As-It-Happened: Round One, 2015 NFL Draft

Winston, Mariota top two picks as NFL holds annual selection show

The NFL Draft kicked off Thursday night at the Auditorium Theatre at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Here's the play-by-play from Grizzly Detail on the First Round:

10:30 p.m. The Tennessee Titans will be on the clock for the 33rd overall pick tomorrow night. Could they add a wide receiver for Mariota to throw to? Could they grab an offensive lineman to help block for him? We'll find out as the draft resumes at Roosevelt University Friday night.

We will have plenty of coverage on Grizzly Detail tomorrow as we react and evaluate the first round of this year's draft, and preview what's to come over the final six rounds. 

Have a good night everyone. 

#32 New England Patriots - Malcolm Brown, DT Texas 

As they usually do, the Patriots nabbed a huge value pick with Brown. He is a great run defender who can also get into the backfield and disrupt the quarterback, picking up six and a half sacks this season. He will have to work on his power at the line, but his ability to diagnose plays is certainly an asset. 

#31 New Orleans Saints (from Seahawks) - Stephone Anthony, ILB Clemson 

The Saints needed some upgrades on their defense in this draft, and they got one as they nabbed arguably the top interior linebacker in the selection process. It was thought that the Packers would make a run at him, but when they drafted Randall with the 30th selection, it opened the door for New Orleans. 

#30 Green Bay Packers - Damarious Randall, S Arizona State 

For the second consecutive year, the Packers will go with a safety in the draft as they take Randall. He isn't the biggest guy in the world, but he has a ton of speed and could easily take over some return duties for the Packers if they need him to, and he's a surprisingly good hitter. 

#29 Indianapolis Colts - Phillip Dorsett, WR Miami 

The Colts have already added Andrew Johnson this offseason, and their incredible group of wide receivers just got even better with the addition of Dorsett to the mix. He gives the Colts an incredible weapon as a slot receiver, and Andrew Luck is going to use him a lot as a counter to T.Y. Hilton and Johnson. 

#28 Detroit Lions (from Broncos) - Laken Tomlinson, OG Duke

The Lions already acquired one offensive lineman on Thursday as they got Manny Ramirez from the Broncos, but they grab another one in the first round as they pick Chicago-product Tomlinson. He is an incredibly intelligent lineman, using his brain to overcome any physical deficencies that he has. His story is remarkable, and the Lions will definitely be happy with this selection.   

#27 Dallas Cowboys - Byron Jones, CB Connecticut 

Originally projected as a second or third round pick, Jones jumped up draft boards as he set a new combine record for the broad jump. He could end up playing either corner or safety for the Cowboys, and that versatility has to also play a facotr in the team's decision to grab him. 

#26 Baltimore Ravens - Breshad Perriman, WR UCF 

With Torrey Smith heading off to greener pastures, Joe Flacco needed a new pass target in Baltimore, and Perriman definitely gives him that. The big question is whether or not he can overcome a really bad habit that he showed in the college ranks: dropped passes. There is no surer way to become a former NFL receiver than an inability to catch the ball, and Perriman has a lot to prove. 

#25 Carolina Panthers - Shaq Thompson, LB Washington 

The Panthers have a lot of options on what to do with Thompson, as he can play either outside linebacker or safety for them. Either way, their already excellent defense is bolstered with this pick, and Thompson has an early-first round skillset at a late first-round price. The Panthers should, and did, take that value any time they can get it. 

#24 Arizona Cardinals - DJ Humphries, OT Florida 

Sidelined with an ankle injury for a couple of games last season, Humphries still has what it takes to be a great offensive lineman in the NFL. Several draft scouts had him as the top available lineman in this draft, and he certainly has the athleticism to perform at the highest level. The Cardinals did have some other needs they could've addressed here, but Humphries will do them some favors in protecting Carson Palmer. 

#23 Denver Broncos (from Lions) - Shane Ray, DE Missouri 

A marijuana citation and a foot injury certainly didn't help Ray's draft stock, but he now finds himself in a tremendous position to prove himself with the Broncos. He's one of the best pure pass rushers in this draft, and whichever position he ends up holding down for the team, he'll aggressively get after the quarterback. 

9:30 p.m.: The Detroit Lions have traded the number 23 selection in the draft to the Denver Broncos. The Broncos gave up the 28th overall pick, offensive lineman Manny Ramirez, a fifth round pick in this draft, and a fifth round selection in the 2016 NFL Draft.  

#22 Pittsburgh Steelers - Bud Dupree, DE Kentucky 

There are few players that have Dupree's explosiveness off the line, but he has to add a second move to his arsenal because he ends up sticking when he's blocked off the snap. He'll have to work on that, but his fluidity at the line should help him as he makes that transition. 

