2015 NFL Mock Draft: Predictions for Underrated Prospects Who Will Surprise

Any player drafted in the first round of the NFL draft is a highly touted prospect. That said, there will always be players who outperform their selection spots. The 2015 draft looks to be a year and event that features a few examples of that.

Here's a look at my most recent mock draft. I still have Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston locked in as the No. 1 pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Leonard Williams, the USC Trojans' stud defensive line prospect, is still tabbed to go No. 2 to the Tennessee Titans, but from there, things have changed.

The former Florida Gator Dante Fowler has risen to No. 3, where he would land with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Here's the full first-round mock. Just beneath the table is a look at three players I believe will make a few teams sorry they didn't select them when they had a chance.

The spotlighted players are highlighted on the table.

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	Vic Beasley, OLB/DE, Clemson
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	Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
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	T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
19	Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo)	Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
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	Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
28	Denver Broncos	Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
29	Indianapolis Colts	Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Miss St
30	Green Bay Packers	Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA
31	New Orleans Saints (via Seattle Seahawks)	Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
32	New England Patriots	Cameron Erving, G-C, Florida State

Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon Ducks

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

By now, most of us know Winston impressed at the NFL combine. While Mariota didn't exactly flop, he didn't stand out as a polished NFL-ready signal-caller like Winston. The combine doesn't always tell the full story, and that's not to say Winston won't be great in the NFL, but it sure doesn't prove Mariota won't be either.

Somewhere between the No. 2 pick and the seventh, an NFL team is going to call Mariota's name and hand him control of its offense within the next two years. When it's all said and done, barring injury, that organization will be better for its decision.

When a player has the physical ability and stature Mariota possesses (6'4", 222 lbs, 4.52-second 40-yard dash time), leadership traits, work ethic and intelligence, there's no way he won't be successful. It may not happen as quickly for Mariota as it does for Winston, but it will happen.

Something tells me the Tennessee Titans at No. 2 will really regret letting the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner slip by them.

Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama Crimson Tide

At one point, Amari Cooper was the consensus top wide receiver, but things have changed dramatically since the NFL combine. West Virginia's Kevin White blew up in Indianapolis and has become the wideout most have tabbed to go to the Oakland Raiders at No. 4.

White's blend of size and speed (6'3", 215 lbs, 4.35 40-yard dash) gives him the "wow" factor. Meanwhile, all Cooper does is run crisp routes, make catches and run strong after the catch.

He's not as big or as fast as White on a track without pads (6'1", 211 lbs, 4.42 40-yard dash), but tell me the last time you saw Cooper caught from behind. When was the last game we saw Cooper really struggle to get separation?

In what was perceived as a down game in the Sugar Bowl against the Ohio State Buckeyes, Cooper still had nine receptions for 71 yards and two touchdowns. He talked about the 40-time comparison between him and White with Michael Casagrande of AL.com.

"I feel like on the video, my top-end speed you saw I was catching him," Cooper said. "So I felt like if we would have run 60 yards, I think my top-end speed was a little greater."

Whether his top-end speed is on par with White's or not, the overall package of hands, route running and competitiveness will be. Cooper's going to be a great receiver, and Oakland may wish it had gone with him if it doesn't call his name at No. 4.

Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma Sooners

If it weren't for some troubling off-field issues, Dorial Green-Beckham would probably be in the mix as the top-rated receiver in this draft. At 6'5", 237 pounds, he has the size and catch radius that will remind some of the Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson.

Coming out of high school, DGB was considered the next great college wide receiver. He attended Missouri for two years but was dismissed from the team and landed with the Oklahoma Sooners. He had to sit out a year and never actually played a game for the Sooners.

Despite his missteps, DGB has risen from a dysfunctional early childhood to a player on the brink of playing in the NFL. His adopted father John Beckham spoke proudly to Eric Bailey of the Tulsa World about his son at his pro day. The elder Beckham said:

"

I’m extremely proud of Dorial. Not so much for his abilities on the field. I know what he came from and where he came from. He moved in with us when he was in the seventh grade. He couldn’t even look you in the eye. He was kind of withdrawn and stayed to himself. And then a few minutes ago, he gives that interview. That dude has come a million miles and I don’t think people have an understanding or appreciation of what he’s really gone through to get to this point.

"

There's an old saying: "It's not where you're from, it's where you're at." DGB has the opportunity to prove that to be true moving forward. As long as he limits the immature and disruptive mistakes and stays healthy, he'll become the player most expected he would.