Ramblin’ Fan NFL mock draft
With one week left until the 2015 NFL draft, there are still a lot we don’t know about who will go where.
And, its a good chance a few of the top 10 picks will surprise us, but its still fun to create your own mock draft, especially this close to the draft.
Mar 31, 2015; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston throws during FSU Football Pro Day at the Albert J. Dunlap Athletic Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports
So without further adieu, here is my latest NFL mock draft with details on every pick and why I chose that player.
1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston QB
Winston is “NFL ready” in my opinion. Its just a matter of his maturity at this point. We all know how talented he is. His ability to throw balls into spots that only a handful of quarterbacks can do shows how special he can be. Winston had a near flawless combine. He was extremely accurate, and with the weapons already in place for him in Tampa, it seems to be a great fit for him. Look for Tampa to draft Winston and use the rest of their draft building the offensive line and defense.
2) New York Jets: Trade up from 6th pick with Tennessee. Titans receive 6th pick, 2nd round pick and a future pick, and draft Marcus Mariota QB
This is the most interesting pick in this years draft I think. Several teams could trade up to the second spot to draft who I believe will be Marcus Mariota out of Oregon. The Titans have a lot of faith in second year quarterback Zach Mettenberger so don’t be surprised if they opt to trade down and pick up a slew of picks to build their team else where on the field. The Jets have shown a lot of interest in Mariota so I project them to trade up with the Titans. Look for The Philadelphia Eagles as well as the San Diego Chargers to try to trade up as well, but with them being in the late teens, it would take a lot to get Mariota, who I believe will be drafted with the number two overall pick regardless of what team that is in that spot.
3) Jacksonville Jaguars: Amari Cooper WR
The Jaguars, under rookie quarterback Blake Bortles, did not produce a ton of offense for several reasons. After drafting Bortles in the first round, the Jaguars drafted two wide receivers, Allen Hurnes and Marqise Lee. Hurnes was having a solid season before a stress fracture in his foot forced the Jaguars to place him on season-ending injured reserve after playing in just 10 games. Lee disappointed, playing in 13 games while catching just two touchdowns. Amari Cooper would give Bortles a sure fire receiver to throw too, to go along with Hurnes as well as Lee and Cecill Shorts. This would give the Jaguars two great receivers in Cooper and Hurnes to go along with a very solid Shorts and Lee. Many people have the Jaguars selecting a defensive player with this pick, but I do not see them passing up on such a talented receiver at this spot in the draft.
4) Oakland Raiders: Leonard Williams
A defensive lineman standing 6-5, 302 pounds should not possess the explosive quickness Williams puts on display. Williams is by far the best defensive player in the draft and with the Raiders missing out on Cooper in this situation, the next best player is Williams. Despite battling ankle and shoulder ailments last season, Williams finished with 80 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks. Williams grew up a die-hard Raiders fan, so this makes perfect sense for the Raiders to keep him in California for his career. Williams can play both inside and outside on the defensive line, something not a lot of lineman can do which sets him apart from everyone else in the draft. I will be very surprised if the Raiders pass on Williams if Cooper is off of the board.
5) Washington Redskins: Vic Beasley
Everyone is on the Dante Fowler bandwagon as the pick for the Redskins at number five. So for that reason I am not going to pick him. In the most recent mock draft that Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd Mcshay completed together had Beasley dropping out of the first round, which I find laughable. Everyone’s con to Beasley’s game point out that he is too small. They point it out in his highlight tape. But what they don’t tell you is that he has put on 20 pounds since the end of the 2014 season and absolutely killed his combine with off the chart numbers. the Redskins run a 3-4 defensive scheme which would fit Beasley’s game perfectly. Beasley is much better as a stand-up pass-rusher and would be a great fit in Washington in my opinion.
