Marcus Mariota could experience a slide down the board on draft day. For the time being, he’s experiencing a slide down Todd McShay’s Mock Draft 2.0, as the ESPN analyst has him falling to the New York Jets at No. 6.
Marcus Mariota slides down Todd McShay’s latest mock draft
Marcus Mariota takes a tumble in McShay’s Mock Draft 2.0.
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Update: Read our NFL Draft 2015 positional rankings.
New York opted for a regime change this offseason, which brought Todd Bowles into the fold as the replacement for Rex Ryan. Geno Smith has had a rocky start to his career and McShay believes the team might look to begin again with 2014 Heisman winner.
McShay also has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selecting a Heisman-winning quarterback, as he believes the team will choose Jameis Winston with the No. 1 overall pick.
Tampa Bay currently has Josh McCown and Mike Glennon on the roster at quarterback, with neither inspiring much confidence. Tampa Bay struggled to a brutal 2-14 season under first-year head coach Lovie Smith, due in large part to sub-par play from the not-so dynamic duo. The Buccaneers will have a chance to rectify the situation when it goes on the clock with the first overall selection. The Buccaneers have not drafted a quarterback with the first pick since taking Vinny Testaverde out of University of Miami (Fla.) in 1987.
Behind Tampa Bay are the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars, a pair of also-rans in the AFC South. Tennessee could also be looking for a quarterback after seeing Charlie Whitehurst, Jake Locker and Zach Mettenberger taking turns losing.
Here’s a look at McShay’s top 10 picks:
1. Jameis Winston, QB - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
McShay does not believe the Buccaneers have a franchise quarterback in tow, and simply will be making the decision between Winston and Marcus Mariota. McShay writes that the risks Winston brings (off-field issues) have to be weighed against Mariota’s ability to develop rapidly from Oregon’s spread system.
2. Leonard Williams, DE - Tennessee Titans
Williams would provide an instant upgrade along the defensive line for Tennessee. McShay argues that Williams would provide a formidable duo with Jurrell Casey up front, helping to fix a run defense which was 31st in the NFL last season. McShay sees Mariota as an option here, but believes Williams is the safer pick.
3. Randy Gregory, DE - Jacksonville Jaguars
Gregory is a player who can get after the quarterback for third-year head coach Gus Bradley in Jacksonville's defense. The Jaguars ranked in the top 10 in sacks, but McShay sites Chris Clemons being 33 years old as an issue. McShay believes the Jaguars are in desperate need of a right tackle, but doesn't see value.
4. Amari Cooper, WR - Oakland Raiders
Cooper is the best receiver in the draft according to most evaluators. McShay thinks general manager Reggie McKenzie needs to add some serious weapons around Derek Carr, who had a promising rookie season. Cooper is 6'1 and 205 pounds, and McShay sees him as a terrific route-runner with top-end speed.
5. Shane Ray, DE - Washington
Ray might be the best pure pass-rusher in the draft and could pair with Ryan Kerrigan to give Washington a devastating combination. McShay thinks Washington will try to replace Brian Orakpo with Ray, with the former slated to be an unrestricted free agent come March. At 250 pounds, Ray is expected to become an outside linebacker.
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6. Marcus Mariota, QB - New York Jets
The Jets have been struggling the past four years, dealing with the likes of Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith under center. McShay believes that if Mariota falls this far, new general manager Mike Maccagnan will scoop up the Heisman winner. McShay's main concern is Mariota learning to produce better from the pocket, but sees New York as willing to take the chance.
7. Danny Shelton, NT - Chicago Bears
Shelton's stock soared at the Senior Bowl in January, where the 332-pound nose tackle showcased size and strength. McShay thinks general manager Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox might be moving Chicago toward the 3-4. If that's the case, Shelton will be a centerpiece in the new defense. McShay likes the Bears getting better defensively here.
8. Arik Armstead, DE - Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta has the worst defense in the NFL last season, and could improve in a variety of ways. McShay has the Falcons taking Armstead in the first round, giving Atlanta some pass-rush help. The Falcons did not have one player with five sacks last season. McShay also likes Armstead against the run, believing he can be a three-down player.
9. Brandon Scherff, OT - New York Giants
New York has been shuffling the offensive line for years. The Giants brought in Geoff Schwartz in free agency last year, only to watch him sustain injuries that kept him off the field all year. Scherff s McShay's highest-rated offensive lineman and could slide in as a bookend to 2013 first-round pick Justin Pugh.
10. Kevin White, WR - St. Louis Rams
McShay knows the Rams would love to upgrade at quarterback here, but doesn't see an avenue for that to happen. White would be a playmaker for St. Louis, something the team also lacks. Kenny Britt was the most productive receiver on the Rams last season, while Brian Quick and Tavon Austin has been slow to develop.
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SB Nation's Dan Kadar published his most recent mock draft Monday, and sees things much differently. Kadar has the Buccaneers taking Mariota with Winston being selected by the Titans. Kadar also has Jacksonville taking Gregory, with Williams headed to Oakland.
At the fifth spot, Kadar believes Washington will select La'el Collins out of LSU, with New York picking defensive end/outside linebacker Vic Beasley of Clemson. Kadar also sees defense in Chicago's future, but is going with Dante Fowler from Florida.
Kadar likes the Falcons to select Ray out of Missouri before rounding out the top 10 with Cooper and Scherff to the Giants and Rams, respectively.
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