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http://www.drafttek.com/2015-NFL-Mock-Draft-Round1.asp
10 St Louis Brandon Scherff
6’5″
Weight:
320 Alternate Pick #1
T.J. Clemmings
Alternate Pick #2
Danny Shelton
If the teams selecting #1 through #10 in the draft were to pass over the drafts #1 offensive tackle, Rams fans would pack the team on bus for LA if the team passed on Brandon Scherff. Set your hot tub time machine back to 2011 to find a draft where an OT wasn’t drafted in the top-5 (Tyron Smith at #9). And back to 2005 before you find an OT drafted lower than #10 (Jammal Brown #13). Value meets big need here for the Rams. Bandon Scherff – if he’s available take it to the bank.41 St Louis Nelson Agholor
6’0″
Weight:
198 Alternate Pick #1
Brett Hundley
Alternate Pick #2
Donovan Smith
USC’s Nelson Agholor gets the nod this week. The Rams could have looked at the offensive line again here, but with a number of starter-level guards available, it makes sense to grab one of the few quality wide receivers here and hold off to the mid rounds to bolster needs on the interior of the OL. Agholor will add another weapon to the arsenal or Davis/Foles/Keenum/Hundley/Petty or whomever quarterbacks the team in the 2015 season.72 St Louis Bryce Petty
6’2″
Weight:
230 Alternate Pick #1
Donovan Smith
Alternate Pick #2
Reese Dismukes119 St Louis Marcus Hardison
6’3″
Weight:
307 Alternate Pick #1
Javorius Allen
Alternate Pick #2
Gabe Wright215 St Louis Greg Mancz
6’4″
Weight:
301 Alternate Pick #1
Matt Jones
Alternate Pick #2
Terrence McGee227 St Louis Matt Jones
6’2″
Weight:
231 Alternate Pick #1
Terrence McGee
Alternate Pick #2
Karlos WilliamsHere is a new draft, with different faces in different places.
Agamemnon
Flowers! Flowers! I like Donovan Smith better. Smith handled Gregory. Gregory handled Flowers.When I hear people say stuff like this, it makes me distrust everything they say.
AgamemnonNFL
Find this article at:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000486692/article/tworound-mock-draft-jameis-winston-cedric-ogbuehi-to-bucs
Two-round mock draft: Jameis Winston, Cedric Ogbuehi to BucsBy Daniel Jeremiah
NFL Media analyst
Published: April 21, 2015 at 10:14 a.m.
Updated: April 21, 2015 at 11:36 a.m.Mock Draft Central: NFL Media analyst projections for 2015 NFL Draft
ROUND 1
1. Tampa Bay: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida StateComment: The Bucs land their franchise quarterback.
2. Tennessee: Marcus Mariota, QB, Tennessee
Comment: I think Mariota will get picked here, but I’m not sure which team will be making the selection.
3. Jacksonville: Dante Fowler, Jr., OLB, FloridaComment: Fowler would upgrade the edge rush in Jacksonville.
4. Oakland: Leonard Williams, DT, USCComment: Williams and Khalil Mack would be a dynamic combination.
5. Washington: Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
Comment: Beasley is the most explosive edge rusher in the draft.
6. New York Jets: Bud Dupree, OLB, KentuckyComment: Dupree is very raw, but he has double-digit sack potential.
7. Chicago: Danny Shelton, NT, WashingtonComment: Taking the top receiver is tempting, but the Bears address their defensive front.
8. Atlanta: Shane Ray, OLB, MissouriComment: The Falcons’ No. 1 priority is upgrading the pass rush.
9. New York Giants: Amari Cooper, WR, AlabamaComment: This isn’t a big need, but Cooper might be too tempting to pass up here.
10. St. Louis: Brandon Scherff, G, IowaComment: The Rams take the most physical blocker for the second year in a row.
11. Minnesota: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
Comment: This could be a cornerback, but adding another weapon for Teddy Bridgewater isn’t a bad way to go.
12. Cleveland: DeVante Parker, WR, LouisvilleComment: Parker would give the Browns a true No. 1 wideout.
13. New Orleans: La’el Collins, OL, LSUComment: Collins would be a great replacement for Ben Grubbs.
14. Miami: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan StateComment: Waynes would fit nicely with the other new additions in Miami.
15. San Francisco: Arik Armstead, DT, OregonComment: Armstead can dominate vs. the run and has some upside as a pass rusher.
16. Houston: Nelson Agholor, WR, USC
Comment: Several teams believe Agholor is the second-best route runner in the draft.
17. San Diego: Todd Gurley, RB, GeorgiaComment: The Chargers can’t afford to pass on the top running back in the draft.
18. Kansas City: Malcom Brown, DT, TexasComment: Brown should be a three-down player right away for the Chiefs.
19. Cleveland: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida StateComment: Goldman is a dominating run defender and would be a nice fit in Mike Pettine’s scheme.
20. Philadelphia: Breshad Perriman, WR, UCFComment: Perriman is one of the most polarizing players in the draft.
21. Cincinnati: Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
Comment: Collins has the versatility to play safety as well as nickel linebacker.
22. Pittsburgh: Byron Jones, CB, UConnComment: The Steelers need to upgrade their secondary, and Jones is much more than a workout wonder.
23. Detroit: D.J. Humphries, OT, FloridaComment: Humphries is an excellent athlete and has the ability to be a fixture at left tackle for the Lions.
24. Arizona: Randy Gregory, OLB, NebraskaCommment: Gregory slides because of off-field concerns, but he might be too tempting for the Cardinals to pass up.
25. Carolina: Andrus Peat, OT, StanfordComment: The Panthers are desperate for O-line help.
26. Baltimore: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
Comment: Gordon could put up monster numbers behind the Ravens’ offensive line.
27. Dallas: Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake ForestComment: After missing out on the top two runners, the Cowboys land some help at cornerback.
28. Denver: Cam Erving, C, Florida StateComment: Erving is a perfect fit in the Broncos’ offensive scheme.
29. Indianapolis: Ereck Flowers, OT, FloridaComment: Flowers can come in and start right away at right tackle.
30. Green Bay: Marcus Peters, CB, WashingtonComment: The Packers could go inside linebacker here, but opt to take arguably the most talented cornerback in the draft.
31. New Orleans: Phillip Dorsett, WR, MiamiComment: I’d love to see what Sean Payton could do with Dorsett and Brandin Cooks.
