2017 Official Draft Thread - Round 1

[pigskin]

Malik Hooker Out 4-6 Months After Two Surgeries
Updated Feb. 1, 2017
By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.

Every year in the NFL Draft, there are some top prospects who are held back by injury during the pre-draft process. This year, one of the top talents in the 2017 NFL Draft will be in that category, as WalterFootball.com has learned from NFL sources that Ohio State safety Malik Hooker will be out 4-6 months after having hernia and labrum surgery.

Given the timetable of his recovery, Hooker won't be able to participate in the field workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine and may not be able to conduct other workouts later in the spring for teams prior to the draft. Thus, sources say that Hooker's combine medical recheck weeks before the draft will be very important for teams to gauge if there could be any projected impact on his availability for the start of training camp.

Hooker was one of the breakout players in college football in 2016, as the redshirt sophomore totaled 74 tackles with 5.5 for a loss, half a sack, four passes broken up and seven interceptions. He returned three of those picks for touchdowns in his first season as a starter. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder impressed evaluators with his natural skills as a single high safety and his ability to be a game changer in pass coverage. Hooker is atop our NFL Draft Safety Prospect Rankings.

At this time, the injuries don't appear to be threatening to his rookie season, so his draft stock may not see much of an impact from these surgeries. Multiple teams have told WalterFootball.com that Hooker has received high first-round grades, so even with these injuries, he may not have a long wait to find out his NFL home on Thursday night of the draft.

Read more at http://walterfootball.com/nfldraftru...GgtRwHgcOpB.99

[Bolt-O]

Well, Hooker looks just like the type the Chargers like... broken in.

[Fleet]

Damn that sucks.

[Formula 21]

CBS's latest top 15. Looks like Adams to the Bolts is a strong possibility. Thomas has just zoomed up the charts.

1 Myles Garrett DE 1 Texas A&M Jr 6-4 268 1
2 Jonathan Allen DT 1 Alabama Sr 6-3 291 1
3 Solomon Thomas DE 2 Stanford rSo 6-2 275 1
4 Malik Hooker FS 1 Ohio State rSo 6-2 205 1
5 Dalvin Cook RB 1 Florida State Jr 5-11 206 1
6 Jamal Adams SS 1 LSU Jr 6-0 211 1
7 Reuben Foster ILB 1 Alabama Sr 6-1 236 1
8 Mike Williams WR 1 Clemson rJr 6-3 225 1
9 Leonard FournetteInjured RB 2 LSU Jr 6-1 230 1
10 Marshon Lattimore CB 1 Ohio State rSo 6-0 195 1
11 O.J. Howard TE 1 Alabama Sr 6-6 249 1
12 Mitch Trubisky QB 1 North Carolina rJr 6-3 220 1
13 Jabrill Peppers SS 2 Michigan rSo 6-0 205 1
14 Ryan RamczykInjured OT 1 Wisconsin rJr 6-5 314 1
15 Teez Tabor CB 2 Florida Jr 6-0 201 1

[CTrout]

We need one of the teams ahead of us to reach for a QB. That would almost guarantee that Hooker, Adams, Thomas or Foster will be there.
A lot could change (always does) till draft night.

[Rugger05]

We need one of the teams ahead of us to reach for a QB. That would almost guarantee that Hooker, Adams, Thomas or Foster will be there.
A lot could change (always does) till draft night.

Seems like every year people say how weak the QB class is and then every year at least two QB's get drafted fairly high.

I see at least 2 QB's being drafted ahead of the Chargers

[Formula 21]

Seems like every year people say how weak the QB class is and then every year at least two QB's get drafted fairly high.

I see at least 2 QB's being drafted ahead of the Chargers

I agree , at least two and maybe three.

[Jagged]

This year will be no different. A desperate team will want a QB and I think we're in the right spot for a trade considering there aren't any considered top tier this year. Drafting one at 7 wouldn't get you completely crucified for the pick.

[Formula 21]

I wouldn't rule this out. And the safeties continue to go high.

