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-field reputation. However, Mariota ran a spread offense at Oregon which typically had not transitioned well from college to the NFL. 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 had occurred; it previously happened 1971, 1993, 1998, 1999 and 2012, although it has since occurred in 2016, 2021, 2023 and 2024. It was also the first time that two Heisman Trophy winners were selected with the first two overall picks.
Event logistics
"Selection Square" at Congress Plaza in Grant Park
Prior to 2015, despite having become a major annual television event for the NFL, drafts had only been held with a limited and relatively-small in-person attendance, and had been held exclusively in New York City since 1965.
After the management of the event's longtime venue, Radio City Music Hall, had forced the league to postpone their 2014 draft due to a scheduling conflict at the venue, the NFL grew frustrated with the venue and decided to open-up bidding for a new site to host its 2015 draft. The league asked for bids not only to include a venue for the draft itself, but to also present an adjacent venue (either indoor or outdoor) in which the league could host a fan festival. The league received interest from 12 possible host cities, but zeroed in on bids from Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City. New York City was proposing potentially keeping the event at Radio City Music Hall or moving it to another venue such as Madison Square Garden. Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden both shared the same ownership – MSG. The NFL quickly narrowed their selection further to either Chicago or Los Angeles.
In organizing the event, Chicago reimagined the draft into a much larger event than it previously had been and made it accessible for the first time to a large public attendance. Across the street from the Auditorium Theatre in Grant Park, a large free-admission multi-day fan festival dubbed "Draft Town" was erected. The festival that drew 200,000 visitors. Within the grounds of the festival, fans could watch live footage of the first three rounds draft from within the festival. While the first three rounds of the draft still took place inside an indoor venue (the Auditorium Theatre), the final round of the draft were held outdoors before an open-admittance crowd in an area of the festival dubbed "Selection Square". Subsequent drafts have retained the large-scale attendance and festivities pioneered for the 2015 draft.
Timing changes
Shortly before the draft, the NFL shortened the amount of time for certain selections to be made. The time for seventh-round selections was reduced from five minutes to four minutes; similarly, the time for all compensatory selections, which cannot be traded, was reduced from seven minutes to four minutes.
Seventy-four underclassmen announced their intention to forgo their remaining NCAA eligibility and declare themselves available to be selected in the draft. An additional ten players who graduated but were still eligible to play college football chose to enter the draft, bringing to 84 the total number of players who chose to forgo college eligibility to enter the draft.
Overview
The following is the breakdown of the 256 players selected by position:
The draft order is based generally on each team's record from the previous season, with teams which qualified for the postseason selecting after those which failed to make the playoffs. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans each finished 2014 with league-worst 2–14 records. The Buccaneers were awarded the first pick in round one due to having a worse strength of schedule. The selection order for subsequent rounds follows the order of the first round, except that teams with the similar records (and the same playoff result for playoff teams) rotate selections round-by-round (e.g. the Titans picked first in the second round).
In addition to the seven picks each team is given (one in each round), the league allocated thirty-two (32) supplemental picks at the ends of round 3 through 7, for a total of 256 picks. The supplemental picks are awarded to teams who had net losses of free agent talent from the previous year.
Quarterback Jameis Winston, taken first overall by Tampa Bay, broke several passing records but struggled with turnovers during his tenure with the Buccaneers.Quarterback Marcus Mariota was taken second overall by Tennessee and played with them for five seasons before signing with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020Five-time Pro Bowl receiver Amari Cooper was taken fourth overall by the Oakland Raiders before being traded to Dallas.Running back Todd Gurley, taken by the St. Louis Rams 10th overall, led the league in rushing twice and received numerous Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors before being hampered by injuries.Two-time Pro Bowl running back Melvin Gordon, taken 15th overall by the San Diego ChargersMarcus Peters emerged as one of the league's top cornerbacks after his selection by Kansas City, but has been traded several times.Receiver/special teamer Tyler Lockett, a third-round selection by SeattleDespite being a 5th round pick, Stefon Diggs led the league in receptions and receiving yards in 2020.
A supplemental draft was held on July 9, 2015. For each player selected in the supplemental draft, the team forfeits its pick in that round in the draft of the following season. Seven players were available, but only one was selected.
In the explanations below, (PD) indicates trades completed prior to the start of the draft (i.e. Pre-Draft), while (D) denotes trades that took place during the 2015 draft.
