Charlie Campbell’s 2017 NFL Mock Draft: Round 2

Last update: Monday, March 20, 2017. Round 4 added.
2017 NFL MOCK DRAFT – WALT’S | CHARLIE’S ROUND: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
Charlie Campbell was a senior writer at PewterReport.com.
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Cleveland Browns: Justin Evans, S, Texas A&M
Cleveland grabs a safety upgrade.

In 2016, Evans notched 87 tackles with eight passes broken up and four interceptions. The 5-foot-11, 205-pounder created a real buzz with his Week 1 game against UCLA, and there was talk that he could be a first-round pick. In that game, he made eight tackles and two interceptions. Evans totaled 78 tackles with three pass breakups and one interception in 2015. Sources say that Evans has nice feel and awareness. They think he is a good hitter and tackler, but a little tight and more of a strong safety type for the NFL.

San Francisco 49ers: DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
The 49ers grab a young quarterback for Kyle Shanahan to groom.

Of the quarterback prospects for the 2017 NFL Draft, Kizer has the best skill set and the most upside. The 6-foot-4, 233-pounder has a strong arm that can make all the throws for the NFL. He has also flashed superb accuracy and an ability to make accurate touch passes downfield to beat good coverage in tight windows. Kizer can also make beautiful passes in the face of a pass rush. Additionally, he has the mobility to buy time for his receivers, bail out his offensive line, and pick up yards with his feet. The big problem for Kizer is consistency as he is a streaky passer and player. He also had issues late in games with critical mistakes in crunch time, so his decision-making needs to improve.

In 2016, Kizer completed 59 percent of his passes for 2,925 yards with 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also ran for seven touchdowns. His completion percentage was thrown off by playing a game in the midst of Hurricane Matthew and his receivers consistently dropping well-thrown passes. He also was hurt by losing his No.1 receiver (Will Fuller), left tackle (Ronnie Stanley), center (Nick Martin), and running back (C.J. Prosise) to the NFL before the season. In 2015, Kizer completed 63 percent of his passes for 2,884 yards with 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He picked up 520 yards with 10 scores on the ground.

Jacksonville Jaguars: David Njoku, TE, Miami
The Jaguars were wise to trade away bust free agent addition Julius Thomas. This is a great tight end draft, so they could find an upgrade for a receiving tight end in their offense.

The 6-foot-4, 246-pound Njoku is a freak athlete who has size, physicality and excellent speed. The junior recorded 43 receptions for 698 yards with eight touchdowns in 2016 despite Miami not using him as much as it should have. Sources have said that the coaching staff loved tight end Chris Herndon as a worker and teammate, so they tried to reward him by splitting targets his direction. The underachieving play of Brad Kaaya also hurt Njoku’s production with the quarterback’s propensity to watch the pass rush and take sacks.

According to team contacts, Njoku was torn on whether to enter the 2017 NFL Draft. The main reason he would have returned to Miami was to help his younger brother make the transition as he joins the Hurricanes program in 2017. However after the last regular-season game, Njoku posed for a photo with the senior class and took grass from the field as a keepsake. That suggested the junior was leaning toward entering the 2017 NFL Draft before his actual declaration.

Chicago Bears: Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
The Bears grab their quarterback to groom behind Mike Glennon. Chicago has shown significant interest in Watson.

I personally think Watson is a third-round prospect, but there are a lot of quarterback-desperate teams that could push him higher than where he should go. I know multiple playoff teams that are grading him in Round 3. One said they had him as a third-, fourth-rounder. A couple other teams told me they grade him in Round 2, but all of them wouldn’t be surprised if Watson was taken late in Round 1, like the Vikings did with Teddy Bridgewater in the 2014 NFL Draft. We’ve seen a long track record of desperation trigging huge quarterback reaches this decade with the likes of Jared Goff, Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder and Jake Locker. Thus, Watson still has a serious shot at going early in the 2017 NFL Draft.

In 2016, Watson completed 67 percent of his passes for 4,593 yards with 41 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He had nine rushing touchdowns as well. Watson turned in a underwhelming performances during the year against Auburn, Troy, Georgia Tech and Louisville. However, he played much better during the final month of the regular season and the postseason.

