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

The 2017 NFL draft is only two weeks away, and the top 10 projected selections are continuing to take clearer shape the closer we get to April 27.

At this point in the process, 10 out of 11 draft experts from NFL.com and CBSSports.com have the same projected No. 1 pick by the Cleveland Browns in Texas A&M edge-rusher Myles Garrett.

One NFL.com analyst, Chad Reuter, has apparently taken ESPN's Adam Schefter's report that the Browns are undecided about which prospect they want at No. 1 seriously; he projects that Cleveland will take quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (more on that below).

Almost every expert also agrees that the San Francisco 49ers will select a defensive end with the No. 2 overall pick, though whether that player will be Stanford's Solomon Thomas or Tennessee's Derek Barnett is up for debate. 

No one truly knows what NFL front office executives are thinking at this point in the season, but we are seeing more uniformity among the mock drafts.

Let's go over the most recent projections for the first round of the draft and break down some of the storylines surrounding the top prospects.

Selection	Team	Player	Position	School
1	Cleveland Browns	Myles Garrett	DE	Texas A&M
2	San Francisco 49ers	Solomon Thomas	DE	Stanford
3	Chicago Bears	Jamal Adams	SS	LSU
4	Jacksonville Jaguars	Jonathan Allen	DE	Alabama
5	Tennessee Titans (via LAR)	Marshon Lattimore	CB	Ohio State
6	New York Jets	Deshaun Watson	QB	Clemson
7	Los Angeles Chargers	Malik Hooker	FS	Ohio State
8	Carolina Panthers	Leonard Fournette	RB	LSU
9	Cincinnati Bengals	Reuben Foster	ILB	Alabama
10	Buffalo Bills	Mike Williams	WR	Clemson
11	New Orleans Saints	Derek Barnett	DE	Tennessee
12	Cleveland Browns (via PHI)	Mitchell Trubisky	QB	UNC
13	Arizona Cardinals	DeShone Kizer	QB	Notre Dame
14	Philadelphia Eagles (via MIN)	Corey Davis	WR	Western Michigan
15	Indianapolis Colts	Dalvin Cook	RB	FSU
16	Baltimore Ravens	Cam Robinson	OT	Alabama
17	Washington	Malik McDowell	DT	Michigan State
18	Tennessee Titans	John Ross	WR	Washington
19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jabrill Peppers	S	Michigan
20	Denver Broncos	O.J. Howard	TE	Alabama
21	Detroit Lions	Haason Reddick	DE	Temple
22	Miami Dolphins	Forrest Lamp	G	Western Kentucky
23	New York Giants	Ryan Ramczyk	OT	Wisconsin
24	Oakland Raiders	Zach Cunningham	ILB	Vanderbilt
25	Houston Texans	Taco Charlton	DE	Michigan
26	Seattle Seahawks	Garett Bolles	OT	Utah
27	Kansas City Chiefs	Christian McCaffrey	RB	Stanford
28	Dallas Cowboys	Marlon Humphrey	CB	Alabama
29	Green Bay Packers	T.J. Watt	OLB	Wisconsin
30	Pittsburgh Steelers	Takkarist McKinley	OLB	UCLA
31	Atlanta Falcons	Charles Harris	DE	Missouri
32	Saints (via NE)	David Njoku	TE	Miami

Storylines for Top Prospects

Could QB Mitchell Trubisky Become No. 1 Overall Pick?

As mentioned previously, Schefter reported on Tuesday that the Browns haven't made up their minds about whether they want to select consensus top prospect Garrett or Trubisky with the No. 1 overall pick.

The problem for the Browns is that this class is so loaded with talent at other positions that the Browns may very well be able to land Trubisky with their selection at No. 12. 

Now, if the majority of the Browns brass—and it does sound, from Schefter's report—that there's significant dissension in the front office—feels that Trubisky is the guy, sitting on their hands waiting for him to fall to No. 12 is a nerve-wracking proposition. 

But missing out on a once-in-a-generation defensive talent in Garrett feels too foolish to consider, even for the oft-maligned Browns front office. 

"Don't be surprised if Myles Garrett isn't the No. 1 pick," an NFL executive whose team selects in the top 10 said, per ESPN.com. 

But if that scenario really goes down on Day 1, surprise will be the overriding emotion of the hour. 

DE Solomon Thomas is a "Frustrating" Prospect

Former NFL defensive end Stephen White penned an insightful piece for SB Nation about why Stanford prospect Thomas "is the most frustrating prospect" he's broken down. 

White focuses on three areas of Thomas' game: his hot-and-cold effort, his hand size and the inconsistency between his physical gifts and how frequently he "flashed."

White isn't the only analyst who is frustrated by Thomas, but there are many people who are likely losing a lot more sleep over these issues—the NFL executives considering drafting Thomas. 

Thomas is a popular mock to the San Francisco 49ers at No. 2 overall. There's no denying the 49ers need some help when it comes to the pass rush. 

But the team that selects Thomas, be it the 49ers or someone else, understands it's taking a risk. CBSSports.com's Rob Rang elucidates what might be giving some front-office personnel pause, writing Thomas "will be viewed by some as a 'tweener lacking the bulk to be an every-down defensive tackle or the burst and bend of a classic defensive end."

Of course, if Thomas were clearly flawed, not only would his name not be in the conversation at No. 2, but he wouldn't be a "frustrating" prospect. What's difficult to pin down about Thomas is that when he flashes, he looks like an incredible player—one who can anchor a team's pass rush for years to come. 

Then, there are his physical gifts; he ran a 4.69-second 40-yard dash and jumped 126 inches in the vertical jump. 

Thomas will likely be selected in the top five, but it remains to be seen if he can play with more consistency in the pros. 

Which RB Will be Selected First?

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

The 2017 NFL draft is unique in that we could see more than one running back come off the board in the top 10. 

That hasn't happened since 2005, when three rushers were taken within the top 10 picks: Ronnie Brown by the Miami Dolphins at No. 2, Cedric Benson at No. 4 by the Chicago Bears and Cadillac Williams at No. 5 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

This year, however, the right factors have come together to make it possible. There is a group of extremely talented runners from which teams can select, and there are at least two teams in the top 10 with a demonstrated need at the position in the Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 4) and Carolina Panthers (No. 8). 

The question, however, is which rusher will be the first to come off the board?

At this point, experts trend toward LSU's Leonard Fournette, who is projected to be taken by the Jaguars in seven recent mock drafts across NFL.com and CBSSports.com. 

However, while CBSSports.com' prospect rankings list Fournette at the apex of the position, running back is a fluid position, with different teams valuing different traits.

Fournette blends power and speed to become a workhorse back, which the Jaguars could value highly when it comes to taking pressure off quarterback Blake Bortles.