2017 NFL Mock Draft: Round 1 - Picks 17-32

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Last update: Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Major changes.
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The order of this 2017 NFL Mock Draft is based on the 2017 NFL Draft Order.

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2020 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 2/11): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5
Other 2020 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (2/10) /Senior Bowl Mock (1/27) /Overreaction Mock (12/30)
2019 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
Other 2019 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/25)

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Washington Redskins: Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt
I want to give the Redskins a safety, inside linebacker or a five-technique, as they desperately need to upgrade the interior of their defense. One of the top players available happens to fill one of those positions. Zach Cunningham is a dynamic linebacker prospect who has a decent chance of being chosen in the top 15, so he would provide some nice value at No. 17 overall.

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Pick change; previously Jalen Tabor, CB
Tennessee Titans: Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida
The Titans, as mentioned, have major problems in their secondary, so I think they'd have to be thrilled to select both an elite safety and a promising cornerback prospect with their two picks in the first round. Jalen Tabor's stock has dropped a bit, but he's still definitely worth taking close to the end of the top 20.

Pick change; previously Jamal Adams, S
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jabrill Peppers, S/LB, Michigan
The Buccaneers have endured some of the worst safety play in the NFL over the course of the 2016 season. Watching them try to stop Drew Brees in a must-win in Week 16 was unbearable. Something must be done about this, so why not select one of the top prospects available?

Teams aren't as high on Jabrill Peppers as many casual fans are, so I've decided to drop him into the middle of the first round. This seems to be the right range for him though.

Denver Broncos: Chris Wormley, DE/DT, Michigan
Much of the talk this season about the Broncos has centered around the quarterback position, and how the team misses Peyton Manning. The greater loss this past offseason was Malik Jackson's departure to Jacksonville. Jackson was a force against the run, which would explain why the Broncos have been so poor against ground attacks in 2016. Here's a potential solution.
Detroit Lions: Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida
The Lions have never replaced Ndamukong Suh or Nick Fairley, but here's their chance. Their defense has improved as the season has progressed, but it's still very weak on the defensive interior.
Houston Texans: Pat Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech
OK, here we go. The Texans selecting a quarterback in the first round would've seemed unfathomable three months ago, but Brock Osweiler has been so horrible that he was benched in favor of Tom Savage, who isn't a good quarterback either. Unless Osweiler somehow impresses in the playoffs, I can't imagine the Texans going into next year with Osweiler and Savage as their only quarterbacks. They'd need to find someone else, and that someone else could be Pat Mahomes.

Charlie Campbell reported that some teams have Mahomes slotted as a second-round prospect, but given that Mahomes is a quarterback, he's likely to be chosen earlier than most anticipate. The NFL Draft Advisory Committee apparently agrees, as they gave Mahomes a Round 1-2 grade. Thus, it only seems logical to slot Mahomes into this spot, because if the Texans like him, they won't be able to obtain him with their second-round selection.

Pick change; previously David Njoku, TE

Miami Dolphins: Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford
Cameron Wake is enjoying a terrific year, but he turns 35 at the end of the month. Mario Williams, who hasn't been as good, will be 32 at the same time. The Dolphins can't count on these guys much longer, especially with Williams entering his contract year, so they'll have to find some young blood at the position.

Solomon Thomas would be a great addition to Miami's roster. I actually wanted to slot Thomas several spots prior to this, but I couldn't fit him in. Thomas single-handedly dominated his bowl game, as he was completely unblockable.

Pick change; previously Adoree Jackson, CB
Green Bay Packers: Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan
The Packers place great pressure on opposing quarterbacks with Julius Peppers and Nick Perry, but both happen to be impending free agents. Peppers turns 37 in January, while Perry could prove to be too expensive to retain.
Seattle Seahawks: Charles Harris, DE/OLB, Missouri
I thought there was a good chance that the Seahawks would upgrade their edge rush last offseason, but they didn't pull the trigger. They can make amends for that at this juncture, and there's never anything wrong with adding extra talented pass-rushers. Charles Harris is one of the top players available at this juncture.

Pick change; previously DeMarcus Walker, DE/DT

Atlanta Falcons: Dawuane Smoot, DE/OLB, Illinois
It was a bit odd to see the Falcons eschew their pass rush in the 2016 NFL Draft, especially when Shaq Lawson dropped to them at No. 17. I'm sure that after seeing their defenders struggle to get to the quarterback - save for Vic Beasley, who has improved - they'll be desperate for someone who can apply pressure on opposing signal-callers in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
Giving a receiver to the Steelers may seem odd, but there are a couple of reasons for it. First, Martavis Bryant has an expiring contract after 2017, and Pittsburgh may decide that it can't rely on him. Second, Corey Davis is one of the top prospects available; I had him slotted at No. 18 in a previous update.

Oakland Raiders: John Ross, WR, Washington
Giving the Raiders a receiver may seem odd because they have Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. However, they have one of the worst slot receivers in the NFL in Seth Roberts, who dropped countless passes this past season. Oakland needs to be better in that regard, and John Ross, one of the better prospects available, happens to project as a dynamic slot receiver.

Pick change; previously Christian McCaffrey, RB
New York Giants: D'Onta Foreman, RB, Texas
The Giants have spent a first-round pick on a running back before under this current regime, and they may do so again. They don't have much at the position, as Rashad Jennings doesn't have much remaining in the tank, while Paul Perkins may not have what it takes to handle a full workload.

Kansas City Chiefs: Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame
Andy Reid loves bolstering the trenches on both sides of the ball, and I don't think he'd be opposed to selecting a guard late in the first round this April. The interior of Kansas City's offensive line could be better, and Quinton Nelson is one of the better prospects remaining.
Dallas Cowboys: Adoree Jackson, CB/KR, USC
Adoree Jackson's injury in the Rose Bowl may hinder his pre-draft workouts, prompting him to fall just a bit later than he should be going. I'm sure the Cowboys would love to scoop him up if that were the case, as the dynamic Jackson would provide immense value at No. 31 overall. He would also fill a big need at cornerback.

Pick change; previously John Ross, WR
New England Patriots: Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
The Patriots have a trio of talented cornerbacks, but two of them (Malcolm Butler, Logan Ryan) will be hitting free agency over the next couple of years. I don't anticipate New England letting Butler get away, so Ryan may not stick around. Sidney Jones is one of the top prospects available, so I'm sure the Patriots would jump at the opportunity to select him.