Happy Draft Day: Final Mock 2015

The big day is here!  As Jurassic Park Samuel L. Jackson would say, "Hold on to your butts".   It's going to be a wild one.  I wouldn't go as far as to call this a weak draft, but you'd be hard pressed to find a class with a wider variety of opinions on each player.  Here's my feeble attempt at a final mock draft.

1. Tampa Bay

No change here. Can famous Jameis keep his life on track where so many other young players have derailed in Tampa?

The Pick: Jameis Winston, QB Florida State

2. Tennessee

The world seems to have come to their senses on Mariota as there is no longer any talk of him falling outside of the top 5.  Strangely, a lot of people are gravitating towards Mariota in the #2 overall slot, but hardly anyone thinks the Titans will pick him.  I don't know if I've ever seen a consensus mock trade before.  Normally, analysts shy away from projecting draft-day trades like they are some kind of ebola-laced popsicle.  Tennessee is pushing hard to generate a bidding war, but I'm not sure it will ever develop.  No one quite offers the price they are looking for, and they don't want to shoe-horn Mariota into their system.  Leonard Williams will make a nice centerpiece for an already solid front seven.

The Pick: Leonard Williams, DE USC.

3. Jacksonville 

The Jaguars will not take Mariota at pick 3, but somebody will.  The QB position is too important for someone not to take the gamble to trade up and Jacksonville won't ask for near the ransom that Tennessee is demanding.  Cleveland, New York, Washington, St. Louis; someone will get antsy.  I think it will be Chicago.

The Pick: Marcus Mariota, QB Oregon

4. Oakland

Williams is the latest name getting penciled in to Oakland, but he's by far the third best player in this class.  I don't think he gets outside of the top three.  And with the top three prospects gone, there isn't much trade-down potential.  You need a number one receiver Oakland. It is a strong class, but don't try to get cute with the second round.  Picking Cooper/White will help your team the most. 

The Pick: Amari Cooper, WR Alabama

5. Washington

A lot of people see this as a trade-down slot.  It might be,  but I think Washington will take what they think is the best player available.  Trade or no trade, pick 5 will be Kevin White.   Pierre Garcon can't stay healthy, and White would makes for a nice compliment to DeSean Jackson.

The Pick: Kevin White, WR West Virginia

6. New York Jets

Vic Beasley's athleticism is too much for New York to pass up.  Rex Ryan will be jealous.

The Pick: Vic Beasley, OLB Clemson

7.   Chicago

Jacksonville moves down and picks up the player they wanted to begin with.  

The Pick: Dante Fowler, DE Florida

8. Atlanta

Bud Dupree is a boom or bust prospect, but 270 lb. defenders that look fluid dropping into coverage are pretty rare.  Atlanta needs D-line talent.  Why not swing for the fences?

The Pick: Bud Dupree, DE Kentucky

9. New York Giants

There have been a lot of mock drafts projecting O-line to the Giants, but DT feels like the bigger need. 

The Pick: Danny Shelton, DT Washington

10. St. Louis

A versatile lineman that can play guard or tackle is the perfect fit for the Rams who need interior help and a backup plan at both OT spots.

The Pick: Brandon Scherff, OT/G Iowa

11. Minnesota

Todd Gurley is getting top ten buzz right now.  That's a little too rich for my blood, but once we get in the 10 to 20 range all bets are off.  I'm predicting Miami or Sand Diego trades into the 11 slot. 

The Pick: Todd Gurley, RB Georgia

12. Cleveland

Cleveland stays put and goes to work on their defensive line.  Malcom Brown is stout enough to play the run, but has valuable pass rush skills as well.  

The Pick: Malcom Brown, DT Florida State

13. New Orleans

New Orleans, could go a variety of directions here.  WR makes sense or NT if Shelton falls.   L'ael Collins would give them OT/G flexibility, but Andrus Peat is the best OT prospect in the class. 

The Pick: Andrus Peat, OT Stanford

14. Miami

DeVante Parker would round out the Dolphins' WR overhaul nicely.  Or is this Minnesota picking?  Either way, Parker would be a great fit for every team picking in the 10 to 20 range.  He won't fall far.  Someone will move up to snag him.

The Pick: DeVante Parker, WR Louisville

15. San Francisco

The 49ers will try to regain their physicality in the trenches.  Collins is a fierce run blocker with decent starting OT upside. 

