Top-5 2015 NFL Draft Immediate Impact Players 2hr agoThe 2015 NFL Draft class has been picked, packaged, delivered and now have their repective homes. Going through minicamps and OTA’s some 1st-round picks have made huge first impressions. They’ve been talked about and monitored a lot already as they are expected to make big, immediate impacts on their respective organizations.That’s what 1st-round picks do right?Okay, maybe not all of them but some of them will and it isn’t always the best player that makes the biggest immediate impact. The player’s talent has something to do with it but scheme-fit, need and the situation the player goes into are huge. For example, Andrew Luck went to a good team, especially on offense, the was a quarterback away from being a contender.It also helps that he went to a bad division so he was set up to look like a savior and he delivered. So of the 32 1st-round picks in the 2015 NFL Draft, I wanted to see who would make the biggest immediate impact. And I came up with five extremely talented players that have the right circumstances to make that type of impact and ranked them accordingly.
No. 5: Bud DupreeNo. 22 overall pick Bud Dupree is a perfect fit for a Pittsburgh Steelers team that loves oversized linebackers. At 6’3?, 270, Dupree is a huge outside linebacker with 4.5 40 speed to go along with it for the Steelers’ blitzing defense. They have Joey Porter coaching the linebackers over there and James Harrison playing the opposite outside linebacker spot.This means he will be taught how to come off the edge like he’s supposed to and like all Steelers linebackers have done. And he’s just what the Steelers need as the usual terror of quarterback only had 33 sacks, No. 27 in the NFL in 2014. The Steelers are traditionally known for their defense but in 2014, it was all about the offense.That’s why they fell short in the playoffs too so they were smart to address the pass rush and run defense with one pick. They picked up Senquez Golson in the second round and have a healthy William Gay coming back at corner. Dupree is set up to have a big rookie year with what’s around him so his sacks will go a long way for the Steelers.
No. 4: Melvin GordonIt’s funny how Philip Rivers was reportedly not wanting to negotiate an extension before the draft. Then after the draft, Rivers’ camp and the San Diego Chargers began negotiations on that extension. All of the sudden, he thinks it would be “awesome” to be a Charger for the rest of his career.There’s no doubt that the Chargers 2015 draft class that includes running back Melvin Gordon factored in. Rivers has been left to do everything thing through the air lately with former running back Ryan Mathews always injured. Not having a running game particularly cost them a playoff spot as they barely missed them because the lost a couple of leads in games.So here they come with Gordon, who’s going into as good a situation as he is good for the Chargers. Rivers still has those weapons to throw to so opposing defenses can’t just zero in on Gordon. Plus the have a huge, physical offensive line so Gordon can go in and make the Chargers immediate favorites to win the AFC West.
No. 3: Todd GurleyLast year, the St. Louis Rams went 6-10 and came in last place in the tough NFC West division. Every team in the division has a great defense but the Rams defense always get sent back on the field. The NFC West has sent a team to the Super Bowl the last three years with great running backs and quarterback that could manage the game.Seeing the Seattle Seahawks go to two Super Bowls in a row with Marshawn Lynch made Todd Gurley their guy. They already had deep threat Tavon Austin and quarterback Nick Foles, who can throw the deep ball and manage the game with the rest of them. Along with the offensive line, which the Rams spent their next two picks on, those two things are a running backs best friend.A great defense and running game are the marriage of a football team that stays in contention. And with the running of a guy like Gurley, contention is what the Rams will always be in with that defense. I don’t know about worst to first in that division but the addition of Gurley should vault the Rams into the playoffs.
No. 2: Amari CooperNot that the Oakland Raiders defense was great but they were on the field a long time in 2014. The Raiders got their franchise quarterback in Derek Carr but he had not open targets on third down. The University of Alabama could have done better in the NFL than the Raiders did last year.That’s because they had Amari Cooper at receiver, getting so open, he had a running back throwing him passes all year. Cooper had 124 catches to 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns last year so he’s used to being the go-to guy. He landed in a very good situation because he’ll be just that in an offense that has a good pass-protecting line and a young franchise quarterback.Tight end Clive Walford was picked a couple of picks behind him and his boy from Bama, Trent Richardson will be in the backfield to make triplets. It’s pretty rare for a receiver that’s picked in the top five to go into such a situation. The Raiders have vastly improved their defense too so I don’t know about playoffs but 3-13 to 9-7 is a good turn around he’ll have big hand in.
No. 1: Jameis WinstonThe No. 1 immediate impact player of the 2015 NFL Draft is going to be Jameis Winston hands down. Along with Cooper, Winston is the most pro-ready prospect in the draft and the best period. I don’t see anything going wrong off the field because he has enough money now to pay for his crab legs.And on the field, they already love him with head coach Lovie Smith telling ESPN, “We have to kind of tell him when to leave.” That’s the kind of work ethic he was known for at Florida State that got him to 26-1 as a collegiate starting quarterback. And talk about a team and a player that are perfect for and need each other, Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are it.Winston is going into a situation close to what Luck’s was, needing a quarterback in bad division. Winston will go to a team that has Doug Martin in the backfield with Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans at receiver. Gerald McCoy is on that Tampa-2 defense and that should enable Winston to lead the Buccaneers to an NFC Division Title.
Bottom LineQuarterback is the most impactful position in the NFL and Winston is as pro-ready as you can be. He has a great situation he’s going into and he knows it so he’s working as hard as the organization will let him. With the will to win we know he has, look for him to turn that thing around right away down there.The Raiders have such a quarterback but last year, there were no receivers to throw to but he has a big one in Cooper now. They’ve drafted well over the last couple of years plus they made some additions this offseason so look for a turnaround there too. The Rams will be brining it in the NFC West as they now have their version of “Beast Mode” to go with a stout defense.Then you have Melvin Gordon, who’s running skills may have turned Philip Rivers’ Chargers into contenders. I didn’t put him over Gurley because that’s still Rivers’ team and Gurley will have more to do with his team’s success. Then there’s the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have a great offense but are rebuilding their defense around Dupree.I can’t wait to see the impact of these players.link