2015 NFL Mock Draft: 4th Edition

Here is the fourth edition of my 2015 NFL Mock Draft.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Jameis Winston, Quarterback, Florida State: The only know about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is that they need a franchise quarterback and neither Mike Glennon and the recently cut Josh McCown are the answer. Despite throwing 18 interceptions as a redshirt sophomore, Winston obviously possesses a high level of talent.

2. Tennessee Titans- Leonard Williams, Defensive End/Tackle, USC: A Quarterback is tempting here, but getting after Andrew Luck and the Colts with an elite pass-rusher is a must, especially the fact Indianapolis is on Tennessee's schedule twice a season.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars- Randy Gregory, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, Nebraska: The Jaguars' record isn't pretty but head coach Gus Bradley's infectious enthusiasm, a hard-hitting defense and talented rookie quarterback Blake Bortles have this franchise on the upswing. Gregory is well-suited to starring in Bradley's hybrid 4-3 alignment at the LEO defensive end, as he's long (6-5, 242 pounds), explosive and passionate against both the run and pass.

4. Oakland Raiders- Amari Cooper, Wide Receiver, Alabama: Oakland needs at least one, more likely two, very good wide receivers. Cooper could be the type of player who helps quicken Derek Carr's development.

5. Washington Redskins- Dante Fowler Jr., Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, Florida: You can never have too many pass rushers in the NFL and Washington could find themselves having to replace a pretty good one as Brian Orakpo will be a free agent. It is not certain what kind of defense new coordinator Joe Barry will run in Landover but it probably will be a scheme that will features some multiple elements, ideal for a versatile talent like Fowler. The speedy and physical Fowler seemingly lived in opposing backfields these past two years in Gainesville

6. New York Jets- Marcus Mariota, Quarterback, Oregon: The Jets need a quarterback that is capable of being a franchise player. Mariota has a chance to become one and the Jets should game on him, unless Philadelphia comes up with a godfather offer that includes future draft picks and Nick Foles for this pick.

7. Chicago Bears- Danny Shelton, Nose Tackle, Washington: Shelton moves surprisingly well for somebody of his size and he is very tough to block one-on-one, and with a strong performance at the Senior Bowl has seen his stock rise. He projects to be an excellent fit as a nose tackle in a 3-4 scheme and should be able to make an immediate impact at the position as the Bears, under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, are likely to move to a 3-4 defense.

8. Atlanta Hawks- Vic Beasley, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, Clemson: Atlanta has to improve their pass rush. Under Dan Quinn, the Falcons will need to figure out how to get pressure from the front four. Beasley is undersized but he also has 70 plays behind the line of scrimmage the past two seasons.

9. New York Giants- Shane Ray, Defensive End, Missouri: Consistent pass rush was the bread and butter of the Giants' Super Bowl-winning clubs and Ray, who has the best first step in this draft class, would be a much needed boost to the current roster.

10. St. Louis Rams- Brandon Scherff, Offensive Tackle, Iowa: The Rams boast one of the league's fastest defenses, but one-dimensional teams won't be successful in the highly competitive NFC West. Massive LT Greg Robinson showed flashes of why the Rams invested the No. 2 overall selection in him in 2014 and the Rams will have veteran Jake Long returning from injury in 2015. The interior, however, was a mess for St. Louis. Scherff will help the interior.

11. Minnesota Vikings- DeVante Parker, Wide Receiver, Louisville: The Vikings have yet to see much return on their 2013 first-round investment of Cordarrelle Patterson and head coach Mike Zimmer isn't the type to wait around. Parker and Teddy Bridgewater have ties via Louisville and the two can reunite in Minnesota.

12. Cleveland Browns- Kevin White, Wide Receiver, West Virginia: Who knows how much longer Josh Gordon will last in Cleveland, which is why wide receiver could be a possibility in the first round for the Browns. No player boosted his stock more this season than White, a 6-3, 209-pounder who climbs the ladder to make contested catches look easy.

13. New Orleans Saints- Bud Dupree, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, Kentucky: The future of Junior Galette in New Orleans is questionable, and the pass rush beyond him is questionable. Dupree has enough power to stick at end and the athleticism to play linebacker if needed.

14. Miami Dolphins- Shaq Thompson, Outside Linebacker, Washington: The Dolphins allowed an average of 121.1 yards per game on the ground in 2014. None of the teams that finished worse than Miami in this category qualified for the playoffs. Thompson starred at safety, linebacker and running back for the Huskies but projects best as a hybrid defender in the NFL. He's instinctive, athletic and a reliable open-field tackler whose game is well-suited to today's wide-open NFL.

15. San Francisco 49ers- Andrus Peat, Offensive Tackle, Stanford: The 49ers aren't likely to suddenly become more aggressive on offense with defensive-minded head coach Jim Tomsula taking the reins. With Pro Bowl guard Mike Iupati set to hit free agency and Anthony Davis struggling with injuries, the 49ers could once again re-invest along the offensive line, ignoring their needs for playmakers.

