NFL Draft 2015: The Biggest Steals from Round 1
The first day of the 2015 NFL draft is finally over. After three hours of sitting and watching names being read off index cards, the majority of squads now have an eye on who their impact rookie is going to be for next season.
That impact isn't equal across the board, though. Typically, the earlier a player is drafted, the better the chance he "hits." That's the simplicity of the NFL draft, but there are guys who fall on draft day for whatever reason.
Sometimes it's because there's a stretch of teams on which a prospect would be a poor fit. Sometimes it's off-field concerns. Sometimes it's the overvaluing of specific traits. Sometimes, even the media can't piece together why a certain player fell.
When looking at the first 32 picks of the draft, five stand above the rest as big-time values. That could be due to the potential they provide in their new team's system, or it could be that their talent and upside seem to exceed where they were drafted. Luckily for the squads that selected them, these very talented prospects fell into their laps.
5. Vic Beasley, EDGE, Atlanta Falcons
1 of 5
Selected No. 8
If you were watching ESPN's broadcast of the draft, you would have heard Mel Kiper yelling "overdrafted" when Vic Beasley came off the board with the eighth overall selection. Some find themselves in that camp, but not me.
Not only was Beasley a value selection, but he also should have been the top non-quarterback prospect on everyone's boards. He has the upside of Von Miller and the floor of Bruce Irvin, who has still been very productive, despite moving off the line of scrimmage and into a true linebacking role.
In Atlanta's 4-3 defense, Beasley should play the "Leo" role, a hybrid defensive end and outside linebacker spot which allows for the player to rush the passer. If there's anything Beasley can do well, it's get dirt on quarterbacks' jerseys.
At Clemson, he had two massively productive years, showing speed, bend and hand usage to get to passers on a week-to-week basis. He even did so against Florida State, which built a strong enough line to lead the squad to a national championship in the 2013 season and was one game from playing in the national championship in 2014.
Beasley isn't a great run defender, but he can grow into his frame. In a couple years, the Jacksonville Jaguars are going to be kicking themselves for taking Dante Fowler of Florida over Beasley.
4. Andrus Peat, OT, New Orleans Saints
2 of 5
Selected No. 13
Many, including Bleacher Report's Matt Miller, thought Brandon Scherff of Iowa was the best offensive lineman in the draft class, and for good reason. He plays with a mean streak in the ground game that few possess and might be a 10-year starter for the Washington Redskins.
His issue is this: He's only going to play guard at the next level. On the other hand, Andrus Peat, a dancing bear with amazing recovery skill, is a sure-fire tackle. When Scherff went off the board, I thought the Giants were going to address their offensive line need with a tackle.
To my surprise, they didn't take Peat, instead going with Ereck Flowers of Miami. Flowers is a solid prospect, but he doesn't have Peat's upside and overall ability. From there, the tumble began.
The Rams, Vikings and Browns all have investments at left tackle, so they all passed on the Stanford talent. New Orleans was the squad to take the bait. Because the Saints had two first-round picks, they could go with the best player available with the first selection, maximizing their value, and draft a need position later, when the talent disparity became smaller.
Terron Armstead seems to be the starting left tackle of the future, but Peat is going to play on the right side as one of the best pass protectors in the game. Quarterback Drew Brees' arm is diminishing, and after moving Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills this offseason, the team had to give the aging passer something to work with.
3. Marcus Peters, CB, Kansas City Chiefs
3 of 5
Selected No. 18
Just two picks ahead of the Kansas City selection, cornerback Kevin Johnson of Wake Forest went off the board to the Houston Texans. Instead of rushing into panic mode, overdrafting talent, the Chiefs instead took talent and risked on character.
This worked in the past with Justin Houston, who was drafted in the third round after failing a combine drug test. Houston led the NFL in sacks last season while wearing red and yellow.
Peters is the best press-man cornerback in the class. He's physical and has recovery speed, but his lateral agility isn't the best. He's not going to be a monster in zone coverage, but for a team running a lot of man coverage, he should have been the top player on the board—at least as a talent.
Peters was kicked off Washington's football team, possibly as a tone-setting example for the new coaching staff. Peters is going to act and play like Charles Woodson did in his prime with the Raiders and Packers. As long as he doesn't get himself in trouble, he should be making Pro Bowls.
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2. Alvin Dupree, EDGE, Pittsburgh Steelers
4 of 5
Selected No. 22
Many wondered if Alvin Dupree of Kentucky would go sixth overall to the New York Jets, as head coach Todd Bowles loved larger edge-rushers while at Arizona as a defensive coordinator. When the Jets saw Leonard Williams slipping, they picked up the defensive lineman instead.
From then on, it was impossible to predict where Dupree would go. Would it be eighth to Atlanta? Nope, the Falcons instead took Vic Beasley, a smaller pass-rusher from Clemson. For one reason or another, Dupree fell with the likes of Shane Ray of Missouri and Randy Gregory of Nebraska, two edge players who have had recent issues with marijuana.
Dupree, on the other hand, is just a raw athlete, but he has the explosion to make teams think he's the next Cameron Wake. That upside intrigued the Pittsburgh Steelers, who drafted him 22nd overall.
Dupree needs live reps to learn to control his wild style of play, but he should receive just that, as the Steelers lost starting outside linebacker Jason Worilds to retirement when his contract expired. He should compete with James Harrison and 2013 first-round pick Jarvis Jones as the top edge player on the squad.
1. Leonard Williams, DL, New York Jets
5 of 5
Selected No. 6
At 20 years old, Leonard Williams is young, declaring as a true junior. He was productive at USC, but he wasn't an explosive athlete. He's not J.J. Watt, but he could be a Calais Campbell-type player as a 3-4 defensive end, the same position he played in Los Angeles.
Williams' fall started early, as he was a possible pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars with the third overall selection, but it seems they are set at the position after signing Jared Odrick in free agency.
At the fourth overall spot, the Oakland Raiders could have used him as a 3-technique under tackle in their 4-3 scheme. The issue comes back to his explosiveness. He's a strong, long interior defensive lineman, but under tackles are more pass-rushers than run defenders. For that reason, they must have felt Amari Cooper of Alabama had more value.
The Washington Redskins had the fifth pick, and their only real strength is their defensive line. They play a 3-4, but they just signed Stephen Paea and Terrance Knighton to the line this offseason.
Defensive line depth didn't stop the Jets, though. The squad has two very good defensive ends in Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson. Williams is a scheme fit, but not a personnel fit.
Are the Jets going to move on from Wilkerson, who has an expiring contract? If not, it appears the staff said, "Bring me the best guy, and we'll figure it out later." In this case, New York landed whom many called the best defensive prospect in the class with the sixth overall pick.
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