2017 NFL Mock Draft: 1st-Round Predictions, Top Prospects After CFP Championship

With the close of the college football season, many fans will continue turning their attention even more so toward the 2017 NFL draft in April.

While a general consensus exists about the top players in this year's draft class, the rankings are bound to fluctuate following the various predraft events and showcases over the coming months.

Below is a mock for the first round, followed by brief breakdowns for five of the best stars available. 

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

Top 2017 Prospects

Jonathan Allen, DE, Alabama

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Myles Garrett will likely be the No. 1 pick in the draft, but Jonathan Allen is making a strong case to be the top defensive end in this year's draft class.

Allen finished this season with 9.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss, and he helped add a different dimension to Alabama's defense. Rarely have the Crimson Tide boasted pass-rushers as good as Allen and Tim Williams.

Alabama came up short against Clemson in the College Football Playoff National Championship, and Deshaun Watson threw for 420 yards and three touchdowns. But that doesn't erase everything Allen has done.

Allen doesn't have quite the same ceiling as a pass-rusher as Garrett does, but he's a more versatile defensive lineman and a better run defender. The Crimson Tide star offers the total package, and he should be a lock for the top five.

Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU

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Some questioned whether the Dallas Cowboys reached when they selected Ezekiel Elliott fourth overall in 2016. Then Elliott ran for 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns in his rookie year, building a possible MVP candidacy.

Elliott's great year is further evidence that a great running back more than validates a first-round selection, even though teams can strike gold at the position in later rounds.

Leonard Fournette's college career ended in underwhelming fashion. He skipped LSU's bowl game, and injuries limited him to seven games.

Even a poor junior year can't diminish Fournette's immense potential. He possesses the ideal blend of speed and power to become an every-down NFL back. Like Adrian Peterson during his time with Oklahoma, Fournette was a man among boys sometimes with the way he overpowered opposing defenders.

It's a shame college football fans got only one season to really enjoy Fournette as his best, but watching him run through NFL defenses will be fun all the same.

Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M

With the absence of a can't-miss quarterback, Garrett has emerged as the favorite to go No. 1 overall to the Cleveland Browns. On Dec. 11, ESPN.com's Adam Schefter spoke to a source who said the Browns have an "astronomical grade" on the Texas A&M defensive end.

That could be subterfuge by Cleveland to drive outside interest in trading for the first overall pick, but the Browns own the No. 12 selection as well, so there's little sense in moving out of the top spot.

In October, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller spoke to an SEC scout who raved about Garrett's abilities: "You have to realize he's up to 275 pounds now. To be able to dip, bend and accelerate the way he does at that weight? It's rare. He's a generational talent."

The same scout also described Garrett as "a healthy, hardworking Jadeveon Clowney."

Adding Garrett to a defensive line that already includes Danny Shelton and Emmanuel Ogbah would be a scary sight for opposing teams in the AFC North.

Jamal Adams, S, LSU

Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Safety isn't the most coveted position on defense, but it's a testament to Jamal Adams' talents that he's rated so highly.

ESPN.com's Todd McShay identified Adams as the one player he likely valued higher than the general consensus: "He hasn't gotten a ton of love nationally, but he's one of the most complete players in this draft class. He has everything you want—intelligence, toughness, ball skills and explosive tackling ability. Plus, he's a really good leader."

Adams bucks the "box safety" label that can dog those at his position during draft time. He's a dynamic defender who can guard against the pass as well as the run.

His work in pass coverage will prove particularly valuable. Adams will be able to line up against the kind of athletic tight ends who are giving NFL coaches fits—a trait that will ensure he's the top safety off the board this spring.

Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina

In a first-person piece for the Players' Tribune, Mitch Trubisky announced he will enter the 2017 NFL draft: "After a lot of prayer and thought, I have decided to forgo my senior year and enter the NFL draft. This has been the most difficult decision I've ever had to make. But no matter what happens next, I know I'll never experience something as special as being a Tar Heel.

Trubisky has all of the tools to become a Pro Bowl-caliber NFL quarterback: He was an accurate passer—68 percent completion rate in his only season starting at North Carolina—he boasts above-average arm strength and he's mobile enough to buy time in the pocket in the face of a pass rush.

Of course, spending a top-five pick on a quarterback with only one year of starting experience in the FBS is risky. For every Cam Newton, there's an Akili Smith.

Not to mention, there's no guarantee Trubisky will make the most of the tools at his disposal. Blake Bortles seemingly has everything necessary to be one of the league's best quarterbacks, and he has had an uneven first three years in the pros.

In a deeper QB class, Trubisky might have slipped to the second round. Since he's one of the best available, though, some team will almost certainly take a leap of faith and select him in the top 10.