2015 NFL Mock Draft: Pre-Scouting Combine Predictions for 1st-Round Prospects

There's plenty of ongoing buzz regarding what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will do with the first pick in the 2015 NFL draft. It's no secret they're destined to select a quarterback; however, the Marcus Mariota-versus-Jameis Winston debate rages on.

Recently, Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com reported a rumor in which head coach Lovie Smith favors Winston due to his experience running more of a pro-style offense:

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I've heard that coach Lovie Smith prefers Winston over Oregon's Marcus Mariota. When Smith chose Dirk Koetter as the Bucs' offensive coordinator over Marc Trestman, the logic was simple. Although Smith and Trestman have similar philosophies about how to run an offense, they disagreed on the quarterbacks. Trestman preferred Mariota.

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Although, as much as that makes sense, so does a report from Bleacher Report's Jason Cole that states Tampa Bay is actually leaning toward Mariota, who the team feels is the "safer" choice:

This will surely continue to be a hot topic during—and beyond—the scouting combine. As things stand right now, here's a look at how the draft's first round is likely to shake out.

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
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, Nebraska
6	New York Jets	Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
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	Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
11	Minnesota Vikings	Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
12	Cleveland Browns	DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
13	New Orleans Saints	Dante Fowler, 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, OLB, Clemson
18	Kansas City Chiefs	Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
19	Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo)	Bud Dupree, DE, Kentucky
20	Philadelphia Eagles	Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
21	Cincinnati Bengals	Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State
23	Detroit Lions	Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
24	Arizona Cardinals	Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
25	Carolina Panthers	T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
26	Baltimore Ravens	Quinten Rollins, CB, Miami (OH)
27	Dallas Cowboys	Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
28	Denver Broncos	Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
29	Indianapolis Colts	Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
30	Green Bay Packers	Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon
31	Seattle Seahawks	Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn
32	New England Patriots	Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami

Analyzing Players with Most to Prove at Combine

The scouting combine will certainly propel some players up draft boards due to impressive performances, but it can also have an adverse effect on prospects who fail to perform at a high level. While this will be the case for all 323 draft hopefuls in attendance, stakes will be even higher for a handful of prospects who have more to prove than the rest of the draft class.

We often hear the terms "off-field issues" or "red flags" surrounding certain prospects. If a player has a history of transgressions during his collegiate career, rest assured he'll be answering for them during his combine interviews. The right answers to tough questions will be necessary to find a way into the good graces of NFL executives.

Here's a look at some very talented prospects who will need to show they've turned the corner to maintain their current draft standings following the combine.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State

Winston is a tremendous talent on the football field. He has great size at 6'4" and 232 pounds, and combined with his mobility, pocket presence, big arm and ability to progress through his reads, he's absolutely worthy of the first-overall selection.

Although, he also comes with a great deal of baggage. Winston carries with him a timeline of incidents that dates back to 2012 and, most recently, earned him a one-game suspension during the 2014 season. Those aren't desirable characteristics for a team looking to draft a quarterback who can become the face of the franchise.

Whether Winston throws at the combine or not, his draft stock will hang in the balance. He'll be asked some very difficult questions during his time with the media, and answering in a mature fashion will help maintain his status as the draft's top selection. However, any unsatisfactory comments could dash his hopes of being selected at No. 1.

15. San Francisco 49ers: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma

Based on sheer talent and upside alone, it could be argued that Dorial Green-Beckham is the most dangerous wide receiver in this year's draft class. He's a monster at 6'5" and 225 pounds and has a great blend of agility, length, leaping ability and acceleration that makes him a vertical threat with a huge catch radius. However, due to some incidents while enrolled at Missouri, his draft stock is uncertain.

Green-Beckham was dismissed from Missouri's football team following an altercation with a woman at a Colombia apartment building. Prior to that incident, the wide receiver was arrested twice for marijuana-related offenses. We've seen the recent troubles of Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon, and Green-Beckham will need to prove he won't be heading down that same path.

Interviews won't be the only area in which Green-Beckham must prove himself. The receiver transferred to Oklahoma before his junior year and was ineligible to play as a result. He practiced with the team, but scouts haven't seen him in action since 2013. He'll need to shine during his workouts.

20. Philadelphia Eagles: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington

Marcus Peters is arguably the most talented cornerback in this year's draft class. At 6'0" and 198 pounds, he's a great size for an outside corner in the NFL. Peters is long enough to contest jump balls against taller wide receivers, but he's also athletic enough to shadow smaller, faster pass-catchers as well. A physical player, Peters is a sure-tackler and an asset in run support.

Unfortunately, Peters' incidents while at Washington overshadow his on-field prowess. He was dismissed from the school's football team following several altercations with the coaching staff. That lack of maturity and insubordination is likely scaring off many NFL scouts. He'll need some rather impressive interviews to prove he's ready to be a team player.

Peters' press conference will be under heavy scrutiny. A corner with his skill set doesn't come around often, and the result of his time with the media could either propel him into the top half of the first round or send him plummeting into the second.