2015 NFL Draft Results & Grades: 1st Round

9. New York Giants - Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
2014 record: 6-10 (.512)
Top three needs: Pass rusher, OL, ILB

Grade: B-

The Giants need to protect Eli Manning and Ereck Flowers is one of the more underrated lineman in the 2015 NFL Draft. When Eli Manning has time he doesn’t throw interceptions…as much… and Flowers hasn’t allowed a sack in the last two years. The Giants were probably disappointed the Redskins took Scherff at #5 and the lack of trade movement led to them grabbing their lineman earlier than expected.

 

10. St. Louis Rams - Todd Gurley II, RB, Georgia
2014 record: 6-10 (.531)
Top three needs: QB, CB, RB

Grade: A

Todd Gurley was one of the best picks of the 2015 NFL Draft. Jeff Fisher gets his workhorse running back and the Rams get some identity on offense. Nick Foles and Todd Gurley sounds like a much better tandem than Austin Davis and Zac Stacy. The Rams may be a team to look out for in 2015.

11. Minnesota Vikings - Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
2014 record: 7-9 (.475)
Top three needs: OT, RB, CB

Grade: C

Trae Waynes is a solid press corner, but missing out on the opportunity to reunite Teddy Bridgewater and DeVante Parker could come back to haunt the Vikings for a long time. Xavier Rhodes and Waynes could form a solid CB duo for the Vikings defense, but QB-WR chemistry is harder to find than a #2 CB.

12. Cleveland Browns - Danny Shelton, NT, Washington
2014 record: 7-9 (.479)
Top three needs: WR, ILB, DL

Grade: B+

Phil Taylor never managed to control the line of scrimmage for the Browns defense as they hoped, but Danny Shelton has the upside to dominate on the same level as Dontari Poe or Vince Wilfork. Many thought the Browns would go for DeVante Parker here, but they opted for the safer pick.

 

 

13. New Orleans Saints - Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
2014 record: 7-9 (.486)
Top three needs: CB, pass rusher, OL

Grade: C

The Saints probably regret missing out on pass rushers such as Bud Dupree, but Andrus Peat is young with tons of upside. Peat could play tackle for the next decade, but he’ll be fighting for a starting spot in 2015. The Saints are making an effort to improve the quality of their offensive line for the final years of Drew Brees’ career.

14. Miami Dolphins - DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
2014 record: 8-8 (.512)
Top three needs: LB, CB, OT

Grade: B+

DeVante Parker is the #1 WR that Mike Wallace could never be. Ryan Tannehill now has a surplus of weapons around him (Parker, Jarvis Landry, Greg Jennings, Kenny Stills, Jordan Cameron, and Lamar Miller) and needs to elevate his game to the next level to prove that he is in fact the Dolphins franchise QB.

DeVante Parker is taking his talents to South Beach https://t.co/1DRDC6n8z1

— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) May 1, 2015

 

15. San Diego Chargers (via trade with 49ers) - Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
2014 record: 9-7 (.512)
Top three needs: CB, NT, OL

Grade: C

The Chargers gave up this year’s 4th & next year’s 5th round pick to move up two spots ahead of the Texans to take Melvin Gordon. Hopefully the Chargers had some insider information that the Texans were taking him at #16, otherwise that was a waste of two draft picks.

16. Houston Texans - Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest
2014 record: 9-7 (.447)
Top three needs: QB, WR, OT

Grade: B+

The Texans could have made a move at WR, but made the smart choice to grab one of the best CBs in the draft. Kevin Johnson will be a Day 1 starter in Houston and is lucky enough to be playing on a defense with this guy named J.J. Watt.

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