1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-14): Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
Jameis Winston is the better pro prospect than Marcus Mariota and the Bucs would be foolish to pass on Winston. He may have struggles early on, but his ceiling is Andrew Luck-like.
2. Tennessee Titans (2-14): Leonard Williams, DE, USC
This pick could end up being traded to secure the right of Mariota, but if the Titans keep it, Williams is a no-brainer. He brings versatility and physicality that would immediately improve the defense.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Dante Fowler, Jr., DE, Florida
The Jaguars have been trying to find a pass rush for years and should lean toward the purest pass rusher in Fowler. He can play the run and the pass and shows impressive counter moves for such a young prospect.
4. Oakland Raiders (3-13): Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
The more I think about it, the Raiders seem likely to stray from their ways and go with the guy that makes the most sense for their team. If Al Davis was still around, Kevin White would without a doubt be the pick here. But the Raiders need help on the outside, especially on third down, and a polished route runner like Cooper will be a stud in Oakland.
5. Washington Redskins (4-12): Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
Beasley has emerged as the best option for the Redskins with concerns about Randy Gregory and Shane Ray. He will immediately upgrade their pass rush and ease the loss of Brian Orakpo.
6. New York Jets (4-12): Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
Recent comments suggest that the Jets are willing to live with Geno Smith and give him one more year to prove himself, but that is likely just a smoke screen. If Mariota falls this far, the Jets will grab him.
7. Chicago Bears (5-11): Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
With Brandon Marshall no longer in town, wide receiver becomes a realistic option for the Bears. Pairing White with Alshon Jeffery would terrorize defenses for years to come.
8. Atlanta Falcons (6-10): Bud Dupree, OLB, Kentucky
They would have loved if Gregory and Ray stayed out of trouble, but the Falcons get forced to reach for a need. Dupree is a dynamic athlete, but a better secondary rusher.
9. New York Giants (6-10): Brandon Scherff, OG, Iowa
When the Giants were winning Super Bowls, they were dominant in the trenches. It’s time for them to get back to that, starting with taking the best offensive lineman available.
10. St. Louis Rams (6-10): Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
The Rams traditionally draft the best player available, but the top players left all have major baggage. They will stay conservative and get Peat, who could develop into a premier tackle.
11. Minnesota Vikings (7-9): DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
The Vikings are in need of receivers; Greg Jennings is gone and Cordarrelle Patterson is still learning to be an effective receiver. Parker can step in right now and give the Vikings a go to guy. Also, it helps that the majority of passes Parker caught in college came from Vikings’ quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater.
12. Cleveland Browns (7-9): Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF
The Browns may end up picking No. 2 overall, but if they stay here, their best bet is to snag a receiver. It will be a bit of a reach, but Perriman has the potential to become a beast in Cleveland.
13. New Orleans Saints (7-9): Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska
Sean Payton has made it known that the Saints are not afraid of taking a player with character concerns. Gregory could end up being the best pass rusher in this draft class, but he’s going to need to clean up his act and quick. Having a dynamic pass rusher opposite of Junior Galette could take their defense to another level.
14. Miami Dolphins (8-8): Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
The Dolphins could go in several different directions with this pick, but their best option is take the best corner in this draft. Waynes has prototypical measurables and plays with both grace and tenacity.
15. San Francisco 49ers (8-8): Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon
The once stout and feared 49er defense has aged and been gutted. Armstead is a massive man with huge upside and plays with the type of nastiness that the San Francisco defense has become known for.
16. Houston Texans (9-7): Nelson Agholor, WR, USC
Losing Andre Johnson to the Colts was a huge blow, but adding an NFL-ready product like Agholor will help soften the blow. He may never be an elite receiver, but he has the ability to be one of the best No. 2 wide receivers around.
17. San Diego Chargers (9-7): Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
Gurley to the Chargers has been picking up steam for weeks and rightfully so; it makes a ton of sense. Losing Ryan Matthews to the Eagles leaves a huge void in San Diego in the backfield. Branden Oliver is a nice change-of-pace back, but is nowhere near as good as Gurley.
18. Kansas City Chiefs (9-7): Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Missouri/Oklahoma
The Chiefs need playmakers on the outside more than any other team in football. To go a full season without a single TD reception by a WR is nuts. DGB is a huge risk, but Andy Reid put with Terrell Owens for years.
19. Cleveland Browns (from Buffalo) (7-9): Danny Shelton, NT, Washington
Most draft analysts think Shelton will go in the top 10, but he only fits 3-4 teams and nose tackles do not carry a ton of value. Regardless, his natural ability is undeniable, and he could become a fan favorite of the Dawg Pound.
20. Philadelphia Eagles (10-6): Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
Even after adding Byron Maxwell, the Eagles still need help on the outside. Chip Kelly has shown he is not afraid to take chances and picking up a player with top-tier talent like Peters is too good to pass up.
21. Cincinnati Bengals (10-5-1): Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
The Bengals’ defense was at its best when it could harass opposing quarterbacks with ease. They desperately want to return to that and taking a penetrating talent like Brown is a great start.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5): Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest
The Steelers were awful in coverage last season and their secondary is not getting any younger. Johnson may not be a flashy name, but he can play press-man, off and in zone, which very few young corners are capable of. He fills a huge need and fits the Steelers scheme perfectly.
23. Detroit Lions (11-5): Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
The Lions lost both Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley and need to add depth up front. Goldman may not be the pass rusher that Suh or Fairley is, but he is a massive presence against the run.
24. Arizona Cardinals (11-5): Shane Ray, OLB, Missouri
The Cardinals had a good pass rush last season because they were forced to blitz a ton with no impact rushers healthy. Ray was viewed as a top 10 lock just a few days ago, but injury concerns and a recent arrest for marijuana have drastically hurt his draft stock. However, the Cardinals have had success with turning guys around before like Tyrann Mathieu and will take a chance on Ray’s talent.
25. Carolina Panthers (7-8-1): D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida
The Panthers boasted one of the worst O-Lines in football last year, along with the worst receiving corps and a pretty bad secondary. Getting better up front is a necessity and Humphries may be the steal of the draft. He plays a bit soft at times, but he flashes franchise left tackle potential.
26. Baltimore Ravens (10-6): Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
The Ravens caught lightning in a bottle when Justin Forsett broke out last season, but he may be a one-year wonder. Gordon has elite vision and agility and could become a workhorse for Baltimore sooner rather than later.
27. Dallas Cowboys (12-4): Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut
Jones’ rise up draft boards is not solely based on his freakish athleticism, but it certainly helps. His film shows that he can be a dynamic press-man corner and impact games in a variety of ways. The Cowboys have lacked a true playmaker in the secondary since Darren Woodson retired.
28. Denver Broncos (12-4): Cameron Erving, C, Florida State
Gary Kubiak likes athletic lineman who fit his zone-blocking scheme and have strong pass blocking traits. Kubiak meet Erving, Cameron meet Gary. Erving is one of the most underrated prospects in this class and could easily become a perennial pro bowler.
29. Indianapolis Colts (11-5): T.J. Clemmings, OT/OG, Pittsburgh
The Colts would be wise to invest in the offensive line to protect Andrew Luck. Clemmings has the flexibility to play guard or tackle and excel at either position.
30. Green Bay Packers (12-4): Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA
The Packers desperately need a legitimate inside linebacker and Kendricks is a tackling machine that does not need to come off the field on any down and distance.
31. New Orleans Saints (7-9): Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
When it’s all said and done, I don’t think the Saints keep this pick. I think they will package their two first-rounders to get a dynamic talent. But in a non-trading mock draft, the Saints pick up a dynamic talent after all and get an outside threat to replace Kenny Stills.
32. New England Patriots (12-4): Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
The Patriots already have one of the best free safeties in football in Devin McCourty. Having McCourty will allow Collins do what he does best, play as a down safety against the run.
