[h=1]Kiper's 'Grade: A' mock draft[/h]
Mel Kiper Jr., Football analyst
In this one, I'm the general manager ... for every team. This isn't me projecting picks, this is me making them, for three full rounds, based on what's best for each team at that slot. Thus the "A" grade. (I know, I know.)
Please read the ground rules:
1. At each slot, I make a pick in the best interest of only the team with the pick. I won't pass on a player at No. 4 just because I like the team better at No. 5.
2. No trades unless they're already done. I note team needs, and I try to address them, but like the draft, value can supersede need.
3. Again: I'm not projecting. It's more a look at where I see value up and down the board.
As with previous years', there's a team-by-team look below, as well as a pick-by-pick version so you can see how the order of the picks progressed and get an idea of who was off the board when each team selected.
Picks in order, Rounds 1-3
[h=2]Tampa Bay Buccaneers[/h]Top needs: QB, DE, OT, WR
Round 1 (1) QB Jameis Winston, Florida St.
Round 2 (34) OT D.J. Humphries, Florida
Round 3 (65) DE Mario Edwards, Florida St.
Analysis: There's no debate in my war room about the No. 1 pick. It's not just because I think Winston is more NFL-ready than any other QB in the draft, and thus it serves me as GM to take him and perhaps help my own job security; it's about talent, and I'm willing to bet on Winston's here. We make this pick and start planning with the goal of Winston as our Week 1 starter. I think we have the weapons to help him succeed early. We also have a clear need for a tackle, and I'm happy to see Humphries available at No. 34, though I would have taken Jake Fisher ahead of him (the Titans grabbed him at No. 33). Humphries could push to start at right tackle. Edwards isn't a great pass-rusher, but I think he's really tough to move in the run game and is a pretty good value at No. 65. My reasoning for having WR as a need is that that depth chart looks much different if either Vincent Jackson (now 32 years old) or Mike Evans is on the shelf for any period of time.<offer style="box-sizing: border-box;"></offer>
[h=2]Tennessee Titans[/h]Top needs: RT, WR DE, S
Round 1 (2) QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon
Round 2 (33) OT Jake Fisher, Oregon
Round 3 (66) DE Trey Flowers, Arkansas
Analysis: I'm drafting Mariota at No. 2 or gathering a huge windfall from some team moving into this slot to get him. It's one of the two. In drafting him, I'm taking a QB with a far greater upside than any player on the current roster. Zach Mettenberger has some talent, but there's a reason he was available a year ago this week at No. 178 overall. Mariota is a far superior talent at the NFL's most important position, he has the work ethic to adapt to any scheme, if we're patient, and I'm banking on my coaches to help him achieve his potential. Their jobs are on the line too. I shore up a clear need at right tackle with the addition of Fisher as the first pick in Round 2. He's a tremendous athlete, and I like his chance to start right away. I know we added Brian Orakpo in free agency, but Flowers provides some pass-rush upside because Orakpo has missed 24 games over the past three seasons. And Flowers defends the run. It's a deep draft at WR, and we'll get one in the next couple of rounds. I list safety as a (quiet) need only because Michael Griffin never gets hurt, but we're in trouble if that happens.
[h=2]Jacksonville Jaguars[/h]Top needs: DE, RB, CB, C
Round 1 (3) DL Leonard Williams, USC
Round 2 (36) RB Tevin Coleman, Indiana
Round 3 (67) CB P.J. Williams, Florida St.
Analysis: Slowly but surely, I'm starting to like the makeup of my defense. And getting the safest player in the draft -- a scheme-versatile defensive lineman who is an immediate force against the run and offers upside as a disruptor against the pass -- simply makes us better. No. 36 overall is a spot where I can better justify taking a RB, even for a team that could use help in other positions, simply because I feel like Coleman immediately becomes the best running back on the roster. Given that I think my roster is now in a position to win more games, I can take a play-right-away player who has shown explosiveness and durability. That's an immediate upgrade, and the opportunity cost isn't too high in Round 2. P.J. Williams is a great value in Round 3 if he can show maturity off the field. I didn't have him as a certain Round 1 pick before his recent DUI arrest, but he was easily a Round 2 option, and I think the risk is worth taking if we feel we're getting a likely starter at a key position in Round 3.
[h=2]Oakland Raiders[/h]Top needs: WR, DE, CB, S
Round 1 (4) WR Amari Cooper, Alabama
Round 2 (35) DE Preston Smith, Mississippi St.
Round 3 (68) LB Paul Dawson, TCU
Analysis: Adding Michael Crabtree in free agency this month doesn't really change anything here. Crabtree is a side dish, Cooper is the steak. He's the No. 1 wide receiver in the draft, and I think he'll enter camp as the most talented (and arguably the most polished) player at that position on our roster. And anybody saying Cooper is something akin to a "reliable possession receiver" for Derek Carr simply hasn't watched the tape; he's much more than that. We're pretty thin at defensive end, and Smith can help right away because, like the pick we nailed last year (Khalil Mack), Smith is outstanding against the run, where he plays with leverage and awareness. Dawson is a good value at No. 68, and I expect him to beat out Miles Burris at middle linebacker. I'd really like to find a cornerback, but when the Jags took P.J. Williams one pick ahead of us at No. 67, Dawson became the choice. We'll take some shots on the secondary on Day 3.
[h=2]Washington Redskins[/h]Top needs: OL, OLB, ILB, S
Round 1 (5) OLB Dante Fowler, Florida
Round 2 (38) OT Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M
Round 3 (69) G A.J. Cann, South Carolina
Analysis: If there's been one thing that defines our defense in Washington over the past couple of seasons, it's been a lack of physical play up front and a ton of bad tackling pretty much everywhere. Fowler doesn't just bring the presence of a pass-rusher -- in reality, he still has a ways to go to be really good in that area -- he also is just a relentless battler up front, is versatile and is going to help us against the run, where we were simply awful last year. Combine him with the big bodies we've added in free agency and there's reason for optimism. Maybe we don't have certainty at the QB position, but adding Ogbuehi (a first-round talent available in Round 2 because of a knee injury) and Cann will help up front. In rebuilding this roster, my focus is on the trenches, and I think free agency and these picks start the process of improvement.
[h=2]New York Jets[/h]Top needs: QB, OLB, OL, RB
Round 1 (6) WR Kevin White, West Virginia
Round 2 (37) OLB Eli Harold, Virginia
Round 3 (70) QB Garrett Grayson, Colorado St.
Analysis: Yes, it would be nice to have Marcus Mariota fall to us at No. 6. But we're not going to pay a huge bounty like Washington did to move up for Robert Griffin III when I'm not convinced Mariota is a starter for us in 2015. I just think it's too much of a long-term setback, and I feel like even adequate play from either Ryan Fitzpatrick or Geno Smith makes us pretty competitive in 2015 because I think the defense can be special. So in adding White, I'm getting a weapon I can pair with Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker and Jace Amaro in the passing game. On paper, I now have a balanced and dangerous receiving corps. In Round 2, I'm getting Harold as a shot-out-of-a-cannon pass-rusher to complement the power components across my defensive line. Calvin Pace is 34, and Harold can make some plays in a limited role this coming season. In Round 3, I'm taking a shot on a good developmental QB. Grayson won't play early, but we don't have to rush him.
[h=2]Chicago Bears[/h]Top needs: WR, DL, OLB, S
Round 1 (7) WR Breshad Perriman, Central Florida
Round 2 (39) DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa, UCLA
Round 3 (71) DL Henry Anderson, Stanford
Analysis: There's some temptation to take Shane Ray at No. 7, as we definitely need to add help on the defensive line and provide some pass-rushing depth, but I'm worried that if I pass on Perriman, by the time we pick again at No. 39 there will be nine or 10 WRs off the board. I just think the need is great enough that we bet on Perriman's skill set as a playmaker with great size and exceptional top-end speed. He has the tools to be a very good pass-catcher, though he will need to be more consistent and limit drops. Still, the sub-4.3 speed and big frame give us plenty to work with. Odighizuwa isn't a great pass-rusher, but he's very good against the run and is going to help us set the edge. Anderson might be one of the more underrated players in the draft, as he's just a physical bully in the run game and never takes plays off. With these picks, we're more explosive on offense and more physical up front on defense. I'd like to add a safety and a cornerback, but I liked the value on these players up front.
[h=2]Atlanta Falcons[/h]Top needs: OLB, OL, TE, RB
Round 1 (8) OLB Shane Ray, Missouri
Round 2 (42) G Laken Tomlinson, Duke
Round 3 (73) WR Justin Hardy, East Carolina
Analysis: Ray gives us the Leo we're looking for to help what was an anemic pass rush last season. I think he's going to have real growing pains as he takes on better tackles, but I think he's a better fit for us than Vic Beasley, the other player I considered at No. 8. We simply have to find a pass rush, and Ray is the kind of player I think Dan Quinn would have used optimally in Seattle. Tomlinson is maybe a slight reach for us on the value scale in Round 2, but I'm pretty confident he comes in and starts for us right away at left guard, so I'm not losing sleep there. We have to get a guard, and banking on his experience and plug-and-play potential makes sense. In a fantasy sense, you probably think our depth chart at wide receiver is fine, but Roddy White will be 34 this season andJulio Jones has never started 16 games. Hardy provides immediate depth, and I love his willingness to throw a block.
