2015 NFL Mock Draft: Latest Round 1 Projections for Every Team: The 2015 NFL draft is still well off in the future, but with several teams unable to dream of the playoffs this year, focus has already shifted to evaluating college talent and the eventual promise of an upgraded roster. There is a scarcity of surefire, exceptional quarterbacks in an otherwise stellar class that features adequate depth at almost all other positions. Below is an updated mock of the first round, as the opening day of the draft will take place on April 30 at Chicagos Auditorium Theatre. The order was current prior to Week 16s Monday night game and should reflect the general succession save for the unforeseeable shifts the order will take after the postseason. 1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon Mariota is the only cant-miss prospect to fit the bill as the franchise quarterback Tampa Bay needs to compete in the NFC South. The reigning Heisman winner has amazing arm talent, great decision-making and intangibles and is one of the fastest players at his position in draft history. Super Bowl-winning coach Tony Dungy has said that Mariota will be a success. Hes a quarterback whos a great athlete, said Dungy of Mariota, per The MMQBs Peter King. He will have no problem being a pocket quarterback. Hes got a good arm. He can make the downfield throws, and he has good touch. I am on record as saying hell be a great quarterback in the NFL. If the defense can manage to be respectable, Tampa Bay can build an offense to suit Mariotas skills. He also has two friendly targets on the outside in Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans, who have to be praying for a competent passer to dish them the rock. If the Bucs stick to either Josh McCown or Mike Glennon in the second year of the Lovie Smith era and upgrade the offensive line slightly, theyll still be a year away from the postseason. Mariota can ignite the franchise and give Tampa Bay a reason to believe its time is now. 2. Tennessee Titans: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State A penchant for turnovers toward the end of the college football season, combined with off-field issues, causes Winston to slip below Mariota in the draft. The Big Leads Jason McIntyre does a fine job articulating the dilemma Winston represents: Winston may not have the maturity to be the face of a franchise. Last years Heisman recipient and national champion gets it done on the field, though, and clearly has a core of Seminoles teammates that rallies around him and always finds a way to win. For a Tennessee team that features the likes of sixth-round pick Zach Mettenberger as its next-best hope, its time to get serious about a long-term solution. 3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Williams, DL, USC Lack of tangible, winning results will have Jags coach Gus Bradley under fire entering the 2015 campaign. Williams is the investment Bradley, a former defensive coordinator in Seattle, will want to build on that side of the ball after Jacksonville infused the offense with fresh faces in the 2014 draft. 4. New York Jets: Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska One has to wonder what Jets coach Rex Ryan could have done with a competent quarterback just once during his tenure. Ryan is probably on the way out, as is general manager John Idzik after two forgettable years trying to build the roster. That leaves a lot of uncertainty in New York, but what is certain is that the Jets need a franchise passer. Its just too rich for anyone other than Mariota or Winston at this point. Thus, the next-best player on the board is the pick, and thats Gregory, who can be a 3-4 linebacker to further bolster the front seven. A thin secondary should improve with health and the additions of established veterans in free agency. 5. Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama The drafts receiving talent should be deep, though not quite to the degree of this last years epic group. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr needs serious blocking improvements but also a No. 1-caliber wideout who can get consistent separation and be a big-play threat. Cooper is a special player and is a great fit for what Oakland needs, in the estimation of ESPNs Adam Schefter: There is a strong possibility the Raiders trade out of this slot and still land him, but even at No. 1 overall, Cooper merits such a gaudy selection. The Alabama star would have a bigger, more immediate impact in Oakland than any elite offensive lineman in this 2015 class. In an AFC West division that might see its three other teams go to the playoffs for the second straight year, the Raiders need all the sudden help they can get. 6. Washington Redskins: Landon Collins, SS, Alabama Until Washington decides what to do with Robert Griffin III and its own QB situation, its too bold to infer it would take a risk on someone like Jameis Winston this early. Therefore, the team brings in Collins to provide insurance in the secondary. With Ryan Clark and Brandon Meriweather both likely gone after this year, Washington may be looking at a safety duo of Phillip Thomas, who could plug in at free safety, and Collins on the strong side. 7. Chicago Bears: Shawn Oakman, DE, Baylor Oakman is a bit raw, but his measurable attributes, namely a 69, 280-pound frame, make him too tempting to pass up. David Smoak of ESPN Central Texas has noticed how Oakman is becoming a better all-around player: If the Bears can plug Oakman into a defensive end rotation that already has Willie Young and Jared Allen—or even line him up inside—Chicago could get some serious pressure on opposing QBs in critical NFC North matchups. 