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, Oct. 27, 2016. Major changes.
Next update: Occasionally. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

The order of this 2017 NFL Mock Draft is based on the 2017 NFL Draft Order.

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: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
I've slotted DeShone Kizer here for several weeks, but I've decided to make a change. The more I thought about it, the more I was convinced that the Browns would stay the course with Cody Kessler. The Browns really like Kessler, who has shown some grit as a rookie, so they may opt to develop him rather than spend another early pick on a quarterback.

Cleveland has drafted some pass-rushers lately, but Myles Garrett is way too good to pass up on. He's the top prospect in this class, and he's a no-brainer for Cleveland if the team plans on passing on a quarterback.

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Pick change; previously DeShone Kizer, QB
San Francisco 49ers: DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
The 49ers missed out on a quarterback in an update three weeks ago. Now that they're 1-6, however, they can nab a potential franchise signal-caller. That's obviously something they need to do; Blaine Gabbert has been benched, while Colin Kaepernick has transformed into a pick-six machine because he refuses to study film and improve the mental part of his game.

DeShone Kizer is currently the favorite to be the first quarterback chosen. Some team sources have said that they favor him over Deshaun Watson and Brad Kaaya, and it's easy to see why, thanks to his arm strength, accuracy and mobility.

Pick change; previously Brad Kaaya, QB
Chicago Bears: Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
The Jay Cutler era will officially be over when the Bears select a quarterback in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. You could've argue that it was already over with Brian Hoyer seizing the job, but Hoyer broke his arm, and Cutler is back. He just won't go away!

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.

Carolina Panthers: Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
The Panthers have some major problems in the secondary, but if there's one thing we've learned about them, it's that they'll pick the best player available. And that would be Leonard Fournette in this case.

Fournette would've been considered the top running back prospect since Adrian Peterson if it weren't for Todd Gurley, and he would be able to take some rushing pressure off Cam Newton.

Pick change; previously Myles Garrett, DE/DT
New York Jets: Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami
Brad Kaaya began the season on a hot streak, but has cooled off since. I've dropped him in my overall rankings, but I'd have to think the Jets would be inclined to take him. What else are they going to do at quarterback? They really don't have any other legitimate options, and it's not like we haven't seen teams reach on quarterbacks before.

Pick change; previously Leonard Fournette, RB
Jacksonville Jaguars: Jonathan Allen, DE/DT, Alabama
Despite their six sacks of Andrew Luck, the Jaguars don't pressure the quarterback consistently. They have some promising edge rushers in Dante Fowler and Yannick Ngakoue, and while they could strengthen that position, they could also stand to bolster the interior of the defensive front.

Jonathan Allen is currently in the top five of our 2017 NFL Draft Big Board, as he has been dominant this year.

New Orleans Saints: Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida
The Saints need to draft the best defensive player available. That could be Jalen Tabor, 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 Marshon Lattimore, CB
Baltimore Ravens: Malik McDowell, DE/DT, Michigan State
The Ravens have no pass rush to speak of. They'll be looking for help at both outside linebacker and defensive end this upcoming offseason, and it could be argued that Malik McDowell, who can play either formation, is the top prospect remaining on the board.

Pick change; previously Tim Williams, DE/OLB
Indianapolis Colts: Jabrill Peppers, S/LB, Michigan
General manager Ryan Grigson made excuses to the media recently, citing Andrew Luck's contract as the reason why Indianapolis' defense is horrible. Well, here's Grigson's big chance to improve the stop unit. Jabrill Peppers is the top defensive talent available, by my estimation, and he would add some greatly needed speed to the Colts' ridiculously slow linebacking corps.

Tennessee Titans: Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
The Titans stop the run well and get after the quarterback pretty consistently, but the major area of weakness in their defense is the secondary. Both cornerback and safety need to be addressed, so why not take the best player available who happens to satisfy one of those two major needs?

Charlie Campbell recently posted a great report on Malik Hooker in the NFL Draft Rumor Mill, as some teams consider him to be the top safety in the class and a potential top-10 pick.

Pick change; previously JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR
Miami Dolphins: Adoree Jackson, CB/KR, USC
The Dolphins are no longer in a position to draft a quarterback, so they'll have to give Ryan Tannehill another year. They can instead focus on their defense, as their back seven has been an abomination this season. Trading for Byron Maxwell has proven to be a mistake, but Miami can make amends for that by selecting one of the top cornerback prospects in the class.

Pick change; previously Jalen Tabor, CB
Tennessee Titans: Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
The Titans can double up on Ohio State prospects to address two of their greatest needs. Sounds like a great deal to me! Fixing the secondary might be able to help Tennessee to finally defeat Andrew Luck, as Perrish Cox has been an abomination in coverage. He can't tackle either, so he needs to be upgraded immediately.

Pick change; previously Tre'Davious White, CB

Cincinnati Bengals: Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
Cincinnati's secondary has struggled this season, but part of the reason for that is the declining pass rush. The Bengals have gotten nothing out of Michael Johnson, so they desperately need to find an upgrade at that spot. Luckily, they can do so by picking one of the top players available.

Pick change; previously Adoree Jackson, CB
San Diego Chargers: Jamal Adams, S, LSU
The Chargers have three excellent cornerbacks on the roster, but they need help at safety, as Jahleel Addae is a penalty machine. I'm sure San Diego's front office would love to find a viable replacement for Eric Weddle to solidify its secondary.

Pick change; previously Malik Hooker, S
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
Vincent Jackson is out for the season, and his career is likely over in Tampa Bay. I'm sure the Buccaneers would love to find a blue-chip safeties, but they're all off the board, and they could use an upgrade across from Mike Evans.

Pick change; previously Jamal Adams, S
Arizona Cardinals: Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
The Cardinals made the mistake of rolling into the season with a former running back as one of the starting cornerbacks, and they were punished for it. They've since replaced Brandon Williams with Marcus Cooper, which has worked out. However, Cooper is just a temporary solution, and he's an impending free agent anyway. The Cardinals need a long-term option across from Patrick Peterson.

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.

Go to 2017 NFL Mock Draft: Round 2 | Go to 2017 NFL Mock Draft: Round 3 | Go to 2018 NFL Mock Draft

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