FanPost

2017 NFL Mock Draft


2017 NFL Mock Draft 1st Round

The time has come. The NFL Draft is this Thursday and new names will surface the NFL fanbases.

#1 Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, TEXAS A&M DE. 1-15 season last year, haven’t been to playoffs since 2002, another QB project went sour with RG III. The Browns acquired Brock Osweiler this offseason, but there is a lot of doubt he will be a starter much longer in the league. Garrett is the best prospect for a team that has a lot of holes, but a quarterback won’t be far behind.

#2 San Francisco 49ers: Jamal Adams S. The 49ers might have the biggest mess of a roster in the NFL. No quarterback could use an upgrade on receiver and tailback, outside of Bowman no true star on defense and they are on their 4th coach in 4 seasons. New GM John Lynch, former NFL safety may go with the best prospect on the board and that to me is Jamal Adams.Possible Trade Alert: Carolina from 8th overall to select Leonard Fournette.

#3 Chicago Bears: Solomon Thomas DE: The Chicago Bears have had up and down results in recent drafts. The good, Kyle Long, Alshon Jeffery (but left via free agency) Jordan Howard, Eddie Goldman, Leonard Floyd, Cody Whitehair, the bad, Ego Ferguson, Kevin White, Will Sutton, Jonathan Bostic, Shea McClellin, Brandon Hardin, Khaseem Greene, Brock Vereen.

Now, the last 2 drafts have been under Ryan Pace and he has done quite well. Outside of the Kevin White injuries, he deserves the benefit of the doubt. Pace needs to target secondary, one of the worst in the league in the last few years at takeaways and little talent.

Adams would be the ideal fit and could still be there at 3, especially if the 49ers deal the 2nd overall pick. But, I’m betting on the 49ers to take the best available and to me that’s Adams. I could be wrong, but if Adams is gone at 2, Thomas would be a great selection on that already improved D Line. Lattimore could help at corner, but to me at 3rd overall, the Bears have to hit a homerun and Lattimore’s hamstring issues scare me away and the draft is loaded with depth at the secondary.

#4 Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Fournette RB: A team that "won the offseason" last year won only 3 games and fired Gus Bradley and promoted Doug Marrone to head coach.

Even with TJ Yeldon and Chris Ivory on the roster the Jaguars can grab possibly the closest thing to Adrian Peterson in this years draft. Fournette has size, speed, and power makes for him to be an all-pro for years to come.

#5 Tennessee Titans: Mike Williams WR: This is my pick to win the AFC South this up coming season. The Texans still don’t have a quarterback, the Colts have nothing but a quarterback and the Jaguars still need to show improvement.

The Titans fell a bit short last year of winning the division and the Mariota injury late in the year didn’t help. The Titans need to give Mariota a legit weapon and Williams could be that guy. The Titans pick again at 18 and cornerback is also a position issue, but Williams is the best pick.

#6 New York Jets: Marshon Lattimore CB: A typical Jets season last year. A lot of promise and hope, to only go and finish 5-11 and start several quarterbacks.

This tends to be where things shake up when comparing popular mock drafts. The Jets have plenty of options. Running back, receiver, safety, and cornerback. I’m going to go corner after they release Darrelle Revis. Lattimore has limited starting experience but he is the best corner in this draft and the way the league has gone with passing, plus facing Tom Brady twice a year. Talented corners are a must.

#7 Los Angeles Chargers: Malik Hooker S: Another team moving to Los Angeles, I almost forgot and started to write San Diego. Rivers is nearing the end of his career. But Rivers seems ageless and the Chargers need to fill the hole left by Eric Weddle. Hooker would be a good replacement.

#8 Carolina Panthers: Dalvin Cook RB: This is where I see things start to shake up. Panthers are coming off a disappointing year after losing in Super Bowl 50. I said the Panthers could look to trade up and I believe they would "kill" for Fournette and could look to move past the Jags at 4 and trade with the 49ers at 2 or even the Bears at 3.

Panthers need some support on the side or behind Newton and Cook is a dynamic running back to fill the Panthers needs.

#9 Cincinnati Bengals: Reuben Foster LB: The Bengals missed the playoffs last year and Marvin Lewis still has a job. Bengals take a good linebacker out of a great system and can play right away.

#10 Buffalo Bills: OJ Howard TE: Bills have Charles Clay who is not bad at tight end, but that team in New England has shown that a two tight end system tends to work. Having a great quarterback helps too.

The Bills kept Tyrod Taylor and OJ Howard would be great fit along side a hopefully healthy Sammy Watkins.

#11 New Orleans Saints: Jonathan Allen DLine: Saints would love Howard to fall and he could still when the draft comes. It was hard for me not to go receiver for the Saints after trading Cooks. But the Saints have the last pick of the 1st round as well and they need defense everywhere.

