2015 first round draft order: Buccaneers now on the clock

Following is the 2015 NFL Draft first round order. The first round will start on Thursday, April 30 with the second and third rounds on Friday, May 1, followed by rounds four through seven on Saturday, May 2. The 2015 draft will be held at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University in Chicago.

The order below does not include trades; the Cleveland Browns own the Buffalo Bills‘ No. 19 overall selection.

Follow College Football 24/7 on Twitter @NFL_CFB.

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2015 first round draft order: Buccaneers now on the clock

Ex-GM: Team judged OTs in draft off performance vs. Joey Bosa

NFL Media analysts had been told that Ohio State sophomore Joey Bosa is the nation’s best "combo" defensive end. Now comes news from former Cleveland Browns general manager Phil Savage, the executive director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl, that one NFL team is judging offensive tackle prospects off their work against Bosa.

OSU’s Joey Bosa might be best DE in country. One NFL org told me they judged every OT in the 2014 #NFLDraft on his performance vs. Bosa.

Earlier this month, NFL Media analysts reported that the opinion of three NFL scouts who attended the Big Ten Championship Game was that Bosa does everything required of a defensive end equally well — plays the run and rushes the passer — and that there appear to be no concerns about his motor.

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Ex-GM: Team judged OTs in draft off performance vs. Joey Bosa

Johnny Manziel must show Browns potential for development

Fate owes the Cleveland Browns a few breaks.

Since rebooting in 1999, the franchise has been on a long slog of disappointment. The Browns could write a thesis on first-round mistakes in the draft (Tim Couch, Courtney Brown, William Green, Braylon Edwards, Brady Quinn, Brandon Weeden). They’ve been plagued by internal problems since returning, from staph infections in the locker room to bickering in the front office. They have gone from one coach to another, and from one quarterback to another. The only thing that has stayed the same are those classic uniforms (which are changing next year, thanks to Nike). They’ve made one playoff appearance since version 2.0 began, an exciting loss to the rival Steelers in the 2002 Wild Card Round.

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Johnny Manziel must show Browns potential for development

Fortune rallies from slow beginning to produce stunning triumph

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Here Is the backstory to among the significant minutes of Week 14, the Indianpolis Colts’ come-from-behind triumph on the way over the Cleveland Browns in a critical AFC confrontation. The Colts last minute triumph, along with the Minnesota Vikings’ overtime triumph on the New York Jets as well as the Arizona Cardinals’ crucial triumph over the Kansas City Chiefs are nominees for the GMC Never Say Never Minute of the week. Cast your vote for the GMC Never Say Never Minutes of Week 14.

Andrew Luck

If he’s not already there already, Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is on the verge of being considered one of the NFL’s prime minister (dare we say "elite") passers. Yet, for 50-plus minutes of a Week 14 confrontation with the up and coming Browns, Luck seemed little just like a blooming star and much more like a back-up quarterback thrown to the fire. Luck redeemed himself in epic style, and created a second that helps express Luck’s greatest guarantee.

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Fortune rallies from slow beginning to produce stunning triumph

Ravens outclass Dolphins in critical AFC matchup

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The Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins met Sunday in a matchup of wouldbe AFC rivals. Joe Philbin’s squad was totally coordinated in a 28-13 Ravens success.

1. Elvis Dumervil was the most effective player in the field Sunday, and Joe Flacco was a close second. Let us begin with all the Ravens’ defense. Despite losing two more cornerbacks to harm (Danny Gorrer and Anthony Levine), the Ravens just gave up three points in the last three quarters as a result of ferocious pass rush. Dumervil controlled Dallas Thomas for 3.5 sacks, quitting multiple drives. Terrell Suggs added 1.5 sacks. Ryan Tannehill regularly held the ball a long time, getting knocked down nine times.

2. Flacco has played near perfect soccer the previous couple of weeks. Torrey Smith was quite small due to harm (no catches) but Flacco kept converting third downs with throws on the move to Steve Smith, Marlon Brown, Kamar Aiken and a person named Phillip Supernaw. Flacco is playing in the manner of a top-10 quarterback.

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Ravens outclass Dolphins in critical AFC matchup

Ravens outclass Dolphins, dent Miami"s playoff hopes

The Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins met Sunday in a matchup of wouldbe AFC rivals. Joe Philbin’s squad was totally coordinated in a 28-13 Ravens success.

1. Elvis Dumervil was the most effective player in the field Sunday, and Joe Flacco was a close second. Let us begin with all the Ravens’ defense. Despite losing two more cornerbacks to harm (Danny Gorrer and Anthony Levine), the Ravens just gave up three points in the last three quarters due to a ferocious pass rush. Dumervil controlled Dallas Thomas for 3.5 sacks, quitting multiple drives. Terrell Suggs added 1.5 sacks. Ryan Tannehill regularly held the ball a long time, becoming knocked down nine times.

