The Future Stars of the NFL Are Coming (Part IV)

It is quite difficult to forecast what the last three teams, the Packers, the Saints and the Patriots are going to do with their picks. We wrap up the analysis of the 2015 NFL Draft’s first round discussing last year’s best achieving teams minus the Seahawks who passed the no. 31 opportunity to the Saints. At this stage a dropping talent could easily rewrite the scenario, however there are several teams with obvious needs in this pack as well, like the Dallas Cowboys, the Indianapolis Colts and though they deny it, the Baltimore Ravens.

• Cowboys to pick a corner
• Ravens deny their need
• LB or nothing for Packers?

This is the most important event in the NFL offseason and though US gambling laws varying from state to state, for players living in a place with legalized sports betting, this is the main opportunity to place a wager regarding the NFL. With moves in this section are much harder to predict than the ones in the earlier rounds, there will be considerably more chips on the table when betting on possible picks between no. 25 and 32.

25. Carolina Panthers

While the Panthers have a need at several positions, an offensive lineman would be the obvious choice for them in the first round, similarly to numerous teams discussed in the previous part. D.J. Humphries from Florida seems to be their guy, however they can also go for any of Andrus Peat (Stanford), Ereck Flowers (Miami), La’el Collins (LSU), T.J. Clemmings (Pittsburgh) or Cedric Ogbuehi (Texas A&M).

26. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens continuously emphasized that wide receiver is not their need, however a quick blink at their depth chart reveals that it actually is. They should take a top running back indeed, if Georgia’s Todd Gurley or Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon is available, but picking a talented wideout like Jaelen Strong from Arizona State, Phillip Dorsett from Miami or Breshad Perriman from Central Florida would be a reasonable move too.

27. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys will almost certainly select a cornerback in the first round if there will be no unexpected drop leaving a talent with bigger value on the table, gambling news report. The highly rated Washington DB, Marcus Peters could be a risk because off his off-the-field problems, while any of Kevin Johnson from Wake Forest, Byron Jones from Connecticut or Jalen Collins from LSU would provide a safer solution.

28. Denver Broncos

After the hard time Peyton Manning had last season because of his weak bodyguards, the Broncos will almost certainly boost their O-line from in the first round. With D.J. Humphries probably gone at this stage, T.J. Clemmings is the favorite to be selected by the Mile High City franchise, but Cameron Erving from Florida State and Jake Fisher from Oregon are top candidates as well, not to mention the other usual suspects listed at Carolina.

29. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts will look for playmakers in this draft and they consider the run defense as their major weakness. Thus Eddie Goldman from Florida State would make sense and quite a few experts favored him to be Indy’s top pick, according to online betting news. They need some help regarding their secondary as well, so taking Alabama safety Landon Collins, if available, would be a rational decision too.

30. Green Bay Packers

The best scenario for the Packers would be UCLA inside linebacker Eric Kendricks dropping to number 30, as that would mean that they don’t have to move Clay Matthews to the middle of the field. If Kendricks is taken, a trade back is expected from the Wisconsin franchise, or General Manager Tedd Thompson will simply pick the best player available. That probably would be a cornerback (Peters, Jones, Collins or Utah’s Eric Rowe) or a defensive lineman like Eddie Goldman (Florida State), Malcolm Brown (Texas) or Jordan Phillips (Oklahoma).

31. New Orleans Saints (via Seattle Seahawks)

This is the pick the Saints acquired in the Jimmy Graham trade that also saw center Max Unger heading to Louisiana in exchange for the superstar tight end and a later selection. It is actually quite hard to predict what New Orleans going to do with this opportunity as their top attacking target, Phillip Dorsett from Miami probably won’t drop this far. After tinkering with their running game already in this offseason the Saints might continue to strengthen their defense by adding a lineman like Malcolm Brown (Texas) or Arik Armstead (Oregon). Picking another wideout is a possibility too, and either Jaelen Strong (Arizona State) or Nelson Agholor (USC) could be still on the table at the end of the first round.

32. New England Patriots

The Pats are in a similar situation to the Saints as their top target, Eddie Goldman probably won’t be available at 32, according to online sportsbooks in the US. They might choose another defensive lineman instead, Arik Armstead for example or a defensive back by picking Florida State Seminole Ronald Darby or if free, either of Peters, Collins or Rowe. Wide receiver Devin Smith could be an option as well, just like someone from the O-line pool: Ogbuehi, Erving or Laken Tomlinson (Duke).

There will be surprise moves, unexpected drops for sure, and cases of players like Shane Ray, who was speeding under the influence of marijuana on Monday, will also rearrange the order. However, after analyzing the teams’ most obvious needs and the players expected to be available, this article might be useful before we sit down to watch the most important event of the NFL offseason.