Eleven crazy predictions for the 2015 NFL Draft

By Braden Gall

There shouldn’t be much drama with the No. 1 pick, but the first round of any NFL Draft is never boring.

Throw Chip Kelly, Jerry Jones, Roger Goodell, Adrian Peterson, the Browns, Rex Ryan and 32 million of their closest friends (and wanna-be analysts) into a brand-spanking new blender in Chicago and fireworks are bound to ensue. And entertain.

Part of what makes the NFL Draft one of the biggest sporting events of the year is its unpredictable nature.

Players drop, owners reach, trade offers are flying and some teams (looking at you Minnesota) have even passed on drafting anyone at all.

So what craziness should fans be looking for this weekend?

Brett Hundley is a first-round pick

Hundley is a poor man’s version of Mariota with a big frame, a winning track record, huge production and well above-average athleticism. Don’t be surprised if Hundley is a first-round draft pick Thursday night. How awesome would it be if Kelly and the Eagles don’t trade with anyone and simply draft Hundley at No. 20?

Trading up for Marcus Mariota

The most obvious and talked about trade for any team in the league is the move up to acquire Mariota. Tennessee doesn’t want to pick No. 2 and many teams — San Diego, Cleveland, Philadelphia — have shown interest. However, don’t be surprised is someone crazy actually makes the move to draft the Heisman winner. Like, say, the Cardinals? Either way, someone is trading up to draft Marcus Mariota.

Browns will ruin their future

With Justin Gilbert and Johnny Manziel last year, the Browns might have set their franchise back years. Should they screw up two more first-round picks again this year, this team is all but guaranteed another decade of losing. Pulling a Redskins to trade up to draft Marcus Mariota or taking risks on players like Perriman, Dorsett, Arik Armstead or Byron Jones would ruin any chance of making the playoffs in Cleveland.

New WR record

In 2004, Larry Fitzgerald led a deep class that still owns the first round NFL Draft record for most WR taken (7). Amari Cooper, Kevin White, DeVante Parker, Nelson Agholor, Jaelen Strong, Dorial Green-Beckham, Breshad Perriman, Phillip Dorsett and Devin Smith have all seen their stock fly as high as the first round. Eight get picked and there is a new record.

Dorial Green-Beckham is a top 10 pick

Dorial Green-Bechkam has legitimate off-the-field issues that he will need to answer, but his on-the-field talent may be second-to-none at his position. He is 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds with elite level athleticism. Should he mature and behave, he could be the best player in the entire draft.

The Raiders will do something intelligent

Odds are either Leonard Williams or Amari Cooper will be available for the Raiders with the fourth pick — and they could be the best two prospects in the draft. And, yes, Oakland will do the right/intelligent/smart thing and draft either Williams or Cooper.

Chip Kelly will blow our minds

This could be trading for Adrian Peterson. This could be shipping Sam Bradford to Cleveland. This could be trading up to get Mariota. This could be naming Tim Tebow his starting quarterback four months before Week 1. I have no idea what it will be but you can bet Kelly will do something totally off the wall. And it will be totally calculated.

Jerry Jones will get more airtime than his pick

Jones took offensive guard Zack Martin with the 16th pick in the draft last season. The year before he traded up to take center Travis Frederick with the 31st pick. Both selections elicited a collective “Who?” from fans in Big D. Both players have been studs for the Cowboys in two years and we should expect much of the same this season. Don’t say who this time when Jones selects Kevin Johnson, Jordan Phillips, Damarious Randall or Jalen Collins. Just trust in the newer, savvier Jones.

Not one by two RBs go in the first round

A running back hasn’t been selected in the first round since 2012 and that involved a total bust (Trent Richardson), a guy who’s already retired (David Wilson) and Doug Martin. However, not only will one running back get drafted in this year’s first round but expect to see two players from this position called on Thursday night. Look for Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon to both land in the first round.

Adrian Peterson won't be traded

The biggest name to be traded during the first round of the NFL Draft could be Adrian Peterson. He doesn’t want to be a Viking any longer but it doesn’t make a ton of sense for Jones to mortgage the Cowboys future to get him. Arizona, Tampa Bay, Atlanta and Jacksonville also make sense but will the price be right? No, Adrian Peterson will be a Viking after the NFL Draft and that means he will be in the Minnesota backfield in Week 1.

The first-round trade record will be broken

The rookie wage scale has changed the way the league views first-round picks. They are less valuable and therefore more likely to be traded. The 2012 set the record with 16 of the 32 picks traded. The 2013 draft saw 14 different picks traded and last fall featured nine picks traded in the first round. Look for the 2015 first round to break the 2012 record.

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