A problem for Watson in 2016 was poor accuracy in the first two-thirds of the season. He has lots of room for improvement with his field vision and ball placement. Watson missed wide-open receivers for scores throughout 2016. He also will have to make huge jump to a pro-style offense learning to work under center and call plays in the huddle. The Clemson offense predetermined where Watson would throw pre-snap, so he will need to learn to make reads for the NFL. Watson is great off the field with work ethic, character, leadership skills, and loving football.

As a sophomore, Watson (6-2, 221) made some beautiful passes and was a big-time point producer. Watson played really well in 2015 to lead Clemson to the National Championship game. In 2015, Watson completed 68 percent of his passes for 4,104 yards with 35 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. On the ground, he averaged 5.3 yards per carry for 1,105 yards with 12 scores.

Los Angeles Rams: JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
The Rams signed Robert Woods, but he isn’t enough to upgrade their weak receiving corps. Here’s a legit weapon.

In 2016, Smith-Schuster totaled 90 receptions for 914 yards and 10 scores. He was completely shut down in the 2016 season opener by Marlon Humphrey and Minkah Fitzpatrick, two future NFL cornerbacks. In 2015, Smith-Schuster took over as the No. 1 receiver with Nelson Agholor in the NFL and was excellent with 89 receptions for 1,454 yards and 10 touchdowns. The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder had an impressive freshman season in 2014, totaling 54 catches for 724 yards and five touchdowns.

For the NFL, Smith-Schuster is more of a possession receiver, but he runs good routes and has size, generally quality hands, yards-after-the-catch skills, and enough quickness to produce in the short to intermediate part of the field. He is good at winning 50-50 passes and should be valuable in the red zone. Smith-Schuster could be a quality starter quickly in his NFL career, but may never become an elite No. 1 receiver as a pro.

Los Angeles Chargers: Haason Reddick, OLB, Temple
The Chargers grab a linebacker for Gus Bradley’s 4-3 defense.

Reddick (6-1, 237) was an edge rusher in college who has to move to outside linebacker in the NFL. He showed that he can make that switch at the Senior Bowl as he flew around the field and was constantly around the ball. Still, sources with teams say that Reddick is a real project for the NFL and will take time to develop at linebacker considering he has no game experience there. In 2016, Reddick totaled 65 tackles with 22.5 tackles for a loss, 10.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and three passes broken up.

New York Jets: Dawuane Smoot, DE/3-4OLB, Illinois
The Jets could use some edge-rush upgrades.

During the fall, there was a good amount of hype about Smoot as a few ESPN draft analysts projected him among the top-10 prospects for the 2017 NFL Draft. In speaking with multiple NFL teams, they say they are grading Smoot as a late first-rounder. Smoot totaled 56 tackles and 15 for a loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass batted in 2016.

Sources say that Smoot is very athletic and explosive off the edge. However, they feel he is more disruptive than productive, and that could be the case for him in the NFL. They believe Smoot is the kind of player who will place a lot of pressure on the quarterback, but net only a few sacks. Teams have compared Smoot to the Packers’ Nick Perry.

At 6-foot-2, 255 pounds, Smoot could gain about 10 pounds and play heavier. Starting across from Jihad Ward in 2015, Smoot had a strong junior season as he totaled eight sacks with 15 tackles for a loss, 40 tackles, two passes batted and three forced fumbles.

Carolina Panthers: Takkarist McKinley, DE/3-4OLB/OLB, UCLA
The Panthers grab an edge rusher to groom behind Julius Peppers.

McKinley is a pass-rushing specialist who enjoyed a breakout senior season. He specifically got the better of USC left tackle Chad Wheeler in an impressive performance. In 2016, McKinley racked up 61 tackles with 18 tackles for a loss, 10 sacks, three forced fumbles and six passes batted. It was a big improvement over his junior year when he recorded 35 tackles with 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and four passes broken up. McKinley was a backup as a sophomore, but had 2.5 sacks. For the NFL, the 6-foot-2, 250-pounder’s body type would fit best as a 3-4 outside linebacker. He could play right defensive end in 4-3 scheme, but would have to be rotated regularly and could struggle to defend against the run.

Cincinnati Bengals: Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE/3-4DE, Villanova
The Bengals grab a defensive end to replace Margus Hunt and upgrade over Michael Johnson.

Kpassagnon notched 45 tackles with 21.5 for a loss, 11 sacks, one forced fumble and a pass batted in 2016. He totaled 33 tackles with 6.5 sacks, 9.5 tackles for a loss, two blocked kicks and a forced fumble the year before.

