2015 NFL Mock Draft: 1st-Round Predictions and Destinations for Top Prospects

The 2015 NFL draft doesn't feature a lot of top-end, surefire prospects. Leonard Williams is probably the most complete player in the class, while Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota will likely be asked to step in immediately. They aren't guaranteed to succeed right away, though.

Wide receiver is the area with the most instant-impact performers, led by Amari Cooper and Kevin White. The overall outlook, however, suggests teams should be looking for players who can help plug holes on the roster rather than dominate within their first few years.

With that in mind, let's check out how the first round may play out with a mock draft. It will be interesting to see if things finally begin to stabilize with around six weeks until draft day.

Round 1 Mock Draft

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
2	Tennessee Titans	Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
3	Jacksonville Jaguars	Leonard Williams, DT, USC
4	Oakland Raiders	Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
5	Washington Redskins	Dante Fowler Jr., OLB, Florida
6	New York Jets	Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
7	Chicago Bears	Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska
8	Atlanta Falcons	Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
9	New York Giants	Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
10	St. Louis Rams	Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
11	Minnesota Vikings	T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
12	Cleveland Browns	Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
13	New Orleans Saints	Alvin Dupree, DE, Kentucky
14	Miami Dolphins	Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
15	San Francisco 49ers	Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
16	Houston Texans	La'el Collins, OT, LSU
17	San Diego Chargers	Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (Fla.)
18	Kansas City Chiefs	DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
19	Cleveland Browns (from BUF)	Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
20	Philadelphia Eagles	Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington
21	Cincinnati Bengals	Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon
23	Detroit Lions	Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
24	Arizona Cardinals	Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
25	Carolina Panthers	D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida
26	Baltimore Ravens	Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
27	Dallas Cowboys	Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
28	Denver Broncos	Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
29	Indianapolis Colts	Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA
30	Green Bay Packers	Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA
31	New Orleans Saints	Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
32	New England Patriots	Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma

One position worth watching leading up to the draft is cornerback. Trae Waynes is the only player at the position who seems like a lock to go in the opening round at this point. That may change as each team's strategy becomes clearer with the free-agent frenzy slowing down.

That's in large part because the demand for talent at corner goes far beyond the supply. In this pass-happy era, front offices are desperately seeking more talent in the secondary. The question is whether any other prospects at the position warrant the first-round investment.

Here's a closer look at the three corners projected to go on the first day under this mock scenario.

Analyzing First-Round Cornerbacks

10. St. Louis Rams: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State

As mentioned, Waynes is the one corner who seems like a safe bet to go in Round 1. His combination of cover skills and high-end speed is tough to ignore. His ability to win at the line of scrimmage is exactly what talent evaluators love to see.

Sometimes he gets a little stiff in the hips and must do better to jump routes in order to make big plays at the next level. The complete package is solid, though. In a draft diary for USA Today, he talked about watching and learning from Joe Haden:

"

I don't know if I really compare myself to any NFL corners, but one person I watch a lot is Joe Haden (of the Cleveland Browns). I really like his style of play, and personality-wise, I can also say we're similar just from what I know about him. He's not really much of a talker on the field, and I'm not either. I just keep to myself. I like his technique, and he also is a press corner a lot, too.

"

The Rams have several areas of need heading into the 2015 draft. The secondary is definitely one. They rated 19th against the pass last season, and without a high-powered passing game of their own to offset that, upgrading at corner is crucial.

If Waynes is still on the board at No. 10, it will be hard to pass him up.

23. Detroit Lions: Jalen Collins, CB, LSU

Collins is a prospect who's enjoyed a rise during the draft process. While there's still no consensus about his stock, he's got a legitimate chance to crack the first round. The physical tools are there, but he still needs more polish at the position.

The question is whether any teams in the second half of the first round are willing to bet on his potential. Jason McIntyre of The Big Lead talked with a couple of scouts about his ability, and they felt his value may be in Round 2:

In an average draft class, that's probably a spot-on assessment. Yet with the lack of elite options available this year, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him crack the first 32 picks, especially with a team like the Lions in serious need of a corner.

If he does end up falling into the second round, it will be a pick with plenty of upside.

27. Dallas Cowboys: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington

Peters is an interesting case. Based purely on football ability, he could be challenging Waynes to become the first cornerback off the board. That's not the only thing considered by teams, though. His off-field concerns are also a factor.

In turn, his status as a first-round pick is on shaky ground at this point. Front offices have to weigh the potential risk against the reward. Jonah Tuls of NFL Draft Lounge believes there's definitely a lot to like about his on-field skills:

Peters certainly has the length, quickness and ball skills to become part of the secondary rotation as a rookie. If he leaves the off-field stuff in the past, he should become a reliable starter within a couple of years. But it's a question mark if he can do that.

The Cowboys have a need at the position, one they may feel is important enough to fill that Peters makes the most sense this late in the round.