2018 NFL Mock Draft: Post Week 17 Breakdown for 1st-Round Prospects

It's time to recycle a familiar phrase everyone heard this time last year: The Cleveland Browns are on the clock.

After becoming the second team in NFL history to go 0-16, Cleveland will open the 2018 NFL draft at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Also owning the Houston Texans' No. 4 choice, the listless club has two chances to alleviate years of misery.

Mock-draft season has already begun, but Cleveland and all other 31 teams must wait to see who will turn pro. A few potential top picks, most notably Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold, remain undecided after wrapping up their collegiate campaigns.

Week 17's results give a better idea of the draft order for non-playoff teams, so let's conduct an early first-round mock draft and highlight the top-three selections.

2018 NFL Mock Draft

1. Cleveland Browns: Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA

2. New York Giants: Sam Darnold, QB, USC

3. Indianapolis Colts: Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama

4. Cleveland Browns (via Houston Texans): Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

5. Denver Broncos: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma

6. New York Jets: Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State

8. Chicago Bears: Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama

*9. San Francisco 49ers: Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame

*10. Oakland Raiders: Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia

11. Miami Dolphins: Derwin James, S, Florida State

12. Cincinnati Bengals: Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame

*13. Green Bay Packers: Arden Key, DE/OLB, LSU

*14. Washington: Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson

15. Arizona Cardinals: Connor Williams, OT, Texas

16. Baltimore Ravens: Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa

17. Los Angeles Chargers: Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama

18. Seattle Seahawks: Derrius Guice, RB, LSU

19. Dallas Cowboys: Harold Landry, DE/OLB, Boston College

20. Detroit Lions: Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson

21. Tennessee Titans: Vita Vea, DT, Washington

22. Buffalo Bills: Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU

23. Atlanta Falcons: Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama

24. Carolina Panthers: Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma

25. Jacksonville Jaguars: Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama

26. Buffalo Bills (via Kansas City Chiefs): Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming

27. Los Angeles Rams: Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State

28. New Orleans Saints: Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas

29. Pittsburgh Steelers: Marcus Davenport, DE/OLB, UTSA

30. Minnesota Vikings: Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado

31. Philadelphia Eagles: Billy Price, C/G, Ohio State

32. New England Patriots: Austin Bryant, DE, Clemson

Notes: * depicts tiebreakers to be decided by a coin flip. Picks No. 21-32 will be determined by playoff results.

1. Cleveland Browns: Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA

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The Cleveland Browns have spent the past two years accumulating draft capital. Now it's time to use their No. 1 pick on a franchise quarterback.

This, of course, depends on which star prospects make themselves available to the winless franchise. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Josh Rosen will consider staying at UCLA to avoid the maligned organization.

If he declares for the draft, the junior could follow Eli Manning's example from 2004 and push his way to the New York Giants. The Denver Broncos and New York Jets could also pursue a trade to take Rosen if Cleveland folds and moves down.

This mock draft does not account for trades and behind-the-scenes happenings. For this exercise, the Browns will draft whomever they feel is the best prospect.

Perhaps they don't see a major discrepancy between Rosen, Sam Darnold, Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen. Since quarterback is just about the only position not on the Indianapolis Colts' wish list, the Browns could instead take running back Saquon Barkley first and at worst grab their second choice at pick No. 4.

That scenario merits a deeper examination this spring. For now, Cleveland takes Rosen, a refined prospect with the best mix of accuracy, arm strength and consistency among the stacked quarterback crop. Management can't afford to whiff here.

2. New York Giants: Sam Darnold, QB, USC

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Fourteen years ago, the Giants did not need to trade up from No. 4 to find a quarterback in a draft featuring Eli Manning, Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger. Now they once again can locate a future fixture in one of the deepest quarterback crops since 2004.

If the Giants want Rosen, and Rosen wants no part of Cleveland, new general manager Dave Gettleman should sit tight rather than wasting capital on an unnecessary transaction to No. 1. They're guaranteed an opportunity at either Rosen or Darnold.

When evaluating the best fits for top prospects, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller said Darnold could become "the next face of the NFL" by flourishing in the Metropolitan area.

"Darnold can handle pressure—both on and off the field," Miller wrote. "He's at his best in close games and running a two-minute-drill offense. He's incredibly poised, athletic and has the confidence to go to a team like the New York Giants and be ready to take Eli Manning's place as the franchise quarterback."

Some scouts may have second thoughts after the redshirt sophomore threw his 13th interception of the year in the Cotton Bowl loss to Ohio State. Yahoo Sports' Pat Forde quipped about the performance causing Darnold to stay in school for another year:

While that's a possibility, Darnold's ceiling remains too high for him to tumble lower than the New York Jets at pick No. 6. Besides, turnovers never stopped being an issue for Manning. Giants fans would feel right at home watching a cerebral, often-brilliant but frequently maddening signal-caller for another decade.

3. Indianapolis Colts: Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama

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Rather than searching for a new quarterback, the Colts will hope to welcome back Andrew Luck. On Friday, per ESPN.com's Mike Wells, 2012's No. 1 pick told reporters he hopes to avoid undergoing another procedure on an injured elbow that cost him all of 2017.

"I'm very optimistic," Luck said. "I feel really good today. I do not think I need another surgery. I believe in the process I'm in right now. I've got great help and hope to continue to get better. I plan on being ready for everything—everything official, NFL offseason, schedule. ... I plan on being ready."

Free from the infuriating quest of filling the game's most prestigious position, Indianapolis can address one of its many holes. Chief among them is a passing defense that entered Week 17 with the second-worst Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA), according to Football Outsiders.

Although Barkley is also tempting, Minkah Fitzpatrick provides a versatile secondary stud. The strength section of his scouting report from Walter Football's Charlie Campbell—praising everything from the Alabama prospect's hands, vision, coverage, run defense, tackling, instincts and leadership—runs nearly as long as Infinite Jest.

After anchoring Nick Saban's Crimson Tide defense, the New Jersey native is ready to help Indianapolis immediately. Barkley also flaunts a boundless skill set, but the Colts should repair the offensive line before investing heavily in a running back. Marlon Mack also deserves the opportunity to assume more responsibility from the ageless Frank Gore in 2018. 

If the Colts look elsewhere, Fitzpatrick should not fall far. The Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers also hemorrhaged passing yards in 2017, so he'd look good in either uniform.