2017 NFL Mock Draft

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Walter of WalterFootball has been WalterFootball'ing since 1999'. Older Content is being kept around here. Thanks for reading.

Last update: Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016. Major changes.
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The order of this 2017 NFL Mock Draft is based on the current NFL Power Rankings.

NFL Draft Recent Links:

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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Cleveland Browns: DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
Some teams and scouts we've spoken to really like DeShone Kizer, and why wouldn't they? He has the arm, accuracy and mobility, and as of right now, he's the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

The Browns traded away the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft to the Eagles, passing on the possibility of drafting a quarterback. Cleveland did the smart thing, albeit with stupid reasoning. Not only did it acquire tons of selections to bolster the roster, but it also made sure that it would have a better chance of securing a better quarterback in a stronger draft class. That said, their belief that Robert Griffin would be a better option than Carson Wentz was laughable. Perhaps the Browns should begin acting like George Costanza and do the opposite of their natural instinct. They'd win the Super Bowl in no time.

Here's Cleveland's chance to make amends. They're definitely taking a quarterback with one of their two picks, and that signal-caller would appear to be Kizer right now.

Pick change; previously Deshaun Watson, QB
Buffalo Bills: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
Buffalo's lacking pass rush is killing the secondary. Ryan Fitzpatrick looked like the second coming of Joe Montana on steroids against the Bills last Thursday night, as Rex Ryan had to constantly call ineffective blitzes because the regular pass-rushers couldn't get there on their own. The Bills need someone across from Jerry Hughes. I realize they drafted Shaq Lawson, but Myles Garrett is way too good to pass on at this juncture.

Garrett is a monstrous pass-rusher, and he happens to be the top prospect in this class. With quarterback not being in play because of Tyrod Taylor, this pick is a no-brainer.

Pick change; previously Marlon Humphrey, CB
San Francisco 49ers: Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
The 49ers obviously need a quarterback. Of their two primary signal-callers, one is cowardly and does nothing but toss checkdowns, while the other distracts his team with political antics. San Francisco needs to begin anew with either DeShone Kizer or Deshaun Watson. Hiring a new head coach and general manager would help, too, as would finding a new owner.

College football's version of Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson had an amazing run despite being just a mere sophomore. The sky's the limit for him, despite his slow start this season.

Pick change; previously DeShone Kizer, QB

Chicago Bears: Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami
This is much earlier than I've had Brad Kaaya in my previous update - 16th to the Jets - but we've seen quarterbacks rise before, and if Kaaya is good enough to be chosen in the middle of the first round, some team starved for a franchise signal-caller will undoubtedly convince itself to take Kaaya in the top 10.

Kaaya is a very promising quarterback anyway, so I don't see the issue with taking him at No. 4 overall. The Bears desperately need to begin anew by moving on from Jay Cutler. Here's their chance.

Pick change; previously Mike McGlinchey, OT
Jacksonville Jaguars: Charles Harris, DE/OLB, Missouri
The Jaguars added some nice pieces to their secondary and linebacking corps, but their defense could use another edge rusher. They couldn't rattle Philip Rivers at all, allowing the veteran signal-caller to torch them. With stronger quarterback play now prevalent in the AFC South, Jacksonville needs to improve its ability to put pressure on opposing signal-callers.

Pick change; previously Mike McGlinchey, OT
Indianapolis Colts: Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
This is an easy, slam-dunk pick. The Colts almost have to draft Leonard Fournette. Sure, they have offensive line and defensive issues, but Fournette is the best player on the board and also fills a huge need. The Colts have nothing beyond Frank Gore, whose expiration date is quickly approaching.

Fournette would've been considered the top running back prospect since Adrian Peterson if it weren't for Todd Gurley, and I'd have to think there would be far less pressure on Andrew Luck with Fournette lining up in the backfield.

Pick change; previously Dalvin Cook, RB

New Orleans Saints: Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
The Saints need to draft the best defensive player available. That could be Marlon Humphrey, who would offer a tremendous boost at cornerback. The Saints lost Keenan Lewis this offseason and now is incredibly thin at the position. Delvin Breaux is a good player, but New Orleans needs to find someone to start across from him.

Pick change; previously Leonard Fournette, RB
Atlanta Falcons: Jonathan Allen, DE/DT, Alabama
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 another year of struggling to get to the quarterback, they'll be desperate for someone to get to the quarterback in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Pick change; previously Derek Barnett, DE
Tennessee Titans: Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida
The Titans will score plenty of points this season, so they almost have to select the top two defensive players available with their pair of draft picks. The cornerback spot desperately needs to be addressed, and Tennessee will be doing that here with the top prospect on the board.

Pick change; previously Adoree Jackson, CB

Washington Redskins: Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
It's safe to say that the Redskins have problems in their backfield. Kirk Cousins has been under fire, and there have been dubious reports about the team wanting Colt McCoy to start over him. Meanwhile, Matt Jones is just a middling talent. Washington can do much better than him at running back.

And yes, there's a strong possibility that two running backs are chosen in the top 10. Dalvin Cook and Leonard Fournette are that good. In fact, if you check out the NFL Draft Rumor Mill, you'll see that some scouts believe that Cook may pass Fournette in the 2017 NFL Draft pecking order, despite how highly Fournette is regarded.
Dallas Cowboys: Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
The Cowboys have shown that they're not shy about using major resources to bolster their offensive line. They've had one of the strongest fronts in the NFL for a while, but the unit isn't as good this year because of Doug Free, who has fallen off at 32. Free is entering his contract year anyway, so Dallas would think about nabbing the top offensive lineman in the 2017 class.

Pick change; previously Jalen Tabor, CB
Miami Dolphins: Adoree Jackson, CB/WR/KR, USC
Miami has a very strong defensive line, but happens to be very weak on the back end. Fortunately for the Dolphins, there are numerous talented cornerbacks projected to be in this class, so they'll be able to improve this area.

Pick change; previously Desmond King, CB

Tennessee Titans: Jabrill Peppers, S/LB/CB, Michigan
More secondary help for the Titans will certainly be welcome. Cornerback is the major problem in the defensive backfield, but Rashad Johnson is a huge liability at safety, and he must be upgraded as soon as possible.
San Diego Chargers: Jamal Adams, S, LSU
The Chargers lost Eric Weddle this offseason, and I'm not particularly sold on either of the current safeties on the roster, Dwight Lowery or Jahleel Addae. Jamal Adams would provide a big upgrade there.

Pick change; previously Cam Robinson, OT
Baltimore Ravens: Malik McDowell, DE/DT, Michigan State
The Ravens don't really have much at defensive end right now, outside of Timmy Jernigan and fourth-round rookie Willie Henry. Unless Henry proves himself, I have to believe that Baltimore will target a defensive lineman at some point in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Oakland Raiders: Tim Williams, DE/OLB, Alabama
It's amazing how ineffective Oakland's pass rush has been thus far. Khalil Mack has been a ghost, and no one else is stepping up to keep double teams off of him. The Raiders desperately need to bring in someone new to get to the quarterback.

Pick change; previously Nick Chubb, RB

Go to 2017 NFL Mock Draft: Picks 17-32

Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I've received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwidth.

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