2017 NFL Mock Draft: 1st-Round Projections after Week 3
By Tyler Brooke
After three weeks of the college football season, a select few players are starting to stand out as first-round prospects.
Football is back, and already we’re seeing a few guys in college football making big names for themselves. Meanwhile, glaring holes are starting to become apparent for a number of NFL teams.
On the bright side, there are plenty of solid prospects in the 2017 NFL draft class, especially on defense. The skill positions are pretty top-heavy as well, so let’s get into a complete first-round mock draft complete with explanations and prospect analysis.
Note: Draft order is based off of Super Bowl odds as of September 13th via Odds Shark.
player. 53. . QB. Notre Dame. DeShone Kizer. 1
Cleveland Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III doesn’t look like the answer under center. He keeps getting hurt and the Browns need to finally find a long-term franchise quarterback to start building around.
The hype surrounding Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson is fading away after a couple of less-than-stellar performances. Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer has taken over as the most impressive draft prospect at the position.
Kizer fits the mold of an ideal NFL QB at 6’4” and 230 pounds. His arm strength is as impressive as anyone else’s in the nation, and some of the throws that he makes are pro-level. However, what makes Kizer stand out is his on-field awareness, ability to go through his progressions and his understanding of when to use his mobility.
If I had to compare Kizer’s qualities to someone in the league right now, it would probably be Aaron Rodgers just in terms of arm talent and mobility. The Browns desperately need someone to be the answer at quarterback, and if they get the No. 1 pick, they’re probably going to draft another one.