2015 NFL Mock Draft v2.0
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston, QB Florida State –
The Buccaneers need a franchise quarterback, and there is no better place to
get one that the draft. Winston’s off-the-field problems make you wonder if he
can mentally make it in the NFL, but I think he has all the physical tools to
be at the least a pretty darn good QB in the league.
2. Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota, QB Oregon – Normally
when you’re picking this high in the draft, your biggest need is
quarterback. Reportedly, the Titans are
all-in with Zach Mettenberger this season. The coaching staff is going to want
to back the player currently on their roster in case something happens and they
don’t draft a QB in the first round. Also, Mariota is going to be likely to sit
and learn his first year coming from Oregon’s spread scheme to a pro-style
scheme that Whisenhut runs in Tennessee.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Kevin White, WR West Virginia –
White has shot up to the number one receiver available in the draft in my mind.
And while this might be a bit of a reach, the Jaguars need to give Blake
Bortles some more weapons in the passing game. They signed the talented tight
end Julius Thomas from Denver, but they don’t really have a dynamic weapon on
the outside for Bortles to take advantage of. Lee and Robinson could eventually
develop into nice receivers, but neither of them will ever be the talent that
White is currently.
4. Oakland Raiders: Leonard Williams, DE/DT USC – Williams
falls to the Raiders, which works out great for them because they have holes on
both sides of the ball. Williams can play both DE and DT, so they can move him
around the line to create mismatches. Him with Khalil Mack at linebacker looks like
a good combo of havoc wreaking defenders.
5. Wahsington Redskins: Dante Flowler, DE/OLB Florida –
Brian Orakpo hit free agency and is now a Titan. The Redskins could plug Fowler
in at OLB and go back to what they thought they would have with Orakpo and
Kerrigan before injuries happened to both players, a pass rushing duo to
terrorize quarterbacks.
6. New York Jets: Randy Gregory, DE/OLB Nebraska – The Jets
filled their hole at WR by trading for Brandon Marshall. There is no
quarterback worth taking at this pick. With Bowles being a defensive minded
head coach, I have him taking Gregory to help the pass rush of their 3-4
defense, seeing how the pass rush has been inconsistent at best the past few
years for the Jets.
7. Chicago Bears: Danny Shelton, NT Washington – The Bears
are moving away from the 4-3 “Tampa Two” defense that they’ve seemingly ran
ages and are going with a 3-4 under new coordinator Vic Fangio. The Bears don’t
have someone who can play that lynchpin nose tackle position, so they take the
best NT available in Shelton, who should clog up running lanes and collapse the
pocket for years as a Bear.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Shane Ray, DE/OLB Missouri – The Falcons
offense SHOULD be good, their defense needs lots of work though. They need a
guy who can get to the quarterback in a division with Drew Brees, Cam Newton,
and most likely a new first-overall pick at quarterback in Tampa Bay. Shane Ray
is the best pass rusher on the board, and the Falcons should have no second
thoughts about making this pick.
9. New York Giants: Ereck Flowers, OT Miami – The Giants
could use some help on the offensive line, and drafting Flowers does a lot for
them. It allows Justin Pugh to move inside to guard, upgrading the interior
line. It gives them a new young right tackle, and someone who can slide over to
the blind side once William Beatty retires or is released due to how much he is
owed on his contract. If the Giants are going to compete for the division again
anytime soon, they need to keep Eli Manning’s jersey clean.
10. St. Louis Rams: Brandon Schreff, OT Iowa – Jake Long has
been cut, so Greg Robinson moves over to left tackle permanently. The Rams
traded oft-injured Sam Bradford away for Nick Foles, so they better protect
Foles if they want anything close to his 27 TD/2 INT season of 2013.
11. Minnesota Vikings: Andrus Peat, OT Stanford – The
Vikings need help on the line, and even though Matt Kalil has been
disappointing I don’t think the Vikings would hold that against Peat. Peat
could take over left tackle duties allowing Kalil to kick over to right tackle,
where he wouldn’t see as many stud pass rushers. This would help create bigger
holes for Adrian Peterson (if he returns to the Vikings) and would give Teddy
Bridgewater better protection to use his arsenal of receiving weapons.
