2017 NFL Mock Draft: An early look at the first three rounds

44. Conley’s teammate Marshon Lattimore has received a lot of buzz lately as a top cornerback prospect, but when you watch the Ohio State film , it’s Conley, not Lattimore, that is asked to square off against the opponent’s top receiver every week. Conley would help the NFL’s 32nd passing defense.. Cornerback. Ohio State. Falcons - Gareon Conley. 26. player

UCLA. Steelers - Takkarist McKinley. 27. player. 55. McKinley could go much earlier than this, especially if he finds the right fit, which is most likely in a 3-4 system. The Steelers defense has lacked some punch without consistent edge rushers at outside linebacker. McKinley is an explosive player who should find ways to impact games at the next level.. Outside Linebacker

If there’s a weakness on Seattle’s defense, it’s definitely at defensive tackle. While Ahtyba Rubin and Tony McDaniel are decent players, neither player offers much as an interior pass rusher. Brantley is a disruptive three-technique, who can get after the quarterback and break up plays at the line of scrimmage.. Defensive Tackle. Florida. Seahawks - Caleb Brantley. 28. player. 36

50. Jewell continues to fly under the radar, but watch any Iowa game, the three-down linebacker makes plays all over the field. He’s equally as good in pass coverage as he is against the run. He’s a smart player with good speed and athleticism, but he also plays hard. If he declares for the draft, I honestly believe he’s the second-best inside linebacker in the class, behind only Reuben Foster.. Linebacker. Iowa. Lions - Josey Jewell. 29. player

player. 124. Davis may be the most polished receiver in this class, but he doesn’t necessarily have the upside of Williams or Ross, which could cause him to fall to the end of the first round. Granted, Davis is still a solid option for a team looking for a No. 1 wide receiver, like Kansas City.. Wide Receiver. Western Michigan. Chiefs - Corey Davis. 30

Patriots - Zach Cunningham. 31. player. 47. This might be a little too high for Cunningham. There’s a ton of buzz on the Vanderbilt linebacker because he makes a lot of flashy plays on the field. However, a closer look at his film shows a lot of inconsistencies and issues with overpursing and getting off blocks. However, in the right system, Cunningham can be a very effective player. The Patriots seem like a good fit because they’ll know how to put him in position to utilize his athleticism, while masking his shortcomings.. Linebacker. Vanderbilt

123. As we get closer to the draft, Humphrey could go a lot higher than this. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound cornerback has an exciting combination of size, athleticism, and ball skills. However, Humphrey has also shown he can get beat, and at times is undisciplined. He’s a bit of a boom or bust prospect.. Cornerback. Alabama. Cowboys - Marlon Humphrey. 32. player