We’re finally here- the 2015 NFL Draft is tomorrow. I’ll try to keep the intro short, so here’s the rundown: this mock draft features trades only in the first round. I tried to limit the trades, as projecting too many can create a very complicated and thus less enjoyable mock draft setup. I suggest you read each explanation, as there is some useful player information in addition to team fit information. There is a number next to each players’ name in parenthesis. This number indicates the players’ ranking on my final big board, which was published Monday morning. I only ranked my top 75 players, so an “NR” means “Not Ranked”. Without further ado, here is my final mock draft of the year.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State. (2)
Jameis Winston possesses roughly 70% of the off-field problems that Manziel had last year, but none of the on-field concerns that Manziel was plagues with. His ceiling is that of a cathedral, while his floor is 2014-15 Jay Cutler.
2. Tennessee Titans- Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon. (15)
Jan 12, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) scrambles against Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Adolphus Washington (92) in the 2015 CFP National Championship Game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
While I’m not totally sure it will be the Titans making this pick, I am confident that Mariota will be the 2nd Overall Pick. I was about to project a trade here, but ultimately decided that I believe Tennessee is still the team most likely to end up with Mariota at the end of the day. While still raw, Mariota offers boatloads of upside, and should take a few notes from Russell Wilson’s game if he hopes to be successful in the NFL.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars- Dante Fowler, DE, Florida. (4)
Dante Fowler is a fantastic prospect that defensive-minded Gus Bradley will not want to pass on. Although OL is a big need and Leonard Williams is still on the board, I think the need for a stud edge-rusher will lead to Fowler being the pick here. I think his pro-ready all-around game will lead to his being the first edge rusher selected, despite Beasley being the more prolific pass rusher.
4. Oakland Raiders- Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama. (6)
Derek Carr needs weapons if he is ever going to develop into the franchise quarterback that Oakland envisioned when drafting him last year. Cooper is an extremely reliable, pro-ready receiver who would start on just about any NFL team immediately.
5. Washington Redskins- Leonard Williams, DT, USC. (1)
The Redskins land the top player on my Big Board in the versatile and extremely physically gifted Leonard Williams. He will immediately improve Washington’s run and pass defense.
6. TRADE. Jets trade the #6 overall pick to the Falcons for their #8 overall pick and their 3rd rounder.
Atlanta Falcons- Vic Beasley, DE/OLB, Clemson. (3)
Disregard the fact that Mel Kiper and Todd McShay chose to neglect Vic Beasley from the entire first round of their joint draft. Unless they know something big that we don’t, expect Beasley to be a top ten pick in this draft. Beasley possesses an advanced repertoire of pass rushing moves to mix with production, a fantastic first step, no big off-field issues and insane athleticism. That combination never falls far in the NFL Draft. The Falcons will be ecstatic to add a player of Beasley’s caliber with the 6th pick who will come in and help revive a previously dead Atlanta pass rush.
7. Chicago Bears- Danny Shelton, NT, Washington. (13)
The Bears have a new coaching staff and need an anchor for their porous defense. Luckily for them, this draft has just that in spades. Shelton will bring a stout presence to the center of Chicago’s defense and will instantly have a big impact on the run defense.
8. New York Jets- Alvin “Bud” Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky. (12)
While I expressed concern over Dupree’s inconsistent tape, I also stated that with a good defensive coach I think the best will be brought out of him. New York has just that in new head coach Todd Bowles, who has been coordinating Arizona’s stud defense the last few years. In time, Dupree should be a stellar defensive player.
9. New York Giants- Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford. (20)
September 13, 2014; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal offensive tackle Andrus Peat (70) during the second quarter against the Army Black Knights at Stanford Stadium. Stanford defeated Army 35-0. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
While Eli Manning finally started to look like himself again down the stretch last year, protection was still a big issue. Peat has a tremendous amount of potential, but like Dupree he has inconsistent tape. If Peat can in fact realize his potential, the Giants will have a franchise LT to which it can build it’s O-Line around.
