2017 NFL Mock Draft – Four Rounds
Round One (1-20) | Round One (21-32) | Round Two | Round Three | Round Four
Round One (Picks 21-32):
21. Detroit Lions
2016 First Round Pick: Taylor Decker, Ohio State (16)
2016 Offense Rankings: Total (21) Pass (11) Rush (30)
2016 Defense Rankings: Total (18) Pass (19) Rush (18)
GM: Bob Quinn
Head Coach: Jim Caldwell
Offensive Coordinator: Jim Bob Cooter
Defensive Coordinator: Teryl Austin
Offensive Scheme: Erhardt-Perkins
Defensive Scheme: 4-3
Projected Salary Cap Space: $36,416,088
2017 Players Under Contract: 51
Team Needs: Defensive Tackle, Cornerback, Outside Linebacker, Defensive End
Lions 2017 Mock Draft Selection: Malik McDowell, Defensive Tackle, Michigan State
The Lions can’t generate much of a pass rush at all, and it is causing cascading problems through the rest of the defense. Their defense started the year looking terrible, improved throughout the middle of the year, and then collapsed at the end of the year. McDowell didn’t have a great year, but played through injury. He is a specimen, that can be moved all over the line.
22. Miami Dolphins
2016 First Round Pick: Laremy Tunsil, Mississippi (13)
2016 Offense Rankings: Total (24) Pass (26) Rush (9)
2016 Defense Rankings: Total (29) Pass (15) Rush (30)
GM: Chris Grier
Head Coach: Adam Gase
Offensive Coordinator: Clyde Christensen
Defensive Coordinator: Matt Burke
Offensive Scheme: Erhardt-Perkins
Defensive Scheme: 4-3, Attacking
2017 Projected Salary Cap Space: $40,944,383
2017 Players Under Contract: 48
Team Needs: Offensive Guard, Tight End, Defensive End
Dolphins 2017 Mock Draft Selection: Tre’Davious White, Cornerback, LSU
The Dolphins should have a much better passing game than what they do, but they have seemingly found their running back for the near future. And for some reason, they can’t stop the run, which is also concerning with the personnel that they acquired. They go with the best player available here, hoping to shore up their secondary.
23. New York Giants
2016 First Round Pick: Eli Apple, Ohio State (10)
2016 Offense Rankings: Total (25) Pass (17) Rush (29)
2016 Defense Rankings: Total (10) Pass (23) Rush (3)
GM: Jerry Reese
Head Coach: Ben McAdoo
Offensive Coordinator: Mike Sullivan
Defensive Coordinator: Steve Spagnuolo
Offensive Scheme: West Coast
Defensive Scheme: 4-3
2017 Projected Salary Cap Space: $15,576,039
2017 Players Under Contract: 56
Team Needs: Offensive Tackle, Inside Linebacker, Cornerback
Giants 2017 Mock Draft Selection: Quincy Wilson, Cornerback, Florida
The Giants are a difficult team to figure out, probably because they have a lot of new pieces that are just starting to come together. The offense let them down all year, but they also could use some help in their secondary. Wilson is a very fast rising prospect that scouts are discovering as they go back and watch the Florida tape.
24. Oakland Raiders
2016 First Round Pick: Karl Joseph, West Virginia (14)
2016 Offense Rankings: Total (6) Pass (13) Rush (6)
2016 Defense Rankings: Total (26) Pass (24) Rush (23)
GM: Reggie McKenzie
Head Coach: Jack Del Rio
Offensive Coordinator: Bill Musgrave
Defensive Coordinator: Ken Norton Jr
Offensive Scheme: West Coast
Defensive Scheme: 4-3
2017 Projected Salary Cap Space: $46,085,414
2017 Players Under Contract: 55
Team Needs: Cornerback, Inside Linebacker, Running Back
Raiders 2017 Mock Draft Selection: Christian McCaffrey, Running Back, Stanford
The Raiders defense played better after a rough start, but still needs work. Their offense bailed them out, but the defense is very talented, but very young. They need to improve their secondary, but adding a dynamic playmaker like McCaffrey might be very tempting at this point in the draft. The first round is about getting the most talented player that somewhat meets a need, and a dynamic running back would fit the bill.
