Fans are less than a month away from hearing the top college football player's names called by NFL teams. The 2017 NFL Draft gets started on Thursday, April 27 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Myles Garrett proved at his recent pro day why he is the consensus top prospect for this year's draft. The Texas A&M defensive end opted to participate in all of the same drills he completed at the NFL Combine. Garrett wowed NFL front offices in Indianapolis and seemingly had no real need to do the drills again. Garrett explained to NFL Network why he ran through the drills again at his pro day. "I gotta win. Winning is just not enough. I have to do my best. So, I have to build a new personal record not just set a record for everybody else. It's mine that counts. I can't hold myself to any other standard," Garrett told NFL Network. This sounds like the kind of player you want to build your defense around, and why the Cleveland Browns are expected to make him the number one draft pick in less than a month. Garrett took an already good 40-time of 4.64 at the Combine and topped it at his pro day with a time of 4.57. There have been a lot of miserable years for Cleveland football fans, but Garrett gives them reason for optimism.
Our latest mock draft features no quarterbacks in the top ten. Teams like the 49ers, Bears and Jets all made quarterback additions in free agency. While some of them may not have been major additions, I'm not convinced there is a team in the top ten willing to use an early pick on Deshaun Watson, DeShone Kizer or Mitchell Trubisky. This mock looks at how the NFL Draft could play out if the quarterbacks stay on the board longer than we originally thought. Feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @JonDAdams to talk about the NFL Draft. Click the arrow on the right side of the above image to see Heavy's latest mock for the top 10 2017 NFL Draft picks. (Getty)
No. 10 Buffalo Bills: TE O.J. Howard
School: Alabama
Position: Tight End
Class: Senior
Outlook: Bleacher Report's Matt Miller reports the Bills love Howard. This time of year it is not uncommon for reports linking teams to certain players as front offices scramble to send out smoke screens. Fans find out on draft night what was true and when teams were bluffing. That said, it would not be shocking if the Bills select Howard. He was the player of Senior Bowl week as NFL teams imagine what he could do in an offense that really utilized him. Howard is a three-down tight end who can block and catch passes. Howard continued to impress at the Combine by running a 4.51 40-time. This is extremely impressive for a player that stands at 6'6" and 251 pounds. Tyrod Taylor would love to have another big, physical target like Howard to throw the ball. (Getty)
No. 9 Cincinnati Bengals: LB Reuben Foster
School: Alabama
Position: Linebacker
Class: Senior
Outlook: Just as we spoke about Nick Saban's glowing review of Foster, he was sent home from the Combine for an incident with an Indianapolis medical staff member. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller reported he has not talked to anyone in the scouting community that has downgraded Foster because of the incident. One scout explained Foster's side of the story to Miller. "If you're standing in line for hours with no information and you're missing meetings with NFL teams, you're going to get heated. And the way we heard it, the guy working the exams was being an a-hole and trying to act like he runs the show. Reuben didn't like that and didn't want to miss meetings, so things got heated. He really shouldn't have been sent home for it," the scout told Miller. As it stands, the Bengals still need help at linebacker, and Foster's playing ability is as good as it gets. (Getty)
No. 8 Carolina Panthers: DE Jonathan Allen
School: Alabama
Position: Defensive End
Class: Senior
Outlook: There has been a lot of scrutiny on Jonathan Allen's shoulders and whether it will impact his durability in the NFL. Alabama team doctor Lyle Cain spoke with NFL Network's Ian Rapoport about Allen's shoulders. "Jonathan has really played without symptoms in his shoulders, and it's something that has not affected his performance or function. It doesn't have to be treated during the season. And he's had a couple of great years," Cain told NFL Network. Allen's 21 reps on the bench press could help squash the perception that his shoulders will impact his playing abilities. If everything checks out like Allen's camp indicates, he should be the next defensive end off the board after Myles Garrett. (Getty)
No. 7 San Diego Chargers: WR Mike Williams
School: Clemson
Position: Wide Receiver
Class: Red-shirt Junior