Round 1
↑No. 15: San Francisco → San Diego (D).San Francisco traded a first-round selection (15th overall) to San Diego in exchange for first- and fourth-round selections (17th and 117th overall), and a 2016 fifth-round selection;
↑No. 19: Buffalo → Cleveland (PD).Buffalo traded first- and fourth-round selections (19th and 115th overall), and a 2014 first-round selection to Cleveland in exchange for a 2014 first-round selection.
↑No. 23: Detroit → Denver (D).Detroit traded a first-round selection (23rd overall) to Denver in exchange for first- and fifth-round selections (28th and 143rd overall), a 2016 fifth-round selection and G Manny Ramirez.
↑No. 31: Seattle → New Orleans (PD).Seattle traded a first-round selection (31st overall) and C Max Unger to New Orleans in exchange for a fourth-round selection (112th) and TE Jimmy Graham.
Round 2
↑No. 33: Tennessee → NY Giants (D).Tennessee traded a second-round selection (33rd overall) to the NY Giants in exchange for second-, fourth- and seventh-round selections (40th, 108th and 245th overall).
↑No. 41: St. Louis → Carolina (D).St. Louis traded a second-round selection (41st overall) to Carolina in exchange for second-, third- and sixth-round selections (57th, 89th and 201st overall).
↑No. 43: Cleveland → Houston (D).Cleveland traded second- and seventh-round selections (43rd and 229th overall) to Houston in exchange for second-, fourth- and sixth-round selections (51st, 116th and 195th overall).
↑No. 47: Miami → Philadelphia (D).Miami traded second- and sixth-round selections (47th and 191st overall) to Philadelphia in exchange for a second-round selection and two fifth-round selections (52nd, 145th and 156th overall).
↑No. 55: Arizona → Baltimore (D).Arizona traded a second-round selection (55th overall) to Baltimore in exchange for second- and fifth-round selections (58th and 158th overall).
↑No. 61: Indianapolis → Tampa Bay (D).Indianapolis traded second- and fourth-round selections (61st and 128th overall) to Tampa Bay in exchange for third- and fourth-round selections (65th and 109th overall).
↑No. 69: Washington → Seattle (D).Washington traded a third-round selection (69th overall) to Seattle in exchange for third-, fourth-, fifth- and sixth-round selections (95th, 112th, 167th and 181st overall).
↑No. 70: NY Jets → Houston (D). The NY Jets traded a third-round selection (70th overall) to Houston in exchange for third-, fifth- and seventh-round selections (82nd, 152nd and 229th overall), and WR DeVier Posey.
↑No. 76: Minnesota → Kansas City (D).Minnesota traded a third-round selection (76th overall) to Kansas City in exchange for third- and sixth-round selections (80th and 193rd overall).
↑No. 80: Kansas City → Minnesota → Detroit. Multiple trades: Kansas City → Minnesota (D). See Round 3: Minnesota → Kansas City Minnesota → Detroit (D).Minnesota traded a third-round selection (80th overall) to Detroit in exchange for third- and fifth-round selections (88th and 143rd overall).
↑No. 102: Oakland → Carolina (D).Oakland traded a fourth-round selection (102nd overall) to Carolina in exchange for fourth-, fifth- and seventh-round selections (124th, 161st and 242nd overall).
↑No. 103: Jacksonville → NY Jets (D).Jacksonville traded a fourth-round selection (103rd overall) to the NY Jets in exchange for fourth- and seventh-round selections (104th and 229th overall).
↑No. 109: St. Louis → Tampa Bay → Indianapolis. Multiple trades: St. Louis → Tampa Bay (PD).St. Louis traded fourth- and sixth-round selections (109th and 183rd overall) to Tampa Bay in exchange for S Mark Barron. Tampa Bay → Indianapolis (D). See Round 2: Indianapolis → Tampa Bay.
↑No. 112: New Orleans → Seattle → Washington. Multiple trades: New Orleans → Seattle (PD). See Round 1: Seattle → New Orleans. Seattle → Washington (D). See Round 3: Washington → Seattle.
↑No. 113: San Francisco → Buffalo → Philadelphia → Detroit. Multiple trades: San Francisco → Buffalo (PD).San Francisco traded a fourth-round selection (113th overall) to Buffalo in exchange for WR Stevie Johnson. Buffalo → Philadelphia (PD).Buffalo traded a conditional fourth-round selection (113th overall) and a 2014 seventh-round selection to Philadelphia in exchange for a 2014 seventh-round selection and RB Bryce Brown. The fourth-round selection was given as a result of Stevie Johnson hitting certain statistical targets for the 49ers in 2014; if he had missed the targets, Buffalo would have given up either a third- or fourth-round selection in 2016, depending on Brown hitting his own statistical targets. Philadelphia → Detroit (D).Philadelphia traded a fourth-round selection (113th overall) to Detroit in exchange for a 2016 third-round selection.