12. Cleveland Browns: Malcolm Brown, DT/DE Texas – The Browns
were horrible against the run to end the season, and with an offense that
currently doesn’t look like it’ll score many points they’ll need to be able to
stop the run in a division with Le’veon Bell and an underrated Jeremy Hill.
Brown can slide inside on sub packages too.
13. New Orleans Saints: Amari Cooper, WR Alabama – The Saints
take a first round receiver for the second straight year, but a position that
was once a strength has now become a need with Kenny Stills gone and Jimmy
Graham traded to Seattle. The Saints might not throw it quite as much as they
have in the past, Drew Brees is still going to sling it around and he will need
reliable pass catching targets.
14. Miami Dolphins: DeVante Parker, WR Louisville – The Dolphins
traded Mike Wallace away to Minnesota, and acquired Kenny Stills. They don’t
have a #1 receiver, so I have them now drafting Parker who could be that guy,
giving Ryan Tannehill some reliable pass catchers who the Dolphins hope can
help get them over the hump and into the playoffs.
15. San Francisco 49ers: Trae Waynes, CB Michigan State –
The 49ers have had a rough offseason losing star inside linebacker Patrick
Willis and his backup and budding rookie Chirs Borland to retirement, along
with head coach Jim Harbaugh being booted. The 49ers defense has some holes,
one of them being cornerback. Waynes can come in and help fill the hole of
having no #1 corner, essentially locking down one side of the field. The 49ers
can find inside linebacker depth in the second or third rounds.
16. Houston Texans: Todd Gurley, RB Georgia – Yeah, the Texans
have Arian Foster…but he seems to never be able to last a season. The Texans
are going to be a team that runs the ball a lot, and Gurley can split carries
with Foster to take some of the load off of the oft-injured back. I can’t see
the Texans passing on probably the most talented back in the draft, who could
be good to go by the end of training camp.
17. San Diego Chargers: Melvin Gordan, RB Wisconsin – Ryan
Matthews has teased Chargers fans since being drafted. When healthy, he’s a
dynamic player who adds another level of excitement to the Chargers offense,
but the problem is he’s often not healthy. That’s why I have the Chargers
taking Wisconsin’s workhorse running back with this selection, giving the
Chargers some much needed peace of mind they haven’t had at the position in a
while. He isn’t Ladanian Tomlinson in his prime, but Gordon can take pressure
off of Rivers in the passing game.
18. Kansas City Chiefs: La’el Collins, OT/G LSU – The Chiefs
signed Jeremy Maclin away from the Eagles, taking away their huge need for a
WR. They need to protect Alex Smith so he can get the ball to Maclin down the
field. Reid was known for not having a problem drafting linemen in
Philadelphia, so I have him taking one here to help improve the passing and
running game.
19. Cleveland Browns: Vic Beasley, OLB Clemson – The Browns
could use a tone setter at OLB, as they don’t currently have one on the team.
Barkevious Mingo hasn’t shown much of anything since being drafted sixth
overall, and Paul Kruger had a good season with 11 sacks last year, but that’s
the only season he has ever had double-digit sacks so I don’t think it will be
a trend. Beasley can come in and become the defensive enforcer at OLB that the
Browns defense desperately needs if they want to reach the next level.
20. Philadelphia Eagles: Landon Collins, S Alabama – The
Eagles need help in the defensive secondary, and here comes some reinforcements
with Landon Collins. Collins isn’t the greatest in coverage, but he’s not bad
and fits best as a hard hitting strong safety in the NFL, evidenced by his 103
tackles, 7 passes defensed, and 3 interceptions last season for Alabama. Collins
can hit receivers/backs/tight ends coming over the middle, break up some
passes, and get his hands on a couple for picks if he’s allowed to play some
roaming zone coverage.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: D.J. Humphries, OT Florida – The Bengals
need for a pass rushing defensive end is gone with them signing Michael Johnson
back after he was cut after only one year in Tampa Bay. This allows the Bengals
to draft Humphries who can come in and take over the left tackle position,
allowing the 33 year old Andrew Whitworth to move inside to guard, filling a
need there.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers:
Kevin Johnson, CB Wake Forest – The Steelers FINALLY take a cornerback in the
first round of the NFL Draft! Last year’s pass defense was just horrible.