2. Flacco has played near perfect soccer the last couple of weeks. Torrey Smith was quite small due to harm (no catches) but Flacco kept converting third downs with throws on the move to Steve Smith, Marlon Brown, Kamar Aiken and a person named Phillip Supernaw. Flacco is playing in the manner of a top-10 quarterback.

3. Ryan Tannehill’s inability to throw deep is the Achilles’ heel of the Miami offense. They assembled a 10-0 lead in the first quarter with short throws and inspired runs by Lamar Miller, but the Ravens sat to the brief stuff next. Tannehill however takes a long time to procedure and discover secondary choices, too generally looking in the manner of a statue. The Dolphins do not even attempt to throw deep.

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Ravens outclass Dolphins, dent Miami"s playoff hopes

NFL declares Week 15 flex scheduling, Week 16 Saturday slate

As the regular season nears its final month, playoff races continue to heat up across the NFL. As a result of adaptive scheduling, more supporters throughout the nation will have the ability to see these significant competitions.

The league on Sunday declared the finalization of both Week 15’s flex program and Week 16’s Saturday doubleheader. The Week 15 1 p.m. ET competition between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns and the 4:25 p.m. ET match between the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions will both be broadcast on FOX.

The reversal of network — a fresh element of the flex scheduling procedure called "cross-bending" — for the Cincinnati-Cleveland game brings an instate competition into a bigger audience as both teams fight for supremacy in a closely contested AFC North.

A classic NFC North matchup between recognizable foes takes the 4:25 p.m. time slot when the Vikings travel to Ford Field to take on the upstart Lions.

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NFL declares Week 15 flex scheduling, Week 16 Saturday slate

NFL's greatest competition? Bears-Packers continues among top picks

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The NFL is constructed on classic competitions, as is clear in the primetime lineup for Week 10. First, the Cleveland Browns rolled over the Cincinnati Bengals on "Thursday Night Football," by having an honest to goodness AFC North race adding some juice to the Battle of Ohio. Next comes the granddaddy of these all: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on "Sunday Night Football."

As the Bears and Packers prepare for the 190th episode of among the more storied show in league history, we believed we had ask: Which NFL competition is the most effective right now?

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NFL"s greatest competition? Bears-Packers continues among top picks

Travis Benjamin"s game-winning TD is best of Week 5

A pair of amazing, athletic catches headlined Week 5’s Top 10 "Performance Moments of the Week" presented by Bridgestone. But there could only be one.

No other touchdown in Travis Benjamin‘s short career meant as much as the 4-yarder he hauled in Sunday. The Cleveland Browns, down 28-3 at one point to the Tennesee Titans, posted a furious comeback in the second half. Benjamin’s grab from Brian Hoyer completed the biggest road comeback in NFL history.

At No. 2, Cowboys stud wide receiver Dez Bryant takes home the honors of the No. 1 spot. After a missed Dan Bailey field goal in regulation and a stop against Houston’s defense, Dallas needed just a field goal to win its fourth straight game. Enter Bryant, taking Texans cornerback Jonathan Joseph one-on-one down the left sideline. Though Tony Romo was wallopped by D.J. Swearinger, he managed to toss a powerful enough ball to Bryant. It looks great each time we watch it.

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Travis Benjamin"s game-winning TD is best of Week 5

Browns" long journey back to respectability picking up steam

This is the backstory to one of the great moments of Week 5, the Cleveland Browns pulling off the largest road comeback in the 95-year history of the NFL and the biggest comeback in franchise history. The Browns‘ rally from a 25-point deficit to beat the Tennessee Titans, as well as the Buffalo Bills‘ last-second road win over the Detroit Lions and the New Orleans Saints‘ overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are nominees for the GMC Never Say Never Moment of the week. Cast your vote for the GMC Never Say Never Moments of Week 5.

Brian Hoyer

The Browns‘ long journey back to respectability is picking up steam. However, it seemed dead in the water at around 2:15 p.m. ET on Sunday, when the Titans took a commanding 28-3 lead. The saying "same old Browns" likely crept into the minds of many a football fan. Another thought that likely permeated the minds of fans was "when will we see Johnny Manziel in at quarterback?" Instead, first-year Browns coach Mike Pettine stuck with his man, veteran signalcaller Brian Hoyer, and the result was a comeback for the ages.

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Browns" long journey back to respectability picking up steam

Bo Wallace leads Ole Miss to stunning upset of Alabama

The College Football Playoff picture grew awfully fuzzy on Saturday, and Ole Miss made sure it didn’t miss out on the fun.

