NFL Draft 2015: Mock Draft of 1st Round, Analysis of Underrated Prospects

The 2015 NFL mock draft season is in full swing following Super Bowl XLIX. Now that the complete first-round order is set, speculation can begin to crystallize as to how the teams might choose in the top 32.

Due to the depth this draft class figures to have at many positions, several talented players are bound to slide a bit further. Evaluating a prospect is a complicated process and cannot easily be determined beyond a case-by-case basis.

The higher up teams are in the draft, the more that is at stake, and players chosen later have the luxury of entering winning cultures—or at least teams coming off of moderate success.

Check out an updated mock of the first round, along with a trio that might not go until the latter half of Day 1 on April 30, yet could prove to be tremendous value picks.

No. Pick	Team	Selection
1	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Leonard Williams, DL, USC
2	Tennessee Titans	Dante Fowler Jr., DE/OLB, Florida
3	Jacksonville Jaguars	Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska
4	Oakland Raiders	Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
5	Washington Redskins	Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
6	New York Jets	Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
7	Chicago Bears	Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
8	Atlanta Falcons	Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington
9	New York Giants	La'el Collins, OT, LSU
10	St. Louis Rams	Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
11	Minnesota Vikings	DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
12	Cleveland Browns	Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
13	New Orleans Saints	Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
14	Miami Dolphins	Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky
15	San Francisco 49ers	Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
16	Houston Texans	T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
17	San Diego Chargers	Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
18	Kansas City Chiefs	Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
19	Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo)	Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
20	Philadelphia Eagles	Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
21	Cincinnati Bengals	Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
23	Detroit Lions	Quinten Rollins, CB, Miami (OH)
24	Arizona Cardinals	Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
25	Carolina Panthers	Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
26	Baltimore Ravens	Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
27	Dallas Cowboys	Nate Orchard, DE/OLB, Utah
28	Denver Broncos	A.J. Cann, OG, South Carolina
29	Indianapolis Colts	Arik Armstead, DE/OLB, Oregon
30	Green Bay Packers	Carl Davis, DT, Iowa
31	Seattle Seahawks	Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
32	New England Patriots	Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan

Analyzing Underrated 1st-Round Prospects

Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan

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The most intriguing part about Devin Funchess as a prospect is that he converted from tight end to wide receiver just this last year. Experience at both positions means that Funchess can play either in the NFL, and he can line up anywhere as a pass-catching threat.

In another strong crop of wideouts, Funchess' inexperience at the position and his status as a bit of a tweener may hurt his stock, though. Funchess gained at least an understanding of playing receiver in a pro-style offense in 2014, albeit with a woeful quarterback situation.

A tremendous catch radius makes Funchess a friendly red-zone target at 6'5" and 230 pounds. His easy speed and ability to accelerate quickly means he can position himself well to stretch the field.

Optimum Scouting's Ian Wharton captured a play to tease the type of explosiveness Funchess has:

Inconsistent hands are some cause for alarm, and Funchess needs to brush up on his routes. It may be a bit of a project and too rich to invest an early first-rounder in Funchess for some franchises.

That's why the New England Patriots are a logical fit. Crafty offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels can figure out what position is best for Funchess and work out creative ways to get him the ball.

Whether he'd team with Rob Gronkowski to give opponents nightmares in two-tight end sets or serve as a long-awaited outside weapon for legendary quarterback Tom Brady, Funchess' chances to make good on a first-round investment would be great in New England.

Nate Orchard, DE/OLB, Utah

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Nate Orchard parlayed an impressive total of 18.5 sacks this year with a strong week in Mobile, Alabama, at the Senior Bowl.

Thanks to his strong performance on the North team in Mobile, Senior Bowl director Phil Savage tweeted the news that Orchard was the best player:

Bleacher Report draft expert Matt Miller shared his thoughts on Orchard after watching him in practice:

The production with Utah and game tape are being backed up by evaluators, so there's reason to believe Orchard can thrive in the NFL.

What makes Orchard unique is that he arrived in Utah as a receiver and then packed on a ton of weight to fill out what's now a 6'4", 255-pound frame. Those measurements suggest Orchard has the functional strength to make an immediate impact at the professional level.

In 2014, Orchard managed to notch 18.5 sacks, which is no mistake. His technique is refined, and his pad level stays low so that he can use his strength and leverage to rush the passer.

Maybe he isn't the most freakish athlete this class has to offer, but he will likely make several front offices regret passing on him. The mock fit in Dallas makes sense, because the Cowboys have a need at both linebacker and defensive end.

Plugging in Orchard to the defensive line rotation and letting him grow under coordinator Rod Marinelli would make for a great match in Dallas. Demarcus Lawrence and Orchard would be a sweet combination for Marinelli to mold.

Quinten Rollins, CB, Miami (Ohio)

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Part of the motivation to list these underrated players in ascending order to the mock is to save the best for last—and to not look like too much of a Miami RedHawks homer.

With just 12 games of experience and playing mostly MAC competition, Quinten Rollins has the proper mindset amid all of the hype he's deservedly generating, per ClevelandBrowns.com's Andrew Gribble:

"

The draft's not promised. I could still go undrafted despite all of this. I'm going to keep listening and working hard. I know it sounds cliche, but at the same time, you’ve got to keep getting better. It's a production-based business. If I'm not out there getting better and making plays, they're going to find somebody who is.

"

Never mind that Rollins played four years of college basketball before picking up football in 2014—and had seven interceptions. Rollins has plenty to prove yet, but he got off to a fantastic start at the Senior Bowl.

Among the most impressive plays of the game from Mobile was Rollins' diving pick on a deep pass that showcased his natural instincts, ball skills and recovery speed.

Rollins has limited tape and the above play is just one of the many impressive ones he made in his brief action on the gridiron, but his skills are undeniable. What helps his case to go in the first round is his ability to tackle, as he racked up 72 total stops for Miami last year.

The willingness to tackle gives teams the option of moving Rollins to safety, though he might be better off building off his success as a cornerback.

Technique is the biggest area Rollins needs to work on. His basketball background has otherwise helped translate to his hip movement. Rollins can flip and is rarely off balance in coverage. The room he has to improve gives Rollins arguably the highest ceiling among any cornerback prospects.

So why the Detroit Lions at No. 23 overall? Team president Tom Lewand recently said that there is a "very, very good chance" that Detroit re-signs Ndamukong Suh in the next few weeks, per an interview on WDIV's Flashpoint (via the Detroit Free Press' Dave Birkett). That eliminates the need for a defensive tackle, provided the deal gets done.

Cornerback is a position the Lions have neglected in the first round for quite some time. Veteran Rashean Mathis is a free agent, and one of the few promising youngsters, Bill Bentley, will be coming off of a torn ACL.

Detroit vice president of pro personnel Sheldon White played defensive back at Miami (Ohio), so it would make sense for the Lions to take a close look at Rollins and pick him if he's still on the board.

Note: Stats are courtesy of CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted.