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| 2015 NFL draft | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Date(s) | April 30 – May 2 |
| Location | Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Network(s) | ESPN, ESPN2, NFL Network |
| Overview | |
| 256 total selections in 7 rounds | |
| League | NFL |
| First selection | Jameis Winston, QB Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Mr. Irrelevant | Gerald Christian, TE Arizona Cardinals |
| Most selections (12) | Cleveland Browns |
| Fewest selections (5) | Carolina Panthers San Diego Chargers |
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The 2015 NFL draft was the 80th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. It took place in Chicago at the Auditorium Theatre and in Grant Park, from April 30 to May 2.[1][2] This was the first NFL draft held outside New York City in fifty years (since the 1965 NFL draft).[3] The 2015 NFL draft was the first to feature a companion outdoor fair, where fans would be able to see the Commissioner during the selection on the Auditorium Theatre stage from across the street in the park; this area was called Draft Town.[4] The Tampa Bay Buccaneers held the right to select first because they had the league's worst record in the previous season. The Arizona Cardinals made the final pick in the draft, commonly called Mr. Irrelevant.
One of the major storylines approaching the NFL draft was the competition between the previous two Heisman Trophy winners, Jameis Winston winning the award in 2013 and Marcus Mariota in 2014. Both were considered excellent prospects and had the potential to become the first overall draft selection. Winston was considered to be a more polished pocket passer and pro-style quarterback, but had several off-the-field issues while playing at Florida State, ranging from a sexual assault allegation to shoplifting incidents. Mariota was considered a better athlete, the fastest quarterback in the draft, and had a better off-the-field reputation. However, Mariota ran a spread offense at Oregon which typically had not transitioned well from college to the NFL.[5] Although neither was considered a perfectly safe pick, the two quarterbacks were selected first and second overall. This was only the sixth time in NFL history that this has occurred (1971, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2012, and subsequently 2016, 2021, 2023, and 2024).[6] It was also the first time that two Heisman trophy winners were selected with the first two overall picks.[7] All 22 running backs selected no longer play for their original team or have already retired.
- ^ Schefter, Adam (October 2, 2014). "Chicago will host 2015 NFL draft". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
- ^ Schefter, Adam (October 2, 2014). "NFL sets dates for '15 draft". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
- ^ Myers, Gary (July 17, 2014). "2015 NFL draft will not be at Radio City Music Hall, headed to either Los Angeles or Chicago". Daily News (New York). Archived from the original on July 18, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
- ^ Fischer, Bryan. "New, fan-friendly events planned for 2015 NFL Draft in Chicago". NFL.com. NFL Productions LLC. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ "Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota earn high marks at NFL combine". Usatoday.com. February 21, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ "NFL Draft 1–2 Quarterbacks – NFL – ESPN". ESPN. April 26, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ "Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota Were First Heisman Winners Drafted First and Second". Lostlettermen.com. May 1, 2015. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2015.