The Rebels stunned Alabama, 23-17, to remain undefeated and put the rest of the SEC on notice that they are for real. Now at 2-0 in SEC play, Ole Miss has a share of the SEC West lead along with in-state rival Mississippi State, which upset Texas A&M earlier in the day.

Bo Wallace connected with Jaylen Walton for a 10-yard touchdown pass with 2:54 remaining for the winning score. Crimson Tide cornerback Tony Brown blocked the extra point to keep the deficit at six points, but the Ole Miss defense held on for Alabama’s final drive, when Senquez Golson intercepted a Blake Sims pass in the back of the Rebels’ end zone.

Alabama held a 17-10 lead until Wallace found Vince Sanders for a 34-yard touchdown pass with 5:29 remaining. On the ensuing kickoff, Alabama’s Christion Jones fumbled and the Rebels recovered at the Alabama 31 to set up the game-winning drive.

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Bo Wallace leads Ole Miss to stunning upset of Alabama

Former Browns GM: Ty Montgomery a likely first-round pick

There is plenty of distance between college football’s top players and the 2015 NFL Draft — not only the rest of the football season, but the scouting season as well. For now, though, things look good for Stanford wide receiver Ty Montgomery. Reese’s Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage, the former general manager of the Cleveland Browns, likes what he sees from the senior.

"Ty will likely be a first-round pick because of his combination value as a receiver and return man, and with that said, should be able to get on the field as a rookie and help an NFL team right away," Savage wrote in the latest seniorbowl.com scouting report.

» 2015 NFL Draft to be held April 30-May 2

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Former Browns GM: Ty Montgomery a likely first-round pick

Inquire 5: Who does Marcus Mariota of Oregon remind you of?

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I do not consider there is an Andrew Luck-quality quarterback now playing college football, and we will not see a gift like the Indianapolis Colts quarterback for a long time. However, Oregon QB Marcus Mariota is among the more intriguing quarterbacks we have found in several years.

Mariota features a double-risk skill set similar to Johnny Manziel, the Heisman Trophy winner from Texas A&M who now plays for the Cleveland Browns. The 2014 NFL Draft first-round pick quite almost went to Oregon, and then-Oregon trainer and present Philadelphia Eagles trainer Chip Kelly said losing out on Manziel, "busted my heart." Rather, Kelly could get a commitment from Mariota in the exact same recruiting group.

Occasionally it is rough to find comparisons for players who run the wideopen Oregon offense, but I reached out to five NFL staff executives to determine which present NFL quarterback does Mariota remind them of as a player.

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Inquire 5: Who does Marcus Mariota of Oregon remind you of?

Michigan State QB Connor Cook not thinking about NFL yet

Three former Michigan State quarterbacks began in the NFL on Sunday. The present Michigan State starting quarterback appears in no rush to join them.

Kirk Cousins (Washington Redskins), Brian Hoyer (Cleveland Browns) and Drew Stanton (Arizona Cardinals) are the former Spartans who began Sunday, and present Spartans starter Connor Cook (6-foot-4, 218 pounds), a junior, already gets the attention of NFL scouts. NFL Media analyzer Bucky Brooks had Cook No. 6 on his preseason list of quarterbacks to observe, writing that Cook has "the pocket-passing abilities and arm strength to prosper in an offense that puts the weight on the quarterback to create plays in the passing game."

Cook was asked about possibly turning professional after Saturday’s 73-14 rout of Eastern Michigan.

"It Is kind of insane to believe I am in the scenario I am in now," Cook told mlive.com. "But, actually, when the time comes, if I had been good enough, we will discuss it after."

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Michigan State QB Connor Cook not thinking about NFL yet

Steelers run crazy on Panthers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ben Roethlisberger threw two 7-yard touchdown passes to Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell ran for 147 yards as well as the Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the Carolina Panthers 37-19 on Sunday night.

The Steelers had gone eight quarters without a touchdown before Roethlisberger’s two scoring strikes in the third. They were set up by Cam Newton’s fumble and Bell’s 81-yard run.

Roethlisberger ended 22 of 30 for 196 yards, and Brown had 90 yards receiving on 10 catches to help the Steelers (2-1) centering Carolina’s eight-match home winning streak.

LaGarrette Blount ran for 118 yards as well as the Steelers outrushed the Panthers 264-42.

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Steelers run crazy on Panthers

Joining the dots: Where NFL scouts were Saturday

Which NFL teams are scouting which school matches this weekend? From College Football 24/7’s press box operatives around the country directly to you, here is a glance at the teams that were credentialed to attend some of the largest matches in college football Saturday:

Clemson at FSU: Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, San Diego Chargers, New York Jets. Three top players involved: Clemson (defensive end Vic Beasley, linebacker Stephone Anthony, defensive lineman Grady Jarrett); FSU (tackle Cameron Erving, cornerback P.J. Williams, defensive end Mario Edwards).

