2015 NFL Draft: 1st-Round Order, Underrated Prospects to Watch for

The 2015 NFL draft is less than a week away, so now is the time when rumors are flying around, prospects' stocks are fluctuating by the Twitter post and speculation is swirling about what will happen in next Thursday's first round.

What is locked into place is the draft's order, but of course there will probably be some crazy trades and unexpected twists and turns once the action gets underway at Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.

Many of the top players in this year's class have been analyzed and picked apart plenty. There are several potential stars flying under the radar that are worth a closer look.

Before going through the breakdown of a few of those prospects, the first-round order is as follows:

No. Pick	Team
1	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2	Tennessee Titans
3	Jacksonville Jaguars
4	Oakland Raiders
5	Washington Redskins
6	New York Jets
7	Chicago Bears
8	Atlanta Falcons
9	New York Giants
10	St. Louis Rams
11	Minnesota Vikings
12	Cleveland Browns
13	New Orleans Saints
14	Miami Dolphins
15	San Francisco 49ers
16	Houston Texans
17	San Diego Chargers
18	Kansas City Chiefs
19	Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo)
20	Philadelphia Eagles
21	Cincinnati Bengals
22	Pittsburgh Steelers
23	Detroit Lions
24	Arizona Cardinals
25	Carolina Panthers
26	Baltimore Ravens
27	Dallas Cowboys
28	Denver Broncos
29	Indianapolis Colts
30	Green Bay Packers
31	New Orleans Saints (via Seattle)
32	New England Patriots

Analyzing Underrated Prospects

Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Attending the draft doesn't always guarantee that a player will be chosen in the first 32 picks. For Smith to be one of 26 players to accept his invitation, though, he had to at least feel somewhat confident he wouldn't be left out to dry in the Windy City.

For the second straight draft, the depth of talent at Smith's position is tremendous, which lengthens his odds to be picked on Day 1. Smith also ran a limited route tree at Ohio State and may take a while to home in on the finer points of his game.

Two elements to Smith's game work in his favor: pure speed and ball skills. These are unique traits that can't really be taught. He might be the most lethal vertical receiving threat in the entire 2015 class.

Part of the reason Smith is so tough to defend is the incredible body control he has when going up for the ball. SportsCenter's footage of Smith shows off his explosiveness and fluid athleticism:

Smith averaged 28.2 yards per reception last season, and scored touchdowns on 12 of his 33 catches. No matter how simplistic the Buckeyes' spread system is, that's some mind-boggling production.

Pro Football Focus' Steve Palazzolo weighed in on Smith's playmaking ability upon revisiting the game tape:

It's one thing to have ball skills, perhaps the most important trait for a receiver. It's another to track the deep ball well. Smith shows an uncanny ability to do this on a regular basis, and can play on the outside or in the slot to create mismatches.

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein compares Smith favorably to DeSean Jackson. Smith is a bigger target, not quite as fast but a comparable dynamo when the ball is in the air.

If Smith is indeed anything close to Jackson with a bit more bulk to him, he ought not to be passed over by everyone in the first round.

Eric Rowe, CB, Utah

Rick Bowmer/Associated Press

This is the golden era of high-flying passing attacks in the NFL, so it comes as no surprise that defensive backs have been getting money by the truckload during the past two free-agency periods.

Players in the secondary are as valuable as ever. The cost can be steep for a top-tier player in the defensive backfield—unless a bargain can be had in the form of a first-round pick like Rowe.

The Utah product has an impressive college resume, as Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times and Palazzolo allude to in their analysis:

Rowe reflected on playing cornerback versus safety moving forward, per Bleacher Report's Dan Hope:

"

If I had to pick, I would choose corner. I have more growth at that position, I have a lot more things to work on and having one year experience [playing cornerback], I feel like I did a pretty good job, so with some more practice and more coaching, I’ll get better.

[...]

If you want me as a safety, you'll have a safety with man-coverage experience. Nowadays, offenses are flexing out their tight ends, and safeties are having to go out there and cover...if you put me in that defense, that’s something I’m almost second nature to, going out and covering by myself.

"

Wherever he lines up, Rowe seems ready to roll regardless of where he roams in an NFL secondary.

Based on intelligence gathered from around the league, Bleacher Report insider Dan Pompei suggests Rowe's stock is soaring:

Connecticut's Byron Jones blew everyone away with his numbers at the NFL Scouting Combine with a record-setting broad jump as the highlight. That led to Rowe flying a bit under the radar—even though he was a top performer in every category and performed every drill asked of him.

Rowe measured at 6'1" and tipped the scales at 205 pounds in Indianapolis, showing not only straight-line speed but also quick change of direction. The physical style of man coverage Rowe plays is a brand of football that's driven the success of the NFL's most vaunted secondary, the Seattle Seahawks' Legion of Boom.

A sure tackler who isn't afraid to be out on an island against the run or the pass with a keen understanding of how his game translates to the pros makes Rowe a rare find.

Mario Edwards Jr., DE, Florida State

Bleacher Report draft expert Matt Miller compares Edwards to Philadelphia Eagles star Fletcher Cox—the 12th overall pick in the 2012 draft and a second-team All-Pro selection in 2014.

This shows the type of upside Edwards has. Perhaps overshadowed to a degree by former teammate Eddie Goldman among Seminoles defensive line prospects, Edwards has all the makings of a Day 1 draft choice.

CBSSports.com insider Jason La Canfora spoke with multiple talent evaluators who were surprised to see Edwards seldom featured in the first round of mock drafts. Another person who worked closely with Edwards at Florida State had rather high praise:

"

He has great leadership qualities. He was one of the most coachable kids you could work with. You could always count on him on the field and off the field. He did everything that was asked of him and expected of him. He was incredibly well-liked within the program. He's very comfortable with the professional game because of his legacy with his father playing in the NFL. He's built for the league and he will keep getting better.

"

As La Canfora reports, plenty of teams have taken an interest in Edwards:

An anonymous source could have thrown shade at Edwards and sunk his draft stock, but instead spoke kindly on his behalf. For a player not known to have the most consistent motor or conditioning, it at least seems Edwards isn't going to fall short in the NFL due to a lack of effort.

ESPN's Louis Riddick has been critical of Edwards' tendency to be a non-factor at times:

Edwards was a former No. 1 recruit coming out of high school and hasn't had much of a reason to have a chip on his shoulder. The possibility of not being a first-round pick may have lit a fire under him, and he apparently has the intangibles necessary to keep developing and realize his potential as a pro.

Should he go toward the end of the first round, which is a most feasible scenario at this point, Edwards will probably land with a winning organization. What's more, he could be ready to jump in right away based on his sheer athletic ability and schematic versatility across the defensive front.