Outlook: Philip Rivers needs a number one receiver that can stay on the field. Williams opted to run his 40 during his pro day. According to Bleacher Report's Matt Miller, scouts clocked him at about 4.55. Williams gives the Chargers a big number one wideout that can either play with or replace Keenan Allen. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney spoke with The Charlotte Observer about his former player. “We have the Mike Williams rule. If there’s only one [cornerback] on him, he’s wide open. If there’s two, they better be real tight on him. He’s a handful, and definitely NFL-ready the minute he gets there," Swinney told The Charlotte Observer. The Chargers like the sound of that. (Getty)
No. 6 New York Jets: CB Marshon Lattimore
School: Ohio State
Position: Cornerback
Class: Red-shirt Sophomore
Outlook: The $1 million question in New York is whether the Jets will draft a quarterback. With Todd Bowles entering a must-win season, he is unlikely going to want to play a rookie quarterback that needs time to develop. The talent at corner could be too much for the Jets to pass up. Lattimore helped himself with a blazing fast 4.36 40-time. CBS Sports draft analyst Dane Brugler compares Lattimore to Janoris Jenkins. "With their fluid athleticism and cover skills, Lattimore has similar ability and upside as Jenkins, who is currently a top-10 cornerback in the NFL," Brugler writes. The Jets' defense was expected to be a strength last season but did not perform any better than their offense. (Getty)
No. 5 Tennessee Titans: S Malik Hooker
School: Ohio State
Position: Safety
Class: Red-Shirt Sophomore
Outlook: There are concerns over his injury history, but not enough to keep him out of the top ten. It will be tempting for the Titans to grab a wide receiver here like Mike Williams, but there is so much talent in the secondary at the top of the draft that could really help Tennessee improve their defense. Hooker is a force in the secondary grabbing seven interceptions last season at Ohio State. As long as teams get answers they are comfortable with regarding his health, Hooker will be battling Jamal Adams to be the first safety off the board. (Getty)
No. 4 Jacksonville Jaguars: RB Leonard Fournette
School: LSU
Position: Running Back
Class: Junior
Outlook: This continues to make the most sense to us no matter how many mocks we go through. Giving Jacksonville a legit rushing attack could only help the efficiency of Blake Bortles. There were concerns at the Combine when Fournette weighed in at 240 pounds, but his 4.51 40-time more than eased the worries about his weight. To me, Fournette is a cut above the other running backs in this draft class. While he was not asked to be heavily involved in the passing game at LSU, it is a skill he can develop over time in the NFL. The Jaguars need to improve their offensive line, but this is not the draft to use a top pick on the position. Jacksonville should be able to address this need in the second and/or third rounds.(Getty)
No. 3 Chicago Bears: S Jamal Adams
School: LSU
Position: Safety
Class: Junior
Outlook: Chicago has brought in a number of quarterbacks since our last mock draft including giving Mike Glennon a $15 million contract. All this makes it unlikely the Bears will use this selection on a quarterback. Their secondary looks to be the biggest need. The Bears could go with a cornerback here, but Adams is slightly above this crop of corners. Adams gives the Bears a thumper in the secondary that is great in coverage while having no qualms delivering massive hits over the middle of the field. (Getty)
No. 2 San Francisco 49ers: DE Solomon Thomas
School: Stanford
Position: Defensive End
Class: Junior
Outlook: For the past several mocks, we have had the 49ers selecting a quarterback. Only the 49ers know for certain, but we're not sure there is a quarterback that Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch want to hitch their wagon to, at least, not with the second overall pick. Thomas continues to move up draft boards with analysts and NFL teams projecting him as the next Michael Bennett. Like Bennett, Thomas can play outside and inside on the defensive line. Thomas had eight sacks last season for Stanford but his impact on opposing offenses reaches beyond statistics. Thomas checked all the boxes at the Combine to go along with his stellar tape. This move allows the 49ers to use their second round pick on a quarterback like Patrick Mahomes or another signal caller that slips to them at 34. (Getty)
No. 1 Cleveland Browns: DE Myles Garrett
School: Texas A&M
Position: Defensive End
Class: Junior
Outlook: With movement all over the board, Garrett remains the one constant. Garrett is thought to be the consensus number one player in the 2017 NFL Draft. One way to think of Garrett is Jadeveon Clowney with a better, more consistent motor. The Browns have needs all over the field, but Cleveland fans can find hope in the 11 picks the Browns hold in this year's draft. In light of free agency, it looks likely that one of the top three quarterbacks will be available for the Browns at 12. Garrett managed to still end up with 8.5 sacks his junior season at Texas A&M despite missing three games with injuries. He gives the Browns a centerpiece to build their 2017 draft around. (Getty)
NFL Mock Draft 2017: Predictions & Rumors for Top 10 Picks