2015 NFL Mock Draft: 1st-Round Predictions, Prospects Who Will Shape Day 1

The 2015 NFL draft is finally starting to appear on the horizon. After months of evaluation from the NFL Scouting Combine to collegiate pro days, teams around the league are putting the finishing touches on their preparations for the three-day event.

Although the opportunity for prospects to impress scouts is nearing an end, there's still time for movement in Round 1. It will mostly come as tidbits of information from teams begin to filter out. That usually gives a better indication of where they are heading with their first pick.

Most players have settled into a general range by this stage, though. So let's check out how the first round could shape up with less than a month until the draft gets underway.

1st-Round 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	La'el Collins, OT, LSU
11	Minnesota Vikings	Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
12	Cleveland Browns	Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
13	New Orleans Saints	Alvin Dupree, DE, Kentucky
14	Miami Dolphins	Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
15	San Francisco 49ers	Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
16	Houston Texans	Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
17	San Diego Chargers	Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (Fla.)
18	Kansas City Chiefs	DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
19	Cleveland Browns (from BUF)	Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon
20	Philadelphia Eagles	Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington
21	Cincinnati Bengals	Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
23	Detroit Lions	T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
24	Arizona Cardinals	Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
25	Carolina Panthers	Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
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	Seattle Seahawks	Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
32	New England Patriots	D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida

Key Day 1 Prospects

2. Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

For now, it seems fellow quarterback Jameis Winston is close to locking down the top spot. In turn, Mariota's destination becomes perhaps the most intriguing story of the first round. He could come off the board anywhere from No. 2 through No. 6. It's hard to see him falling past the New York Jets.

Furthermore, trades are also a possibility, with a QB-needy team trading up into that range of picks to select the Oregon product. With so many different potential outcomes, Mariota is trying not to focus on all of the talk, as noted by Chantel Jennings of ESPN.

"Just not pay attention to it—you can't control it," Mariota said. "This process is something that's controlled by other people so all you can really do is put yourself out there, show what you can do and then see where you end up."

While the Ducks offense helps mask a player's weaknesses, Mariota did showcase solid accuracy on short and intermediate routes. He also has dual-threat ability. The biggest question is whether he'll be able to hit the long ball consistently.

The Titans need an upgrade at quarterback, so taking the reigning Heisman Trophy winner would make sense. If they aren't convinced he's a long-term answer, they should definitely shop the pick, because there are several teams looking for QBs. It's a situation that could shake up the entire round.

4. Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

Cooper gets listed because he's the first wide receiver to come off the board in this mock scenario. Kevin White is also involved, though. There are a lot of players at the position who could potentially come off the board in Round 1. The quicker the first one goes, the sooner the parade begins.

The Alabama star gets the nod thanks to his all-around ability. But the fact is he and White would both be solid additions for the Raiders at No. 4. Pro Football Focus points out he's also proved capable of handling a heavy workload:

Oakland should be encouraged by what it saw from Derek Carr last season. It's impossible to fully evaluate him until the team upgrades his targets, however. Adding Cooper to the mix would go a long way in making that happen.

If the Raiders do take him or White, it will be a boon for the position. The other could go inside the top 12 and open the door for a handful more in Round 1. If the Raiders go another direction, everything gets pushed back for the wide receivers. That has a trickle-down effect on every other position too.

15. San Francisco 49ers: Danny Shelton, DT, Washington

Shelton has become a polarizing prospect. Those tend to have a big impact on the first round because the range of picks in which they could fall is greater than most. He certainly fits the bill with the possibility he could push toward the top five or slide closer to the 20s.

The question is which role he'll play at the next level. Whether he has the pass-rushing skills necessary to play all three downs is up for debate. Likewise, Ryan Burns of Football Sickness thinks some of the comparisons have gotten out of control:

Going to the 49ers at No. 15 is basically the middle ground for Shelton. He avoids a massive slide but also doesn't go in the top 10. And it's a good fit. San Francisco would benefit from adding him to the middle of its line.

Again, the focus is players who will help shape Round 1. The uncertainty surrounding his stock certainly makes him one. We won't find out until draft day whether the concerns raised by some evaluators are shared by teams around the league.