#21 Cincinnati Bengals - Cedric Ogbuehi, OT Texas A&M 

Injury concerns threatened to knock Ogbuehi out of the first round of the draft, but the Bengals are banking on him to heal up and help keep Andy Dalton upright this season. He is a versatile lineman that can play tackle or guard in the NFL, but make sure to keep an eye on his injury history and his hand technique at the line as his career begins. 

#20 Philadelphia Eagles - Nelson Agholor, WR USC 

Chip Kelly wanted to trade up in the NFL Draft to grab Marcus Mariota, but he'll settle for a guy that shot up draft boards as Agholor will don the black and green this season. He gives Sam Bradford (or whichever quarterback will be under center for the team this season) a good target in the vertical passing game, but questions about his speed linger. 

#19 Cleveland Browns (from Bills) - Cameron Erving, OG Florida State 

We had Erving going to the New England Patriots with the 32nd pick in our mock draft, but the Browns clearly valued his versatility on the line. He could play center in a pinch, and he will likely slot in as a guard in a starting role this season. The questions of which quarterback Erving will block for are still unanswered, but what isn't in doubt is his ability to be a solid NFL lineman. 

9:10 p.m.: Bears G.M. Ryan Pace just spoke to the media via conference call, and he dismissed concerns that the team's (alleged) pursuit of Marcus Mariota could spark tension with Jay Cutler

#18 Kansas City Chiefs - Marcus Peters, CB Washington 

An excellent press corner, Peters likely would have gone higher in the draft had it not been for character concerns that dogged him through the scouting process. Even still, the Chiefs should be happy that they have a corner that can contend with some of the talented wide receivers in the AFC West (think Amari Cooper or Demaryius Thomas). 

#17 San Francisco 49'ers (from Chargers) - Arik Armstead, DE Oregon 

One of the draft's physical freaks, Armstead has the raw materials to become a monster NFL player, but the real question will be whether or not the 49'ers' coaching staff will be able to mold him into one. Fortunately for them, they will likely be in a rebuilding face thanks to retirements and players leaving their defense, so Armstead will have time to learn on the fly. 

#16 Houston Texans - Kevin Johnson, CB Wake Forest 

The Texans made some sizable strides forward last season thanks to a monster year from J.J. Watt, and their hope has to be that Johnson will give Watt more time to work at the line of scrimmage. Like Watt however, Johnson is very aggressive off the snap, and he might find himself getting called for a lot of penalties as he makes an adjustment to the NFL. 

#15 San Diego Chargers - Melvin Gordon, RB Wisconsin 

The Chargers needed a running back going into this draft, and they secured a really good one in Gordon. An explosive rusher for the Badgers last season, Gordon set collegiate records and got the attention of scouts throughout the league, and Phillip Rivers now has a tremendous weapon to take some of the pressure off himself as the Chargers look to compete in the AFC West. 

8:40 p.m. - We have our first trade of the evening as the San Francisco 49'ers traded the 15th overall pick to the San Diego Chargers in exchange for the 17th overall pick, a 4th round pick in this year's draft and a pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. 

#14 Miami Dolphins - Devante Parker, WR Louisville 

One of the most polished wide receivers in this draft class, Parker made a name for himself with Teddy Bridgewater in Louisville and continued that trend last season. A great pass catcher that's strong on the ball and runs good routes, Parker should become a favorite target for Ryan Tannehill in South Beach. 

#13 New Orleans Saints - Andrus Peat, OT Stanford 

Peat is arguably the most athletic tackle in the draft, and Drew Brees is already shopping for cars to buy his new protector. Peat could end up being a dominant player on the New Orleans line, and the fact that he was the third offensive lineman taken is frankly a bit of a surprise. 

#12 Cleveland Browns - Danny Shelton, DT Washington 

The Browns went defense with their first pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, and they did the same thing this time around as they grabbed Shelton. Some mock drafts had him going earlier than this, but his big size and ability to stop the run should come in handy against some of the NFL's most bruising running backs. 

#11 Minnesota Vikings - Trae Waynes, CB Michigan State 

Draft observers were torn on Waynes, with some adoring his speed and ability to play against speedy receivers and others concerned that he couldn't jam effectively at the line of scrimmage. Even with the questions, the Vikings opt to go secondary with their pick over drafting a receiver like Devante Parker. 

#10 St. Louis Rams - Todd Gurley, RB Georgia 

The first head-scratcher of the draft goes to the Rams, who choose Gurley despite several other glaring weaknesses and a running back in Tre Mason that showed tremendous potential last season. An offensive lineman to protect Nick Foles or a receiver for him to throw to would have been nice, but the Rams instead opt to bolster a position of strength. 

