Monday Morning Draft is back! This is a column that delves into the past weekend’s action from an NFL Draft perspective. As the season goes on, the draft picture and slotting will become more clear, but every Sunday will provide a few hints for next April.
By Charlie Campbell.
Send Charlie an e-mail here: [email protected]
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Play like a Carcass For Marcus:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs have to land a franchise quarterback. Tampa Bay is a perfect example of how drafting a bust quarterback sets a franchise back for five or more years. Josh Freeman had flaws coming out, but those were ignored. Freeman went bust, and as a result, the Bucs have gone 30-63 since drafting him in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. If the Buccaneers land the No. 1 overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft, the only question will be whether to take Oregon’s Marcus Mariota or Florida State’s Jameis Winston.
Tennessee Titans: Tennessee is more likely to draft a quarterback than try to trade the pick away. Zach Mettenberger hasn’t been good enough to convince the franchise to pass on Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston. If Mettenberger does beat out the rookie, the team could have a tradable commodity in one of the quarterbacks.
WalterFootball.com knows from sources that Mariota has already impressed the Titans organization, and he could remind Tennessee fans of the glory days when they had Steve McNair.
Oakland Raiders: The Raiders will stick with Derek Carr; if they land the first-overall pick, they will look to move down and get a boatload of picks to jumpstart the rebuilding process. After moving down, Oakland could land any top player and still get a big improvement. Candidates for the team to target include USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams, Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory, Stanford left tackle Andrus Peat, Georgia running back Todd Gurley and Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper. The Raiders have needs at all of those positions, so moving down to get more picks while landing a top talent like one of those players would be a good plan.
New York Jets: Just like with Tampa Bay or Tennessee, if the Jets land the No. 1-overall pick, it will be used on a quarterback. The only question is which one the Jets will prefer. There is no doubt that New York would look to add a franchise quarterback. The Jets would have to be concerned about how the immature Jameis Winston would handle the hype and pressure of playing in the Big Apple. Mariota may be a better fit for New York.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Like Oakland, the Jaguars would want to trade down if they land the No. 1-overall pick. Jacksonville would aim to get more picks to build around Blake Bortles. The Jaguars could use defensive players like Leonard Williams and Randy Gregory. The team’s offensive line is awful and Luke Joeckel has had struggles. Taking a franchise left tackle and moving Joeckel to the right side could be a good plan for keeping Bortles from becoming David Carr 2.0.
Let’s Play Matchmaker:
This section will look at some of the top talent in college football and match those prospects up with teams that have a dire need at the position.
Dallas Cowboys: Shawn Oakman, DE, Baylor 
The Cowboys rolled the Bears on Thursday night, but Dallas didn’t record a sack of Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has done a great job this season considering the lack of talent on his defensive line. Adding some pass-rushers is absolutely necessary this offseason.
Dallas could target an upside player like Oakman on the second day of the 2015 NFL Draft. He has a skill set for Marinelli to work with, and Oakman’s upside potential could lead to him being a special player. He has 48 tackles with 18.5 tackles for a loss, 10 sacks and three forced fumbles in 2014. The 6-foot-8, 290-pounder has speed, but needs to learn better technique. He could be an ideal fit for Dallas in the second or third round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
St. Louis Rams: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State 
The Rams have had a lot of impressive wins this year, and one has to ponder where St. Louis would be if Sam Bradford had been able to stay healthy. In order for the Rams to land a top quarterback, they probably will have to trade up in the 2015 NFL Draft, and with the strength of their roster, they could afford to deal away a package of picks. Landing an elite quarterback could make the Rams one of the toughest teams to beat in the NFC.
Winston would give the Rams a ‘Ben Roethlisberger’-type quarterback. He has carried Florida State this year to his second-straight perfect regular season. Winston is a sparkling 27-0 as a starting quarterback. This year, he has completed 65 percent of his passes for 3,559 yards with 24 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. There are off-the-field issues, but the Rams have shown a willingness to work with players surrounded by such concerns.
Pittsburgh Steelers: P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State The Steelers have had a weakness at cornerback for some time, and that was illustrated by A.J. Green as he racked up 224 yards on 11 receptions with a score against Pittsburgh. The Steelers like big, physical, corners on the second day of the NFL Draft. Williams fits that mold to a ‘T’.
Williams is a tough tackler and physical defender with receivers. He has 60 tackles with six tackles for a loss, 10 passes broken up and one interception this year. Williams needs to improve his man-coverage skills, but he has the size and athleticism to defend big receivers. Pittsburgh could target Williams in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Carolina Panthers: Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State 
The Panthers’ offense came alive when they were finally able to have a running game support Cam Newton. Jonathan Stewart (20-155) had a huge performance in the blowout of the Saints, but he’s been too injury-prone and unreliable in his NFL career. Adding another running back, possibly on the second day of the 2015 NFL Draft, could make a big difference for the Carolina offense.
A good fit would be Ajayi. The 6-foot, 216-pounder has some quickness to go with size. Ajayi had a superb 2014 regular season with an average of 5.2 yards per carry for 1,689 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also caught 45 passes for 536 yards with four scores. In a deep class of running backs, Ajayi could be a steal on the second day.
New York Giants: Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M 
The Giants’ offense showed what is capable of when the team’s offensive line is effective. In a blowout of the Titans, New York kept Eli Manning from getting sacked and opened running lanes for back Andre Williams. That led to a huge game from rookies Williams and Odell Beckham Jr. Getting the offensive line improved could make a huge difference in the Giants returning to playoff contention in 2015.
Taking a versatile offensive lineman like Ogbuehi would make sense for New York. In the long run, he could be the team’s left tackle with Justin Pugh moving inside to guard and William Beatty going to right tackle. If Ogbuehi isn’t ready for that, he could start out at guard or right tackle. Ogbuehi has experience playing guard, right tackle and left tackle in the SEC. He’s ready to play and could be an elite left tackle if he can add some strength.
Indianapolis Colts: Markus Golden, DE, Missouri 
The Colts had one sack against the Browns – from Erik Walden. Indianapolis needs to find an improved edge rush in the offseason. Robert Mathis has been missed this year, and the veteran isn’t getting any younger even if the Colts bring him back after the suspension. Adding a pass-rusher could be the biggest need on Indianapolis’ roster.
Late in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, a player worth considering is Golden. He would be a good fit as a rush linebacker in the Colts’ 3-4 defense. He had 68 tackles with 16 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes broken up in the 2014 regular season. Indianapolis should target a pass-rusher like Golden with the organization’s first- or second-round pick.
Baltimore Ravens: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia 
The Ravens needed a big win and got one in South Florida as they topped the Dolphins. Steve Smith led Baltimore in receiving, but clearly Joe Flacco needs some long-term weapons at receiver. Adding a wideout with size who can also get downfield would make a lot of sense for Baltimore.
White had a huge 2014 reuglar season and was a breakout star for West Virginia. He caught 102 passes for 1,318 yards with nine touchdowns. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder is a matchup problem as he has size over cornerbacks and also enough quickness to get separation. White would make a lot of sense as Baltimore’s first-round pick.
Team Draft Report:
In this section, we take a deeper look at specific teams and where they stand in regards to the 2015 NFL Draft.
Detroit Lions: The Lions have had one of the most talented rosters in the NFC for year, but the team has been its own worst enemy with self-inflicted wounds that led to heartbreaking losses. The lack of discipline appears to be a thing of the past as the new staff led by head coach Jim Caldwell has done a great job of guiding Detroit toward the playoffs and winning the games the team is supposed to win. That continued on Sunday against Tampa Bay. The Lions have a few needs to address, and if they land some good players, that could put the organization over the top.
