2015 NFL Mock Draft: Predictions for Late 1st-Round Prospects

Countless late first-round selections have gone on to be great NFL players. In 2010, there was a wealth of talent from picks 20-32 in the 2010 NFL draft. Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas, Devin McCourty and Jermaine Gresham have all established themselves as elite players at their respective positions.

Could 2015 be another draft year that produces stellar late first-round picks? This mock will spotlight three players who have the potential to become the Bryant, Thomas, McCourty or Gresham of this draft class.

Just below the table is a closer look at those three players. Their names are highlighted in the table.

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

Melvin Gordon

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The trend toward devaluing the running back position has left some talented backs waiting hours or even days to hear their names called. The same will hold true in the 2015 NFL draft if Heisman finalist Melvin Gordon is drafted in the bottom third of the first round.

Former Wisconsin Badgers running backs haven't fared all that well in the NFL. From Ron Dayne to Montee Ball, the pro results have been more miss than hit.

For whatever reason, Gordon seems to be a little different. Those players were primarily power backs who seemed to struggle to hit holes and be effective without the Badgers' dominant offensive line in the NFL.

Gordon has a better mix of speed and power, and he's clearly shiftier than most of his Wisconsin predecessors. If he ends up with the Ravens as this mock predicts, he could be an integral part of Baltimore's re-dedication to the run game. With enough carries, Gordon will be a 1,000-yard rusher.

Todd Gurley

My expectations are high for Gordon, but they are even higher for Todd Gurley. Apparently, I'm not alone. NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported "high praise" for Gurley from one talent evaluator.

There is a concern about durability because Gurley battled injuries throughout his time at Georgia. Most recently, he suffered a torn ACL that cost him most of his junior season. If NFL teams deem him healthy, it seems almost certain he could go higher than 20th in the draft.

That said, he is still just a running back. Will the combination of the devaluing of the position and injury concerns cause Gurley to drop? That could be the case, but teams might be kicking themselves in a few years for passing on the young man.

At 6'1", 222 pounds, Gurley has ideal size for the position. His speed and power combination is exciting. If he is healthy, he's my pick for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Dorial Green-Beckham

Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press

Were it not for his dismissal from the Missouri Tigers football team in April 2014, Dorial Green-Beckham would probably be in the conversation for the No. 1 overall selection. He was one of the most sought-after recruits in 2012 and looked like a can't-miss prospect.

After landing with the Oklahoma Sooners but never playing a game in Norman, DGB declared for the draft and is rebuilding his status as a top prospect. He may not be able to climb into the top 15 of the draft, but the team that selects him will get a receiver with as much upside as any in this class.

At 6'5", 237 pounds, DGB ran an impressive 4.49 40-yard dash with a 33.5" vertical leap. For a man his size, those are impressive measurables.

As a red-zone target, DGB could instantly be among the most difficult to check. If he slips to the end of the first round, the New Orleans Saints would love a huge target to replace Jimmy Graham.