1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State. This is the pick that everybody expected at #1 overall. This pick is a huge gamble, and Winston has huge bust potential based on his decision making both on and off the field. However, Winston has the potential to be a franchise quarterback for the next 15 years. I agree with the pick, but at the same time, it is a risk. That being said, Winston is the best option for this franchise. While they could have gone for a more established playmaker on defense, Winston gives them a chance to win now. Grade: A-
2. Tennessee Titans. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon. The Titans need a starting quarterback, and Mettenberger probably isn't the answer. Mariota has tons of upside, but is he ready to play in a pro-style offense? His hard working mentality will help him adjust to the NFL, but will he develop into an elite starter? At worst, he'll be an effective game manager. He is a cleaner prospect than Winston, however, and has some upside. Grade: A-
3. Jacksonville Jaguars. Dante Fowler Jr., DE, Florida. With this pick, the Jacksonville Jaguars select the best player in the 2015 NFL Draft. Fowler is a great defensive prospect who will be an immediate starter in Jacksonville. The Jaguars just got a great player at 3rd overall. Not a complaint anywhere with this pick. They had many options for this selection, but Fowler will be a Pro bowl caliber NFL player. Grade: A+
4. Oakland Raiders. Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama. Derek Carr needs someone to throw to. This team has a lot of holes, but WR is a big one. This helps Carr develop, although Cooper may not be the top WR in the draft (I would have taken Kevin White instead), Good pick for Oakland, a team with lots of holes. Grade: B+
5. Washington Redskins. Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa. The Redskins have many holes as well, but adding a dominant offensive tackle to their line will help protect RGIII and build a running game. It's not the sexiest pick, but Scherff helps out the offense and should be a day 1 starter in the NFL. Grade: A-
6. New York Jets. Leonard Williams, DE, USC. Williams is one of the top defensive prospects in the 2015 draft, ranked 1st overall by many. He wasn't expected to fall this far, and will immediately help out the Jets defense. I'll applaud the Jets for not doing something foolish and trying to move up for ANOTHER quarterback this year. The Jets make a smart move here, and get one of the best players in the draft. Grade: A+
7. Chicago Bears. Kevin White, WR, West Virginia. There it is, the best WR in the 2015 draft. The Bears have a lot of holes on defense, but White immediately can step in as Brandon Marshall's replacement in the Chicago offense. Another likely day 1 NFL starter, and one of the best playmakers in the 2015 draft. Grade: A+
8. Atlanta Falcons. Vic Beasley, DE, Clemson. Beasley is one of the more-or-less forgotten prospects in the 2015 draft. He's a solid, hard working defensive stud who will likely move back to OLB in the NFL. This might be slightly high for him, but he's still going to be a dominant defensive player in the NFL. Grade: B+
9. New York Giants. Ereck Flowers, OT, Florida. Flowers is one of the best offensive tackle prospects in the draft, but this might be a bit high for him. The Giants could have traded back here and still have gotten a similar player. Still, he fills a need and will start immediately and improve this offense. Grade: B+
10. St. Louis Rams. Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia. There it is, the random confusing moment of this year's draft. I don't get this pick. They have Tre Mason and other options at RB. While Gurley will be a special running back in the NFL, I don't fully understand this selection. Grade: B-
11. Minnesota Vikings. Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State. Waynes is one of the best cornerback prospects in the 2015 NFL Draft, and Mike Zimmer has a history of doing well with defensive guys. While Waynes needs to improve as a tackler, Zimmer has the ability to coach him into a solid, solid starter. Grade: A-
12. Cleveland Browns. Danny Shelton, DT, Washington. Shelton is the best defensive tackle in the 2015 NFL Draft, and will be an immediate starter in Cleveland that should compete for 2015 defensive rookie of the year. Great pick, but the Browns need help on offense. Grade: A
13. New Orleans Saints. Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford. This is a bit high for Peat, and the Saints have other needs. However, Peat will be a decent player at the next level and should be a starter. However, the Saints have big holes on defense that could have been addressed here. Grade: B+
14. Miami Dolphins. DaVante Parker, WR, Louisville. Parker immediately gives the Dolphins a #1 Wide Receiver and weapon for Tannehill. Parker is one of the top WRs in the draft, and isn't that far off of White and Cooper. Immediate starter and replacement for Mike Wallace. Great pick. Grade: A+
15. San Diego Chargers (from 49ers). Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin. The Chargers trade up and get their guy. Gordon is an immediate replacement for Ryan Matthews, and should immediately become the feature back in San Diego. The trade up confuses me a little but still, great pick. Grade: A+
16. Houston Texans. Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest. I would have gone WR here to replace Andre Johnson, but Johnson is one of the best CBs in the draft and immediately upgrades this defense, making Houston's defense even scarier. Grade: A
17. San Francisco 49ers (from Chargers). Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon. Armstead is an intriguing defensive end prospect, but he needs some development still. He has the tools to develop into an elite starter, but he's not there yet. Has the potential to get way better, and this pick is a reach since he is inconsistent, but decent pick. Grade: B.
18. Kansas City Chiefs. Marcus Peters, CB, Washington. This pick is a bit of a surprise, but Peters is the best CB in the 2015 draft from a pure talent perspective. However, Peters has huge red flags from a character perspective. If the Chiefs can keep him in line, this is a great pick. If not, it's a wasted pick. Definitely a gamble, but a decent one. Grade: A-
19. Cleveland Browns. Cameron Erving, G/C, Florida State. Cleveland, what are you doing? If you're moving him to center, ok, I can see that, but you need offensive playmakers like KC's WRs need to score touchdowns. Erving is the best interior offensive lineman in the NFL draft, but this pick confuses me slightly. Leave it to the Browns to be confusing though, right? Great player, confusing pick. Grade: B
20. Philadelphia Eagles. Nelson Algohor, WR, USC. This pick is a bit of a reach, especially with some solid playmakers at CB and S left on board, but it replaces Jeremy Maclin. Might be a bit high on Algohor however. I don understand drafting a WR though. Grade: B-
21. Cincinnati Bengals. Cedric Ogbuehi, T, Texas A&M. Andrew Whitworth is old and Andre Smith is nearing the end of his contract. This is a pick to prepare for next season, which is good, considering that Ogbuehi will need most of this season to develop and recover from injury. I like this pick for next season, even though he won't make an immediate impact. Grade: B+
22. Pittsburgh Steelers. Bud Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky. Pittsburgh needs a pass rusher, and Dupree has great talent and is a value this late. He's going to need some time to develop, but has the potential to become an outstanding pass rusher. Good move for the Steelers. Grade: A
23. Denver Broncos (From Lions). Shane Ray, OLB, Missouri. Ray has huge red flags surrounding him, but this late in the draft, he's a huge value pick if he can stay out of trouble and health. IF he stays out of trouble, and if his medical concerns check out, this could be one of the steals of the draft. However, it could also flop, but this late in the first round it's worth a gamble, especially for a Denver team without a ton of huge needs. Grade: A+
24. Arizona Cardinals. D.J. Humphries, T, Florida. This pick makes a ton of sense. All of the Cardinals' quarterbacks got injured last season, and Palmer is brittle anyway. While Humphries has injury concerns as well, he is a solid, solid tackle prospect. If he stays healthy, he'll help Arizona's QBs stay healthy too. Grade: A-.
25. Carolina Panthers. Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington. Thompson is an intriguing player who could play safety, RB, or OLB. He's one of the most versatile players in the draft, but this might be a little high. Thompson could have gone in the 2nd round, but in the right system, he could be dominant. However, he will immediately be a top special teams player. Grade: B.
26. Baltimore Ravens. Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF. This move makes sense. The Ravens need a WR with Steve Smith aging and Torrey Smith moving on to the 49ers. This is a good pick for the Ravens and fits a need. He does have issues with drops, however. Grade: B+
27. Dallas Cowboys. Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut. The Cowboys address a glaring need in their secondary with this pick. Jones is a great player who should be a starting CB in Dallas immediately. Good move for Dallas, although a surprise since they were focusing heavily on inside linebackers early in the offseason. Grade: A-
28. Detroit Lions (From Broncos). Laken Tomlinson, G, Duke. Paired with Larry Warford, Tomlinson could give the Lions one of the best pairs of guards in the NFL. This is good since Matt Stafford crumbles under pressure at times and has had injury issues in the past. They traded back, gained a center and extra picks, and drafted Tomlinson. Great move for the Lions. Grade: A+
29. Indianapolis Colts. Philip Dorsett, WR, Miami. This pick makes some sense since the Texans have loaded up on defense. However, the Colts have lots of wide receivers and have other needs. That being said, Dorsett is a talented player. However, he does many things similar to TY Hilton. Long story short, picking a guy they already have on roster. However, with Andre Johnson aging, he offers a good future value. Grade: B+
30. Green Bay Packers. Damarious Randall, S, Arizona State. Randall is a guy who hasn't played a ton of football. He's a converted baseball player who is still learning the position. He has talent, but is still learning the game. He's probably over-drafted here as he'll still need a season or two to develop. The Packers had other needs here, and I'm not sold on this pick, although Randall is a good return guy, the Packers already have a returner. Grade: B-
31. New Orleans Saints. Stephone Anthony, ILB, Clemson. The Saints biggest defensive need is pass rusher (or DB), so with the best pass rusher on the board being Gregory, they go...INSIDE LINEBACKER? I'm confused. Granted, they could use help at the position, but this pick is a bit of a reach. Anthony could be good but they could have gotten him in the second, and failed to address their major areas of need. Grade: C+
32. New England Patriots. Malcom Brown, DT, Texas. The Patriots desperately need a defensive tackle, and Malcom Brown is one of the best defensive tackles in the draft. Great pick for New England, as Brown was a top 15 talent in this draft. Outstanding pick by the Patriots. Grade: A+
Mike B
So Mike did live updates on the site and I did live tweeting. This is my analysis after the dust settled on the draft and I will post one after each day of the draft as well.
