Without fail, the NFL draft produces a few head-scratchers in each round every year. It could be a team taking a player at a position where it doesn't have a need or a club reaching for somebody who should have been picked a little later in the draft. Then, of course, there are the out-of-nowhere picks that draw puzzled looks from analysts.
Here are five of the most curious 2015 NFL Draft decisions:
Seahawks draft Clark in Round 2
The most surprising pick of the second round came just as the round was about to end when the Seattle Seahawks picked former Michigan defensive end Frank Clark. During his time with the Wolverines, Clark established himself as a legitimate NFL prospect. He further affirmed that with good testing numbers in the run-up to the draft. However, Clark faced a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence stemming from a November incident. He reached a plea agreement in the case in April, dropping the charge to disorderly conduct, but there were several teams that didn't even have Clark on their board given the off-field concerns. A Seattle Times report on the team's background check into Clark didn't help public perception of the selection.
Washington selects Scherff over Williams
Only time will tell if Washington made the right decision in taking offensive lineman Brandon Scherff over defensive lineman Leonard Williams. In the context of draft boards, though, it's hard to say they didn't make a mistake. Williams was the near-consensus pick as most talented player in the draft, yet several teams passed on him and he fell out of the top five. He would have made perfect sense for the team's 3-4 defense and would have given the team cover in case Jason Hatcher gets injured again. Instead, they bypassed Williams to spend the No. 5 overall pick not on a left tackle, but a right tackle who is believed to be best suited to play guard. The Scherff pick is in line with what Washington might want to do in rebuilding the team, but it's hard to pass on a potential All-Pro defender for a right tackle, at best.
Carolina picks Thompson, Funchess over OL
In terms of needs, offensive line help has been a big one going into the past two NFL drafts for Carolina GM Dave Gettleman. Despite the issues up front that have caused quarterback Cam Newton to run for his life at times, another draft came and went without the team investing valuable high picks on getting help along the offensive line. Instead, the Panthers spent their first-rounder on Shaq Thompson, who no doubt brings plenty of athleticism to the team's defense but is a player the team didn't necessarily need. They reached by drafting him in the first round. Grabbing Thompson raised a lot of eyebrows around the league, as did the move to team wide receiver Devin Funchess with the similar-bodied Kelvin Benjamin.
Cowboys don't draft a RB
In retrospect, the Dallas Cowboys landed three first-round talents out of college this year. That would typically translate to having a great draft class. But there was something missing when the team started reaching for defensive help on the third day -- and that was because Dallas didn't take a running back. The front office might be content with Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden taking over for DeMarco Murray, but, with one of the most talented and deepest classes of tailbacks to enter the league in recent memory, the Cowboys failed to get a single player who could turn into a star behind that offensive line. No wonder NFL Media analyst Brian Baldinger was stunned by the move and predicted that the team will miss the playoffs as a result.
No team takes a chance on La'el Collins
The La'el Collins situation is one of the most interesting stories to come out of any NFL Draft, much less the 2015 version. A sure-fire first-round talent who could have been taken in the top 10, Collins went undrafted. At the time of the draft and as of this writing, Collins was trying to clear his name in a Louisiana police investigation into the murder of Brittany Mills. Mills was Collins' ex-girlfriend and was pregnant at the time of her death. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Wednesday that test results showed Collins is not the father of the baby, who died. Multiple statements from police said the offensive lineman was not a suspect, but police still wanted to speak with him regarding the case, albeit after the draft. Collins answered questions law enforcement had regarding the matter on Monday during their meeting. Still, it's curious that no team took a chance on him in the middle or late rounds -- his agent's posturing about the 2016 NFL Draft be damned. Instead, teams allowed him to become an undrafted free agent, and he will now boost one of the league's best offensive lines in Dallas.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
