2015 First Round Mock Draft - After Free Agency Edition

Free Agency went and did what it does to everyone's initial mock draft, makes you throw a good chunk of it in the trash bin. Between the Saints getting rid of Kenny Stills and Jimmy Graham and getting an extra first round pick, to teams filling needs I had them filling in the draft...it was time for a re-do.

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. 

2015 NFL First Round Mock Draft 1.0

Here is my first 1st round mock draft for the 2015 NFL Draft

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: Amari Cooper, WR Alabama – The Jaguars may have their QB of the future in Blake Bortles, but he lacks weapons to throw to on offense. Amari Cooper is a big-play threat who can take advantage of Bortles arm. If the Jaguars are going to ever compete in the AFC South, they’ll need to be able to score some points.

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.

5. Wahsington Redskins: Randy Gregory, DE/OLB Nebraska –While not a huge need for the Redskins, their defense is predicated on getting to the QB. Brian Orakpo is headed to free agency and has been injured more than healthy in his career. Pairing Gregory with Ryan Kerrigan would give the Redskins what they’ve needed on defense, a pass rushing duo.

6. New York Jets: Kevin White, WR West Virginia – The Jets need a QB in the worst way, but they didn’t lose enough games to land one of the top two and there isn’t one worth taking at sixth overall. Kevin White’s game film should have been enough to put him in the top ten, but his combine numbers make sure he’s taken in that span. In this mock draft, Amari Cooper is gone so I have the Jets taking this big, physical, and fast receiver out of the Mountaineer State who I think is the second best receiver in the draft.

7. Chicago Bears: Danny Shelton, NT Washington – The Bears are moving away from the 4-3 “Tampa Two” defense that they’ve seemingly ran for ages and are going with a 3-4 under new coordinator Vic Fangio. The Bears don’t have someone who can play that linchpin 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 – The Rams don’t know if Jake Long can come back and be the same player after tearing the same ACL that ended his 2013 season, and Roger Saffold has been nothing but injured his entire career. Drafting Schreff would give them another tackle to book end the line with last year’s #2 overall pick Greg Robinson.

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.

12. Cleveland Browns: DeVante Parker, WR Louisville – The offense in Cleveland is devoid of playmakers, and no matter who plays QB in Cleveland in 2015, they’ll need a guy who can make some plays at wideout. Josh Gordon is suspended for the entire season, and there is no guarantee that he will ever be on the field consistently with his off-the-field problems. Either way, this is the right pick because it gives their QB the best chance to succeed this season and in the future, because pairing him with Gordon if he can get back to his 2013 self could be one of the best receiving duos in the league.

13. New Orleans Saints: Dante Fowler, DE/OLB Florida – The Saints major malfunction last season was on defense. I sometimes wondered if their defensive players were really holograms when I watched them play, because they couldn’t seem to stop anything at times. Fowler can come in and make an immediate impact rushing the passer, which would help the Saints defense get the turnovers that they thrive on.

14. Miami Dolphins: Trae Waynes, CB Michigan State – The Dolphins are thin at CB with just Brent Grimes as a true starting option. Waynes could come in and be a starter right away for the Dolphins.

15. San Francisco 49ers: Sammie Coats, WR Auburn – The 49ers will be targeting a wideout with this pick. Crabtree was disappointing last season and may leave as a free agent. Anquan Boldin is getting up there in age and his production dipped some this last season, and could fall off even more. Stevie Johnson proved to not be the weapon they hoped for when they traded for him. Coates is a bit raw, but would have put up much better numbers if he were in a better passing offense.

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: Devin Smith, WR Ohio State – Last year the Chiefs’ receivers were atrocious, they didn’t catch a single touchdown pass last season. As a group, they had fewer receiving yards than the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Antonio Brown notched all by himself. Devin Smith is a big-play threat who can blow the top off of a defense, and as Buckeye fans said last season “all he does is catch big touchdowns!”  The threat of a quick score that you get with Smith is also something the Chiefs could use. Also, in games where Smith caught a TD pass, the Buckeyes never lost.

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 picks if he’s allowed to play some roaming zone coverage.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB Kentucky – Dupree’s stat line wasn’t as impressive as it could have been because he faced a total of eight read-option teams last season. The Bengals missed DE Michael Johnson’s disruptive force last season. Dupree can come in and make an impact quickly for the Cincinnati defense.

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 Johnson 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: Malcom Brown, DT Texas - The Lions are going to need a defensive tackle with their top three hitting free agency. If they tag or resign Suh, they’ll have to let Nick Fairley walk and probably top backup CJ Mosley as well. If they resign Fairley, they will have to let Suh leave and while they might be able to bring back Mosley, they’ll still need a DT to rotate in. If they resign Mosley and lose both Suh and Fairley, they’ll be in desperate need for a second starting caliber DT. I just don’t see the Lions going with any other position with this pick.

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: Jalen Collins, CB LSU – The Ravens secondary was a weakness last season with Jimmy Smith missing a good chunk of it and nobody behind him able to really take over that #1 CB role. A pairing of Smith and Collins would possibly give the Ravens one of their best CB combos in the history of the club.

27. Dallas Cowboys: Nate Orchard, DE Utah – The Cowboys need to upgrade their defense, especially their pass rush, if they want to contend for the Super Bowl. They got no pressure on Colt McCoy in an embarrassing MNF loss to the Redskins, Mark Sanchez had a clean pocket on Thanksgiving, and Aaron Rodgers wasn’t pressured whatsoever in the Divisional Playoff loss to the Packers. Orchard was a pass rushing monster for the Utes and could bring a much needed pass rush to the Cowboys.

28. Denver Broncos: La’el Collins, OT LSU – Collins is being projected as either a guard or a right tackle in the NFL. The offensive line was a big issue for the Broncos last season, and Collins would upgrade at either position. Peyton Manning is a statue in the pocket, and needs a clean pocket to be effective. The only way the Broncos don’t take an offensive lineman with this pick is if there isn’t one available worth taking, which is doubtful.

29. Indianapolis Colts: Markus Golden, DE/OLB Missouri – The Colts got steamrolled by the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. They could use help along the offensive line, but their defense stood no chance against the New England Patriots, and part of that is because they couldn’t get a pass rush, which was an issue for them all season long. Golden can come in and bring a pass rush to the Colts, who are lucky to be in a QB weak division (at the moment) but when they face the other teams with top tier quarterbacks their defense gets kicked around.

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. Seattle Seahawks: Michael Bennett, DT Ohio State – The Seahawks have far from a weak defense, but they get a major upgrade here at tackle with Ohio State behind the line-of-scrimmage playmaker Michael Bennett. Bennett is a fast gap-shooter who showed that he can defend the run in last year’s postseason. Adding Bennett to this defense is just taking a major team strength and making it even stronger.

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 redzone scoring threat.