NFL Draft Start Time 2015: Live Stream, TV Schedule and Latest Rumors
After years of preparation and months of projecting, thousands of mock drafts will finally be thrown out of the window as the 2015 NFL draft begins on Thursday night.
There may be a prevailing consensus that Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston will be the first name called by commissioner Roger Goodell, but that's the end of what common knowledge predicts. The Tennessee Titans hold the keys at No. 2 overall for what could turn into a wacky opening few picks.
Then again, there's just as good of a chance for the picks to stay just where they are. The teams in the mix for those top picks are well-equipped to select the best player available to help their team.
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Hours remain until the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on the clock, so let's take a look at how to catch all of the action.
2015 NFL Draft Schedule
| Thurs., April 30 | First Round | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| Fri., May 1 | Rounds 2-3 | 7 p.m. | ESPN |
| Sat., May 2 | Rounds 4-7 | 12 p.m. | ESPN |
Live Stream
Latest Rumors
Marcus Mariota Sweepstakes
The Titans hold the key to whether Oregon product Marcus Mariota will be selected at No. 2 overall and who could end up selecting him.
While Tennessee hasn't been shy about liking young quarterback Zach Mettenberger, there's been no lack of noise about the Titans replacing him with Mariota. It's hard to tell the trajectory of Mettenberger's career, whereas Mariota has the potential to become a can't-miss franchise quarterback after a few years of development.
The problem is, head coach Ken Whisenhunt and Co. may not have the time to develop such a quarterback.
That has the Titans listening to offers, with Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean reporting that Mariota is a hot commodity for many other quarterback-thirsty teams:
The Titans have already reportedly received some offers, as ESPN's Pat McManamon reported on Wednesday that the Cleveland Browns offered picks No. 12 and 19 in exchange for No. 2 overall. That might not be enough to entice the Titans, but they are not done talking to other teams.
General manager Ruston Webster told ESPN's Bob Holtzman (h/t ESPN.com) on Thursday that the Titans had "fairly substantial conversations" with a few teams.
But the likeliest situation is still staying home and taking the Oregon quarterback, as Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report noted:
The Titans could use a couple of extra pieces to bolster their roster rebuild, but there's no replacement for finding a franchise quarterback who is worth rolling the dice on. That may not be Tennessee's No. 1 priority, but it could turn out to be if the Titans stick with their pick.
Teams Jockeying for DeVante Parker
It's been a two-headed group atop the receiver class for quite some time, as Kevin White of West Virginia and Amari Cooper of Alabama have been lauded as immediate-impact and franchise-changing talents.
But that's not where the intrigue ends in the top half of Round 1 with pass-catchers.
Louisville wideout DeVante Parker is another name attracting a wealth of attention, and the likelihood that White and Cooper will be off the board within the first few picks only increases that attention. The Miami Dolphins are one team eyeing a move up to get him and could get to No. 10 to do so, as CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora reported:
Alex Marvez of Fox Sports doubled down on the Parker-to-Miami noise:
It's easy to see how Parker would thrive in Miami, which just traded Mike Wallace and is in need of a young impact-maker at the position. After recently re-signing, quarterback Ryan Tannehill now desperately needs a partner in the passing attack.
Getting Parker at No. 14 seems to be a pipe dream, however. The Cleveland Browns similarly need a receiver and loom at the No. 12 pick, while St. Louis could also conceivably stay home at No. 10 and select him.
If Miami's interest in Parker is serious, picking him will likely require a trade up. It sounds like the Dolphins are receptive to that idea.
Falcons to Move Up or Down?
A lot of it depends on how the first few picks shake out, but it's becoming increasingly apparent that the Atlanta Falcons aren't giddy about their No. 8 overall selection.
With three impact defensive linemen—Dante Fowler Jr., Leonard Williams and Vic Beasley—flooding mock drafts and wowing folks around the league, it could turn out that all three of those players are off the board by the eighth pick. Help on the D-line is the Falcons' biggest need, and they don't plan on missing out.
As D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on Wednesday, Atlanta is exploring the option of moving up to select Fowler, who has ties to new head coach Dan Quinn.
If Fowler is still there at No. 4, ESPN's John Clayton sees the Raiders as a possible trade partner:
Of course, scenarios can change in an instant during the draft and the Falcons are undoubtedly prepared for that too. In fact, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported another scenario that could involve Atlanta moving down:
It would be difficult to argue with the Falcons sweetening a deal in order to get a player like Fowler, who would transform Atlanta's defense immediately. But moving down could end up putting the Falcons in a tough position to beef up the line.
Iowa's Brandon Scherff could very well be available at No. 8, but he won't last much longer. The Falcons could pass up the chance to get the draft's best offensive lineman simply by trading down to draft a lineman.
On second thought, trading up might be a better idea.
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