↑No. 119: Philadelphia → St. Louis (PD).Philadelphia traded a fourth-round selection (119th overall), a 2016 second-round selection and QB Nick Foles to St. Louis in exchange for a fifth-round selection (145th overall) and QB Sam Bradford. The trade also included a conditional 2016 selection going to Philadelphia based on Bradford's playing time in 2015. If Bradford took less than 50 percent of the snaps, Philadelphia would receive St. Louis' fourth-round selection. If he did not play at all, Philadelphia would receive St. Louis' third-round selection.
↑No. 124: Carolina → Oakland → Tampa Bay. Multiple trades: Carolina → Oakland (D). See Round 4: Oakland → Carolina. Oakland → Tampa Bay (D).Oakland traded a fourth-round selection (124th overall) to Tampa Bay in exchange for fourth- and seventh-round selections (128th and 218th overall).
↑No. 126: Denver → San Francisco (PD).Denver traded a fourth-round selection (126th overall), and 2014 second- and fifth-round selections to San Francisco in exchange for 2014 second- and seventh-round selections.
↑No. 128: Indianapolis → Tampa Bay → Oakland. Multiple trades: Indianapolis → Tampa Bay (D). See Round 2: Indianapolis → Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay → Oakland (D). See Round 4: Oakland → Tampa Bay.
Round 5
↑No. 137: Tampa Bay → Buffalo → Minnesota → Atlanta. Multiple trades: Tampa Bay → Buffalo (PD).Tampa Bay traded a fifth-round selection (137th overall) and a 2014 seventh-round selection to Buffalo in exchange for a 2014 fifth-round selection. Buffalo → Minnesota (PD).Buffalo traded a fifth-round selection (137th overall) and a 2016 seventh-round selection to Minnesota in exchange for a sixth-round selection (187th overall) and QB Matt Cassel. Minnesota → Atlanta (D).Minnesota traded a fifth-round selection (137th overall) to Atlanta in exchange for fifth- and sixth-round selections (146th and 185th overall).
↑No. 142: NY Jets → Chicago (PD). The NY Jets traded a fifth-round selection (142nd overall) to Chicago in exchange for a seventh-round selection (224th overall) and WR Brandon Marshall.
↑No. 143: Chicago → Denver → Detroit → Minnesota. Multiple trades: No. 143: Chicago → Denver (PD).Chicago traded a fifth-round selection (143rd overall) and a 2014 fifth-round selection to Denver in exchange for 2014 fourth- and seventh-round selections. No. 143: Denver → Detroit (D). See Round 1: Detroit → Denver. No. 143: Detroit → Minnesota (D). See Round 3: Minnesota → Detroit.
↑No. 145: St. Louis → Philadelphia → Miami. Multiple trades: St. Louis → Philadelphia (PD). See Round 4: Philadelphia → St. Louis. Philadelphia → Miami (D). See Round 2: Miami → Philadelphia.
↑No. 147: Cleveland → New England → Green Bay. Multiple trades: Cleveland → New England (D). See Round 3: New England → Cleveland. New England → Green Bay (D).New England traded a fifth-round selection (147th overall) to Green Bay in exchange for fifth- and seventh-round selections (166th and 247th overall).
↑No. 149: Minnesota → Miami (PD).Minnesota traded a fifth-round selection (149th overall) to Miami in exchange for a seventh-round selection (232nd overall) and WR Mike Wallace.
↑No. 151: San Francisco → Indianapolis (D).San Francisco traded a fifth-round selection (151st overall) to Indianapolis in exchange for fifth- and seventh-round selections (165th and 244th overall).
↑No. 167: Seattle → Washington → New Orleans. Multiple trades: Seattle → Washington (D). See Round 3: Washington → Seattle. Washington → New Orleans (D).Washington traded a fifth-round selection (167th overall) to New Orleans in exchange for a sixth-round selection (187th overall) and a 2016 sixth-round selection.