2015 NFL Draft Grades Round 1.
#1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State. Jameis Winston was the most expected pick and the one that makes sense. The Buccaneers need to build their franchise around a future star and Winston is entirely it. Grade: A+
#2. Tennessee Titans, Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon. This pick should have been traded back in my opinion. Since it wasn’t I will say if the Titans were looking for a face of an organization they definitely got one. Mariota might be a quiet player and won’t be a vocal leader but this kid can play football. I think this move as much as it bored us all not to see a trade was a good one for the future of this team. Grade: A+
#3. Jacksonville Jaguars, Dante Fowler Jr., DE, Florida. The Jaguars took the best player in the draft and someone who will become an instant impact. This defense will be able to grow and become one that is able to slow down Mariota and Andrew Luck now. The Jaguars will start growing defensively with just one move. Grade: A+
#4. Oakland Raiders, Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama. Oakland has a lot of needs and WR might have been their biggest need. This move makes some sense but as far as grabbing the top WR they failed, unless you listened to Mel Kiper during the draft (which I am sorry if you did). Kevin White would have been the better decision if you ask me but the move will help Carr grow at QB. Grade: A-
#5. Washington Redksins, Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa. Brandon is the OT of the draft and the Skins got their biggest need. They needed to find a way to protect whoever they throw in at QB, though it should be Robert Griffin III. Brandon is without a doubt one of the best tackles since Joe Thomas. Grade: A+
#6. New York Jets, Leonard Williams, DE/DT, USC. Leonard is an incredible talent and we know Todd Bowles will love this pick. This move seriously helped out the Jets defense immediately and it also saved the Jets fans from face-palming later at another QB pick. Good move from the Jets front office, this pick will help them slow down Tom Brady and company. Grade: A+
#7. Chicago Bears, Kevin White, WR, West Virginia. I said the Bears should avoid going WR first round because this WR class is deep as they come. Their defense is falling all over itself and they could truly use a defensive addition. Now that all being said, Kevin White has the potential to become the next Julio Jones or Larry Fitzgerald. So as far as talent goes this move for the Bears was a good move. Grade: A
#8. Atlanta Falcons, Vic Beasley, DE, Clemson. Vic was a good move here I would have preferred Shane Ray for the Falcons but the off-field issues are reason for Vic being the choice. Don’t get me wrong Vic is a good move he has a lot of talent and will help a defense in need of help. Grade: A-
#9. New York Giants, Ereck Flowers, OT, Florida. Ereck was taken a little high here due to La’El Collins issues most recently. Flowers was a good fit here though he needs some work. The Giants need offensive line as one of their biggest needs. Grade: B
#10. St. Louis Rams, Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia. Look I understand Gurley has tons of talent I really do. Now the Rams though taking a running back is absolutely absurd. They already have a beast in Tre Mason and behind him is Zac Stacy and Billy Cunningham. The Rams biggest needs were definitely WR, OL, and CB. The Rams though got the second best RB in this class and someone who could be the KO punch they need at RB. I can’t question Jeff Fisher though so I will assume as always, he knows what he is doing. Grade: B
#11. Minnesota Vikings, Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State. This move just instantly upgraded their defense. This move is smart and well done by the Vikings front office. I think Trae is without a doubt the best CB in the draft, yes he had issues before being consistent, but with good coaching watch out NFC North. Grade: A
#12. Cleveland Browns, Danny Shelton, DT, Washington. Here is a class act to an organization with a bunch of immature young stars. I LOVE this move by the Browns. Not only did they just get a future star and an immediate run stopper but they added a mature young man who might be able to help Josh Gordon and Manziel wake up. Grade: A++
#13. New Orleans Saints, Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford. Peat is a bit high here but the OL is definitely a need for the Saints. The Saints found a way here to protect Drew as he gets older and will hope this makes an instant difference on their weak offensive line. Grade: B
#14. Miami Dolphins, DaVante Parker, WR, Louisville. Well here is an instant number 1 WR for the Dolphins. DaVante Parker is a fantastic talent and with Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings he will become the stand out star for Tannehill to throw to. Grade: A
#15. San Diego Chargers (from 49ers), Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin. Well here is the best RB in the draft since Adrian Peterson. This kid has more heart and more passion for the game than anyone I have ever seen. I love Melvin Gordon personally and think he is making Phillip Rivers smile all year long. He now has a RB who can carry the load and can block for him as well. I LOVE this move. Grade: A++
#16. Houston Texans, Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forrest. Hello defense of the year. Are you kidding me this pick just made this defense so good I am wishing Andrew Luck and newcomer Marcus Mariota a lot of luck. Kevin Johnson is a great addition here and will make an instant impact for the Texans defense. Smart move by the Texans front office. Grade: B+
#17. San Francisco 49ers (from Chargers), Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon. Now this move blew my mind. It is a bit early for Armstead. I believe this kid has talent and can be worked into an all-star with good coaching. I also believe there were better options here for the 49ers and their front office missed out a bit here. Grade: C