10. St. Louis Rams- Kevin White, WR, West Virginia. (5)
The Rams land Kevin White to help Nick Foles rejuvenate his career. Despite the fact that I have Kevin White a spot ahead of Amari Cooper on my big board, I think that the Raiders will choose Cooper’s reliability and go with the safer pick, leaving White on the board for the Rams. White excels at the catch point and after the catch.
11. TRADE. Minnesota trades the #11 overall pick and their 4th round selection for the Chargers #17 overall pick and their 2nd round selection.
San Diego Chargers- Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia. (8)
The Chargers love to run the ball. But running the ball is hard to do when your running backs are “Damn it Donald” Brown and an inconsistent second year player who looks eye-to-eye with Kevin Hart. Gurley will be a workhorse back immediately provided he is healthy come September and will bring a much needed upgrade at the running back position in San Diego.
12. Cleveland Browns- DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville. (9)
With Josh Gordon suspended another year and a myriad of other problems, the Browns are able to secure one of the top receivers in the draft. Parker excels at high pointing the ball and has a massive catch radius. He is also able to rack up yards after the catch and is a big red-zone threat.
13. New Orleans Saints- Brandon Scherff, OT/OG, Iowa. (10)
After trading Ben Grubbs along with plenty of other questionable moves, New Orleans is now in need of landing some solid players who can contribute immediately. As the best O-lineman on my big board, New Orleans lands just that in Brandon Scherff. Scherff can immediately start at guard, and if the Saints’ staff has enough faith in him, he can possibly even start at tackle.
14. Miami Dolphins- Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State. (18)
Waynes can be brought in and fill an immediate hole, while also being groomed to eventually take over for the aging Brent Grimes. The Dolphins cut Cortland Finnegan, which makes Waynes both a value and need pick. Despite the fact that he is my third rated corner, NFL teams seem to think differently, and 40 yard dash times have fooled NFL front offices on numerous occasions in the past.
15. San Francisco 49ers- La’el Collins, OT, LSU. (17)
Collins is another prospect who can play either guard or tackle. Some analysts think he doesn’t have the athleticism to be an NFL tackle, but I believe his good footwork makes up for any lack of athleticism. The 49ers fill a need here with the mauling lineman from LSU.
16. Houston Texans-Eric Kendricks, ILB/OLB, UCLA. (14)
After having to rotate linebackers and defensive backs as often as Kanye West makes headlines, Houston can finally have a linebacker that they can keep on the field for all three downs and be able to rely on him to hold his own. Kendricks is a bit undersized, but plays bigger than his size indicates and excels in both run defense and coverage.
17. Minnesota Vikings- Marcus Peters, CB, Washington. (7)
Oct 19, 2013; Tempe, AZ, USA; Washington Huskies defensive back Marcus Peters (21) during the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
After trading down and picking up an additional 2nd round pick thus putting a big smile on Spielman’s face, Minnesota grabs my highest rated cornerback in the draft. Boasting tremendous coverage skills to go along with passionate play, mirroring skills, willingness to tackle in the run game, good instincts, and above all, fluid hips, Peters should form an awesome-to-watch duo with Xavier Rhodes. Add in the fact that Harrison Smith is roaming the back end of the defense and the Vikings could very well have one of the best secondaries in the league for years to come.
18. Kansas City Chiefs- Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Missouri. (19)
Let me start off by saying that I do not like this pick. Green-Beckham ideally would prefer a big-armed quarterback who can throw a great deep ball, but because the Chiefs are desperate for another wide receiver, he gets the popgun-armed Alex Smith.
19. Cleveland Browns- D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida. (25)
Cleveland is rumored to be looking for an upgrade over right tackle Mitchell Schwartz. They could get their upgrade in Florida’s D.J. Humphries, who would help protect Cleveland’s nonexistent franchise quarterback. Humphries does better in pass protection than he does in run protection, but an NFL weight-gain program can fix this. He also will need to work on a few technique issues, as he tends to “shove” rather than block.