↑No. 168: New England → Tampa Bay → Detroit. Multiple trades: New England → Tampa Bay (PD).New England traded a fifth-round selection (168th overall) to Tampa Bay in exchange for a sixth-round selection (178th overall) and LB Jonathan Casillas. Tampa Bay → Detroit (PD).Tampa Bay traded a fifth-round selection (168th overall) to Detroit in exchange for a seventh-round selection (231st overall) and DE George Johnson.
↑No. 181: NY Jets → Seattle → Washington. Multiple trades: NY Jets → Seattle (PD). The NY Jets traded a sixth-round selection (181st overall) to Seattle in exchange for WR Percy Harvin. Seattle → Washington (D). See Round 3: Washington → Seattle.
↑No. 202: Baltimore → Cleveland → New England. Multiple trades: Baltimore → Cleveland (PD).Baltimore traded a sixth-round selection (202nd overall) to Cleveland in exchange for a 2014 seventh-round selection. Cleveland → New England (D). See Round 3: New England → Cleveland.
↑No. 203: Dallas → Baltimore (PD).Dallas traded a sixth-round selection (204th overall) to Baltimore in exchange for a seventh-round selection (243rd overall) and LB Rolando McClain.
↑No. 206: Seattle → Indianapolis (PD).Seattle traded a sixth-round selection (207th overall) to Indianapolis in exchange for CB Marcus Burley.
↑No. 207: New England → Tennessee (PD).New England traded a sixth-round selection (208th overall) to Tennessee in exchange for a seventh-round selection (219th overall) and LB Akeem Ayers.
↑No. 219: Tennessee → New England → Cleveland. Multiple trades: Tennessee → New England (PD). See Round 6: New England → Tennessee. New England → Cleveland (D). See Round 3: New England → Cleveland.
↑No. 224: Chicago → NY Jets → St. Louis. Multiple trades: Chicago → NY Jets (PD). See Round 5: NY Jets → Chicago. NY Jets → St. Louis (D). The NY Jets traded a seventh-round selection (224th overall) to St. Louis in exchange for RB Zac Stacy.
↑No. 229: Cleveland → Houston → NY Jets. Multiple trades: Cleveland → Houston (D). See Round 2: Cleveland → Houston. Houston → NY Jets (D). See Round 3: NY Jets → Houston. NY Jets → Jacksonville (D). See Round 4: Jacksonville → NY Jets.
↑No. 231: Miami → Baltimore → Detroit → Tampa Bay. Multiple trades: Miami → Baltimore (PD).Miami traded a seventh-round selection (231st overall) to Baltimore in exchange for OT Bryant McKinnie. Baltimore → Detroit (PD). See Round 4: Detroit → Baltimore. Detroit → Tampa Bay (PD). See Round 5: Tampa Bay → Detroit.
↑No. 232: San Francisco → Miami → Minnesota. Multiple trades: San Francisco → Miami (PD).San Francisco traded a seventh-round selection (232nd overall) to Miami in exchange for OT Jonathan Martin. Miami → Minnesota (PD). See Round 5: Minnesota → Miami.
↑No. 236: San Diego → Dallas (PD).San Diego traded a seventh-round selection (236th overall) to Dallas in exchange for DT Sean Lissemore.
↑No. 244: Dallas → Indianapolis → San Francisco. Multiple trades: Dallas → Indianapolis (PD).Dallas traded a seventh-round selection (244th overall) to Indianapolis in exchange for LB Caesar Rayford. Indianapolis → San Francisco (D). See Round 5: San Francisco → Indianapolis.
↑No. 245: Denver → NY Giants → Tennessee. Multiple trades: Denver → NY Giants (PD).Denver traded a seventh-round selection (245th overall) to the NY Giants in exchange for K Brandon McManus. NY Giants → Tennessee (D). See Round 2: Tennessee → NY Giants.
↑No. 246: Indianapolis → San Francisco → Dallas. Multiple trades: Indianapolis → San Francisco (PD).Indianapolis traded a seventh-round selection (246th overall) to San Francisco in exchange for DE Cam Johnson. San Francisco → Dallas (D).San Francisco traded a seventh-round selection (246th overall) to Dallas in exchange for a 2016 sixth-round selection.
↑No. 249: New England → St. Louis → Atlanta. Multiple trades: New England → St. Louis (PD).New England traded a seventh-round selection (249th overall) to St. Louis in exchange for WR Greg Salas. St. Louis → Atlanta (PD).St. Louis traded a seventh-round selection (249th overall) and a 2013 first-round selection to Atlanta in exchange for 2013 first-, third- and sixth-round selections.