2015 NFL Draft Results: Full Listings of Grades for 1st-Round Selections

NFL draft prognosticating now turns into second-guessing. Following Thursday night's first round, fans are either jumping for joy or sharpening their pitchforks.

There's little room for nuance when instantly reacting to draft selections. Before purchasing Super Bowl tickets or gathering an angry mob, remember that it'll take years before anyone can fairly label any prospect a boom or bust.

Just ask a New York Giants fan who felt they reached for Odell Beckham Jr. last year. Or maybe a Cleveland Browns fan partying after the team secured Johnny Manziel. Player development is an inexact science that takes time, and nobody can truly predict the future.

With that said, here are Round 1 draft grades for every pick.

Notable Picks

5. Washington Redskins: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa

Pick	Team	Selection	Grade	Note
1	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State	B-	No surprise here. Most concerns about Winston reside off the field, but a turnover-filled 2014 also sparks worry.
2	Tennessee Titans	Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon	A-	If the Heisman Trophy winner is merely a system quarterback, the Titans should take a look at Oregon's system.
3	Jacksonville Jaguars	Dante Fowler Jr., DE, Florida	B+	Fowler gives Jacksonville's No. 26 defense a massive pass-rushing threat.
4	Oakland Raiders	Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama	A	After producing a league-low 5.5 yards per pass attempt, the Raiders secure a sturdy top wideout.
5	Washington Redskins	Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa	B+	Despite pinning all their problems on RG3, Washington allowed the second-most sacks in 2015. Scherff is one of the draft's safest selections.
6	New York Jets	Leonard Williams, DE, USC	A-	Although not a tremendous fit, the Jets get the best player on the board. With Mariota off the table, Williams was too good a value to pass up.
7	Chicago Bears	Kevin White, WR, West Virginia	B	The Bears have bigger needs on the defensive side, but White and Alshon Jeffery form a scary duo.
8	Atlanta Falcons	Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson	B+	Atlanta's NFL-worst defense gets a ferocious edge-rusher.
9	New York Giants	Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (FL)	B-	With Scherff gone, the Giants reached for the next lineman on the board.
10	St. Louis Rams	Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia	C+	Coming off an ACL tear, Gurley is a massive risk for a St. Louis squad with several other offensive holes.
11	Minnesota Vikings	Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State	A-	Waynes gives Minnesota a fast, physical corner with terrific single-coverage ability.
12	Cleveland Browns	Danny Shelton, DT, Washington	A	The Browns acquire a major run-stopper up the middle after surrendering the most yards on the ground last year.
13	New Orleans Saints	Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford	B	Peat, a high-upside tackle, marks the first offensive lineman taken in the first round by Sean Payton.
14	Miami Dolphins	DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville	B+	After rumors of Miami wanting to trade up for Parker, he falls into its lap at No. 14.
15	San Diego Chargers*	Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin	B-	Gordon likely would have lasted to No. 17, but the Gurley pick scared San Diego into trading up.
16	Houston Texans	Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest	A-	Size issues aside, Johnson is probably the class' best pure corner.
17	San Francisco 49ers*	Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon	B	San Francisco gets its guy despite moving down. A once-terrifying front seven needed some restocking.
18	Kansas City Chiefs	Marcus Peters, CB, Washington	B-	The Chiefs wanted a defensive playmaker after collecting six interceptions last year, but Peters brings off-field issues.
19	Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo)	Cameron Erving, C, Florida State	B-	Cleveland continues to build from within by bolstering the offensive line.
20	Philadelphia Eagles	Nelson Agholor, WR, USC	B	After months of Mariota rumors, the Eagles instead quietly build around their quarterbacks already in town.
21	Cincinnati Bengals	Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M	C+	With impact pass-rushers up for grabs, the Bengals took a chance on Ogbuehi, who tore his ACL last year.
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	Alvin "Bud" Dupree, OLB, Kentucky	B+	Dupree presented a great value, but Pittsburgh can really use some secondary help.
23	Denver Broncos*	Shane Ray, DE, Missouri	A-	Ray was a top-10 candidate before getting cited for marijuana possession. Denver pounced on the chance to snag a star-caliber talent in the 20s.
24	Arizona Cardinals	D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida	B+	With the two impact rushers off the board, Arizona instead turned to the offensive line to revamp an attack that averaged an NFL-worst 3.3 yards per carry.
25	Carolina Panthers	Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington	B-	Rather than taking a need at wideout, the Panthers went with their best player available. Thompson marks the ultimate man without a position.
26	Baltimore Ravens	Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF	B	A major combine climber, Perriman replaces Torrey Smith as Joe Flacco's go-to deep threat.
27	Dallas Cowboys	Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut	B+	Ranked No. 26 in passing defense last year, the Cowboys snag a tremendous athlete in Jones.
28	Detroit Lions*	Laken Tomlinson, G, Duke	C+	Along with getting Tomlinson, the Lions added O-line depth by acquiring Manny Ramirez from Denver.
29	Indianapolis Colts	Phillip Dorsett, WR, Miami (FL)	C	A team with plenty of pass-catchers reached for a wideout with 121 combined catches through four years at Miami.
30	Green Bay Packers	Damarious Randall, S, Arizona State	B	Green Bay continues to target defense with its second first-round safety in as many years.
31	New Orleans Saints (via Seattle)	Stephone Anthony, ILB, Clemson	B-	Anthony was expected to go in Round 2, but the Saints needed to tackle defense with their second choice.
32	New England Patriots	Malcom Brown, DT, Texas	A-	The Pats land their replacement for Vince Wilfork, securing a great value in Brown to close Round 1.

