NFL Mock Draft 2017: Predictions, Analysis for Combine Stars and Top Prospects

The consequences of the scouting combine continue to have an impact on the outlook of the 2017 NFL draft. 

In most cases, one workout in Indiana won't outweigh reels of game film. A bad interview or medical red flag might, but more than anything, the gathering is a convenience for NFL teams as opposed to traveling all over the country.

Naturally, though, the budding year-round nature of the NFL has made the combine a must-see event, which hypes the results to extremes.

Let's cut through some of the noise and highlight some of the prospects who deserve a bump in an updated mock draft.

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

Analyzing Top Combine Stars 

Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford

It's not often a running back blows the doors off the combine and it's worth additional hype. Given the nature of the position, the film usually tells the whole story. 

Stanford's Christian McCaffrey, though, deserves a bit of a bump. He ran a 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds and blazed wild times on the three-cone drill (6.57 seconds), 20-yard shuttle (4.22) and 60-yard shuttle (11.03).

These numbers reinforce the idea his film—and the numbers that go alongside the tape—isn't a product of easy competition.

YEAR	ATT	YDS	AVG	TD
2016	253	1,603	6.3	13
2015	337	2,019	6.0	8

Given his numbers, tape and hands, McCaffrey looks an ideal pro back who could contribute on every down. Look at what an AFC pro personnel director told NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: "Teams who run a lot of three and four wide looks will like him because he can run those inside zone plays out of the gun and they can also motion him out of the backfield and just try [to] mismatch him."

Guys like McCaffrey come off the board in the first rounds of drafts these days while big names such as Adrian Peterson sit on the free-agent market. It's simply the latest evolution of the position and why the Philadelphia Eagles take the risk on the Stanford product in the first round of the above mock.

There, he could act as another weapon out of the backfield and create mismatches for quarterback Carson Wentz, whose development hinges on the ability of the players around him to catch the ball and make headway while getting up the field.

Haason Reddick, LB, Temple

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Few knew about Haason Reddick as he walked on at Temple. Even after 9.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss last year, per Zierlein, many didn't have him as a household name.

Then Reddick hit Indianapolis.

There, he came in a 6'1" and 237 pounds before blazing a 4.52 40-yard dash and leaping 36.5 inches in the vertical jump and 133 in the broad. He's technically undersized for a linebacker at the NFL level, but the numbers are still strong enough to make pro defensive coordinators rub their hands together.

This athleticism, which flashed on tape, is something coaches will love to get creative with when it comes to letting Reddick get after the quarterback or act like a sideline-to-sideline enforcer against the run.

As Pro Football Focus' scouting report put it, think of Reddick like Jamie Collins of the Cleveland Browns, who first made his money with Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots:

"

While teams will certainly want to take advantage of his pass-rush ability first, he also shows the instincts, speed and change of direction to help on coverage drops as well. Because of this, he is a scheme-independent player, and despite his frequent overrunning of plays, he warrants selection in the first round.

"

Linebacker is the biggest need for the New York Giants in the draft, so Reddick's fall in the mock above will seem like a steal. 

Simply put, the Giants need better talent behind a strong line that boasts Jason Pierre-Paul, Damon Harrison and Olivier Vernon. Reddick is a do-it-all solution.

Forrest Lamp, G, Western Kentucky

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

Yes, offensive linemen can impress at the combine.

Forrest Lamp did just that, with his ridiculous athleticism confirming his small-school status doesn't matter—he's the real deal.

Lamp came in at 6'4" and 309 pounds, yet dropped jaws with a 40-yard dash at five seconds flat, not to mention 34 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, a 111-inch broad jump and a 7.55-second three-cone drill.

Combine the numbers with the tape, and it begins to make sense, as Lamp can play any spot along the offensive line, including center if a team felt like teaching him to snap.

All this explains why CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler likened Lamp to Zack Martin of the Dallas Cowboys: "While unfair to compare him to an All-Pro NFL lineman, Lamp has a similar square blocking style as a college left tackle with the technique and tenacity to dominate in smaller quarters."

The idea of taking a guard in the first round isn't always the best, but Lamp provides much more in the right situation. His combine and the rest speak to why the Green Bay Packers pull the trigger at No. 29 in the above mock.

Green Bay graded tops in the league in pass blocking last year with PFF yet 18th in run blocking. After losing T.J. Lang and Josh Sitton over the past year or so, the Packers don't have a choice but to nab an instant upgrade.

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