Nov 15, 2014; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators defensive lineman Dante Fowler Jr. (6) rushes against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the Florida Gators 23-20 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
6) Tennessee Titans: Dante Fowler
This is a very difficult pick to make seeing as it is complete speculation that the Titans will be picking in this spot, but I see Fowler as a great fit in Tennessee. Fowler will likely take his talents to the Redskins but I like to be different so here we are. Leading sack-getter Derrick Morgan decided to remain a Titan and would give Tennessee two great edge rushers in Morgan and Fowler. The Titans could also go offensive line with this pick but I fell they will take one of several pass rushers with this pick because you can never have enough pass rushers!Regardless if this pick is made by the Titans, Jets or any other team, I doubt a name will be called that isn’t listed as a pass rusher.
7) Chicago Bears: Randy Gregory
This is one of the hardest picks to select in the top ten if everyone chooses to pick in the spot they are scheduled to pick in. The Bears could go two different ways with this pick. Either a pass rusher or a wide receiver. Amari Cooper will be off the table when the Bears pick so it will either be WR Kevin White’s name called in the spot, or a pass rusher. there are a slew of pass rushers that they could choose from Bud Dupree to Gregory to Shane Ray or Beasley if he is in this spot. I have the Bears selecting Gregory mainly because he appears to be “NFL ready.” Gregory seems to have dropped in mock’s because of his reported failed drug test but this doesn’t bother me whatsoever. Gregory does not have a drug problem and should be a great pass rusher for years to come.
8) Atlanta Falcons: Bud Dupree
Selecting Dupree with this pick would be great for the Falcons. It is well known that Atlanta needs all the help they can get with their front seven. And what you are getting with Dupree is is a freak athlete who will instantly step in and make a big impact for a team that desperately needs it. Beasley is another guy that could go to the Falcons in the spot if he is available as well as Ray or Gregory. At this point in time, I am not so sure who the Falcons will select with this pick if Gregory, Ray, Beasley and Dupree were all available at pick eight. With reports that Ray “killed” his workout with the Falcons this past week, would make you believe that Ray could be selected here if available but this pick is a toss up at this point. Regardless of who they select, I full expect any of these pass rushers to improve the Falcons’ defense tremendously.
9) New York Giants: Brandon Scherff
The Giants already have a two-time Superbowl champion quarterback in Eli Manning and a top 10 wide receiver in Odell Beckham Jr. But what the need is for Eli to have more than two seconds to throw the ball. In comes Scherff who will give the Giants a much needed blocker on the offensive line. This should be the first lineman taken in the draft unless something wild happens. Hate Manning or not, he has two rings, so he has done something right. But ever since their last title, the Giants’ offensive line has diminished and has turned into below average at best. This is where the Giants begin to rebuild a tarnished offensive line.
Dec 29, 2014; Memphis, TN, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers wide receiver Kevin White (11) catches a pass during the game in the 2014 Liberty Bowl at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Texas A&M Aggies beat West Virginia Mountaineers 45 – 37. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports
10) St. Louis Rams: Kevin White
The Rams need two things. A wide receiver and an offensive lineman. I just don’t see how the Rams could pass on White if he is available at 10. Some argue that the Rams struggle to get the best out of the receivers the have drafted in the past. But White doesn’t need any of that. He is “NFL ready.” Have you seen this man play football? Watch his tape against Alabama. Watch his combine. A man 6-3, 215 pounds shouldn’t run a 4.35 40, but he did. Yes, the Rams need offensive line help, but there are seven rounds folks. Scherff will all but likely be of the board so there goes your clear cut number one lineman. Take your freak athlete of a wide receiver in the first round and draft two or three offensive lineman with your remaining picks. White is too good to let go to draft a lineman that may or may not workout in the long run. Look back at previous NFL draft where teams passed on franchise quarterbacks or receivers in order to address the offensive line. And see where that got them? May I remind you of the 2008 NFL draft? The draft where the Rams selected Chris Long over Matt Ryan? Would you go back and redo that choice over again if you could? Because I would. Long is a very good lineman, but Matt Ryan was by far the best pick in the first round. So don’t pass on White if he is there. Please don’t.
What do you guys think? Let me know who you would take in any of these spots.