2017 NFL Mock Draft

2017 NFL Mock Draft

Last Updated: October 13, 2016 -- 6:55 p.m. CDT
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com

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The order for this mock draft is based on the inverted Vegas odds for winning the next Super Bowl (adjusted for actual playoff possibilities for spots 21-32, e.g. no two teams from the same conference at #31 and #32), just as I always do. I explain this because, in the past, my readers seemed to get more upset at me over perceived slights about a given team than just about anything. Odds will vary depending on where you look, but the approach is for demonstrative purposes more than anything.

2017 NFL Mock Draft

1. Cleveland Browns - DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame (6'4" 230) *
Quarterback is a huge need for the Browns, and if they end up with the #1 overall pick, one would expect them to address that need with this selection. Kizer certainly has the physical tools to play QB at the NFL level, and while Notre Dame has not exactly had a great season to date, it's not because of Kizer's efforts.
2. San Francisco 49ers - Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson (6'2" 210) *
Another team in desperate need at quarterback, the 49ers could end up landing Watson at this spot. And while Watson doesn't have Kizer's size, he has strong tremendous leadership and has demonstrated remarkable skill at QB for Clemson.

3. Miami Dolphins - Myles Garrett, DE/OLB, Texas A&M (6'5" 260) *
Some see Garrett as the top player in the 2017 Draft, and there's no question that he would be a great pickup for the Dolphins at this spot.

4. Chicago Bears - Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan (6'0" 208) *
Certainly the Bears need to look at quarterback in this draft, but if the top two prospects are gone when they go on the clock, Peppers might be the choice. He is a tremendously gifted playmaker who would immediately upgrade Chicago's secondary.

5. Tennessee Titans - Jalen "Teez" Tabor, CB, Florida (6'0" 200) *
The front seven for the Titans defense is quite good, but their secondary doesn't have the talent to match. Tabor is one of the top defensive prospects in this draft and could easily be the first cornerback to go off the board.

6. San Diego Chargers - Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama (6'5" 325) *
Robinson entered the 2016 season as one of the top draft-eligible offensive tackles, if not the outright best, and adding him to protect Philip Rivers at QB would be a logical move.

7. New York Jets - Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami (6'4" 210) *
I'm torn on Kaaya, who physically has the height you want at QB and has shown strong accuracy as a pocket passer, but is seen by some (but certainly not all) as perhaps a notch below the top of the QB-eligible bunch. With the Jets unlikely to sign QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to a new deal if they finish low enough to have this pick, starting fresh at the quarterback position could be their best bet.

8. Detroit Lions - Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU (6'1" 230) *
Fournette was ready for the pro level last season, and it's only due to collusion between the NFL and the NCAA that he is prevented from plying his craft at the top level of football right now. And with an injury to Ameer Abdullah exposing the lack of depth at RB for the Lions, curing that problem with an elite talent like Fournette could prove to be the right move for Detroit.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama (6'3" 290)
Part of the reason that Alabama has become one of college football's best programs: the ability to identify and recruit top-quality talent. Allen fits the bill for that, and unlike former teammates A'Shawn Robinson and Jarran Reed who both slid into the second round of the most recent draft, Allen has the pass-rushing skills to end up as a first-round selection.

10. New Orleans Saints - Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee (6'3" 255) *
Another year, another Brentwood Academy (TN) player in the top 10. Just as I did with Jalen Ramsey, I saw Barnett play in person doing color commentary for the webcast of BA's game at Father Ryan High School in 2011. One would imagine that the Saints would almost for sure look to boost their struggling defense with whomever they select here.

11. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jamal Adams, SS, LSU (6'0" 210) *
There are plenty of options for the Jags at this spot, though adding a standout safety like Adams might be their best move, helping to make a revamped defense even stronger.

12. Tennessee Titans (from Los Angeles) - Mike Williams, WR, Clemson (6'3" 220) *
One year removed from a season-ending injury, Williams has returned in a major way -- to the point that he could end up being the first wide receiver to go in the draft.

13. Indianapolis Colts - Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama (6'1" 195) *
A redshirt sophomore, Humphrey made an immediate impact for the Crimson Tide to start the 2016 season with a strong performance to open the season against Southern Cal. The Colts secondary is an area of concern, and I would anticipate the team addressing the spot at some point in the draft.

14. Baltimore Ravens - Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida St. (5'11" 205) *
Don't presume that LSU RB Leonard Fournette is a lock to be the first RB chosen. Cook is a very skilled runner in his own right, and even if Fournette does go before him, it likely won't be long before Cook is also taken off the board. I saw him in person in Tampa against USF, and he's even faster in person than on video. Seeing him outrun the Bulls' defensive backs on his first touch of the game (on a stifling hot day, no less) made an immediate positive impression.

15. Washington Redskins - Caleb Brantley, DL, Florida (6'2" 295) *
Make no mistake: Brantley has the ability to play multiple spots on the defensive line with top-level skill. The knock on him has been his attitude and conditioning, and some of those doubts won't be quelled until the 2017 NFL Combine, but he is a disruptive force against opposing offenses and has the talent to pressure the quarterback on a regular basis from an interior defensive line position. And, in the modern NFL, that is a major positive for any defensive line prospect.

16. New York Giants - Malik McDowell, DL, Michigan St. (6'6" 290) *
It's entirely possible that McDowell will be closer to the top of the draft board when the 2017 NFL Draft begins. McDowell is a monster force on the defensive line for the Spartans and could have a similar long-term impact for the Giants.

