NFL Draft 2017: 1st-Round Mock Draft and Scouting Combine Storylines to Watch

Indianapolis is NFL headquarters for a week as the entire league and more than 300 of the top prospects in the 2017 NFL draft converge for the NFL Scouting Combine.

The first group of players started to arrive Tuesday, though special teams, offensive linemen and running backs aren't the biggest crop of must-see prospects on their own.

Give it time. The full list will continue to trickle in, helping to make for one of the more entertaining affairs available to fans during the offseason. Though the medical evaluation is by far the most important part of the process, fans like to see the drills, and teams don't mind the borderline unlimited access to interviews as opposed to traveling all around the country for them. 

Before the event kicks into full gear, let's take a look at a mock draft and outline some of the biggest storylines to know in Indianapolis.

2017 Draft Order and Projections

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Cleveland Browns	Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
2	San Francisco 49ers	Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
3	Chicago Bears	DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
4	Jacksonville Jaguars	Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford
5	Tennessee Titans (from Rams)	Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
6	New York Jets	Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
7	Los Angeles Chargers	Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
8	Carolina Panthers	Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
9	Cincinnati Bengals	Malik McDowell, DL, Michigan State
10	Buffalo Bills	Jamal Adams, S, LSU
11	New Orleans Saints	Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
12	Cleveland Browns (from Eagles)	Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
13	Arizona Cardinals	Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
14	Indianapolis Colts	Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
15	Philadelphia Eagles (from Vikings)	O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
16	Baltimore Ravens	Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
17	Washington Redskins	Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
18	Tennessee Titans	Jabrill Peppers, LB/S, Michigan
19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
20	Denver Broncos	Garett Bolles , OT, Utah
21	Detroit Lions	Takkarist McKinley, OLB/DE, UCLA
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	Green Bay Packers	Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
30	Pittsburgh Steelers	David Njoku, TE, Miami
31	Atlanta Falcons	Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida
32	New England Patriots	Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford

Philadelphia and Indianapolis will flip a coin for Nos. 14 and 15 at the NFL Scouting Combine on Friday at 12:30 p.m.

Storylines to Watch

40-Yard Dash History 

Who beats Chris Johnson? 

This storyline is more for the fans than anything, which isn't a bad thing. Other than quarterbacks sparring (and this class needs much in the way of sparring, but more on that in a bit), every position lining up for the dash makes for the most interesting part of the combine.

The man formerly known as CJ2K ran a 4.24 40-yard dash in 2008 to set a record that hasn't been touched yet.

Prospects this year have more incentive than ever, though, as an island is at stake. No literally, an island—according to ESPN.com's Darren Rovell, Adidas has an island up for grabs if a prospect breaks the record while wearing the company's new cleats and endorses them.

Unexpected reward and smooth marketing approach aside, few players look to have the speed necessary to make history. Washington wideout John Ross and USC cornerback Adoree' Jackson are the favorites among Bleacher Report's experts to post the fastest times on their respective days

Whether either of those guys or an unexpected name takes down Johnson's record is hard to say, but it once again makes for one of the best parts of the week.

The All-Important Medical Evaluations

An off day on the field or a shocking, combine-warrior workout by a gymrat doesn't undo reels and reels of film NFL teams have on each player at the event.

The above is why critics don't fall in love with the combine each year and view it almost as more of a treat for the fans than a service for NFL teams.

But again, nothing wrong with keeping the fans involved in the offseason. And though it may have its shortcomings, NFL teams wouldn't argue with the statement suggesting medical evaluations in Indianapolis are a critical point on the path to the draft.

Even if a player doesn't take part in drills, combine participation requires time spent with league evaluators. Think guys like Corey Davis and Malik Hooker, two projected top-15 picks.

Other notables include Clemson wideout Mike Williams, whose stock could hinge on an evaluation of a neck problem that ruined his 2015 campaign. Same story for Florida State running back Dalvin Cook, who could be the first at his position off the board, provided his three shoulder surgeries since high school don't produce a red flag.

Examples abound, though observers get the point—film and interviews don't matter if league personnel get an up-close-and-personal look at a prospect and deem him not worth the risk. Teams put too much time and money into players to roll lopsided dice. Each team views the risks differently, but as always, a few rumored red flags will pop up over the course of the next week.

The Quarterback Sweepstakes Winner

Good luck figuring out which quarterback comes away with the biggest stock boost and sits first place at the position. 

Which is part of the fun, of course. Most NFL teams already have these guys organized into proper order on their boards and the combine won't change much. But it does change the perception for media and fans.

Where to start? Clemson's Deshaun Watson could be the first quarterback off the board. He won a title and plenty of games but also showed concerning up-and-down decision-making while throwing 17 interceptions lasts year.

North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky does everything right and touts plenty of upside, at least until defenses send blitzes his way. His comparison goes from quality NFL starter to Blake Bortles in a hurry, meaning NFL teams will want to see him under fire all week.

Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer flashes great mobility in all phases and did what he could to prop up an iffy supporting cast around him, but he gets scattershot with the accuracy at unpredictable times.

Then there is Patrick Mahomes out of Texas Tech, a player viewed as a gamble and project who could easily shoot into the top 10 provided he showcases some refined mechanics and consistency in drills.

This quarterback class doesn't stand up well to those in the recent past, hence a front office executive telling the Washington Post's Mark Maske this class doesn't boast a must-have player:

"

I think these are guys that deserve to go late in the first round, early in the second round, somewhere in there. I don’t think these are top-10, top-five guys. Now, I’m sure you’ll see some of these guys go in the top five or top 10 because there are teams up there that really, really need a quarterback. But, to me, it’ll be a reach.

"

Indeed, quarterback inflation is inevitable, so it wouldn't come as a surprise to see all four of the guys mentioned above come off the board in the first round—a journey that starts in Indianapolis this week.

Watching which quarterback seizes the moment is one of the best things about the event.   

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