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

Trades are a hallmark of the NFL draft. 

This year won't be any different, though it might be hard to match last year's extravaganza that featured the Los Angeles Rams moving to No. 1 for Jared Goff and the Philadelphia Eagles moving right behind them for Carson Wentz. 

The draft always encourages a flurry of moves. Even in a deep, defensive-minded class like this, a few teams will make moves before things get underway, and others will fire off trades during the draft itself as they realize one of their favorite prospects keeps slipping.

Below, let's take a look at an adjusted mock draft altered with trades to compensate for some of the logical ideas floating around, keeping in mind many deals might not happen until the last second during the draft.

2017 NFL Mock Draft

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Cleveland Browns	Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
2	Carolina Panthers	Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
3	Chicago Bears	Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford
4	Jacksonville Jaguars	Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
5	New Orleans Saints	Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
6	New York Jets	Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
7	Los Angeles Chargers	Jamal Adams, S, LSU
8	San Francisco 49ers	Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
9	Cincinnati Bengals	Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
10	Buffalo Bills	Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
11	Tennessee Titans (from Rams)	Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA
12	Cleveland Browns (from Eagles)	O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
13	Arizona Cardinals	DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
14	Philadelphia Eagles (from Vikings)	Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
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	Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
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	Chicago Bears	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

Trade Projections

2. Carolina Panthers: Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU

It's smokescreen season, but the Carolina Panthers having an interest in LSU's Leonard Fournette is one of the most believable nuggets making the rounds.

The Panthers haven't been shy about perhaps wanting to move up with extra picks, as general manager Dave Gettleman told the Charlotte Observer's Joseph Person: "It’s a heavy draft and it was an opportunity for us to move up. To you guys, eight spots doesn’t seem like much. But to me it’s gold."

In this scenario, the Panthers package several picks to swap with the San Francisco 49ers, ensuring they get their guy.

And Fournette is quite a guy. He's 6'0" and 240 pounds with 4.51 40-yard dash speed. College production isn't overly important when looking at a prospect, but his bulldozing of the SEC on the way to 1,953 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2015 was impressive.

Fournette is a guy who needs the right situation to succeed at the next level. Playing in a diverse backfield with Cam Newton and teaming with the veteran Jonathan Stewart certainly classifies as such, which is why the Panthers will be so comfortable taking a gamble on an undervalued position after moving up.

5. New Orleans Saints: Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State

The struggling New Orleans Saints defense would sure love to get its hands on the supposed next Ed Reed. 

Now it can.

The Saints have flirted with the idea of trading for Malcolm Butler of the New England Patriots. But moving up in a deal with the Titans by leveraging later picks and selections next year might be an even better idea. Given the fact the Titans have two first-round picks and a franchise quarterback in place, moving down or trading for veterans makes sense.

At No. 5, the Saints can shore up one safety spot with Malik Hooker, a guy who keeps drawing Reed comparisons because of his natural coverage instincts and, most importantly, range. The only knock on Hooker right now is his lack of experience, which makes what he's already accomplished on film and in terms of draft stock rather impressive.

"Hook[er] is still so raw and you see him making all of those plays. He's a player who will come in and look bad his first year and then be an All-Pro by his third year. I think that's his arc. No short-cut for experience," an AFC personnel director told NFL.com's Lance Zierlein.

The Saints aren't looking at a snap-of-the-fingers rebuild, so the franchise can weather the storm if he struggles for his first year or so. Moving up to get a guy who could turn into one of the best players in the league at his spot is a no-brainer move for a team desperately needing a cornerstone on the defensive side of the ball.

25. Chicago Bears: Patrick Mahomes II, QB, Texas Tech

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

The Chicago Bears might be the most interesting team in this year's draft.

Chicago needs to go all-in on a franchise quarterback in what looks like the third year of a gigantic rebuild under general manager Ryan Pace. He's found gems like Jordan Howard and Cody Whitehair, yet nothing at quarterback, and he might not view any in this class as worthy of the slot at No. 3.

So in the scenario here, the Bears get the best player available with Solomon Thomas, who shores up a hybrid front. They then cough up the assets necessary to trade back up into the first round and grab Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes II.

Mahomes is a project at 6'2" and 225 pounds thanks to his days in pass-happy offenses like the one at Texas Tech. His arm is stronger than many at the pro level already, though as Zierlein noted, his ability to better anticipate in tighter throwing windows is key:

"

Mahomes' ability to improvise and extend plays can lead to big plays for his offense, but he will have to prove he can operate with better anticipation and be willing to take what the defense gives him in order to win from the pocket. Mahomes will be a work in progress, but he's a high ceiling, low floor prospect.

"

The Bears don't mind letting Mahomes sit and learn for a year, not after inking Mike Glennon to what is, financially speaking, a one-year deal. 

If a high-ceiling prospect like Mahomes pans out, he's worth every bit the Bears poured into moving up and getting him.

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