Dave’s 2015 NFL Mock Draft 1.0: Philadelphia Eagles Go Defense Early

21. Cincinnati Bengals
Shaq Thompson
Outside Linebacker, Washington

Though the rumor mill says some teams are looking at Shaq Thompson as a RB, I think he’s a great fit across from Vontaze Burfict as a 4-3 OLB. If he’s available this late, it’s a no brainer. The kid can play, and I think he has a bright future on the defensive side of the ball.

22. Pittsburgh Steelers
P.J. Williams
Cornerback, Florida State

I thought about tagging Louisville S Gerod Holliman with this pick, but the Steelers need to focus on a post-Ike Taylor future more aggressively. Both have flaws, but cornerback has a higher premium and honestly, Williams is just a better player.

23. Detroit Lions
Danny Shelton
Defensive Tackle, Washington

This pick doesn’t happen if Ndamukong Suh stays, but it seems unlikely at best at this point. Shelton steps in to pick up where Suh left off, and will continue to torture QBs in the NFC North.

24. Arizona Cardinals
Alvin “Bud” Dupree
Outside Linebacker, Kentucky

Dupree is a monster, and a player that should rise on draft boards similar to Alec Ogletree with the St. Louis Rams. I originally had him falling to Baltimore, but the Cardinals are more than happy to scoop him up here.

25. Carolina Panthers
Devin Funchess
Wide Receiver, Michigan

Adding a speed threat for Cam Newton is enticing, but doubling up on massive targets in back to back years is also an option. Funchess isn’t the final piece, but it effectively doubles the amount of good WRs the Panthers currently have.

26. Baltimore Ravens
Arik Armstead
Defensive End, Oregon

Such a Ravens pick, right? A physical freak who could easily end up being one of the more talented players in this draft just falls into their lap. Happens every year. Ozzie Newsome gets another luxury pick for his defense.

27. Dallas Cowboys
Gerod Holliman
Safety, Louisville

Consider me one of the few who think the Cowboys are a dark horse to take a quarterback here, or should at least consider it. If not, Holliman is a playmaker safety that could immediately a surprisingly competent defense. He’s not exactly helpful in the run game, though.

28. Denver Broncos
La’el Collins
Offensive Tackle, LSU

Gary Kubiak, the new Broncos head coach, previously turned the Houston Texans into a pretty decent team, and he knows the value of an offensive line. The main question for now is, who will he be protecting? That’s a problem we should know the answer to by the time this pick is in.

29. Indianapolis Colts
Eric Kendricks
Inside Linebacker, UCLA

It’s a shame that the Colts succeeded this year, as they badly need to add more targets for Andrew Luck and missed out on the top tier of wide receivers. Still, Kendricks is a slightly undersized stud who won the Butkus Award for best linebacker in the country and could be the anchor of the team’s defense for years to come.

30. Green Bay Packers
Jalen Collins
Cornerback, LSU

This isn’t an overreaction to the gutwreching NFC Championship loss. The Packers cornerbacks are all essentially late-round picks who outplayed their draft status. Time to add some competition, and Collins has both the size (6’2, 190) and ability to contribute early.

31. New England Patriots
A.J. Cann
Offensive Guard, South Carolina

The Patriots could pull a defensive back here if they lose S Devin McCourty to free agency, but I don’t see that realistically happening. Cann is a solid offensive lineman that fills a need while intersecting with value.

32. Seattle Seahawks
Jaelen Strong
Wide Receiver, Arizona State

The Seahawks need weapons, despite having Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin and 2014 second round pick Paul Richardson. Jaelen Strong is good enough to push for playing time early, and he makes the best roster in the league that much more terrifying.

Next: BONUS: The Rest of the Eagles Draft