NFL Mock Draft 2015: 1st-Round Projections for Prize Prospects

The NFL season may be one of the shortest of any pro sport, but building a Super Bowl winner literally never stops. Last year, the New England Patriots accomplished that feat by knocking off the Seattle Seahawks.

Over the last several months, the Seahawks and every other franchise has worked toward making sure the Patriots don't repeat. Jimmy Graham was brought in by Seattle, meaning the team does not currently have a first-round selection to keep improving through the draft.

Even teams like the Minnesota Vikings have seen the franchise turn completely around thanks to draft picks like Anthony Barr and Teddy Bridgewater. In just over one month, every other team in the first round will be looking to find that type of success in the 2015 NFL draft.

Here's a look at the latest mock draft and a breakdown for some of the players that have a chance to make an immediate impact next season.

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

Prospects Who Will Have Biggest Immediate Impact

Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State

For better or worse, it appears Jameis Winston will be trusted with the keys to one NFL franchise in the near future. Given the fact that he'll likely be selected at or near the top of the first round, Winston will likely be handed those keys sooner rather than later.

The biggest question for Winston is not so much about his skill on the field, but rather his off-the-field troubles. CollegeFootball 24/7 passed along comments from Winston during the NFL Scouting Combine:

Similar red flags were raised about Johnny Manziel last year, but he was still a first-round pick by the Cleveland Browns. Unlike Manziel, Winston's body type and arm strength will translate well and likely lead to immediate success.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will need to take a quarterback to turn the franchise around, and Winston seems like the top option. Equipped with a young receiving corps with Mike Evans and Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Winston can grow over the next several seasons.

But if he's thrust into the starting role, expect Winston to find immediate success.

Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

The controversy over who the best receiver in the 2015 class is will continue to rage on. Not just into the draft, but also throughout the offseason and over the next several years.

Having so much going into the decision for the franchises at the start of the selection process, getting it right is of the utmost importance. With Amari Cooper and Kevin White at the top of the board, Bucky Brooks of NFL.com notes the drastic difference of opinion between them:

While White's speed and raw potential are exciting to watch, Cooper is already a finished product. The former Alabama receiver can come out of training camp as a high-end No. 2 wideout on nearly any team, or a No. 1 on a receiver-starved roster.

Falling to the Oakland Raiders would be a perfect spot for Cooper. Being paired up with an emerging quarterback like Derek Carr and alongside Mychal Rivera, Cooper can flourish as a rookie. Having the potential to be such a massive weapon in that offense, he might just be the most effective first-year player overall.

Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin

Over the last two years, no running back has been selected in the first round of the NFL draft. After the letdown of players like Trent Richardson, Doug Martin and David Wilson—all players selected in the first round in 2012—the risk at times can outweigh the reward.

With Melvin Gordon available in this year's draft, the prize is simply too great to miss out on. Teams at the end of the first round that are desperate for a running back for the future will be taking a long look at the Wisconsin back.

Currently slotted to land with the Baltimore Ravens, Gordon might be the No. 2 running back to start the season. But with a veteran back like Justin Forsett ahead of him, Gordon's talent would earn him plenty of carries and give him a shot at winning Rookie of the Year in the AFC North.

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