20. Philadelphia Eagles- Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest. (16)
Despite their addition of Byron Maxwell in free agency, Chip still needs another starting cornerback. Kevin Johnson is my second rated cornerback in this draft class and provides great man coverage skills. Assuming he can add a few pounds to his frame, he should be able to start immediately.
21. Cincinnati Bengals- Phillip Dorsett, WR, Miami. (23)
Dorsett is a very underrated player in this draft. He possesses blazing speed to go along with crafty route-running techniques. Cincinnati needs another receiving threat to help take their offense to the next level, as Mohamed “I Promise to Drop it” Sanu currently is their number 2. Yes, I am aware that Marvin Jones is on the team, but he hasn’t shown enough to be legitimately regarded as the number 2 receiver after a year of injuries.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers- Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska. (11)
Due to a failed drug test and concerns over a lean frame and some rawness to his game, Gregory falls all the way to 22, where Pittsburgh pulls the trigger in hopes that they can get his career on the right track. It always seems that Pittsburgh lands a player that should not have been available at their picking slot. Jarvis Jones appears to be a bust as a pass rusher, so Gregory will be groomed to eventually take over in that role.
23. Detroit Lions- Malcom Brown, DT, Texas. (28)
After losing Suh and Fairley in free agency and gaining Haloti Ngata, the Lions are in need of a gap-shooting 3-technique defensive tackle. Malcom Brown was just that at Texas, and is both a value and need pick at 23 for the Detroit Lions.
24. Arizona Cardinals- Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin. (21)
Andre Ellington showed last year that he is unable to carry the entire workload as a running back, so the Cardinals pull the trigger on the second best back in the draft. Gordon will be a workhorse back immediately, and even if he doesn’t pan out as a pass-catcher, Andre Ellington will be able to excel in that area.
25. Carolina Panthers- Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon. (43)
Pass protection was a major issue in Carolina this past year. The athletic tackle out of Oregon Jake Fisher was an easy selection here, as he brings good pass blocking ability to the table, but needs to work on his strength.
26. Baltimore Ravens- Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF. (47)
November 21, 2013; Orlando, FL, USA; UCF Knights wide receiver Breshad Perriman (11) runs after a catch against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Bright House Networks Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Griffith-USA TODAY Sports
After losing Torrey Smith in free agency and with Steve Smith on his last legs (Although this has been said for a long, long time) Baltimore is in need of an infusion of young talent at the receiver position. Perriman struggles with drops, but flashes tremendous playmaking ability and boasts an awesome size-speed combo.
27. Dallas Cowboys- Damarious Randall, S/CB, Arizona State. (33)
The Cowboys have needs in the secondary to be polite. Randall will most likely be drafted as a safety, but if a team sees him as more of a cornerback he can be drafted with the same value at the same spot. Randall may need a year to learn, but once his time comes he should excel as an NFL starter.
28. Denver Broncos- Cameron Erving, OG/C, Florida State. (44)
Peyton Manning is now 39. His health is of the utmost importance, and Denver just lost their above-average starting guard in Orlando Franklin. Need I say more?
29. Indianapolis Colts- Byron Jones, CB/S, UConn. (27)
The Colts have some big needs in the secondary, and Byron Jones can be played at either cornerback or safety. A better zone than man corner, Jones contests everything thrown his way but struggles on routes that require him to change directions back to the line of scrimmage. Hopefully Andrew Luck doesn’t destroy his confidence in practices before the season even begins.
30. Green Bay Packers- Eddie Goldman, DT/DE, Florida State. (32)
The Packers add the versatile defensive lineman Eddie Goldman to come in and help their D-line. Despite re-signing B.J. Raji and Letroy Guion, neither one can be completely relied on to be productive in 2015.
31. New Orleans Saints- Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon. (22)
After going offensive line with their first pick, New Orleans flips sides of the ball and takes the Oregon product with immense potential but less-than-ideal game tape in Arik Armstead.
