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

Avoid fatigue: A low-impact workout from NFL Up!

A crucial factor to any intense workout is recovery. Many routines include a recovery period, some up to a week long that stick with exercises that are low impact. This late in the season, players tend to focus more on maintaining their current condition rather than building strength and possibly increasing wear and tear. NFL Up! has put together a workout of low impact exercises to maintain your strength level without too much stress on the body.

Instructions:

Remember to stretch before and after your workout to prepare muscles and limit risk of injury. For more tips on stretching, check out these exercises and drills.

1. Foam Roller
Prep your muscles and help reduce soreness from the previous workout with this foam roller drill.
Reps: Start low and work your way up

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Avoid fatigue: A low-impact workout from NFL Up!

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

Holgorsen: Kevin White most NFL-ready receiver I"ve coached

West Virginia wide receiver Kevin White is not only a top prospect for the 2015 NFL Draft, he could be ahead of three former first-round picks in terms of being ready to play at the next level.

That’s how Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen sees it, anyway.

"Of all the [receivers] I’ve coached — it’s crazy to say — he may be more suited for the NFL than any of them," Holgorsen said, according to Sports Illustrated.

Holgorsen’s travels from Texas Tech to Houston, from Oklahoma State to West Virginia, have indeed put him around some highly regarded draft prospects at the receiver position. Among them, Michael Crabtree, now of the San Francisco 49ers; Justin Blackmon, Jacksonville Jaguars; and Tavon Austin, St. Louis Rams. All three were not only first-round picks, but top-10 picks. And according to one NFL scout, White could be on his way to being drafted in the same first-round company.

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Holgorsen: Kevin White most NFL-ready receiver I"ve coached

Indiana"s Tevin Coleman generating "ton of buzz in NFL circles"

Indiana’s Tevin Coleman, who’s on the brink of setting his school’s single-season rushing record, is coming off a 307-yard performance and he’s second in the nation in rushing.

So why isn’t he receiving more acclaim? He’s been overshadowed in his own league by Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon — who is on pace to set the FBS single-season rushing record after a 408-yard performance and leads the nation in rushing.

» Scout’s Take: Can Melvin Gordon succeed in NFL?

But Coleman (6-foot-1, 210 pounds), a junior, is being noticed by NFL scouts. NFL Media analyst Bucky Brooks wrote Monday that Coleman has "spectacular skills" and that he "continues to generate a ton of buzz in NFL circles." Brooks also said Coleman has "the stuff needed to be a feature back at the next level."

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Indiana"s Tevin Coleman generating "ton of buzz in NFL circles"

Big Ten rankings: Ohio State stamps itself as conference elite

Ohio State’s win over Michigan State last week ended any doubt as to who will win the East Division. It seems likely the West Division will be decided his week, when Wisconsin plays host to Nebraska.

Up next: at Minnesota, Saturday, Nov. 15
The skinny: You know what last Saturday’s win at Michigan State really meant? It meant the Buckeyes are set to dominate this league for the next few years.

» Will Buckeyes have QB controversy in 2015?

Up next: at Maryland, Saturday, Nov. 15
The skinny: The Spartans’ defense has played two high-level offenses this season. And both absolutely carved them up.

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Big Ten rankings: Ohio State stamps itself as conference elite

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

Amari Cooper similar to Jordy Nelson, but more volatile

On a typical Saturday, I am bouncing around from channel to channel, getting a look at NFL possibilities in a number of different college football matches. This Saturday was distinct, though.

I focused only about the Florida-Alabama match since I was so intrigued by the matchup between Tide WR Amari Cooper and Gators CB Vernon Hargreaves III.

There Is nothing a scout loves more than to see two players which might be the very best at their various positions go head to head. It is the closest thing to repeating what they will find at another degree, and we had the opportunity to watch only that when Cooper and Hargreaves met on Saturday. One player was the clear winner because matchup. Here are my observations on this conflict and other interesting possibilities in the sport.

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Amari Cooper similar to Jordy Nelson, but more volatile

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"

Ask 5: Top up-and-coming coaches outside "Power 5" leagues

College football has been fertile ground for future NFL head coaches. Just look at the recent NFL success of former college head coaches Pete Carroll (coming off a Super Bowl-winning season with the Seattle Seahawks), Jim Harbaugh (coming off a third consecutive appearance in the NFC Championship Game with the San Francisco 49ers) and Chip Kelly (coming off an NFC East title in his first season with the Philadelphia Eagles).

All three of them came from high-profile Pac-12 programs, but you don’t necessarily have to look at the highest levels to identify the next up-and-coming coach. Keep in mind that Kelly spent time at New Hampshire before going to Oregon, and Harbaugh was head coach at the University of San Diego before going to Stanford.

With that in mind, I reached out to five NFL executives and asked them for a hot coaching candidate outside of the "Power Five" conferences. Here’s what they had to say:

Executive 1: Mark Hudspeth (Louisiana-Lafayette)
"He really seems to have the pulse of his team, but he doesn’t micromanage. He’s a creative offensive guy and he can recruit. That’s not an easy place to win and he’s done just that."

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Ask 5: Top up-and-coming coaches outside "Power 5" leagues

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers fend off furious Browns rally

This is the backstory to one of the great moments of Week 1, the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ response to a frantic second-half rally by the Cleveland Browns. The Steelers’ dramatic win, as well as the Philadelphia Eagles‘ come-from-behind win over the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Miami Dolphins‘ denial of the New England Patriots are nominees for the GMC Never Say Never Moment of the week. Cast your vote for the GMC Never Say Never Moments of Week 1.

Ben Roethlisberger

Once upon a time, Cleveland Browns-Pittsburgh Steelers was one of the NFL’s greatest rivalries. Separated by less than 150 miles and a long-time connection in the AFC North (and AFC Central before that) perpetuated the regional fervor. However, ever since returning from their hiatus in 1999, the Browns have an abysmal 5-27 record against their rivals. During that run, the Steelers finally evened up their all-time record against the Browns and now hold a 68-57 edge in the rivalry that dates back to 1950, thanks to Week 1’s dramatic victory.

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Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers fend off furious Browns rally

Everett Golson sharp in Notre Dame rout of Michigan

Quarterback Everett Golson led Notre Dame to the 2013 BCS National Championship Game, then was suspended last season for academic reasons. He has returned at a high level this season.

Golson was 23-of-34 for 226 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday as the Irish blasted Michigan 31-0 in the last scheduled game between the schools for the foreseeable future. Golson has thrown for 521 yards, five TDs and no interceptions this season, and the Irish have outscored their two foes 79-17. He threw just 12 TD passes in 2012.

Michigan’s NCAA-record streak of 376 games without being shut out ended; the last team to shut out the Wolverines had been Iowa, 26-0 on Oct. 20, 1984. Florida now is the current streak-holder at 323 games without being shut out.

"It was a total butt-kicking, all the way around," Michigan coach Brady Hoke told reporters after the loss on Saturday.

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Everett Golson sharp in Notre Dame rout of Michigan