NFL Draft 2017: Analyzing 1st-Round Mock Projections After Bowl Games

The NFL playoffs and Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Antonio Brown posting a controversial Facebook Live video have combined to drown out talk about the upcoming draft.

For shame, too, with the class fully rounded out and prospects on the way to the Senior Bowl. The draft roadmap starts there, then weaves through various workouts and to the biggest event, the NFL Scouting Combine. From there, interviews and individual workouts before the big day.

The majority of fans should already have their maps out charting the course, seeing as four teams remain standing in the hunt for the Lombardi Trophy. It's worth keeping up every step of the way because this class is tough to dissect at certain spots, primarily defensive back.

To help in this regard, let's take a look at an updated mock draft based on team need and prospect value.

2017 NFL 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	Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
4	Jacksonville Jaguars	Malik McDowell, DL, Michigan State
5	Tennessee Titans (from LA)	Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
6	New York Jets	Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
7	San Diego Chargers	Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
8	Carolina Panthers	Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
9	Cincinnati Bengals	Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
10	Buffalo Bills	Jamal Adams, S, LSU
11	New Orleans Saints	Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
12	Cleveland Browns (from PHI)	DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
13	Arizona Cardinals	Jabrill Peppers, LB/S, Michigan
14	Indianapolis Colts	Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
15	Philadelphia Eagles (from MIN)	John Ross, WR, Washington
16	Baltimore Ravens	Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
17	Washington Redskins	Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford
18	Tennessee Titans	Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Marlon Humphrey, CB , Alabama
20	Denver Broncos	Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
21	Detroit Lions	Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan
22	Miami Dolphins	Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
23	New York Giants	Tim Williams, LB/DE, Alabama
24	Oakland Raiders	Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
25	Houston Texans	Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State
26	Seattle Seahawks	Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
27	Kansas City Chiefs	Dan Feeney, OG, Indiana
28	Dallas Cowboys	Adoree' Jackson, CB, USC
29	Pittsburgh Steelers	O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
30	Atlanta Falcons	Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida
31	Green Bay Packers	Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
32	New England Patriots	Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford

Philadelphia and Indianapolis will flip a coin for No. 14 and No. 15 at the NFL combine.

5. Tennessee Titans (from LA): Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan

Western Michigan wideout Corey Davis is a good example of why fans can't afford to fully ignore the draft process right now. 

Davis, not Mike Williams, John Ross or someone else, looks like the best at his position this year. Smaller program or not, Davis comes with great size and an ability to make plays after the catch.

NFL.com's Chris Trapasso summed up Davis well:

Years of high-end production paint a quality picture, too:

YEAR	REC	YDS	TD
2016	97	1,500	19
2015	90	1,436	12
2014	78	1,408	15

Teams in need can't afford to pass on a potential No. 1 wideout like Davis. Look at the Tennessee Titans, a team without a 1,000-yard receiver last year despite great play from Marcus Mariota under center.

Add Davis to the mix on the boundary, and guys like Tajae Sharpe and Delanie Walker have more room to work, which on paper keeps the offense moving more efficiently and perhaps helps Mariota stay healthy.

Granted, Davis will need a strong path to the draft to keep this slotting. But he's holding one big head start before the playoffs even conclude.

10. Buffalo Bills: Jamal Adams, S, LSU

Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

LSU's Jamal Adams is one of the many reasons this draft class confuses when it comes to the defensive secondary.

Adams looks like a top-10 pick most years. But sprinkle in guys like Malik Hooker, Jabrill Peppers, Marshon Lattimore and Marlon Humphrey, if not more, and intrigue clouds the picture. If teams don't throw a curveball and draft one guy unexpectedly over the other, they might outright wait to address the position because they know talent will fall to the second round.

Still, players like Adams don't come around often. At 6'1" and 213 pounds, Adams is an enforcer near the line of scrimmage who can shut down the rush, run with anyone from the slot and make sideline-to-sideline plays.

Or, as Bleacher Report's Matt Miller put it, a carbon copy of one of the NFL's best:

The Buffalo Bills aren't really in a position to pass on a prospect like Adams. New head coach Sean McDermott needs a tone-setter out of the gates on at least one side of the football.

Adams does this and much more. He boosts a unit that coughed up 133.1 rushing yards per game last year and reinforces a positional group featuring Aaron Williams, a guy who hasn't been able to stay on the field (he's played 10 games over the past two years).

He won't turn the Bills around overnight, but Adams is one heck of a way to start.

17. Washington Redskins: Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford

By the time the draft rolls around, Stanford's Solomon Thomas might be a top-10 pick, if not higher.

High praise, but versatile defensive linemen who can rush the passer from multiple spots in various fronts have insane value at the professional level.

This hypes Thomas in a way other details couldn't, but think versatility in the same vein as Geno Atkins or Aaron Donald.

Thomas' disruptive play at the collegiate level had CBSSports.com's Rob Rang comparing Thomas to Donald recently: "Comparing anyone to a disruptive presence like Donald (a legitimate Defensive MVP candidate, in my opinion) seems like hyperbole, but it is hard not to see the resemblance to the 6'1", 285-pounder given their similar initial burst, functional power, advanced use of hands and nonstop hustle."

Now imagine Thomas along the front seven with the Washington Redskins.

Washington tallied 38 sacks last year, with Trent Murphy going for nine and Ryan Kerrigan 11. Solid, but hardly enough in an NFC East featuring Dak Prescott, Eli Manning and Carson Wentz.

Versatile help in the form of Thomas couldn't hurt, not after Washington ranked 24th or worse against the rush (119.8) and pass (258.1) despite the sack numbers. Other areas of need exist, but Thomas is the kind of prospect who has a positive ripple effect on an entire unit.

Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.