By John Sarianides

The NFL Combine opens on March 3rd in Indianapolis. Coaches, front office executives and scouts will descend upon Lucas Oil Stadium to evaluate the 330 players that have been invited. 

All 32 teams have set their boards. Now is an opportunity to see the top prospects live and reaccess their value and whether they should be upgraded or downgraded on each team’s board. 

This is the first of six mock drafts that I will be sharing with you. I will post one every two weeks leading up the NFL Draft. 

Here is my first mock draft for 2017.

1. Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M: Garrett is the best player in this draft. He offers scheme versatility and elite pass rushing ability. He will make an immediate impact as a rookie. Pro Comp: Julius Peppers.

2. San Francisco 49ers: Malik Hooker, FS, Ohio State: The 49ers need a quarterback but new coach Kyle Shanahan wants to win now so he would prefer a veteran to take the reigns in his first season by the bay. Hooker has elite ball skills and anticipation. He is the best pure free safety to enter the NFL since Ed Reed. He would solidify a defense that lacks playmakers on the back end. Pro Comp: Ed Reed

3. Chicago Bears: Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina: Trubisky is the best quarterback in a weak class. The Bears need a long term answer at the position even if they bring back Jay Cutler. Trubisky has the arm strength, pocket presence and mental make up to start in the NFL but he will need time. Pro Comp: Trent Green

4. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jamal Adams, SS, LSU: With Jonathan Cyprien a free agent and more than likely gone, the Jaguars will need to address the safety position. Adams has the range and ball skills to be an elite player but he is also not afraid to fill the alley in run support. The Jaguars need a young leader to emerge for them in the secondary. Adams can be that guy. Pro Comp: Rodney Harrison

5. Tennessee Titans: Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State: The run on cornerbacks begins with the Titans taking the talented Lattimore with this pick. Lattimore has the size, length and ball skills necessary to be a shut down corner. Pro Comp: Patrick Peterson

6. New York Jets: Sidney Jones, CB, Washington: The Jets could go quarterback or running back here as well but they’ll settle for Jones who has the size and athleticism to be effective in either man or zone coverage. Pro Comp: Marcus Peters

7. Los Angeles Chargers: Jonathan Allen, DT, Alabama: The Chargers would love to trade out of this spot and pick up extra picks. If the right deal doesn’t come along, they’ll fortify their front seven by drafting the best defensive tackle in this clsss in Jonathan Allen. Pro Comp: Gerald McCoy

8. Carolina Panthers: Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford: The Panthers haven’t had a consistent pass rusher who could get to the quarterback since Greg Hardy. Thomas is an explosive, down the line player who offers scheme versatility and can play all three downs. Pro Comp: Chris Long

9. Cincinnati Bengals: Teez Tabor, CB, Florida: Tabor is long, athletic and physical in press coverage. He is ideally suited to play the press corner spot in the Bengals multiple 4-3 defense. Tabor is a good fit schematically and he could reverse the trend of the Bengals striking out at corner of late.  Pro Comp: Eli Apple

10. Buffalo Bills: Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan: The Bills could go cornerback here but they’ll opt for offense by taking the superproductive Davis. Davis put big numbers with the Broncos and he could be an ideal running mate for Sammy Watkins as a possession receiver. Pro Comp: Keenan Allen

11. New Orleans Saints: Tim Williams, DE, Alabama: The Saints have had a hard time generating a pass rush the last few seasons. New Orleans could address this area in free agency but if they don’t, the explosive Williams could be a good value here. Pro Comp: Bud Dupree

12. Cleveland Browns: Deshaun Watson, CB, Clemson: The Browns may use this pick to land a veteran quarterback like Jimmy Garoppolo. If they cannot, they will take who I believe to be the number quarterback on their board in Watson. Pro Comp: Andy Dalton

13. Arizona Cardinals: Mike Williams, WR, Clemson: The Cardinals will be active in free agency but they will use free agency to fill other holes. Wide receiver is a position they want to address in the draft and they will with the talented Williams. He fits the mold of what Bruce Arians wants out of the position. Pro Comp: Kenny Britt

14. Indianapolis Colts: Reuben Foster, ILB, Alabama: The Colts recently released veteran D’Qwell Jackson so they are in the market for a middle linebacker. Foster is a three year starter who played in a 3-4 defense at Alabama. He would be a great fit in the Colts version of the defense. Pro Comp: Bobby Wagner

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State: The Eagles need to surround quarterback Carson Wentz with some young play makers he can grow with. Cook is the perfect fit for a west coast offense because he is a three down back who can impact a game both as a runner and receiver. He would be a great fit in head coach Doug Pedersen’s offense. Pro Comp: Jamaal Charles

16. Baltimore Ravens: Zach Cunningham, ILB, Vanderbilt: With the unexpected retirement of linebacker Zachary Orr due to injury, the Ravens will turn to another Zach. Zach Cunningham is physical and athletic. He can play all three downs and would be a good complement to C.J Mosely. Pro Comp: Dont’a Hightower