25. Houston Texans
2016 First Round Pick: Will Fuller, Notre Dame (21)
2016 Offense Rankings: Total (29) Pass (29) Rush (8)
2016 Defense Rankings: Total (1) Pass (2) Rush (12)
GM: Rick Smith
Head Coach: Bill O’Brien
Offensive Coordinator: Bill O’Brien
Defensive Coordinator: Mike Vrabel
Offensive Scheme: Erhardt-Perkins
Defensive Scheme: 3-4
Projected Salary Cap Space: $20,526,388
2017 Players Under Contract: 62
Team Needs: Inside Linebacker, Offensive Tackle, Offensive Guard, Tight End
Texans 2017 Mock Draft Selection: Zach Cunningham, Outside Linebacker, Vanderbilt
While the Texans try to figure out their Quarterback position, they are quietly putting together a very talented defense that confuses opposing quarterbacks. They do need help at linebacker, though, and at this point in the draft, a talent like Cunningham would probably go before some players at obvious needs such as tight end, which they could find in the next few rounds.
26. Seattle Seahawks
2016 First Round Pick: Germain Ifedi, Texas A&M (31)
2016 Offense Rankings: Total (12) Pass (10) Rush (25)
2016 Defense Rankings: Total (5) Pass (8) Rush (7)
GM: John Schneider
Head Coach: Pete Carroll
Offensive Coordinator: Darrell Bevell
Defensive Coordinator: Kris Richard
Offensive Scheme: Play Action, Two TE
Defensive Scheme: 4-3
2017 Projected Salary Cap Space: $22,363,640
2017 Players Under Contract: 58
Team Needs: Offensive Tackle, Wide Receiver, Cornerback
Seahawks 2017 Mock Draft Selection: Cam Robinson, Offensive Tackle, Alabama
At times this year it felt like the Seahawks were going to let the season slip away because of an offensive line that looked slapped together with a mish mosh of players. It is getting better, but they need to start with a solid tackle that can hold down the blindside.
27. Kansas City Chiefs
2016 First Round Pick: None
2016 Offense Rankings: Total (20) Pass (19) Rush (15)
2016 Defense Rankings: Total (24) Pass (18) Rush (26)
GM: John Dorsey
Head Coach: Andy Reid
Offensive Coordinator: Matt Nagy
Defensive Coordinator: Bob Sutton
Offensive Scheme: West Coast
Defensive Scheme: 3-4
Projected Salary Cap Space: $3,318,647
2017 Players Under Contract: 64
Team Needs: Wide Receiver, Defensive End, Quarterback
Chiefs 2017 Mock Draft Selection: Alvin Kamara, Running Back, Tennessee
Statistically, the Chiefs don’t seem to be as good as their record indicates, save for one stat- they don’t turn the ball over. They are right up against the cap and need this draft to be their primary way to improve in the offseason. They won’t make any reaches in the draft, and will look to add talent that matches their system.
28. Dallas Cowboys
2016 First Round Pick: Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State (4)
2016 Offense Rankings: Total (6) Pass (13) Rush (2)
2016 Defense Rankings: Total (14) Pass (26) Rush (1)
GM: Jerry Jones
Head Coach: Jason Garrett
Offensive Coordinator: Scott Linehan
Defensive Coordinator: Rod Marinelli
Offensive Scheme: Vertical
Defensive Scheme: 4-3
2017 Projected Salary Cap Space: $768,478
2017 Players Under Contract: 59
Team Needs: Defensive End, Cornerback, Wide Receiver
Cowboys 2017 Mock Draft Selection: Tim Williams, Outside Linebacker, Alabama
How the Cowboys have been so effective on defense this year with so many personnel issues is a credit to their defensive coaching staff. Still, you can’t think that will last forever with limited depth.
