Here is my fifth edition of my 2015 NFL Mock Draft. With free agency really over now we can get a clear idea of what exactly every team needs. Sorry it's been awhile since I did one, too much college basketball.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Jameis Winston, Quarterback, Florida State: Winston checks all of the boxes as the Buccaneers’ franchise quarterback. He is a polished pocket passer with the charisma and leadership skills to help the Buccaneers get over the hump in the NFC South.
2. Tennessee Titans- Marcus Mariota, Quarterback, Oregon: As we get closer to the draft, the interest in Mariota seems to be intensifying. So many teams are sending so many people to interview and work out Mariota, there has to be a high level of interest there. Because of that, it’s becoming hard to see him get past the second pick in the draft. Whether it’s actually Tennessee making the pick is another story.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars- Dante Fowler Jr., Defensive End, Florida: The Jaguars would welcome a violent edge rusher with the grit, explosiveness and rush skill to dominate at the point of attack. Fowler would give Gus Bradley the disruptive playmaker the Jaguars need to bully opponents in the AFC.
4. Oakland Raiders- Leonard Williams, Defensive Tackle, USC: If we see the top two quarterbacks come off the board before Oakland picks, there’s a good chance they’ll have the opportunity to take Williams. He’s the best player in the draft and would help Oakland’s run defense. Williams could be put next to free agent signing Dan Williams, giving Oakland a formidable duo. Williams can also move out to end in certain situations and give the outside pass rush a boost.
5. Washington Redskins- Vic Beasley, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, Clemson: New GM Scot McCloughan loves long, rangy athletes with speed and quickness. Beasley is a dominant pass rusher with exceptional first-step quickness and closing burst.
6. New York Jets- Shane Ray, Defensive End, Missouri: The Jets desperately need a dominant pass rusher to make Todd Bowles’ aggressive system go. Ray is a gritty edge player with a non-stop motor and impressive first-step quickness.
7. Chicago Bears- Amari Cooper, Wide Receiver, Alabama: The most polished WR in the draft would be the ideal complementary playmaker opposite Alshon Jeffery. Cooper is a refined route runner with exceptional hands and ball skills.
8. Atlanta Falcons- Randy Gregory, Outside Linebacker, Nebraska: Teams have plenty of questions for Gregory after he failed two drug tests at Nebraska and another one at the combine. While he may fall out of the top five, the need for pass rushers in the draft is heavy. That’s especially evident with the Falcons. A team will take a risk with Gregory considering he’s already in Stage 1 of the NFL substance abuse program. But if he stays clean, he could make a big impact.
9. New York Giants- Brandon Scherff, Offensive Tackle, Iowa: The Giants could really use an offensive lineman at this spot here. It is one of their bigger needs so I'm sure general manager Jerry Reese will likely use this pick on Scherff or perhaps another offensive lineman.
10. St. Louis Rams- Kevin White, Wide Receiver, West Virginia: The Rams might consider Mariota if he was here but providing Nick Foles with a potential star receiver could be another way to spark St. Louis' disappointing passing attack. No player has boosted his stock more this season than White, who climbs the ladder to make contested catches look easy and answered any questions about his athleticism with a spectacular workout at the combine.
11. Minnesota Vikings- DeVante Parker, Wide Receiver, Louisville: Reuniting Teddy Bridgewater with his favorite target with the Cardinals just makes too much sense. Regardless of whether Adrian Peterson returns to the Vikings or not, offensive coordinator Norv Turner will continue to pound the football and take deep shots down the field in the passing attack. That fits the 6-3, 209 pound Parker (he of 4.40 speed) perfectly.
12. Cleveland Browns- Ereck Flowers, Offensive Tackle, Miami: The Browns need an offensive tackle adept at moving people off the ball. The ex-Hurricane displays the explosive strength and power to handle a starting right tackle position.
13. New Orleans Saints- Danny Shelton, Nose Tackle, Washington: New Orleans really could use Shelton who fortifies the defensive line by adding a big-bodied defensive tackle with strength, power and athleticism.
14. Miami Dolphins- Jaelen Strong, Wide Receiver, Arizona State: Miami has a need at wide receiver and Strong will fill the need. Strong is an excellent vertical receiver and really excels at high-pointing passes.
15. San Francisco 49ers- Arik Armstead, Defensive Tackle, Oregon: With Justin Smith contemplating retirement, Armstead could be viewed as the perfect replacement along the line. His size and length makes him an ideal 5-technique in the 49ers’ scheme.
16. Houston Texans- Trae Waynes, Cornerback, Michigan State: Houston can go in numerous directions with this pick. Waynes, NFLDraftScout.com's top-rated cornerback, has the length, athleticism and ballskills to step in and play immediately on a defense that remains one of the NFL's best.