The Pick: L'ael Collins, OT LSU

16. Houston

The Texans could use a burner across from DeAndre Hopkins.  With a little luck he'll develop into a star.

The Pick: Breshad Perriman, WR Central Florida

17. San Diego

The Vikings drop back and pick up the kind of corner coach Mike Zimmer craves.

The Pick: Trae Waynes, CB Michigan St.

18. Kansas City

O-line feels like K.C.'s biggest need.  I'm torn between Cameron Erving at center and D.J. Humphries at OT.  When in doubt opt for the higher value position.

The Pick: D.J. Humphries, OT Florida

19. Cleveland  

Imagine the cries we'll hear when Cleveland passes on WR with both of their first round picks.  Coach Mike Pettine gets another big body up front to play with.

The Pick: Arik Armstead, DE Oregon

20. Philadelphia  

The Eagles will take a strong look at Landon Collins, but instead opt for USC's Swiss army knife receiver. 

The Pick: Nelson Agholor, WR USC

21. Cincinnati

The buzz in Cincinnati is starting to center around OT's.  Everyone rails on and on that the Bengals need to improve their pass rush. Pundits' heads will really spin when two of the widely heralded pass rushers fall into their laps and they take a backup OT.    Will Cincy pull that trigger?  I think it depends if Humphries falls.  In this scenario he does not.  They can wait a round to see if one of the available alterntives slides a little.  Owamabe Odighizuwa and Cameron Erving are still my favorites, but it will be interesting if Shane Ray and Randy Gregory are both still available.  Both have character concerns that Marvin Lewis has to be comforatable with.  I think they'll do their due diligence and decide they can afford the risk at 21 for one of the two guys.  The next question becomes, can either player play linebacker?   Gregory is the better candidate based on speed and acceleration, but I'm not sure where he plays at 230 lbs.  Ray looks like the more well rounded player in game footage and has already shown the ability to carry 245 lbs. on his frame.  He has a lingering foot injury and most likely won't be available until the start of the season.  That's not ideal, but he can work behind Lamur starting out and fill in with spot pass rushing duties. He doesn't necessarily have to learn to play linebacker right away.  It's funny, all these years later and they are making the David Pollack pick again.  Maybe this time it will stick.

The Pick: Shane Ray, OLB Missouri    

22. Pittsburgh

The steelers long-in-the-tooth DB's finally retired.  Now it's time to restock.

The Pick: Jalen Collins, CB LSU

23. Detroit  

Half of the beastly defensive line they built over the last five years defected in free agency.  Ziggy Ansah remains, but he'll need help sooner rather than later.

The Pick: Preston Smith, DE Mississippi St.

24. Arizona  

The Cardinals could use reinforcements in their defensive front seven, but Erving makes for a nice upgrade at center to solidify their interior O-line.

The Pick: Cameron Erving, C Florida St. 

25. Carolina  

Marcus Peters is only available because he got himself kicked of his college squad because of his attitude.  Right around pick 18 teams will start to talk themselves into his talent.

The Pick: Marcus Peters, CB Washington

26. Baltimore  

In some kind of twisted self-torture, I always tend to mock the players I like most to the teams I like least. 

The Pick: Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE UCLA

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27. Dallas

The Cowboys still need defensive talent.  Eddie Goldman can step right in and contribute. 

The Pick: Eddie Goldman, DT Florida State

28. Denver

The Broncos need players that can contribute right away, preferably on the offensive and defensive lines.  Laken Tomlinson fits the bill.

The Pick: Laken Tomlinson, G Duke

29. Indianapolis

Landon Collins (last Collins in the round, I promise) slides a little bit due to his lack of versatility.  The Colts, looking for a strong safety will gladly give him a new home.

The Pick: Landon Collins, S Alabama

30. Green Bay

The Packers aren't really a draft-for-need kind of team, but this makes too much sense. 

The Pick: Eric Kendricks, ILB UCLA

31. New Orleans

Dorial Green-Beckham is a big risk, but at 31 and as New Orleans' second first round pick the through-the-roof potential is worth the gamble.

The Pick:Dorial Green-Beckham

32.  New England   

Some are predicting a random Bill Belichick guard or DT pick here.  I think it will be his classic trade-down maneuver.  Someone moves back into the first round for Melvin Gordon.
The Pick: Melvin Gordon, RB Wisconsin