32. New England: Laken Tomlinson, G, DukeComment: The Patriots don’t care about flash, and Tomlinson is one of the safest players in the draft.
ROUND 2
33. Tennessee: T.J. Clemmings, OT, PittsburghComment: The Titans land a Day 1 starter at RT.
34. Tampa Bay: Cedric Ogbuehi, OL, Texas A&MComment: Tampa desperately needs to upgrade its OL.
2015 NFL DRAFT
(April 30-May 2 on NFL Network)Prospects: By name | Position | School
Mock drafts:
Baldinger 2.0: Eagles keep on Ducking
Brooks 4.0: Mariota falls to Chargers
Casserly 2.0: Browns trade up for QB
Davis 3.0: Gurley to Falcons
Jeremiah 4.0: Bears rebuild at QB
Zierlein 4.0: First round goes 5 wideProspect rankings:
Mayock’s top 5 by position rankings
Jeremiah’s Top 50 draft prospect rankings
Davis’ draft prospect rankings by position
Bucky’s Big Board 2.0: Williams still No. 1
Brooks’ top 5 by position rankingsMore draft coverage:
Draft event and ticket info
Tracking 7 prospects’ draft journeys
2015 pro days schedule and results
Draft rumors connecting players, teams
Top 50 draft picks in NFL history
CFB 24/7: Full ‘Path to Draft’ coverage35. Oakland: Preston Smith, DE, Mississippi State
Comment: Smith has a nice mix of versatility and quickness.
36. Jacksonville: Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise StateComment: Ajayi would fit perfectly with a young Jaguars offense.
37. New York Jets: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, MissouriComment: This would give the Jets three power forwards at WR.
38. Washington: Jake Fisher, OT, OregonComment: Fisher could start at RT from Day 1 and provide insurance at LT.
39. Chicago: Eli Harold, OLB, VirginiaComment: Adding Harold and Shelton would give the Bears’ defense a jolt.
40. New York Giants: Mario Edwards, Jr., DT, Florida StateComment: Edwards is gaining steam in league circles.
41. St. Louis: Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona StateComment: Nick Foles gets a big target.
42. Atlanta: Grady Jarrett, DT, ClemsonComment: Jarrett joins Shane Ray to bolster pass rush in Atlanta.
43. Cleveland: Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLAComment: Cleveland continues to upgrade its front seven.
44. New Orleans: Maxx Williams, TE, MinnesotaComment: Saints land a replacement for Jimmy Graham.
45. Minnesota: Jalen Collins, CB, LSUComment: Collins has as much upside as any CB in the draft.
46. San Francisco: Stephone Anthony, LB, ClemsonComment: Anthony is very explosive and fits perfectly in San Francisco.
47. Miami: Denzel Perryman, LB, Miami (Fla.)Comment: The Dolphins need an upgrade at linebacker.
48. San Diego: Damarious Randall, S, Arizona StateComment: Randall can play as high safety or cover in the nickel.
49. Kansas City: Eric Rowe, DB, UtahComment: Rowe could help the Chiefs at either corner or safety.
50. Buffalo: Eric Kendricks, LB, UCLAComment: Kendricks is instinctive and athletic in coverage.
51. Houston: Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi StateComment: Romeo Crennel loves big linebackers.
52. Philadelphia: Quinten Rollins, DB, Miami (Ohio)Comment: Chip thinks outside the box and drafts Rollins as a safety.
53. Cincinnati: Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio StateComment: The Bengals add an athletic interior defender.
54. Detroit: Gabe Wright, DT, AuburnComment: Wright would be a perfect complement to Haloti Ngata.
55. Arizona: Jordan Phillips, DT, OklahomaComment: Phillips has a huge upside and helps replace Darnell Dockett.
56. Pittsburgh: P.J. Williams, CB, Florida StateComment: The Steelers double down and take another press cornerback.
57. Carolina: Devin Smith, WR, Ohio StateComment: Smith can take the top off the defense — exactly what Cam needs.
58. Baltimore: Devin Funchess, WR/TE, MichiganComment: The Ravens are looking for a big, athletic target for Joe Flacco.
59. Denver: Carl Davis, DT, IowaComment: Broncos need to add some beef after losing Pot Roast.
60. Dallas: T.J. Yeldon, RB, AlabamaComment: Yeldon has a similar running style to the man he’ll replace.
61. Indianapolis: Paul Dawson, LB, TCUComment: If Dawson tested better, he’d be long gone by this pick.
62. Green Bay: Wes Saxton, TE, South AlabamaComment: Saxton doesn’t get much attention, but he’s ultra-athletic.
63. Seattle: A.J. Cann, G, GeorgiaComment: Cann is ready to start Day 1 and fills a need in Seattle.
64. New England: Donovan Smith, OT, Penn StateComment: Smith has excellent size, quickness, and power.
AgamemnonI don’t understand what you are saying here.
In the video he says the Rams might take Flowers. I don’t think Flowers is very good. I think Smith is better.
Agamemnonhttp://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/pete-prisco/25157000/mock-draft-90-browns-needs-speed-at-wr-get-it-in-miami-burner-phillip-dorsett
Pete Prisco
Senior NFL Columnist
Mock Draft 9.0: Browns needs speed at WR, get it in Miami’s Phillip Dorsett
April 21, 2015 8:39 am ETWith a little more than a week before the NFL Draft, mocks are starting to matter and we’re coming to the end of the over-done draft process.
So it’s time to get serious in Mock No. 9 for me. With two to go — depending on whether things change as we close in on the actual draft — one thing I’ve been hearing is Miami receiver Phillip Dorsett will be a first-round pick. I moved him into the Cleveland Browns’ No. 19 pick.
Another change: LSU offensive tackle La’el Collins is now the first offensive lineman drafted, going to the Giants at No. 9 overall. Teammate and cornerback Jalen Collins goes to the Packers at No. 30.
New to this first round is rangy Arizona State safety Damarious Randall, who I have the Colts taking at No. 29. He’s one of two Sun Devils in this opening round (WR Jaelen Strong goes to the Chargers at No. 17).
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Florida State QB Jameis Winston: With under two weeks to go, don’t believe the talk. Winston is still the guy.
