2017 NFL Mock Draft: 1st-Round Predictions for Top Prospects After Week 3

There's still a long way to go in the 2016 NFL season, but for a few fanbases it's already time to start thinking ahead to the 2017 NFL draft. 

It often takes a few weeks into the college season to sort out the top prospects, but by late September many of the elite prospects have already solidified themselves as future first-round selections. 

The NFL draft order is difficult to predict, and it's even harder to match players to teams this far in advanced, but the order in which the prospects should be ranked is starting to shape up. 

Here's a look at an updated mock draft, followed by a closer look at three prospects who already look like the cream of the crop at their respective positions and should be consider virtual locks to land in the first round.

Pick	Team	Player	Position	School
1	Cleveland Browns	Deshaun Watson	QB	Clemson
2	San Francisco 49ers	Myles Garrett	DE	Texas A&M
3	Tennessee Titans	Jabrill Peppers	S/LB	Michigan
4	Chicago Bears	DeShone Kizer	QB	Notre Dame
5	New Orleans Saints	Malik McDowell	DL	Michigan State
6	Tennessee Titans (from LA)	Jonathan Allen	DL	Alabama
7	Detroit Lions	Leonard Fournette	RB	LSU
8	Jacksonville Jaguars	Tim Williams	LB	Alabama
9	Miami Dolphins	Teez Tabor	CB	Florida
10	Buffalo Bills	Marlon Humphrey	CB	Alabama
11	Washington Redskins	Dalvin Cook	RB	Florida State
12	Atlanta Falcons	Reuben Foster	LB	Alabama
13	San Diego Chargers	Mike Williams	WR	Clemson
14	Indianapolis Colts	Cam Robinson	OT	Alabama
15	Baltimore Ravens	Desmond King	CB	Iowa
16	Dallas Cowboys	Derek Barnett	DE	Tennessee
17	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Adoree Jackson	CB	USC
18	New York Jets	Cameron Sutton	CB	Tennessee
19	Oakland Raiders	Christian McCaffrey	RB	Stanford
20	New York Giants	Lowell Lotulelei	DT	Utah
21	Houston Texans	Jamal Adams	S	LSU
22	Cleveland Browns (from PHI)	Raekwon McMillan	LB	Ohio State
23	Kansas City Chiefs	JuJu Smith-Schuster	WR	USC
24	Philadelphia Eagles (from MIN)	Mike McGlinchey	OT	Notre Dame
25	Green Bay Packers	Evan Engram	TE	Ole Miss
26	Cincinnati Bengals	Cooper Kupp	WR	E. Washington
27	Carolina Panthers	Charles Harris	DE	Missouri
28	Denver Broncos	Dawuane Smoot	DE	Illinois
29	Arizona Cardinals	Brad Kaaya	QB	Miami FL
30	Pittsburgh Steelers	Corey Davis	WR	Western Michigan
31	Seattle Seahawks	Gareon Conley	CB	Ohio State
32	New England Patriots	Jourdan Lewis	CB	Michigan

2. San Francisco 49ers: Myles Garrett, DE

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While he may not go No. 1 overall due to the position he plays, Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett has established himself as the consensus top prospect in this draft class. 

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller recently shared his reason for moving Garrett to No. 1 on his board:

ESPN.com's Mel Kiper also has Garrett atop his big board, praising his "length, strength and ability to bend the edge."

The 49ers have spent recent first-round picks on defensive linemen Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner, but they are still looking for an athletic edge-rusher who can consistently pressure the quarterback. 

Garrett could potentially become the dangerous pass-rush threat that the 49ers have been missing since parting ways with Aldon Smith. 

3. Tennessee Titans: Jabrill Peppers, S/LB

Predicting where Jabrill Peppers will land is a tough task this far in advance because he is such a unique prospect. But it's safe to assume someone will fall in love with his talents and grab him early in the first round. 

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has deployed Peppers in all aspects of the game, turning him into a star on offense, defense and special teams. 

He clearly has the skill set to play either side of the ball in the NFL, but his future is likely on defense as a hybrid linebacker/safety. 

We have seen a rise in interest in these types of prospects in recent years. The Arizona Cardinals' Deone Bucannon is perhaps the most well-known such player in the NFL. The Los Angeles Rams also have Mark Barron playing a similar role, and the Washington Redskins drafted Su'a Cravens in the second round in 2016 with the intent of using him in this role as well. 

The Tennessee Titans don't have this type of player on their defense, but veteran defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is certainly capable of adjusting his scheme to include a dynamic defensive playmaker like Peppers.

13. San Diego Chargers: Mike Williams, WR

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After missing almost the entire 2015 season due to injury, Clemson wide receiver Mike Williams has returned as Deshaun Watson's go-to target. 

Through Week 4, Williams is averaging 15.2 yards per reception, establishing himself as one of the top big-play threats in the college game. 

The skill that makes Williams stand out most as an NFL draft prospect is his ability to compete for contested catches. Dane Brugler of CBS Sports praised Williams for demonstrating this skill on his touchdown reception versus Georgia Tech. 

Williams would be an ideal addition to the San Diego Chargers offense. 

San Diego has impressive speed from Travis Benjamin, but it could use the addition of a bigger possession receiver like Williams.