NFL Draft 2015: Dissecting Mock Draft Predictions for Opening Round

The 2015 NFL draft has already successfully baffled fans and experts desperate for certain answers for sports' most uncertain event.

If a normal rookie draft isn't difficult enough to handicap, this year offers no early locks to start everyone on the right foot. Too many variables have generated dissenting opinions across the board for virtually every Round 1 selection.

That makes this year's draft tricky to predict, but let's try anyway with the latest mock trial.

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

Far too many possible scenarios exist to correctly forecast every pick. That makes it all the more exciting when the perfect pairing presents itself.

In a select few instances, a team's top need aligns ideally with a prospect projected to land right around that spot. Impeccable matches don't always materialize, but they provide some steadiness in an otherwise chaotic predraft landscape.

None of these players are guaranteed to remain available long enough to ensure these unions. If they remain on the board, none of the following three teams should hesitate with their selection.

Best Fits

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

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For the second year in a row, the Cleveland Browns own a pair of first-round picks. This time, expect them to leave with a wide receiver in light of Josh Gordon's season-long suspension.

The optimum choice is Kevin White, who broke out with 109 catches for 1,447 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns during his senior year at West Virginia. In the video below, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller suggests White has leap-frogged Alabama's Amari Cooper as the nation's top wideout prospect.

While not the biggest or most explosive talent available, White navigates the field to make tough catches and extend plays after the catch.

Two months ago, an NFL scout compared him to a future Hall of Famer, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Bob McGinn: "He's more of a (Larry) Fitzgerald type receiver in that he doesn't have great speed. I never see him beat people deep. But (if) he is even with them he's going to get the ball. Very good player."

For White to wear orange with the Browns, the Minnesota Vikings will have to look elsewhere at pick No. 11. Teddy Bridgewater can use a big playmaker, putting wide receiver high on the team's wish list.

Yet the Vikings also need some offensive line help, and several high-upside tackles highlight the draft class. If they instead look White's way, look for Cleveland to target Louisville's DeVante Parker, who would give Cleveland's quarterback a big-play threat in Gordon's absence.

Although not nearly as deep as last year's sensational class, there are several wide receivers worthy of first-round consideration. This means the Browns could wait until No. 19, but they then risk getting their target poached by the Kansas City Chiefs during the preceding pick. 

20. Philadelphia Eagles: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington

Ready to book their postseason tickets, the Philadelphia Eagles instead squandered their spot with a late three-game losing skid. While it's easy to blame Mark Sanchez, a leaky secondary simply could not hold its foundation any longer.

Philadelphia allowed 4,238 passing yards last season, placing it second-last ahead of the Atlanta Falcons. The defense constantly orchestrated big plays with 49 sacks and 29 takeaways, but those are tough to consistently conjure.

Hungry for a cornerback upgrade, the Eagles are precisely the squad to gamble on Marcus Peters, who was dismissed from Washington by head coach Chris Petersen last season. The 22-year-old opened up to USA Today's Tom Pelissero about his transgressions, taking full responsibility for the ugly falling-out.

"I don't blame (Petersen) for anything," Peters said. "All I can blame is myself, because I made those decisions and I have to live with them. Now I'll have to man up and I've got to answer these questions in interviews, and all I can do is sit there and answer truthfully and honestly."

In terms of talent alone, Peters is the best cornerback prospect. Combining smooth coverage with ball-hawking prowess, he'll become a No. 1 corner if all pans out on and off the field. That makes him worth the risk for the Eagles at pick No. 20.

29. Indianapolis Colts: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin

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Since 2012, no general manager besides Kevin Costner has come close to grabbing a rusher during the opening round. Doug Martin fell apart after one terrific season, and that represented the year's success story. Trent Richardson and David Wilson quickly deteriorated into unmitigated disasters, with the former a punchline and the latter retired.

The running back drought will likely end this year, as the Indianapolis Colts pick deep enough down the order to take Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon without feeling remorse for addressing a fungible position.

Gordon isn't any ordinary prospect. The 21-year-old amassed a Big Ten-record 2,587 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns during his junior year with the Badgers. He exceeded 100 yards in all but two outings.

ESPN's Mel Kiper has the San Diego Chargers snagging him at No. 17, but that's high for a team better off securing help against the run. After foolishly trading a first-round pick for Richardson, the Colts seem like the last franchise to pay the piper. Yet their one-dimensional offense needs a ground game after throwing a league-high 661 times last season.

Bigger, stronger and faster than Richardson, Gordon will avoid traveling down the same road from college star to pro bust. Running back is the easiest position to fill for cheap, but such star upside makes him an exception.