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Justin Bales | Archive | Email |
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NFL Mock Draft: Version 3.0
4/27/15

NFL Draft 2015 Version 1.0 - 3/6/15
Version 2.0 - 3/30/15

Editor's note: Predict the top ten picks of the NFL Draft for a chance to win FFToday prizes. Our annual NFL Draft Contest is free to join. The top 20 finishers will reap the rewards. Enter Now.

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

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 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: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
Gurley was projected as a top-10 pick before his ACL injury in November but was recently given the thumbs up by doctors which has sent his stock skyrocketing. The Jets are in major need of a running back with only Chris Ivory and Stevan Ridley, atop the depth chart. Gurley would give the Jets arguably the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson.

Previous Pick: Vic Beasley, DE/OLB, Clemson

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: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

8. Atlanta Falcons: Vic Beasley, DE/OLB, Clemson
The emergence of Todd Gurley will cause someone to fall and I’m anticipating that will be the edge rushers in this draft. Beasley was extremely impressive at the combine and at his pro day, but his draft buzz appears to have plateaued. The Falcons are in desperate need of an edge rusher and Beasley is far and away the best option here. I could also see the Saints trying to trade up to this spot if Beasley is available.

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: Branon Scherff, OT/OG, Iowa

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: Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky
Dupree is rising up draft boards, as he’s doing very well in team interviews and everyone can see his insane upside. He could easily slide into the top-10, but he’s coming from a school, not known for high draft picks which is the reason I have him a bit lower than some. The Saints should be looking to upgrade their defense and Dupree will give them optimal upside for this pick.

Previous Pick: Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska

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: Arik Armstead, DE/DT, Oregon
This is a huge leap up for Armstead from my last mock draft, as I had him going 25th overall to the Carolina Panthers. I think this has less to do with Armstead as a player and more to do with the situation the 49ers are in. They lost a ton of players during the offseason, including DL Ray McDonald, and are in big need of a young defensive end. It appears the 49ers are entering a rebuilding stage and Armstead is an extremely high upside pick.

Previous Pick: Malcolm Brown, DT, Texas

16. Houston Texans: Shane Ray, DE/OLB, Missouri
Remember how I said the edge rushers would fall in the draft because of Gurley’s quick rise? Well, Ray is one of those edge rushers. Brooks Reed left the Texans in free agency and Ray would make a great OLB option opposite Jadeveon Clowney. Ray is falling down the boards because of a toe injury, but he’s expected to be ready by Week 1 and should be able to help the Texans immediately.

Previous Pick: Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky

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: Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida

20. Philadelphia Eagles: Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska
There are many quality prospects for Chip Kelly to choose from here, including CB Byron Jones, OT Ereck Flowers, WR Phillip Dorsett, just to name a few. The Eagles are unpredictable, especially considering the rumors of a possible trade up scenario for QB Marcus Mariota. Gregory is heading for a draft day slide given his off-field issues and unimpressive pre-draft interviews. He’s a top-5 talent, which is what Kelly will like, and the head coach has already proven that he doesn’t care about what other people think of his offseason moves.

Previous Pick: Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami

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: Malcolm Brown, DT, Texas
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. Brown is a day one starter, who could go as high as pick 15 in this draft. He’s extremely talented and would be a steal for the Lions at this pick.

Previous Pick: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State

24. Arizona Cardinals: Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest
The Cardinals will be looking elsewhere for a running back after the big bodied Gurley worked his way into the top-10. They lost Antonio Cromartie to the Jets in free agency and could be looking at add another big body in the secondary. Reports are circulating that a few teams believe Johnson is the best corner in the draft and the Cardinals would do well to grab him here.

Previous Pick: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia

25. Carolina Panthers: Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
Although the Panters are a good team, they still have a few holes and the offensive line is one of them. Cam Newton’s scrambling ability has certainly helped, but it’s time they address the huge need and protect their franchise quarterback. Flowers was the most impressive tackle at the combine, testing well in the bench press, 40-yard dash, and on-field drills. He could certainly be drafted higher, but this is a fairly OL deep class, which could cause him to slide a little bit.

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: Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State

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: Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA
I personally don’t love Kendricks, but he’s far and away the best inside linebacker in this draft class. Sam Barrington recently stated that the defense is his, but he is a run-stopping linebacker that struggles in pass coverage. Kendricks is the exact opposite, with good cover skills, but isn’t quite as polished against the run. This pick would allow Clay Matthews to move back to his natural OLB position and Kendricks would be able to help Green Bay’s defense from day one.

Previous Pick: Jordan Phillips, NT, Oklahoma

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.

Previous Pick: (Seattle Seahawks) Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma

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.

Previous Pick: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma