After 57 consecutive years of being held in New York City, the 2015 NFL draft was held at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University in Chicago. Although the draft was not center-stage amidst the bright lights of NYC, the night was just as special for those whose dreams of playing in the NFL became reality.
Throughout the months leading up to the draft, it became quite obvious that Jameis Winston of Florida State, despite his off-field issues, would be picked first by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—his ability to throw out of the pocket with good accuracy and leadership on the field contributed to this projection. As draft night drew nearer, the second overall pick was still in question.
The Tennessee Titans had the rights to the second pick, but received inquiries from many teams wanting to trade up including the Eagles and Browns. Both the Eagles and the Browns offered to trade players and draft picks to the Titans for their 2nd overall pick. The Browns’ quarterback problems started with their first-round pick from 2014, Johnny Manziel, who entered rehab for unknown reasons this past offseason. They also lacked a reliable starting quarterback. In Philadelphia, Eagles coach Chip Kelly had raved about Marcus Mariota since his days at Oregon, where Kelly coached Mariota. This offseason, the Eagles traded their starting QB from the 2014–15 season to the Rams in exchange for their quarterback, Sam Bradford. Many believe that this move was in a calculated effort to potentially move up in the draft and select Mariota.
The Eagles were reportedly offering quality players Brandon Boykin, Fletcher Cox, Michael Kendrick, and several draft picks to the Titans in exchange for their number two pick. The Titans declined both offers from the Browns and the Eagles and ended up drafting Mariota for themselves. Mariota has great size for the quarterback position, is deceptively fast, and is a great decision maker. The reason he was not selected number one overall is that many believe he has not proven that he can excel as a pocket passer, while Jameis Winston has.
With the third pick in the 2015 NFL draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected arguably the best all-around edge defender in the draft: Dante Fowler. Although Fowler lacks a quick first step compared to others in the draft, his versatility and athleticism give him great potential. The Oakland Raiders, who had the fourth pick, selected Amari Cooper from Alabama, and for the second straight year, it appears that they have made a great decision. After puzzling many by drafting quarterback Derrick Carr last year, Carr’s growth on the field and ability to pass made him worthy of the pick. By adding Cooper, the Raiders now have one of the most polished college–wide receivers ever. While not a single receiver on the Raiders gathered more than 700 yards last season, Cooper had 1,727 yards and 124 receptions last season at Alabama. To me, this was one of the best picks of the entire draft. The Raiders added a quality receiver that their future franchise quarterback can throw to and grow with for years to come.
In contrast, there were several picks throughout the draft that were not the best. With the tenth pick, the Rams selected Todd Gurley from Georgia. It is very rare that a running back is selected in the first round, let alone in the top ten. My concern with this pick is Gurley’s durability after suffering a torn ACL during last season. There is a strong possibility that he will not even be ready for the first couple of games next season. The Rams also had a promising young running back in Zach Stacy, who demanded a trade following the selection of Todd Gurley.
The Broncos selected outside linebacker Shane Ray from Missouri with the 23rd overall pick. Ray has one of the quickest steps on the defensive side of the football and is a relentless pass rusher. Although he has great talent, off-the-field issues caused him to fall far down in the draft. A couple weeks before the draft, Ray tested positive for marijuana, and this lead teams to pass on him. Taking players with off-the-field issues can pan out, but more often than not, these issues persist throughout professional careers. I also dislike this pick because the Broncos already have strong edge rushers in Von Miller and Demarcus Ware. They could have added WR Breshad Perriman from UCF to give the aging Peyton Manning a vertical threat.
The 2015 NFL draft was full of surprises: two running backs were selected in the first round and blockbuster trade speculations are swirling in the air. The charismatic Jameis Winston was selected first overall by Tampa Bay and the calm, cool, and collected Marcus Mariota was surprisingly selected by the Titans second overall. With over 250 players drafted, with each player’s name announced, these players’ dreams inch closer to becoming reality.