2017 NFL Mock Draft: Pre-Divisional Round Projections for 1st-Round Prospects

The 2017 NFL draft doesn't feature an extraordinary amount of high-end talent, with Myles Garrett and Jonathan Allen leading a select group, but the class does have solid depth. That's good news for teams that are looking to fill a specific void with their first selection.

Running back is one area of particular interest. Teams have shied away from using early picks on the position for several years recently, believing they could find value later. The immediate success of Dallas Cowboys rookie sensation Ezekiel Elliott, last year's No. 4 pick, could change that outlook.

So let's check out a complete set of projections for the first round. That's followed by a deeper dive into a trio of top rushers from the 2017 class.

First-Round 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	Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
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	John Ross III, WR, Washington

Analyzing Round 1 Running Backs

4. Jacksonville Jaguars: Dalvin Cook (Florida State)

Dalvin Cook is coming off back-to-back monster seasons for the Seminoles. The Miami native put up 1,935 offensive yards and 20 touchdowns during his breakout 2015 campaign. He backed that up by tallying 2,253 yards from scrimmage and 20 scores as a junior in 2016 before deciding to enter the draft.

What makes him special is the ability to pick up hard yards between the tackles while still possessing game-breaking speed. The majority of running backs have only one of those traits. He had a 94-yard run as a sophomore and a 75-yard run as a junior. 

Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network compared him to one of the league's most dynamic playmakers:

He's exactly the type of weapon the Jaguars need. T.J. Yeldon and Chris Ivory, who formed the backfield tandem this past season, are plodders who averaged less than four yards per carry. That put too much pressure on quarterback Blake Bortles, who responded by making a multitude of mistakes.

Cook would immediately give the Jags more balance on offense. Combine that with a defense that ranked sixth in yards allowed and the arrow would start pointing up for Jacksonville, especially if Bortles can enjoy a bounce-back season in 2017.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Leonard Fournette (LSU)

Leonard Fournette could end up going much higher than this prediction if he's able to show he's healthy after his injury-plagued season with the Tigers. He played just seven games during his final collegiate season en route to recording 843 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.

He skipped the Citrus Bowl in order to let his ailing left ankle heal as much as possible before the draft process got underway. The decision, which was replicated by Stanford's Christian McCaffrey, led to a contentious nationwide debate about players sitting out bowl games to focus on the future.

Jim Kleinpeter of the Times-Picayune passed along comments in December from the 21-year-old New Orleans native about his disappointment stemming from the polarizing situation.

"Especially with the hard work in the offseason I put in with me and my team," Fournette said. "But just to know, I'm not a quitter at all. I tried to play through the injury as best as I could. It was hard knowing the hard work that I put in didn't build to the season pretty much."

In 2015, he was one of the nation's best players. He finished his sophomore campaign with 1,953 rushing yards, 253 receiving yards and 23 total touchdowns. He demonstrated explosive playmaking ability that would make him worthy of a top-10 selection, if he's healthy.

If lingering concerns about the ankle cause him to slide, the Bucs would be glad to grab him. Doug Martin averaged a brutal 2.9 yards per carry in 2016, and none of the team's other backs was impressive when given a chance to start. Fournette could immediately step into a key role.

30. Kansas City Chiefs: Christian McCaffrey (Stanford)

McCaffrey is a versatile weapon who is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. The running back wrapped up his career with the Cardinal having scored 33 total touchdowns. He scored 21 on the ground, 10 through the air and two on special teams.

Yet there are questions about whether he's capable of becoming a true No. 1 back at the NFL level. He's listed at just 200 pounds, which raises concerns about his ability to handle 16 games of pro punishment, and he doesn't feature the raw power of somebody like Fournette.

That's why it's no shock at least one AFC personnel director doesn't believe a consensus will form about where the Stanford star should land in the draft, per College Football 24/7:

It's an accurate assessment. McCaffrey could end up going in the first half of Round 1 or slipping all the way into the back half of Round 2. There isn't a clear answer since all it takes is one team to fall in love with his wide-ranging skill set, even if others aren't convinced he'll make a major impact.

Andy Reid has made a habit of turning pure playmakers into reliable contributors throughout his career; Chiefs wideout Tyreek Hill is the latest example. So with Jamaal Charles' future being unsettled after two straight injury-filled years, Kansas City could be the one to take a chance on McCaffrey.