17. San Diego Chargers- Melvin Gordon, Running Back, Wisconsin: The Chargers seemed to pay extra attention to Gordon at his Pro Day and may see the Heisman Trophy finalist as the back best prepared to make an immediate impact in the NFL. Gordon's speed and underrated receiving skills could make him a perfect complement to an offense built around Philip Rivers.
18. Kansas City Chiefs- Jalen Collins, Cornerback, LSU: The Chiefs have a legitimate standout corner in Sean Smith but could use reinforcements opposite him. Collins only started 10 games at LSU over his career but scouts love his upside.
19. Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo Bills)- Malcolm Brown, Defensive Tackle, Texas: The recent signings of Dwayne Bowe and Brian Hartline alleviate some of the pressure to take a pass catcher in Round 1. They could opt to add a big-bodied run stuffer like Brown to a defense that’s rounding into form under Mike Pettine.
20. Philadelphia Eagles- Andrus Peat, Offensive Tackle, Auburn: I would not rule out Chip Kelly moving up into the top of the draft to draft his former quarterback from Oregon, Marcus Mariota, but Peat has the size and foot speed to be a quality pass rusher and enough power and attitude in the run game.
21. Cincinnati Bengals- La'El Collins, Offensive Tackle, LSU: If the Bengals use a first-round pick on an offensive lineman, the hope would probably be that player overtaking Andre Smith for the starting right tackle job. Collins should be able to. At the worst, he could push for a starting guard spot.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers- Marcus Peters, Cornerback, Washington: During the pro day process, the Steelers have been associated with some of the better cornerbacks in the draft. It stands to reason they’re going to take one high. Peters has the ability to be the best one, as long as he doesn’t get into a disagreement with coaches.
23. Detroit Lions- Eddie Goldman, Defensive Tackle, Florida State: Although the Lions traded for Haloti Ngata and signed Tyrunn Walker, the depth there can be improved. Goldman could be brought along slowly, which might be best for him. He’s inconsistent, but incredibly disruptive when he’s on.
24. Arizona Cardinals- Bud Dupree, Outside Linebacker, Kentucky: The ex-Wildcat is a spectacular athlete with explosive speed, quickness and power. He is a better athlete than player at this point, but he could develop into a disruptive force when he settles in as an edge rusher in the Cardinals’ hybrid 3-4.
25. Carolina Panthers- TJ Cemmings, Offensive Tackle, Pittsburgh: The Panthers need to secure the edges of the offensive line to help Cam Newton improve his performance from the pocket. Humphries is a developmental prospect with the length and athleticism to succeed at offensive tackle.
26. Baltimore Ravens- Devin Smith, Wide Receiver, Ohio State: System fit. In this scenario, it would be hard for the Ravens to find a wide receiver who fits Baltimore better than Smith. He’s an impressive deep threat who can take the top off a defense. Going forward he’ll have to continue improving his route running, but he showed signs of it at the Senior Bowl.
27. Dallas Cowboys- Todd Gurley, Running Back, Georgia: With the signing of Greg Hardy, the Cowboys don’t necessarily have to take a pass rusher in the first round. If they don’t, you have to consider running back one of their biggest needs. Gurley is a player who could be the team’s bell cow for years, as long as he stays healthy.
28. Denver Broncos- Maxx Williams, Tight End, Minnesota: The loss of Julius Thomas and Jacob Tamme in Gary Kubiak's TE-friendly offense significant but the Broncos could see a cheap alternative via the draft in Williams. He possesses the size, mobility and soft hands to warrant early comparisons to Dallas Cowboys All-Pro Jason Witten.
29. Indianapolis Colts- Landon Collins, Strong Safety, Alabama: The ex-Alabama standout is a versatile playmaker capable of playing down near the box or roaming as a deep middle defender.
30. Green Bay Packers- Eric Kendricks, Inside Linebacker, UCLA: The Packers may have been a dropped onside kick from playing in the Super Bowl but allowing 157 rushing yards to Marshawn Lynch in the NFC Championship Game didn't help. It also wasn't a one game issue, as the Packers finished the regular season ranked 23rd in the league in run defense and have since released inside linebackers A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones. Kendricks lacks the bulk of a traditional 3-4 inside linebacker but his instincts, speed and ball-skills could be the quick fix GM Ted Thompson is looking for.
31. New Orleans Saints (via Seattle Seahawks)- Dorial Green-Beckham, Wide Receiver, Missouri: After trading away Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills, the Saints need to add more weapons to the passing game. DGB has off-field issues, but he is arguably the most talented pass catcher in the draft and has the potential to make a Plaxico Burress-like impact on the perimeter.
32. New England Patriots- AJ Cann, Guard, South Carolina: Even in their Super Bowl win over the Seattle Seahawks, it was evident that the Patriots need to improve their interior offensive line play. Cann combines power and athleticism, making him formidable on the inside. His footwork is solid and he doesn’t often need help blocking. He’s the type of player who could come in and start immediately and give New England a nice core alongside center Bryan Stork.
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