Miami at Nebraska: Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers. Three top players involved: Miami (linebacker Denzel Perryman, running back Duke Johnson, offensive lineman Ereck Flowers); Nebraska (defensive end Randy Gregory, running back Ameer Abdullah, receiver Kenny Bell).

Florida at Alabama: Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Three top players involved: Alabama (receiver Amari Cooper, safety Landon Collins, defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson); Florida (offensive tackle Chaz Green, defensive end Dante Fowler, cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III).

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Joining the dots: Where NFL scouts were Saturday

West Virginia WR Kevin White turning scouts" heads

Count West Virginia’s Kevin White among school wide receivers gaining momentum as possibilities for the 2015 NFL Draft. Following a popular start to the season, the Mountaineers’ senior has attracted the interest of both NFL Media analysts and former Cleveland Browns general manager Phil Savage.

"For the NFL, he could be a legit prospective starter as an X (split end) because of his physical characteristics and is a player that will only improve as time goes on," Savage wrote in his latest scouting report for the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Meanwhile, in College Football 24/7’s latest version of "Sources Tell Us," scouts have gone so far as to liken White to eight-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals. An NFL staff manager quit short of this, but said he could at least comprehend the comparison.

White gets the type of size (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) needed to manage the X position, which more typically takes a receiver to break from press coverage. Noticed Savage, "he’s a physical stride coming off the line of scrimmage as well as the upper body strength to overcome corners and increase standing on intermediate designs."

His creation this season continues to be remarkable through three matches. He’s amassed 32 receptions, which ranks second in the NCAA behind Alabama’s Amari Cooper, and 460 receiving yards, which likewise ranks second in the whole country behind Baylor’s KD Cannon. White is a senior, so 2014 signifies his last opportunity to reveal NFL scouts what he can do in match actions. Given that he is already only three grabs away from matching his season total from a year ago, it’s clear that he’s taking complete advantages thus far.

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West Virginia WR Kevin White turning scouts" heads

Brian Hoyer delivers in clutch for legendary Cleveland Browns triumph

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Here Is the backstory to among the significant minutes of Week 2, the Cleveland Browns’ stunning last-second triumph on the New England Patriots. The Browns’ heroic success, along with the Green Bay Packers’ come-from-behind triumph on the New York Jets as well as the Chicago Bears’ frenzied fourth quarter rally past the San Francisco 49ers are nominees for the GMC Never Say Never Minute of the week. Cast your vote for the GMC Never Say Never Minutes of Week 1.

Brian Hoyer

The New Orleans Saints entered the 2014 season as many pigskin prognosticators’ pick to win the NFC South. The Cleveland Browns, meanwhile, were a popular decision to carry on to reside in the basement of the AFC North. This juxtaposition of preseason expectations squared off on a gridiron close to the shorelines of Lake Erie, where the local professional football team was riding an awkward run of nine straight home openers lost. The effect proved to be a memorable matchup when a team appeared prepared to kick aside its recent woes thanks to the clutch play of a well-traveled quarterback.

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Brian Hoyer delivers in clutch for legendary Cleveland Browns triumph

Christian Hackenberg is "going to function as the primary player decided"

Massachusetts coach Mark Whipple is a former NFL assistant — a former NFL quarterback trainer, to be exact — and he’s got a higher view of Penn State sophomore quarterback Christian Hackenberg.

Whipple and UMass play at Penn State on Saturday, and he was asked his opinion of Hackenberg during Monday’s MAC coaches’ teleconference.

"He Is likely to function as the primary player decided. If he could come out this year, he had be the first player decided," Whipple said, after adding that Hackenberg "only can make every throw. … He is only got it all."

Whipple was the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback coach from 200406, meaning his first three seasons in the NFL coincided with Ben Roethlisberger’s first three seasons in the league. Whipple also has been an offensive assistant with all the Philadelphia Eagles (2008) and Cleveland Browns (2011 12).

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Christian Hackenberg is "going to function as the primary player decided"

Antonio Brown returns after exiting game vs. Ravens

The Steelers may have to complete their heated rivalry game against the Baltimore Ravens without their star wide receiver.

Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown left Thursday’s game in the first quarter. He went to the team’s locker room to be evaluated for a possible concussion. His return is questionable.

On the Steelers‘ first drive, Brown went across the middle and was hit by Ravens safety Darian Stewart after making a catch.

UPDATE: Brown returned to the game in the second quarter.

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Antonio Brown returns after exiting game vs. Ravens