17. Washington Redskins: Takkarist McKinley, OLB, UCLA: McKinley is an explosive pass rusher who can close on the quarterback quickly and play down the line of scrimmage. The Redskins inability to rush the passer has been a problem in recent years. McKinley can help solve it. Pro Comp: Erik Walden

18. Tennessee Titans: O.J Howard, TE, Alabama: The run on Alabama players continues. Howard is a big target who can play on the line or be split out. He is a match up nightmare for defensive coordinators and he can develop into a long term security blanket for Marcus Mariota. Titans GM Jon Robinson cut his teeth as a Patriots executive. He likes the idea of having two tight ends that can stretch the field in the passing game. Pro Comp: Jared Cook

19. Tampa Bay Bucs: Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU: Fournette probably won’t fall to the Bucs at this pick but if he does, he would be a tremendous complement to Jameis Winston and Mike Evans. Tampa would have this generation’s triplets. Pro Comp: Adrian Peterson

20. Denver Broncos: Ryan Ramzcyk, OT, Wisconsin: Ramzcyk is a mauler in the run game and athletic as a pass blocker. He is technically sound and plays with an edge to him. Ramzcyk would step in and fill an immediate need for the Broncos. He is a John Elway type of player. Pro Comp: Taylor Lewan

21. Detroit Lions: Malik McDowell, DE, Michigan State: McDowell’s motor runs hot and cold but he has tremendous upside. When he’s on, he’s on! At 6-5 285, he can play defensive end in a base 4-3 defense and kick inside to tackle in 40 nickel and dime packages. McDowell’s best football is ahead of him. Pro Comp: Antonio Smith

22. Miami Dolphins: Jabril Peppers, SS, Michigan: Peppers is a jack of all trades. He can play safety, slot corner or the big nickel spot depending on the sub package. Peppers is a liability over the top in coverage but he can match up against tight ends and running backs and is an effective blitzer. New Dolphins defensive coordinator Matt Burke wants to be aggressive defensively. Peppers will give him a valuable chess piece to work with. Pro Comp: Charles Woodson

23. New York Giants: David Njoku, TE, Miami (Fla): Njoku is a move tight end that can create match up problems, especially in the red zone. The Giants need a complementary tight end to play opposite Odell Beckham and Sterling Shepard. Njoku makes sense. Pro Comp: Clive Warford

24. Oakland Raiders: Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida: The Raiders play a similar style as the Seahawks do defensively. They want long corners who can press and re-route receivers. Wilson has the length and is physical enough to play the funnel, flat technique. Oakland needs a number one corner. Wilson fits the bill. Pro Comp: James Bradberry

25. Houston Texans: Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama: Robinson has slipped on teams boards because of off the field issues. Robinson is long, athletic and plays with a mean streak. He has Pro Bowl potential if he focuses. 

Robinson fills an immediate need for an offensive line that dealt with a rash of injuries on the field. Pro Comp: Ereck Flowers

26. Seattle Seahawks: Dan Feeney, OG, Indiana: The Seahawks need to upgrade their offensive line. Feeney is a road grader who plays with toughness and finesse. He fits exactly what offensive line coach Tom Cable looks for in a lineman. Pro Comp: T.J Lang

27. Kansas City Chiefs: Haason Reddick, ILB, Temple: Reddick had a great week of practice at the Senior Bowl and proved he can be a three down linebacker. He has the athleticism and the smarts to be a solid starter in the NFL. Pro Comp: Zach Brown

28. Dallas Cowboys: Derek Barnett, DE/OLB: Barnett could go earlier but if he is sitting on the board at this pick, the Cowboys will snatch him up quickly. He would be a great fit as a five technique defensive end in the Cowboys 4-3 defense. Pro Comp: Jabaal Sheard

29. Pittsburgh Steelers: Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU: The Steelers will continue to re-tool a secondary that was exposed last season. For the second straight year, Pittsburgh will draft a corner with their first round pick. Pro Comp: Morris Claibourne 

30. Green Bay Packers: Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama: The son of Bobby Humphrey is a big, long corner who can press and re-route receivers and he can carry routes down the field. He is smart and willing to come up and support the run. Humphrey fills a big time need for a team that melted down defensively in the NFC Championship. Pro Comp: Byron Maxwell

31. Atlanta Falcons: Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan: Charlton is long and lean at 6-5 280. He can rush the passer and stick blockers and support the run. He is ideally suited to play the nine technique defensive end in the 4-3 defense. Pro Comp: Michael Bennett

32. New England Patriots: T.J Watt, OLB, Wisconsin: You never know what Bill Belichick is going to do in the first round. If he keeps the pick and uses it, Watt would make a lot of sense. He is a versatile player who can play all three downs and rush the passer. Pro Comp: Clay Matthews