Cortez Allen was so bad against the Colts he got benched and never regained his
starting job. Johnson can come in and compete with Allen and Gay for a starting
corner job, the loser becoming the nickel corner. If Williams doesn’t become a
starter in camp/preseason, he could get the chance as the season goes on. If
Cortez Allen gets his confidence back and plays with the talent we know he has,
a Johnson/Allen duo at corner could be a very good thing for future Steelers’
defenses. Johnson has the athleticism and the length to cover big receivers
down the sideline.
23. Detroit Lions: Eddie
Goldman, DT/DE Florida State – The Lions lost both Suh and Fairley in free
agency, making the strength of their defense more of a weakness. They traded
for Baltimore’s Haloti Ngata to fill one of the two holes. Goldman can come in
and start next to Ngata and be a disruptive force up the middle for the Lions,
keeping this part of their defense a strength.
24. Arizona Cardinals: Maxx Williams, TE Minnesota – The Cardinals
could use upgrades at a couple of positions. I think in the first round, they
upgrade the tight end position with a big body tight end with natural pass
catching ability in Maxx Williams, who will be a mismatch for most linebackers
and defensive backs.
25. Carolina Panthers: T.J. Clemmings, OT Pittsburgh – The
Panthers couldn’t block for Cam Newton at all early in the season last year.
And while the offensive line gelled later in the season, they could upgrade
both tackle spots and Clemmings would be a very good pick here to help ensure
the health of their franchise quarterback.
26. Baltimore Ravens: Devin Smith, WR Ohio State – The Ravens
lost Torrey Smith in free agency, and need to replace their deep threat. In
steps another Smith, this one the deep ball target from Ohio State. Smith led
all of D1 FBS football in yards per reception last year, and everyone knows how
much Joe Flacco loves to chuck the ball deep and he his receiver can make a
play on the ball. Smith made some catches for the Buckeyes that were eye
popping, and he could do the same thing in Baltimore.
27. Dallas Cowboys: Alvin Dupree, DE Kentucky – The Cowboys
pass rush in some of their biggest games/most embarrassing losses last year.
Enter Dupree, a fast and physical defensive end who can come in and get the
pressure the Cowboys need to defend the pass.
28. Denver Broncos: Jordan Phillips, NT Oklahoma – The Broncos
are switching to a 3-4 defense under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, and
the NT out of Oklahoma would provide the Broncos with what a 3-4 defense needs
at that position…a big body who can collapse the pocket and take up at least
two blockers.
29. Indianapolis Colts: Cameron Erving, C Florida State –
The Colts now have a RB to help take some pressure off of superstar QB Andrew
Luck in Frank Gore. They replaced Reggie Wayne with Andre Johnson. Now they
need to protect Luck a little bit better. Erving can come in and play either
center or guard, either way he would be an upgrade on the offensive line which
is the only weakness on the Colts offense.
30. Green Bay Packers: Denzel Perryman, ILB Miami– The
Packers just cut AJ Hawk, and now have a big hole in the middle of their
starting linebacker corps. Perryman can come in and start right away for the
Packers on defense. Perryman is a thumping linebacker who can stop the run and
plays well in zone coverage against the pass. If their defense could have held
a sizeable lead against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship, the
Packers would have been in the Super Bowl. This pick could help get them back
there.
31. New Orleans Saints (from Seattle Seahawks): Markus
Golden, DE /OLB Missouri – The Saints got this pick in the Jimmy Graham trade,
and they should use it to bolster what was one of the worst defenses in the
league last season. Some of their players couldn’t tackle at all. Their pass
rush was non-existent most of the time. Golden would be a big upgrade, getting
pressure on quarterbacks in the division.
32. New England Patriots: Jaelen Strong, WR Arizona State –
The Patriots offense isn’t anywhere near bad, but adding a receiver like Strong
would be a big upgrade for Tom Brady in the receiving corps. Strong is a big,
physical receiver who doesn’t have elite speed but is fast enough to get
separation. His size (6’3”, 212 lbs.) also makes him a nice red zone scoring
threat.
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