Dante Fowler was a dominant force in Florida's win over East Carolina in the Birmingham Bowl. (Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports)
If Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston and Southern Cal defensive tackle Leonard Williams are the top two picks in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars, who currently own the No. 3 overall pick, will be in a position to draft their favorite pass rusher.
Randy Gregory, Shane Ray and Vic Beasley all have strong cases, but Florida’s Dante Fowler might be too good to pass up, keeping the former Gator in the state of Florida. His relentless energy and get-off burst will allow him to flourish in coach Gus Bradley’s attacking front-seven scheme.
NFL MOCK DRAFT – ROUND 1
1. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-14): Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State: Asking around at the NFL Scouting Combine, I could not find anyone (NFL scout, analyst, etc.) who doesn’t think Winston will be the No. 1 pick. Can the Bucs trust him? That’s the only question, but the on-field talent is too good to pass up.
2. TENNESSEE TITANS (2-14): Leonard Williams, DT, Southern California: Oregon’s Marcus Mariota should be in the conversation here, but if the Titans decide to stick with Zach Mettenberger as the starting quarterback then Williams becomes a logical choice. Not only is he the best player available, but he also fits what Dick LeBeau and Ray Horton want to do on defense.
3. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (3-13): Dante Fowler Jr., OLB, Florida: Jacksonville has drafted offense in the top five (OT Luke Joeckel, QB Blake Bortles) in the first two years of the David Caldwell era, so the Jaguars’ focus turns to defense this year. Fowler is a pesky pass rusher that loves to stress offenses and should make an impact on day one.
4. OAKLAND RAIDERS (3-13): Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama: Last year’s second-round pick Derek Carr has done more than enough as a rookie to earn another year as the Raiders’ starter, but he needs help, especially at receiver. Cooper doesn’t have the size or speed of pass-catchers usually found in the top five, but he knows how to do the two most important things at the position: get open and finish catches.
5. WASHINGTON REDSKINS (4-12): Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson: With Brian Orakpo set to hit free agency, pass rusher will be high on the Redskins’ wish list. Beasley absolutely crushed the Combine, showing up at a good weight (248 pounds) and showing off the strength/athleticism combo that teams covet at the position.
6. NY JETS (4-12): Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon: The Jets will have a fresh look in 2015 with a new general manager (Mike Maccagnan) and head coach (Todd Bowles). And if Mariota is still on the board at No. 6, the Jets will have a chance to add a promising young passer as well.
7. CHICAGO BEARS (5-11): Danny Shelton, DT, Washington: With new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio expected to implement a 3-4 scheme, the Bears are in the market for a dominating nose tackle presence like Shelton. The Washington lineman would be a great building block to start with for Chicago’s renovations on defense.
8. ATLANTA FALCONS (6-10): Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska: With Dan Quinn trading his defensive coordinator role in Seattle for the head job for the Falcons, look for Atlanta to overhaul the defensive personnel to fit his scheme. Gregory is still a work in progress, but the raw athleticism and upside is too tempting.
9. NY GIANTS (6-10): Shane Ray, DE, Missouri: Consistent pass rush was the bread and butter of the Giants’ Super Bowl-winning clubs and Ray, who has the best first step in this draft class, would be a much needed boost to the current roster.
10. ST. LOUIS RAMS (6-10): Kevin White, WR, West Virginia: The Rams need to inject life into the offense, regardless of who is the starting quarterback in 2015. White is the best “attacking” receiver in the 2015 draft class and adds another weapon to the Rams’ flashy, but largely inconsistent receiving arsenal.
11. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (7-9): DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville: So far the Cordarrelle Patterson experiment in Minnesota has been a disappointment. And while the Vikings shouldn’t (and won’t) give up on him just yet, there is still a need for a potential No. 1 receiver for Bridgewater. And Parker, Bridgewater’s former teammate at Louisville, fills that need.
12. CLEVELAND BROWNS (7-9): Alvin Dupree, DE, Kentucky: With the top three receivers off the board, the Browns’ draft radar turns to defense and Dupree, who can give Cleveland a pass rush threat off the edge, replacing free agent Jabaal Sheard.
13. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (7-9): Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State: New Orleans needs help in the secondary and instead of waiting for 2014 second rounder Stanley Jean-Baptiste to develop, the Saints would be wise to pick the draft’s best cornerback if Waynes is still available.
14. MIAMI DOLPHINS (8-8): Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa: The Dolphins went offensive tackle in the first round last year and could address the position again this spring, especially considering Branden Albert’s injury history. Scherff is ideally suited inside at guard, but brings position versatility to help out anywhere up front.
15. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (8-8): Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon: The 49ers need to get younger on the defensive line and new head coach Jim Tomsula will fall in love with a player like Armstead, who has impressive movement skills, length and potential.
16. HOUSTON TEXANS (9-7): Malcom Brown, DT, Texas: With no quarterback worth this pick the Texans go best available, which might be Brown, who can offer depth anywhere on the defensive line.
17. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (9-7): Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford: The Chargers are keeping their options open at right tackle, knowing they can leave DJ Fluker there for the 2015 season. But if Peat is available, it would make sense kicking Fluker inside and starting the former Cardinal at tackle to help solidify the line.
18. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (9-7): Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF: It’s no secret that the Chiefs need help outside on offense and Perriman is a hot name in NFL circles. He could be the new No. 1 target for Alex Smith.
19. CLEVELAND BROWNS (FROM BUFFALO) (7-9): La’el Collins, OT, LSU: After going defense at pick No. 12, the Browns look to offense with this pick, addressing another weak spot on the offensive line. It doesn’t always look pretty with Collins, but he gets the job done and projects best at right tackle or guard.
20. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (10-6): Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest: The needs at this pick might change if the Eagles land a big name free agent like Byron Maxwell, but Johnson is a player who should be on the radar regardless. He has natural cover instincts and skills that make him worthy of consideration this early.
21. CINCINNATI BENGALS (10-5-1): Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington: The Bengals’ linebackers were not a strength in 2014 and with often-injured Rey Maualuga set for free agency, Cincinnati could find linebacker help with this pick. Thompson is an intriguing athlete with a knack for creating turnovers.
22. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (11-5): Eli Harold, OLB, Virginia: With Jason Worilds set to hit free agency and Jarvis Jones not living up to his first round draft slot, Harold would make sense. He’s still rough around the edges, but his raw pass rush ability has the NFL’s attention.
23. DETROIT LIONS (11-5): Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (Fla.): The Lions have a few stop-gap options at right tackle, but Flowers would give Detroit long-term stability at the position.
24. ARIZONA CARDINALS (11-5): Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia: Although the ACL injury could push him out of the first round, Gurley is a top 10 talent and should be healthy for the NFL season opener in September if his rehab stays on track.
25. CAROLINA PANTHERS (7-8-1): T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh: The Panthers need offensive line help in the worst way and unless they address the position in free agency, tackle is the favorite to be the pick here. Clemmings needs work in pass protection, but he is a dominating run blocker with a high football ceiling.
26. BALTIMORE RAVENS (10-6): Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma: Arguably the most gifted player in the entire draft, Green-Beckham is worth the risk at some point in the first round and the Ravens could see him as more of a reward at this pick.
27. DALLAS COWBOYS (12-4): Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA: Dallas needs to address the defensive line early in the 2015 NFL Draft and if the medicals check out alright, Odighizuwa is worth this pick.
28. DENVER BRONCOS (12-4): Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota: The top three tight ends on the Broncos’ depth chart are all free agents, including Julius Thomas, who the Broncos might not be able to retain. If that is the case, Denver could look to the draft for his replacement and Williams has the talent to warrant a first-round selection.
29. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (11-5): Landon Collins, SS, Alabama: Veteran safety Mike Adams had a better than expected 2014 season, but he is a 34-year-old free agent and might not be in the Colts’ future plans. Collins has his limitations in coverage, but he plays with range and a downhill demeanor that fits the NFL.
30. GREEN BAY PACKERS (12-4): Quinten Rollins, CB, Miami (Ohio): After a four-year career on the basketball court, Rollins returned to football in 2014 and was the MAC Defensive Player of the Year, showing first-round traits as a defensive back that could fill a need for Green Bay.
31. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (12-4): Marcus Peters, CB, Washington: With Byron Maxwell likely departing via free agency and Jeremy Lane expected to start the season on the sideline due to injuries, cornerback shoots to the top of Seattle’s draft needs. And if Peters handles himself well during interviews, he could join his mentor (Marshawn Lynch) in Seattle.
32. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (12-4): A.J. Cann, OG, South Carolina: The Patriots added another Lombardi Trophy to the trophy case, but have several need areas to address this offseason, including at guard. Cann was the bright spot for an otherwise inconsistent South Carolina offense in 2014 and is worthy of late first-round consideration.
Dane Brugler is an analyst for www.NFLDraftScout.com, a property of The Sports Xchange distributed in partnership with CBSSports.com.
