NFL Draft 2017: Latest Mock Draft Predictions for Top Prospects of Round 1

The process leading up to the 2017 NFL draft should be one of the most intriguing in recent memory. That's mostly because there's still so much room for movement within the first couple of rounds due to the limited number of can't-miss prospects in the class.

As always, the most discussed position will be quarterback. The demand far outweighs the supply around the league, which is why it's usually the most over-drafted group. That will likely hold true this year, especially if there are a few standouts during the draft process.

So let's check out how the first round is setting up, though things are probably going to change at least a little bit over the next couple of months. That's followed by a deeper dive into the QBs currently projected to land in the opening round.

Round 1 Mock Draft

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Cleveland Browns	Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
2	San Francisco 49ers	Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
3	Chicago Bears	Jonathan Allen, DE, Alabama
4	Jacksonville Jaguars	Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
5	Tennessee Titans (from LA)	Jamal Adams, SS, LSU
6	New York Jets	Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
7	San Diego Chargers	Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
8	Carolina Panthers	Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford
9	Cincinnati Bengals	Jabrill Peppers, OLB, Michigan
10	Buffalo Bills	Malik Hooker, FS, Ohio State
11	New Orleans Saints	Tim Williams, OLB, Alabama
12	Cleveland Browns (from PHI)	Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
13	Arizona Cardinals	Reuben Foster, ILB, Alabama
14	*Philadelphia Eagles (from MIN)	Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
15	*Indianapolis Colts	Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
16	Baltimore Ravens	Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
17	Washington Redskins	Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
18	Tennessee Titans	John Ross III, WR, Washington
19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
20	Denver Broncos	Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
21	Detroit Lions	Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan
22	Miami Dolphins	Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn
23	New York Giants	Carlos Watkins, DT, Clemson
24	Oakland Raiders	Zach Cunningham, ILB, Vanderbilt
25	Houston Texans	DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
26	Green Bay Packers	Sidney Jones IV, CB, Washington
27	Seattle Seahawks	Roderick Johnson, OT, Florida State
28	Pittsburgh Steelers	O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
29	Atlanta Falcons	Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida
30	Kansas City Chiefs	Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
31	Dallas Cowboys	Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
32	New England Patriots	Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan

Analyzing 1st-Round Quarterbacks

2. San Francisco 49ers: Mitch Trubisky (North Carolina)

Trubisky only started one season for the Tar Heels. While that lack of collegiate experience is a concern, his terrific numbers allowed him to make a steady rise up the draft board. He finished his junior year with 30 touchdowns and just six interceptions while completing 68.2 percent of his throws.

The Ohio native looks the part in the pocket, standing tall and delivering strikes on short and intermediate routes. He's got the arm to deliver the deep throws, but his accuracy and decision-making when it comes to taking those shots is a work in progress.

Mark Podolski of the News-Herald passed along comments from Steve Trivisonno, the quarterback's high school coach, who believes Trubisky is ready for the sport's highest level.

"Absolutely, without a doubt in my mind," he said. "He wouldn't have gone if he didn't think he was. Mitch is the perfect NFL-type quarterback."

While the Cleveland Browns, the owners of the top pick, also need a quarterback, they may opt for the top defender and try to find QB value later on. Meanwhile, the 49ers are going through an organization overhaul and a new regime usually likes to set the tone by taking a franchise signal-caller.

Trubisky isn't a lock to beat out the likes of Deshaun Watson and DeShone Kizer, but he enters the draft process with an inside track since he's the most natural passer of the bunch. He can also make things happen with his legs, putting up 308 yards and five touchdowns on the ground in 2016.

6. New York Jets: Deshaun Watson (Clemson)

Watson shined in Clemson's journey to the national championship. He capped his college career by putting up 463 total yards and four touchdowns in the Tigers' triumph in an instant classic against Alabama to capture the title Monday night.

The dynamic junior wasn't perfect in the game, missing a series of throws in the first half he'd be expected to make at the next level. But he got hot in the fourth quarter and likely locked himself into the first round, and perhaps even the top 10, in the memorable victory.

Furthermore, as Jon Ledyard of Inside the Pylon pointed out, it's important to remember those early struggles came against an elite defensive group:

He's going to make some decisions that cause fans to scratch their head and there are times when he's too quick to rely on his ability to scramble. But when he's locked in, as was the case in the fourth quarter against the Crimson Tide, he's a special talent.

It's the type of playmaking ability the Jets need. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith are not the long-term answer under center. Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg aren't likely to develop into one either. So it's time to start looking toward the future.

Watson is probably going to make quite a few mistakes early in his career as he adjusts to the speed of the NFL game. But his upside will be tough to ignore for a quarterback-needy team early in Round 1.

25. Houston Texans: DeShone Kizer (Notre Dame)

The Kizer hype machine has been picking up some serious steam in recent weeks. Should it continue, there's a good chance a team will be forced to trade into the top half of Round 1 to get him. But he'll need to perform well during the draft process to maintain the rise.

Although his dual-threat skill set is worthy of attention, his numbers actually dropped off during his second season as Notre Dame's starter. It leaves questions about his ability to lead a more complex NFL offense to consistent success.

The arm talent is there and his pocket awareness is promising. Sometimes he'll trust his arm too much, however, and try to force throws into tight coverage. That's especially true when he gets caught locking into one target rather than rolling through his progressions.

CFB Film Room passed along some numbers concerning his downfield passing:

All told, he feels more like a high-upside project than an immediate Rookie of the Year contender. Even though there were some moments where he looked like a future NFL star, they didn't happen regularly enough to have extreme confidence in his long-term outlook.

That's why the Texans are a nice fit, assuming Kizer's draft stock levels out and he doesn't move toward the top 10.

They are stuck with Brock Osweiler for one more year since releasing him would leave $25 million in dead cap space, per Spotrac. So they could give him another chance to prove himself and, if that doesn't happen by the middle of the season, they can hand the offense to Kizer.