The 2015 NFL Draft has come and gone, and it is important to take a look at it with a quick and discerning eye, because it's difficult to grade a draft just a week removed from the selections, when in fact, the teams usually need to be removed by several years to know just how good the overall draft class and each teams individual draft has gone. The NFL Draft is always exciting as it brings new and young talent to each NFL team. So the NFL writer's at VAVEL USA tackled some of the difficult questions to make sure that we were looking at things with a broad perspective.
1. What player fell more than you thought in the 2015 NFL Draft?
Chris Robbins: The player that fell more in the draft than I thought was easily Michael Bennett. I saw some mocks that had him as high as the second. I, like many, had him in the third, and he fell all the way to the sixth. Was quite surprised my Lions traded up and took Gabe Wright from Auburn over him, as Jacksonville clearly got a steal in the sixth round.
Jon Fox: TJ Clemmings, OT Pittsburgh. He was tagged by scouts and draft pundits as easily a top 50 pick. When he was still on the board at pick 100, even the well regarded pundits like Mike Mayock were in disbelief. This isn't to say that he was the #110th best player in the draft, he wasn't. He suffered a bad foot injury during the draft process and, according to some he was evasive about his health.
Max Chadwick: There were many players who fell more than I thought they should but the ones who stick out are defensive lineman Leonard Williams (#6 overall), edge rusher Bud Dupree (#22 overall), wide receiver Jaelen Strong (3rd round), offensive tackle T.J. Clemmings (4th round), defensive lineman Michael Bennett (6th round), and safety Gerod Holliman (7th round). Williams was probably the top player in the entire draft, Dupree could have been a Top 10 pick, Strong should have been a 2nd round pick and the fact that 10 receivers went before him is absurd, Clemmings should have been a 2nd round pick, Bennett should have been a 2nd-3rd round pick, and Holliman should have gone in the 2nd-3rd round.
Missy Metz: The player that I thought that fell the most in this draft was Jaelen Strong. He was projected as a late first rounder or an early second round pick. Instead, he was the sixth pick in the third round. There were multiple reports about his character and that being the reason for his decline despite his great numbers.
Caleb Wahlgren: Personally, looking up and down the rosters and who were the best players in the 2015 NFL Draft, Leonard Williams should have been a surefire pick for the Titans at number two overall. The Titans roster is really rough up and down the board as they have players of need at many positions, and Marcus Mariota isn't the type of quarterback that Ken Whisenhunt usually likes. It sure seems like Tennessee could be near the top of the draft again next year as they are still in the middle of an ownership fiasco after their previous owner had passed and they are still looking to sell the team. Falling to the Jets at 6 was a surprising drop as he would have fit on every team between there.
2. Which team made the biggest mistake in the first round?
Chris Robbins: That's a toss up for me between Cleveland, Indianapolis and Green Bay. I'd personally go with Cleveland, as you can never have too many Wide Recievers (especially in Indianapolis and with Luck at QB) and while Green Bay could have taken who I find the better Safety in Landon Collins, they at least took a position of need. Cleveland however, took a Center at the 19 pick, and a DT at 12, neglecting on positions of greater need including letting Nelson Agholar and Breshad Perriman among others slip twice, as well as DeVante Parker, who Miami stole with the fourteen pick.
Jon Fox: St Louis made a gigantic mistake by drafting Todd Gurley. They would have made a giant mistake drafting any Rb considering that Tre Mason, with a poor offensive line and nothing at QB, was on pace for over 1000 yards last season. Gurley is coming off of a major knee injury, probably won't play until week 7 of the regular season and is going to play most of his games on a turf field(which isn't good for players coming back from ACL tears). Why not trade down and see if Gurley is still there? Why not just take an offensive lineman and maximize your Mason pick from the last draft?
Max Chadwick: The team that made the biggest mistake in the 1st round is the Cleveland Browns taking center Cameron Erving at #19. This is not necessarily a reach like Laken Tomlinson at #28 but rather a move that just didn't make any sense. When you have one of the best centers in the league in Alex Mack, why use a 1st round pick on one? Erving may play guard but there was a serious, serious need for a wide receiver. If I was Cleveland, I would have taken DeVante Parker at #12 instead of defensive tackle Danny Shelton, then if Shelton is gone at #19, take defensive tackle Malcom Brown.
