2015 NFL Draft: Picks That Make Way Too Much Sense
By Erik Lambert
Like any other year, the 2015 NFL draft will feature a lot of guesswork by fans as to finding the best fits for the top prospects. Some make more sense than others. Here are some possible unions that wouldn’t surprise anybody if it happened.
Amari Cooper To The Oakland Raiders
It’s the perfect storm sort of scenario. The Oakland get their quarterback Derek Carr in the previous draft, then land him a head coach in Jim Harbaugh who is great with quarterbacks. Finally, to throw icing on the cake they grab the best wide receiver in college football in Amari Cooper for him to throw to. A Carr-Cooper combination has so much potential and could become the driving force behind the Raiders returning to relevance.
Melvin Gordon To The Arizona Cardinals
Bruce Arians wants to run the ball. He likes to run the ball. The problem is his Arizona Cardinals can’t run the ball. Despite their record, the team ranks 30th in the NFL in rushing with a dismal 78.8 yards per game and just 3.2 yards per carry. How different would that be if they could land Wisconsin star and Heisman finalist Melvin Gordon? The landscape of the NFC West would be altered significantly.
Marcus Mariota To The New York Jets
A total of 40 quarterbacks received an overall rating from Pro Football Focus in 2014. Aaron Rodgers of course ranked at the top with Drew Brees and Tom Brady right behind him. Far on the other end of that list, ranking 38th and 39th respectively are the New York Jets quarterback tandem of Geno Smith and Michael Vick. That is how horrible the situation has become for Gang Green and it has to improve. Adding a multi-dimensional playmaker like Marcus Mariota who also takes care of the football is a no-brainer.
Landon Collins To The Chicago Bears
No position has given a singular team more headaches over the past decade than safety has for the Chicago Bears. The constant turnover of new faces has become a punch line around the league and fans are growing tired of it. They want stability at the position, somebody who can command the back end like all the great defenses have. Landon Collins out of Alabama would be the perfect solution. He’s big, strong, rangy, instinctive and polished under Nick Saban. Based on the collective disappointment surrounding their current cast, that is hard to say no to.
Shane Ray To The Atlanta Falcons
Pass rush was the key to their success a few years ago and now having no pass rush is the reason the Atlanta Falcons aren’t being taken seriously in 2014. They have just 15 quarterback sacks on the season, tied for last in the league. That means finding a pass rusher is top priority in the 2015 NFL draft. If anybody fits their scheme and their style, it would have to be Shane Ray. The Missouri product is undersized but explosive and relentless. He knows how to get to the quarterback and brings an edge to the defense, something the Falcons don’t have.