2. Tennessee Titans — USC DE Leonard Williams: Will somebody move up to get Marcus Mariota? I don’t think so. So the Titans stay put and take Williams, the best player on the board.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars — Florida OLB Dante Fowler Jr.: With Williams gone, I think they go edge rusher. Is it Vic Beasley or Fowler? For now, I think it’s Fowler.
4. Oakland Raiders — West Virginia WR Kevin White: I’ve had him in this spot for a while. They need speed outside and he can fly. Derek Carr will love him.
5. Washington Redskins — Clemson OLB Vic Beasley: Washington needs edge-rush help and he has that type of ability. I am concerned about him as a run player. But he can come off the corner.
6. New York Jets — Oregon QB Marcus Mariota: I think the Jets get some big-time offers if this scenario plays out. For now, I will have them keep the pick and take Mariota. Remember, this is a new regime calling the shots.
7. Chicago Bears — Alabama WR Amari Cooper: They need a weapon to go with Alshon Jeffrey, and Cooper is the most polished receiver in this class. Jay Cutler will love this kid.
8. Atlanta Falcons — Kentucky OLB/DE Bud Dupree: Edge-rush help is a must as new coach Dan Quinn hopes to rebuild this defense. Dupree would give them a lot of scheme versatility.
9. New York Giants — LSU T La’el Collins: He might be the most complete tackle in this draft. He’s a power player who can also play guard. The Giants would love him.
Video=> http://cbsprt.co/1aLXs1w
10. St. Louis Rams — Louisville WR DeVante Parker: This is a receiver who the scouts like a lot more than draftniks. He is a polished player who has speed. The Rams need that.
11. Minnesota Vikings — Michigan State CB Trae Waynes: Waynes looks to be the best corner in the class, and the Vikings could use another good, young corner. He would team with Xavier Rhodes to give them a nice duo for years.12. Cleveland Browns — Washington DT Danny Shelton: Cleveland needs a power player in the middle of the defense. Shelton is that and he might be able to push the pocket.
13. New Orleans Saints — Nebraska OLB Randy Gregory: He got in trouble last week saying the city was boring on Twitter, but I’m putting him here anyway. The Saints need an edge rusher.
14. Miami Dolphins — Iowa OL Brandon Scherff: I will continue to give them a guard who can help solidify the offensive line. Scherff also could play tackle.
15. San Francisco 49ers — Oregon DE Arik Armstead: This makes a lot of sense because of all the issues they have on defense. He could help take Justin Smith’s spot if he retires.
. 16. Houston Texans — Missouri OLB Shane Ray: Houston needs help off the edge. If Ray could develop into a top-tier rusher, the Texans would be scary up front with J.J. Watt alongside.
17. San Diego Chargers — Arizona State WR Jaelen Strong: San Diego needs to beef up their outside threats. Strong is a big, strong receiver who is faster than expected.
Arizona State’s Jaelen Strong is one of two Sun Devils in this first round. (Getty Images) Arizona State’s Jaelen Strong is one of two Sun Devils in this first round. (Getty Images)
18. Kansas City Chiefs — Pittsburth OL T.J. Clemmings: He has the ability to be a special player on the next level. His athletic ability is outstanding.
19. Cleveland Browns — Miami (FL) WR Phillip Dorsett: Has blazing speed and the Browns have a real need at his position. Dorsett is far more than just a speed guy. He is a polished receiver.
20. Philadelphia Eagles — Wake Forest CB Kevin Johnson: Philly has to improve its secondary and Johnson is a player who can cover. He isn’t big, but could excel in man coverage.
21. Cincinnati Bengals — Texas DT Malcom Brown: He is a power player who can play inside and has also played outside. The Bengals have talent up front, but they could use more.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers — Washington CB Marcus Peters: Corner, corner, corner. They have to get somebody who can step in and start right away. Peters can do that, although he has some off-field concerns.
23. Detroit Lions — Georgia RB Todd Gurley: Detroit needs a feature back and this kid might be too good to pass up. Word is the Lions are strongly considering a runner.
24. Arizona Cardinals — Miami (FL) T Ereck Flowers: They are continually trying to get better up front and right tackle Bobby Massie is in the final year of his deal. Flowers also could play guard.
25. Carolina Panthers — Stanford T Andrus Peat: This line needs help in the worst way. Getting a tackle like Peat would make Cam Newton happy.
26. Baltimore Ravens — Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon: Justin Forsett might not be the long-term answer, so why not get a back who could be. Gordon reminds me of Jamaal Charles.
27. Dallas Cowboys — Oklahoma DT Jordan Phillips: A power player who fits a need. They have to get stronger in the middle.
28. Denver Broncos — Florida T D.J. Humphries: Played on the left side at Florida, but could move to the right side for the Broncos. He’s athletic enough to fit their system.
29. Indianapolis Colts — Arizona State S Damarious Randall: Indy needs help on the back end and this is a rangy safety who could also play corner in a pinch.
30. Green Bay Packers — LSU CB Jalen Collins: They lost two corners in free agency, so why not add one here? Collins is a long corner who can play man coverage.
31. New Orleans Saints (From Seattle Seahawks) — USC WR Nelson Agholor: He would form a nice young duo with Brandin Cooks. He is a player who is polished and has produced at a big-time program.
32. New England Patriots — Connecticut CB Byron Jones: An athletic freak who’s also a good cover corner. The Pats lost two top-level corners, so getting a young one is a must.
Agamemnonhttp://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/article_43ca5f6d-4398-5eb8-af17-f864f99b23e7.html
Gurley, Gordon are top running backs in draft
11 hours ago • By Jim ThomasThere hasn’t been a running back drafted in the first round since 2012. And Trent Richardson, No. 3 overall that year to Cleveland, hasn’t done much to change the trend.
Former Rams star Steven Jackson has even started a “Save the Running Back” movement. But just when you thought running back was a devalued position in the pass-happy NFL, along comes the Class of 2015.
“You’ve got two blue-chip guys — maybe three — and a lot of other good players at running back,” said Rick Venturi, radio analyst and former Rams assistant coach.
“It’s a special class,” adds Russ Lande, former Rams scout and current draft analyst for several media outlets. “There’s so many interesting guys.
“People may want to say the running back is a dying breed. But let’s remember, for the teams like Seattle, and San Francisco when they were winning, it wasn’t because Russell Wilson was throwing 40 balls a game.”
Or in the case of San Francisco, Colin Kaepernick.
“They were winning because they play great defense and they ran the ball,” Lande said.