NFL mock draft 1.0: Where might Leonard Fournette and others land in 2017 draft
Nate Davis , USA TODAY Sports 11:52 a.m. ET Feb. 7, 2017
2017-02-07-mock

(Photo: Greg Hester, USA TODAY Sports)
7 CONNECTTWEETLINKEDIN 4 COMMENTEMAILMORE

With a fabulous Super Bowl LI complete, focus now shifts to the NFL offseason, particularly the draft. Several players already competed in the Senior Bowl, though most of the top prospects skipped it. But all are now preparing for next month's scouting combine. Their stocks will rise, fall and probably rise again over the next three months, but we've got to start somewhere — so, without further ado, mock draft 1.0 for 2017:

1. Cleveland Browns — Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M: What will the Browns, who own two first-round picks, do? It surely seems their perpetual quarterback question remains unanswered, yet they forfeited the opportunity to draft one second overall last year. With little buzz around this year's crop, it could be hard to justify picking one here and probably even more difficult to trade out of this spot. Right now, Garrett is the consensus top player. A 1-15 team that had just 26 sacks in 2016 and plays in a division that features three capable veteran passers could certainly use an elite pass rusher. Bet new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will certainly lobby to add Garrett to his four-man front.

2. San Francisco 49ers — Jonathan Allen, DT, Alabama: Yes, the Niners need a quarterback ... but is there really a worthy choice here? (And might new GM John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan have a plan to acquire a veteran? Stay tuned.) And yes, San Francisco drafted a defensive lineman in the first round of the past two drafts ... but Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner were part of the league's worst defense — one that got run over for 2,654 yards last season. Better to play it safe with a stud like Allen, who can shut down running lanes but is versatile enough to be a three-down player.

3. Chicago Bears — Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina: It's a roll of the dice for an intriguing prospect, but one with just 13 college starts. Still, the Bears are finally in position to replace Jay Cutler, so this seems like the right time to pull the trigger — especially since RB Jordan Howard proved he's ready to serve as the offensive centerpiece for now.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars — Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU: What better way improve a struggling offense (and boost QB Blake Bortles' confidence) than to install a game-breaking runner who can shoulder the load and alter the unit's personality?

5. Tennessee Titans (from Los Angeles Rams) — Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State: Dick LeBeau's defense in Pittsburgh truly took off once playmaking S Troy Polamalu came aboard. That's not a fair comparison to hang on Hooker, but he should be the kind of instant impact player that can take Tennessee's improving unit to the next level.

6. New York Jets — Jamal Adams, S, LSU: The Jets have to get younger (and better) at a multitude of positions, so once again, no need to reach for a quarterback given Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg are still being assessed. Adams could immediately shore up the team's poor play on the back end and could find himself paired with Darrelle Revis in what might be a dynamic safety duo for a defense that needs to reboot in several areas.

7. Los Angeles Chargers — Ryan Ramczyk, T, Wisconsin: He showed good promise in his lone season with the Badgers, and the Bolts need a lot of help on the offensive line if they hope to get several more productive seasons out of 35-year-old QB Philip Rivers.

8. Carolina Panthers — Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State: GM Dave Gettleman miscalculated by letting CB Josh Norman walk for nothing, and Carolina's 29th-ranked pass defense paid the price. Gettleman doesn't like picking defensive backs this high, but his hands might be tied this year.

9. Cincinnati Bengals — Reuben Foster, ILB, Alabama: It's about time for Cincinnati to reload at linebacker, especially given the reliance on a wild card like Vontaze Burfict. Foster can bring the wood in base packages but also seems to have the cover skills to stay on the field in sub packages.

10. Buffalo Bills — DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame: Might the Bills have to gamble here with Tyrod Taylor and EJ Manuel likely both hitting the market? It wouldn't be the worst situation for Kizer, whose development would get a boost with assistance from Buffalo's top-ranked rushing attack and WR Sammy Watkins. Kizer showed in 2015 he can be rather effective with playmakers around him.

