NFL Mock Draft 2015: 1st-Round Picks, Projections for Most Impactful Prospects

Every NFL team would love to draft a player who can provide an immediate impact; however, it doesn't always work out that way.

As we know, certainly players are deemed more "NFL ready" than others due to their experience, pace of development or simply a change to more of a pro-style scheme. The need to learn for a year or two before finding the starting lineup isn't a bad thing—look at Aaron Rodgers as a prime example—but contending teams may place higher regard on prospects who can contribute right away.

Still, plenty of factors that NFL franchises can't control—selection order, depth at a position, draft-day trades and more—shape the outlook of the draft and ultimately determine which player, whether they are NFL ready or not, remains atop each respective team's big board once it's on the clock.

While we anxiously await the impending draft to commence on April 30, let's take an updated look at how the first round is likely to shake out and highlight a handful of prospects who come with the "NFL-ready" label.

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	Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
8	Atlanta Falcons	Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
9	New York Giants	Brandon Scherff, OG, Iowa
10	St. Louis Rams	Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
11	Minnesota Vikings	Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
12	Cleveland Browns	DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
13	New Orleans Saints	Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
14	Miami Dolphins	T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
15	San Francisco 49ers	Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
16	Houston Texans	La'el Collins, OT, LSU
17	San Diego Chargers	Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
18	Kansas City Chiefs	Landon Collins, S, Alabama
19	Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo)	Bud Dupree, OLB, Kentucky
20	Philadelphia Eagles	Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
21	Cincinnati Bengals	Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
23	Detroit Lions	Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
24	Arizona Cardinals	Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Miss St
25	Carolina Panthers	Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
26	Baltimore Ravens	Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon
27	Dallas Cowboys	Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
28	Denver Broncos	Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
29	Indianapolis Colts	Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
30	Green Bay Packers	Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA
31	New Orleans Saints (via Seattle)	Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
32	New England Patriots	Cameron Erving, C, Florida State

Analyzing NFL-Ready Prospects

Keep in mind, some players who are thought to need additional development before gracing a starting lineup could surprise us and find their way onto the gridiron much earlier than anticipated. However, from the information we've gathered to this point, there are prospects who appear more capable of stepping in right away (and producing) than others.

Here's a look at some examples and where they may call home in the NFL.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State

At 6'4" and 231 pounds, Jameis Winston has NFL size, but that's not the only thing that will make him an immediate contributor. Along with his big arm, Winston anticipates his throws well and can hit receivers in tight windows. He has the ability to progress through his reads while maintaining good pocket awareness and comes from Florida State's pro-style offense.

2. Tennessee Titans: Leonard Williams, DT, USC

Leonard Williams' versatility is what makes him an NFL-ready prospect. At 6'5" and 302 pounds, he possesses a great blend of size, length, power and speed that will allow him to flourish in several positions along the defensive line. He can play in a 3-4 or a 4-3 scheme, on the inside as a gap-stuffer or on the outside as an edge-rusher.

9. New York Giants: Brandon Scherff, OG, Iowa

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Moving from offensive tackle to guard puts the 6'5", 319-pound Brandon Scherff in this list of NFL-ready players. As a tackle, his inconsistency in pass protection may have held him out of a starting lineup. However, since he won't be exposed on the edge as a guard, he's an immediate plug-and-play prospect who can utilize his raw power to become extremely dominant in the running game.

10. St. Louis Rams: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

At 6'1" and 211 pounds, Amari Cooper isn't the biggest or fastest wide receiver in this year's draft class, but he is the most polished. Cooper is a complete receiver who boasts good speed, runs precise routes and has very soft hands. He catches everything thrown in his direction, and his ability to create separation will allow him to win downfield and become a favorite target of his new quarterback.

27. Dallas Cowboys: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin

Running back may be the easiest position for college players making the transition to the pros, and the 6'1", 215-pound Melvin Gordon has all of the tools to produce as a three-down back. A very solid open-field runner with a good mix of power, speed and vision, Gordon will flourish immediately as a ball-carrier, and given the solid receiving skills he showed during offseason workouts, he'll help in that area as well.

All prospect measurements courtesy of NFL.com's combine tracker.