2015 NFL Draft: Opening-Round Order and Predictions for Top Storylines

See that checkered flag off in the distance?

That's Chicago, lucky host of the most popular three-day stretch in the world thanks to the 2015 NFL draft.

For the prospects, teams, scouts and more involved in the path to the draft, the tedious process is one littered with intrigue, misdirection and any other sappy label that folks can slap on a movie's television commercial.

Humor aside, the class is one unlike many in past years. Quarterbacks are weak. Running backs may slip into the first round. The top offensive tackle, wide receiver, pass-rusher and more are 100 percent unknown.

As the NFL Scouting Combine gets underway in Indianapolis, the top storylines to keep an eye on as things progress rest below.

2015 NFL Draft First-Round Order and Predictions

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
2	Tennessee Titans	Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
3	Jacksonville Jaguars	Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska
4	Oakland Raiders	Leonard Williams, DL, USC
5	Washington Redskins	Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
6	New York Jets	Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
7	Chicago Bears	Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
8	Atlanta Falcons	Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky
9	New York Giants	Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
10	St. Louis Rams	Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
11	Minnesota Vikings	Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
12	Cleveland Browns	DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
13	New Orleans Saints	Dante Fowler Jr., DE, Florida
14	Miami Dolphins	Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington
15	San Francisco 49ers	Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
16	Houston Texans	Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
17	San Diego Chargers	A.J. Cann, OG, South Carolina
18	Kansas City Chiefs	Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF
19	Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo)	Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
20	Philadelphia Eagles	Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
21	Cincinnati Bengals	Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	Arik Armstead, DE/OLB, Oregon
23	Detroit Lions	Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
24	Arizona Cardinals	Owamagbe Odighizuwa, OLB, UCLA
25	Carolina Panthers	Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
26	Baltimore Ravens	Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
27	Dallas Cowboys	Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State
28	Denver Broncos	La'el Collins, OL, LSU
29	Indianapolis Colts	Nate Orchard, DE, Utah
30	Green Bay Packers	Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
31	Seattle Seahawks	Carl Davis, DL, Iowa
32	New England Patriots	Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota

Predictions for Top Storylines

Boom-or-Bust Time

The boom-or-bust label gets thrown around quite a lot, but this season, it applies no better than to some of the top versatile defenders in charge of rushing quarterbacks.

Think Clemson's Vic Beasley. The Tigers standout was one of the top prospects in the land going into last year's draft before he decided to return to school.

Now? He's lost in a shuffle among other similar players such as Kentucky's Alvin Dupree, Florida's Dante Fowler Jr. and more.

As Rotoworld's Josh Norris points out, Beasley has a certain set of characteristics that teams will prefer in comparison to others:

Beasley is explosive, sure, but he comes in at just 6'3" and 235 pounds, which is mighty light for a rusher off the edge. Timing the snap at an elite level is one thing, but there is an increased amount of real estate to get around when comparing a pro offensive lineman to a collegiate one.

The same hesitation that teams will approach Beasley with may also apply to Nebraska's Randy Gregory, who many once considered the runaway favorite as the top rusher in class.

As NFL Network's Mike Mayock details, per NFL.com's Mike Huguenin, Gregory may face the same size questions on the path to the draft:

"

At 6-6, 240, I would hope that he can put another 15 or 20 pounds on in the next couple of years. You'd love to see him at 260 or so, so he can be a little more physical. That's where he needs to get better. He needs to be a little more physical in the attack and run game, but he's got everything you want as a potential pass-rushing maniac at the next level. He's got hips, he's got speed, he's got quickness. He can flip his hips and come up-and-under. And I love the length; length and explosion are the differences for him as a pass rusher.

"

The combine is perfect for players such as Beasley and Gregory because their sheer athleticism stands out and provides a nice stock boost.

Bonus points if either of them comes in heavier than expected.

Right now, Gregory is an upside pick and still slots as the top pass-rusher off the board. Beasley seems the better fit for around the No. 20 range barring an incredible weight gain that does not negatively impact his speed.

Quarterbacks After No. 1-2

No really, they exist.

After Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, UCLA's Brett Hundley is the most popular name. 

For good reason, too. Hundley has a great arm and the athleticism to make plays with his feet. He's a massive project, though, because at times his decision-making is downright atrocious. Mayock hits the nail on the head once again, this time recorded by NFL.com's Bryan Fischer:

The next most popular name is Bryce Petty out of Baylor, who will also have a chance to prove himself at the combine.

Petty threw for 3,855 yards and 29 touchdowns to seven interceptions last year, but he's going to continue to have a difficult time escaping the notion his production is somewhat inflated because of the Bears' scheme.

As Bleacher Report's Matt Miller points out, Petty does have enough in the potential department to compete with Hundley:

Others such as Garrett Grayson out of Colorado State and Shane Carden out of East Carolina are in the mid-round conversation, but only Hundley and Petty are competitors for the second round, if not the first if a team gets desperate.

Really, the decision between the two may come down to personal preference. Hundley is the better value because of his raw skill set that figures to develop in any number of systems, so in the coming weeks and months, look for him to separate from Petty for the No. 3 spot.

Converting Hype to a Climb

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The hype train is in full force for a pair of relatively unknown prospects.

At the combine and beyond, they need it to equate to a climb up the ladder instead of a flash in the pan.

One is UCF wideout Breshad Perriman, who at 6'3" and 214 pounds continues to turn heads the more scouts dive into his extensive film. His blend of size and great speed to take the top off defenses has many, including Mayock, believing he is worth a first-round pick:

As CollegeFootball 24/7 points out, though, Perriman is already at a slight disadvantage due to injury:

The other is Iowa defensive tackle Carl Davis, who at 6'5" and 315 pounds touts plenty of explosion to rush quarterbacks and even more strength to help clog running lanes.

This recent revelation as more and more observers watch the film helps to explain why draft gurus such as CBS Sports' Dane Brugler view the Iowa product as a potential fit for the first round:

Interestingly enough, both Perriman and Davis have a serious climb to separate themselves from two of the deeper positions in the 2015 class. The former will go head-to-head with Heisman Trophy finalist Amari Cooper, as well as Kevin White and others, while the latter must compete in a field headlined by Leonard Williams and Danny Shelton.

At the end of the day, both of these prospects are worth first-round investments. Perriman needs to work on his hands, but his blend of size and speed is unteachable. Davis simply needs more consistency on a down-to-down basis.

With only coachable issues holding them back, look for both to have their names called in the first round.

Note: Stats courtesy of NFL.com as of Feb. 18 at 9 p.m. ET. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus.