The time has finally come to finally unveil the first mock draft of the season. I don’t know about you, but nothing gets my blood going like a frenzied NFL offseason and has 2015 ever been a frenzy. With names like Ndamukong Suh, DeMarco Murray, Julius Thomas and Darrelle Revis on the market a chaotic market was to be assumed but it was the trades that really took the headlines with Pro Bowlers being shipped left and right.
The path to the draft begins with free agency. Needs can be addressed by adding veterans, stop gaps can be found (ahem, Ryan Fitzpatrick to the Jets), and draft boards can be adjusted as a result. I mean the whole draft order in general changed after the Seattle Sehawks sent their first-round selection to the New Orleans Saints for Jimmy Graham Pro Days as well have been underway so now we can start to see who the raisers and fallers are amongst the prospects coming into the league.
Good things come to those who wait, and without dragging this out any longer. Here is the first mock draft of the season.
1.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida St.
This is pretty much a done deal. While questions will always surround his off-field issues, the talent will land him No. 1 overall.
2.) Tennessee Titans: Leonard Williams, DT, USC
Coach Ken Whisenhunt and defensive coordinator took the first steps in converting to a 3-4 defense from a 4-3. Williams will is a huge building block in seeing that defense thrive.
3.) Jacksonville Jaguars: Dante Fowler, DE/OLB, Florida
As they showed last year, the Jags can be a wild card. They will likely go with the best player available. Could be Fowler, could be Amari Cooper.
4.) Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
The Raiders are taking a receiver, that much is obvious. But which one? Cooper is the proven player that GM Reggie McKenzie likes.
5.) Washington Redskins: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan St.
Another wild card spot. With their first pick last year, the Redskins chose Trent Murphy which looks to be Brian Orakpo’s replacement. They have no one in the secondary so Wayne’s is the choice but if the verdict is still out on Murphy, expect a pass rusher here.
6.) New York Jets: Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska
The Ryan Fitzpatrick addition (and familiarity with coordinator Chan Gailey) allows the Jets to go a different route than quarterback. Gregory is the pass rush Gang Green has sorely missed.
7.) Chicago Bears: Shane Ray, DE/OLB, Missouri
Converting, presumably, to a 3-4 under new coordinator Vic Fangio. They have no linebackers as of now to make that work.
8.) Atlanta Falcons: Vic Beasley, DE/OLB, Clemson
New coach Gus Bradley likes his chess pieces on defense to move around. Like his former pupil in Seattle Bruce Irvin, Beasley can be that moveable pass rusher.
9.) New York Giants: D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida
The G-Men are another team that could go in any direction in this draft. The o-line has a lot of holes, Humphries could start at right tackle and Justin Pugh could kick inside at guard.
10.) St. Louis Rams: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
The Rams have lacked a playmaker for sometime. Brian Quick seemed to be emerging before and injury derailed his season. White is a playmaker without question.
11.) Minnesota Vikings: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
The cupboard is thin in Minnesota even despite the Mike Wallace trade. Connecting Parker with his college quarterback Teddy Bridgewater makes this pick a no-brainer.
12.) Cleveland Browns: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
The Browns receiving the Bills first-round choice this year in a trade from last year’s draft allows the Browns to right a wrong from a year ago. Mariota, is the right man for the job in Cleveland.
13.) New Orleans Saints: Brandon Scherff, OG, Iowa
The team had to dump guard Ben Grubbs to make some cap space. Scherff can fill in the left guards shoes from Day One.
14.) Miami Dolphins: La’el Collins, OT, LSU
Left tackle Branden Albert will be coming back from injury and last year’s first-round draft choice Ju’Wuan James seems locked in at right. Collins can kick inside and allow Mike Pouncey to return to center.
15.) San Francisco 49ers: Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
A dream come true for the Niners. Age has caught up to the Niners d-line. Shelton will be an injection of youth and can anchor the d-line as veteran Justin Smith heads for retirement.
16.) Houston Texans: Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona
The Andre Johnson Era in Houston is over and depth at receiver was already thin. Strong is a solid compliment to the playmaking DeAndre Hopkins.
17.) San Diego Chargers: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
The Chargers have finally solved their running back woes. Injuries and little depth has plagued the Bolts backfield ever since LaDanian Tomlinson left. Gordon will take some pressure off of quarterback Phillip Rivers.
18.) Kansas City Chiefs: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
The Chiefs wide receivers had zero touchdowns in 2014. In one offseason they add Jeremy Maclin and, in this scenario, DGB? I don’t think touchdowns will be a problem in 2015.
19.) Cleveland Browns: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida St.
The Browns run defense was atrocious last season. Goldman and clog some of the running lanes.
20.) Philadelphia Eagles: Landon Collins, S, Alabama
Coach Chip Kelly has made wave after wave of big moves this free agency. Safety, however, is one position he has yet to address. Collins sures up a revamped secondary.
21.) Cincinnati Bengals: T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pitt
Age is finally starting to creep into the Bengals offensive line. Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith. Clemmings will take over one of those spots in Year 2.
22.) Pitsburgh Steelers: P.J. Williams, CB, Florida St.
The Steelers secondary is on the brink of an absolute meltdown. Not to mention their pass rush is severely lacking, however after drafting linebackers in the first round the past two years, Williams finally addresses the cornerback position.
23.) Detroit Lions: Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
Brown has the diversity to play a 4-3 or a 3-4. After losing Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley via free agency, adding Haloti Ngata and Brown will take away much of the sting.
24.) Arizona Cardinals: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
The Cards used free agency to address many defensive issues. They also signed guard road grader Mike Iupati but still have no lead back. Problem solved with Gurley.
25.) Carolina Panthers: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
Franchise left tackle Jordan Gross retired last season and the Panthers did nothing to address the issue. I think they have learned from their mistake.
26.) Baltimore Ravens: Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF
Steve Smith isn’t getting any younger and Torrey Smith went to join Anquan Boldin in San Francisco. Not much is left. Perriman could develop into a true number one target with patience.
27.) Dallas Cowboys: Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio St.
For the fast flowing Tamp 2 style defense that coordinator Rod Marinelli likes to run in Bid D, Bennett is an ideal fit who can play inside and out.
28.) Denver Broncos: Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
New head coach Gary Kubiak has brought along his former defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, that means another team will be transitioning from a 4-3 to a 3-4. To run a 3-4 you need a nose tackle to anchor the line and Phillips is a mountain.
29.) Indianapolis Colts: Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
Both quarterback Andrew Luck and new running back Frank Gore need better blocking upfront. Flowers could be a Day One starter on the right side.
30.) Green Bay Packers: Denzel Perryman, ILB, Miami
The Packers cut A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones. That leaves close to no one on the inside of the Packers 3-4 defense. Perryman mirrors Chris Borland, the Niners sleeper from last year’s draft.
31.) New Orleans Saints: Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
The Saints have starting corners in Keenan Lewis and newly signed Brandon Browner but nothing after that. A raw prospect with undeniable talent and great size, Collins will have the chance to develop without being thrown to the wolves right out of the gate.
32.) New England Patriots: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
The Super Bowl champs lost both starting cornerbacks via free agency. Peters has premier talent but was dismissed from the Huskies midseason after getting into it with coaches. The Hoodie could get Peters to reach his potential.
50.) Buffalo Bills: Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
The Bills addressed a ton of needs via free agency but tight end is an open spot after Scott Chandler left via free agency. Williams is a well-rounded talent.
63.) Seattle Seahawks: Jeremiah Poutasi, OG, Utah
The Seahawks traded away their first-round pick and Pro Bowl center Max Unger to the Saints for tight end Jimmy Graham. The first-round pick is a good swap but losing Unger and guard James Carpenter has left some major question marks along the line. Poutasi, will prove his worth by helping pave the way for Marshawn Lynch.