Missy Metz: The Indianapolis Colts made the biggest mistake in the first round. They made this mistake not because of the player they choose but rather the position. The Colts signed Andre Johnson and still have TY Hilton, Reggie Wayne isn't on the team anymore. Their receiving core isn't the strongest need but rather a safety. Landon Collins was projected to be the pick instead. The receiving class was deep and the Colts have a need for defense.
Caleb Wahlgren: I simply don't understand the move that was made by the Denver Broncos. They first trade up to 23rd overall with the Detroit Lions and gave up an offensive guard and additional picks, but then they take Shane Ray, who had just been arrested for marijuana earlier in the week. That and Shane Ray is more of an outside linebacker which make it tough to place him against Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware when he is completing for playing time. I believe that Ray would have been available if they would have stood pat at 28th overall. So it was simply poor decisions all around.
3. When will Jameis Winston start his first NFL game?
Chris Robbins: I would be absolutely shocked if Winston didn't start at least once by the end of his rookie year period. I'd be absolutely shocked if (unless either gets injured before the regular season) someone started over Winston all season long. I do think he's one of the only QB's who start a game in this draft class, but I think Winston will start most of the season if not all of it.
Jon Fox: Week 1. You can't get your fans riled up for Winston (or any QB) and then have him sit on the bench unless you have an established vet in place. Even then, you start the rookie. There's only two reasons why you wouldn't start him week 1: 1-he's injured or 2-He's really bad and you're already regretting the pick.
Max Chadwick: I believe Jameis Winston will and should start Week 1 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He is already the best quarterback on the roster by a wide margin and the Bucs know that. He will start Week 1.
Missy Metz: Jameis Winston will get his first start in week 1. Mike Glennon was dubbed quarterback of the "future." While this is the future, it's obvious the Buccaneers see him more of a backup than a starter. The Buccaneers need a quarterback and they choose Winston over a defensive player.
Caleb Wahlgren: I simply think that Jameis Winston will have to wait a few games to make his NFL debut. Mike Glennon is capable of getting a few starts and already knows the coaches and is familiar with the locker room. I would project Winston to come in early though, with a week 4 start against the Carolina Panthers as they are at home in weeks 4 and 5, before the week 6 bye.
4. When will Marcus Mariota start his first NFL game?
Chris Robbins: Mariota should definitely get a start during his rookie season. He should probably start a majority of games for the Titans, but it is too early to tell exactly when he will start.
Jon Fox: Tennessee is under a similar dynamic as the Bucs are. They invested a ton of resources into Mariota and he's the QB of their today now. The odds are that Mariota will be pushed out onto the field in week 1 whether or not he's ready to start in the NFL. And curiously enough, his first game would be against Jameis Winston and the Bucs.
Max Chadwick: I think Marcus Mariota will start Week 1 for the Tennessee Titans due to the overwhelming pressure on them to do so. However, I believe the Titans should start Zach Mettenberger for the first few weeks to let Mariota get acclimated to the pro game.
Missy Metz: The opening round for the Tennessee Titans in week 1 will be Marcus Mariota versus Jameis Winston. Just like the Buccaneers, the Titans are in the same situation in which they desperately needed a quarterback. They also could have taken anybody but they choose Mariota.
Caleb Wahlgren: Again, Mariota is not going to be 100% ready to start his first game until a little way into the season. I would project it to be week 5 as the Titans are scheduled for a week 4 bye, and then have 3 straight home games in Nashville. So October 11, Mariota should see the field in Titans blue.
5. Who do you think had the best 2015 NFL Draft overall?
Chris Robbins: Even as a Lions fan, as much as I hate admitting this Minnesota clearly won this draft. The only team who came remotely close was Jacksonville. Trae Waynes is my second favorite prospect in this draft, and is possibly the best corner to come out of college and start since Patrick Peterson. I have been extremely down on cornerbacks who have entered the last couple of years (Especially Justin Gilbert who I hated with all my guts and am extremely happy Cleveland made the idiotic decision to trade up and get him last year before my Lions made that mistake) but Waynes will likely be able to start extremely well, especially with a decent secondary already led by Xavier Rhodes and Harrison Smith. They also picked up easily the best Middle Linebacker in this class in Mychal Kendricks, and addressed OL multiple times, including with TJ Clemings, who despite the medical issues was still another steal for Minnesota. The Danielle Hunter pick was quite interesting and I do think they could have gone with a more polished pick, but as a Lions fan, I have witnessed what Ziggy Ansah has done as a raw, unpolished pick. Learning under Mike Zimmer should help Hunter's case, and at the very least he is much needed defensive line depth, or a stopgap while the Vikings address other more prominent issues including running back.
