There were 256 draft picks made in the 2015 NFL Draft. We won’t know which ones panned out and which ones busted for a while. That being said, it’s fun to take a look at the draft and pick out which picks we think were the best and, of course, the worst. Let’s start by taking a look at what I consider to be the five best picks of the 2015 NFL Draft.
1. Leonard Williams, DE, New York Jets
First Round, Overall Pick #6
Many people say Leonard Williams is the best player in the draft and he fell to the Jets at number six. The Tennessee Titans were widely considered the favorite to choose Williams with the number two pick, but instead they opted for the flashier pick with Oregon’s Marcus Mariota. Then the Jaguars, Raiders and Redskins all passed him up. Sitting at number six, the New York Jets didn’t think they had a chance at Williams. When he fell to them, even though they didn’t have a need at his position, they simply couldn’t pass him up. Picking in a position of strength, the Jets weren’t forced to go with the best player available at their position of need but instead went for simply the best player available and opposing offenses won’t be very happy.
2. Todd Gurley, RB, St. Louis Rams
First Round, Overall Pick #10
You know you hit the jackpot when the players at his position are immediately questioning their future and going as far as to beg for a trade because they know their playing time just went goodbye. Along with Williams, many think Todd Gurley is the best player in the draft and if it wasn’t for a season ending ACL injury he could have easily been a top five pick. Gurley is a difference maker and this pick will make the Rams better on offense and defense.
3. Laken Tomlinson, OG, Detroit Lions
First Round, Overall Pick #28
When this pick was originally made I scratched my head. When you look further into the details, it’s a home run. The Lions sat at number twenty-three but knew the guy they really wanted would still be available later. Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos were desperate to trade up and get a falling Shane Ray. The Lions moved back five spots, still got the guy they wanted, picked up a veteran guard for depth in Manny Ramirez and also picked up two more draft picks (a fifth rounder in 2015 and one in 2016). The Lions then used the pick they got from Denver (#143) to move up and get CB Alex Carter (Stanford). There’s a lot of working pieces here but I really like what Detroit did to get the guy they wanted and add some extra pieces.
4. Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Tennessee Titans
Second Round, Overall Pick #40
DGB is a guy that came into the draft with a lot of baggage and because of that he ended up being drafted significantly below his skill set. Without a doubt in my mind he has the skills to become the best wide receiver in this draft class. Yet, seven other receivers were drafted before him. Another great aspect of this pick is that the guy the Titans drafted in the first round, Marcus Mariota, is a goody two shoes that should be able to have a positive effect on DGB. After sitting out a year, after transferring to Oklahoma, he’s ready to show the NFL he’s ready.
5. Randy Gregory, OLB, Dallas Cowboys
Second Round, Overall Pick #61
Why do good teams stay good? Because they put themselves in the position where they aren’t a prisoner of team needs. Instead, they simply draft the best guy on their board and sometimes they luck out and it is in fact a team need. Now that he has been through the process of free falling in the draft, it will make Gregory a better person and a hungrier player. The Cowboys got a top ten talent with a pick at the end of the second round. There is certainly a huge risk here, but the end of the second round is a perfect time to take that risk.