16. Houston Texans- Landon Collins, Safety, Alabama: Since being selected in the second round two year ago, DJ Swearinger has delivered some impressive hits but his struggles in coverage leaves Houston vulnerable up the middle. Collins plays with a similar degree of physicality, but is more instinctive, fluid and a proven ballhawk.

17. San Diego Chargers- TJ Clemmings, Offensive Tackle, Pittsburgh: The Chargers re-signed left tackle King Dunlap to a four-year deal and GM Tom Telesco said that the current plan is to leave D.J. Fluker at right tackle. That might change if Clemmings is on the board. Clemmings is a former defensive end who has steadily improved at right tackle the past two years. He's raw but more athletic than Fluker, who many feel projects best inside at guard.

18. Kansas City Chiefs- Devin Funchess, Wide Receiver/Tight End, Michigan: It's impressive the Chiefs are able to run the ball so effectively considering how little respect defenses have for their wide receivers. Whether Dwayne Bowe stays or not, help is needed.

19. Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo Bills)- Malcolm Brown, Defensive Tackle, Texas: The Browns finished dead last in the NFL in run defense a year ago and have allowed more than 2,000 rushing yards in 14 of the past 16 seasons - a recipe for disaster in the black and blue AFC North. The 6-4, 320-pound Brown is a stout run defender who add bulk and strength to an otherwise undersized front.

20. Philadelphia Eagles- PJ Williams, Cornerback, Florida State: With Chip Kelly now calling the personnel shots in Philadelphia, will he be privy to making a bold move up the draft board to select his former quarterback in Eugene, Marcus Mariota? You certainly could not rule it out but in the meantime, they could also use an upgrade at the cornerback position given how much the Philadelphia pass defense struggled last season. Williams has ideal size and speed for the position and he should excel in press coverage right away.

21. Cincinnati Bengals- Ereck Flowers, Offensive Tackle, Miami (Florida): The Bengals will look for a linebacker later in the draft but it is time to get an offensive tackle before they are all gone. Flowers is the fourth tackle off the board.

22. Pittsburgh Steelers- Trae Waynes, Cornerback, Michigan State: New defensive coordinator Keith Butler inherits a unit that finished 26th in the NFL against the pass, according to Pro Football Focus. None of the teams ranked worse made the playoffs. After heavy investments in the front seven over the past several years, the Steelers may turn to the secondary, especially if a talent like Waynes is still available. Waynes has the length, athleticism and ballskills teams are looking for, though his slim frame (6-0, 186) is a concern that could keep him out of the top 20.

23. Detroit Lions- Eddie Goldman, Defensive Tackle, Florida State: I doubt the Lions can afford Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley and that means a rookie DT in the draft. Big Eddie is 6'4, 336 and disruptive.

24. Arizona Cardinals- Eli Harold, Outside Linebacker, Virginia: Harold had 55 plays behind the line of scrimmage over the past two seasons and he was impressive at the combine. The Cardinals need versatile linebackers for all their pressure schemes.

25. Carolina Panthers- La'El Collins, Offensive Tackle, LSU: Cam Newton showed off plenty of toughness this season as he took a beating at times. His offensive line did perform as a unit much better down the stretch but was an abject trainwreck early in the season. A guy like Collins who can play both inside and outside would be useful. He will need to develop his pass protection skills but he is ready to maul in the run game at an NFL level.

26. Baltimore Ravens- Jaelen Strong, Wide Receiver, Arizona State: At 35, Steve Smith is a short-term fix, and Torrey Smith is a pending free agent. The aptly named Strong has the size, power and body control to win contested passes, traits that project well with the strong-armed Joe Flacco delivering passes.

27. Dallas Cowboys- Owamagbe Odighizuwa, Defensive End, UCLA: The Cowboys are hopeful that 2014 second round selection Demarcus Lawrence winds up being a difference-maker at pass rusher, but reinforcements are needed. Odighizuwa lacks name recognition but the 6-3, 267-pound defender is powerful, active and instinctive.

28. Denver Broncos- Maxx Williams, Tight End, Minnesota: Like the Cowboys, the Broncos could be faced with choosing between two offensive skill players. For the Broncos it's wide receiver Demaryus Thomas and tight end Julius Thomas. If they can't afford the latter, Williams could be brought in and become the team's starter. 

29. Indianapolis Colts- Melvin Gordon, Running Back, Wisconsin: Neither Dan Herron or Trent Richardson appear to be the answer at running back for Indianapolis. Gordon is a perfect talent that Andrew Luck would love to have.

30. Green Bay Packers- Jalen Collins, Cornerback, LSU: Green Bay has three corners set to hit free agency this March. Collins has shut down great receivers in the SEC and may just be a project Green Bay may willing to try.

31. Seattle Seahawks- AJ Cann, Guard, South Carolina: The Seahawks' James Carpenter is a free agent and has issues staying healthy. Cann is a left guard with road grader skills.

32. New England Patriots- Marcus Peters, Cornerback, Washington: The Patriots are flying high as Super Bowl champions but maintaining the championship roster will prove difficult, especially with star cornerback Darrelle Revis due a staggering $20 million in base salary and bonuses. Peters, who was kicked off the team at Washington, comes will all kinds of character red-flags but he is also the most physically talented corner in the draft.