2015 NFL Mock Draft: 1st-Round Predictions, Landing Spots for Top Prospects

The 2015 NFL draft is now just two weeks away. Most of the prospects are probably ready for the event to arrive by now. After months of intense evaluation, it's almost time to find out where the next stage of their football journey is going to begin.

At this stage, a general area where many of the top players will come off the board has been established. Things can always change on draft day if there's a run of picks at one position or a certain team falls in love with a prospect, but for the most part, the outlook is beginning to solidify.

Let's check out one potential scenario for how the first round could play out on April 30.

Round 1 Mock Draft

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 Redskins	Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska
6	New York Jets	Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
7	Chicago Bears	Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
8	Atlanta Falcons	Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
9	New York Giants	Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
10	St. Louis Rams	Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
11	Minnesota Vikings	Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
12	Cleveland Browns	Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
13	New Orleans Saints	Alvin Dupree, DE, Kentucky
14	Miami Dolphins	DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
15	San Francisco 49ers	Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
16	Houston Texans	La'el Collins, OT, LSU
17	San Diego Chargers	Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
18	Kansas City Chiefs	Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Missouri
19	Cleveland Browns (from BUF)	Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
20	Philadelphia Eagles	Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
21	Cincinnati Bengals	Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest
23	Detroit Lions	Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
24	Arizona Cardinals	Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
25	Carolina Panthers	T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
26	Baltimore Ravens	Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF
27	Dallas Cowboys	Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA
28	Denver Broncos	Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (Fla.)
29	Indianapolis Colts	Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon
30	Green Bay Packers	Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA
31	New Orleans Saints (from SEA)	Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
32	New England Patriots	Shaq Thompson, LB, Washington

One question that always surrounds the draft involves which players will be able to make the biggest impact right out of the gate. It's not always an easy answer because it depends on where a prospect lands in addition to his NFL readiness.

That's why you'll hear a lot about ideal landing spots throughout the draft. A player who might be a bad scheme fit or get buried on the depth chart with one team could be an instant starter for another. Let's examine three players capable of shining as rookies in this mock scenario.

Top Instant-Impact Picks

2. Tennessee Titans: Leonard Williams, DT, USC

Williams is the best prospect in the class. He just happens to fall in the same group as two potential franchise quarterbacks, which leaves his landing spot a bit up in the air. If the QB the Titans prefer is gone, however, they shouldn't hesitate to grab the USC standout.

He's a monster in the middle with terrific size, strength and athleticism. He also has the versatility to play anywhere up front in a 3-4 look. Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean believes he could slide perfectly into the Titans' rebuilt defensive front:

If he does land in Tennessee, the presence of players like Brian Orakpo, Derrick Morgan and Jurrell Casey would take a lot of pressure off him. They would also ensure an offense isn't able to focus too many resources on him, creating plenty of one-on-one opportunities.

He's still a bit raw, so there may be some growing pains along the way. His natural talent is off the charts, though. That's why he should have little trouble performing as a rookie, especially with so much talent around him. Many top picks don't have that luxury.

4. Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

Cooper and Kevin White have battled throughout the process for the distinction of top wide receiver in the class. A clear winner hasn't emerged, even with the draft now on the horizon. So the answer probably won't be known until the picks are announced.

The Alabama star comes off the board first in this scenario. That's key because if the Raiders opt for White instead, he would make the list. Oakland is in desperate need of some help on the outside, and if it does go wideout in Round 1, the player should be in line for a bunch of targets.

Cooper surprised some people with his athletic testing at the combine. He posted a 4.42 in the 40-yard dash and was a top performer in the cone and shuttle drills. Greg Ostendorf of ESPN notes the receiver also thinks he's improved as a route-runner.

"I think I proved that I was a polished receiver," Cooper said. "I felt like my routes could've been a little more crisp, but it doesn't always happen how you plan for it to happen."

He would immediately become the most well-rounded receiver on the Raiders roster. It likely wouldn't take long for him to establish himself as the main option for Derek Carr. That bodes well for his chance of producing big numbers in his first year.

11. Minnesota Vikings: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State

Waynes has received a challenge from Jalen Collins, Kevin Johnson and Marcus Peters as the top corner in the class. It doesn't feel like any of them did enough to pass him by, though. The Michigan State product fits the mold of what teams look for at corner in today's game.

More specifically, he's a physical player who likes to jam receivers at the line and force them to work to get a release. He also has the speed to make up ground if a player does get behind him. Mark Dominik of ESPN is bullish on him, feeling he may push into the top 10:

He lands just outside that mark in this scenario, but the fit is rock solid. The Vikings have good depth at corner but could use a top-end talent on the outside. Waynes isn't on that level quite yet, but he's a high-upside prospect who would benefit from playing a lot right away.

The Seattle Seahawks' success in recent years has highlighted the importance of a reliable secondary. Waynes is exactly the type of physical corner Seattle has built its defense on, and he would represent a nice, quick upgrade for Minnesota.