2017 NFL Mock Draft: 1st-Round Projections Based on Prospects' Pro-Day Results

When it comes to the NFL draft process, pro days can often go overlooked. They don't usually draw the attention of the NFL Scouting Combine, and they certainly don't carry the impact of a career's worth of game film.

What pro days can do, however, is confirm or challenge what teams think about a particular prospect. Did the player miss the combine or perform poorly? He has a chance to change the narrative a bit with a strong pro-day performance. Prospects also get the opportunity to double down on what they did at the combine.

Unfortunately, pro days can sometimes have negative consequences. We saw an example of this when cornerback Sidney Jones suffered an Achilles injury at Washington's pro day.

Since pro-day season is now in full swing, it's an appropriate time to take another look at April's draft. We'll use what we've learned since last month's combine and pair everything with factors like team fit, team needs and player potential to mock up another first-round draft.

We'll also examine the latest draft-related news and rumor.

2017 NFL Draft

Pick #	Team	Proj. Selection
1	Cleveland Browns	Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
2	San Francisco 49ers	Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford
3	Chicago Bears	Jamal Adams, S, LSU
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	Haason Reddick, LB, Temple
10	Buffalo Bills	Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
11	New Orleans Saints	Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
12	Cleveland Browns (from PHI)	Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
13	Arizona Cardinals	Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
14	Philadelphia Eagles (from MIN)	Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
15	Indianapolis Colts	O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
16	Baltimore Ravens	Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
17	Washington Redskins	Chris Wormley, DL, Michigan
18	Tennessee Titans	Takkarist McKinley, LB, UCLA
19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jabrill Peppers, LB, Michigan
20	Denver Broncos	Forrest Lamp, OL, Western Kentucky
21	Detroit Lions	Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State
22	Miami Dolphins	Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
23	New York Giants	David Njoku, TE, Miami
24	Oakland Raiders	Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
25	Houston Texans	Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
26	Seattle Seahawks	Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
27	Kansas City Chiefs	John Ross, WR, Washington
28	Dallas Cowboys	Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan
29	Green Bay Packers	Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU
30	Pittsburgh Steelers	T.J. Watt, LB, Wisconsin
31	Atlanta Falcons	Dan Feeney, OG, Indiana
32	New Orleans Saints (from NE)	Tim Williams, LB, Alabama

Latest Buzz

Watson's Pro Day Yields Mixed Results

If you need confirmation that a pro day isn't likely to drastically change a player's stock, you need to look no further than Clemson's pro day on Thursday. Quarterback Deshaun Watson was one of the headline attractions, and he produced a little good and a little bad.

As Bleacher Report draft analyst Matt Miller pointed out, opinions on Watson's pro day hinged largely on pre-existing opinions:

The good part of Watson's performance was some improved footwork and good arm strength, according to NFL Media draft analyst Mike Mayock.

"His footwork was much improved because they're working on the feet and the hips, trying to sync that up with his arm strength," Mayock said, per Chase Goodbread of NFL.com. "Now his arm strength at all three levels is outstanding—short, medium, deep. He had a little bit more trajectory on the football, another thing they worked on."

While it's great to see Watson improving his footwork—something he'll need to refine at the pro level—the workout drew some negative reactions, as well. One scout pointed out inconsistent ball placement and poor timing to NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah.

"It was a B-minus/C-plus type workout," the scout told Jeremiah, per Goodbread.

Ultimately, Watson's pro day probably didn't hurt his stock, but it might not have raised it much in the eyes of teams that are on the fence about him. The teams that were already interested in him will probably look at the improved footwork and feel less concerned about his ability to develop into a pro passer.

Browns Skip Out on Clemson's Pro Day

One team that could—and possibly should—have interest in Watson is the Cleveland Browns. The team has been searching for a franchise quarterback since its return to the league in 1999, and Watson is widely regarded as one of the top signal-callers in this class.

Coincidentally, the Browns have two first-round picks this year, one of them being first overall.

Yet the Browns decided not to send head coach Hue Jackson or executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown to Clemson's pro day to view the quarterback.

This is the second time in the pre-draft process that the Browns and Watson have missed one another. Jackson would have coached Watson in the Senior Bowl, but the quarterback turned down his invitation.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Jackson and Brown didn't attend because Cleveland plans to visit with Watson and hold a private workout before the draft.

While the Browns might still have legitimate interest in Watson, some have suggested that the quarterback the team really covets is North Carolina signal-caller Mitchell Trubisky. Cabot reported during the combine that the Browns are "strongly considering" Trubisky at No. 1 overall.

Trubisky might be Cleveland's top target, but we probably shouldn't look into the pro-day skip-out as a sign the team isn't interested in Watson. Jackson seems determined to land a potential franchise quarterback for his team this offseason.

"We're going to find one," Jackson said back in January, per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal. "I promise you guys that."

It only makes sense for Cleveland to do their homework on Watson.

Watt Shows Versatility at Pro Day

Andy Manis/Associated Press

Former Wisconsin linebacker—and little brother to J.J. Watt—T.J. Watt seems to have been gaining steam ever since a solid combine performance. Watt measured in at 6'4" and 252 pounds there and ran the 40 in 4.69 seconds. He also produced an impressive 37-inch vertical.

Because of his strong combine numbers, Watt stuck to positional drills at Wisconsin's pro day, though he used the process as an opportunity to showcase his versatility.

According to Watt, different teams have had different opinions on where exactly he should play. He had the following to say, per John Veldhuis of Yahoo Sports:

"

I've heard it all. 3-4 outside linebacker is what I've done in college so a lot of coaches know I can do that, but I've heard everything from defensive end in a 4-3 scheme to inside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme. I'm willing to do whatever, to be honest with you. You've got to be versatile. Versatility is going to get you on the field and it's going to be hard to take you off the field.

"

Some teams are likely to be drawn to Watt because of his brother's production at the NFL level. If T.J. Watt can be close to what J.J. Watt has been when healthy, he'll be worth picking up early in the draft. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the younger Watt was himself a disruptive defender at Wisconsin.

Last season alone, Watt produced 63 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 15.5 tackles for a loss and an interception.