8. Minnesota Vikings: Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M Not long ago, it appeared the Vikings had landed a franchise left tackle in Matt Kalil near the top of the 2012 draft. Kalil seems to have regressed, however, so Minnesota needs to pick up another asset to preserve diminutive QB Teddy Bridgewater if hes meant to be the proverbial man in the Twin Cities. 9. Atlanta Falcons: Shane Ray, DE, Missouri Defense is holding the Falcons back, and they need to be bold by adding a game-changer to the mix. One of the best pure pass-rushers in the draft, Ray has played at a high enough level to suggest hes an even better prospect than two of his recent, prolific Mizzou predecessors in Kony Ealy and Michael Sam. Atlanta is dead-last in the league with 16 team sacks, so Ray makes a lot of sense here. 10. New Orleans Saints: Bud Dupree, DE, Kentucky An edge-rusher like Dupree is just what the doctor ordered to cure New Orleans woes. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan would love the chance to coach someone like Dupree, who has the size to put his hand in the ground, the athleticism to cover and SEC experience working in his favor. 11. New York Giants: Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington Offensive line could be a play here too, but Thompson is such a unique linebacker that the G-Men cant help but bolster their front seven in choosing him. Thompson has played both ways for Washington as a running back, which offers an idea of his natural athleticism, high football IQ and innate instincts. 12. St. Louis Rams: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford The run of tackles continues as the Rams try to compensate for the void left by left tackle Jake Long, who cant be counted on after two torn ACLs in as many years. Peat comes from a pro-style system thats predicated on a downhill running game. That should be the type of offense Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer continues to deploy in 2015. Greg Robinson and Peat would help mold St. Louis physical identity and better protect whoever is under center. 13. Cleveland Browns: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville Parker played well in a pro-style offense last year with Bridgewater as his QB, and then this year is thriving as the go-to target with Bobby Petrinos innovative schematics. Along with great ball skills and route running, that high level of play in multiple systems makes Parker a strong candidate to pair opposite Josh Gordon. The Browns need another target on the outside, as their receiving corps consists of smaller pass-catchers in Andrew Hawkins, Taylor Gabriel and Travis Benjamin. 14. San Francisco 49ers: Danny Shelton, DT, Washington Just one year to see Justin Smith, the 339-pound Shelton, Glenn Dorsey and a fully healthy San Francisco linebacker corps would make the 49ers downright scary. Shelton is far more athletic than he should be for his size and would aid the Niners cause to stop run-heavy NFC West adversaries Seattle and St. Louis. 15. Houston Texans: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State In light of how Texans head coach Bill OBrien is praised as a QB expert, Houston doesnt need to reach for that position here. Ryan Fitzpatrick responded with six touchdown passes in his comeback start from being benched for cannon-armed Ryan Mallett. So Waynes makes sense if the Texans are interested in creating a viable cornerback duo between Spartys star and Johnathan Joseph to help shut down the AFC South adversary Indianapolis Colts and Andrew Luck. 16. Miami Dolphins: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin The Dolphins must figure out what they have in Ryan Tannehill by all means necessary. Already armed with a great group of receivers, Miami gives the young signal-caller a weapon for the backfield in Gordon, who becomes the first running back chosen in the first round since 2012. 17. Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo): Dante Fowler Jr., DE/OLB, Florida Jabaal Sheard is a free-agent-to-be, and 2013 first-rounder Barkevious Mingo is thin, raw and is too abecedarian in his arsenal of moves to be a top-flight pass-rusher. Browns head coach Mike Pettine prides himself on defense, so Fowler is a logical choice. The Florida standout can play anywhere on the defensive line and, despite weighing over 260 pounds, can drop in coverage if need be. Versatility is key in Clevelands hybrid defense, and Fowler fits the bill. 18. Kansas City Chiefs: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia Somewhere over Dwayne Bowe is where the Chiefs should shoot for in landing their next young receiver. K.C. needs a viable No. 2 to take pressure off Bowe and a prospect who could even become a Pro Bowler, as Bowe, 30, isnt getting any younger. Although White hails from a spread-oriented college offense, he has a veteran in Bowe to help him along, a cerebral QB in Alex Smith and a brilliant offensive coach in Andy Reid to teach him the nuances of the NFL game. 19. Baltimore Ravens: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington A decimated defensive backfield may cost Baltimore a shot at a deep playoff run this year. Lucky for the Ravens, should Peters fall to them, they have one of the most stable organizations in sports. Baltimore can set the immensely gifted Peters up well, as he enters the NFL needing to prove the clashes with coaches that got him dismissed from Washington wont be a lingering issue. 