Lande thinks teams without elite quarterbacks are best served by running the ball more often, and that that could be a trend of sorts in the NFL going forward. Starting with headliners Todd Gurley of Georgia and Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin, there are several backs in this year’s draft who could inject life into a pro running game.
Both of those players are expected to go in the first round on April 30, and although they may not have the impact of 2007 first-rounders Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch, Gurley and Gordon could prove to be a potent 1-2 punch in the Class of ’15.
“Obviously, everybody knows about Gurley,” Lande said. “He’s a really phenomenal football player. He has good vision. He can make jump cuts, which is rare for a big guy. He’s a powerful kid; he can run through contact. He catches the ball well out of the backfield.”
Lande said he has surveyed several NFL scouts on Gurley. All but one thinks Gurley will be a hit at the next level. The lone dissenter, Lande said, also thought Richardson would be a flop. We’ll sweep that under the rug for now, and move on.
At the moment, there’s some uncertainty over whether Gurley or Gordon will go first among running backs, but only because Gurley is rehabbing from a November knee injury and subsequent surgery.
“I feel like this class is definitely deep for the running back position, and we have a lot of talented guys,” Gurley said. “I want to be a No. 1 pick.”
To clarify, Gurley wasn’t talking about being the first running back picked — he meant No. 1 selection overall.
“That might sound ridiculous, but that’s the confidence I have in myself,” said Gurley, who’s a shade under 6-1 and weighs 222.
As talented as he is, even a healthy Gurley wouldn’t go No. 1 overall. As it is, he’s in the midst of a six-to nine-month recovery and rehab process on his knee. Six months, which seems optimistic, would have him ready to go in June. Nine months takes him all the way to September and the start of the regular season.
So it’s uncertain how much Gurley can contribute in 2015, particularly early in the season. And it’s possible he may have to take an NFL version of a redshirt season if the knee doesn’t respond as quickly as hoped.
“I’m not really giving no timetable,” Gurley said at the NFL Scouting Combine. “I’m just trying to get back safe, but as quick as possible.”
Once he’s healthy, he will be an intriguing blend of speed and power.
As for Wisconsin’s Gordon, he piled up 2,587 yards last season, 41 yards shy of Barry Sanders’ major-college record 2,628 set in 1988 at Oklahoma State.
“To even be mentioned in the same sentence as Barry Sanders is an honor,” Gordon said. “That’s a great person to be second to.”
It’s debatable if Gordon can run consistently between the tackles in the NFL, even though he has enough size at 215 pounds. He did most of his damage in college bouncing plays outside.
“When he gets the ball and has space, he can change games,” Lande said. “His ability to make guys miss, follow his blockers, and cut off the blocks explosively is rare.”
Gordon needs to improve his pass-catching skills to be a true three-down back in the NFL, but when you carry the ball 343 times as he did last season, there’s not much room for receptions.
The best of the rest at running back may be Indiana’s Tevin Coleman, who’s a bit overlooked in this year’s class — hard to imagine given he rushed for 2,036 yards last season for the Hoosiers.
“I think he’s done more with less than any of ’em,” Venturi said.
That’s because Indiana won only four of 12 games in 2014, although one of them came against SEC East champion Missouri.
“Tevin Coleman gets from zero to 100 in a heartbeat and looks like a Greek god, he’s so well-built,” Lande said. “But I don’t think he’s a naturally instinctive runner. He runs up his blockers’ backs way too often for me, but he’s gonna go high.”
Similarly, Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah, Boise State’s Jay Ajayi, and even Northern Iowa’s David Johnson could go in rounds two or three. The running back may not be an endangered species after all.
Agamemnon
This guy was on espn101 today. This is a podcast from last year.
This is from this year with emphasis on the Senior Bowl. Agamemnon
Kevin Weidl joined Kevin Wheeler to talk about the NFL Draft, all the talk leading up to the event, the team’s planning, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, how he evaluates the two, the Rams option at 10, the best depth position in the draft, and best secondary QB. AgamemnonI do the draft in tiers. It is a bit different than zn’s player categories. Players in the draft are too much of a projection for me to separate them into categories.
In my formula, I use tiers. A tier is a group of players that are close in talent. Their actual number in that order isn’t really significant to me. Any player in the tier is approximately equal. In an average draft, tier 1 usually has 5-6 players, tier 2 10-12 players, tier 3 20-24 players, tier 4 usually peters out at about the first 100 players or the first half of the 4th round. Talent is then no more important than any other number of factors.
Last year I had 10 or 12 tier 1 players. This year I have 2 players in tier 1, Williams and Cooper. Gurley would be there except for his injury. Then I have 15-20 tier 2 players.
AgamemnonBill Polian
ESPN NFL Insider Bill Polian weighs in on the strength of the 2015 NFL draft class, front office preparation for the draft, whether or not he would trade for either top QB and more.
Polian says, “I don’t see a lot of clean players in this draft. ….. Once you get past 10 or 12, almost everybody else, might even have second round grades on them. That is probably an exaggeration. But I would guess there aren’t more than, on most people’s boards, 18 first rounders.”
Agamemnonhttp://search.espn.go.com/qb-camp/videos/6
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12770407
Gruden’s QB Camp: Brandon scherffJon Gruden and Mel Kiper Jr. break down the offensive tackles in the NFL draft.
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12770344
Gruden’s QB Camp: Pass Rushers
Jon Gruden and Mel Kiper Jr. break down pass rushers in the NFL draft.
AgamemnonFind this article at:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000488358/article/2015-nfl-draft-mike-mayocks-top-100-prospects
2015 NFL Draft: Mike Mayock’s top 100 prospectsBy Mike Mayock
NFL Media draft analyst
Published: April 27, 2015 at 04:50 p.m.
Updated: April 27, 2015 at 07:00 p.m.NFL Media draft analyst Mike Mayock unveils his top 100 prospects heading into the 2015 NFL Draft.