The Lions have lacked a consistent running game all year and have had one of the worst rushing attacks in the league. Adding a running back who can make a difference on the ground would make Matthew Stafford’s job a lot easier. Detroit won’t be picking high enough to land Todd Gurley, but could have a shot at Wisconsin speedster Melvin Gordon in the back half of the first round. Other running backs who could be three-down starters for the Lions as a first- or second-round pick include Alabama’s T.J. Yeldon, Miami’s Duke Johnson, and Indiana’s Tevin Coleman.
The other need on the offensive side of the ball could be the offensive line. The Lions landed a steal in right guard Larry Warford in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft, but they could use a left guard and maybe a contender at right tackle. Detroit also has to hope that Travis Swanson can lock down the center position after Dominic Raiola is done. A blocker like Florida State’s Cameron Erving could be a great fit as a potential guard, center or right tackle. Taking Erving in Round 2 would make a lot of sense for the Lions.
Defensively, Detroit could consider a cornerback in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Veteran Rashean Mathis isn’t a long-term answer, and the Lions could use another corner to pair with Darius Slay. Michigan State’s Trae Waynes or Florida State’s Ronald Darby could make sense as scheme fits for Detroit.
The other spot on defense Detroit might think about is defensive tackle. It looks unlikely that both Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley will be re-signed, so adding another tackle could be necessary. On the second day of the 2015 NFL Draft, the Lions could land some good tackle prospects. Potential additions include Ohio State’s Michael Bennett, Texas’ Malcom Brown, or Florida State’s Mario Edwards Jr.
The Lions could address some of these needs in free agency, and that would make the organization’s draft work easier as general manager Martin Mayhew could focus on going with the best player available. It has been a long time since Detroit was in that kind of position with its roster, so Mayhew deserves a lot of credit for taking an 0-16 team and turning it into one of the better rosters in the NFL.
New Orleans Saints: The Saints’ playoff hopes took a real hit with a blowout loss at home to the Panthers. New Orleans is still alive in the inept NFC South, but making the playoffs is likely moot as the Saints would be lucky to win a game in January considering the way they’ve played this season. New Orleans still has the base of enough talent to be the team to beat in the South, so a good offseason could allow the Saints to bounce back quickly.
New Orleans needs to improve its cornerbacks for the 2015 season. An upgrade at corner would help New Orleans’ defense in a variety of ways with improving its coverage and pass rush. Keenan Lewis is a good player, but Patrick Robinson has been a disappointment while Corey White should be a nickel. In the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, the Saints could consider Oregon’s Ifo Ekpre-Olomu to be their cover corner across from Lewis. On the second day of the 2015 NFL Draft, good players to consider would include Washington’s Marcus Peters or Florida State’s P.J. Williams.
Elsewhere on defense, New Orleans could use some youth at middle linebacker. Curtis Lofton turns 29 after the season and can struggle in pass coverage. David Hawthorne turns 30. A nice fit for the Saints’ first-round pick could be to take Clemson defensive end Vic Beasley (6-2, 235). New Orleans could use him as an inside linebacker on run downs who rushes off the edge in passing situations. Having Beasley on the other side from Junior Galette and Cam Jordan could form a superb pass rush for the Saints.
New Orleans has a few needs on the offensive side of the ball, too. Jonathan Goodwin is old and just a stop-gap at center. Taking a starter on Day 2 like Oregon’s Hroniss Grasu or Auburn’s Reese Dismukes would make sense.
The Saints also need a big receiver to groom as a replacement for Marques Colston. He’s been declining the last couple of years, and a big wideout to pair with Brandin Cooks, Kenny Stills and Jimmy Graham would make sense.
The big question for the 2015 offseason though is the quarterback position. There have been reports that the Saints will look to draft Drew Brees’ replacement early in the 2015 NFL Draft to start grooming him behind Brees. Brees turns 36 in January, so New Orleans is wise to plan for the future. On the second day of the 2015 NFL Draft, some good fits could include Colorado State’s Garrett Grayson or Oregon State’s Sean Mannion.
New Orleans has talent coming back, so if the organization can make a few good acquisitions, the Saints could be back to their 2013 form next year.
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