2015 NFL Mock Draft: 1st-Round Predictions for Prospects with Fluctuating Stock

There are numerous ways for prospects to alter their stock before the NFL draft commences. Solid workouts at the scouting combine and pro days, conducting interviews with potentially interested teams, maturely addressing any past transgressions and simply passing physical exams are all ways a player can catapult up big boards.

Unfortunately, not every prospect gets through the offseason with flying colors. Some have a difficult time during workouts, others don't properly address previous off-field issues and there are some who even generate new red flags along the way.

With almost four months between college's final bowl games and the commencement of the draft, much can change. April 30 will be here before we know it, so let's take a look at how the first round is likely to shake out based on the latest trends in draft stock.

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	Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
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	Bud Dupree, OLB, Kentucky
12	Cleveland Browns	DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
13	New Orleans Saints	Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska
14	Miami Dolphins	Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
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)	T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
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 Prospects with Fluctuating Draft Stock

All right, let's get one thing straight: Every prospect's draft stock is constantly fluctuating. The more league personnel analyze players, the more their opinions change—for better or for worse. Although, there are some players who have been rising or falling on draft boards far more than others due to recent developments.

Here's a glance at some examples of prospects who appear likely to continue moving as the draft approaches.

6. New York Jets: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

The 6'4", 222-pound Marcus Mariota may be the draft's most enigmatic prospect. He's a freak athlete for a quarterback and has an immensely high ceiling if he's developed correctly. This makes him an intriguing target for several NFL teams in need of a signal-caller.

A likely spot for Mariota is at No. 6 overall to the Jets; however, the Oregon product has been linked to various other teams, including the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles. Mariota appears poised to be an early draft pick, but the question of which team will ultimately select him remains up in the air.

11. Minnesota Vikings: Bud Dupree, OLB, Kentucky

Wade Payne/Associated Press

Kentucky's Bud Dupree is one of the more intriguing defenders in this year's draft. At 6'4" and 269 pounds, he combines his great size with phenomenal athleticism, wowing league personnel at the scouting combine with his speed, leaping ability and agility. He continued that trend by impressing at Kentucky's pro day.

Dupree is considered to be a bit of a project. While he's tremendously athletic, he does need some fine-tuning before excelling in the NFL. Still, his potential is sky-high, and he could be a great addition for a defensive guru who has made a name for himself by molding playmakers—much like Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer.

13. New Orleans Saints: Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Widely heralded as one of the draft's most prolific pass-rushers, the 6'5", 235-pound Randy Gregory has the tools to flourish in the NFL. He has good length, great explosiveness off the line, nice agility and solid speed. Originally anticipated as a top-five selection, Gregory's draft stock took a hit when he tested positive for marijuana during the scouting combine.

Due to his sheer talent, that red flag won't knock him too far down the pecking order, but he may slip out of the top 10. A team in need of a presence on the edge, such as the Saints, could take a long look at Gregory in the teens. After all, if the Nebraska product can put that chapter of his life behind him, he could be an absolute steal.

15. San Francisco 49ers: Jalen Collins, CB, LSU

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Every NFL team would love to have a tall, athletic cornerback in the fold, and LSU's Jalen Collins fits the mold. At 6'1" and 203 pounds, he has a long and strong frame, and combined with his great athletic ability, he has the tools to become one of the league's dominant defensive backs. Collins' big red flag is his experience—he started just 10 games in college.

Some teams may be willing to gamble on the corner despite his inexperience, as he's been putting on a show during offseason workouts. While a cornerback-needy team like the 49ers could certainly take a chance on him at No. 15 overall, Collins could still potentially drop into the back half of the first round due to the expected time it will take to develop him into a top-flight player.

31. New Orleans Saints (via Seattle Seahawks): Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma

Dorial Green-Beckham was a huge question mark entering the draft process. He was dismissed from Missouri's football team after allegations of a domestic altercation and transferred to Oklahoma but wasn't eligible to participate in games. Still, at 6'5" and 237 pounds with great athleticism, he remained highly intriguing.

Not only did Green-Beckham fly through workouts, looking sharp during positional drills and catching everything thrown in his direction, but he also helped his case during interviews with league personnel and the media. While he could slip down to the Saints at No. 31 overall, don't be surprised if a team takes a look at him much sooner.