Evaluators believe that the 6-foot-6, 280-pounder is raw and has great size, but the skill set is there with a lot of upside to develop. Sources say that Kpassagnon is a perfect fit as a five-technique defensive end in a 3-4 defense and they see him as a second-day talent.

New Orleans Saints: Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
The Saints could use more cornerback talent.

After losing Vernon Hargreaves to the NFL, Wilson replaced him as Florida’s starter alongside Jalen Tabor. Sources with multiple teams graded the 6-foot-1, 211-pound Wilson as a second-rounder, and team evaluators feel that Wilson has above-average speed to go along with his size. In 2016, he totaled 33 tackles with six passes broken up and three interceptions. Sources also feel Wilson has above-average feel and awareness. He is good at running the route to prevent separation with the size to take on big receivers.

Wilson is a longer press-man corner for the NFL with ball skills, but scouting sources say that there are aspects that Wilson needs to improve. He grabs at receivers a lot and could get called for pass interference penalties in the NFL. They also say that he lacks instincts and has some limitations in scheme. Wilson’s best fit would be as a longer press-man corner. Thus, he will need some development.

Philadelphia Eagles: Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee
The Eagles grab a feature running back who is a great fit for Doug Pederson.

Kamara is a super-hot prospect in scouting circles and is going to keep rising throughout the leadup to the 2017 NFL Draft. Some sources say they wouldn’t be surprised if Kamara ends up getting Thursday night consideration in the middle to back half of the first round because he is such a versatile, explosive play-maker.

The 5-foot-10, 214-pounder has a strong build with impressive speed. He is a dynamic receiver out of the backfield who also gives defenses a lot of problems running routes from the slot. Kamara has soft hands and is a superb route-runner. He also is a dangerous weapon on special teams with returning kicks. In my opinion, Kamara is a lot like Jamaal Charles; a comparison sources have agreed with.

In 2016, Kamara averaged 5.8 yards per carry for 596 yards and nine scores. He also took 40 receptions for 392 yards and four scores, plus was a threat as a punt returner. In 2015, Kamara averaged 6.5 yards per carry for 698 yards with seven touchdowns. He showed his skills in the passing game with 34 receptions for 291 yards with three scores.

Buffalo Bills: Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan
Buffalo needs more cornerback talent after losing Stephon Gilmore in free agency.

If Lewis (5-10, 188) were larger, he would be a first-round pick. Lewis is a fast, athletic corner who is adept at running the route to prevent separation. In the NFL, however, he is going to struggle with big receivers making receptions over him.

The senior had 25 tackles with 11 passes broken up and two interceptions during 2016. In 2015, Lewis was a good corner for the Wolverines with a ridiculous 20 passes broken up, two interceptions and 52 tackles. He also averaged 25.2 yards per kick return. As a sophomore, Lewis recorded 39 tackles with two interceptions and six passes broken up. He will have to be a slot corner in the NFL.

Arizona Cardinals: Pat Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech
The Cardinals land their quarterback of the future. They can groom Mahomes behind Carson Palmer for a year and then let Mahomes take over in the desert.

Mahomes played in a gimmick offense that won’t translate to the NFL, but he has a powerful arm and flashed accuracy and mobility. He is also a real gunslinger who wants the ball in his hands and is a confident play-maker who is a hard worker off the field. Mahomes completed 66 percent of his passes in 2016 for 5,052 yards with 41 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He notched 12 rushing touchdowns, too. In 2015, Mahomes completed 64 percent for 4,653 yards with 36 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Some team sources are intrigued by Mahomes, while others are skeptics.

Mahomes (6-2, 225) is tremendous at improvising and making big plays when things break down. He clearly has the arm to make any throw in the NFL, plus has good mobility to throw on the run. Mahomes is going to need to improve his decision-making as he threw across the field too much at Texas Tech. He will need to do a lot of development on his footwork as well. Working under center and calling plays in the huddle will be other big jumps for Mahomes coming from the Red Raiders’ offense. Thus, he has a good skill set with some grittiness as a player, but he is a project for the NFL.

Minnesota Vikings: Dan Feeney, G, Indiana
The Vikings grab an offensive line upgrade.

