2017 NFL Draft: Predictions for This Year's Star Prospects

While everyone has their opinions, the 2017 NFL draft is full of uncertainty.

Myles Garrett projects to be the top overall pick, but there is no guarantee the Cleveland Browns pull the trigger. The rest of the teams might have a game plan heading into Thursday night, although everything will depend on what happens in front of them.

In a deep class that features debate at just about every position, teams will all try to outsmart their competition. The fun comes from finding out where the top names will end up on draft day.

Here are the latest predictions for the first round of the 2017 draft.

Pick	Team	Player	Pos.	School
1	Cleveland Browns	Myles Garrett	DE	Texas A&M
2	San Francisco 49ers	Mitchell Trubisky	QB	North Carolina
3	Chicago Bears	Solomon Thomas	DE	Stanford
4	Jacksonville Jaguars	Leonard Fournette	RB	LSU
5	Tennessee Titans (from Rams)	Marshon Lattimore	CB	Ohio State
6	New York Jets	Jamal Adams	S	LSU
7	Los Angeles Chargers	Malik Hooker	S	Ohio State
8	Carolina Panthers	Jonathan Allen	DL	Alabama
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 (from Eagles)	Deshaun Watson	QB	Clemson
13	Arizona Cardinals	Patrick Mahomes	QB	Texas Tech
14	Philadelphia Eagles (from Vikings)	Christian McCaffrey	RB	Stanford
15	Indianapolis Colts	Takkarist McKinley	OLB	UCLA
16	Baltimore Ravens	Haason Reddick	LB	Temple
17	Washington Redskins	Malik McDowell	DT	Michigan State
18	Tennessee Titans	Corey Davis	WR	Western Michigan
19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Ryan Ramczyk	OT	Wisconsin
20	Denver Broncos	O.J. Howard	TE	Alabama
21	Detroit Lions	Dalvin Cook	RB	Florida State
22	Miami Dolphins	Forrest Lamp	OG	Western Kentucky
23	New York Giants	David Njoku	TE	Miami
24	Oakland Raiders	Quincy Wilson	CB	Florida
25	Houston Texans	DeShone Kizer	QB	Notre Dame
26	Seattle Seahawks	Garett Bolles	OT	Utah
27	Kansas City Chiefs	Gareon Conley	CB	Ohio State
28	Dallas Cowboys	Jabrill Peppers	S	Michigan
29	Green Bay Packers	Taco Charlton	DE	Michigan
30	Pittsburgh Steelers	Charles Harris	DE	Missouri
31	Atlanta Falcons	Jarrad Davis	OLB	Florida
32	New Orleans Saints (from Patriots)	John Ross	WR	Washington

Notable Picks

San Francisco 49ers: Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Cleveland Browns were considering Mitchell Trubisky with the No. 1 pick, but Garrett is simply too good to pass up at the top of the draft. The Browns need a quarterback, but the pass-rusher is as safe a pick as there is in this class.

The San Francisco 49ers also need a quarterback, and there isn't a good enough reason to avoid taking one at No. 2.

While the team added Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley in the offseason, neither is a long-term solution at the position. Instead, they both could serve as placeholders until a younger, better player is ready to take control of the offense.

That person could be Trubisky, who is still raw with only one year of starting experience but has all the tools you want from a quarterback. The North Carolina star has a strong arm, good athleticism and he knows how to handle himself in the pocket.

San Francisco won't need him to start right away but instead could let him develop before reaching his potential in the NFL.

Cincinnati Bengals: Reuben Foster, ILB, Alabama

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

The Cincinnati Bengals have been known for their defense over the years, but last year's squad ranked just 17th in yards allowed last season.

The linebacker corps has been especially disappointing, with Vontaze Burfict struggling to even stay on the field with just 26 games played over the last three seasons. Although the team signed Kevin Minter in the offseason, they could still use help.

Reuben Foster should be able to make an immediate impact as a prototypical middle linebacker who can cover from sideline to sideline on the field for all three downs. He was a leader on Alabama's defense, winning the Dick Butkus award as the top linebacker in the country.

Unfortunately, this selection comes with significant risk.

A shoulder injury could slow him down, although his agent explained his recovery was ahead of schedule. Foster also failed a drug test at the combine for having a diluted sample.

Still, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller thinks highly of the linebacker:

The Bengals have benefited from high-risk players in the past and should be willing to take the chance once again for a potential game-changing talent.

Philadelphia Eagles: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford

Thomas Boyd/Associated Press

While he has a chance at being taken even earlier, this is about the right point for Christian McCaffrey to come off the board.

The Philadelphia Eagles need some consistency at running back they didn't see last season. Ryan Mathews, Darren Sproles and Wendell Smallwood took turns in the backfield and produced some good games, but none can be trusted over a full season.

McCaffrey has everything you want in a running back after totaling 4,577 yards from scrimmage over the past two seasons at Stanford. He not only can pick up yards between the tackles, he is an elite receiver out of the backfield who could provide a boost to the passing game for Carson Wentz.

His numbers at the combine also showcased his pure athleticism, including a 40-yard dash time of 4.48 seconds and three-cone drill of 6.57 seconds. This explosiveness proves he will be able to turn his college production into success in the NFL.

In a class full of high-upside running backs like Leonard Fournette, Dalvin Cook, Joe Mixon and others, McCaffrey could be the best available.

Dallas Cowboys: Jabrill Peppers, S, Dallas Cowboys

Jabrill Peppers was one of the biggest stars of the college football season. The Michigan product was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a Heisman Trophy finalist thanks to his ability to contribute in many phases of the game.

While his athleticism and versatility keeps his upside high, his lack of experience at any specific position leaves concerns.

Different organizations could use him at different spots, but the Dallas Cowboys need a safety after losing J.J. Wilcox and Barry Church to free agency this offseason. Although Jeff Heath has potential, Peppers would fit in well in the secondary alongside Byron Jones.

With that said, a set position won't stop him from making an impact in a variety of ways. Peppers could help against the run or the pass, will be valuable on the blitz and should be able to confuse offenses by lining up at different spots on the field. He could even contribute on specials teams and offense with a creative coaching staff.

Like Foster, Peppers had a reported diluted drug test sample at the combine, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. This could scare off some teams, but it will unlikely affect the Cowboys.

Dallas needs to add talent to its defense, and Peppers would help in a big way.