Iowa's Brandon Scherff doesn't generate the excitement of a typical top-five pick. He's not a franchise quarterback, pass-rushing monster or explosive wideout, just a solid offensive lineman who provides Robert Griffin III much-needed protection in Washington.

Griffin absorbs the blame for Washington's struggles, but the Redskins allowed 58 sacks last year, the second-highest mark behind the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Iowa powerhouse is a pro-ready blocker who will shield the fragile quarterback while embedding Washington's ground-and-pound rushing offense.

Yet Scherff profiles more as a luxury guard than tackle, and guards rarely warrant such high selection. Grantland's Bill Barnwell wondered why Washington didn't try to manufacture an extra pick or two by moving down:

Many mocks had him lasting to Washington's NFC East rivals, the Giants, at pick No. 9. Scherff isn't a terrific value at No. 5, and several prospects with higher ceilings were available for the taking. 

Draft value in relation to positioning, however, means little down the line. If Scherff serves as a reliable starter for years, nobody will remember him going a spot or two too early.

10. St. Louis Rams: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia

In the night's first stunning selection, the St. Louis Rams made Todd Gurley the first running back taken during the opening round since 2012. 

A massive talent with superstar potential, Gurley tore his ACL during a junior season in which he registered 7.4 yards per carry. SportsCenter highlighted his big-play prowess while on the field:

Positive health reports had the Georgia standout vaulting up boards despite the injury. Before the draft, NFL.com's Ian Rapoport noted how high Gurley's stock climbed:

Yet few analysts gave much thought to St. Louis snagging him. Last year, third-round pick Tre Mason averaged 4.3 yards per carry as a rookie, making running back the one offensive position that wasn't a pressing need.

The Rams still need help inside the trenches and down the field. They also may need to exude patience with his recovery, as the back expressed the importance, via ESPN's Josina Anderson, of not hurrying back:

Given the high volume of late-round and undrafted running backs who succeed at the next level, Gurley needs to realize his star ceiling to justify this choice. While the Rams will look smart if he becomes the next Marshawn Lynch, they'll regret reaching in any other scenario.

16. Houston Texans: Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest

A testament to how quickly public perception can change, Kevin Johnson soared from a fringe first-rounder to a top-20 choice. With Marcus Peters still available, the Houston Texans went with the Wake Forest cornerback.

Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins welcomed not having to square off against Johnson at the pro level:

Although lean at 188 pounds, per NFL.com, he makes up for strength concerns with quick feet and tremendous instincts. He provided impeccable coverage at Wake Forest, as proven by Pro Football Focus:

Houston staked its reputation on defense in previous years, but it ranked No. 21 against the pass last season. Johnson can immediately help in slot coverage, eventually replacing Johnathan Joseph as the lead corner down the road.

Even if No. 16 is high considering he was jousting for Round 1 selection a month ago, Johnson has all the skills to overlook possible size and strength issues.