#9 New York Giants - Ereck Flowers, OT Miami (FL) 

The Giants need to do a better job of protecting Eli Manning in the pocket, and the versatile Flowers could do the trick. He can play at any position on the line, and his strength should be a tremendous asset for a Giants team that prides itself on muscular play. 

#8 Atlanta Falcons - Vic Beasley, DE/LB Clemson 

The Falcons could have gone with Todd Gurley to give themselves a running option to complement their passing attack, but instead opted for one of the most talented and versatile defensive players in the draft. Beasley has all the makings of a star in the NFL, and he was projected to go as high as number three in some mock drafts. Solid pick for the Falcons. 

#7 Chicago Bears - Kevin White, West Virginia

The Bears could have bolstered their defense with a player like Vic Beasley or Danny Shelton, but G.M. Ryan Pace used his first ever draft pick on a speedy wide receiver in White. Running a 4.35 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, White became the first receiver 6-foot-3 or taller to accomplish a time that low since Calvin Johnson did it in 2006. 

#6 New York Jets - Leonard Williams, DE USC 

There was some concern among NFL teams about a labrum injury for Williams, but his impact on the field when healthy is unquestionable. He could have been the number one overall pick if the Buccaneers didn't need a franchise quarterback, and the Jets were rather fortunate to get him in the position they got him in. 

#5 Washington Redskins - Brandon Scherff, OT Iowa 

The Redskins go in a bit of a surprising direction as they bolster their offensive line with Scherff. Listed as the top lineman on many boards, the Redskins will either slot him at tackle or guard, and his versatility could be good for them. Even still, it's a bit surprising that they didn't go Williams, who would have given their pass rush a huge shot in the arm. 

#4 Oakland Raiders - Amari Cooper, WR Alabama 

The Raiders reportedly had Cooper and Leonard Williams atop their board, and they went with an explosive wide receiver threat. With three years of results under his belt and some of the best athleticism and strength the receiver class has to offer, he could be a bonafide star in the NFL, and Derek Carr should be absolutely thrilled in Oakland. 

#3 Jacksonville Jaguars - Dante Fowler, Jr., DE Florida 

Locked in a dead heat with Leonard Williams as to which player would be the first defensive end taken, Fowler goes to the Jaguars. The team really couldn't go wrong with either player on the board, and they've significantly upgraded their pass rush. Williams is arguably more polished, but Fowler likely has more upside. 

#2 Tennesee Titans - Marcus Mariota, QB Oregon 

After a lot of speculation that the Chicago Bears or Philadelphia Eagles could try to move up to snag the pick, the Titans opted to select Mariota. He is a brilliant field general who doesn't turn the ball over often. Issues could arise as he didn't really take snaps from under center at Oregon, meaning that the Titans will have to figure out ways to get him the ball out of the shotgun to ease his transition into the NFL. 

#1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jameis Winston, QB Florida State 

In a totally non-shocking move, the Bucs go for their franchise quarterback and draft Winston. He definitely has the better arm among the top two QB's in this draft, but his off-field issues and occasional carelessness with the ball made it a tighter contest with Marcus Mariota. 

6:55 p.m.: At this point, it's very likely the Bucs hold onto their pick. Ed Werder reports the team has had conversations with several clubs, including the Eagles, but are all but set on drafting Jameis Winston first overall. 

6:25 p.m.: Aaron Leming of Bear Report (the same reporter that broke the Brandon Marshall trade story) is reporting that the Bears have an offer on the table to the Titans for the number two overall pick in the draft. Bob Holtzmann of ESPN is reporting the same, but says the Titans aren't interested in Jay Cutler. 

The package that would be required to nab the second pick is truly staggering. Reports are swirling that it would be at least two first round picks, another mid-round pick, and a player. 

5:55 p.m.: Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times says that the Buccaneers don't feel they will get enough value for the first overall pick and are still set at this point to draft Jameis Winston. Albert Breer of NFL Network is reporting that the Titans are in a similar boat with the number two pick and still plan on taking Marcus Mariota. 

5:50 p.m.: With about an hour to go before the draft, the Philadelphia Eagles are still eagerly trying to trade for one of the top two picks. Negotiations with the Tennessee Titans have seemingly stalled according to several reports, and the Eagles are now turning their attention to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the number one pick. 

If the Eagles are able to acquire one of the picks, they will use it to draft Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. 

Reports also have been out on Thursday that the Chicago Bears have reached out to the Titans about acquiring the second pick, which would be used to draft Mariota. 

NFL Draft Kicks Off in Grant Park

Contact Us