NFL Mock Draft 2017: 1st-Round Projections and Top Underrated Prospects

With madness concluded, the NFL steps back into the spotlight as the march to the draft heats up. 

For those who tuned out after the combine in Indianapolis, much has changed on the prospect stock market thanks to pro days, interviews and simply more hours invested by teams in watching film and using it all to adjust grades.

When on the hunt for sleepers or underrated prospects to know, it's important to keep in mind this is a defensive-minded draft. The top four quarterbacks haven't changed nor has the hierarchy at spots like wideout or running back.

As a way to freshen up on some of the late risers or underrated names to know, let's zoom on three guys who should be household names by the time the process concludes.

2017 NFL Mock Draft

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, Edge, 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

Top Underrated Prospects

Haason Reddick, Edge, Temple

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Most didn't give Temple's Haason Reddick the time of day before the combine. He played at Temple, after all, seemed a bit small, and when it comes to pass-rushers, this class doesn't lack for any.

Now Reddick flirts with top-15 status whether most realize it or not.

Reddick blazed a 4.52 40-yard dash at the combine and went for 36.5 and 133 inches on the vertical and broad jump, respectively. This elite athleticism lets Reddick function as a scheme-independent player who could line up at inside linebacker and patrol against the running game or on the outside, where he'd pin his ears back and get after quarterbacks.

“The versatility shows how athletic I am,” Reddick said, according to Chris Burke of Sports Illustrated. “It shows I can do multiple things. ... It doesn’t matter who they put in front of me, or what they ask me to do. I’m just going to try to do it as best as I can. That’s the approach I took at Senior Bowl.”

In the above mock, Reddick slots in well with the New York Giants, a team in need of sheer talent at linebacker. Having a dominant line with Jason Pierre-Paul and Damon Harrison doesn't mean much if the linebackers can't patrol well and enforce the unit's will.

Reddick changes the complexion of the defense upon arrival even if he is a bit of a raw project. The coaching staff there will know what to do.

Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA

Fabian Moreau is far from the first name to come up at cornerback this year.

When mentioning the position, names such as Marshon Lattimore and Marlon Humphrey dominate the conversation with a few others added in for good measure.

It's time to put Moreau's name alongside the top two.

Moreau comes with good NFL size at 6'0" and 206 pounds. Even better, he blew away the combine with a 4.35 40-yard dash and top-performer numbers in the vertical jump (38 inches), broad jump (136) and 60-yard shuttle (11.45 seconds).

Pair his numbers with film showing he can be physical at the line of scrimmage and continued improvement in zone coverage, and he certainly has the look of a first-round corner.

Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson summed up Moreau at the combine: "Moreau also showed well in the coverage drills and looked like a corner that could play at the next level. His 2016 grading was inconsistent, but the high points were excellent, and he had six games this season in which he allowed one or fewer receptions."

Moreau suffered an injury at his pro day, but passing on him in the first isn't a wise move. It's a line of thinking the Oakland Raiders emphasize at No. 24 in the mock above after ranking 24th in passing yards allowed per game last year.

Kevin King, CB, Washington

Cornerback is a hotbed for underrated prospects this year. 

Kevin King out of Washington is at least partially to blame. He's a physical freak at 6'3" and 200 pounds, and NFL defensive coaches likely can't wait to get their hands on him to deploy him as they see fit.

King has incredible height for the position and the lanky play that makes him the perfect fit in today's NFL.

An AFC scout said the following, according to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: "I'm not 100 percent sure what you do with him because he's not a physical tackler, but he's almost too tall to be trusted against shifty receivers. Maybe a team like Seattle, which love those long, press corners. Or you might see a team try and make him a free safety."

Seattle is the perfect comparison for King given how the Seahawks use their defensive backs. In fact, King physically resembles a Richard Sherman and in time could be deployed as such provided he doesn't move to safety. 

Either way, NFL teams can't afford to ignore a physical defensive back like King. He'll need some time to adapt to the pros and keep learning, but he could wind up with best-in-class status at his spot in hindsight.

Above, the Dallas Cowboys pull the trigger on the upside. Secondary woes have been a constant battle for the franchise, and losing Morris Claiborne hasn't helped. Depending on how Dallas uses him, King could make an immediate impact.

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