20. Philadelphia Eagles: Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn Its no secret that the Eagles success revolves around their offense. Jeremy Maclin and Jordan Matthews are two promising pieces in the current receiving corps. But Maclin is a free agent, so coach Chip Kelly will lobby for another playmaker. In this scenario, Coates is the choice as one of the top athletes in the 2015 class whos averaged over 20 yards per catch in his past two years at Auburn. 21. Carolina Panthers: Brandon Scherff, OL, Iowa Thankfully for Carolina, there arent too many teams in the first half of the first round that are in dire need of an offensive lineman. Nagging injuries have plagued QB Cam Newton, and Scherff, with experience at guard and tackle, is the perfect plug-in. 22. San Diego Chargers: Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson Beasley will get dinged by evaluators for not having a prototypical frame. That should be just fine for the Chargers, who can have Beasley flying in off the edge as a pass-rusher in their 3-4 alignment. San Diego has produced just 20 sacks as a team, so it needs the spark in this area. 23. Pittsburgh Steelers: P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State Ike Taylor is all but done in the Steel City, while the starter opposite him, Cortez Allen, has been benched this season. Williams is the physical brand of corner Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau needs in coverage for his blitz-heavy schemes to work. 24. Indianapolis Colts: Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana I found this exchange prior to the Colts Week 14 game against the Browns to be quite hilarious: Ahmad Bradshaws latest injury, combined with Trent Richardsons ineffectiveness, makes running back a top priority for Indy to complement Andrew Luck in adequate fashion. Coleman is an excellent all-around tailback who would get to stay in state and build on a 2,000-yard rushing season by playing with the best young QB in football. 25. Cincinnati Bengals: Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State The Bengals linebacker corps could use an infusion of superior personnel and depth. Thats what McKinney would provide. McKinney can line up on the inside or outside, and he could either unseat former undrafted free agent Emmanuel Lamur as the strong-side starter or fill in for impending free agent Rey Maualuga in the middle. 26. Green Bay Packers: Eric Striker, OLB, Oklahoma Similar to Beasley, another undersized edge-rusher in Striker is a viable option for Green Bay. Striker is slight of frame to the point that he could be a played as a bigger safety and X-factor in Dom Capers 3-4 defense. 27. Dallas Cowboys: Gerod Holliman, FS, Louisville Injuries have played some role, but Americas Team has regressed on defense in the second half of the season, ranking in the bottom third of the league versus the run and pass. Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News reported what Barry Church said following the Cowboys Thanksgiving loss to Philadelphia: Holliman has a whopping 14 interceptions in 2014, represents viable competition and would provide stability as a true free safety to clear up the convoluted rotation in Dallas. 28. Detroit Lions: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State According to ESPNs Adam Schefter, rumor had it back in September that Pro Bowl Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh could be on the way to New York or elsewhere—namely out of Detroit. Therefore, the Lions would be wise to prepare accordingly by selecting a disruptive, double-team commanding force like Goldman in the first round. 29. Arizona Cardinals: Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia For much of the first half of the season, Arizona couldnt get to the quarterback. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles adjusted by bringing blitzes more often. Floyds explosiveness as 3-4 linebacker, despite a slight frame that needs more muscle, gives the Cardinals more creative latitude schematically. 30. Denver Broncos: Lael Collins, OL, LSU Collins is almost too good to be true at No. 30. Denver would be ecstatic to bring him in. The LSU product has played in a complex, pro-style Cam Cameron offense and has lined up at both guard and tackle, so hed be capable of plugging in anywhere as the Broncos protect Peyton Manning as best as they can. 31. New England Patriots: Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan Tom Brady could use a young receiver whos ready to contribute. Horrible blocking and underwhelming QB play plagued Funchess production at Michigan, and hes just making the transition to receiver from tight end. This is the type of high-upside pick the Patriots should take a flier on—and they could even consider putting Funchess back at his original position, given the past success with two-tight end sets. 32. Seattle Seahawks: Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State Depth on the defensive line has helped Seattles defense in underrated fashion, as the Legion of Boom deservedly garners a lot of attention. The defending Super Bowl champions could use an interior pass-rusher like Bennett, delaying the search for another decent receiver until the second round. Read more NFL news on BleacherReport #NFLDraft #NFL #Opinion
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 04:53:06 +0000
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