On the Clock: Final 2015 NFL Mock Draft
It's that time of year, the NFL Draft is finally upon us. Put down the draft guides, scouting reports and prospect film, it's time to see how the board falls. Here's my first and final 2015 mock draft.
1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
The Bucs get their quarterback of the future, it would be a surprise if any other name was called.
2) Tennessee Titans: Leonard Williams, DL, Southern California
I don't buy the Mariota talk here. Tennessee gets the best overall prospect to bolster their defensive front.
3) Jacksonville Jaguars: Dante Fowler Jr., DE/OLB, Florida
Head Coach Gus Bradley comes from a Seattle team that loves to attack opposing QBs, now he gets Fowler to lead the Jaguars front seven.
4) Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
Cooper or Kevin White, could see Oakland going with either of the top receiving prospects. The Raiders pair the Alabama prospect with their promising young QB, Derek Carr.
5) Washington Redskins: Vic Beasley, DE/OLB, Clemson
Washington needs front seven help and Beasley is one of the most explosive edge players in this year's class.
6) New York Jets: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
The calm and collected Mariota is thrust into the bright lights of New York. With Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker and Chris Ivory, the Jets offense is starting to come together.
7) Chicago Bears: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
With many of the top defensive front seven prospects off the board, the Bears target Brandon Marshall's replacement.
8) Atlanta Falcons: Bud Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky
Head Coach Dan Quinn begins to rebuild Atlanta's mediocre defensive front. Look for the Falcons to try and trade up. This is the first spot where running back Todd Gurley could be in play.
9) New York Giants: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
The Giants get the talented and versatile Iowa lineman to help keep Eli Manning upright. Plug and play.
10) St. Louis Rams: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
With the NFC West's strong defensive fronts, look for the Rams to target their offensive line.
11) Minnesota Vikings: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
The Vikings pair Parker with his former college QB, Teddy Bridgewater.
12) Cleveland Browns: Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
The Washington defensive lineman is big, strong and explosive. Immediately upgrading the interior of Cleveland's defense.
13) New Orleans Saints: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
Sean Peyton loves his offensive weapons, but the defense should be the top priority in this draft. Waynes makes too much sense at this spot.
14) Miami Dolphins: Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest
With Waynes off the board, the Dolphins target Johnson to help build their secondary. Gurley is also an option.
15) San Francisco 49ers: Arik Armstead, DL, Oregon
The 49ers have lost a ton of defensive talent this off-season. Armstead is a versatile lineman that can help fill the void in the middle of their defense.
16) Houston Texans: Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida
With Andre Johnson gone, it's time to add a playmaker on the outside to pair with Deandre Hopkins.
17) San Diego Chargers: Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (FL)
Running back is a possibility in this spot, with Melvin Gordon a good potential fit, but San Diego elects to add help in the trenches.
18) Kansas City Chiefs: Cameron Erving, OL, Florida State
After losing Rodney Hudson in free agency, Erving would be a nice addition for Andy Reid. The FSU prospect can play anywhere on the line.
19) Cleveland Browns: Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
The Browns continue their rebuild of the wide receiver position, taking the sure-handed Strong for whoever is under-center this fall.
20) Philadelphia Eagles: Byron Jones, CB, UConn
Almost impossible to predict what Chip Kelly will do on draft day, but the athletic Jones could help Philadelphia's mediocre secondary. Keep an eye out for ASU safety Damarious Randall, too.
21) Cincinnati Bengals: Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon
The Bengals reportedly love Fisher and they get add him to the offensive line to keep Andy Dalton protected.
22) Pittsburgh Steelers: Landon Collins, S, Alabama
Some have suggested a cornerback here, which is a definite possibility, but safety is a need with Troy Polamalu retiring a few weeks ago. Collins helps turn the page to a new-look Steelers defense.
23) Detroit Lions: Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
With Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley moving on in free agency, this would be a solid addition to the middle of Detroit's defense.
24) Arizona Cardinals: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
Finally, Gurley comes off the board. It's hard to imagine him lasting this long, but Bruce Arians won't let him fall past this point.
25) Carolina Panthers: D.J. Humphreis, OT, Florida
Wide receiver is also in play here, but the Panthers offensive line is a mess. They stick with their board and address their top need.
26) Baltimore Ravens: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
Cornerback is the most glaring need for Baltimore and they land arguably the most talented cornerback prospect in this class.
27) Dallas Cowboys: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
Gordon falls, but could be scary behind Dallas' monster offensive line. Dynamic playmaker that can take pressure off Tony Romo.
28) Denver Broncos: Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
It's easy. Protect Peyton Manning, contend in January. The Broncos add to their offensive line.
29) Indianapolis Colts: Jalen Collins, CB, Louisiana State
The run of cornerbacks in the first-round continues. Collins is raw, but very athletic with a high upside.
30) Green Bay Packers: Denzel Perryman, LB, Miami (FL)
The Packers look to add more talent to the defense. Defensive line, linebacker and cornerback all in play. Perryman would fill a hole and give Green Bay the ability to put Clay Matthews back on the edge.
31) New Orleans Saints: Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska
Once though of as a top-10 selection, Gregory falls because of a failed drug test. Continuing with the defensive theme, the Saints add a much-needed edge prospect to their defense.
32) New England Patriots: Eddie Goldman, DL, Florida State
The void left by Vince Wilfork is huge, figuratively and literally. Goldman makes a lot of sense if the Patriots decide to keep this pick, we all know trading down is a big possibility though.
New England struggled against the run last season and the Florida State prospect could make an immediate impact. At 6'4, 336, Goldman is a big-bodied lineman with a lot of upside. He plays with power, violent hands and can control the middle of the field. He can two-gap and move offensive blockers at the point of attack.
Goldman's biggest negative is the lack of a consistent pass rush. Pairing him with last year's defensive tackle Dominique Easley, however, could prove to be a dangerous tandem. If Goldman can eat up space in the middle, he'll free up other players in New England's front seven to get after opposing quarterbacks.
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