1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston,
QB, Florida State
The Bucs will select a quarterback, and while it's not 100 percent
clear which one they're going to take, the odds-on favorite is Winston.
There aren’t any questions about Winston's on-field talent
or football IQ, but teams are a bit worried about his maturity and/or
decision making. He had a strong workout at the combine, but more
importantly, he impressed teams with his interviewing. It has been
said the Bucs feel completely confident with where Winston's maturity
is, and with that being his only red flag, it would be surprising
to see him not taken with the first overall pick.
Previous Pick: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
It won't be a surprise if quarterbacks
go 1-2 but it will likely take a trade to make that happen.
2. Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota,
QB, Oregon
I feel confident about Mariota being the second overall pick, but
I'm not completely certain the Titans will make it. Mariota had
a nice combine workout, as well as interviews in Indy, which is
going to make the value of this pick skyrocket. Someone should be
willing to package too much together for the Titans to refuse, but
even if they don’t, Mariota would make sense here. The Titans
need a franchise quarterback, and Mariota has no off-field issues
for the Titans to worry about and his talent is worthy of this pick.
Previous Pick: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Williams,
DT/DE, USC
Leonard Williams was seen as the top prospect before the NCAA season
and has only fallen to the third pick because quarterbacks always
rise higher than they should be taken. Williams is the best player
available here, and Gus Bradley loves adding players to his defense.
Previous Pick: Leonard Williams, DT/DE, USC
4. Oakland Raiders: Kevin White,
WR, West Virginia
The Raiders have a huge need at WR, and this pick essentially came
down to Kevin White or Amari Cooper. Cooper is an extremely solid
prospect, but White has the higher ceiling of the two. The Raiders
are in a position where they can take the higher risk/reward player,
and while I don't think White is too much of a risk, he has a great
ceiling. He solidified his spot as the top WR when he posted a sub-4.4
40-yard dash at the combine.
Previous Pick: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
5. Washington Redskins: Dante Fowler,
DE/OLB, Florida
The Redskins are expected to let Brian Orakpo walk, and while they
have Trent Murphy to take over his duties, Fowler is the best available
player and fits a slight need. It would allow them to rotate Ryan
Kerrigan, Fowler and Murphy at OLB, which wouldn't be much of a
downgrade as Orakpo has missed 25 games over the last three seasons.
Previous Pick: Dante Fowler, DE/OLB, Florida
6. New York Jets: Vic Beasley, DE/OLB,
Clemson
I had previously mocked CB Trae Waynes to the Jets with this pick,
but with the offseason signing of Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle
Revis, that seems extremely unlikely. Vic Beasley is the best player
available here after he posted great numbers at the combine. The
Jets will have their pick of edge rusher in a great draft class,
but Beasley is the most talented left on the board.
Previous Pick: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
7. Chicago Bears: Amari Cooper, WR,
Alabama
The Bears need a pass rusher, but there is a slight drop off after
Beasley and they could easily spend this pick on a wide receiver.
They recently traded Brandon Marshall for a fifth-round pick to
the Jets, which opens up a spot across from Alshon Jeffery. Amari
Cooper has been building steam since video revealed that his 40-yard
dash was nearly as fast as Kevin White’s.
Previous Pick: Vic Beasley, DE/OLB, Clemson
8. Atlanta Falcons: Shane Ray, DE/OLB,
Missouri
The Falcons are nearly certain to take an edge rusher and this is
the perfect draft to do so. Personally, I like Randy Gregory here,
but there's word coming out that the Falcons like Shane Ray as much
as anyone in the draft, and I believe them. Ray couldn't perform
at the combine, so he fell behind others like Fowler and Beasley,
but he's still a great prospect, and the Falcons should be happy
to take him with this pick.
Previous Pick: Shane Ray, DE/OLB, Missouri
9. New York Giants: Brandon Scherff,
OT/OG, Iowa
Randy Gregory is an option here because the Giants generally take
the best available player, but he recently failed a drug test at
the combine and the Giants are a strict team that doesn’t
typically take players with off-field issues. Scherff is a great
player on the field and has no off-field issues, either. He’s
an NFL-ready prospect and has the ability to help the Giants from
day one.
Previous Pick: Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska
10. St. Louis Rams: La'el Collins,
OT/OG, LSU
Collins is the perfect pick for the Rams right here. They need
help on their offensive line, but they have the ability to kick
Collins inside to guard, until he gets a bit of NFL experience
and learns the tackle position. He has an extremely high ceiling,
but he can be a starter day one for the Rams and make their line
a bit more solid.
Previous Pick: La’el Collins, OT/OG, LSU
11. Minnesota Vikings: Trae Waynes,
CB, Michigan State
Waynes is an absolute steal for the Vikings with this pick, as
he easily has the talent to be a top-10 selection. He improved
on his agility times at his Pro Day, saying he had cramped up
at the Combine. He’s a nice fit for the defensive minded
Mike Zimmer and he would provide another high upside, young defensive
back to go with Xavier Rhodes and Harrison Smith.