The 6-foot-4, 304-pound Feeney is a well-balanced blocker. He has the strength to contribute as a run blocker and was effective in pass protection. According to Indiana, Feeney had allowed only one sack in 2,719 snaps – 37 career games – entering 2016. The senior missed a lot of time in 2016 with a concussion and also had to play some right tackle. For the NFL, however, Feeney projects as a power guard.

Baltimore Ravens: Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State
The Ravens get their replacement for Steve Smith.

Scouting sources compare Samuel to Percy Harvin and think Samuel could be a special play-maker in the NFL. The 5-foot-10, 196-pounder would probably fit better as primarily a receiver in the pros given his build. In 2016, Samuel had 74 receptions for 865 yards with seven touchdowns. On the ground, he averaged 7.9 yards per carry for 771 yards and eight scores. Samuel has explosive vertical speed and is a play-maker with the ball in his hands.

Indianapolis Colts: Chris Wormley, DE/DT/3-4DE, Michigan
The Colts need to find multiple upgrades on the defense and badly need more difference-makers at the point of attack. Here’s a player who will help Indianapolis’ run defense and pass rush.

Wormley notched 40 tackles with nine for a loss and six sacks in 2016. His pass rush looked improved as a senior. Michigan had a tough defense in 2015 led by a tremendous defensive line, and Wormley was the Wolverines’ leading defensive end. He recorded 43 tackles with 6.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for a loss on the year.

At 6-foot-5, 297 pounds, Wormley has versatile size to play in a either a 4-3 or a 3-4 defense. In a 3-4, he would be a five-technique defensive end. In a 4-3, he could play tackle, end or both. Wormley needs to continue to develop his pass-rushing moves.

Washington Redskins: Malik McDowell, DT/3-4DE, Michigan State
The Redskins could use more talent on the defensive line. Here’s an interior upgrade.

McDowell totaled 34 tackles with seven for a loss and just 1.5 sacks in 2016, but was very disruptive with pressure on the quarterback. He was a backup in 2014, but broke out in 2015. At times during that season, McDowell was the Spartans’ most disruptive defensive lineman. He totaled 41 tackles with 13 for a loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a pick-six on the year.

The 6-foot-6, 295-pounder has a lot of upside to develop. Teams love his skill set, but have concerns about his work ethic in the weight room and motor. They also feel that McDowell seemed to be protecting himself in his final games. They question his desire to be great and love of football. Still, he would be a perfect fit as a five-technique in a 3-4 defense. Sources from multiple teams have McDowell as a high first-round talent and like him more than Arik Armstead and similarly to DeForest Buckner.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Budda Baker, S, Washington
Tampa Bay could take advantage of the depth at safety in the 2017 NFL Draft to land an upgrade in Round 2.

In 2016, Baker totaled 65 tackles with two interceptions and five passes broken up. He needs to get stronger to tackle in the NFL, but Baker is a fast safety who flies around the field. The 5-foot-10, 195-pounder has the ability to help in pass coverage and is a willing tackler in the ground game. Returning for his senior year and adding strength would have been his best route before going pro, but Baker decided to enter the 2017 NFL Draft.

In 2015, Baker recorded 49 tackles with seven passes broken up and two interceptions. He had 80 tackles, six pass breakups and an interception as a freshman.

Denver Broncos: Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss
The Broncos need a receiving tight end for their offense, and this is a great draft to find one.

Engram is a dangerous receiving weapon. The 6-foot-3, 236-pounder is a fast, athletic tight end who can hurt defenses vertically. He has the speed to get separation and is dangerous with the ball in his hands. Engram needs to add weight for the next level and get better as a drive blocker, but he already shows good intelligence and effectiveness with cut blocks at the right spot.

Engram amassed 65 receptions for 926 yards and eight scores in 2016. Against Florida State and Alabama, he showed that he is a dynamic receiving tight end for the NFL in the mold of Jordan Reed. Engram totaled 120 yards on nine receptions with a touchdown against the Seminoles and nine catches for 138 yards and a score versus the Crimson Tide.

Engram had a slow 2015 with only 38 receptions for 464 yards and two touchdowns. In his first two years, he was excellent for Ole Miss. Engram caught 38 passes for 662 yards with two touchdowns in 2014. He was a dangerous receiving threat who carved up Alabama, Auburn and Mississippi State that season. As a true freshman, he caught 21 passes for 268 yards with three touchdowns.

Cleveland Browns: Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA
The Browns could use a cornerback upgrade.

Moreau (6-0, 202) was one of the stars of the East-West Shrine throughout the week as he impressed teams with his size, physicality, and coverage skills. Moreau is a tough corner who is capable of running the route to prevent separation. As a senior, he totaled 31 tackles with two interceptions and 10 passes broken up.

Detroit Lions: Montravius Adams, DT/3-4DE/NT, Auburn
The Lions grab an interior disruptor to play between Ziggy Ansah and A’Shawn Robinson.

In 2016, Adams had 44 tackles with 8.5 for a loss, 4.5 sacks, two passes batted and one interception. There were times where he looked like a first-rounder with his size and speed. From a skill-set perspective, Adams is an early round talent, but his motor varies between hot and cold. The 6-foot-3, 308-pounder possesses an interesting body type that could fit as a 4-3 three-technique or a 3-4 defensive end. He had a very good Senior Bowl performance, rushing the passer really well in the one-on-ones.

In 2015, Adams had 44 tackles, three for a loss, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass broken up. He dominated that season’s opener against Louisville and seemed poised for a massive year, but that didn’t come to fruition as his motor was too inconsistent. Adams recorded 43 tackles, eight for a loss and three sacks in 2014.

Miami Dolphins: Jarrad Davis, OLB/ILB, Florida
The Dolphins could use young talent at linebacker.

Davis collected 60 tackles, two sacks and four passes broken up in 2016. Davis was a strong inside presence who made a ton of clutch tackles for Florida in 2015. He was an unsung hero of one of the best defenses in the nation and was a beast that season in the SEC Championship along with the other late-season games against elite competition. In 2015, Davis totaled 98 tackles with 11 tackles for a loss, four passes broken up, an interception and 3.5 sacks.

The 6-foot-1, 238-pounder is fast, physical and instinctive. He has sideline-to-sideline speed with the athleticism to be a three-down defender. Davis could be a Mike (middle) or a Will (weakside) linebacker in a 4-3. He also could function on the inside of a 3-4.

New York Giants: D’Onta Foreman, RB, Texas
The Giants need a starting running back and trend-setter for their offense. They’ve been inclined toward power backs in the past.

Foreman was a beast in 2016, rolling over defenders while averaging 6.3 yards per carry for 2,028 yards with 15 touchdowns. He wasn’t much of a receiver with seven receptions for 75 yards, but Foreman is a load as a runner who can run over the opposition. The 6-foot, 233-pounder is a power back for the NFL, and sources have said that Foreman really impressed them in 2016.

Oakland Raiders: Caleb Brantley, DT/NT, Florida
The Raiders could use an interior disruptor and pass-rusher.

Brantley totaled 31 tackles with 9.5 for a loss, 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble in 2016. He was very disruptive with his quickness at the point of attack and was superb against Tennessee and Georgia. The 6-foot-3, 307-pounder used his agility to fire through his gap and routinely achieved penetration into the backfield. He is a dangerous interior pass-rusher.

Brantley flashed a lot of disruption at the point of attack as a redshirt sophomore in 2015. He totaled 29 tackles with 6.5 tackles for a loss and three sacks that season. While 6.5 isn’t a huge sack total, it is a quality number for an interior defender, and Brantley showed the potential to be a three-down defender in the NFL.

Houston Texans: Gerald Everett, TE, South Alabama
Will Fuller had a great start to the 2016 season, but teams found a good way to defend against him and DeAndre Hopkins with safeties over the top. That led to blocking tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz having a decent season through the air, but Houston could use a true receiving tight end to exploit defenses down the middle of the field.

Everett notched 43 receptions for 648 yards and four touchdowns in 2016. In 2015, he totaled 41 catches for 575 yards and eight touchdowns. There is a nice buzz about him in the scouting community. Sources say that Everett (6-2, 239) is a dangerous receiving tight end for the NFL.

Everett is a legitimate receiving tight end prospect for the next level. He started out his career at UAB and played one season there, catching 17 passes for 292 yards and a touchdown. After UAB ended its football program, Everett transferred to South Alabama.

Seattle Seahawks: Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson
The Seahawks could use young corner talent, and Seattle and Tankersley are a perfect fit.

Tankersley recorded 47 tackles, four interceptions and 10 passes broken up in 2016. The 6-foot-1, 199-pounder has the size and coverage skills to be an first-rounder. In 2015, Tankersley was part of a tough cornerback duo for Clemson with Mackensie Alexander, showing impressive ball skills by racking up five interceptions and nine passes broken up. Tankersley also had 48 tackles.

