Here is my third and final Big Board for the 2015 NFL Draft.
1. Leonard Williams, USC, DT
Rise/fall: --
Smooth-moving athlete with the physical tools to be a transcendent star at the position. Williams is the top prospect in the 2015; he should be a perennial Pro Bowl defender in any scheme.
2. Jameis Winston, Florida State, QB
Rise/fall: --
The former Heisman Trophy winner is clearly the most advanced pocket passer in the draft. Scouts had reservations about his ability to blossom as a franchise quarterback because of concerns about his character, but Winston seemingly addressed the questions about his readiness for the role by blowing executives away with his high football IQ and charismatic leadership style. While skeptics continue to point to his high interception total (18) in 2014 as a potential issue, Winston's 26-1 record as a starter and ability to consistently deliver in the clutch outweigh his miscues as a passer.
3. Amari Cooper, Alabama, WR
Rise/fall: --
The most polished receiver to enter the draft since A.J. Green and Julio Jones exhibits all of the traits coaches covet in a WR1. Cooper is a polished route runner with exceptional ball skills and running ability. Most important, he can line up at any spot and has valuable experience playing in a pro-style system.
4. Kevin White, West Virginia, WR
Rise/fall: --
The most explosive pass catcher in the draft possesses the traits needed to develop into a prototypical WR1 early in his career. White is a rare big-bodied playmaker with the speed and burst to take the top off the defense.
5. Marcus Mariota, Oregon, QB
Rise/fall: --
The Heisman Trophy winner is an ultra-athletic playmaker capable of delivering explosive plays with his feet or arm. Mariota will need some time to transition to the pro game, but he has the intangibles and football intelligence to quickly acclimate to playing the position in a traditional manner.
6. Vic Beasley, Clemson, DE/OLB
Rise/fall:
The most explosive pass rusher in the draft has steadily climbed up the charts after impressing scouts and coaches with his overall athleticism and burst in workouts. Beasley possesses rare first-step quickness and delivers the kind of splash plays that executives expect from a top-10 talent.
7. Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida, DE
Rise/fall: --
A hard-nosed football player with outstanding instincts, awareness, and instincts, Fowler is a versatile playmaker off the edge capable of playing as a "SAM" linebacker on early downs and rushing the passer as a defensive end in sub-packages.
8. DeVante Parker, Louisville, WR
Rise/fall: --
Parker is a smooth route runner with strong hands and exceptional ball skills. He is a dynamic red-zone threat capable of thriving on the perimeter as a WR1.
9. Shane Ray, Missouri, DE
Rise/fall:
Ray is a high-motor rusher with exceptional first-step quickness and burst. He can win with an assortment of finesse moves or overwhelm blockers with violent hands on the way to the quarterback. In a league that values pass rushers, Ray's ability to create disruption off the edge makes him a hot commodity.
10. Danny Shelton, Washington, DT
Rise/fall:
Dominant nose tackle with nimble feet, balance, and body control. Shelton controls the point of attack as a run stuffer, yet is a credible threat as a pass rusher from the nose tackle position.
11. Landon Collins, Alabama, S
Rise/fall:
Collins is a rare breed as a rangy ball hawk with the instincts, toughness, and physicality to be an effective run stopper near the box. He can play as a pure SS or make his living patroling the deep middle as an active FS in a single-high safety system.
12. La'el Collins, LSU, OT
Rise/fall:
Rugged blocker with a powerful frame and solid technical skills. He is a Pro Bowl-caliber guard, but teams in need of a marquee tackle could try him on the outside to see if he can hold up against elite rushers in the NFL.
13. Randy Gregory, Nebraska, OLB
Rise/fall:
A series of positive drugs tests threaten to torpedo Gregory's stock on draft day, but teams coveting an ultra-athletic edge defender with natural rush skills could overlook those transgressions. If Gregory can walk the straight and narrow, he could deliver big results as the draft's biggest boom-or-bust candidate.
14. Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin, RB
Rise/fall:
Questions persist about Gordon's ability to function outside of the Badgers' zone-based system, but there is no denying his combination of balance, body control, and explosiveness with the ball in his hands. He exhibits rare 0-to-60 speed in the hole, and his sudden acceleration could make him a home-run threat as a pro. If Gordon can contribute as a receiver out of the backfield, he could become a Jamaal Charles-like playmaker to build around.
15. Arik Armstead, Oregon, DE
Rise/fall:
It's uncommon to see a big, athletic defensive end with Armstead's length, body control, and balance. The Oregon standout hasn't delivered a lot of production to date, but he has the potential to blossom as a prototypical five-technique in a 3-4.
16. Brandon Scherff, Iowa, OT
Rise/fall:
Scherff is a big, physical edge blocker with exceptional strength and power. He might lack the athleticism to handle elite rushers off the edge, but he could move inside and become an elite offensive guard in a power-based offense.
