Mel Kiper Jr., Football analyst 9y

10 safest picks in 2015 NFL draft

NFL, NFL Draft

Last week on the "First Draft" podcast, we had fun with a topic that's described in many ways: the "safe" draft pick. Now let's be clear: Attrition is the rule, not the exception, in football, so there's no true "safe" pick. Regardless, you feel certain that these guys won't be busts. They offer up a high floor or a level of certainty that they'll be decent players because they do either many things well or one thing exceptionally.

I couldn't find a way to rank these prospects, so I'll give them distinct labels. And this is a quarterback-free zone. There isn't enough of a degree of certainty around the guys in this draft class to suggest there's no chance they could fail.

The run-stopper plus

Leonard Williams: I know some think Danny Shelton is a safer defensive lineman as a pure oversized clogger in the middle, but Williams is a devastating run-defender who controls multiple gaps and creates a push of penetration regardless of where he lines up. He's safe because of the scheme versatility and the fact that he hasn't even fully developed as a pass-rusher yet.

Where he'll land: Top five.

The do-it-all pass-catcher

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