For fans of teams that have struggled in 2016, all you want for Christmas is a difference maker in the 2017 NFL Draft. With just two games remaining, the race for the top pick looks to be a two-team race between the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. If the Browns continue to remain winless, they will earn the top spot and could have another pick in the top ten as the Eagles will send their top selection to Cleveland as part of their 2016 trade to move up to select Carson Wentz. If the Browns end up winning at least one game, they could find themselves in a tiebreaker with the 49ers. After overall record, the tiebreaker is strength of schedule where the Browns have a slight edge right now over the 49ers.
With Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey opting to skip their team's bowl games, the conversation has centered around how it will impact their draft stock. My opinion is both players have enough of a body of work that this will be a non-conversation come April, but it gives us something draft related to talk about in December. Heavy's holiday edition of the NFL mock draft bases the order on the current NFL standings. We are also making some assumptions on players declaring for the NFL Draft since the process is still open with many players opting to wait until after their bowl games to make their decision. Click the arrow on the right side of the above image to see Heavy's latest NFL mock draft. (Getty)
No. 10 Carolina Panthers: RB Dalvin Cook
School: Florida State
Position: Running Back
Class: Junior
Outlook: It's been a long time since the Panthers have had a dynamic running back. Jonathan Stewart has bounced on and off the injured list. Carolina's young running backs have yet to show they can step up into a lead back role. Cook gives the Panthers a three-down running back who can give Cam Newton another option in the passing game. Cook rushed for 1,620 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2016. He also had 30 receptions for 426 yards. Cook epitomizes the new ideal NFL running back. He's a player who has no problem running the ball up the middle but is just as effective catching passes out of the backfield. (Getty)
Derek Barnett gives the Colts an elite pass rusher. (Getty)
No. 8 Arizona Cardinals: LB/S Jabrill Peppers
School: Michigan
Position: Linebacker/Safety
Class: Junior
Outlook: Arizona likes stockpiling defensive assets and an argument can be made Peppers is one of the biggest of the upcoming draft. Some teams may pass on Peppers not knowing where to play him, but Bruce Arians can find a place for Peppers to thrive. He's one of the most polarizing players in the draft with no true NFL position and low turnover numbers. Peppers is simply a ball player who can line up at safety, linebacker and return punts. The Cardinals showed last year they are not risk averse when they selected Robert Nkemdiche in the first round. One has to wonder with the release of Michael Floyd combined with Larry Fitzgerald entering the tail-end of his career if Arizona could look at wide receiver with this pick. (Getty)
No. 7 San Diego Chargers: S Jamal Adams
School: LSU
Position: Safety
Class: Junior
Outlook: Like most teams at the top of the draft, there are a few directions the Chargers could opt to go. There's a decision to be made between addressing wide receiver or their secondary. The performance of San Diego's young receivers in the absence of Keenan Allen could give the Chargers a bit of wiggle room. Adams gives them a replacement for the departed Eric Weddle. The do-it-all safety is likely to be top secondary player taken in the 2017 draft. He's a strong tackler, great in coverage and can play special teams. There's going to be no shortage of interest in him, but if quarterbacks get taken early Adams is likely to get pushed down the draft board.(Getty)
No. 6 New York Jets: RB Leonard Fournette
School: LSU
Position: Running Back
Class: Junior
Outlook: The Jets may have Matt Forte, but Fournette gives them a franchise running back for the better part of the next decade. Alabama's Reuben Foster would be in play here if the Jets had not selected two linebackers in the first three rounds of the 2016 draft. Fournette opting out of the LSU bowl game will not hurt his draft stock come April. Fournette played through injuries throughout the season and adverse conditions with the coaching change in Baton Rouge. Fournette's best work happened during the 2015 season when he rushed for 1,953 yards and 22 touchdowns. Fournette is a traditional running back and his game is going to be talked about at length heading into the draft. I think he can develop into a pass catcher, but the LSU offense did not call for him to use his versatility. (Getty)
No. 5 Tennessee Titans: DE Jonathan Allen
School: Alabama
Position: Defensive End
Class: Senior
Outlook: The Titans will get the Rams first pick this year which sits in the top five with two weeks remaining in the regular season. I've gone back and forth with two really good fits for the Titans with this selection. It makes sense for Tennessee to spend the draft capital to get a legit WR1. However, the talent of Allen ultimately won out. Allen gives Tennessee an elite pass rusher with no red flags. He is the leader of an Alabama defense that could go down as the best Saban has ever coached. Allen had 8.5 sacks during the 2016 season and would be hard for the Titans to pass up. (Getty)
No. 4 Chicago Bears: QB Mitch Trubisky
School: North Carolina
Position: Quarterback
Class: Junior
Outlook: Trubisky has a lot of questions surrounding him including whether he will declare for the draft. According to MMQB, he was given a first round draft grade by the committee, and it seems unlikely he would not declare while his stock is high. The second question is why it took Trubisky three years to win the starting job. Questions aside, Trubisky has had quite the season. He threw for 3,468 yards, 28 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Trubisky had three straight games early in the season where he threw for over 400 yards. The Bears are giving Matt Barkley a test run but chances are they will need to look for another quarterback in the draft or free agency with the Jay Cutler era coming to a close. (Getty)
No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars: DE Myles Garrett
School: Texas A&M
Position: Defensive End
Class: Junior
Outlook: The Gus Bradley era has officially come to an end. Where Jacksonville goes next is anybody's guess. On paper, the Jaguars appear to have talent. Jacksonville has added quality players through the draft and in free agency but it has not translated to wins. If the top two teams decide to go quarterback, it leaves Myles Garrett for the Jaguars. Leonard Fournette is tempting, but this is a deep running back class. Garrett could be the type of pass rusher that does not come around often. While far from a finished product, Dante Fowler has been a disappointment in his first two seasons. What Jacksonville does with this pick could be a tell on how they plan to turn things around going forward. (Getty)
No. 2 San Francisco 49ers: QB Deshaun Watson
School: Clemson
Position: Quarterback
Class: Junior
Outlook: Watson has been picked apart but has a chance to make himself some money in the College Football Playoff. If Clemson wins the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State, Watson will get two games on the biggest stage to make a strong case like he did to close out the 2015 season with his stellar play against Alabama in the national title game. Watson is chasing 2015 when it comes to public perception, and he lost that battle. His rushing yards were cut in half, passing yards went down while his interceptions went up. He still threw for 3,914 yards, 37 touchdowns and 15 interceptions during the regular season. As the draft gets closer, I see it being a battle between DeShone Kizer and Watson for the first quarterback taken in the draft. (Getty)
No. 1 Cleveland Browns: QB DeShone Kizer
School: Notre Dame
Position: Quarterback
Class: Junior
Outlook: The Browns are headed towards having two picks in the top ten. Their bounty comes as a result of Cleveland deciding to pass on quarterback last year and trading down. It would not be a shock if they go with Myles Garrett with the top pick, but it would come as a surprise if they avoid quarterback all together in the first round. The Browns could opt to give the RG3 experiment another year, but Griffin's limited play has likely not warranted a lot of confidence from the Browns front office. While I think DeShaun Watson has a larger body of work, Kizer is an inch taller and has a frame more ready to absorb NFL hits. He completed 58.7 percent of his passes this season and was able to turn the ball over less than Watson. Kizer threw for 2,225 yards and 26 touchdowns this past season at Notre Dame. (Getty)
NFL Mock Draft 2017: Kizer & Other Quarterbacks Go Early