The first round of the 2015 NFL Draft is finally, thankfully, in the books. But even though there were plenty of great moments, no team’s work is remotely finished. Teams like the St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers and New York Jets drafted good players but didn’t fill any needs and the Bills and Seahawks have yet to draft. There is a load of talent available at every position.
So if you’re still waiting on your team to pick someone to be excited about, you might be thinking of these guys — and if you’re not, you should.
Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
6’2, 217 lbs, 4.44 40-yd dash (Combine)
He’s the consensus best wide receiver left on the board, he’s tall enough to play on the outside, and he’s built well enough to fight off physical corners. At the NFL Combine, he had the second-best vertical jump among WRs at 42 inches. He’s going to need all the attributes we listed to come together, because even though his 40 time was great, scouts agree that he doesn’t play as fast and doesn’t reach top speed quickly enough to blow by cornerbacks on deep routes. It would be a shock to see him last longer than ten picks into the second round.
Potential landing spots: Tennessee, Jacksonville, Jets
Landon Collins, S, Alabama
6’0, 228 lbs, 4.53 40-yd dash (Combine)
It surprised some to see the first safety off the board be Damarious Randall instead of Collins, but the Packers needed a free safety to pair with Landon’s Alabama teammate Haha Clinton-Dix, and Collins profiles more as a strong safety. He’s great against the run, a solid tackler, and though he’s prone to getting beat over the top, he’s not a liability in pass coverage. He’s also an elite gunner on special teams.
Potential landing spots: Tennessee, Washington, Chicago
Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana
5’11, 206 lbs, 4.39 40-yd dash (Pro Day)
My goodness is this guy fast. He’s relentless and an angry runner, the kind of guy fans of whatever team he plays for will love. He did a lot in college without much talent around him on the line or at quarterback, which is encouraging for NFL teams in similar situations. He’s not as patient or as shifty as he could be, and there are questions if he can ever get there. But you can’t teach speed.
Potential landing spots: Giants, Atlanta, Cleveland
Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska
6’5, 235 lbs, 4.64 40-yd dash (Combine)
Gregory could go early in Round 2, or he could fall to the third day thanks to his failed drug test at the Combine and some “off-field issues” no one will say publicly. There could be a good reason for that or not, but the uncertainty surrounding him is disconcerting for all involved. Obviously he’s risky, but for someone so thin and raw as a pass rusher, he was amazingly effective on the field. He’s best suited as a 3-4 outside linebacker, and if he pans out, could be a devastating weapon.
Potential landing spots: Jets, Arizona, Baltimore
Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon
6’6, 306 lbs, 5.01 40-yd dash (Combine)
Fisher was only .05 seconds slower than Jameis Winston in the 40, which says a lot about both players. Fisher came out of high school as a tight end, and his profile reflects it: He’s as athletic a tackle as there is in this draft, though he could stand to bulk up a little bit. As is, his speed and his technique make him best suited for a zone-blocking scheme. Good thing lots of NFL teams use it, and would love a tackle like Fisher.
Potential landing spots: Kansas City, Houston, Seattle
