How do you put together a mock draft before free agency even begins?
It isn’t easy.
But we love mock drafts. So this is my first attempt at putting together a mock for 2017. Don’t hold me to it.
I love watching college football, always with an eye on what players can do in the NFL, so I am pretty up to date on the first-round players. But this is a draft much deeper than that.
As several scouts and personnel directors told me last week: This might be the best draft in years.
It is deep, filled with a lot of good players at key positions, such as corner and receiver. But don’t get too excited by the quarterback position just yet. There are no can’t-miss guys, according to most.
So dive in, eat up the mock, just don’t hold me to it. I will be doing one every other week until the draft. Maybe by then, I will get some guys in the right spots.
1. Cleveland Browns
Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M: There are some scouts who have concerns about his disappearing late last season when he supposedly had an ankle injury, but he has a ton of athletic ability.
2. San Francisco 49ers
Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina: Is he a one-year wonder? He looks the part of qualified NFL starter, but he only did it for one year at North Carolina. Even so, the 49ers need a quarterback.
3. Chicago Bears
Jonathan Allen, DE, Alabama: They have some good, young pieces on the defense, and adding him would bring one more. He is a power player who can also rush the passer.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars
Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford: This is a team building to something special on defense, but they need another edge rusher. This kid is a player who should soar up boards come draft time.
5. Tennessee Titans (from Los Angeles)
Jamal Adams, S, LSU: They need to get better in the back end of their defense. Adams is a play-making safety who will bring a tough mentality to the defense.
6. New York Jets
Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State: It is a deep corner class, so they can wait to address the position if they want. But Lattimore is pretty much considered by the scouts to be the best of the crop.
7. Los Angeles Chargers
Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State: They let Eric Weddle go last season in free agency, and that showed up. Hooker has the range to be a potential Earl Thomas-type of player. But he does have injury concerns.
8. Carolina Panthers
Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU: This is a deep running back class, so why take one here? Because the Panthers need to run the ball better and Jonathan Stewart is getting older -- and it’s showing up.
9. Cincinnati Bengals
Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama: He might be the best player in the draft, even though he had shoulder surgery last week. Rey Maualuga isn’t a kid anymore. Foster can hit, cover and would provide a much faster option than Maualuga.
10. Buffalo Bills
DeShaun Watson, QB, Clemson: Who starts for them? What if they don’t keep Tyrod Taylor? Why not draft Watson and see what develops between him and Cardell Jones?
11. New Orleans Saints
Teez Tabor, CB, Florida: They have to get better play outside in their secondary. Tabor has the skills to be a ball-hawking corner. That’s something this team has lacked.
12. Cleveland Browns (from Philadelphia)
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech: Is this too high? Probably. But this is a quarterback-desperate team. Mahomes is a guy that a lot of scouts I talked with have really come to like.
13. Arizona Cardinals
Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan: They have to get help outside where an aging Larry Fitzgerald is the best they have. They need to give him help.
14. Indianapolis Colts
Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee: This is a pass rusher who has the ability to end up being the best in this class. Yes, even better than Garrett. The Colts have to upgrade their pass rush.
15. Philadelphia Eagles (from Minnesota)
Sidney Jones, CB, Washington: The Eagles corners had a rough go of it last season. They can plug and play this kid right away. They could also go receiver here.
16. Baltimore Ravens
Mike Williams, WR, Clemson: They have to get help outside for their passing game. They like Breshad Perriman, but they need someone else. Williams is a big, strong receiver.
17. Washington Redskins
Budda Baker, S, Washington: They had real shaky play from their safeties last season. This is a kid who can step in and give them range and the ability to tackle in the run game.
18. Tennessee Titans
Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida: They can fix their secondary by taking Adams earlier in the round and then landing this smooth cover corner. He would team with Jason McCourty to give them a nice duo.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
John Ross, WR, Washington: They need to get a speed option to go with Mike Evans. Ross can fly and he would help stretch the field.
20. Denver Broncos
Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin: They have to get better play from the tackle spots. Their tackles were awful last year. This would be a need pick.
21. Detroit Lions
Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State: Their running attack was bad last season. Cook would give them a player who could be a home-run threat every time he touches it.
22. Miami Dolphins
O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama: They had average play at tight end and three of their tight ends are free agents. Howard has excelled on the biggest stage and he would provide a nice weapon inside for the passing game.
23. New York Giants
Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt: He really showed up on their defense, and the Giants have a major need for a linebacker. The defense is improving, but they need better play from this spot.
24. Oakland Raiders
Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama: You can never have enough corners and David Amerson is just OK as the starter.
25. Houston Texans
Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama: Their tackles had some injury issues last season, so taking one would make sense. Robinson has big-time talent, but he doesn’t always play to it.
26. Seattle Seahawks
Forrest Lamp, C-G-T, Western Kentucky: They love players with versatility up front. He played tackle in college, but a lot of scouts think he can move inside. They need a ton of help on that line.
27. Kansas City Chiefs
Haason Reddick, ILB, Temple: This is a pure athlete and he wowed scouts at the Senior Bowl. With Derrick Johnson tearing his Achilles tendon, they need an athletic player inside. Reddick could make that move from the edge.
28. Dallas Cowboys
Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State: They need a pass rusher, but they can wait to take one. This is the “other” corner for the Buckeyes, but he isn’t far behind Lattimore, his former Ohio State teammate.
29. Green Bay Packers
T.J. Watt, OLB, Wisconsin: He had an impressive junior season, so the brother of Texans defensive end J.J. Watt opted to try his hand at the NFL. The Packers have a major need for an edge rusher.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers
Adoree Jackson, CB, USC: He is a game-changer with his big-play skills as a corner and a return man. They have to get better outside in their secondary.
31. Atlanta Falcons
Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn: They have one good edge rusher in Vic Beasley, but they need more help. We saw that in the Super Bowl loss to the Patriots.
32. New England Patriots
Jabrill Peppers, S-LB, Michigan: Peppers is the perfect Bill Belichick player. He can play linebacker on passing downs and strong safety on others.