NFL Draft 2015: 1st-Round Mock Draft and Top Potential Mid-Round Steals
The ever-changing landscape of the NFL continued late this week. The Atlanta Falcons announced the release of running back Steven Jackson, via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, on Thursday, and the Arizona Cardinals parted ways with defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com, on Friday.
These are just two examples of moves that will ultimately help shape the 2015 NFL draft.
Will teams draft replacements for these players this year? That's a strong possibility; however, it may not be in the first round. There are plenty of factors that must come into play to make that situation come to fruition—schematic fits and prospect availability among them.
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Let's take the Falcons for instance. They pick at No. 8 overall. Sure, they could snag Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon or Georgia's Todd Gurley but would that be worth missing out on one of the draft's elite pass-rushers? Probably not. So, in this situation, we can expect Atlanta to look for a running back in the draft's middle rounds—where potential steals reside.
Which prospects appear to be the mid-round gems in this year's draft class? Before we take a look at some examples, here's an updated glance at how the first round is likely to shake out.
| 1 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State |
| 2 | Tennessee Titans | Leonard Williams, DT, USC |
| 3 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Dante Fowler, OLB, Florida |
| 4 | Oakland Raiders | Kevin White, WR, West Virginia |
| 5 | Washington Redskins | Randy Gregory, OLB, 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 | Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa |
| 10 | St. Louis Rams | Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama |
| 11 | Minnesota Vikings | DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville |
| 12 | Cleveland Browns | Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson |
| 13 | New Orleans Saints | Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State |
| 14 | Miami Dolphins | La'el Collins, OT, LSU |
| 15 | San Francisco 49ers | Jalen Collins, CB, LSU |
| 16 | Houston Texans | Landon Collins, S, Alabama |
| 17 | San Diego Chargers | Malcom Brown, DT, Texas |
| 18 | Kansas City Chiefs | Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State |
| 19 | Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo) | T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh |
| 20 | Philadelphia Eagles | Marcus Peters, CB, Washington |
| 21 | Cincinnati Bengals | Bud Dupree, DE, Kentucky |
| 22 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma |
| 23 | Detroit Lions | Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State |
| 24 | Arizona Cardinals | Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon |
| 25 | Carolina Panthers | Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford |
| 26 | Baltimore Ravens | Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin |
| 27 | Dallas Cowboys | Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Miss St |
| 28 | Denver Broncos | Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota |
| 29 | Indianapolis Colts | Todd Gurley, RB,Georgia |
| 30 | Green Bay Packers | Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA |
| 31 | Seattle Seahawks | Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma |
| 32 | New England Patriots | Cameron Erving, C, Florida State |
Analyzing Potential Mid-Round Steals
Mid-round steals can be a variety of things. These prospects could have sneaky starting potential and produce some impressive numbers out of the gate during their rookie seasons. They could also be athletic freaks who have the talent to dominate in the NFL after receiving the right coaching.
Every draft is chock-full of players who fit one of those aforementioned descriptions. The trick for NFL franchises is to figure out who they are. That said, let's take a look at some potential candidates.
Jeremy Langford, RB, Michigan State
Ranked No. 79 overall by CBSSports.com, Jeremy Langford is currently slated to be the No. 8 prospect at his position. The reason for his low ranking is because scouts don't see him as a three-down back. He has good size at 6'0" and 208 pounds; however, he isn't a physical runner.
Still, Langford produced a 4.42-second 40-yard dash—the fastest of any running back—at the combine, and due to his background as a wide receiver and cornerback, he has the hands, speed and agility to flourish in a change-of-pace role in the NFL. Spending a third-round draft pick on a player who can make a huge difference on passing downs is a worthwhile endeavor in today's quarterback-friendly NFL.
Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor
Currently pegged as the draft's No. 117 overall prospect by CBSSports.com, Bryce Petty may still be available as late as Round 4. That seems crazy for a quarterback who has NFL size at 6'3" and 230 pounds and who ran a 4.87-second 40-yard dash. He also finished as a top performer in every other combine drill.
A natural leader with great intangibles and a solid arm, Petty has the ability to start in the NFL after he receives the necessary coaching—he must read defenses better and be able to read through progressions. Petty may need a year or two to develop, but in the right system, he could eventually compete for a starting job.
Tyler Lockett, WR, Kansas State
In a very deep class of wide receivers, Tyler Lockett is ranked No. 77 overall by CBSSports.com. His size of 5'10" and 182 pounds makes him a slot receiver in the NFL, and he has the speed and agility to flourish in that role. At the combine, he ran a 4.40-second 40-yard dash and was a top performer in both the 20-yard shuttle and 60-yard shuttle drills.
A speedy and twitchy player, he accelerates off the line well and can gain separation with quickness out of his breaks. Lockett is a sound route-runner and sees the field very well, allowing him to create yards after the catch. Not only will he be able to compete for a starting role in his rookie season, but his skill set should allow him to double as a returner as well.
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
An unfortunate late-season knee injury diminished Ifo Ekpre-Olomu's chances of being a first-round selection, and CBSSports.com lists the cornerback as the No. 114 overall prospect. That's good news for a team willing to gamble on him in Rounds 3 or 4, as his body of work at Oregon was phenomenal.
Ekpre-Olomu is just 5'9" and 192 pounds and will likely be a slot corner, and that works against him, as NFL teams want big outside corners these days. Although, with a great amount of quick, inside receivers in the league, there's still demand for the Oregon product's services. He's athletic, agile, physical and intelligent. He can play in multiple coverages and has good ball skills. Not bad for a mid-round prospect.
Mike Hull, OLB, Penn State
At 6'0" and 237 pounds, Mike Hull may not impress with athleticism or speed, and that's likely why CBSSports.com lists him at No. 131 overall. Well, he may not be the most agile player on the field, but what he lacks in athleticism, he more than makes up for in strength, intelligence, tackling and overall production.
At the combine, the Penn State product ripped off 31 reps on the bench press and was a top performer in the three-cone drill and 60-yard shuttle—showing more athleticism than was expected. He is a bit of a tweener, as he's not quite fast enough to be an outside linebacker, but he's small for an inside linebacker. Given the right system, however, there's no reason he can't produce 100 tackles in an NFL season.
All prospect measurements and combine results courtesy of NFL.com's results tracker.
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