Previous Pick: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
12. Cleveland Browns: Danny Shelton,
NT, Washington
The Browns will look to get help on their defensive line, and
Shelton would be a steal at this pick. He's a high- motor nose
tackle who played extremely well in college. He's going to fill
running lanes and is a solid pass rusher up the middle. He's a
high upside guy who won’t come with much risk, which is
exactly what the Browns need right now.
Previous Pick: Danny Shelton, NT, Washington
13. New Orleans Saints: Randy Gregory,
DE/OLB, Nebraska
The Saints are looking to improve their defense in this draft
and Randy Gregory would provide great upside. I recently had him
going in the top-10 and there was word that he could work his
way into the top-5, but his failed drug test at the NFL Combine
should cause a draft day slide. Gregory is a high risk-reward
pick that may come with some scrutiny but the Saints don’t
seem to be afraid of what people think, specifically their fans,
as evidenced by the trade of Jimmy Graham to the Seahawks.
Previous Pick: Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky
14. Miami Dolphins: DeVante Parker,
WR, Louisville
Most mock drafts have the Dolphins taking Parker with this pick.
The top two receivers will be off the board, and Parker is the
next best guy. The Dolphins don't seem to like Mike Wallace, and
they just got rid of Brian Hartline. Taking Parker would give
them a young WR corps with upside between Parker and Jarvis Landry.
Similarly to the other WRs, he has a ton of upside in a stacked
class.
Previous Pick: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
15. San Francisco 49ers: Malcolm Brown,
DT, Texas
There are a number of different players the 49ers could take here
after a terrible off-season. They lost two of their cornerbacks,
Linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland retired, and Justin
Smith has yet to announce whether he’s going to return.
Malcolm Brown is a player that can start from day one and help
the defensive line for the next 10 years, whether they need him
playing a full complement of snaps or rotating with other players.
Previous Pick: Brandon Scherff, OT/OG, Iowa
16. Houston Texans: Alvin Dupree,
DE/OLB, Kentucky
Dupree will come with a bit of risk because he played at a smaller
school, but he had great production in college and good measurables.
He isn’t as NFL-ready as some people may like, but he’s
a smart kid and will be able to learn on the fly. The Texans recently
lost Brooks Reed in free agency and will need to fill the whole
he left at OLB. The thought of Dupree and Jadeveon Clowney as
their two OLBs is a scary thought, assuming they can both hit
their full potential.
Previous Pick: Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
17. San Diego Chargers: Jalen Collins,
CB, LSU
After he had an extremely impressive combine, Collins is quickly
moving up the draft boards. He's a physical corner, similar to
Waynes, who likes press coverage. The Chargers recently drafted
Jason Verrett, but Brandon Flowers will be a free agent next season,
and the addition of Collins would allow the Chargers to let him
walk. It wouldn't be surprising to see Collins continue to rise
up the draft boards as more time passes, working his way into
the top 15.
Previous Pick: Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
18. Kansas City Chiefs: Andrus Peat,
OT, Stanford
There has been a lot of talk about the Chiefs taking a wide receiver
with this pick, but they haven't been too concerned with taking
wide outs over the last couple drafts and this one is deep enough
that they could grab a receiver in a later round. They have a
big need at offensive line, and Peat could fill that void. He's
a good pass protector with solid run blocking ability, which is
a nice combination for the Chiefs, who were near the bottom in
sacks allowed last season.
Previous Pick: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
19. Cleveland Browns: Breshad Perriman,
WR, Central Florida
The Browns need some offensive help after Josh Gordon was suspended
again and Jordan Cameron left via free agency. There has been
a lot of talk about how good of an athlete Perriman really is,
but he put on a display at his Pro Day. He reportedly ran two
sub-4.3 40-yard dashes, which is enough to move him into the first
round. He’s a big body receiver that can fly down the field
and he’s the exact type of playmaker the Browns need.
Previous Pick: Jalelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
20. Philadelphia Eagles: Ereck Flowers,
OT, Miami
Flowers was the most impressive tackle at the combine, testing
well in the bench press, 40-yard dash, and on-field drills. It
isn’t a secret that Chip Kelly loves drafting athletes and
Flowers may have the highest ceiling of all of the tackles in
this years draft.
Previous Pick: Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Marcus Peters,
CB, Washington
Peters is a corner who has the talent to go much higher, but he
was kicked off Washington's team for allegedly getting in a physical
fight with one of his coaches. Everyone, including the coach,
is denying the reports, but they're still worth noting. His stock
is slowly creeping back up, and the Bengals could use help in
their secondary.
Previous Pick: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
22. Pittsburgh Steelers: Landon Collins,
S, Alabama
Collins seems to be a much better prospect than the 22nd pick,
but this is where he fell in this mock. He's been compared to
his former teammate Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, who had a successful rookie
season in Green Bay. The Steelers have a hole at safety, and if
Collins falls to them, they shouldn’t hesitate to pull the
trigger.