29. Green Bay Packers
2016 First Round Pick: Kenny Clark, UCLA (27)
2016 Offense Rankings: Total (8) Pass (7) Rush (20)
2016 Defense Rankings: Total (22) Pass (31) Rush (8)
GM: Ted Thompson
Head Coach: Mike McCarthy
Offensive Coordinator: Edgar Bennett
Defensive Coordinator: Dom Capers
Offensive Scheme: West Coast, Vertical
Defensive Scheme: 3-4
2017 Projected Salary Cap Space: $42,568,612
2017 Players Under Contract: 46
Team Needs: Offensive Guard, Tight End, Cornerback, Running Back
Packers 2017 Mock Draft Selection: Sidney Jones, Cornerback, Washington
The Packers could use an infusion of talent in the run game, and that could improve with better guard play and more depth at running back. Corners with the talent of Jones are not common, however, and he would be hard to pass up.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers
2016 First Round Pick: Artie Burns, Miami (FL) (25)
2016 Offense Rankings: Total (7) Pass (5) Rush (14)
2016 Defense Rankings: Total (12) Pass (16) Rush (13)
GM: Kevin Colbert
Head Coach: Mike Tomlin
Offensive Coordinator: Todd Haley
Defensive Coordinator: Keith Butler
Offensive Scheme: Erhardt-Perkins
Defensive Scheme: 3-4
2017 Projected Salary Cap Space: $18,168,071
2017 Players Under Contract: 70
Team Needs: Inside Linebacker, Offensive Tackle, Offensive Guard, Tight End
Steelers 2017 Mock Draft Selection: Raekwon McMillan, Inside Linebacker, Ohio State
The Steelers’ defense came together as the year progressed, and the linebacker core seemed to have found a cohesiveness that some time after changing coordinators. They have needs on the offensive side of the ball, but getting one more piece to their linebacker core would be ideal.
31. Atlanta Falcons
2016 First Round Pick: Keanu Neal, Florida (17)
2016 Offense Rankings: Total (2) Pass (3) Rush (5)
2016 Defense Rankings: Total (25) Pass (28) Rush (17)
GM: Thomas Dimitroff
Head Coach: Dan Quinn
Offensive Coordinator: Steve Sarkisian
Defensive Coordinator: Marquand Manuel
Offensive Scheme: West Coast, Vertical
Defensive Scheme: 4-3
2017 Projected Salary Cap Space: $27,796,300
2017 Players Under Contract: 46
Team Needs: Defensive Tackle, Cornerback, Offensive Guard
Falcons 2017 Mock Draft Selection: Caleb Brantley, Defensive Tackle, Florida
The Falcons are putting up a lot of points, but it is hiding a defense that has not fully come together. A big problem is play at defensive tackle, which is causing a rippling effect throughout the defense. Atlanta has one of the more glaring needs in the draft, especially for a good team, and a player like Brantley could help contain the gaps in the run game, allowing the rest of the defense to do their jobs.
32. New England Patriots
2016 First Round Pick: None
2016 Offense Rankings: Total (4) Pass (4) Rush (7)
2016 Defense Rankings: Total (8) Pass (12) Rush (3)
GM: Bill Belichick (De facto)
Head Coach: Bill Belichick
Offensive Coordinator: Josh McDaniels
Defensive Coordinator: Matt Patricia
Offensive Scheme: Erhardt-Perkins
Defensive Scheme: 3-4, Multiple
2017 Projected Salary Cap Space: $61,481,093
2017 Players Under Contract: 49
Team Needs: Offensive Tackle, Outside Linebacker, Defensive End, Offensive Guard
Patriots 2017 Mock Draft Selection: Garett Bolles, Offensive Tackle, Utah
The Patriots would be very happy to see a player like Bolles fall to them here, and it would hit a glaring need.
Round One (1-20) | Round One (21-32) | Round Two | Round Three | Round Four
