No. 1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jameis Winston (QB): The consensus top pick who can bring a slew of tomahawk chopping season ticket holders to Raymond James Stadium, Winston has plenty of flaws. His mechanics are not refined, his footwork is far from settled. But he’s the best quarterback of thisdraft and this team needs a franchise signal-caller. Throw in some crab legs as a signing bonus and get this done. No. 2 Tennessee Titans – Leonard Williams (DE): While everyone loves the idea of a quarterback here for the Titans, an edge rusher is perhaps a bigger need. And Williams could be the best overall player in this draft. No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars – Shane Ray (DE): Ray will help a Jaguars team that is starting to take shape. Love his motor.
No. 4 Oakland Raiders – Kevin White (WR): Has all the measurables in a top wide receiver. Derek Carr is going to find him down the field.
No. 5 Washington Redskins – Randy Gregory (DE): All the talk of drafting a quarterback means nothing if the Redskins can’t improve their rush, their most glaring of weaknesses.They do so with this pick. No. 6 New York Jets – Marcus Mariota (QB) TRADE:TheJets will be enticed by the Oregon quarterback here, but so to will the Cleveland Browns. Head coach Mike Pettine saw up close how a bad quarterback situation can affect a team when he was the defensive coordinator of the Jets during the Mark Sanchez era. He’ll trade his two first round picks here to get the Heisman and Maxwell Award winner. No. 7 Chicago Bears – Amari Cooper (WR): He’s that legitimate downfield threat who can line up outside or inside. Softens the blow of trading away Brandon Marshall.
No. 8 Atlanta Falcons – Dante Fowler (OLB): This is a team that is close to being in the postseason but they need some help on the edge. Fowler helps them here.
No. 9 New York Giants – Brandon Scherff (OT): Protecting Eli Manning has been an issue for what seems like the last decade and the Giants can address that here with the draft’s best offensive lineman. Plays with a nasty streak, something this team’s blocking unit could use. No. 10. St. Louis Rams – Trae Waynes (CB): The best true cover cornerback in the draft, the Rams get a building block piece for their secondary.
No. 11 Minnesota Vikings – DeVante Parker (WR): Teddy Bridgewater gets a target to throw to and the Vikings start to develop an identity on offense.
No. 12 New York Jets – La’el Collins (OT): Back on the clock after a trade with the Browns, the Jets lost out on an elite wide receiver in Parker so they’ll go offensive line with Collins. Played guard at the Senior Bowl and can be bumped outside when D’Brickashaw Ferguson retires. Not an exciting pick but immediately helps the offensive line. With Brian Winters shaky for two years here, Collins is a sure-thing inside and can be groomed to be the future left tackle. No. 13 New Orleans Saints – Arik Armstead (DT): Saints need help all over the field but they desperately need someone in the interior of their defensive line. Armstead is stout and can plug the middle but also can generate a legitimate pass rush. No. 14 Miami Dolphins – Marcus Peters (CB): Mike Tannenbaum was never afraid to roll the dice on character concerns and,now with the Dolphins, he’ll get that chance in the first round with Peters. Possesses size that Fins will love. No.15 San Francisco 49ers – Cedric Ogbuehi (OT): Any rebuild starts on the line and the 49ers will get a building block here.
No. 16 Houston Texans – Dorial Green-Beckham (WR): Some team will roll the dice on this talent and the Texans, who need playmakers, will see value here.
No. 17 San Diego Chargers – Todd Gurley (RB): San Diego needs to improve on running the ball to be a team capable of making a playoff push. Injury concerns abound on Gurley, but he’s the most NFL-ready ball carrier in the draft. No. 18 Kansas City Chiefs – Jaelen Strong (WR): Chiefs draft complement to Jeremy Maclin.
No. 19 New York Jets – Melvin Gordon (RB): With the second pick acquired in the trade with Cleveland, the Jets get one of college football’s most exciting running backs. They have Bilal Powell signed for this year, only so they can bring Gordon along at his own pace and share carries out of the backfield. Could be a nice complement to Chris Ivory, who figures to get the majority of carries again this year. No. 20 Philadelphia Eagles – Landon Collins (S): A player with good pedigree out of Alabama, Collins can help the Eagles’ pass defense instantly. Good in run support as well. Best safety in the draft and fills an obvious need here. No. 21 Cincinnati Bengals – Andrus Peat (OT): The Bungles need to protect Andy Dalton better. Peat’spass protection is as good as his run blocking.
No. 22 Pittsburgh Steelers – Jalen Collins (CB): Another tall, rangy cornerback out of LSU. Fits the Steelers need for some size in the secondary.
No. 23 Detroit Lions – Eddie Goldman (DT): Having lost Ndamukong Suh in free agency, Eddie Goldman is the second best interior lineman in the draft.
No. 24 Arizona Cardinals – Eric Kendricks (ILB): Have to like the way he covers and reads as he owns good instincts. Great value pick here for the Cardinals.
No. 25 Carolina Panthers – D.J. Humphries (OT): The need to protect Cam Newton is a glaring issue on this team. Humphries is the best fit for the Carolina line and helps address a major issue on this team. No. 26 Baltimore Ravens – Breshad Perriman (WR): With Torrey Smith gone, the Ravens draft an intriguing replacement and a new weapon for quarterback Joe Flacco.
No. 27 Dallas Cowboys – Danny Shelton (DT): The surprise drop of the first round is too good for the Cowboys to pass-up.
No. 28 Denver Broncos – T.J. Clemmings (OT): Denver’s offensive line is a bit overrated and certainly not a young unit. Clemmings needs some work but he’s got some good intangibles. No. 29 Indianapolis Colts – Cameron Erving ( C ): Best center in the draft finds team looking for good center.
No. 30 Green Bay Packers – Kevin Johnson (CB): Johnson should step in and start with the Packers. He reads the game well and is smooth in his movement.
No. 31 New Orleans Saints – Maxx Williams (TE): Tight ends aren’t blockers anymore and Williams is the best of a weak draft group. Should create match-up issues down the field. No. 32. New England Patriots – Owa Odighizuwa (DE): Is there a Rutgers player to take here? We kid. While Odighizuwa isn’t a name floated much with this team, he’s a mid-first round talent with durability issues. But he can play defensive end or linebacker and his skillset is too much for Bill Belichick to pass up. Draft him and figure everything else out later.
2015 NFL Mock Draft: Jets to trade with Browns?
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