NFL Mock Draft 2017: Predictions for Most Coveted Prospects

The fate of the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft will be decided by the end of the weekend.

The Cleveland Browns are currently in pole position for the top selection, but they could cede that spot to the San Francisco 49ers with a win in Week 17. It would be fitting for the Browns to start a year 0-14 and somehow manage to not get the No. 1 pick, which otherwise at least would make all of that losing more tolerable.

Whatever the order between the two, the Niners and Browns are poised to have a number of options at their disposal come April.

Below is a mock draft for the first round, followed by a breakdown of four of the best players available.

Mock Draft

Pick	Team	Player	School
1	Cleveland Browns	Myles Garrett, DE	Texas A&M
2	San Francisco 49ers	Tim Williams, LB	Alabama
3	Chicago Bears	Mitch Trubisky, QB	North Carolina
4	Jacksonville Jaguars	Jamal Adams, S	LSU
5	Tennessee Titans (from Rams)	Jonathan Allen, DE	Alabama
6	New York Jets	DeShone Kizer, QB	Notre Dame
7	San Diego Chargers	Cam Robinson, OT	Alabama
8	Cincinnati Bengals	Jabrill Peppers, LB	Michigan
9	Carolina Panthers	Leonard Fournette, RB	LSU
10	Cleveland Browns (from Eagles)	Quincy Wilson, CB	Florida
11	Arizona Cardinals	Jalen Tabor, CB	Florida
12	Buffalo Bills	Corey Davis, WR	Western Michigan
13	Indianapolis Colts	Derek Barnett, DE	Tennessee
14	New Orleans Saints	Reuben Foster, LB	Alabama
15	Philadelphia Eagles (from Vikings)	Mike Williams, WR	Clemson
16	Tennessee Titans	Cordrea Tankersley, CB	Clemson
17	Baltimore Ravens	Takkarist McKinley, LB	UCLA
18	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Taco Charlton, DE	Michigan
19	Denver Broncos	Ryan Ramczyk, OT	Wisconsin
20	Washington Redskins	Zach Cunningham, LB	Vanderbilt
21	Detroit Lions	Charles Harris, DE	Missouri
22	Miami Dolphins	O.J. Howard, TE	Alabama
23	New York Giants	Dalvin Cook, RB	Florida State
24	Kansas City Chiefs	Marshon Lattimore, CB	Ohio State
25	Houston Texans	Raekwon McMillan, LB	Ohio State
26	Green Bay Packers	Sidney Jones, CB	Washington
27	Seattle Seahawks	Roderick Johnson, OT	Florida State
28	Pittsburgh Steelers	Carl Lawson, LB	Auburn
29	Atlanta Falcons	Desmond King, CB	Iowa
30	Oakland Raiders	Malik McDowell, DT	Michigan State
31	New England Patriots	Christian McCaffrey, RB	Stanford
32	Dallas Cowboys	Jake Butt, TE	Michigan

Forecasting Top 4 Picks

1. Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M

Since they're in line to potentially have two top-10 picks, the Browns would be better off going anywhere but quarterback with the No. 1 overall selection. Although Cleveland obviously needs to address the QB position, nobody from this year's class warrants that kind of investment.

As a result, Myles Garrett is the route the Browns should go. Garrett is the best pass-rusher in the 2017 draft, and between him, Emmanuel Ogbah and Danny Shelton, Cleveland would have the framework for a great, young front seven.

In October, NFL.com's Lance Zierlein compared Garrett to former defensive end Jevon Kearse:

"

Garrett has freaky athleticism, explosiveness and footwork. The guy is a freak, which leads us to a comparable NFL talent in Jevon "The Freak" Kearse. Kearse measured in at the NFL Scouting Combine at 6-4, 262, which happens to be very close to the listed measurements for Garrett. Garrett's strength, initial explosion up the field lateral agility is very similar to Kearse's. Kearse had longer arms and Garrett appears to be a more skilled pass rusher than Kearse was at this same juncture of their college careers, but their playing style and high-end ability make this my preferred comp.

"

It's easy to forget how good Kearse was early in his NFL career. He made three straight Pro Bowls and registered 36 sacks from 1999 to 2001.

Getting that kind of production from Garrett would make him more than worth the top pick.

2. San Francisco 49ers: Tim Williams, LB, Alabama

Like the Browns, the 49ers need to find a franchise quarterback, and like the Browns, they might make a mistake reaching for Mitch Trubisky or DeShone Kizer this early.

San Francisco should instead weigh need along with getting the best player available. Tim Williams would tick both boxes in the event Garrett is off the board.

Williams is the second-best edge-rusher in the 2017 draft class, so he'd help a defense that's tied for 18th in sacks (31.0) and 16th in adjusted sack rate, according to Football Outsiders. He and Jonathan Allen are tied for the team lead in sacks (8.5), and he's second in tackles for loss (15.5).

The senior was arrested in September for carrying a gun without a permit. Assuming he avoids any other off-field missteps, his draft stock shouldn't be hurt too much by that incident.

3. Chicago Bears: Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina

The third pick is admittedly a reach for Trubisky, and the North Carolina quarterback hasn't even confirmed he'll leave school after his junior year.

"Man, we want to know, just like everybody else wants to know," defensive tackle Nazair Jones said, per the News & Observer's Andrew Carter. "So we'll be excited to hear what he does when the game's over. I'm not sure if he’s set a time or date or anything. But we want to know just like you guys want to know."

The Chicago Bears are in a situation where they wouldn't necessarily need to throw the North Carolina quarterback right into the first team.

According to Over the Cap, cutting Jay Cutler in 2017 would mean assuming $2 million in dead cap, which is a significant drop from the $19 million the Bears would've been on the hook for if they had cut him in 2016.

Because of that, Chicago will likely be tempted to part ways with Cutler during the upcoming offseason. However, the team could also follow the blueprint the San Diego Chargers used after they traded for Philip Rivers in 2004.

Rivers backed up Drew Brees for two years before the Chargers let Brees leave in free agency in 2006. Rivers made the Pro Bowl in his first year as a starter.

Since he only has one season as a starter under his belt, it'd be a gamble to start Trubisky in Week 1 of his rookie season. In theory, the Bears could allow Trubisky to have a year to get up to speed while starting Cutler and helping him build his value for his inevitable move elsewhere.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jamal Adams, S, LSU

Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Following a second straight underwhelming season from T.J. Yeldon, the Jacksonville Jaguars might be tempted to select Leonard Fournette with the fourth overall pick.

The Jags already have a strong offensive core around Blake Bortles, Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, though, so targeting a skill position player that early may not be the best course of action. Bortles, Robinson and Hurns should bounce back as long as Jacksonville hires an offensive-minded replacement for Gus Bradley.

Johnathan Cyprien is a free agent this offseason, and in the event the Jaguars opt against re-signing him, they'd need to find a safety to line up opposite Tashaun Gipson.

Jamal Adams is a dynamic safety who can drop back in pass coverage or line up closer to the line of scrimmage to defend the run. 

In an interview with The MMQB's Robert Klemko, former NFL safety Ryan Clark was tempted to compare Adams to one of the best safeties in NFL history.

"I told him not to compare this kid to Troy Polamalu, because Troy is my favorite player I ever played with," Clark said, recalling a conversation he had with a Pittsburgh Steelers college scout. "But Jamal has that same explosion and instincts. He feels the game the same way Troy did."

Adams would be worth selecting in the top five for Jacksonville.