NFL Mock Draft 2015: Complete 1st-Round Projections for Marquee Prospects

It may feel like the 2015 NFL draft is just around the corner, but with more than two months separating us from Round 1, anything can happen between now and draft day.

Scouts have stockpiled tons of game film to watch their favorite prospects throughout their college careers, but nothing can quite compare to the predraft analysis. The top players at each position work out both all together and individually in front of teams, allowing for the cream to rise to the top.

More of that movement should be expected in the final eight-plus weeks with elite prospects at certain positions sure to separate themselves from one another. But even in the midst of February, dozens of top-tier prospects have already established their presence as shoo-ins for the first round.

That movement is on the horizon with the NFL Scouting Combine taking place next week (Feb. 17-23), so let's take a look at where things stand right now in this latest mock of Round 1.

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

First-Year Starters

4. Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

Building a dangerous receiving corps in the NFL is becoming increasingly important by the season, as is having that dependable No. 1 option to get you 100 yards a game. And the Raiders need one sooner rather than later if they want to survive with Derek Carr at the helm.   

Selecting that player at No. 4 bestows sky-high expectations on him, but Amari Cooper can meet those expectations.

Usually, such a pick would revolve around a generational talent—which Cooper may not be. But while he doesn't boast the sheer athleticism of a Sammy Watkins or Julio Jones (the two latest wide receivers to go in the top five), he excels as well as anyone in the two traits most needed by a wideout—getting open and plucking the ball out of tight spots.

And heck, he's not even close to reaching his full potential age-wise, as Jeff Lloyd of RSEN points out:

The lack of game-changing athleticism might bring down Cooper's ceiling a bit, but it doesn't change much of his stock or value. With his skill set, the Alabama product has an incredibly high floor and will be a serviceable No. 1 target at worst.

At best, he could be the piece to help transform both Carr and the Raiders offense.

17. San Diego Chargers: Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

The Chargers enter the 2015 draft desperately needing improvements at inside linebacker, where Manti Te'o is about the only promising talent worthy of starting in the fold. And in San Diego's 3-4 scheme, it needs a captain in the middle to keep it all together.

Enter Benardrick McKinney.

There aren't many first-round talents at the position in this class, but McKinney is undeniably one. The former Mississippi State linebacker can lay the lumber, using his incredible instincts and motor to be the first to arrive at the ball more often than not.

McKinney brings the pop needed in the NFL as well, per Omar Kelly of South Florida Sun-Sentinel:

The Chargers didn't bring much danger in the middle to opposing offenses, and it showed as they ranked 26th in team rushing defense, per ESPN.com. A big part of that was the lack of a powerful presence in the middle, which McKinney would immediately bring a change to.

20. Philadelphia Eagles: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon

STEVE DYKES/Associated Press

The Philadelphia Eagles need help in the secondary like nobody's business, and head coach Chip Kelly just so happens to know of a stud cornerback at his old stomping grounds to covet.

Oregon cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu was regarded as a top cover corner—if not the top—in the draft class, before a knee injury in College Football Playoff practice posed questions of his stock. But even if his injury looks to be serious with a long recovery time, the Eagles shouldn't shy away from him.

While there are a couple of stud corners in the class, none possesses the overall presence and alertness of Ekpre-Olomu. While he's short at 5'9", he boasts a strong 195-pound frame capable of muscling with receivers and bringing some punch to the running game.

Much has been made of Kelly trying to move up to get his former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, with NJ Advance Media's Mark Eckel reporting just that. But as Nick Kayal of 97.5 The Fanatic noted, it's the cornerback the Eagles need:

Mariota would be an immensely popular pick and may fit in Kelly's scheme, but it'd take an organization-crushing deal to get him. With a player like Ekpre-Olomu better fitting the team's needs at a position that will allow it to avoid trades, he's the easy pick.

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