NFL Draft 2015: Round 1 Results, Grades and Top Selections for 1st 32 Picks

As expected, the first round of the 2015 NFL draft was chock-full of the unexpected.

In the days and hours leading up to the draft, rumors of blockbuster trades ran rampant across the Internet. Several teams were involved in the Marcus Mariota sweepstakes, others were supposed to trade up to acquire one of the draft's premier wide receivers or pass-rushers. None of that happened.

Instead, the San Diego Chargers moved up two spots to fill the void at running back and select Melvin Gordon at No. 15 overall. The Denver Broncos completed the only other first-round trade, moving up to No. 23 overall to add coveted pass-rusher Shane Ray.

While there may have been a lack of trade drama, the first round still produced some wild results, as many prospects were selected either much sooner or far later than previously anticipated. With that, draft grades are in order.

Here's a look at the complete Round 1 results, a grade for each selection and some analysis on the top-rated picks on the draft's first day.

Draft Grades

Pick	Team	Grade
1	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	A
2	Tennessee Titans	A+
3	Jacksonville Jaguars	A
4	Oakland Raiders	A
5	Washington Redskins	B+
6	New York Jets	A+
7	Chicago Bears	A+
8	Atlanta Falcons	A
9	New York Giants	A-
10	St. Louis Rams	B+
11	Minnesota Vikings	A-
12	Cleveland Browns	A
13	New Orleans Saints	B
14	Miami Dolphins	A
15	San Diego Chargers	A
16	Houston Texans	A
17	San Francisco 49ers	A-
18	Kansas City Chiefs	B
19	Cleveland Browns	B-
20	Philadelphia Eagles	B+
21	Cincinnati Bengals	B-
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	A+
23	Denver Broncos	A-
24	Arizona Cardinals	A-
25	Carolina Panthers	C+
26	Baltimore Ravens	A-
27	Dallas Cowboys	A-
28	Detroit Lions	B-
29	Indianapolis Colts	C+
30	Green Bay Packers	B-
31	New Orleans Saints	B-
32	New England Patriots	A

Top Selections

2. Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

Mariota may have been the most talked-about prospect in the days leading up to the draft due to constant trade buzz surrounding the Oregon product. Many thought the Titans would accept a deal and move out of the No. 2 spot, but in the end, they stood pat. It was the right decision.

While Mariota may not be as NFL-ready as No. 1 pick Jameis Winston, he boasts a great deal of upside and freakish athletic ability for a quarterback. Tennessee needed a playmaker under center, and it got a great one in Mariota. Pairing him with the abundance of speed that already resides on the offense will allow the Titans to climb up the ranks of the AFC South.

According to Paul Kuharsky of EPSN.com, the Titans plan to make Mariota their immediate starter. Coach Ken Whisenhunt has already been revising the offense, saying he's "incorporating what [Mariota] does well."

6. New York Jets: Leonard Williams, DT, USC

New York's selection of Leonard Williams may have been the earliest steal in the draft. The defensive tackle was thought to be the draft's top prospect by many analysts; however, an ongoing shoulder issue may have caused him to slip. That was just fine for the Jets, who now have an absolutely loaded defensive line.

With Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson already anchoring the two defensive end positions, adding Williams in the center gives the Jets an incredibly versatile and dangerous trio in the trenches. Expect New York to get tricky with Williams, utilizing his ability to play multiple positions to create mismatches against opposing offensive lines.

7. Chicago Bears: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia

This was the right move by the Bears. After shipping Brandon Marshall to the New York Jets during the offseason, Chicago needed a complement to Alshon Jeffery. Well, the team successfully nabbed the perfect individual for the job, acquiring the highly athletic, 6'3" Kevin White.

White's ability to stretch the field, win jump balls and create yards after the catch not only makes him a well-rounded wide receiver, but it also makes him a great complement to the big-play Jeffery. If White can adjust to the speed of the NFL quickly, the Bears offense won't even notice Marshall's absence. Now, only one question remains: Can Jay Cutler get it done through the air?

22. Pittsburgh Steelers: Bud Dupree, DE, Kentucky

Kentucky defensive end Bud Dupree will have to learn a new position in the NFL, as the Steelers run a 3-4 base defense and will utilize him as an outside linebacker, but considering the sheer athleticism the former Wildcat displayed during the offseason, that shouldn't be a problem.

Pittsburgh has a long history of producing quality linebackers, and the team is already stacked on the inside with Ryan Shazier and Lawrence Timmons. The Steelers needed a pass-rushing outside linebacker to complement that duo since Jarvis Jones hasn't exactly worked out to date.

Adding Dupree gives this team a raw but talented player who has the athletic ability to be a future Pro Bowler. Not only does this selection fill a need for the Steelers, but grabbing Dupree—a heralded top-15 player—at No. 22 overall makes this one of the most valuable picks of the first round.