NFL Mock Draft 2015: Pre-Free-Agency Projections for Top Prospects

In a normal year, a pre-free-agency mock draft would muse about how crazy things are about to become, how the landscape of the league is going to change and how it will be a massive system shock to mock drafts everywhere.

Not this year.

This year, NFL teams seem to have a newfound sense of desperation as a deep class approaches. Even high-profile names such as LeSean McCoy and Brandon Marshall are not safe as teams jockey for cap room and a better future.

Things have already changed in drastic ways when it comes to the 2015 first-round outlook. It gets worse when free agency opens Monday, so go forth to the deadline armed with information.

2015 NFL Mock Draft

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

Breaking Down First Round's Critical Spots 

Tennessee Titans at No. 2

Tennessee holds all the cards in the 2015 draft.

If the front office decides to go with a quarterback after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers presumably do at No. 1 overall, then all is quiet and things proceed as normal.

If not, well, chaos ensues as teams attempt to trade up for one of Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota in a ridiculously weak class.

There's reason to believe the Titans may ignore quarterback too. Zach Mettenberger is just 23 years old, and while a 59.8 completion percentage with 1,412 yards and eight touchdowns to seven interceptions does not jump off the page, he showed promise over the course of seven games last year.

Realistically, what's to say the Titans don't roll with Mettenberger, bank on upside and ignore a miserable free-agency class that includes Brian Hoyer and others? After all, giving Mettenberger the nod means the Titans could trade down from No. 2 or perhaps draft a franchise defender such as USC's Leonard Williams, who will do much to fix a 31st-ranked rush defense in a hurry.

It should be noted, though, that Tennessee general manager Ruston Webster has not ruled out anything, per Bob Glauber of Newsday:

As of right now, it is difficult to see how the Titans could pass on a potential franchise quarterback because of Mettenberger.

Look at the value of quarterbacks in the NFL—backups with potential upside get shipped around with inflated value all the time. There's no reason to pass on a Heisman Trophy winner with massive upside, especially when it just means the Titans will have trade bait in Mettenberger down the road.

Prediction: Titans select Marcus Mariota.

New York Jets at No. 6

The New York Jets have always been a wild card at No. 6. There's a new regime in town led by new coach Todd Bowles, and if it wasn't apparent enough, things are changing quickly.

Case in point: The Jets scored a great deal this past week by sending a fifth-round pick to the Chicago Bears for wideout Brandon Marshall, per the NFL Network's Albert Breer:

That's a doozy of a trade that helps the Jets rebuild in a major way. Marshall is a legitimate No. 1 receiver who has a minimum of 1,200 receiving yards and 11 scores in two of his last three seasons, the exception being last year when he missed three games due to injury.

At first pass, the transaction means the Jets can ignore wideout and grab a top defender. Heck, if one of Mariota or Winston somehow falls, they hit the jackpot. It even opens up the possibility that they could host a major sale and move down.

In reality, though, it hardly eliminates wideout from consideration, especially with NFL Network's Ian Rapoport noting that the team may next move on from Percy Harvin:

Harvin was unproductive with 350 yards and one score last season and costs entirely too much.

His departure means the offense seriously needs a deep threat to stretch the field. Marshall and Eric Decker make a very, very good chain-moving tandem, but they need somebody to stretch defenses vertically.

That's where West Virginia's Kevin White comes into play. He showed up at the NFL Scouting Combine at 6'3" and 215 pounds before running a 4.35 40-yard dash, numbers that mesh well with film and his 109 catches for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.

Marshall's addition doesn't eliminate wideout at No. 6 overall—it might encourage it.

Prediction: Jets select Kevin White.

Miami Dolphins at No. 14

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Apparently, the AFC East just loves to make splash headlines. 

It's not a secret that the Miami Dolphins need help on the interior of the defensive line one year removed from ranking 24th against the rush and with starter Jared Odrick set to become a free agent.

According to Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson, Miami seems to have its eyes set on former Detroit Lions tackle Ndamukong Suh:

Wow, right?

Suh is probably on track to become the highest-paid defender in league history, so Miami's interest shows just how serious the front office is about upgrading the spot.

Say the Dolphins lose out on Suh and other potential targets, though. At No. 14 overall, they will have plenty of options at the position to fill voids left by others.

One such possibility may be Washington's Danny Shelton, who weighed in at the combine at 6'2" and 339 pounds before showing well in athleticism drills and benching 225 pounds on the bench press 34 times.

Shelton is one headliner in a draft class that is very deep at the position, so forgive the Dolphins if they back off and go a cheaper route to upgrade the unit. Heck, if they get Suh or a big name, why not double-dip and put a promising prospect next to a proven name?

This would obviously ruin the plans of a few teams that chose to stand pat and not jump the Dolphins, but so it goes on the always unpredictable draft day.

Prediction: Dolphins select Danny Shelton.

Note: Stats courtesy of NFL.com as of March 7. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus.