Which teams are looking to trade up — and down? Which players could be on the move? Which prospects are teams targeting?
The 2017 NFL draft is finally at hand, and our NFL Nation reporters are here to give one prediction for every team. Dig in. (And check out the full draft order — all 253 picks — here.)
AFC East | AFC North| AFC South | AFC West
NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West
The Bills will trade down from their No. 10 overall pick.
While there could be enticing players for Buffalo to select in this spot, the Bills have only six total selections in this draft and no extra picks in 2018. New coach Sean McDermott needs more young talent to rebuild his team, especially on defense. This is considered a deep draft for defensive backs, and the Bills could address that position in the second or third rounds if they trade down from No. 10. — Mike Rodak
The Dolphins will go defense in the first three rounds of the draft.
Editor’s Picks
Kiper vs. McShay: Three-round head-to-head mock draft
Our two NFL draft gurus traded off picks for three rounds, making the selections as if they were running each of the 32 teams.
2017 NFL draft order: All 253 picks
The first round of the 2017 NFL draft has been set since Super Bowl LI’s epic finish, but the league has now released the complete draft order for April’s draft. Check out the full list.
Kiper and McShay’s favorite player comps: Whom does Watson resemble?
You want comps? We’ve got comps! Mel Kiper and Todd McShay find the NFL players who are most similar to eight top 2017 draft prospects.
2 Related
Our two NFL draft gurus traded off picks for three rounds, making the selections as if they were running each of the 32 teams.
The first round of the 2017 NFL draft has been set since Super Bowl LI’s epic finish, but the league has now released the complete draft order for April’s draft. Check out the full list.
You want comps? We’ve got comps! Mel Kiper and Todd McShay find the NFL players who are most similar to eight top 2017 draft prospects.
There are very few needs on offense, with the exception of guard. Coach Adam Gase has expressed confidence with the group he has at guard, which means Miami could address big defensive needs such as linebacker, safety and defensive tackle early on. — James Walker
The Patriots will draft two edge defenders, addressing arguably their top need.
They have Trey Flowers, Kony Ealy and Rob Ninkovich atop the depth chart, but adding some developmental prospects, such as Arkansas’ Deatrich Wise Jr., would be wise long-term planning. A double-dip at the position makes a lot of sense. — Mike Reiss
The Jets won’t take a quarterback with the sixth pick.
There has been intense speculation, most of it surrounding Mitchell Trubisky, but the Jets will address another need at No. 6 overall and use the season to evaluate 2016 second-round pick Christian Hackenberg. If the Jets trade down from No. 6 or acquire a second pick in Round 1, the quarterback chances will increase. They’ve invested a lot of time in analyzing Patrick Mahomes. — Rich Cimini
The Ravens will trade back from No. 16 overall and select a pass-rusher later in the first round.
This accomplishes two goals: adding more draft picks to fill multiple holes on the roster; and getting more value out of a draft that is loaded with quality edge rushers. The Ravens need to draft a pass-rusher, because Terrell Suggs will turn 35 in October and Elvis Dumervil was cut this offseason. — Jamison Hensley
The Bengals will draft a running back in the first three rounds.
While it doesn’t stand out as a top need with both Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard on the roster, the Bengals’ interest in running backs such as Leonard Fournette and Joe Mixon hasn’t been a secret. Despite having 11 picks, they won’t wait to try to improve that position on their roster. — Katherine Terrell
The Browns will wind up with a quarterback in the first round.
They could take a quarterback 12th overall, with their second pick on Day 1. They could trade up from 12 to a higher spot to snag Mitchell Trubisky. Or they could trade up from the first pick in the second round to a late pick in the first round. Regardless of how or when it happens, the Brown will end the first round with a quarterback. — Pat McManamon
The Steelers beef up the defense early in the draft with pass-rush and secondary help.
While the defensive rebuild is nearly complete, the Steelers still need playmakers at outside linebacker and cornerback. Also, expect Pittsburgh to take advantage of a deep tight end class somewhere in the first four rounds. But assuming Martavis Bryant and Ladarius Green both make their way back into the lineup, the Steelers’ offense will be loaded once again. — Jeremy Fowler
The Texans won’t select a quarterback in the first round.
Round 1: April 27, 8 p.m. ET
Rds. 2-3: April 28, 7 p.m. ET
Rds. 4-7: April 29, noon ET
Where: Philadelphia
NFL draft home page »
• 2017 NFL draft order »
• Kiper v. McShay: Head-to-head Mock »
• Mel Kiper’s latest Mock Draft »
• Todd McShay’s latest Mock Draft »
• Mel Kiper’s latest Big Board »
• Scouts Inc.’s player rankings »
• McShay’s biggest needs for all 32 »
• McShay’s 2017 All-Satellite Team »
That might change if a quarterback they really like falls to them at pick No. 25 or they see a huge opportunity to trade up. Otherwise, they will use their top pick on a right tackle: either Alabama’s Cam Robinson, Utah’s Garett Bolles or Wisconsin’s Ryan Ramczyk. They know they need to fill that position after the struggles the offensive line had following Derek Newton’s injury last season. — Sarah Barshop
The Colts will select just their second cornerback in the six drafts with Chuck Pagano as coach.
The defense-minded Pagano has only seen the franchise select cornerback D’Joun Smith in the third round of the 2015 draft. The Colts will have to hope that the cornerback or cornerbacks they pick this year turn out better than Smith, who was released last season after playing a total of four games with the franchise. Indianapolis is in need of a second cornerback to go with Vontae Davis, who made two straight Pro Bowls. — Mike Wells
The Jaguars will go heavy on offense.
With the work they’ve done in free agency — signing defensive end Calais Campbell, cornerback A.J. Bouye and safety Barry Church — Jacksonville has positioned itself to add a running back — and there’s a good chance Leonard Fournette will be their choice at No. 4 overall. The Jags also will look to draft a tight end and an interior offensive lineman (guard Dan Feeney would be a good fit) within the first four rounds. — Mike DiRocco
The Titans might make two picks in the first round, but those won’t be fifth and 18th.
General manager Job Robinson would like to continue to add to his draft capital. The fifth pick came from the Rams in the swap out of No. 1 in 2016, and No. 18 is the Titans’ own pick. Robinson will turn one of those picks into multiple picks, perhaps getting the Titans a second-rounder. They don’t have a second-round selection because of the deal last year to move back up from No. 15 to No. 8 to draft All-Pro right tackle Jack Conklin. — Paul Kuharsky
The Broncos will draft at least one prospect who could compete to start at left tackle.
And they won’t necessarily have to use a first-round pick to do it. They’ll also care about 40-yard dash times and speed, because they want more of it on offense. — Jeff Legwold
The Chiefs will again use a majority of their draft picks on defensive players.
Kansas City will have more pressing needs in 2018 and beyond on defense, where linemen Jaye Howard and Bennie Logan could be free agents and inside linebacker Derrick Johnson will turn 35 in November. Nothing, of course, is more important for the Chiefs than drafting the eventual successor to quarterback Alex Smith. Look for the Chiefs to make every effort to get that done, even if they have to trade up a few spots in the first or second round. — Adam Teicher
The Chargers will take a safety in the first three rounds.
This year’s defensive back group is the deepest it has been in years, according to draft experts. And with 31-year-old safety Dwight Lowery having only two years left on his deal, the Chargers need to add a young safety who can run, in order for defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s Cover 3 scheme to work. Look for the Chargers to take a young developmental defensive back prospect early. — Eric D. Williams
The Raiders will get defensive in this draft, with most of their eight picks being on that side of the ball.
Oakland has needs at inside linebacker, the interior of the defensive line and cornerback, as only one of the Raiders’ five free-agent signees is a defensive player (outside linebacker Jelani Jenkins). As general manager Reggie McKenzie put it, the Raiders need “numbers” on defense, and what better way to do it than in the draft? Of course, if the Raiders cannot acquire Marshawn Lynch, a power running back also will become a target. — Paul Gutierrez
The Cowboys will select only one offensive player in the draft.
That has not happened since 2000, when four of their five picks were on the defensive side. Given their defense-heavy list of pre-draft visitors, the state of their offense and the needs on defense, it only makes sense for the Cowboys to take one offensive player. With their first three picks, the Cowboys have to come up with a combination that includes a pass-rusher, cornerback and safety, perhaps in that order, to make up for free-agent losses and give coordinator Rod Marinelli more tools. — Todd Archer
Think this isn’t a good draft for offensive linemen? Maybe not. But the Giants will select two offensive linemen in the first four rounds of the draft.
Tackle Garett Bolles is a strong option if he’s there when the Giants pick in the first round (No. 23 overall). And look for an interior lineman on Day 2 or early on Day 3. Either way, the Giants will marry a need with what they believe is decent value — and do so fairly early in the draft. — Jordan Raanan
The Eagles will walk away with two cornerbacks.
ESPN NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. believes 15 to 20 corners will be taken in the first 2½ rounds alone. The Eagles badly need to bolster the position, and they will take advantage of a loaded draft class to find their starters of the future. — Tim McManus
The Redskins will fortify their front seven with two of their first three picks.
It’s an excellent class of pass-rushers, and that’s something Washington wants to add, with questions about Junior Galette’s ability to recover from two Achilles tendon injuries and with pending free agent Trent Murphy suspended for the first four games. The Redskins also will find someone along the defensive line; they need more help defending the run, and they absolutely need talented young bodies to develop up front. — John Keim
The Bears will draft a quarterback.
Chicago is unlikely to take a quarterback in Round 1 — unless it manages to trade out of the third overall pick — but at some point, the club must address the position. Veteran Mike Glennon is the unquestioned starter in 2017 — he will make $16 million guaranteed this season — but the long-term picture at quarterback is fuzzy. Maybe Glennon thrives in Chicago. That is entirely possible, although Glennon’s supporting cast is suspect. In the event Glennon doesn’t pan out or is injured, the Bears need a contingency plan. It’s hard to imagine Mark Sanchez or Connor Shaw atop the quarterback depth chart in 2018. — Jeff Dickerson
The Lions will spend a lot of early draft capital on the front seven.
It might not be its first-round pick — although depending on how the draft falls, that seems more than likely — but Detroit will address its speed and talent issues at linebacker and defensive end within the first three rounds of the draft. The Lions also could add a skill position offensive player (running back, receiver or tight end) to finish out the first two days. — Michael Rothstein
The Packers will draft a running back at least as high as general manager Ted Thompson has ever done it.
Thompson has never taken a running back in the first round. The highest pick at the position he has made was Eddie Lacy at No. 61 in 2013. So even if Thompson doesn’t take a back in the first round at No. 29, he’ll take one within the first two rounds to complement converted receiver Ty Montgomery. — Rob Demovsky
The Vikings won’t spend their first pick on an offensive lineman.
They addressed the tackle position — their biggest positional need and also one of the thinnest spots in the draft — in free agency. And they might find enough other needs to fill with the 48th overall pick that they will wait on adding a lineman with one of their four other picks in the second through fourth rounds. If a defensive tackle such Michigan State’s Malik McDowell is still available when the Vikings make their first selection in the second round, they could go that way before coming back to add depth to the offensive line later. — Ben Goessling
The Falcons will draft two pass-rushers in the first three rounds.
Yes, there are other areas to address, such as a starting right guard and depth at linebacker and safety. But if the Falcons can find two impactful pass-rushers in the first three rounds — such as Missouri’s Charles Harris in the first round and Villanova’s Tanoh Kpassagnon in the third — that would be quite an impactful draft, in itself. Falcons coach Dan Quinn, a defensive line guru, can’t have enough pass-rushers to put alongside reigning NFL sacks leader Vic Beasley. — Vaughn McClure
The Panthers will trade back into the first round.
They could package either both of their second-round picks or a second- and third-round pick to move back into the first round for a second first-round pick. Depending on whom they select with the No. 8 overall pick, particularly if it’s a running back, the Panthers could use a second pick on an offensive tackle or tight end. Tackle Cam Robinson and tight end David Njoku could be late first-round targets. — David Newton
The Saints will get a cornerback in Round 1, one way or another.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that it is highly unlikely the Saints will land cornerback Malcolm Butler in a trade with the Patriots. Though there is still an outside chance it happens, the alternative for New Orleans will likely be drafting a cornerback in Round 1, since it’s such a big priority. Ohio State’s Gareon Conley, Washington’s Kevin King, Alabama’s Marlon Humphrey and LSU’s Tre’Davious White are among the possibilities at pick Nos. 11 or 32. — Mike Triplett
The Bucs will likely draft a running back, but it might not be where people expect them to do so.
They hosted Dalvin Cook on a pre-draft visit and worked him out privately. He’s likely a top-15 pick. But they also brought in/privately worked out D’Onta Foreman, Joe Mixon, Samaje Perine, Marlon Mack and Kareem Hunt, among others. If character concerns cause Cook to fall to No. 19, it would be hard for the Bucs to pass him up. If he’s not there, they will certainly explore other options in Rounds 2, 3 and 4. — Jenna Laine
The Cardinals will draft a wide receiver on the second or third day — unless Mike Williams is available at No. 13.
The Cardinals’ offense is another big receiver away from being as well-rounded as it has been under coach Bruce Arians. Adding someone to complement Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown, David Johnson and Carson Palmer could be the difference between making the playoffs and watching them. If Williams is around at No. 13, he could be drafted as the foundation of Arizona’s receiving corps for years. If he’s not, a complementary piece can be found on Friday or Saturday. — Josh Weinfuss
The Rams will select several defensive backs.
The focus had been on the offense, because they selected a quarterback, Jared Goff, first overall last year and because they’ve finished last in the NFL in yards during each of the past two seasons. Yes, the Rams need to supply Goff with more weapons. But they drafted four receiving threats last year — Pharoh Cooper, Tyler Higbee, Temarrick Hemingway and Mike Thomas — and they want to see how each develops. Now they have to find players in the secondary to develop. Trumaine Johnson, E.J. Gaines, Lamarcus Joyner, Maurice Alexander and Cody Davis — their five defensive backs in sub packages — can all become unrestricted free agents next offseason. The Rams might take a receiver or tight end if a good one is available at 37th overall, but by the end of it, they’ll have several defensive backs too. — Alden Gonzalez
The 49ers will draft a quarterback, but not with the No. 2 overall pick.
Without question, the 49ers’ No. 1 need is a franchise quarterback. General manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan haven’t been shy about that, even after signing veteran Brian Hoyer. But while they are intrigued by this year’s crop of quarterbacks and could have their choice of them with the second selection, the bet here is they will wait to find someone Shanahan can develop later on. With Kirk Cousins and Jimmy Garoppolo potentially hitting free agency and a class of draft prospects that looks better than this year’s set to be available next year, the Niners can find a quarterback Shanahan can begin grooming now with an eye toward landing the long-term solution in 2018. — Nick Wagoner
The Seahawks will trade back once again.
Seattle has not drafted in its original first-round slot since 2011. In three of those years, the Seahawks traded out of the first round completely. And last season, they traded back before taking offensive lineman Germain Ifedi. The key once again will be to watch how the quarterbacks go off the board. In the past, Teddy Bridgewater and Paxton Lynch slipping benefitted the Seahawks. If a QB-needy team sees a guy it likes fall to No. 26, Seattle will once again be in position to trade back. — Sheil Kapadia
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