#18. Kansas City Chiefs, Marcus Peters, CB, Washington. Watch out Rivers and Manning this kid will be an instant INT machine. The Chiefs already force QB’s into making quick hasty decisions and if they make any mistakes with this kid in the area watch out INT for you. I love this pick by the Chiefs front office and Andy Reid will have a great time with this kid on his defense. Grade: A
#19. Cleveland Browns, Cameron Erving, G/C, Florida State. CLEVELAND!!! Can you only make one smart draft pick per round? Look I like Cameron Erving but not here not to a team who has bigger needs. I would have much rather seen a logical move like WR but hey were used to Cleveland making mistakes. That being said Erving is a good kid and has good talent that Cleveland will find a way to use I assume. Grade: B-
#20. Philadelphia Eagles, Nelson Algohor, WR, USC. This is a reach here and that’s ok because Chip Kelly truly seems to have no idea what he is doing with his power. I like Nelson but there were better WR’s at this point up for the grabs. The Eagles also could have used a safety more here than anything. Well this kid will be a good fit with Jordan Matthews to replace Jeremy Maclin for whoever plays QB after Bradford gets injured. Grade: B
#21. Cincinnati Bengals, Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M. This pick was dull but smart. The Bengals could have used OLB or DE more here due to the fact that they still have Whitworth for one more year and have Andre Smith. That being said, Cedric is a good move because he has talent and is flexible meaning he can move to guard if need be. I think this move from Mike Brown was just a safe one. Grade: B+
#22. Pittsburgh Steelers, Bud Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky. Steelers should send their rivals and the 49ers a thank you note for letting this kid fall to them at 22. I don’t understand why he is so undervalued. At first I thought he was a bit overrated but I watched more film last night and I love this kid. Good move Pittsburgh it’s a great way to start rebuilding that defense. Grade: A
#23. Denver Broncos (From Lions), Shane Ray, OLB, Missouri. Well Shane was found the week of the draft with Marijuana possession in his vehicle. Well this made him drop and the Broncos thought hey he is still there and weed is legal here so let’s pull the trigger. Now all jokes aside Shane is a great talent and if he can keep his off the field issues out of the way then the Broncos might have gotten the steal of the draft. Grade: A
#24. Arizona Cardinals, DJ Humphries, OT, Florida. This move makes sense honestly since there wasn’t a RB left worth grabbing. I could have understood them taking Randy Gregory but I would see their arguments about health concerns and off the field issues. DJ is a good kid and he will be able to protect oft-injured Carson Palmer. Grade: A-
#25. Carolina Panthers, Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington. Well Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis have company making this linebacking crew absolutely terrifying. I think this move was smart even though Shaq could be taken a bit early here but he is worth the gamble. I like this move and think it will help the Panthers already gritty defense get even better. Grade: B
#26. Baltimore Ravens, Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF. Ravens fans send Chip Kelly and the Browns both a thank you not for missing out on this kid. Perriman will not only replace Torrey Smith he will outperform what Torrey would have done for them. Joe Flacco wherever you are, you better be doing a happy dance and shedding tears of joy. Grade: A
#27. Dallas Cowboys, Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut. Byron Jones is a great fit here. The Cowboys need a CB and they took the best available here. He will help a defense in need here and instantly improve this team’s pass defense. I think regardless that Jerry Jones had a terrible off-season he just made a good move here. Grade: B
#28. Detroit Lions (From Broncos), Laken Tomlinson, G, Duke. This kid is a good kid, hell he wants to be a doctor when he is done in the NFL just so he can help people in Jamaica where they don’t have the best doctors or treatments. Now is talent is great no questions about that and will make a difference for the Lions. Matt Stafford should feel safe with him and Larry Warford helping plug up the middle. Grade: B+
#29. Indianapolis Colts, Philip Dorsett, WR, Miami. I do not understand why the Colts would make this pick in the first round. These guys NEED defense. Dorsett is a great WR and has lots of talent but for the Colts to miss out on a defensive talent just makes no sense. Well regardless that this wasn’t a first round need the Colts just made Andrew Luck happier. Grade: C+
#30. Green Bay Packers, Damarious Randall, S, Arizona State. Hello Ted Thompson where did you go? This pick isn’t even a need early in the draft. The Packers already have Burnett, Dix, and Hyde at safety. I think Randall is a great talent with coverage abilities that are unparalleled at safety. Just this pick makes absolutely no sense and I do not like it at all. Grade: C+
#31. New Orleans Saints, Stephone Anthony, ILB, Clemson. OK the Saints are so messed up. They needed a safety, corner, or pass rusher. Randy Gregory who without off the field issues is a top 10 pick and is still available. He is a great pass rusher and yet the Saints say, Eh we will go inside linebacker and we will take the 4th ranked ILB when the other 3 are available. Saints fans get the paper bags ready this was a complete miss here. Stephone is talented but just wasn’t the best available at this time nor was he the best at his position. Grade: C-
