2015 NFL Draft: 1st-Round Order and Prospect Predictions Before Free Agency
A team's draft needs can quickly change when the free-agency period rolls around. In fact, due to some recent rumors, we can begin to speculate on the alterations of draft strategies by franchises expected to be actively signing available veterans.
The Miami Dolphins aren't likely to be seeking a defensive tackle anytime soon, as ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported an impending megadeal with Ndamukong Suh. The Philadelphia Eagles may be inclined to wait on grabbing a ball-carrier to replace the recently departed LeSean McCoy due to a rumored three-year deal with Frank Gore, via ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Although, spending big on one position in free agency may not completely fill a need. In fact, we may already have a couple of examples this year.
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The Kansas City Chiefs desperately need a wide receiver, and while Mortensen reported Jeremy Maclin is likely headed to the team, adding one pass-catcher may not be enough to bolster the unit. Philadelphia is in the same boat at cornerback. Jayson Braddock of KBME reported a deal with Byron Maxwell; however, we should still expect the Eagles to target another corner early in the draft.
That said, let's take an updated look at how the first round is likely to shake out based on recent prospect workouts and ongoing free-agency buzz.
| 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 Changes Based on Free-Agency Rumors
The aforementioned free-agency rumors will surely have a massive impact on the draft's outlook. By just one team targeting a different prospect or positional group in the first round after filling a need via free agency, prospect availability changes and teams must adjust their strategies as a result.
Here's a look at some recent alterations made to the draft's first round based on expected free-agency transactions.
15. San Francisco 49ers: Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
The 49ers could go several different directions at No. 15 overall. One big need for the team is at wide receiver, and it could opt for Arizona State's Jaelen Strong; however, according to a report from ESPN's Adam Caplan, the team appears to be filling the need via free agency:
Adding Torrey Smith gives the team a much-needed deep threat and allows it to focus elsewhere early in the draft. With cornerback being another big need, the 6'1", 203-pound, ultra-athletic Jalen Collins is a great option. He's a bit raw, but he has the upside to become one of the league's most dominant cornerbacks.
18. Kansas City Chiefs: Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
Despite the impending addition of Maclin, the Chiefs need to continue bolstering their wide receiver corps. After all, this is a unit that didn't record a single touchdown pass a season ago. The 6'2", 217-pound Strong has great strength and size. He has the tools to become a reliable possession receiver and a great complement to Maclin.
20. Philadelphia Eagles: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
The Eagles are in a very similar situation to Kansas City. Philadelphia's 31st-ranked secondary will certainly benefit from having Maxwell in the fold; however, it must add more pieces. At 6'0" and 197 pounds, Marcus Peters has the length, athleticism and ball skills to flourish quickly in the NFL. He is still a bit raw but should develop into a very solid starter.
23. Detroit Lions: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
The inevitable appears to finally be happening, as Suh prepares to take his talents to South Beach, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen:
With Suh heading to the Miami Dolphins and Nick Fairley set to hit the open market, the Lions suddenly have a huge need at defensive tackle. At No. 23 overall, taking a long look at the 6'4", 336-pound Eddie Goldman makes sense. A powerful player, Goldman is a great gap-stuffer but also has the strength and tenacity to bully his way into the backfield and make plays behind the line of scrimmage.
29. Indianapolis Colts: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
The Trent Richardson experiment didn't work out in Indianapolis, and now the Colts are in the market for a running back. The team was linked to NFL rushing leader DeMarco Murray, but according to a report from Mike Wells of ESPN.com, that's no longer the case: "At this point, the Colts are not interested in signing Murray, last season's leading rusher in the NFL, according to a source."
Indianapolis needs to complement quarterback Andrew Luck with a talented ball-carrier, and Georgia's Todd Gurley could be the answer. At 6'1" and 222 pounds, Gurley was arguably the nation's most exciting running back last season. He's immensely talented but is coming off a torn ACL. If his injury checks out, he should be strongly considered at No. 29 overall.
All prospect measurements courtesy of NFL.com's results tracker.
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