We're just one week away from knowing the order of the top 20 picks in the 2017 NFL draft.While the teams drafting near the top have long since been eliminated from playoff contention, there is still plenty on the line in Week 17.The Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers have the most at stake, as their battle for the No. 1 pick continues into Week 17. If the Browns lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland wraps up the top spot. But if the Browns win and the 49ers lose, San Francisco will claim the No. 1 position.Here's how the latest mock draft shakes out, followed by a closer look at a few questions that will become major draft storylines in the coming months. Notable Draft StorylinesWill Any Quarterbacks Land in 1st Round'We're used to seeing at least one quarterback come off the board in the first round year after year, but 2017 could be a year without a quarterback.In his latest mock draft, ESPN.com's Todd McShay emphatically stated "no QB in this class is worth the No. 1 pick." On his big board, McShay does include North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky among his top 32 prospects, but Trubisky doesn't appear on the board until No. 30.Trubisky is certainly in the first-round conversation, but questions still linger.Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network asked executives about which prospects have the most to prove in their bowl game, and Trubisky was a common response. One anonymousrespondentstated that Trubisky needs to prove he can win a "high-pressure game."If Trubisky stumbles in North Carolina's bowl game against Stanford, or if he simply returns to school, the 2017 draft class could be left without a viable first-round quarterback prospect. How High Will Leonard Fournette Go'Teams have been reluctant to draft running backs in the first round in recent years, but in each of the past two drafts a running back has come off the board in the top 10. The then-St. Louis Rams selected Todd Gurley 10th overall in 2015, and the Dallas Cowboys snagged Ezekiel Elliott at No. 4 last year.Leonard Fournette appeared likely to keep that trend alive entering the year, but an injury-marred season may put his top-10 status in jeopardy.Fournette missed five games, including the season finale, due to an ankle injury, and has elected to skip LSU's bowl game in an effort to get back to full health in time to work out for teams leading up to the draft.A serious ankle injury can have lasting effects on a running back's career, so Fournette's medical tests at the NFL combine in February will be critical to establishing his draft stock.It's safe to assume teams will consider him as a top-10 option for now, but his medical evaluation could dramatically alter where teams place him on their draft boards.Who Will Own the No. 1 Pick'The Cleveland Browns are one loss away from clinching the top pick in the 2017 NFL draft. But will they be the ones to use the pick'Sashi Brown, the Browns executive vice-president of football operations, has been extremely active on the trade market since taking over during the 2016 offseason. Prior to the 2016 draft, the Browns acquired multiple extra draft picks, including an extra first-round selection in the 2017 draft, by trading out of their original slot in the first round.Assuming the Browns aren't targeting a quarterback at the No. 1 spot, they will likely listen to offers for their top pick once again. With so many needs on both sides of the ball, the Browns may be better off continuing to stockpile picks in an effort to add multiple starters instead of just one impact player at No. 1.
Click here to read full news..