11. New Orleans Saints — Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford: It was another miserable season for the Saints defense, which ranked last against the pass. Thomas might be a guy who can help DE Cam Jordan generate pressure, alleviating pressure on a secondary constantly under siege in the pass-heavy NFC South.

12. Browns (from Philadelphia Eagles) — Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson: He'll be a bit of a project at the pro level, but Hue Jackson might be the right guy to develop him. And with some combination of Robert Griffin III, Josh McCown and Cody Kessler on the roster, Watson wouldn't have to be pressed into service while he adapts to the NFL.

13. Arizona Cardinals — Teez Tabor, CB, Florida: If Watson (or another promising quarterback) is available here, the Cards may have to pounce given Carson Palmer's uncertain future. Barring that, they must improve at a corner position that will be constantly under attack while opponents avoid Patrick Peterson.

14. Indianapolis Colts – Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State: Frank Gore gave a heroic effort last season at age 33, but it's time to give QB Andrew Luck a young, dynamic threat for the future. Cook is a fierce competitor and every-down back who would be a boon to Luck by virtue of his running, blocking and capability as an outlet receiver when all else fails.

15. Eagles (from Minnesota Vikings) – Mike Williams, WR, Clemson: He seems to have all the tools to develop into a No. 1 receiver, and QB Carson Wentz could clearly use a better primary option than WR Jordan Matthews and TE Zach Ertz, who would both benefit from playing alongside a more explosive target.

[Mister Hoarse]

This year will be no different. A desperate team will want a QB and I think we're in the right spot for a trade considering there aren't any considered top tier this year. Drafting one at 7 wouldn't get you completely crucified for the pick.

Agree somewhat. I could also see a team trading up into the top 5 for a QB. Aren't there some contractual advantages for a team choosing in the top 5 picks?

[richpjr]

Ask 5: Which position in 2017 NFL Draft is the deepest?

By Daniel Jeremiah
NFL Media analyst
Published: Feb. 8, 2017 at 11:58 a.m.

After a remarkable Super Bowl, all 32 teams can now put their focus on the offseason. The NFL Scouting Combine is only a few weeks away (March 3-6 on NFL Network) and I can't wait to see all of the talent on display in Indianapolis. Some draft classes have elite players at the top, while other classes offer tremendous depth and value in the middle rounds. The 2017 NFL Draft will offer both quality and quantity at several positions. I reached out to five NFL personnel executives and asked them which position they thought was the deepest in the upcoming draft. Here are their answers.

Executive 1: Tight end
"This is the best group of tight ends I've seen in a long time. There are 7 guys at the position that are going to come in and be major contributors in Year One. I think the safety group is a close second. You are going to see some really good players still on the board in the fourth and fifth rounds."

Executive 2: Safety
"Overall, this is the best group of DBs we've had in several years. Specifically, I love the safety depth. I keep watching one good player after another. The UConn kid (Obi Melifonwu) was a revelation at the Senior Bowl. The safety at Utah (Marcus Williams) is a great player and he isn't even one of the five best safeties in the draft."

Executive 3: Cornerback
"This draft is loaded with corners. There are some elite guys at the top of the draft, but I think there are some excellent value guys in the middle rounds and a bunch of sleepers I really like on Day 3 (Rounds 4-7)."

Executive 4: Cornerback
"I think it's a very deep draft at several positions, but cornerback is the deepest, followed closely by the running back group. I think we could see a major run on cornerbacks in the first three rounds. I think we could see 20 of them go off the board in the top 100 picks."

Executive 5: Cornerback
"I love the corners in this draft. I think every team has them in a different order and I'm fascinated to see how they come off the board."

Summary: That's three votes for cornerback and one apiece for safety and tight end.

Conclusion: I think you can make a case for several positions being the deepest in the upcoming draft, but I believe cornerback belongs at the top of the list. I currently have 10 cornerbacks in my top 50 players and I felt guilty for leaving a handful of other cornerbacks off my list. The running back and tight end groups are also loaded with quality depth. Although I'm not in love with the top-tier talent at the position, I believe there is some depth in the quarterback class as well.

[Formula 21]

20 corners in the top 100 picks? get out of here.