Previous Pick: Landon Collins, S, Alabama
23. Detroit Lions: Eddie Goldman,
DT, Florida State
The Lions made a trade for Haloti Ngata, which softened the blow
of losing both Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley, but they still
have to face the fact that Ngata is aging and they need another
defensive tackle. Goldman is arguably the best play available
at this point, which is a strategy that the Lions love using.
He fills a void in their defense and they get the top player on
their board.
Previous Pick: Malcolm Brown, DT, Texas
24. Arizona Cardinals: Todd Gurley,
RB, Georgia
Bruce Arians recently stated that the Cardinals were in business
for a bigger running back that Andre Ellington could complement.
Gurley would be the perfect choice, as he was originally supposed
to be selected much higher than pick No. 24. His torn ACL has
caused him to fall, but Arians would have no problem grabbing
a potential hall of fame running back with this pick.
Previous Pick: Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington
25. Carolina Panthers: Arik Armstead,
DE/DT, Oregon
The Panthers have a couple of holes, but they need pass rushing
help. Armstead is the player in this situation who can provide
that. They could go with offensive line help here or another wide
receiver, but Armstead is extremely athletic and is a high upside
player.
Previous Pick: Arik Armstead, DE/DT, Oregon
26. Baltimore Ravens: Devin Smith,
WR, Ohio State
Dorial Green-Beckham would make more sense here, as he’s
more of a No.1 receiver than the speedster Smith, but after the
Ray Rice situation, the Ravens probably aren’t in the mood
to take someone who got kicked off their college team for domestic
violence. Smith can stretch the field, but he may also be able
to expand his route tree and turn into a true No.1 receiver. He’s
a high-upside pick that should be at minimum a great deep threat.
Previous Pick: Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida
27. Dallas Cowboys: Melvin Gordon,
RB, Wisconsin
Melvin Gordon is the second- best running back in this class,
but Todd Gurley is coming off of ACL surgery. The Cowboys recently
had to decide whether to let Dez Bryant or DeMarco Murray walk,
and they chose the latter. That means they have a big hole at
running back, and while Joseph Randle could take over, Gordon
would be a much better option. He's been compared to Jamaal Charles,
and he's proven in college that he can handle the bulk of the
carries. The Cowboys might not be able to get anyone as good as
Murray, but Gordon is a great replacement.
Previous Pick: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
28. Denver Broncos: Eli Harold, OLB,
Virginia
The Broncos are switching to a 3-4 with Wade Phillips now as their
defensive coordinator, and they'll need some depth at OLB. DeMarcus
Ware is getting old, and they’ll want someone who can play
a certain number of snaps to allow Ware to get some rest during
the season. Harold is that man. Harold is a pass rushing 3-4 OLB
who had an impressive 2014 season and would fill a need the Broncos
have with the 28th pick.
Previous Pick: Eli Harold, OLB, Virginia
29. Indianapolis Colts: D.J. Humphries,
OT, Florida
The Colts have a few holes, but they need to do a better job of
keep pressure away from their franchise quarterback, Andrew Luck.
D.J. Humphries is shooting up draft boards after an extremely
impressive combine. He also played well this season, especially
in pass protection. He would be a steal this late in the draft,
filling a huge need for the Colts.
Previous Pick: D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida
30. Green Bay Packers: Jordan Phillips,
NT, Oklahoma
Phillips is a bit of a wildcard. He has back problems and isn’t
the most talked about prospect but he’s an athletic player
with tons of upside. Green Bay may retain both B.J. Raji and Letroy
Guion despite both being free agents, but the Packers would be
smart to select a high upside nose tackle, who can learn behind
the two veterans.
Previous Pick: Eddie Goldman, NT, Florida State
31. New Orleans Saints: Maxx Williams,
TE, Minnesota
There isn’t much to say about this pick, but you probably
saw it coming. The Saints received this pick from Seattle for
Jimmy Graham and it would only make sense for them to use it for
his replacement. Williams has been a boarder line first-round
pick for quite some time and the Saints are his best chance of
sneaking in. He’s an athletic tight end that produced well
at Minnesota and has high upside. He’s recently been compared
to Jason Witten and living up to that comparison would be a steal
for the Saints this late in the draft.
32. New England Patriots: Dorial Green-Beckham,
WR, Oklahoma
DGB was the number one overall recruit coming out of high school
just a few years ago. He was involved in some off-the-field issues
while at Missouri and was dismissed from the team, eventually
ending up at Oklahoma. It seems as if he’s stayed out of
trouble for quite some time and the Patriots are one of the best
locker rooms for a troubled young player to be drafted into. He
would be taken much higher if it weren’t for his off-field
issues, and let’s face it, Brandon LaFell isn’t the
answer.
