apparently made Suh a priority, the team's available cap space could prove to be an issue. If Suh departs, expect Detroit to look at his replacement here.

The team could do far worse than landing the 6'4", 320-pound Brown at No. 23 overall. The Texas product is a great physical specimen, boasting a wide, long frame that doesn't impair his quickness or lateral agility. In fact, one of Brown's best attributes is his burst off the line of scrimmage, routinely catching interior offensive linemen off guard and knocking them back on their heels.

As powerful as he is quick, Brown has good core strength and can anchor himself against stronger offensive linemen, holding his ground and closing up running lanes for opposing running backs. His solid upper-body strength helps him latch on to ball-carriers and take them down immediately.

27. Dallas Cowboys: Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma

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Dallas fared well against the run in 2014, finishing the regular season ranked ninth in that category. However, after the recent switch to a 4-3 base defense, the team still needs to add some depth along the defensive line in an effort to create a solid rotation to keep players fresh.

Since Henry Melton and Tyrone Crawford played well last season, the Cowboys can draft for upside here. The 6'6", 334-pound Phillips is an enormous threat in the trenches due to a combination of size, length and freakish athleticism. He's still growing into his potential, but he has the upside to be one of the league's best down the road.

Phillips' long limbs, agility and lateral quickness allow him to cover a wide area along the defensive line and excel in pursuit of ball-carriers. Boasting one of the best bursts off the snap of all the draft's defensive tackles, Phillips routinely knifes his way into opposing backfields, disrupting plays before they even get going.

28. Denver Broncos: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Denver finished the 2014 regular season ranked second in the league against the run, but this team could lose an integral component to its success in that category during the free-agency period, as Terrance Knighton is set to hit the open market this year. If Knighton departs, adding another defensive tackle at No. 28 overall could be in order.

At 6'3" and 320 pounds, Goldman isn't as long as other first-round defensive tackles, but his weight is nicely distributed, as he boasts broad shoulders, thick limbs and a wide base. He can control the line of scrimmage by gaining leverage and utilizing his upper-body strength to extend his arms into his opponents' chests.

A versatile player, Goldman can be used as a pass-rusher due to his ability to set the edge and his mean bull rush that allows him to bully his way into the pocket and get after the quarterback.