Jon Fox: The Bengals had the best draft in 2015. The Vikings probably got a better collection of players, but the Bengals had far more consistency and fixed more problems with their team with their draft. They knew exactly what to do: start the process of replacing their aging OTs and got two very good prospects to eventually take over the spots. And to get Derron Smith (who dropped from the 3rd round to 6th due to a sports hernia injury) and Mario Alford in the 7th was just the cherry on the sundae.
Max Chadwick: The team that I believe had the best overall draft is the Atlanta Falcons. They took the pass rusher they needed in Vic Beasley at #8 who could have gone as high as #3. Then, they drafted a cornerback in Jalen Collins in the 2nd round who could have been a 1st round pick. In round 3, they drafted speedy running back Tevin Coleman who could have been a late 1st-2nd round pick. Those three picks were all steals and that is why I believe they had the best draft.
Missy Metz: The team that had the best NFL Draft was the Chicago Bears. Kevin White is a dynamic receiver and after the loss of Brandon Marshall they certainly needed another deep threat to pair up with Alshon Jeffery. The Bears picked their running back of the future in Jeremy Langford in the fourth round. Not to mention the second round pick in Eddie Goldman who will be a star in the future.
Caleb Wahlgren: Normally I disagree with just about every move that this team makes, but I was quite impressed by the draft of the New York Jets. Leonard Williams was a steal at pick number 6 to bolster their already impressive defensive line. Devin Smith, the deep ball receiver from Ohio State will be good to help stretch the field for Geno Smith. Lorenzo Mauldin will be good as a 3-4 pass rusher, he has the right size and Todd Bowles should be able to develop him quite easily. Bryce Petty is a good selection as a quarterback because they are not sure if Geno Smith is going to be a long term solution for them. Jarvis Harrison is a big guy who will go on the inside of the offensive line pretty quickly. Deon Simon is a high upside guy that they could use on the defensive line in the future, and then they traded the other seventh round pick to the Rams to get upset running back Zac Stacy to quickly add another horse to their stable of running backs. It just seems like they are going down the right path with guys who are going to fit into their systems and schemes.
6. Who do you think will be taken first overall in the 2016 NFL Draft?
Chris Robbins: In my opinion, it is way too early to start thinking about next years draft. Ultimately, it comes down to who selects number one overall to begin with and more importantly what their needs are, and of course what happens with injuries next season. Then there's the combine, pre draft workouts, interviews, the potential for a La'el Collins scenario to happen again, etc. and it makes it extremely unlikely to predict who's even going to go in the first round next year. In the three mock drafts I have read since Saturday's draft concluded, I have seen each one have a different number one selection, and two of which had a different team making the selection. I have seen Joey Bosa, Shawn Oakman and Christian Hackenburg all been mocked number one, with Cardale Jones, Connor Cook, Larremy Tunsil, and Ronnie Stanley are also all just preliminary options to go number one next year. If I had to make a guess myself, I'd say Cleveland gets the number one overall pick next season and takes Christian Hackenburg, but that's a very early guess, and should not be taken seriously whatsoever.
Jon Fox: Right now, Joey Bosa DL Ohio State. He would have been a top 5 pick in this draft, probably taken ahead of Leonard Williams. Also, right now (and its very early) there's no QB like Winston or Mariota who stands head and shoulders above the rest of the class.
Max Chadwick: The favorite to be the 1st overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft in my opinion is Ohio State edge rusher Joey Bosa. Bosa has a great speed/strength combination and is very polished. There have been some comparisons to J.J. Watt which is eye-opening in itself. Some other players to keep an eye on are Notre Dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, Ole Miss defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche, Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg, and Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. Again these are all extremely early predictions so they have a chance of changing come next year.
Missy Metz: The player that will be picked first in 2016 is Joey Bosa, Defensive End, Ohio State. Bosa had 13 sacks last season which was an Ohio State record. Also, it was almost an NCAA record too. He's projected to be like Jadeveon Clowney.
Caleb Wahlgren: Top prospects are around at several different positions. But teams that are at the bottom are usually going to be in need of a quarterback. If they keep the trend of picking quarterbacks from top collegiate teams, then Connor Cook from Michigan State should definitely be in the running for the top pick of the 2016 NFL Draft. At this time, he would be my selection for whoever the worst team of the 2015 season is, and that pick could easily go to the Buffalo Bills, as Matt Cassel and their offense just doesn't give me enough hope that they will be able to have a strong 2015 NFL season.