32. New England Patriots- Landon Collins, S, Alabama. (35)
Did anyone know that Bill Belichick loves Alabama defensive players? You did? Oh, so does the rest of the country. Belichick adds the hard-hitting but frustrating safety to roam the box and wreck havoc on anyone who mutters the word “deflategate”.
Round 2
33. Tennessee Titans- Jalen Collins, CB, LSU. (45)
34. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh. (68)
35. Oakland Raiders- Eli Harold, DE/OLB, Virginia. (36)
36. Jacksonville Jaguars- Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami. (34)
37. New York Jets- Denzel Perryman, ILB, Miami. (60)
38. Washington Redskins- Ronald Darby, CB, Florida State. (31)
39. Chicago Bears- Nelson Agholor, WR, USC. (30)
40. New York Giants- Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State. (49)
41. St. Louis Rams- Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M. (46)
42. Atlanta Falcons- Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State. (48)
43. Cleveland Browns- Benardrick McKinney, ILB/OLB, Mississippi State. (37)
44. New Orleans Saints- Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota. (61)
45. Minnesota Vikings- Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington. (40)
Nov 22, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies linebacker Shaq Thompson (7) breaks up this pass intended for Oregon State Beavers running back Damien Haskins (23) during the second half at Husky Stadium. Washington defeated Oregon State 37-13. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
46. San Francisco 49ers- Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State. (55)
47. Miami Dolphins- Jordan Phillips, NT, Oklahoma. (50)
48. Minnesota Vikings- Laken Tomlinson, OG, Duke. (26)
49. Kansas City Chiefs- A.J. Cann, OG, South Carolina. (51)
50. Buffalo Bills- Paul Dawson, ILB/OLB, TCU. (42)
51. Houston Texans- Duke Johnson, RB, Miami. (65)
52. Philadelphia Eagles- Donovan Smith, OT/OG, Penn State. (57)
53. Cincinnati Bengals- Hau’oli Kikaha, DE, Washington. (NR)
54. Detroit Lions- Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska. (56)
55. Arizona Cardinals- Quinten Rollins, CB, Miami (Ohio). (52)
56. Pittsburgh Steelers- Steven Nelson, CB, Oregon State. (29)
57. Carolina Panthers- Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan. (62)
58. Baltimore Ravens- P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State. (NR)
59. Denver Broncos- Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor. (NR)
60. Dallas Cowboys- Alex Carter, CB, Stanford. (58)
61. Indianapolis Colts- David Cobb, RB, Minnesota. (39)
62. Green Bay Packers- Stephone Anthony, ILB, Clemson. (54)
63. Seattle Seahawks- Nate Orchard, DE/OLB, Utah. (59)
64. New England Patriots- Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana. (41)
Here are some explanations for some questions you may be wondering:
1. “No Shane Ray?”
Nope. If being concerned with his weight and inability to offer anything against the run wasn’t enough, reports came out that he may need surgery on his foot that could hold him out through training camp. If that’s not enough, he showed just how intelligent he is by getting cited for marijuana just a few days before the draft. I see Ray going in the 3rd round at this point.
2. “But Shaq Thompson is overrated!”
As a first round prospect, this is indeed true. However, in the 2nd round, Thompson’s athleticism, versatility, and aggressive playing style make him a very solid addition. If this is indeed where the Vikings go in the 2nd round, I look forward to seeing how Zimmer uses him alongside Anthony Barr and the rest of the defense.
3. “Do you really think (Insert Player Name) won’t be drafted in the first two rounds?!? You’re crazy.”
This is simply a mock draft and this is the way that this one happened to play out. If I left a favorite of yours out, it doesn’t mean I don’t believe he is worthy of a 1st or 2nd round selection, it just means that in this simulation he didn’t make it into either round. Every year prospects fall farther than anticipated. It happens people.
Summary:
Thanks for reading. This post caps my 2015 NFL Draft series, which I hope you guys enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed crafting. I will be posting a follow-up post on the draft at the end of each draft day (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) so make sure to check back in. I will also be covering the NFL Draft on my twitter account, so be sure to follow me @jackmack28. Don’t forget to leave your comments at the bottom. Skol!