#12 Cleveland Browns: DeShaun Watson QB: Cleveland’s quarterback misery starts turn the corner with Watson.

#13 Arizona Cardinals: Derek Barnett DE: There is a lot of talk that the Cardinals could go quarterback here and I assume they will later in the draft with the age of Palmer. But just 2 years ago they were a win away from the Super Bowl. Barnett gives them a young dynamic pass rusher.

Possible Trade Alert: Houston Texans for QB Pat Mahomes

#14 Philadelphia Eagles: Christian McCaffrey RB: This is more of a "please make it happen pick" then a need pick. Although, the Eagles could use an upgrade at tailback, imagine McCaffrey and Wentz together for 8 plus years minimum.

#15 Indianapolis Colts: TJ Watt OLB/DE: The Colts need a lot of help all over the board. Andrew Luck’s best years are being wasted. A new GM and a chance to make a splash with a high risk/high reward pick. Most would categorize this pick as a "lazy comparison" but JJ Watt recently said TJ is better than he was going into the draft.

#16 Baltimore Ravens: Corey Davis WR: All he did was catch touchdowns in college. Ravens need another weapon for Flacco with Steve Smith gone and Perriman having struggled with injuries.

#17 Washington Redskins: Patrick Mahomes QB: The uncertainty of Cousins is a dark cloud over the Redskins. Gruden loves the gunslingers and that’s exactly what Mahomes is. If not Mahomes, Peppers should be the pick.

#18 Tennessee Titans: Tre’Davious White CB: Titans address two biggest needs in the first round.

#19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jabrill Peppers S/CB/LB: All the positions listed there alone show the special ability of Peppers. Bucs got JJ Wilcox from Dallas this offseason, but they still have Chris Conte. There is always room for upgrade and this might be the best athlete in the draft.

#20 Denver Broncos: Garett Bolles OT: Talked about Bolles in my previous blog. Bolles would bring some nasty to the Broncos O line that has been shuffled a bit in recent years.

#21 Detroit Lions: Hasson Reddick, LB: Lions need some more talent at the linebacker position. They would love to nab Michigan’s own Jabrill Peppers, but Reddick is a good fit

#22 Miami Dolphins: Takkarist McKinley, DE: Dolphins need to improve their O line, but after making the playoffs last year. Improving their already good D line will help them contend for another playoff spot.

#23 New York Giants: David Njoku TE: The Giants made a splash in the offseason cutting Victor Cruz and adding Brandon Marshall to gone along side OBJ and Shepard. Adding Njoku only improves the options they give Eli Manning. They go for a best player pick, than need here. Need to improve O and D line plus running back.

#24 Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders: Jarrad Davis LB: The Raiders are the biggest threat right now in the AFC to the Patriots no matter what city they call home. However, their defense was terrible last year but made strides at the end of the year. Keep Carr healthy and it should be Raiders vs Patriots in the AFC title game. Could go corner here with Jackson or King, but linebacker needs more talent than any spot.

#25 Houston Texans: Mitchell Trubisky QB: I think the Texans like Mahomes best and I have them possibly trading up to get him. But the Texans need a QB and Trubisky is the next best one if Watson and Mahomes are gone.

#26 Seattle Seahawks: Cam Robinson OT: Robinson was a popular top 10 pick shortly after the college football season ended, but started to fall off since then. Seahawks could use help opposite of Sherman or replace Sherman if they foolishly trade him, but Robinson helps a need.

#27 Kansas City Chiefs: John Ross WR: The Chiefs could go quarterback here. The Chiefs are a consistent playoff team under Andy Reid. However, they tend to not last long. Smith needs more weapons and the new combine leader in the 40-yard dash would give him a home run threat.

#28 Dallas Cowboys: Kevin King CB: A long and athletic secondary player for the Cowboys that need it now that they lost both starting safeties in free agency. Byron Jones probably will take over one safety spot, allowing King too take over for Jones.

#29 Green Bay Packers: Chidobe Awuzie CB: Really good cover corner and if you saw the NFC title game, you know the Packers need secondary help. Awuzie also has had 4 sacks each of the last two years at Colorado for a top 25 defense in college. Capers loves to blitz with those corners and especially now that Hyde is in Buffalo, Awuzie fits right in.

#30 Pittsburgh Steelers: Marlon Humphrey CB: Third straight pick has a corner being drafted. Any Alabama defensive prospect has to have upside. Humphrey is a project but can help the Steelers secondary right away as a nickel.

#31 Atlanta Falcons: Forrest Lamp OG: A second half collapse cost them a Super Bowl. An aging O Line has them taking Lamp as a need pick.

#32 New Orleans Saints: Taco Charlton DE/LB: Saints really start to put together a strong line with Allen at 11 and Charlton who falls to the last pick of the first round.


This Fanpost was written by a Windy City Gridiron member and does not necessarily reflect the ideas or opinions of its staff or community.