2015 NFL Mock Draft Update: Top 20 Picks Set

Marcus Mariota would seem like the no-brainer pick for the Buccaneers at this point with no clear future at the QB position and a coach in Lovie Smith who needs a guy to attach his name to. He rightfully declined to attach his time in Tampa Bay to anyone in the 2014 class of quarterbacks, but the Bucs have some fun targets with which to work offensively and adding Mariota to the mix could make for a really entertaining 2015 season in Tampa.. QB. Oregon. Marcus Mariota. 1. player. 48

Leonard Williams. 2. player. 35. I had Jameis Winston penciled in here but let’s think for a minute that the Titans are okay going into this next season with Zach Mettenberger as their top QB. I think he played well enough to earn at least a shot at the starting gig next year, and the team has to move on from Jake Locker. Enter Williams, who might be the best defensive player in the draft. Perhaps the best player overall. With Jurrell Casey already locked in as one of the best in the game, giving him a partner in crime up front in Leonard Williams could give the Titans a dominant front and help force more turnovers this season. The second most snaps by a defensive tackle aside from Casey played this year were by Sammie Lee Hill, who played nearly 350 fewer snaps.. DT. USC

The Jaguars’ defense is already vastly improved, and with Gus Bradley as their head coach, that’s to be expected. The offense has a lot of young players developing, so getting a player like Gregory and then perhaps a running back from this star-studded class in round two is a great play by them. Gregory has phenomenal size and a skillset that coaches dream about. He’d be a great pickup for the Jags.. DE. Nebraska. Randy Gregory. 3. player. 52

Last year, the Oakland Raiders hit a grand slam with their top pick in linebacker Khalil Mack, who ranked this year as the top player at his position by Pro Football Focus thanks to his dominance against the run. Where the Raiders still struggled was getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Enter Vic Beasley, a superstar pass rusher from Clemson to pair with Mack and give the Raiders a pair of bookend pass rushers that would be enviable around the league.. DE. Clemson. Vic Beasley. 4. player. 28

Amari Cooper. 6. player. 30. Simply put, the Jets need playmakers. Geno Smith needs to give New York more of what we saw in week 17 when he was slinging the ball around the field like he was back at West Virginia. Amari Cooper is one of the best playmakers in this year’s draft and could be a nice pairing with Eric Decker and Jace Amaro for the Jets.. WR. Alabama

The Chicago Bears’ proud defensive stretch died when Brian Urlacher retired, though a lot of different players got long in the tooth. Chicago needs a full rebuild defensively with a couple of pieces in place, but the safety position was absolutely gross even as a third party to watch this season. Brock Vereen has potential, but a player like Landon Collins could come in and start right away and at least give the Bears a promising star at a position that has lacked.. S. Alabama. Landon Collins. 7. player. 57

44. A new scheme defensively should immediately help a Falcons’ pass rush, where the cupboard wasn’t absolutely bare in 2014, but adding a star like Shane Ray would be extremely fun to watch and a huge move for Atlanta, which also has a ton of cap space to work with this offseason. If they can add an impact player like, say, Ndamukong Suh in free agency and a player like Shane Ray in the draft, the outlook for this defense changes dramatically.. DE. Missouri. Shane Ray. 8. player

LB. Washington. Shaq Thompson. 9. player. 31. The Giants really struggle defensively, and I know that’s not really a statement that will shock anyone, but it’s true. That being said, I think a great pick for them will be Shaq Thompson, a player who can do it all and create turnovers. He can also score the ball too, playing a little running back. Thompson’s versatility and athletic ability will make him an attractive player and immediate starter for the Giants.

player. 51. The Rams were one of the worst pass blocking teams in the NFL, thanks large in part to two major injuries — Jake Long and Sam Bradford. The Rams didn’t have a QB who knew to get rid of the ball quickly all year, and the offensive line predictably struggled with their best player out for the year. Even top draft pick Greg Robinson struggled to adapt, ranking near the bottom of the team by Pro Football Focus in offensive grade this season. A player like La’El Collins might not be a savior immediately, but he could start at right tackle as a rookie.. OT. LSU. La'El Collins. 10

Stanford. Andrus Peat. 11. player. 60. Matt Kalil was terrible in 2014, and hopefully he regains the form we saw in his rookie season where he appeared to be one of the best up and coming tackles in the league. The Vikings’ pass protection was terrible thanks large in part to Kalil, so they’ll need to look for upgrades this offseason. Peat is a player who is really on the rise and could provide a boost to the Vikings’ offensive line in their pursuit to protect Teddy Bridgewater.. OT

DT. Washington. Danny Shelton. 12. player. 53. The Browns could go for a WR with this pick, but they need help on the defensive line, where every single one of their players graded negatively by Pro Football Focus this year. That’s not the end-all, but it’s a pretty glaring hole for this team. With as many playmakers as they have in the secondary, they need to make sure the front line is applying plenty of pressure. Shelton is a mammoth in the middle of the defense that can develop into a stud at the next level.

The Saints had some unexpected players show up in terms of providing a pass rush, but ultimately this unit needs a potential star rusher, and Fowler can be that guy. He is one of the most explosive defensive players I’ve scouted and would be a great weapon for the Saints.. OLB. Florida. Dante Fowler Jr.. 13. player. 15

59. Despite Branden Albert’s best efforts, the Dolphins were one of the worst teams at protecting the quarterback in the league. Albert’s injury was a hinderance for the Dolphins, but they have some pieces and adding a player like Stanley wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Dolphins here.. OT. Notre Dame. Ronnie Stanley. 14. player

If the 49ers are going to go with a wide receiver early in this year’s draft — and they very well could — it would be a dream scenario for them to be facing DeVante Parker and Kevin White both with this pick. It’s hard to go wrong there, but Parker has a longer track record of production in college, so he gets the nod here over White.. WR. Louisville. DeVante Parker. 15. player. 42

The Texans’ defense made plenty of plays in 2014, all of which were seemingly a result of a play made by J.J. Watt. They need some help in the secondary and Waynes is the best corner on the board. He has good size and length and could be a huge pickup for a defense that has some serious star power.. CB. Michigan State. Trae Waynes. 16. player. 10