1. Leonard Williams, DT, USC
2. Dante Fowler, Jr., DE, Florida
3. Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
4. Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
5. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
6. Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
7. Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
8. Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
9. DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
10. Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin11. Bud Dupree, DE, Kentucky
12. Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
13. Vic Beasley, LB, Clemson
14. Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon
15. Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF
16. La’el Collins, OT, LSU
17. Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska
18. Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
19. Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
20. Malcom Brown, DT, Texas21. Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (Fla.)
22. Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest
23. Nelson Agholor, WR, USC
24. Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
25. D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida
26. Cameron Erving, C, Florida State
27. Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
28. Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
29. Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
30. Damarious Randall, S, Arizona State31. Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Missouri
32. Landon Collins, S, Alabama
33. T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
34. Phillip Dorsett, WR, Miami (Fla.)
35. Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
36. Eli Harold, DE, Virginia
37. Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut
38. Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
39. Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon
40. Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State41. Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska
42. Paul Dawson, LB, TCU
43. Shaq Thompson, LB, Washington
44. Eric Rowe, CB, Utah
45. Eric Kendricks, LB, UCLA
46. Duke Johnson, RB, Miami (Fla.)
47. Carl Davis, DT, Iowa
48. Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana
49. Preston Smith, DE, Mississippi State
50. Stephone Anthony, LB, Clemson51. Nate Orchard, DE, Utah
52. Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
53. Laken Tomlinson, G, Duke
54. Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA
55. T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama
56. A.J. Cann, G, South Carolina
57. Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State
58. Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
59. Doran Grant, CB, Ohio State
60. Denzel Perryman, LB, Miami (Fla.)61. Mario Edwards, Jr., DE, Florida State
62. Senquez Golson, CB, Mississippi
63. Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State
64. Quinten Rollins, CB, Miami (Ohio)
65. Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan
66. David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa
67. Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State
68. Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor
69. P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State
70. Tyler Lockett, WR, Kansas State71. Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn
72. Clive Walford, TE, Miami (Fla.)
73. Mitch Morse, C, Missouri
74. Rashad Greene, WR, Florida State
75. Ronald Darby, CB, Florida State
76. Grady Jarrett, DT, Clemson
77. Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
78. Jaquiski Tartt, S, Samford
79. Javorius Allen, RB, USC
80. Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State81. Tyler Kroft, TE, Rutgers
82. Daryl Williams, OT, Oklahoma
83. Za’Darius Smith, DE, Kentucky
84. Markus Golden, DE, Missouri
85. Ty Sambrailo, OT, Colorado State
86. Henry Anderson, DE, Alabama
87. Ali Marpet, OT, Hobart
88. Tre McBride, WR, William & Mary
89. Trey Flowers, DE, Arkansas
90. Tre’ Jackson, G, Florida State91. Alex Carter, CB, Stanford
92. Josh Shaw, CB, USC
93. Xavier Cooper, DT, Washington State
94. Jeremiah Poutasi, OT, Utah
95. D’Joun Smith, CB, Florida Atlantic
96. Ibraheim Campbell, S, Northwestern
97. Ty Montgomery, WR, Stanford
98. Charles Gaines, CB, Louisville
99. Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon
100. Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU Agamemnonhttp://profootball.scout.com/a.z?s=127&p=9&c=12&nid=83&lnid=124&yr=2015
Dave-Te Thomas: updated/final rankings for Scout.com
DT 1 Leonard Williams JR 6-4.5/302/4.97 USC Daytona Beach, FL
WR 2 Amari Cooper JR 6-1/211/4.42 Alabama Miami, FL
OLB 3 Dante Fowler JR 6-3/261/4.60 Florida Saint Petersburg, FL
OT 4 Brandon Scherff SR 6-5/319/5.05 Iowa Denison, IA
WR 5 DeVante Parker SR 6-3/209/4.45 Louisville Louisville, KY
CB 6 Trae Waynes JR 6-0/186/4.31 Michigan State Kenosha, WI
QB 7 Marcus Mariota JR 6-4/222/4.52 Oregon Honolulu, HI
DT 8 Danny Shelton SR 6-2/339/5.64 Washington Auburn, WA
CB 9 Marcus Peters JR 6-0/197/4.56 Washington Oakland, CA
OLB 10 Vic Beasley SR 6-3/246/4.53 Clemson Adairsville, GA
QB 11 Jameis Winston SO 6-4/231/4.97 Florida State Hueytown, AL
RB 12 Todd Gurley JR 6-1/222/4.54 Georgia Tarboro, NC
DE 13 Shane Ray JR 6-3/245/4.58 Missouri Shawnee Mission, KS
WR 14 Kevin White SR 6-3/215/4.35 West Virginia Emmaus, PA
RB 15 Melvin Gordon JR 6-1/215/4.52 Wisconsin Kenosha, WI
