2015 NFL Mock Draft: Predictions and Best 1st-Round Fits for Hottest Prospects

It wasn't long ago that the New England Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks to win Super Bowl XLIX, but anticipation is already mounting for the 2015 season, and the NFL draft is a big reason for that.

Fans and talent evaluators have a much better feel for many of the prospects in the 2015 class on the heels of the NFL Scouting Combine. There is still plenty of time left before the draft for conceptions to change, but every draft-eligible player has a fairly big body of work to consider at this point.

As the draft process continues to roll on, here is a first-round mock draft based on the current landscape, as well as further analysis regarding some of the draft's best potential values.

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

Analyzing Best Potential Values

Leonard Williams

From an all-around perspective, it can certainly be argued that USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams is the top prospect in the class of 2015. His skill level warrants the No. 1 overall selection, but variance in team needs could cause him to drop further than he should.

At 6'5" and over 300 pounds, Williams played defensive end for the Trojans. Even at his size, he was an extremely impressive pass-rusher, as he registered seven sacks in 2014. He may very well have the versatility to play anywhere along the line, but he is clearly a natural fit as a 3-4 end.

If teams like the Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders decide that Williams doesn't fit what they're trying to do defensively, then it isn't outside the realm of possibility that he could fall to the Washington Redskins at No. 5.

That would be a major coup for a franchise that desperately needs a difference-maker on that side of the ball. While Williams is a unique prospect, ESPN Stats & Info points out that there are some parallels between the USC standout and Houston Texans stud J.J. Watt:

On top of that, NFL Network's Steve Mariucci feels very strongly about Williams' lofty status in this class, according to NFL Media PR on Twitter: 

Williams could very well come off the board at No. 2 if the Titans decide to ignore potential scheme conflicts, but a perfect storm could allow the Redskins to exit the draft as its biggest winners.

Regardless of where Williams ultimately lands, he has all the makings of being a true superstar at the NFL level, and he could very well prove to be the best that the 2015 draft has to offer.

Andrus Peat

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Stanford has become something of an offensive lineman factory in recent years, and offensive tackle Andrus Peat has all the makings of the next great Cardinal representative at the NFL level.

Teams are constantly on the lookout for cornerstone tackles, and Peat seems to have that type of ability. According to NFL Network, draft analyst Mike Mayock believes he has the athleticism needed to be one of the best players at his position as a professional:

He also has impressive size, but it doesn't compromise his mobility, per NFL.com's Gil Brandt:

Many linemen have one or two skills that could help make them successful, but Peat is a complete tackle, which is something that doesn't come along very often.

Iowa's Brandon Scherff could very well be the first tackle selected April 30, but a case can be made for Peat having a much higher upside. One team that absolutely must consider him if he is still on the board is the Minnesota Vikings at No. 11.

The Vikes have a promising young quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater, and protecting him should be Minnesota's No. 1 priority entering the 2015 campaign.

A team like the New York Giants could potentially swoop in and nab Peat with the ninth pick, but whoever ends up with him figures to have a franchise guy at tackle for many years to come.

Dante Fowler Jr.

The 2015 draft class is stacked with quality edge-rushers, and while Florida's Dante Fowler Jr. may not be at the top of that list, he has the potential to be the best among them.

Fowler had a somewhat disappointing 2014 season with the Gators, as he had just 5.5 sacks to his credit before exploding for three in the Birmingham Bowl against East Carolina. While the production may have been spotty, his athleticism was apparent all season long.

As pointed out Charley Casserly of CBSSports.com, Fowler is as dynamic as they come in the role of pass-rusher, according to NFL Network:

That was apparent at the combine, as Fowler tested out very well. He was especially impressive in the 40-yard dash, as he completed it in 4.60 seconds at 6'3" and 263 pounds, per NFL.com.

Every team in the league could benefit from a pass-rusher of Fowler's ilk, but that goes double for the Cincinnati Bengals. Although the Bengals have a talented defense, they struggled to take down the quarterback in 2014, as they ranked last in sacks.

Fowler and Cincinnati could be a match made in heaven, although Bleacher Report's Matt Miller views the former Florida standout as a linebacker rather than a defensive end:

While that could potentially cause the Bengals to look elsewhere, Fowler seems to have enough bulk to succeed with his hand on the ground. 

If he is still on the board when Cincinnati picks at No. 21, he will be extremely difficult to pass up. Fowler has game-changing ability, and he could add a different dimension to the Bengals defense in 2015 and beyond.

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