Kansas City Chiefs: Marcus Williams, S, Utah
The Chiefs could use a safety to pair with Eric Berry.

Williams had a quality 2016 season with 64 tackles, three passes broken up, five interceptions and two forced fumbles. He put together a tremendous 2015 season for the Utes with five interceptions, five passes broken up and 66 tackles. It was a breakout sophomore season for Williams after he recorded 59 tackles with an interception as a freshman. The 6-foot-1, 202-pounder could use more strength and weight to tackle in the NFL.

Dallas Cowboys: Tim Williams, DE/3-4OLB/OLB, Alabama
The Cowboys could use more edge-rushing talent.

In 2016, Williams totaled nine sacks, 16 tackles for a loss, 31 tackles, two forced fumbles and a pass batted. He put steady pressure on the quarterback all season. Sources, however, have told me that they have massive off-the-field concerns with Williams. He failed numerous drug tests at Alabama, and some sources say that he has Randy Gregory-like issues with substance abuse. Multiple teams think Williams could slide, and they won’t take him in Round 1 of the 2017 NFL Draft even though he is a definite first-round talent. It could end up causing him to slide to Day 2 like Gregory.

The 6-foot-3, 244-pounder came on really strong as a pass-rushing force to close out the 2015 season and help the Crimson Tide win a National Championship. He totaled 10.5 sacks, 12.5 tackles for a loss and 19 tackles on the year. It will be interesting to see if Williams can develop into an every-down defender. There is no doubt that he is a fast edge rusher with a nose for the quarterback.

Green Bay Packers: Demarcus Walker, DE/3-4OLB, Florida State
The Packers could use a young edge rusher to replace the aging Julius Peppers.

n 2016, Walker totaled 68 tackles with those 16 sacks, 21.5 tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles and two passes batted. He caught fire in the second half against Ole Miss to record 4.5 sacks and help lead Florida State to a huge comeback win over the Rebels.

The 6-foot-3, 280-pounder broke out in 2015 with 10.5 sacks, 15.5 tackles for a loss, five passes broken up and 58 tackles. He was a tough edge rusher for the Seminoles. Sources told me that they were projecting Walker to the second day of the 2016 NFL Draft prior to him announcing he would return for his senior year.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Ryan Anderson, 3-4OLB/OLB, Alabama
The Steelers grab an edge rusher to replace Jarvis Jones.

Anderson (6-2, 258) was a clutch performer for Alabama in 2016. He supplied a lot of pass rush off the edge and also did well at setting the edge in run defense. Anderson totaled 61 tackles with 18 for a loss, nine sacks, three passes broken up, one interception and four forced fumbles on the season. In 2015, he put together a strong finish to the season, recording 37 tackles with 11.5 for a loss, six sacks and two forced fumbles on the year.

Anderson has versatile size and upside to develop. He would fit best as a 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL.

Atlanta Falcons: Dion Dawkins, OT, Temple
The Falcons could use one more guard upgrade to finish off their talented young offensive line.

The 6-foot-3, 317 pound Dawkins has some fans in the NFL scouting community. They feel that Dawkins has some athleticism and could turn into a good functional blocker. The sources that really like Dawkins have him graded in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft and think he has left tackle potential for the NFL. Some other teams have him graded a round or two later and think he would be a better fit at guard in the NFL. Still, Dawkins had a fine senior season to put himself in position to get drafted come April. He should move to guard in the NFL.

Carolina Panthers: Marcus Maye, S, Florida
The Panthers could use a safety upgrade.

In 2016, Maye recorded 50 tackles with one interception and six passes broken up. His season ended early due to injury. Maye totaled 82 tackles, six pass breakups and two interceptions in 2015. Maye was a solid free safety for Florida that season and generally a good deep center fielder, but he had an ugly performance against Alabama in the SEC Championship and didn’t finish well against Michigan in the bowl game.

Sources say Maye (6-0, 210) has good free safety pass-coverage potential for the NFL and can do everything well, but also has some kinks to work out. He has a tendency to play really well and then suffer a lapse that allows a reception downfield he shouldn’t. Maye needs to eliminate those hiccups in the NFL because they often led to points for the opposition.

Go to Charlie Campbell’s 2017 NFL Mock Draft: Round 3

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