#32. New England Patriots, Malcolm Brown, DT, Texas. Finally someone made a pick again that made sense. Sorry for the last 3 making you as confused as we were but this pick was great. Malcolm Brown is a great DT top 2 in his class behind Danny Shelton. The Pats lost Vince Wilfork during the off-season to the Houston Texans. Their division rival Bills have LeSean McCoy and Fred Jackson ready to run the ball and the Pats said woah we need to plug the hole. I like this pick and Patriot fans should as well. Grade: A
Matt Koontz
2. Tennessee Titans. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon. The Titans need a starting quarterback, and Mettenberger probably isn't the answer. Mariota has tons of upside, but is he ready to play in a pro-style offense? His hard working mentality will help him adjust to the NFL, but will he develop into an elite starter? At worst, he'll be an effective game manager. He is a cleaner prospect than Winston, however, and has some upside. Grade: A-
3. Jacksonville Jaguars. Dante Fowler Jr., DE, Florida. With this pick, the Jacksonville Jaguars select the best player in the 2015 NFL Draft. Fowler is a great defensive prospect who will be an immediate starter in Jacksonville. The Jaguars just got a great player at 3rd overall. Not a complaint anywhere with this pick. They had many options for this selection, but Fowler will be a Pro bowl caliber NFL player. Grade: A+
4. Oakland Raiders. Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama. Derek Carr needs someone to throw to. This team has a lot of holes, but WR is a big one. This helps Carr develop, although Cooper may not be the top WR in the draft (I would have taken Kevin White instead), Good pick for Oakland, a team with lots of holes. Grade: B+
5. Washington Redskins. Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa. The Redskins have many holes as well, but adding a dominant offensive tackle to their line will help protect RGIII and build a running game. It's not the sexiest pick, but Scherff helps out the offense and should be a day 1 starter in the NFL. Grade: A-
6. New York Jets. Leonard Williams, DE, USC. Williams is one of the top defensive prospects in the 2015 draft, ranked 1st overall by many. He wasn't expected to fall this far, and will immediately help out the Jets defense. I'll applaud the Jets for not doing something foolish and trying to move up for ANOTHER quarterback this year. The Jets make a smart move here, and get one of the best players in the draft. Grade: A+
7. Chicago Bears. Kevin White, WR, West Virginia. There it is, the best WR in the 2015 draft. The Bears have a lot of holes on defense, but White immediately can step in as Brandon Marshall's replacement in the Chicago offense. Another likely day 1 NFL starter, and one of the best playmakers in the 2015 draft. Grade: A+
8. Atlanta Falcons. Vic Beasley, DE, Clemson. Beasley is one of the more-or-less forgotten prospects in the 2015 draft. He's a solid, hard working defensive stud who will likely move back to OLB in the NFL. This might be slightly high for him, but he's still going to be a dominant defensive player in the NFL. Grade: B+
9. New York Giants. Ereck Flowers, OT, Florida. Flowers is one of the best offensive tackle prospects in the draft, but this might be a bit high for him. The Giants could have traded back here and still have gotten a similar player. Still, he fills a need and will start immediately and improve this offense. Grade: B+
10. St. Louis Rams. Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia. There it is, the random confusing moment of this year's draft. I don't get this pick. They have Tre Mason and other options at RB. While Gurley will be a special running back in the NFL, I don't fully understand this selection. Grade: B-
11. Minnesota Vikings. Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State. Waynes is one of the best cornerback prospects in the 2015 NFL Draft, and Mike Zimmer has a history of doing well with defensive guys. While Waynes needs to improve as a tackler, Zimmer has the ability to coach him into a solid, solid starter. Grade: A-
12. Cleveland Browns. Danny Shelton, DT, Washington. Shelton is the best defensive tackle in the 2015 NFL Draft, and will be an immediate starter in Cleveland that should compete for 2015 defensive rookie of the year. Great pick, but the Browns need help on offense. Grade: A
13. New Orleans Saints. Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford. This is a bit high for Peat, and the Saints have other needs. However, Peat will be a decent player at the next level and should be a starter. However, the Saints have big holes on defense that could have been addressed here. Grade: B+
14. Miami Dolphins. DaVante Parker, WR, Louisville. Parker immediately gives the Dolphins a #1 Wide Receiver and weapon for Tannehill. Parker is one of the top WRs in the draft, and isn't that far off of White and Cooper. Immediate starter and replacement for Mike Wallace. Great pick. Grade: A+
15. San Diego Chargers (from 49ers). Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin. The Chargers trade up and get their guy. Gordon is an immediate replacement for Ryan Matthews, and should immediately become the feature back in San Diego. The trade up confuses me a little but still, great pick. Grade: A+
16. Houston Texans. Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest. I would have gone WR here to replace Andre Johnson, but Johnson is one of the best CBs in the draft and immediately upgrades this defense, making Houston's defense even scarier. Grade: A
17. San Francisco 49ers (from Chargers). Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon. Armstead is an intriguing defensive end prospect, but he needs some development still. He has the tools to develop into an elite starter, but he's not there yet. Has the potential to get way better, and this pick is a reach since he is inconsistent, but decent pick. Grade: B.