17. Cincinnati Bengals - Adoree' Jackson, CB, USC (5'11" 185) *
Described by Daniel Jeremiah as arguably the most athletic player in college football, Jackson is an elite cornerback. And while there are questions about how Jackson projects against large wide receivers, there is no doubting his playmaking ability.

18. Buffalo Bills - Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame (6'7" 310) *
McGlinchey has openly said that he plans to return to Notre Dame for 2017. But, at least for now, I'm keeping him in this mock in the time-honored tradition of presuming all prospects who could go pro will do so.

19. Cleveland Browns (from Philadelphia) - DeMarcus Walker, DE/OLB, Florida St. (6'3" 275)
Walker moves faster than your typical 275 pound man, and his block of an extra point against Miami was a perfect case-in-point about his athletic ability, not to mention his capacity to come through in the clutch.

20. Carolina Panthers - Tim Williams, DE/OLB, Alabama (6'3" 235)
Part of a dominant front seven that has overpowered opponents, Williams would be a strong addition to a Panthers defense that lost several key pieces from its 2015 NFC Championship run.

21. Houston Texans - Marcus Maye, S, Florida (5'11" 205) *
Safety is a perceived need for the Texans, and Maye is a versatile threat who was an All-American in 2015. Maye is a solid tackler who is also quite adept in forcing turnovers.

22. Kansas City Chiefs - JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC (6'2" 220) *
A first-team All Pac-12 selection in 2015, Smith-Schuster is a freakishly talented wide receiver. Nick Saban has compared him with Dez Bryant, which is high praise, and the Chiefs definitely could use a boost at the position.

23. Atlanta Falcons - Devonte Fields, DE/OLB, Louisville (6'4" 245)
Fields has experienced a career resurrection. As a true freshman he was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, but after battling injuries and conflict with the TCU coaching staff, he ended up at a junior college before being brought to Louisville by Bobby Petrino. And, once he finally had things click for him in the second half of last season, Fields returned to his previous strong form.

There's no doubt that Fields will be put through the wringer at the NFL Combine with the team interviews, but if he's able to make a good impression with the right people, he clearly has the skill to warrant being taken in round one.

24. Arizona Cardinals - O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama (6'4" 255)
One of the big surprises for Alabama fans in the 2015 National Championship game was Howard showing clutch ability as a receiver, hauling in five passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns after primarily having been used as a blocker in his Tuscaloosa tenure. What Arizona does might be connected in large part with what Carson Palmer decides after the season, but regardless of who is lining up under center, Howard would represent an offensive upgrade for the Cardinals.

25. Oakland Raiders - Reuben Foster, ILB, Alabama (6'1" 240)
It has taken several years for the Raiders to fix the problems of the post-Gruden era in Oakland, where Al Davis making some very questionable personnel moves prior to his death. But the Raiders are primed to potentially break otu as a major threat in the AFC West, and adding Foster to the front seven on defense would be a strong improvement for a need spot.

26. Dallas Cowboys - Carl Lawson, DE/OLB, Auburn (6'2" 255) *
Lawson is already reportedly planning to turn pro after this season, and he would be a logical fit for a Cowboys team that has struggled to find edge-rushers who can both pressure opposing quarterbacks while also not causing distractions or being suspended by the NFL.

27. Denver Broncos - Raekwon McMillan, ILB, Ohio St. (6'2" 240) *
A tackling machine in Columbus for the Buckeyes, McMillan would fit the bill as far as being a top-level talent who also would fit a need for the Broncos.

28. Seattle Seahawks - Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio St. (6'1" 190) *
An inexperienced but skilled player, Lattimore has enough skill to potentially outperform other cornerback prospects and warrant being taken with a first-round pick. He would seem to be an ideal fit for Seattle, a team that needs CB depth but already has Richard Sherman as a lockdown #1 CB.

29. Philadelphia Eagles (from Minnesota) - Desmond King, CB, Iowa (5'10" 205)
King had the look of a borderline first-round prospect last year, but opted to return to Iowa for his senior season. Eagles GM Howie Roseman had to wheel-and-deal in the 2016 offseason to fix many of the problems caused during Chip Kelly's tenure with the team, and adding a proven corner in King would seem to fit what Philadelphia will need looking to 2017.

30. Pittsburgh Steelers - Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU (5'11" 190)
Is a run on cornerbacks late in round one going to happen? It certainly lines up that way at least in this mock, with White filling a need that the Steelers have in the past often opted to address via free agency. White also brings the added benefit of being a skilled kick returner, as demonstrated in his zany but effective punt return for a TD against Jacksonville State.

31. Green Bay Packers - Charles Harris, DE/OLB, Missouri (6'3" 255) *
An extremely gifted pass rusher, Harris might project best as a 4-3 defensive end, but he certainly has the skill to play outside linebacker in the Packers' 3-4 alignment. Whatever the scheme, it's Harris' remarkable ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks that will make him an appealing prospect at the next level.

32. New England Patriots - Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford (6'0" 200) *
The debate is already underway as to how McCaffrey best projects as an NFL player. But there is no questioning his pure ability to make plays with the ball, and should he leave Stanford after this season, it will be interesting to see how NFL teams evaluate him -- and the roles he could play on offense and special teams.

At the same time, the Patriots face a large volume of possible free agent departures after this season, which makes projecting their most likely move even more difficult than the usually very challenging standards of the New England organization.


* indicates player with NCAA eligibility for 2017 who relinquished it to declare for the 2017 NFL Draft