Mel Kiper Jr., Football analyst
In this one, I'm the general manager ... for every team. This isn't me projecting picks, this is me making them, for three full rounds, based on what's best for each team at that slot. Thus the "A" grade. (I know, I know.)
Please read the ground rules:
1. At each slot, I make a pick in the best interest of only the team with the pick. I won't pass on a player at No. 4 just because I like the team better at No. 5.
2. No trades unless they're already done. I note team needs, and I try to address them, but like the draft, value can supersede need.
3. Again: I'm not projecting. It's more a look at where I see value up and down the board.
As with previous years', there's a team-by-team look below, as well as a pick-by-pick version so you can see how the order of the picks progressed and get an idea of who was off the board when each team selected.
Picks in order, Rounds 1-3
Round 1 (1) QB Jameis Winston, Florida St.
Round 2 (34) OT D.J. Humphries, Florida
Round 3 (65) DE Mario Edwards, Florida St.
Analysis: There's no debate in my war room about the No. 1 pick. It's not just because I think Winston is more NFL-ready than any other QB in the draft, and thus it serves me as GM to take him and perhaps help my own job security; it's about talent, and I'm willing to bet on Winston's here. We make this pick and start planning with the goal of Winston as our Week 1 starter. I think we have the weapons to help him succeed early. We also have a clear need for a tackle, and I'm happy to see Humphries available at No. 34, though I would have taken Jake Fisher ahead of him (the Titans grabbed him at No. 33). Humphries could push to start at right tackle. Edwards isn't a great pass-rusher, but I think he's really tough to move in the run game and is a pretty good value at No. 65. My reasoning for having WR as a need is that that depth chart looks much different if either Vincent Jackson (now 32 years old) or Mike Evans is on the shelf for any period of time.<offer style="box-sizing: border-box;"></offer>
Round 1 (2) QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon
Round 2 (33) OT Jake Fisher, Oregon
Round 3 (66) DE Trey Flowers, Arkansas
Analysis: I'm drafting Mariota at No. 2 or gathering a huge windfall from some team moving into this slot to get him. It's one of the two. In drafting him, I'm taking a QB with a far greater upside than any player on the current roster. Zach Mettenberger has some talent, but there's a reason he was available a year ago this week at No. 178 overall. Mariota is a far superior talent at the NFL's most important position, he has the work ethic to adapt to any scheme, if we're patient, and I'm banking on my coaches to help him achieve his potential. Their jobs are on the line too. I shore up a clear need at right tackle with the addition of Fisher as the first pick in Round 2. He's a tremendous athlete, and I like his chance to start right away. I know we added Brian Orakpo in free agency, but Flowers provides some pass-rush upside because Orakpo has missed 24 games over the past three seasons. And Flowers defends the run. It's a deep draft at WR, and we'll get one in the next couple of rounds. I list safety as a (quiet) need only because Michael Griffin never gets hurt, but we're in trouble if that happens.
Round 1 (3) DL Leonard Williams, USC
Round 2 (36) RB Tevin Coleman, Indiana
Round 3 (67) CB P.J. Williams, Florida St.
Analysis: Slowly but surely, I'm starting to like the makeup of my defense. And getting the safest player in the draft -- a scheme-versatile defensive lineman who is an immediate force against the run and offers upside as a disruptor against the pass -- simply makes us better. No. 36 overall is a spot where I can better justify taking a RB, even for a team that could use help in other positions, simply because I feel like Coleman immediately becomes the best running back on the roster. Given that I think my roster is now in a position to win more games, I can take a play-right-away player who has shown explosiveness and durability. That's an immediate upgrade, and the opportunity cost isn't too high in Round 2. P.J. Williams is a great value in Round 3 if he can show maturity off the field. I didn't have him as a certain Round 1 pick before his recent DUI arrest, but he was easily a Round 2 option, and I think the risk is worth taking if we feel we're getting a likely starter at a key position in Round 3.
Round 1 (4) WR Amari Cooper, Alabama
Round 2 (35) DE Preston Smith, Mississippi St.
Round 3 (68) LB Paul Dawson, TCU
Analysis: Adding Michael Crabtree in free agency this month doesn't really change anything here. Crabtree is a side dish, Cooper is the steak. He's the No. 1 wide receiver in the draft, and I think he'll enter camp as the most talented (and arguably the most polished) player at that position on our roster. And anybody saying Cooper is something akin to a "reliable possession receiver" for Derek Carr simply hasn't watched the tape; he's much more than that. We're pretty thin at defensive end, and Smith can help right away because, like the pick we nailed last year (Khalil Mack), Smith is outstanding against the run, where he plays with leverage and awareness. Dawson is a good value at No. 68, and I expect him to beat out Miles Burris at middle linebacker. I'd really like to find a cornerback, but when the Jags took P.J. Williams one pick ahead of us at No. 67, Dawson became the choice. We'll take some shots on the secondary on Day 3.
Round 1 (5) OLB Dante Fowler, Florida
Round 2 (38) OT Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M
Round 3 (69) G A.J. Cann, South Carolina
Analysis: If there's been one thing that defines our defense in Washington over the past couple of seasons, it's been a lack of physical play up front and a ton of bad tackling pretty much everywhere. Fowler doesn't just bring the presence of a pass-rusher -- in reality, he still has a ways to go to be really good in that area -- he also is just a relentless battler up front, is versatile and is going to help us against the run, where we were simply awful last year. Combine him with the big bodies we've added in free agency and there's reason for optimism. Maybe we don't have certainty at the QB position, but adding Ogbuehi (a first-round talent available in Round 2 because of a knee injury) and Cann will help up front. In rebuilding this roster, my focus is on the trenches, and I think free agency and these picks start the process of improvement.
Round 1 (6) WR Kevin White, West Virginia
Round 2 (37) OLB Eli Harold, Virginia
Round 3 (70) QB Garrett Grayson, Colorado St.
Analysis: Yes, it would be nice to have Marcus Mariota fall to us at No. 6. But we're not going to pay a huge bounty like Washington did to move up for Robert Griffin III when I'm not convinced Mariota is a starter for us in 2015. I just think it's too much of a long-term setback, and I feel like even adequate play from either Ryan Fitzpatrick or Geno Smith makes us pretty competitive in 2015 because I think the defense can be special. So in adding White, I'm getting a weapon I can pair with Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker and Jace Amaro in the passing game. On paper, I now have a balanced and dangerous receiving corps. In Round 2, I'm getting Harold as a shot-out-of-a-cannon pass-rusher to complement the power components across my defensive line. Calvin Pace is 34, and Harold can make some plays in a limited role this coming season. In Round 3, I'm taking a shot on a good developmental QB. Grayson won't play early, but we don't have to rush him.
Round 1 (7) WR Breshad Perriman, Central Florida
Round 2 (39) DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa, UCLA
Round 3 (71) DL Henry Anderson, Stanford
Analysis: There's some temptation to take Shane Ray at No. 7, as we definitely need to add help on the defensive line and provide some pass-rushing depth, but I'm worried that if I pass on Perriman, by the time we pick again at No. 39 there will be nine or 10 WRs off the board. I just think the need is great enough that we bet on Perriman's skill set as a playmaker with great size and exceptional top-end speed. He has the tools to be a very good pass-catcher, though he will need to be more consistent and limit drops. Still, the sub-4.3 speed and big frame give us plenty to work with. Odighizuwa isn't a great pass-rusher, but he's very good against the run and is going to help us set the edge. Anderson might be one of the more underrated players in the draft, as he's just a physical bully in the run game and never takes plays off. With these picks, we're more explosive on offense and more physical up front on defense. I'd like to add a safety and a cornerback, but I liked the value on these players up front.
Round 1 (8) OLB Shane Ray, Missouri
Round 2 (42) G Laken Tomlinson, Duke
Round 3 (73) WR Justin Hardy, East Carolina
Analysis: Ray gives us the Leo we're looking for to help what was an anemic pass rush last season. I think he's going to have real growing pains as he takes on better tackles, but I think he's a better fit for us than Vic Beasley, the other player I considered at No. 8. We simply have to find a pass rush, and Ray is the kind of player I think Dan Quinn would have used optimally in Seattle. Tomlinson is maybe a slight reach for us on the value scale in Round 2, but I'm pretty confident he comes in and starts for us right away at left guard, so I'm not losing sleep there. We have to get a guard, and banking on his experience and plug-and-play potential makes sense. In a fantasy sense, you probably think our depth chart at wide receiver is fine, but Roddy White will be 34 this season andJulio Jones has never started 16 games. Hardy provides immediate depth, and I love his willingness to throw a block.