18. Kansas City Chiefs. Marcus Peters, CB, Washington. This pick is a bit of a surprise, but Peters is the best CB in the 2015 draft from a pure talent perspective. However, Peters has huge red flags from a character perspective. If the Chiefs can keep him in line, this is a great pick. If not, it's a wasted pick. Definitely a gamble, but a decent one. Grade: A-
19. Cleveland Browns. Cameron Erving, G/C, Florida State. Cleveland, what are you doing? If you're moving him to center, ok, I can see that, but you need offensive playmakers like KC's WRs need to score touchdowns. Erving is the best interior offensive lineman in the NFL draft, but this pick confuses me slightly. Leave it to the Browns to be confusing though, right? Great player, confusing pick. Grade: B
20. Philadelphia Eagles. Nelson Algohor, WR, USC. This pick is a bit of a reach, especially with some solid playmakers at CB and S left on board, but it replaces Jeremy Maclin. Might be a bit high on Algohor however. I don understand drafting a WR though. Grade: B-
21. Cincinnati Bengals. Cedric Ogbuehi, T, Texas A&M. Andrew Whitworth is old and Andre Smith is nearing the end of his contract. This is a pick to prepare for next season, which is good, considering that Ogbuehi will need most of this season to develop and recover from injury. I like this pick for next season, even though he won't make an immediate impact. Grade: B+
22. Pittsburgh Steelers. Bud Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky. Pittsburgh needs a pass rusher, and Dupree has great talent and is a value this late. He's going to need some time to develop, but has the potential to become an outstanding pass rusher. Good move for the Steelers. Grade: A
23. Denver Broncos (From Lions). Shane Ray, OLB, Missouri. Ray has huge red flags surrounding him, but this late in the draft, he's a huge value pick if he can stay out of trouble and health. IF he stays out of trouble, and if his medical concerns check out, this could be one of the steals of the draft. However, it could also flop, but this late in the first round it's worth a gamble, especially for a Denver team without a ton of huge needs. Grade: A+
24. Arizona Cardinals. D.J. Humphries, T, Florida. This pick makes a ton of sense. All of the Cardinals' quarterbacks got injured last season, and Palmer is brittle anyway. While Humphries has injury concerns as well, he is a solid, solid tackle prospect. If he stays healthy, he'll help Arizona's QBs stay healthy too. Grade: A-.
25. Carolina Panthers. Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington. Thompson is an intriguing player who could play safety, RB, or OLB. He's one of the most versatile players in the draft, but this might be a little high. Thompson could have gone in the 2nd round, but in the right system, he could be dominant. However, he will immediately be a top special teams player. Grade: B.
26. Baltimore Ravens. Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF. This move makes sense. The Ravens need a WR with Steve Smith aging and Torrey Smith moving on to the 49ers. This is a good pick for the Ravens and fits a need. He does have issues with drops, however. Grade: B+
27. Dallas Cowboys. Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut. The Cowboys address a glaring need in their secondary with this pick. Jones is a great player who should be a starting CB in Dallas immediately. Good move for Dallas, although a surprise since they were focusing heavily on inside linebackers early in the offseason. Grade: A-
28. Detroit Lions (From Broncos). Laken Tomlinson, G, Duke. Paired with Larry Warford, Tomlinson could give the Lions one of the best pairs of guards in the NFL. This is good since Matt Stafford crumbles under pressure at times and has had injury issues in the past. They traded back, gained a center and extra picks, and drafted Tomlinson. Great move for the Lions. Grade: A+
29. Indianapolis Colts. Philip Dorsett, WR, Miami. This pick makes some sense since the Texans have loaded up on defense. However, the Colts have lots of wide receivers and have other needs. That being said, Dorsett is a talented player. However, he does many things similar to TY Hilton. Long story short, picking a guy they already have on roster. However, with Andre Johnson aging, he offers a good future value. Grade: B+
30. Green Bay Packers. Damarious Randall, S, Arizona State. Randall is a guy who hasn't played a ton of football. He's a converted baseball player who is still learning the position. He has talent, but is still learning the game. He's probably over-drafted here as he'll still need a season or two to develop. The Packers had other needs here, and I'm not sold on this pick, although Randall is a good return guy, the Packers already have a returner. Grade: B-
31. New Orleans Saints. Stephone Anthony, ILB, Clemson. The Saints biggest defensive need is pass rusher (or DB), so with the best pass rusher on the board being Gregory, they go...INSIDE LINEBACKER? I'm confused. Granted, they could use help at the position, but this pick is a bit of a reach. Anthony could be good but they could have gotten him in the second, and failed to address their major areas of need. Grade: C+
32. New England Patriots. Malcom Brown, DT, Texas. The Patriots desperately need a defensive tackle, and Malcom Brown is one of the best defensive tackles in the draft. Great pick for New England, as Brown was a top 15 talent in this draft. Outstanding pick by the Patriots. Grade: A+
Mike B
So Mike did live updates on the site and I did live tweeting. This is my analysis after the dust settled on the draft and I will post one after each day of the draft as well.
