NFL Draft 2017: Reviewing This Year's Biggest Steals, Reaches and Surprises
The 2017 NFL draft was one of the most unpredictable in recent memory. Starting with the top overall pick, the first round kicked off what was a constant guessing game for fans, analysts and most NFL teams.
Looking back years from now, the four quarterbacks chosen in the first 52 picks will likely define this draft class as a whole. And along with the quarterbacks, the Panthers' unique draft strategy, the Browns' bullish decisions and the surprising falls of Jonathan Allen and Alvin Kamara will be the stories and talking points we reflect on in a few years.
Here are the biggest steals, surprises and reaches from the 2017 NFL draft.
Steal: QB DeShone Kizer, Cleveland Browns (No. 52)
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Viewed by some NFL draft analysts as a top-two quarterback in the 2017 draft, Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer slipped to the middle of Round 2 due to leadership and consistency concerns.
The Browns happily scooped him up at pick No. 52, and he’ll enter their quarterback competition as the favorite to win the job. There is merit to the concerns surrounding his film and demeanor behind closed doors; however, his polished mechanics and footwork, his outstanding arm talent and the flashes he showed in 2015 strongly suggest a future franchise quarterback. And in Cleveland under Hue Jackson, he may reach his ceiling quicker than the other top passers in this class.
Surprise: QB Mitchell Trubisky, Chicago Bears (No. 2)
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While it wasn't surprising North Carolina’s Mitchell Trubisky was the first quarterback taken in the 2017 draft, his landing spot was far from expected.
The Bears had been linked to several signal-callers during the draft process, but Trubisky was rarely mentioned as one of them. Chicago fooled pretty much everyone in regards to the team's interest. The Bears traded their 2017 third- and fourth-round picks as well as their 2018 third-rounder to move up one spot to secure him.
He’ll enter the Bears organization as the clear No. 2 quarterback with every expectation to sit and learn behind Mike Glennon for a year, which is probably the best situation for the inexperienced passer with lots of upside.
Reach: QB C.J. Beathard, San Francisco 49ers (No. 104)
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With Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley as the only quarterbacks on the roster, the 49ers were expected to add a rookie passer at some point in the 2017 draft. But despite the fact Tennessee’s Josh Dobbs and Pittsburgh’s Nathan Peterman were still on the board, the 49ers opted for Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard.
Hailing from a pro-style offense at Iowa with two years as a starter, Beathard looked the part of a fringe NFL backup on film, possessing only adequate arm talent and no true special traits. Still, the 49ers drafted him with the 104th overall pick. He may never be starter material. The 49ers likely drafted him to be their backup of the future behind a quarterback they add in next year’s draft or in free agency.
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Steal: RB Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints (No. 67)
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Despite being considered as a possible first-round pick in early mock drafts, Tennessee’s Alvin Kamara slipped all the way to the third round, with the New Orleans Saints ending his fall. The Saints moved up in the round to secure Kamara, who may remind some in New Orleans of Reggie Bush.
NFL Network’s Charles Davis agrees with that comparison, saying, “What [Sean Payton] could do with Reggie Bush out of the backfield—run the ball, throw it to him, put him in different mismatches—they can do with Kamara."
The rookie running back enters a Saints backfield that also includes Adrian Peterson and Mark Ingram.
Surprise: RB/WR Curtis Samuel, Carolina Panthers (No. 40)
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The Panthers clearly wanted to add a new identity to their offense this year. After selecting Christian McCaffrey in the first round, the Panthers found another offensive playmaker in Ohio State’s Curtis Samuel with their second-round pick.
While Samuel’s most obvious role in the offense may be to fill the void left by Ted Ginn Jr., he can do so much more for this offense. He was a true running back/receiver hybrid in college, and it’s that versatility that likely excited the Panthers enough to take him early in Round 2. Cam Newton is probably a very happy quarterback after this weekend.
Reach: WR Dede Westbrook, Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 110)
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With a wildly productive final college season and Heisman Trophy consideration, it was reasonable to think Oklahoma’s Dede Westbrook would be considered worthy of a high draft pick. But despite his production and impressive film, there were quite a few concerns on his scouting report.
For one, he’s a lighter receiver who will be an older rookie in the NFL, turning 24 in November. Another concern was that he sustained a serious high school injury, after which doctors told him to never play football again. And most importantly, he’s had multiple run-ins with the law, including domestic violence charges. For all of those reasons, Westbrook looked like a fringe draft pick, not an early fourth-round prospect.
Steal: DE Jonathan Allen, Washington Redskins (No. 17)
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Viewed as a potential top-10 draft pick before the 2016 college season even started, Jonathan Allen never ceased to impress on film as a leader for the Alabama defense. Based on talent alone, Allen looked the part of an elite talent and was considered behind only Myles Garrett in perceived value.
But concerns about his surgically repaired shoulders pushed him from the top five to the 17th pick in Round 1. The Washington Redskins scooped him up, and he’ll instantly be one of their best defenders in their front seven. If he can stay healthy, every team (aside from the Cleveland Browns) will regret their decision to let him slide.
Surprise: DE Carl Lawson, Cincinnati Bengals (No. 116)
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At his pro day, Auburn’s Carl Lawson said he firmly believed he’d be a first-round pick. The former 4-star recruit, per Scout.com, felt that his productive college career and athleticism put him in line with what NFL teams wanted.
But the standout Auburn prospect fell to the fourth round of the draft, eventually finding a home with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals, who drafted Kansas State’s Jordan Willis a round earlier, certainly bolstered their defensive line in the draft.
Lawson was once considered a potential top-20 talent, so scooping him up in Round 4 is a low-risk, high-reward pick.
Reach: DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, Kansas City Chiefs (No. 59)
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The first small-school player drafted in 2017, Villanova's Tanoh Kpassagnon has the body type of a Greek god. The physical specimen looks the part of a cornerstone defensive player, and his flashes on film and at the Senior Bowl speak to that upside.
But he's very much a work in progress. While he can flash pass-rush upside, Kpassagnon struggles to finish consistently in the backfield. FCS offensive linemen slowed and stopped him too often, and he has quite a bit of work to do with his hand placement. While the upside is exciting, the Chiefs' decision to take him in the second round is too precarious for a high-risk, high-reward defensive lineman.
Steal: S Josh Harvey-Clemons, Washington Redskins (No. 230)
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Among the most versatile, talented safeties in the class, Louisville's Josh Harvey-Clemons may have been a top-100 pick if not for a hamstring injury that limited him as a senior and disabled him from working out during the draft process. Formerly a highly recruited linebacker at Georgia, Harvey-Clemons transferred to Louisville after off-field issues.
A Kam Chancellor-like talent, the former linebacker shows off tremendous range and use of length. While his timing, anticipation, tackling form and ball skills aren't polished yet, he's the type of athlete who should surprise as a rookie and make an impact despite being a seventh-round pick.
Surprise: CB Gareon Conley, Oakland Raiders (No. 24)
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After a news story in Cleveland broke that Gareon Conley was under investigation for rape, the NFL went into a frenzy as it looked to gain information on the alleged sexual assault. The first-round talent was expected to be drafted in the first 20 picks Thursday, but that all looked unlikely after the accusations.
On draft day, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller reported that Conley would be a first-round pick. The Raiders made good on Miller's report and took the talented Conley with the 24th overall pick. Though reports suggested teams believed Conley to be innocent, it was still a bold and arguably unreasonable risk by the Raiders to draft him in Round 1.
Reach: CB Adoree' Jackson, Tennessee Titans (No. 18)
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Adoree' Jackson was one of college football's most dynamic, unique athletes the last two seasons. The developing cornerback showcased tremendous ball skills and athleticism as a defender, and his return skills likely should have earned him Heisman praise in the same way Michigan's Jabrill Peppers' versatility did.
But as a cornerback who doesn't have great height (5'10") or length and struggles with bigger receivers, Jackson was a reach as the 18th overall pick and as the cornerback the Titans need to start right away.
He could be an awesome versatile weapon in all three phases of the game and a high-level slot cornerback or capable outside corner. But the Titans needed a complete, shutdown defender, and it's not likely Jackson can be that.
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