NFL Draft 2015: Pro Day Schedule, Updated Mock Draft and More

The NFL offseason, at this point, feels basically like one long Path to the Draft episode. Everything relates to the selections the teams make at the annual spectacle—players retiring, the Senior Bowl, the NFL Scouting Combine, pro days and, of course, the roster decisions teams make heading into free agency.

So along with sharing the key pro day dates and an updated mock draft, I'll take a look at how this year's free-agent market could affect the NFL draft. 

Pro Day Schedule

Date	Notable Schools
March 2	Virginia, Wake Forest
March 3	Auburn, Pittsburgh
March 4	Mississippi State, Texas A&M
March 5	Clemson, Ole Miss, Nebraska
March 6	Arizona State
March 10	Arizona, Kansas State, UCLA
March 11	Alabama, Louisville, Oklahoma, USC, Wisconsin
March 12	Kentucky, Michigan, Oklahoma State, Oregon
March 13	Georgia Tech, Ohio State, West Virginia
March 18	Baylor, Boise State, Georgia, Michigan State, Virginia Tech
March 19	Missouri, Penn State, Stanford
March 24	North Carolina
March 25	Tennessee
March 27	BYU, LSU, TCU
March 31	Florida State, Notre Dame
April 1	Miami, South Carolina
April 2	Maryland, Washington
April 7	Florida, Syracuse

Mock Draft

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

Free Agency vs. The Draft

The most fascinating position to watch in both free agency and the draft looks like it will be wide receiver.

With Randall Cobb and Jeremy Maclin not being given the franchise tag on Monday, per Adam Schefter of ESPN, two very good wide receivers could be hitting the market. Add in Julius Thomas and Jordan Cameron not getting the tag, and teams looking to bolster their passing games will be able to do so with a proven player this offseason. 

So for instance, let's say a team like the Oakland Raiders—a prime candidate to potentially select a wide receiver when they pick at No. 4—sign a player like Cobb or Maclin instead. Or maybe the Cleveland Browns sign one. Now, you could be looking at several really talented players at the draft like Amari Cooper or Kevin White slipping down the draft board. 

On the other hand, another deep draft at the wideout position could make teams hesitant to spend big bucks on a free agent, instead banking on being able to draft a younger, cheaper, talented player. That, in turn, could hurt the market for Cobb and Maclin (though it might be great for the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles as they try to re-sign the players). 

The secondary market in free agency could also play a key factor during the draft. While Darrelle Revis might be back with the New England Patriots next season, if he does hit the market, a team that might have targeted a first-round corner will be able to focus on other positions in the draft. 

Add in the fact that safety Devin McCourty wasn't slapped with the tag, per Schefter—as well as corners like Tramon Williams, Brandon Flowers, Chris Culliver, Kareem Jackson, Antonio Cromartie and Byron Maxwell and safeties like Rahim Moore and Tashaun Gipson, among others—and the first round of this year's draft could be pretty light on secondary selections.