2015 NFL Draft Grades Round 1.
#1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State. Jameis Winston was the most expected pick and the one that makes sense. The Buccaneers need to build their franchise around a future star and Winston is entirely it. Grade: A+
#2. Tennessee Titans, Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon. This pick should have been traded back in my opinion. Since it wasn’t I will say if the Titans were looking for a face of an organization they definitely got one. Mariota might be a quiet player and won’t be a vocal leader but this kid can play football. I think this move as much as it bored us all not to see a trade was a good one for the future of this team. Grade: A+
#3. Jacksonville Jaguars, Dante Fowler Jr., DE, Florida. The Jaguars took the best player in the draft and someone who will become an instant impact. This defense will be able to grow and become one that is able to slow down Mariota and Andrew Luck now. The Jaguars will start growing defensively with just one move. Grade: A+
#4. Oakland Raiders, Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama. Oakland has a lot of needs and WR might have been their biggest need. This move makes some sense but as far as grabbing the top WR they failed, unless you listened to Mel Kiper during the draft (which I am sorry if you did). Kevin White would have been the better decision if you ask me but the move will help Carr grow at QB. Grade: A-
#5. Washington Redksins, Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa. Brandon is the OT of the draft and the Skins got their biggest need. They needed to find a way to protect whoever they throw in at QB, though it should be Robert Griffin III. Brandon is without a doubt one of the best tackles since Joe Thomas. Grade: A+
#6. New York Jets, Leonard Williams, DE/DT, USC. Leonard is an incredible talent and we know Todd Bowles will love this pick. This move seriously helped out the Jets defense immediately and it also saved the Jets fans from face-palming later at another QB pick. Good move from the Jets front office, this pick will help them slow down Tom Brady and company. Grade: A+
#7. Chicago Bears, Kevin White, WR, West Virginia. I said the Bears should avoid going WR first round because this WR class is deep as they come. Their defense is falling all over itself and they could truly use a defensive addition. Now that all being said, Kevin White has the potential to become the next Julio Jones or Larry Fitzgerald. So as far as talent goes this move for the Bears was a good move. Grade: A
#8. Atlanta Falcons, Vic Beasley, DE, Clemson. Vic was a good move here I would have preferred Shane Ray for the Falcons but the off-field issues are reason for Vic being the choice. Don’t get me wrong Vic is a good move he has a lot of talent and will help a defense in need of help. Grade: A-
#9. New York Giants, Ereck Flowers, OT, Florida. Ereck was taken a little high here due to La’El Collins issues most recently. Flowers was a good fit here though he needs some work. The Giants need offensive line as one of their biggest needs. Grade: B
#10. St. Louis Rams, Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia. Look I understand Gurley has tons of talent I really do. Now the Rams though taking a running back is absolutely absurd. They already have a beast in Tre Mason and behind him is Zac Stacy and Billy Cunningham. The Rams biggest needs were definitely WR, OL, and CB. The Rams though got the second best RB in this class and someone who could be the KO punch they need at RB. I can’t question Jeff Fisher though so I will assume as always, he knows what he is doing. Grade: B
#11. Minnesota Vikings, Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State. This move just instantly upgraded their defense. This move is smart and well done by the Vikings front office. I think Trae is without a doubt the best CB in the draft, yes he had issues before being consistent, but with good coaching watch out NFC North. Grade: A
#12. Cleveland Browns, Danny Shelton, DT, Washington. Here is a class act to an organization with a bunch of immature young stars. I LOVE this move by the Browns. Not only did they just get a future star and an immediate run stopper but they added a mature young man who might be able to help Josh Gordon and Manziel wake up. Grade: A++
#13. New Orleans Saints, Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford. Peat is a bit high here but the OL is definitely a need for the Saints. The Saints found a way here to protect Drew as he gets older and will hope this makes an instant difference on their weak offensive line. Grade: B
#14. Miami Dolphins, DaVante Parker, WR, Louisville. Well here is an instant number 1 WR for the Dolphins. DaVante Parker is a fantastic talent and with Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings he will become the stand out star for Tannehill to throw to. Grade: A
#15. San Diego Chargers (from 49ers), Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin. Well here is the best RB in the draft since Adrian Peterson. This kid has more heart and more passion for the game than anyone I have ever seen. I love Melvin Gordon personally and think he is making Phillip Rivers smile all year long. He now has a RB who can carry the load and can block for him as well. I LOVE this move. Grade: A++
#16. Houston Texans, Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forrest. Hello defense of the year. Are you kidding me this pick just made this defense so good I am wishing Andrew Luck and newcomer Marcus Mariota a lot of luck. Kevin Johnson is a great addition here and will make an instant impact for the Texans defense. Smart move by the Texans front office. Grade: B+
#17. San Francisco 49ers (from Chargers), Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon. Now this move blew my mind. It is a bit early for Armstead. I believe this kid has talent and can be worked into an all-star with good coaching. I also believe there were better options here for the 49ers and their front office missed out a bit here. Grade: C
