2017 NFL Mock Draft: Predictions for Top Prospects as Pro Days Conclude

We're reaching the end of pro-day season, which means teams will now focus entirely on private visits and game film until the 2017 NFL draft.

While private workouts and proper study generally seem to be more important than pro days and combine performances, a few players have definitely been able to improve their draft stocks over the past couple months.

At least, this is the general perception. What teams learn and think during private visits usually remains private. Therefore, it's often difficult to tell where a player's stock actually lies—and more importantly, where it is for teams picking early in the draft.

Using what we've seen and learned over the past couple months, let's take another look at the opening round of this month's draft. We'll run down the current draft order and make projections for each pick based on factors like team needs, team fit, prospect stock and prospect potential.

We'll also examine the latest stories and rumors as pro-day season draws to a close.

2017 NFL Draft

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

Latest Buzz

Fournette Continues to Look Like Blue-Chip Prospect

It's no secret that teams and draft analysts alike can overthink incoming prospects. Sometimes they talk themselves into worrying about things they shouldn't or finding flaws that aren't really there.

Fortunately, this trend doesn't seem to have extended to former LSU running back Leonard Fournette. While there is still some debate on whether he, Stanford's Christian McCaffrey or Florida State's Dalvin Cook should be the first back off the board, there seems to be no question about Fournette's status as a first-round pick.

Fournette had an injury-hampered year in 2016, but it's worth noting that he maintained the 6.5 yards-per-carry average he held during his 1,953-yard season in 2015.

Fournette raised some eyebrows by producing a disappointing vertical jump of just 28.5 inches at the combine. Then, he turned around and ran the 40 in 4.51 seconds at 240 pounds.

It seems that every time a question has emerged regarding Fournette, the back has created reasons to overlook them. With LSU's pro day taking place on Wednesday, he's likely to only solidify his stock.

"You don't see guys with Fournette's size/speed combination. He's a rare, rare talent. ... He's the most talented runner to come out since Adrian Peterson," one NFL executive recently told NFL Media's Bucky Brooks.

Peterson may be currently out of work, but for the better part of the past decade, he's been the NFL's premier downfield runner. If Fournette can come close to having the NFL impact Peterson has had when healthy, he'll be a heck of a player.

He certainly appears worthy of an early first-round pick.

Justin Evans Continuing to Rise

Former Texas A&M pass-rusher Myles Garrett might be the consensus top defender in this year's draft class, but he isn't the only quality defender the school is sending to the NFL this year. Safety Justin Evans is shaping up to be a quality pro, though his collegiate beginnings might not have suggested so.

Evans wasn't a heavily recruited prospect coming out of high school and arrived with the Aggies only after spending two years at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

At 6'0" and 199 pounds, Evans might be on the smaller side for a safety, but he definitely possesses the athleticism and the physicality for the position.

Pro Football Focus recently compared Evans to current Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas and wrote the following:

"

When he is in position in coverage, he does an outstanding job of turning and locating the ball in the air, and is able to consistently reach around for break-ups without going through or wrapping his back hand around his man and taking interference penalties. Tackling issues aside, Evans was one of the most productive coverage safeties in the country, and clearly has the athletic makeup for the NFL.

"

The former small-school transfer helped to boost his stock at A&M's pro day. The event was important for him as he was limited at the combine and only participated in the bench press.

At his pro day, Evans ran a 4.58-second 40 and produced an impressive 41.5-inch vertical jump. According to Mark Passwaters of Rivals.com, Evans "cruised through his drills" while showing "excellent fluidity."

Evans probably isn't quite polished enough to garner first-round consideration in this deep defensive class, but he should be a fine Day-2 addition and future standout pro.

Chad Kelly Sliding

Former Old Miss quarterback Chad Kelly seems to have the intangibles needed to become a future NFL quarterback. He has adequate size at 6'2" and 224 pounds, and he has more than enough arm strength to stretch the field.

Kelly threw for 6,800 yards over the past two seasons with 50 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. He also completed more than 62 percent of his passes in each of the last two seasons.

Kelly's main problem is a series of off-the-field issues. One of those incidents, an altercation with law enforcement officers in Buffalo, cost Kelly a spot at the scouting combine.

Still, there's enough there to like with Kelly that some team could take him with the hopes of eventually improving its quarterback position.

"I think he could be a low-end NFL starter. I just wouldn't want to put my name behind him because I think it will come back and bite you with on-field and off-field mistakes," one AFC scout told NFL Media's Lance Zierlein.

Since Kelly couldn't work out at the combine, Mississippi's pro day carried a lot of weight for him. Unfortunately, Kelly aggravated a wrist injury and only made it a few throws into his workout.

"I just aggravated it earlier in the week," Kelly told NFL Media's Mike Mayock. "Tried to come out here and tried to do the best to my ability and I kind of threw one into the flats, kind of aggravated it there and threw another one on a swing route and it really just didn't feel the same, so they decided to call it quits."

Kelly has scheduled another pro day for April 22, but as NFL Media's Lance Zierlein explains, few teams will likely attend.

"The only teams that would send decision-makers back there would have to really like him enough to take him on the third day," Zierlein said.

Unless Kelly finds a way to impress between now and the draft, there's a chance he slides out of the draft entirely.