The 2015 NFL Scouting Combine is now in the rearview mirror. Although there were some impressive performances, nothing happened to drastically change the draft outlook. Now the focus shifts to pro days and individual workouts for final evaluation.
Slowly but surely, the breakdown for the opening round is starting to take shape. Not necessarily in terms of exactly which player each team is going to take. Rather, which prospects have the resume to at least get considered inside those first 32 selections.
Then it comes down to the preference of each front office, and that creates no shortage of different scenarios. That's what makes the draft process so interesting. For now, let's check out one possible outcome for the first round.
Round 1 Mock Draft
| 1 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State |
| 2 | Tennessee Titans | Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon |
| 3 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa |
| 4 | Oakland Raiders | Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama |
| 5 | Washington Redskins | Leonard Williams, DT, USC |
| 6 | New York Jets | Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska |
| 7 | Chicago Bears | Landon Collins, SS, Alabama |
| 8 | Atlanta Falcons | Vic Beasley, DE, Clemson |
| 9 | New York Giants | Shane Ray, DE, Missouri |
| 10 | St. Louis Rams | Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State |
| 11 | Minnesota Vikings | Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford |
| 12 | Cleveland Browns | Kevin White, WR, West Virginia |
| 13 | New Orleans Saints | Alvin Dupree, DE, Kentucky |
| 14 | Miami Dolphins | Dante Fowler Jr., OLB, Florida |
| 15 | San Francisco 49ers | DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville |
| 16 | Houston Texans | La'el Collins, OT, LSU |
| 17 | San Diego Chargers | Danny Shelton, DT, Washington |
| 18 | Kansas City Chiefs | Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State |
| 19 | Cleveland Browns (from BUF) | Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State |
| 20 | Philadelphia Eagles | Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington |
| 21 | Cincinnati Bengals | Marcus Peters, CB, Washington |
| 22 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Malcom Brown, DT, Texas |
| 23 | Detroit Lions | P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State |
| 24 | Arizona Cardinals | Nate Orchard, DE, Utah |
| 25 | Carolina Panthers | T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh |
| 26 | Baltimore Ravens | Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin |
| 27 | Dallas Cowboys | Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU |
| 28 | Denver Broncos | Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota |
| 29 | Indianapolis Colts | Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State |
| 30 | Green Bay Packers | Arik Armstead, DT, Oregen |
| 31 | Seattle Seahawks | Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan |
| 32 | New England Patriots | Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma |
Mock Draft
As mentioned, the combine didn't create any situations where a player previously thought of as a top prospect suddenly plummeted down the rankings. Most of those who participated either solidified their standing or forced teams to take another look at the tape for a potential rise on the big board.
There were a couple things that stood out during the high-profile offseason event, though. So let's check out some of the most important takeaways from the prospect showcase involving possible top-five picks and examine the overall impact.
Biggest Combine Takeaways
Jameis Winston Handles Himself Very Well
Winston didn't need to attend the combine. He was firmly in the race to become the No. 1 pick and could have avoided the media spotlight by meeting with interested teams individually in the weeks ahead. Instead, he stepped into the lion's den in Indianapolis.
The result was highly impressive. On the field, he made all the throws and showcased the natural touch that allowed him to thrive in college. Off the field, he didn't shy away from any questions in his press conference. Dom Cosentino of NJ.com passed along the quarterback's strong opening statement.
If you ran the Bucs, which player would you take No. 1?
If you ran the Bucs, which player would you take No. 1?
Jameis Winston
Marcus Mariota
Other
"I want to let you all know, I know I've made mistakes, I know I have a past, but right now it's about me moving forward and earning the trust of all these 32 teams out there," he said.
Perfect. It doesn't come off like he's trying to hide his prior off-field problems. Yet, the focus is still on the future and set the tone for the entire session. He answered all of the questions and made sure to point out he's hoping to rebuild his image moving forward.
Does it eliminate every single question mark teams have about him? Of course not. Rather, it showed a level of professionalism that will be necessary once he lands with an NFL team. Another step toward becoming the first player off the board to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Leonard Williams Shines
Williams had garnered a lot of hype even before the combine. He fits the mold of J.J. Watt: a versatile defensive lineman capable of playing various roles and making a major impact. He's not on the same level as Watt—a two-time Defensive Player of the Year—yet, but the outlook is promising.
He backed up the high praise with a strong showing in Indianapolis. His intriguing combination of size, athleticism and quickness was on full display. Adam Schefter of ESPN highlighted the rarity of what the USC product was able to do:
It certainly wouldn't be a surprise if Williams ultimately becomes the best player to emerge from the 2015 class. Quarterback remains the most important position on the field. But a defensive lineman who can wreak havoc isn't far behind.
Williams could land anywhere in the top five depending on how things play out. Falling beyond that would be a shock. He could be exactly what the doctor ordered for the Washington Redskins, which lack playmakers on defense.
Amari Cooper Bolsters Case In WR Race
The quarterback battle is getting most of the attention, but the class' top wide receivers are also dueling to see who comes off the board first. Cooper is being challenged by Kevin White and DeVante Parker with no consensus at this stage.
Cooper was terrific during the on-field drills while working with some of the draft-eligible quarterbacks. Everything he did was clean, crisp and lacked any sign of stress. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network was impressed:
Make no mistake, the combine is a high-pressure situation. Prospects know it's the most publicized event of the draft process and want to leave a positive impression. Cooper seemed to trust his talent, made clean grabs and limited mistakes.
The Oakland Raiders hope they have found a franchise quarterback in Derek Carr. Now they have to build around him. The Alabama superstar would be a major addition to the offensive arsenal if his combine and collegiate performance is any indication.
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