2015 NFL Mock Draft: Predictions for 1st-Round Prospects After Start of Pro Days

NFL teams are currently in the midst of analyzing draft prospects' performances at the scouting combine and looking ahead to important pro days; however, that's not all that's going on in the league right now.

Wednesday marked the first blockbuster trade of the NFL offseason, as ESPN's Adam Schefter and Mike Rodak reported the Philadelphia Eagles would send running back LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso. Whether you like the trade or not, we should all be able to agree on one thing: It will surely affect the impending draft.

The Eagles already have a few major needs (cornerback, for example), and now they could presumably look for a running back in the draft's early rounds. Buffalo is now out of the running back market, but if it loses defensive end Jerry Hughes in free agency, it suddenly has a couple of glaring needs within its front seven.

Yes, draft season can be a fickle beast.

So, before continued prospect workouts, the start of free-agent signings and more big trades, let's take a look at how the draft's first round is likely to unfold.

Pick	Team	Selection
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 Teams with Multiple Needs

All right, let's get one thing straight: Every NFL team always has multiple needs. Although, there are some franchises that have some glaring holes within their respective rosters, and that's what we'll focus on here.

The aforementioned Eagles were already used as an example due to their need at cornerback—they recently released Cary Williams—and now at running back. Philadelphia can now go in a number of directions in the draft's first round, and there are several other teams in the same boat.

Let's take a look at some examples.

12. Cleveland Browns: Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Cleveland is a prime example of a team that needs help across the board and may be rather unpredictable when on the clock. The Browns need a presence at outside linebacker, and Clemson's Vic Beasley really fits the bill. At 6'3" and 246 pounds, this freak athlete blew up the combine and can become an elite pass-rusher in the NFL due to a tremendous amount of explosiveness.

If the Browns opted to go in a different direction here, they could be looking at a wide receiver to replace the embattled Josh Gordon. However, with DeVante Parker going one pick earlier, Cleveland would have a choice to make: either grab a prospect like Jaelen Strong at No. 12 overall or wait to see who may be available at No. 19.

15. San Francisco 49ers: Jalen Collins, CB, LSU

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

At 6'1" and 203 pounds, LSU cornerback Jalen Collins has the size NFL teams covet. With a great blend of speed and length, he has an incredibly high ceiling and could become one of the league's dominant players. He did start just 10 games with the Tigers, so the 49ers will have to be patient and allow him to develop before plugging him into the starting lineup.

San Francisco could go a couple of different directions here. Both Mike Iupati and Michael Crabtree may be leaving via free agency, leaving voids at offensive guard and wide receiver. The 49ers could go with Strong or Dorial Green-Beckham as a replacement for Crabtree, or they could look at a prospect like versatile offensive lineman Cameron Erving.

18. Kansas City Chiefs: Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Kansas City's biggest weakness is at wide receiver—in 2014, none of the team's wideouts caught a single touchdown pass. Adding the 6'2", 217-pound Jaelen Strong gives the Chiefs an immediate playmaker who displays great physicality as a possession receiver and great leaping ability that will help him succeed as a red-zone target.

The Chiefs also need a great deal of help in the defensive secondary—notably at safety—but if Alabama's Landon Collins is off the board, they'll be forced to address that need in a later round. Offensive line may be the way Kansas City goes here, as the team needs help on the interior. This is another team that could make an early move for Erving.

24. Arizona Cardinals: Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

The Cardinals are in a great position at No. 24 overall. After releasing Darnell Dockett, the need for a defensive tackle became exceedingly important. The 6'7", 292-pound Arik Armstead boasts impressive size and the power to become a force against the run in Arizona's 3-4 base defense. He's still raw, but with a little coaching, he can develop into a solid starter for the long haul.

If Arizona opts to go in a different direction, it may look at Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon. Andre Ellington proved he isn't capable of a full 16-game workload and should be relegated to change-of-pace duties. He and Gordon would form an electrifying duo. Inside linebacker is a need in Arizona as well, and the big, powerful Benardrick McKinney may be a nice fit.

All prospect measurements and combine results courtesy of NFL.com's results tracker.