17. Marcus Peters, Washington, CB
Rise/fall:
Despite character concerns after his dismissal from Washington's program, Peters is the most pro-ready cornerback in the 2015 class. He is a natural bump-and-run corner capable of also playing in zone coverage utilizing "off" technique and a smooth backpedal.
18. Trae Waynes, Michigan State, CB
Rise/fall:
Coaches are certainly smitten with Waynes after his spectacular showing at the NFL combine and his pro-day workouts. The ex-Spartan displayed explosive quickness and burst in movement drills, leading evaluators to believe he can develop into more than a bump-and-run corner as a pro.
19. Todd Gurley, Georgia, RB
Rise/fall:
If Gurley were healthy and ready to go, he would be a lock to come off the board as a top-10 pick. He is a three-down running back capable of doing damage between the tackles or on the perimeter as a runner-receiver. Gurley's solid skill set and tenacious playing style is eerily similar to a young Marshawn Lynch.
20. Andrus Peat, Stanford, OT
Rise/fall:
The talented technician has been underappreciated throughout the process, but he is one of the few pure left tackles in the class. Peat displays the footwork, savvy, and body control to hold up against elite pass rushers on the edges.
21. Eddie Goldman, Florida State, DT
Rise/fall:
It's hard to find athletic interior defenders with Goldman's combination of size, strength, and quickness. He can win with power or finesse at the point of attack and displays a non-stop motor that's rare for a 300-pound defender.
22. Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest, CB
Rise/fall:
Johnson is a cerebral cover corner with outstanding technical skills and instincts. He is one of the few corners in the draft capable of executing press, bail, or "off" techniques while still showing the awareness and anticipation to make plays on the ball.
23. Ereck Flowers, Miami (Fla.), OT
Rise/fall:
Flowers has the potential to develop into a solid left tackle because of his surprising balance, body control, and agility. If he can master the technical part of the position, Flowers could become a perennial Pro Bowler with impressive physical tools.
24. Jalen Collins, LSU, CB
Rise/fall:
There's always a place in the NFL for a long, rangy corner with exceptional speed and burst. Collins is a natural bump-and-run corner with the length to challenge the big-bodied receivers dominating the pro game.
25. Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi State, ILB
Rise/fall:
A hard-nosed linebacker with outstanding instincts and awareness, McKinney shines within the tackle-to-tackle box, exhibiting the toughness and physicality needed to anchor a premier run defense.
26. Malcom Brown, Texas, DT
Rise/fall:
A classic nose tackle with the size and girth to hold the point of attack in the middle, Brown is adept at stuffing the run and flashes enough rush skill to push the pocket up the gut.
27. Bud Dupree, Kentucky, OLB
Rise/fall:
Pegged as a workout warrior after his sensational showing at the combine, Dupree has shot up the charts after coaches took a longer look at his game. The ex-Kentucky star is a natural edge player with the speed, quickness, and burst to pressure the passer or track down running backs from the backside.
28. Cameron Erving, Florida State, C
Rise/fall:
The move to center during the middle of the season has helped Erving emerge as a Day 1 prospect. The big-bodied pivot possesses the size and length to control massive defensive tackles at the point of attack, yet also displays the footwork and high IQ to sort through the chaos in the middle of pass protection.
29. T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh, OT
Rise/fall:
A former defensive lineman turned offensive tackle, Clemmings is not a polished product, but it is easy to get excited about his potential after watching him emerge as one of the top offensive tackles in the country. Clemmings possesses the athletic traits to be an effective left tackle, but he needs some more time to refine his technique on the edges.
30. Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri, WR
Rise/fall:
The ultra-talented pass catcher is the biggest wild card in the draft. Scouts will have to weigh the risk vs. reward when assessing his playmaking potential and character concerns. On the field, he is a matchup nightmare capable of dominating the game from the perimeter.
31. Devin Smith, Ohio State, WR
Rise/fall:
A speed demon with the burst and explosiveness to thrive as a big-play specialist as a pro, Smith averaged 28.2 yards per catch and frequently found the end zone on vertical routes.
32. Denzel Perryman, Miami (Fla.), ILB
Rise/fall:
Every defensive coordinator in the NFL desires a menacing presence in the middle to set the tone for a hard-hitting defense. Perryman is a junkyard dog between the hashes with a knack for stoning runners in the hole. He has exceptional instincts and awareness diagnosing plays and would be the perfect centerpiece to a premier defense.
On the bubble
1. Eric Kendricks, UCLA, LB
2. Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma, DT
3. Jaelen Strong, Arizona State, WR
4. Nelson Agholor, USC, WR
5. Duke Johnson, Miami, RB
6. P.J. Williams, Florida State, CB
7. Jake Fisher, Oregon, OT
8. Maxx Williams, Minnesota, TE
9. Shaq Thompson, Washington, LB
10. Phillip Dorsett, Miami, WR
Dropped out of previous Big Board:Maxx Williams, Minnesota, TE (25); Jaelen Strong, Arizona State, WR (29).
Follow Bucky Brooks on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.