DE 16 Randy Gregory JR 6-5/235/4.64 Nebraska Fishers, IN
DT 17 Arik Armstead JR 6-7/292/5.10 Oregon Elk Grove, CA
OG 18 La’el Collins SR 6-4/305/5.12 LSU Baton Rouge, LA
DT 19 Malcom Brown JR 6-2/319/5.05 Texas Brenham, TX
WR 20 Dorial Green-Beckham JR 6-5/237/4.49 Oklahoma Springfield, MO
WR 21 Nelson Agholor JR 6-0/198/4.42 USC Tampa, FL
OT 22 Jake Fisher SR 6-6/306/5.04 Oregon Traverse City, MI
OT 23 Ereck Flowers JR 6-6/329/5.26 Miami (FL) Miami, FL
S 24 Landon Collins JR 6-0/228/4.48 Alabama Geismar, LA
WR 25 Jaelen Strong JR 6-2/217/4.51 Arizona State Philadelphia, PA
CB 26 Eric Rowe SR 6-1/205/4.45 Utah Klein, TX
DE 27 Preston Smith SR 6-5/271/4.74 Mississippi State Stone Mountain, GA
DE 28 Alvin Dupree SR 6-4/269/4.56 Kentucky Irwinton, GA
OT 29 Andrus Peat JR 6-7/313/5.18 Stanford Tempe, AZ
CB 30 Byron Jones SR 6-1/199/4.52 Connecticut Bristol, CT
C 31 Cameron Erving SR 6-5/313/5.15 Florida State Moultrie, GA
WR 32 Devin Smith SR 6-0/196/4.42 Ohio State Massillon, OH
OG 33 Laken Tomlinson SR 6-3/323/5.33 Duke Chicago, IL
OG 34 A.J. Cann SR 6-3/313/5.18 South Carolina Bamberg, SC
DT 35 Michael Bennett SR 6-3/285/4.96 Ohio State Centerville, OH
CB 36 Kevin Johnson SR 6-0/188/4.52 Wake Forest Clarksville, MD
OT 37 T.J. Clemmings SR 6-5/309/5.14 Pittsburgh Paterson, NJ
DE 38 Owamagbe Odighizuwa SR 6-3/267/4.62 UCLA Portland, OR
OLB 39 Shaq Thompson JR 6-0/228/4.64 Washington Sacramento, CA
MLB 40 Stephone Anthony SR 6-3/243/4.56 Clemson Wadesboro, NC
TE 41 Clive Walford SR 6-4/251/4.79 Miami (FL) Belle Glade, FL
MLB 42 Eric Kendricks SR 6-0/228/4.61 UCLA Fresno, CA
OT 43 D.J. Humphries JR 6-5/307/5.12 Florida Charlotte, NC
OLB 44 Eli Harold JR 6-4/235/4.60 Virginia Virginia Beach, VA
TE 45 Maxx Williams SO 6-4/254/4.78 Minnesota Waconia, MN
S 46 Damarious Randall SR 5-11/196/4.46 Arizona State Pensacola, FL
OLB 47 Danielle Hunter JR 6-6/241/4.57 LSU Katy, TX
OLB 48 Nate Orchard SR 6-3/250/4.80 Utah Salt Lake City, UT
QB 49 Bryce Petty SR 6-2/220/4.87 Baylor Midlothian, TX
WR 50 Breshad Perriman JR 6-2/212/4.52 UCF Lithonia, GADT 51 Eddie Goldman JR 6-4/336/5.28 Florida State Washington, DC
CB 52 P.J. Williams JR 6-0/194/4.57 Florida State Ocala, FL
C 53 Hroniss Grasu SR 6-3/297/5.03 Oregon Encino, CA
CB 54 Quinten Rollins SR 5-11/195/4.57 Miami (OH) Wilmington, OH
DE 55 Za’Darius Smith SR 6-4/274/4.83 Kentucky Greenville, AL
WR 56 Phillip Dorsett SR 5-10/185/4.33 Miami (FL) Fort Lauderdale, FL
OG 57 Ali Marpet SR 6-3.5/307/4.98 Hobart and William Smith Hastings On Hudson, NY
RB 58 Jay Ajayi JR 6-0/221/4.57 Boise State Frisco, TX
DT 59 Carl Davis SR 6-5/320/5.07 Iowa Sterling Heights, MI
WR 60 Rashad Greene SR 5-11/182/4.53 Florida State Fort Lauderdale, FL
RB 61 David Johnson SR 6-1/224/4.50 Northern Iowa Clinton, IA
RB 62 Duke Johnson JR 5-9/207/4.54 Miami (FL) Miami, FL
OT 63 Donovan Smith JR 6-6/338/5.27 Penn State Owings Mills, MD
CB 64 Jalen Collins JR 6-2/203/4.48 LSU Southaven, MS
OG 65 Tre’ Jackson SR 6-4/330/5.52 Florida State Jesup, GA
CB 66 D’Joun Smith SR 5-10/187/4.45 Florida Atlantic Hialeah, FL
DT 67 Xavier Cooper JR 6-4/299/4.86 Washington State Tacoma, WA
OLB 68 Lorenzo Mauldin SR 6-4/243/4.88 Louisville Atlanta, GA
DE 69 Trey Flowers SR 6-2/266/4.93 Arkansas Huntsville, AL
S 70 Jaquiski Tartt SR 6-1/223/4.53 Samford Mobile, AL
MLB 71 Paul Dawson SR 6-0/235/4.93 Texas Christian Dallas, TX
CB 72 Alex Carter JR 6-0/196/4.51 Stanford Ashburn, VA
QB 73 Garrett Grayson SR 6-2/213/4.84 Colorado State Vancouver, WA
CB 74 Ronald Darby JR 5-11/193/4.38 Florida State Oxon Hill, MD
MLB 75 Benardrick McKinney JR 6-4/246/4.66 Mississippi State Tunica, MS
RB 76 Ameer Abdullah SR 5-9/205/4.60 Nebraska Homewood, AL
DT 77 Jordan Phillips JR 6-5/329/5.17 Oklahoma Towanda, KS
RB 78 Tevin Coleman JR 5-11/206/4.62 Indiana Oak Forest, IL
WR 79 Tyler Lockett SR 5-10/182/4.40 Kansas State Tulsa, OK
OG 80 Arie Kouandjio SR 6-5/310/5.28 Alabama Hyattsville, MD
MLB 81 Denzel Perryman SR 6-0/230/4.78 Miami (FL) Coral Gables, FL
CB 82 Josh Shaw SR 6-1/201/4.44 USC Palmdale, CA
OT 83 Daryl Williams SR 6-5/327/5.34 Oklahoma Lake Dallas, TX
OG 84 John Miller SR 6-2/303/5.33 Louisville Miami, FL
OT 85 Cedric Ogbuehi SR 6-5/306/4.98 Texas A&M Allen, TX
QB 86 Brett Hundley JR 6-3/226/4.63 UCLA Chandler, AZ
RB 87 T.J. Yeldon JR 6-1/226/4.61 Alabama Daphne, AL
RB 88 Jeremy Langford SR 6-0/208/4.42 Michigan State Westland, MI
OLB 89 Kwon Alexander JR 6-1/227/4.55 LSU Oxford, AL
WR 90 Justin Hardy SR 5-10/192/4.56 East Carolina Vanceboro, NC
C 91 B.J. Finney SR 6-4/318/5.25 Kansas State Andale, KS
OT 92 Ty Sambrailo SR 6-6/311/5.36 Colorado State Watsonville, CA
OLB 93 Davis Tull SR 6-2/246/4.57 Chattanooga Knoxville, TN
TE 94 MyCole Pruitt SR 6-2/251/4.58 Southern Illinois Kirkwood, MO
S 95 James Sample JR 6-2/209/4.56 Louisville Sacramento, CA
WR 96 Sammie Coates JR 6-2/215/4.43 Auburn Leroy, AL
WR 97 Devin Funchess JR 6-4/232/4.70 Michigan Farmington Hills, MI
DE 98 Mario Edwards JR 6-3/279/4.84 Florida State Denton, TX
WR 99 Tre McBride SR 6-0/210/4.41 William & Mary McDonough, GA
RB 100 Javorius Allen JR 6-0/221/4.53 USC Tallahassee, FL Agamemnonhttp://gbnreport.com/2015-nfl-draft-player-rankings/top-100-players/
Final Big Board posted … Right on cue for the 2015 draft which is now just over two days away, the final GBN Big Board ranking of the top 350 prospects has been posted.I tried to copy and paste, but that didn’t have the numbers or didn’t format the best. So go to the link to get a better view.
