NFL Mock Draft 2017: Clemson WR Mike Williams To Chargers, QB Deshaun Watson To Bears In Top 10 Picks?


The NFL mock draft 2017 prospects from this past Monday’s National Championship Game are continuing to receive speculation ahead of teams making their selections in April. Both quarterback Deshaun Watson and wide receiver Mike Williams from the champion Clemson Tigers are being talked about heavily as top prospects for the NFL. There’s been plenty of disagreement over where Watson may go and there still seems to be, despite the Clemson QB cementing his legacy with a huge championship win. Meanwhile, it appears that Williams could have moved his name into the top 10 ahead of April’s NFL draft.

In a recent report via the Inquisitr, the NFL draft positions for Watson and Williams were speculated to be within the top 13. Watson was considered a No. 6 choice for the New York Jets and Williams a No. 13 selection for the Arizona Cardinals. That was ahead of their big game on Monday night in which the duo was part of a championship-winning effort by the Clemson Tigers. They surpassed the Alabama Crimson Tide in the final moments of a thriller, winning it 35-31.

A stellar performance against Alabama to win the National Championship should help Watson’s draft stock. [Image by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images]

Both players displayed solid numbers in the big championship victory. In particular, the quarterback put on a show. Watson finished with 420 yards on 36-for-56 completed passes. He threw for four of the team’s touchdowns and ran for another. Williams finished with 95 yards receiving and a touchdown on eight receptions. There are a handful of analysts who now believe Watson could be a top five quarterback, and Williams among the top 10 or even top five picks in the draft.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson is currently considered the third-best QB eligible for the draft. Mel Kiper of ESPN has him on the top 10 quarterback prospects list behind Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer and North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky. However, there are some writers and analysts out there who feel Watson’s game-winning performance against the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide has moved him up on the board. A recent report via NESN has Watson going No. 3 overall to the Chicago Bears, ahead of both Kizer and Trubisky. It’s no secret that the Bears is a team in serious need of an overhaul and unfortunately for Jay Cutler loyalists, it seems the quarterback spot may be one that gets changed up.

On Wednesday, ESPN reported that Williams officially declared for the NFL draft. The announcement came along with fellow receiver Artavis Scott also declaring he’ll enter the draft. As it stands, Williams is considered the No. 1-rated wide receiver by ESPN’s Mel Kiper in terms of prospects, while Scott isn’t on his list. Williams led Clemson with 98 receptions for 1,361 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’d been out of action a year ago due to a broken neck.

Clemson WR Mike Williams officially declared for the NFL Draft on Wednesday. [Image by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images]

In terms of Williams’ draft spot, NESN is predicting he’ll be selected just a few spots lower at No. 7 to the San Diego Chargers. The Draft Site has Williams at the same exact spot in their NFL mock draft picks, but has a much different perspective on Watson. While it’s possible the site may update his position in the coming days, they currently list the Tigers quarterback at No. 25 and as an absolute steal for a Cleveland Browns team with the No. 1 pick. Both Kizer and Trubisky are listed in the top three on Draft Site, with Myles Garrett still considered the top overall pick.

One would have to think that most NFL franchises took serious notice of what Watson did in Monday’s big game. His stats and performance speak for themselves as the Clemson quarterback willed his team to a championship. When it comes to playing in the NFL, potential or a good draft combine workout often causes teams to forego the obvious: players who have a winning mindset. The fact remains that Watson guided his team to a one-loss season and then put on a dominant performance against a team considered the best defense in the nation. It will be surprising if he falls far in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft.

Football fans, do you believe both Watson and Williams will be top 10 picks in April’s NFL Draft? Which team would be smartest to gamble on Watson, and is he a better pick than Trubisky or Kizer?

[Featured Image by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images]

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