2017 NFL Draft: 5 Players Who Dropped Out Of Round 1
By Tony Fischer
A wild first round of the 2017 NFL Draft caused some top prospects to fall out of Round 1, which means great value for teams on Day 2.
An early run on quarterbacks and receivers, plus plenty of trades, made for a pretty crazy opening round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The trading frenzy also pushed a lot of first-round talent into the second round.
Here are some players who were projected in the first, but were forced to wait for the next round — which surely has plenty of teams rejoicing.
Dalvin Cook, RB – Florida State
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After the Combine, Dalvin Cook was projected as a mid-to-high first-round pick. But a run on wide receivers and quarterbacks in the top half of the draft started a free fall for Cook, who eventually fell out of the first round altogether.
The former Florida State Seminole is the best running back on the board to begin the second round. As it turns out, the Green Bay Packers, who sat out of the opening round, are in need of a running back after losing Eddie Lacy to free agency.
Joe Mixon, RB – Oklahoma
Controversy surrounding Joe Mixon’s off the field actions clouded his draft projections. That said, Mixon is a first-round talent and could have been drafted on Thursday night had the pick played out a little differently.
Mixon will be drafted in the second round. He is too talented to for a team to pass up.
Malik McDowell, DL – Michigan State
If the pool of defensive linemen wasn’t so deep, McDowell would have been drafted in the first round. He certainly has that level of talent, but an awful performance during combine interviews cost McDowell a chance at being a team’s No. 1 pick.
The former Michigan State Spartan has developed a bit of a reputation as a malcontent who is difficult to motivate. Will a draft free fall out of the first round be enough to motivate him? With the right fit, McDowell could end up being a steal.
Zach Cunningham, LB – Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt middle man Zach Cunningham was originally projected to go to either the Detroit Lions (21) or Oakland Raiders (24). But the Lions went with Jarrad Davis and the Raiders took a risk on Gareon Conley, pushing Cunningham into Friday night’s draft pool.
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Forrest Lamp, OG – Western Kentucky
Despite coming from a small directional school, Forrest Lamp has impressed during the offseason. Prior to the draft multiple pundits pegged him as a late first-round pick. But as the draft unfolded, it became clear Lamp would have to settle for a second round selection.
With all of the first round talent still available in the second, look for plenty of trades to happen on Day 2 of the NFL Draft, keeping up the trend.