2015 NFL Mock Draft: First-Year Predictions for Top Prospects

NFL prospects who will help their teams down the road are valuable, but there's something especially intriguing about rookies who stand to make impacts immediately. Those players are the cream of the crop and obvious contenders for Rookie of the Year honors on both sides of the ball.

We don't yet know all the facts about the draft or its top prospects. However, based on early projections, I'll focus this mock draft on prospects who figure to make the biggest immediate impacts. I've tabbed them to go to teams who need their services, but in the text below, I'll discuss how their skills could help multiple teams.

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
2	Tennessee Titans	Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
3	Jacksonville Jaguars	Leonard Williams, DL, 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	Shane Ray, DE/OLB, Missouri
8	Atlanta Falcons	Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky
9	New York Giants	Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington
10	St. Louis Rams	Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
11	Minnesota Vikings	T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
12	Cleveland Browns	DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
13	New Orleans Saints	Dante Fowler Jr., DE/OLB, Florida
14	Miami Dolphins	La'el Collins, OT, LSU
15	San Francisco 49ers	Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
16	Houston Texans	Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
17	Kansas City Chiefs	Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
18	San Diego Chargers	Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
19	Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo)	Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
20	Philadelphia Eagles	Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
21	Cincinnati Bengals	Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	Alex Carter, CB, Stanford
23	Detroit Lions	Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State
24	Arizona Cardinals	Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
25	Carolina Panthers	Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
26	Baltimore Ravens	Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
27	Dallas Cowboys	Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU
28	Denver Broncos	Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (Florida)
29	Indianapolis Colts	Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
30	Green Bay Packers	Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA
31	Seattle Seahawks	Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn
32	New England Patriots	Arik Armstead, DE/OLB, Oregon

Tampa Bay and Tennessee Shouldn't Pass on Mariota

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

If recent reports and mock drafts such as ESPN's Todd McShay's are correct, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tennessee Titans are going to be sorry they didn't draft Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota.

We can talk about inexperience in a pro-style offense. We can also be concerned with arm strength, which some might describe as less than ideal. However, every once in a while, there's a prospect—specifically at quarterback—whose work ethic and leadership skills supersede the traditional evaluation categories.

Mariota is one of those players.

Don't get me wrong. He's not purely an intangible guy. Mariota is a stud athlete as well. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein considers Mariota to be one of the best pure athletes in the draft.

"Quick-twitch quarterback," Zierlein writes. "Rare straight-line speed for the position. Defenses must account for ability outside the pocket. Able to make off-balance, difficult throws. Can uncork throws quickly and without resetting feet when necessary."

There are plenty of great quarterbacks who don't possess cannons for arms. Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are two who come to mind. When a player has the intangibles and athleticism Mariota possesses, the sky is the limit. Barring injury, Mariota will be a star.

Shane Ray Is Going to Make an Instant Impact

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

Some guys are just destined to wreak havoc as edge-rushers. Ray's explosiveness off the edge led to a record 14 sacks for the Missouri Tigers in 2014. At 6'3" and 245 pounds, Ray doesn't have ideal size for a 3-4 pass-rushing outside linebacker, but what he lacks in build, he makes up for in aggressiveness and speed.

You'll often hear talent evaluators talk about motor. As far as that concept goes, Ray is like the flux capacitor of this year's draft. 

From snap to whistle, Ray is in hot pursuit of the quarterback, and that's a player profile the Chicago Bears and the Atlanta Falcons could use.

The Falcons aren't expected to run a 3-4, which is the ideal scheme for Ray. But Ray projects as such a dynamic pass-rusher that there's a chance the Falcons could play him at defensive end to help get pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

In any case, Ray will be a force as a rookie.

Danny Shelton Can Instantly Improve the Browns' Run Defense

Just about any team in the draft that runs a 3-4 and has a problem stopping the run could use Shelton. Of the players in the draft who figure to be run-stuffing nose tackles in the NFL, Shelton is at the top of the list.

He's a massive young man at 6'2" and 339 pounds. He has the build and strength to hold up against the run, but Shelton's straight-line speed will make him a decent pass-rusher as well.

That generally isn't the job of a nose tackle, but Shelton has the athleticism to be more than what the role usually calls for. Per Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus, Shelton also showed amazing durability in his final year for the Washington Huskies:

Shelton is the type of player who instantly improves a team's run defense. He could be in play for the Bears, the Cleveland Browns and the San Diego Chargers.