NFL Mock Draft 2015: Mel Kiper projects Marcus Peters to Philadelphia Eagles

With the 2015 NFL Draft "only" around 105 days away, ESPN Draft Expert Mel Kiper Jr. recently released his first mock draft of the year. The pick comes as a surprise. Not for the position, however, but because of the player chosen.

Kiper's pick (via In$ider):

"Marcus Peters
COLLEGE: Washington
Class: Jr
HT: 5-11
WT: 193
POS: CB

I wouldn't say the Eagles were a total mess at cornerback last season, but Brandon Boykin was arguably the best performer for them, though that was in a little more than 500 snaps. They really need to add talent at the position, and, in that regard, Peters is arguably the best cornerback in the entire draft. He's strong, can press, has outstanding awareness and has big-time ball skills. His footwork can be sloppy, but that's a symptom of a guy with the talent to make up for it. Peters has question marks when it comes to coachability, as he was dismissed from the team at Washington. The draft process will tell us whether that's construed as "competitive" or "hard to deal with," but there's no question the kid can play."

Update: Read our NFL Draft 2015 positional rankings.

Kiper's not wrong in the sense that the Eagles need a cornerback because Cary Williams could be cap casualty and Bradley Fletcher will be a free agent, but it does seem like Kiper is underrating Peters' character concerns. Peters was dismissed from Washington for not getting along with the coaching staff, and that might be putting it lightly. He reportedly tried to strangle a coach during a game. Talent aside, Peters' actions certainly don't seem like the kind of behavior Chip Kelly wants to incorporate into his team's culture.

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One other notable item from Kiper's first mock:

• Two quarterbacks in the first two picks: Jameis Winston at No. 1, Marcus Mariota at No. 2.