AgamemnonThere are only five can’t-miss players in the 2015 NFL Draft
April 27, 2015 12:33 pm ETThis column was going to be about the top 10 players in the 2015 NFL Draft. It really was.
I was going to talk to a few evaluators I really trust and put together a column on which players truly merit to be taken in the first 10 picks of an NFL Draft. True blue chippers. Can’t miss kids.
Only it was difficult to get too much of a consensus — that says something about this talent-starved, topsy-turvy crop of players upon which few execs can seem to agree — and one of the scouts I have come to respect immensely simply wouldn’t budge outside of a top five. To make it more clear — he is adamant that there is no top 10 in this draft. He doesn’t see any natural delineation at that number, if you will. He sees a clear cut top-five players in this draft, and then a significant drop in class from them, and then another drop in tier after the next handful of players, and so on and so on.
And this is coming from a guy who frankly loves this draft. Because he thinks it will separate the men from the boys not so much on the field, but in the 32 NFL front offices. He is deadset on the notion that the second round of this draft might be just as good in many spots as the second round and that it might not take a full three years out to discern which teams did the smartest, best work sorting out these players and which did not.
“I love this draft, I absolutely love it,” he said. “This is a scout’s draft. If you are the average GM and you didn’t go see these kids play a lot this year and you were watching film all year, you’re screwed. You have to have watched the tape all season. You have to have really seen these kids, and there is no way you can find the time to watch all 12 games on them in the offseason. You have to have seen these players develop all year long to have the right track on them.
“This is my kind of a draft. Am I saying this group is loaded with Pro Bowlers? No. But there are some really good players who are going to go on the second and third day who, I’m telling you, are going to be better than a lot of kids who go on the first day. You just have to know where to find them.”
That lack of true high-end sure-things is born out by the fact that this dude refused to put anyone other than a particular five players in his top tier of 2015 talent (names to come soon enough). I couldn’t get him to put a single offensive linemen in the bunch. No luck with corners. He wouldn’t entertain the notion of a quarterback rightfully being clumped anywhere close to that (he gave Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota first-round grades but said he would not take Winston himself due to the off-field issues). I knew better than to ever ask about a safety, tight end or inside linebacker — he gave none of them in this draft a first-round grade at those positions, by the way.
Trust me, I tried. You name a kid that has generated any significant pre-draft buzz, and I ran the name by this guy during a very lengthy conversation, and he would only bite on five kids. And five kids only. Again, this evaluator’s track record has been incredibly high with me over the years (with a significant amount of his input I successfully identified 27 of the first 33 players taken a year ago; not obviously in the exact spot but of the 32 players in my mock, 27 were gone by pick 33 and all were gone by pick 48). And he will have some major sway in the top 32 list I putting together for later this week, as a precursor to the dreaded but mandatory mock draft on Thursday.
Anyway, here are the five players who stand out, by far, to this evaluator, in the order in which he expects them to make an impact in the NFL once they get selected. Obviously, injuries and the unforeseen can derail any career, but these are the five prospects he would view as far and away the best available talent in the 2015 draft, in his words:
1. Leonard Williams, DL, USC: He’s the best pick in this draft and it isn’t even really all that close. In fact, if the two quarterbacks go with the first two picks, and the Jaguars (picking third overall) take (pass rusher Dante) Fowler before him, they’re crazy. I don’t care what your defensive line looks like, this is the pick. He should go first overall. There is no way I would take one of these quarterbacks over him, but with the position some of these teams are in, I understand why he won’t go first. I can’t say he’s completely can’t-miss. He’s a little bit different in some ways; he’s kind of a hippie. But he can play, God can he play. He is the best player in this draft and I don’t see how anyone could really debate that.
Leonard Williams stands alone at the top of this draft class. (Getty Images) Leonard Williams stands alone at the top of this draft class. (Getty Images)
2. Dante Fowler, Jr., OLB, Florida: I really like this kid. Randy Gregory to me is the best pass rusher in this draft, but he’s got the red flags, too. This is the second-best player in this draft. I think he’s a double-digit sack guy, he’s on the field for you every down. I don’t worry about his weight the way I do with some of these other kids, who put on all this fake water weight but you know they can’t play that way. He’s not a one-year wonder like (Clemson’s Vic) Beasley. This kid has the body. I know Pittsburgh has to be dying over this kid. They can’t get him (Pittsburgh isn’t picking until 22nd overall), but when I see him play I see Joey Porter. He gets in the right scheme — I see him in a 3-4) and he is going to produce.
Dante Fowler looks like a double-digit sack guy. (Getty Images) Dante Fowler looks like a double-digit sack guy. (Getty Images)
3. Shane Ray, DE, Missouri: Next to Gregory, this is the best pass rusher in the group. Fowler might be a little better against the run, a little more polished, but Ray is going to be a handful. This kid is going to impact games. I see a lot of people seem to be down on him or whatever lately, and his arrest of marijuana possession will exacerbate that for some. Nonetheless, he’s seen as a good kid and I still see him going in the top 16. If he drops it’s only because of his toe (some teams believe Ray may require a procedure for a turf toe injury). The medical would be the only thing. From a football perspective, he can play. You can talk about him maybe being a liability against the run, or there being questions there, but 12 sacks a year sounds pretty good to me. That’s what he is. I could see him in a 4-3 or a 3-4. Either way, he’s getting to the quarterback.
Foot issues aside, Shane Ray is going to make an impact in the NFL. (Getty Images) Foot issues aside, Shane Ray is going to make an impact in the NFL. (Getty Images)
4. Kevin White, WR, West Virginia: Funny how it took some teams until later in the season, or even the combine, to really come around on him. He’s the best receiver in this draft. The measurables speak for themselves. The speed doesn’t just show up with a stop-watch; he plays fast. This is AJ Green to me. I see AJ Green. You have a chance to take AJ Green, you take AJ Green.
Kevin White can fly. (Getty Images) Kevin White can fly. (Getty Images)
5. Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama: Some teams would tell you this might be the cleanest pick in the draft and I can see where they are coming from. This is a helluva football player. He’s going to be very good on Sundays. There isn’t much separating him and White, I just lean to White and think he will make more big plays, but there isn’t much not to like about Cooper, either. He’s a true No. 1 receiver.