#18. Kansas City Chiefs, Marcus Peters, CB, Washington. Watch out Rivers and Manning this kid will be an instant INT machine. The Chiefs already force QB’s into making quick hasty decisions and if they make any mistakes with this kid in the area watch out INT for you. I love this pick by the Chiefs front office and Andy Reid will have a great time with this kid on his defense. Grade: A
#19. Cleveland Browns, Cameron Erving, G/C, Florida State. CLEVELAND!!! Can you only make one smart draft pick per round? Look I like Cameron Erving but not here not to a team who has bigger needs. I would have much rather seen a logical move like WR but hey were used to Cleveland making mistakes. That being said Erving is a good kid and has good talent that Cleveland will find a way to use I assume. Grade: B-
#20. Philadelphia Eagles, Nelson Algohor, WR, USC. This is a reach here and that’s ok because Chip Kelly truly seems to have no idea what he is doing with his power. I like Nelson but there were better WR’s at this point up for the grabs. The Eagles also could have used a safety more here than anything. Well this kid will be a good fit with Jordan Matthews to replace Jeremy Maclin for whoever plays QB after Bradford gets injured. Grade: B
#21. Cincinnati Bengals, Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M. This pick was dull but smart. The Bengals could have used OLB or DE more here due to the fact that they still have Whitworth for one more year and have Andre Smith. That being said, Cedric is a good move because he has talent and is flexible meaning he can move to guard if need be. I think this move from Mike Brown was just a safe one. Grade: B+
#22. Pittsburgh Steelers, Bud Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky. Steelers should send their rivals and the 49ers a thank you note for letting this kid fall to them at 22. I don’t understand why he is so undervalued. At first I thought he was a bit overrated but I watched more film last night and I love this kid. Good move Pittsburgh it’s a great way to start rebuilding that defense. Grade: A
#23. Denver Broncos (From Lions), Shane Ray, OLB, Missouri. Well Shane was found the week of the draft with Marijuana possession in his vehicle. Well this made him drop and the Broncos thought hey he is still there and weed is legal here so let’s pull the trigger. Now all jokes aside Shane is a great talent and if he can keep his off the field issues out of the way then the Broncos might have gotten the steal of the draft. Grade: A
#24. Arizona Cardinals, DJ Humphries, OT, Florida. This move makes sense honestly since there wasn’t a RB left worth grabbing. I could have understood them taking Randy Gregory but I would see their arguments about health concerns and off the field issues. DJ is a good kid and he will be able to protect oft-injured Carson Palmer. Grade: A-
#25. Carolina Panthers, Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington. Well Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis have company making this linebacking crew absolutely terrifying. I think this move was smart even though Shaq could be taken a bit early here but he is worth the gamble. I like this move and think it will help the Panthers already gritty defense get even better. Grade: B
#26. Baltimore Ravens, Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF. Ravens fans send Chip Kelly and the Browns both a thank you not for missing out on this kid. Perriman will not only replace Torrey Smith he will outperform what Torrey would have done for them. Joe Flacco wherever you are, you better be doing a happy dance and shedding tears of joy. Grade: A
#27. Dallas Cowboys, Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut. Byron Jones is a great fit here. The Cowboys need a CB and they took the best available here. He will help a defense in need here and instantly improve this team’s pass defense. I think regardless that Jerry Jones had a terrible off-season he just made a good move here. Grade: B
#28. Detroit Lions (From Broncos), Laken Tomlinson, G, Duke. This kid is a good kid, hell he wants to be a doctor when he is done in the NFL just so he can help people in Jamaica where they don’t have the best doctors or treatments. Now is talent is great no questions about that and will make a difference for the Lions. Matt Stafford should feel safe with him and Larry Warford helping plug up the middle. Grade: B+
#29. Indianapolis Colts, Philip Dorsett, WR, Miami. I do not understand why the Colts would make this pick in the first round. These guys NEED defense. Dorsett is a great WR and has lots of talent but for the Colts to miss out on a defensive talent just makes no sense. Well regardless that this wasn’t a first round need the Colts just made Andrew Luck happier. Grade: C+
#30. Green Bay Packers, Damarious Randall, S, Arizona State. Hello Ted Thompson where did you go? This pick isn’t even a need early in the draft. The Packers already have Burnett, Dix, and Hyde at safety. I think Randall is a great talent with coverage abilities that are unparalleled at safety. Just this pick makes absolutely no sense and I do not like it at all. Grade: C+
#31. New Orleans Saints, Stephone Anthony, ILB, Clemson. OK the Saints are so messed up. They needed a safety, corner, or pass rusher. Randy Gregory who without off the field issues is a top 10 pick and is still available. He is a great pass rusher and yet the Saints say, Eh we will go inside linebacker and we will take the 4th ranked ILB when the other 3 are available. Saints fans get the paper bags ready this was a complete miss here. Stephone is talented but just wasn’t the best available at this time nor was he the best at his position. Grade: C-
#32. New England Patriots, Malcolm Brown, DT, Texas. Finally someone made a pick again that made sense. Sorry for the last 3 making you as confused as we were but this pick was great. Malcolm Brown is a great DT top 2 in his class behind Danny Shelton. The Pats lost Vince Wilfork during the off-season to the Houston Texans. Their division rival Bills have LeSean McCoy and Fred Jackson ready to run the ball and the Pats said woah we need to plug the hole. I like this pick and Patriot fans should as well. Grade: A
Matt Koontz
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