2015 NFL Mock Draft: Predictions for Top Prospects as Pro Days Conclude

Now the long wait begins.

The mini NFL Scouting Combine workouts around the nation known as pro days are on the way out. This means all the public gets as it pertains to the 2015 NFL draft from now until the opening of the first round is hearsay based on private workouts and interviews.

Which is fine. By now, nothing will change in a drastic manner. The prospects are now veterans of the event in Indianapolis and collegiate workouts, not to mention backed up by reels of tape that would make a movie theater worker blush.

When combining everything into a neat package, one can come up with an interesting set of conclusions.

2015 NFL Mock Draft

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

Predicting First-Round Surprises

Trae Waynes Takes a Brief Dive

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

For quite a while now, Michigan State's Trae Waynes has been considered the No. 1 corner in the 2015 class. For example, he leads the pack over at CBSSports.com.

While Waynes is a great prospect, there are far too many questions about the class as a whole to write in stone his coming off the board first.

Waynes showed up at the NFL Scouting Combine at 6'0" and 186 pounds before blazing a 4.31 40-yard dash. Great numbers, yes, and Waynes shows well on film as a press corner who may be able to contribute right away.

Here's the problem: There are flaws, and other corners continue to make strong pushes.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller points out issues with Waynes' game:

Now think about other corners. Washington's Marcus Peters is on fire as of late. CBS Sports' Rob Rang notes he put on a show at his pro day and is soothing concerns about off-field issues.

As the list from CBSSports.com points out, Wake Forest's Kevin Johnson is now a first-round candidate. So is Connecticut's Byron Jones, as Miller says he's no longer under the radar after missing some time with an injury.

The point is, the draft process hasn't done Waynes any favors, and he's no longer a lock to be the first corner off the board, as the mock above shows.

Dorial Green-Beckham Sneaks into the First Round

One of the most intriguing questions surrounding the 2015 draft centers on Dorial Green-Beckham.

Folks know the story by now. DGB offers elite talent and size, but Missouri kicked him off the team for off-field incidents, and he spent last year with the Oklahoma Sooners and didn't see the field. 

Based on skills alone, DGB is a top-three wideout in the class. He catches everything and is massive, checking in at 6'5" and 237 pounds at the combine. ESPN's Todd McShay concurs with the mock above in which DGB comes off the board at Houston's pick:

"

The Texans lost Andre Johnson this offseason, and while they added a solid possession receiver in Cecil Shorts III, they would benefit from a big-play target with size opposite DeAndre Hopkins. That could easily be Jaelen Strong, or Breshad Perriman if he's available, but Green-Beckham definitely fits the bill as well. He is one of the bigger wild cards in this class because of his off-field issues, but I think there's a good chance he goes in the top 25 because of the skill set he brings.

"

It all comes down to the team.

Some teams won't have DGB on the board at all due to character issues. Others will look past it and to the on-field benefits. Perhaps some are sold or lost on personal interviews. Even more will publicly posture in one direction or another but it turns out to be a smokescreen.

In today's NFL, game-changing receivers don't come around often. DGB will come off the board in the first round.

Leonard Williams Makes It to No. 4

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

There aren't enough words to do Leonard Williams justice.

He's the safest pick in the 2015 class and perhaps the best defensive lineman to enter the pros since Ndamukong Suh. That'll have to do. 

The thing is, the USC product is bound to fall a tad on draft day. Quarterback thirst is a real thing in the NFL these days, with the open market offering nothing of value and the draft presenting just two viable quarterbacks, both of whom will come off the board before any other position. 

Williams is a hot commodity for a team such as the Oakland Raiders, hence the chance they trade up to nab him: 

It might not be necessary, though, with quarterbacks occupying the first two picks and the Jacksonville Jaguars not in need of an interior player. They need an edge presence more than one on the inside thanks to Sen'Derrick Marks, last year's No. 17 defensive tackle in the league at ProFootballFocus.

This leaves Williams for the Raiders, a team with a promising young quarterback already installed (Derek Carr) and in serious need of a space-eating tackle to free up Khalil Mack and friends to wreak havoc.

It may not seem like a lot, but Williams will take a bit of a dive on draft day despite his immense talent. Rest assured the Raiders won't complain.

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and accurate as of April 7. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus.