NFL Mock Draft 2017: Bold 1st-Round Projections for Top Prospects

It's not hard to come up with a bold prediction for the NFL draft. 

For instance, last year the folks who claimed Ezekiel Elliott would be a top-five pick, Jaylon Smith and Myles Jack would almost be first-round picks, and even Paxton Lynch would come off the board in the opening round all got it right.

These examples persist each year. Bold predictions never really ring bold because of the wild nature of the draft itself. Mock drafts are an important resource for fans that mix the prospect stock market with team need and more, yet play catch up with what NFL teams really think until the event goes live.

Almost nothing is too outlandish, provided the one pulling the puppet strings of a mock isn't throwing a seventh-round prospect into the first.

Below, let's take an updated look at a mock and break down a few notable bold projections from it.

2017 NFL Mock Draft

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Cleveland Browns	Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
2	San Francisco 49ers	Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford
3	Chicago Bears	Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
4	Jacksonville Jaguars	Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
5	Tennessee Titans (from Rams)	Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
6	New York Jets	Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
7	Los Angeles Chargers	Jamal Adams, S, LSU
8	Carolina Panthers	Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
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)	Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
15	Indianapolis Colts	Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
16	Baltimore Ravens	John Ross, WR, Washington
17	Washington Redskins	Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
18	Tennessee Titans	Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA
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	Kevin King, CB, Washington
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	Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
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

Bold 1st-Round Projections

2. San Francisco 49ers: Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford

Here's a problem with the mock process—many seem willing to look at a team like the San Francisco 49ers, throw them a quarterback and call it a day. 

It's not so simple.

The 49ers might be stuck in the league's toughest rebuild, as even the Cleveland Browns have plenty of assets to work with in the coming years. It makes No. 2 important, and a so-so quarterback class makes the selection process that much tougher.

San Francisco could have its pick of the litter there, though bringing on Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley insulates the position with stopgap solutions for the time being. That pair, plus perhaps a rookie later, means the team can go for the best player available with Stanford's Solomon Thomas.

As Pro Football Focus pointed out, the 6'3", 273-pound defensive lineman has the budding versatility NFL teams covet:

"

Thomas was dominant this season as shown by his No. 1 run-defense grade (92.0) and No. 6 pass-rushing grade (86.9) among FBS interior defensive linemen. Thomas has been highly productive the last two seasons but has followed a natural skill development progression as he was first a solid run defender and then made an ever-increasing contribution as a pass-rusher.

"

Plugging Thomas into the same line as Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner will work wonders for the rest of the unit. An elite trench outlook could create a ripple effect on the rest of a mostly miserable unit.

Mocks often have teams overreaching for need, and San Francisco is a great example. A rookie quarterback isn't going to solve anything right now in what seems like a three-year rebuild at best. In fact, a rookie under center might ruin a rebuild because his struggles could cost the current staff its job.

Thomas helps along the rebuild right away as a foundation piece of the process.

8. Carolina Panthers: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford

Even a month ago, it was almost funny to point and laugh at mocks that had Stanford's Christian McCaffrey coming off the board high.

Not anymore.

It's easy to forget that versatile backs are the lifeblood of NFL offenses right now—James White scored three total touchdowns in the Super Bowl, remember?

Rotoworld's Josh Norris put it best:

Indeed, as McCaffrey is 5'11" and 202 pounds with a 4.48 40-yard dash and an electric 6.57-second time in the three-cone drill. Stats aren't everything when it comes to evaluating a prospect, but north of 3,600 rushing yards over the past two years speaks to McCaffrey's testing numbers and ability.

So yes, the Carolina Panthers would love a shot at the Stanford product. And according to the Charlotte Observer's Jourdan Rodrigue, the team has already met with him.

Feel free to call it the perfect fit. The Panthers need upgrades around Cam Newton to help him along. An explosive complement to Jonathan Stewart helps, especially if said complement can eventually take over the starting gig on his own.

So while running backs aren't typically worth high draft slots anymore, a versatile do-it-all back like McCaffrey is and will have teams as early as eight considering him.

15. Indianapolis Colts: Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama

Many don't like the idea of Alabama's Jonathan Allen taking a fall on draft day.

Alas, here it is.

There's no question Allen is a special talent. He's 6'3" and 286 pounds and found a way to stand out along a stout Crimson Tide defense. While those are all plus marks, his size and injury history has a way of working against him.

Allen's size isn't necessarily a plus for where NFL teams might want to use him. And standing out at Alabama isn't an overly plus thing because it might have made life easier.

Look at what an NFC player personnel guy told NFL.com's Lance Zierlein:

"

He's a really talented pass rusher but he's always been surrounded by enough talent that it's been hard for offenses to game plan their protection for him. He's skilled and very fundamentally sound but I just worry about his size and how he holds up to NFL running games.

"

Now sprinkle in the fact Allen has shoulder arthritis and his falling out of the top 10 doesn't seem so bold.

The Indianapolis Colts will be more than happy to snag Allen out of his fall. The defense that allowed 24.5 points and 120.4 rushing yards per game a year ago could use as much talent as it can find right away.

Allen provides options right out of the gates and would help produce a positive ripple effect. Whether he holds up long term isn't so easy to judge right now one way or the other, but the Colts have to build up the units tasked with helping Andrew Luck. Allen would do so immediately.

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