2017 NFL Draft: Biggest Riser/Faller Among Other Predictions

Oct 29, 2016; Greenville, NC, USA; East Carolina Pirates wide receiver Zay Jones (7) runs with the ball during the first quarter against Connecticut Huskies at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /

The 2017 NFL draft is certain to have its own unique twists and turns. That is what makes this time of year so enjoyable for football fans.

The unpredictability of it all. Things that seemed so certain a month or even a week ago can suddenly shift out of nowhere. Players expected to go high end up going late. Others expected to go late end up getting called way earlier. Fits that looked so obvious on paper become a jumbled mess. There will be shocks and yes, even a few scares too. So looking towards the end of April and beginning of May, here are some predictions about some unexpected things that might happen.

Biggest shock: Myles Garrett doesn’t go #1

Adam Schefter dropped a bomb recently stating that the Cleveland Browns were divided in the front office on what to do with their #1 pick. Some want the expected choice in defensive end Myles Garrett, the consensus top talent in the draft. Others have developed a crush on quarterback Mitch Trubisky. That tug-of-war could result in the unthinkable scenario of Garrett falling out of the top spot, something nobody thought possible.

Biggest rise: Zay Jones

The impression on him has continued to glow brighter each passing week. Zay Jones was highly productive at East Carolina. Never a bad thing but still taken with a grain of salt given the competition he faced. Then he tore up the Senior Bowl and followed that with an outstanding scouting combine. He’s proven to be a playmaker who raises his game when the pressure mounts. He’s got a good size-speed mixture too. Teams love getting players like that early.

Biggest fall: Tim Williams

At the end of the 2016 season, Alabama pass rusher Tim Williams looked like a 1st round lock. Another in a strong group of quarterback hunters this year. Over the past couple months though his background has revealed some dodgy details including the failure of multiple drug tests. This brings his character into question and that is often the worst hit a draft stock can take. It now wouldn’t surprise if Williams fell all the way to the later half of day two.

Scariest strength-on-strength pick: Garett Bolles to the Chicago Bears

The Bears have quietly assembled one of the best interior offensive lines in the NFL with Pro Bowl guards Josh Sitton and Kyle Long and now fast-rising center Cody Whitehair. It’s felt the only thing that group is missing is a standout left tackle to anchor the edge. Chicago is watching Garett Bolles of Utah carefully. If he’s there in the 2nd round, they could snag that final piece to a puzzle that might forge a front five that could rival even the mighty Dallas Cowboys.

Biggest gamble: Davis Webb

He must be one heck of an interview because Davis Webb looked like a classic 3rd round pick at best when the pre-draft process began. He’s coming from a classic spread offense system at Cal, the same as Jared Goff who struggled mightily in his first year. There is still much of his game that wasn’t all that impressive, but his physical traits are hard to ignore. Teams are banking on that and his background as a coaches’ son to pull him through the rough patches. Questionable call at that position.

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