With the 2015 NFL draft now complete, let’s examine three notable storylines more closely.
Which teams put the most emphasis on filling specific needs?
The Buccaneers selected Jameis Winston No. 1 overall and continued to add to the offensive side of the ball throughout the draft, using six of their seven picks on offensive players. Since naming Lovie Smith head coach, the Buccaneers have drafted offense with 12 of their 13 draft picks. Tampa Bay’s 277 points scored last season were the fewest of any NFC team and the fourth fewest of any NFL team.
The defending champion Patriots made 11 picks, using most of their early ones to bulk up. The Patriots used six of their seven picks in the first five rounds on offensive or defensive linemen. The four defensive linemen are the most drafted by any team since the 2011 Redskins. It’s the first time the Patriots drafted that many since 1996.
Similar to the Buccaneers, the Rams selected offensive players with each of their first six picks. Every other team had drafted a defensive player by the time the Rams took one with the 224th overall pick. The Rams drafted four offensive linemen. Of the five linemen who started with the Rams a year ago, only one (left guard Rodger Saffold) is still on the team.
The Rams allowed sacks on 8.7 percent of dropbacks against four or fewer pass-rushers last season, the highest rate in the NFL.
Another team that loaded up at a particular position was the Steelers. They drafted three defensive backs in a draft for the first time since 1995, which they needed since they lost Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor and Brice McCain this offseason.
Which colleges fared best?
The SEC once again led all conferences with 54 players selected, the ninth straight year the SEC has had the most players taken.
The Elias Sports Bureau notes that the SEC accomplished this without a player from Tennessee being selected, the first time since 1963 that Tennessee didn’t have at least one player drafted.
Entering the draft, Tennessee was one of six schools to have at least one player selected every year of the common draft era (since 1967).
The ACC’s 47 selections were its most since 2006.
That number was aided in large part by Florida State, which had 11 players selected in the 2015 NFL draft, including a quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, tackle, guard and center. Florida State is the first school in the common draft era to have each of those offensive positions selected in the same draft
Florida State has now had 29 players selected over the past three drafts. Elias notes that this is the most for a school in a three-year span since Texas (31) from 1982 to 1984.
Louisville had 10 players selected, three more than it had in any year in the common draft era. Louisville had eight players selected from 2011 to 2014 combined.
Lots of pass-catchers and defenders, not many pass-throwers
Only seven quarterbacks were drafted in 2015, the fewest in the common draft era. Those drafted will have plenty of targets, as 35 wide receivers were selected, tied for the second most under the seven-round format (since 1994). Twenty nine cornerbacks were drafted, the second most players at any position in the draft.