The gap between Kevin White and Amari Cooper is scant. (Getty Images) The gap between Kevin White and Amari Cooper is scant. (Getty Images)
And that was it. I couldn’t get another name on this list. I asked if he wanted to change the order at all — this was the order he originally gave me — and he said no. With so much offense in the game these days, players who can negate the quarterback are at an absolute premium, and so he wanted to give the edge to defensive players at the top of the list.
“This is it,” he said. “I’ve got five, I don’t have 10. I don’t have six. This is the five, and then there is everybody else.”
And so you have it. Surely, others will disagree — and this draft will surely be all over the place — but time will tell if these players truly evolve into the best 2015 has to offer, first as rookies and then for years to come.
I still only have 2 Blue Chip players, Williams and Cooper. The best of the rest can go into a pool of about 15 players that all are approximately equal. imo
AgamemnonFind this article at:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/0ap3000000488405/article/saints-browns-among-teams-that-can-control-2015-nfl-draft
Saints, Browns among teams that can control 2015 NFL DraftBy Albert Breer
NFL Media reporter
Published: April 28, 2015 at 10:19 a.m.
Updated: April 28, 2015 at 10:30 a.m.Each draft has its own tapestry, and the design to this year’s event makes one thing abundantly clear:
The guys making the calls will have to earn their money in the first round.
The class isn’t as strong as last year’s, but it’s not as weak as 2013’s group. And what it’s missing in blue-chip talent, it makes up for in uncertainty. At a number of positions, there’s a glaring lack of consensus on rank, and a sizable group of players who will fall where they do largely because of the preferences of those picking.
As one NFC personnel executive puts it, “You’re gonna find out who can scout.”
There are, of course, reasons that things are this way:
» Last year’s top four overall picks and half of the first 34 selections were underclassmen, a fact that robbed some of the would-be elite from this year’s draft.
» The number of early declarations is down, but almost every scout, personnel chief and general manager I’ve spoken with agrees that the number of enticing young juniors (20 years old, or barely 21) is high, which means the focus is on guys who aren’t as developed, have less tape and have less of a track record.
» Although there aren’t all that many blue-chip players, there are a ton of red-chip guys.
“The gaps aren’t as dramatic this year between the players at each position,” said one college scouting director. “There’s no clear-cut No. 1 offensive lineman — you could say (Brandon) Scherff, but a lot of people think he’s a guard. … Overall, there are a lot of good players, but the top tier isn’t quite as good.”
So as we eye the teams that control the draft (as we did in 2014), note that this is a year in which having a high volume of picks can be a plus — with depth at certain positions lasting a few rounds and teams having a realistic chance of coming away with multiple building blocks.
Who has that strength in numbers?
(NOTE: Click on each team name for a full list of 2015 draft picks.)
NEW ORLEANS SAINTSTotal picks: 9
Top-50 picks: 3
Top-100 picks: 5Outlook: The Saints paid a price to have five picks among the top 78 selections, trading away Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham and a promising young receiver in Kenny Stills. So the team has added need at those positions. And word around the league is that Sean Payton has put a renewed emphasis this year on finding the right type of guys, from a character standpoint, which could be a little limiting. But there’s no question that Payton and GM Mickey Loomis are in prime position to rebuild the defense and the interior of the offensive line — and maybe move around the board some, too — with this impressive war chest of draft capital.
CLEVELAND BROWNSTotal picks: 10
Top-50 picks: 3
Top-100 picks: 4Outlook: Last year’s Sammy Watkins trade has the Browns selecting twice in the top 20 (Nos. 12 and 19 overall), and the team is well-equipped later on, as well, with multiple selections in the fourth and sixth rounds. That’s good, because there’ll be a focus on getting help for whoever ends up quarterbacking in Cleveland, along with strong, deep groups at both tailback and receiver. How could that pay off? Well, so long as Ray Farmer doesn’t trade the farm for Marcus Mariota — those who’ve worked in the building the last two years know well Farmer’s affinity for the Oregon QB — it could give the Browns the flexibility to take a chance on a guy like Todd Gurley at 12, knowing they’ve got a larger margin for error with a high number of total picks.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTSTotal picks: 9
Top-50 picks: 1
Top-100 picks: 4Outlook: Two of New England’s nine picks are compensatory and can’t be traded, but the other seven are certainly in play to be moved. The Patriots have the last pick of the second round, two picks in the third and the second pick in the fourth, which should allow them to move up or down to address needs on the offensive and defense lines, at linebacker and at corner. But the most likely scenario, given New England’s history, is a pick or two being moved out to 2016; Bill Belichick has typically preyed on regimes with fleeting job security, dealing current-year picks for next-year picks a round higher. And as it’s unlikely that the champs will have nine rookies make their team in 2015, this could be a year to go back to that well-worn game plan.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFSTotal picks: 10
Top-50 picks: 2
Top-100 picks: 4Outlook: The Chiefs have four compensatory selections, so their ability to trade is severely limited. But their picks are well spread out, from 18 to 233 overall, and with needs matching some positions of depth in this particular class, GM John Dorsey should be in position to improve the roster. And at the very least, having the compensatory picks should make it easier for the Chiefs to wrap their heads around the idea of using the selections in between them (118, 193) as currency.
BALTIMORE RAVENSTotal picks: 10
Top-50 picks: 1
Top-100 picks: 3Outlook: The Ravens have long been masters of playing the compensatory-pick formula, and this year is no exception — Baltimore wound up with six picks between 122 and 176 overall. That’ll make the Ravens a powerbroker going into Saturday and could give Ozzie Newsome and Co. the chance to add another top-100 pick on Friday — if the right player falls.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKSTotal picks: 11
Top-50 picks: 0
Top-100 picks: 2Outlook: Odds aren’t great the Seahawks will come away with a Day 1 difference-maker (they don’t currently have a first-round pick), but Seattle doesn’t need many more of those, with a roster that remains loaded. GM John Schneider is, on the other hand, in a position to own Saturday (nine Day 3 selections) and replenish the back end of his roster with developmental players who could grow into bigger roles as the rest of the league starts to poach the second tier of the Seahawks’ roster down the line.
Once, again, it is all in the eye of the beholder.
Agamemnon
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