NFL Mock Draft 2017: Projections for Most Enigmatic 1st-Round Prospects

A year ago, guys named Myles Jack and Jaylon Smith were two of the most enigmatic prospects in the 2016 class.

Both had top-10 talent, but notable injury red flags that destroyed their stock. Smith wound up falling to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 34, Jack to the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 36.

Prospects fall into polarizing or enigmatic classifications each year for various reasons. Some have the medical history to create the stock damper, others have questions about character, pro fit, size, ability to transition and so much more.

This year, the biggest question marks aren't easy to narrow down because major red flags like Smith and Jack don't exist. Sprinkle in a year-long draft process that seems to tear down each prospect before building them back up, and it can be hard to cut through the noise and see who is worth fretting over.

Below, let's take a look at an updated mock and identify some guys deserving of the enigmatic label.

2017 Draft Order and Projections

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Cleveland Browns	Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
2	San Francisco 49ers	Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
3	Chicago Bears	Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
4	Jacksonville Jaguars	Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
5	Tennessee Titans (from Rams)	Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
6	New York Jets	Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford
7	Los Angeles Chargers	Jamal Adams, S, LSU
8	Carolina Panthers	Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
9	Cincinnati Bengals	Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
10	Buffalo Bills	Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
11	New Orleans Saints	Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
12	Cleveland Browns (from Eagles)	O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
13	Arizona Cardinals	DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
14	Philadelphia Eagles (from Vikings)	Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
15	Indianapolis Colts	Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
16	Baltimore Ravens	Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
17	Washington Redskins	John Ross, WR, Washington
18	Tennessee Titans	Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
20	Denver Broncos	Garett Bolles , OT, Utah
21	Detroit Lions	Takkarist McKinley, OLB/DE, UCLA
22	Miami Dolphins	Malik McDowell, DL, Michigan State
23	New York Giants	Haason Reddick, LB, Temple
24	Oakland Raiders	Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA
25	Houston Texans	Patrick Mahomes II, QB, Texas Tech
26	Seattle Seahawks	Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
27	Kansas City Chiefs	Dan Feeney, OG, Indiana
28	Dallas Cowboys	Kevin King, CB, Washington
29	Green Bay Packers	Forrest Lamp, G, Western Kentucky
30	Pittsburgh Steelers	David Njoku, TE, Miami
31	Atlanta Falcons	Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida
32	New Orleans Saints (from Patriots)	Obi Melifonwu, S, Connecticut

Projections for Most Enigmatic 1st-Round Prospects

13. Arizona Cardinals: DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame

DeShone Kizer has almost everything an NFL team wants.

The Notre Dame product is 6'4" and 233 pounds with a live arm. Good mechanics, strong in the pocket and good at throwing on the run, if not using his frame to punish would-be tacklers when he takes off down the field.

But a few details stick out about Kizer. For one, NFL front offices like to see a guy who raised the program around him in college. Most in the class did this, whether it was Deshaun Watson winning titles or so on. Kizer, though, led Notre Dame to a 4-8 record and was benched during the regular season at one point.

Secondly, Kizer has a background as a baseball player, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's something worth pointing out. He might have other options available to him. and should things not work out in the pros right away, front offices might get nervous.

But again, the draft process is brutal, and these talking points aren't the end of the world.

Viewed as a whole, Kizer is still the quarterback with the most upside in the class. Guys who can make good throws, move in the pocket and extend plays with their feet don't come around often. He wasn't in charge of recruiting at Notre Dame, nor was he the coach, and if he checked out in interviews with teams, that's all that matters.

Above, Kizer lands with the Arizona Cardinals for these very reasons. Teams needing an instant impact won't want to take the risk, but the front office in Arizona can probably get a few more years out of Carson Palmer—who is a great pro comparison for Kizer, anyway.

17. Washington Redskins: John Ross, WR, Washington

On the medical side of the enigmatic stock table, Washington's John Ross probably leads the way.

Fans will remember Ross as the guy who owned the combine, ripping off a 4.22 40-yard dash and tallying 133 inches on the broad jump, among the best at his position.

What they might not recall, though, is a right-knee injury in 2014 that required surgery in the offseason, before an ACL tear in his left knee in early April.

Ross is fast, and he can put on a show in workouts, not to mention on the field (81 catches for 1,150 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2016). But can he stay on it? Will his body be able to handle the rigors of the pro game?

Even if the injuries were fluky in nature—one possibly coming while trying to work his way back from the other and overcompensating—Ross is all of 5'11" and 188 pounds, so fans should understand if a front office decides to take a pass.

In the above mock, the Washington Redskins do no such thing.  Ross is a Brandin Cooks or DeSean Jackson-type player, with the latter being a guy the team lost this offseason. If the Redskins want to be competitive in the NFC East and squeeze the most out of Kirk Cousins for however long he remains, it's worth taking a few risks.

21. Detroit Lions: Takkarist McKinley, OLB/DE, UCLA

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

UCLA's Takkarist McKinley is a new arrival to the injury landscape.

McKinley came in at 6'2" and 250 pounds at the combine, impressing with a 4.59 40-yard dash while confirming tape in which he relied on wicked athleticism to disrupt opposing passers.

Then news about surgery broke.

Bleacher Report's Jason Cole provided the news:

For shame, because McKinley is an elite edge prospect who could push for top-10 status. Look at a scouting summary from NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, in which he compares the UCLA product to a guy by the name of Tamba Hali: 

"

Ascending edge prospect who racked up impressive TFL and sack numbers this year despite a relatively raw approach and skill set. He's a little stiff in his lower body, but flashes good athleticism once the ball is snapped. McKinley's motor is a translatable characteristic, but improved hand usage and pass rush mechanics are what could elevate his game to another level as a starting, 3-4 outside linebacker. 

"

NFL teams, though, might not want to risk a high selection on a guy who could miss key time leading up to his rookie season. This only gets amplified by the impressive depth of this class where McKinley shines.

Then again, McKinley doesn't have the toughest transition to the NFL. Line up, get after the quarterback and disrupt the timing of plays. The Detroit Lions won't mind taking the risk if it means he gets on the same field as Ziggy Ansah and helps counter a division housing Aaron Rodgers.

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