Mel Kiper Mock Draft 2017: Notable Picks from ESPN Guru's 3rd Mock

ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. released his third mock for the upcoming first round of the 2017 NFL draft on Wednesday. The longtime guru currently projects the Cleveland Browns will select Texas A&M defensive lineman Myles Garrett with the first overall pick.

He also joined fellow ESPN prognosticator Todd McShay in predicting there would be no quarterbacks taken inside the top 10 when the draft gets underway April 27. The first QB off the board in his latest release is UNC star Mitchell Trubisky to the Browns at No. 12.

Here's a look at Kiper's updated forecast for all of Round 1 with five weeks to go:

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Cleveland Browns	Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
2	San Francisco 49ers	Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford
3	Chicago Bears	Jamal Adams, S, LSU
4	Jacksonville Jaguars	Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
5	Tennessee Titans (from LAR)	Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
6	New York Jets	O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
7	Los Angeles Chargers	Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
8	Carolina Panthers	Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
9	Cincinnati Bengals	Takkarist McKinley, OLB, UCLA
10	Buffalo Bills	Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
11	New Orleans Saints	Haason Reddick, LB, Temple
12	Cleveland Browns (from PHI)	Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
13	Arizona Cardinals	Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
14	Philadelphia Eagles (from MIN)	Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State
15	Indianapolis Colts	Reuben Foster, ILB, Alabama
16	Baltimore Ravens	Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
17	Washington Redskins	Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
18	Tennessee Titans	John Ross, WR, Washington
19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
20	Denver Broncos	David Njoku, TE, Miami (Fla.)
21	Detroit Lions	Charles Harris, DE, Missouri
22	Miami Dolphins	Forrest Lamp, OG, Western Kentucky
23	New York Giants	Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
24	Oakland Raiders	Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU
25	Houston Texans	Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
26	Seattle Seahawks	Kevin King, CB, Washington
27	Kansas City Chiefs	Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina
28	Dallas Cowboys	Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan
29	Green Bay Packers	Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
30	Pittsburgh Steelers	Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston
31	Atlanta Falcons	Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan
32	New Orleans Saints (from NE)	Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama

Notable Selections

11. New Orleans Saints: Haason Reddick, LB, Temple

Alabama tight end O.J. Howard is the only player who can come close to matching Reddick's rise during the draft process. The Temple product has gone from a fringe first-round prospect to potentially cracking the top 10 by the time draft night arrives.

The linebacker made steady progress during his time with the Owls. As a senior, he showcased a well-rounded skill set that allowed him to rack up 65 total tackles, 9.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, three passes defended and an interception.

Although that didn't immediately translate into major draft hype, he's now firmly on the radar following strong showings at the combine and Temple's pro day. Reddick told Ryan Dunleavy of NJ Advance Media the praise is nice to hear, but it doesn't change his outlook:

"

It's like my hard work has been recognized. It's great to see those opinions. It's great to see that people think so highly of me. I believe that my talent matches what they say.

But I just try to remain humble and keep working hard. Nothing has changed. I'm still the guy who is going to work as hard as he can to make sure that he's the best.

"

Adding a do-it-all linebacker is among the biggest remaining offseason tasks for the Saints. New Orleans ranked 27th in yards allowed and 31st in points allowed last season, which is why the team didn't make the playoffs despite leading the NFL in total offense.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson

The Cardinals are in a tricky spot. They would likely prefer to use this selection to bolster their roster elsewhere since starting quarterback Carson Palmer announced his intention to return for 2017 after considering retirement. The value on Watson might be too good to pass up, though.

Palmer's passer rating dropped nearly 20 points last season from his terrific 2015 campaign. For a team with playoff-level talent, hoping the 37-year-old can return to form without another legitimate signal-caller on the roster should he struggle would be a risk.

Drafting Watson would provide insurance in multiple ways. If Palmer plays well, the Clemson star can take a year to develop and be ready to step in for the 2018 campaign. If Palmer falters, the team could turn to the rookie sooner and hope he provides a spark to the offense.

That said, questions emerged about the Heisman Trophy finalist after Jared Tokarz‏ of NFL Draft Insider reported his combine ball velocity was 49 mph, well below the other top prospects. Dave Archibald of Inside the Pylon isn't convinced that's a deal-breaker, however:

The bottom line remains the same. Arizona will need to find a new quarterback soon. Taking Watson now if he's available at No. 13 is likely a better move than waiting another year and going all-in on Palmer bouncing back in 2017.

29. Green Bay Packers: Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State

These type of selections explain why teams like the Packers and New England Patriots are the NFL's model organizations. They consistently draft near the bottom of Round 1 because they're contending for titles, but they still manage to find immense value.

Cook was viewed as a possible top-five selection when the draft process started. Now he's barely holding on to his first-round status due to a combination of factors, led by "off-field and shoulder injuries," according to Bleacher Report's Matt Miller.

Talent is not among the issues scaring teams, however, because the FSU running back can flat-out play. While his blocking needs work, which could keep him off the field in third-and-long situations early in his career, he does just about everything else at a high level.

B/R's Ian Kenyon‏ explained what impressed him most about the rusher's dynamic skill set:

Teaming Cook with Ty Montgomery in the backfield alongside the Aaron Rodgers-driven passing attack would give the Packers incredible potential on offense. Whether the Seminoles standout will actually be on the board with the 29th pick is debatable, though.