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NFL mock draft 2017: The fun begins tonight

In this Sept. 17, 2016, file photo, Texas A&;M defensive lineman Myles Garrett, top, sacks Auburn quarterback Sean White in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016, in Auburn, Ala. Defense.

Most NFL mock drafts project what a pundit think teams will do. Not here.

No, here I play the role of every GM and head coach in the league and tell you what each team SHOULD do, rather than what I think they will do.

It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it. You will notice a couple of notable omissions among my selections. If so, that tells you what I think about a certain prospect.

The Browns will officially be on the clock at 8 p.m. tonight.

Here we go.

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1. Cleveland – Myles Garrett (DL) Texas A&M: Don’t overthink it. Garrett is the slam dunk top prospect in this draft. In the NFL, you have to have a quarterback and you have to be able to get to the quarterback. This pick helps the Browns do that and adds to an impressive core of young lineman.

2. San Francisco – Solomon Thomas (DL) Stanford: It’s time to start rebuilding this team from the inside. Thomas is a disruptor who can come in and start right away.

3. Chicago – Jamal Adams (S) LSU: The Bears need playmakers on defense and Adams is the best defensive back in this draft. He is a Troy Polamalu/Ed Reed type game-changer on the back end of a defense.

4. Jacksonville – Jonathan Allen (DL) Alabama: Tom Coughlin built a winner in Jacksonville as a head coach on dominating the trenches. He starts to do put his mark on the organization in his new role in the front office with this pick.

5. Tennessee – O.J Howard (TE) Alabama: Tennessee is an up and coming team with a franchise quarterback in Marcus Mariota. Imagine what he could do with some real weapons, hence this pick. Howard is a stud who will bring a new dimension to their offense.

6. N.Y. Jets – Marshon Lattimore (CB) Ohio State: They could go quarterback here, but frankly a quarterback should be the last position to plug into a rebuild, not the first. The Jets were woeful in the secondary last year and here they add the best corner in a draft loaded with top-end DBs.

7. San Diego – Malik Hooker (S) Ohio State: As bad as the Jets’ defense was a season ago, the Chargers were worse, especially on the back end. Hooker and Adams are very close in terms of talent and, along with 2016 first-round pick Joey Bosa help lead the defensive reconstruction the now Los Angeles franchise.

8. Carolina – Christian McCaffrey (RB) Stanford: Some may prefer Leonard Fournette at running back, but McCaffrey can impact the game in more ways, either as a runner, slot receiver, or returner. He is a unique talent.

9. Cincinnati – Reuben Foster (LB) Alabama: The best linebacker in this draft and the Bengals need one bad. He does have some character issues, which should make him fit right in Cincinnati’s locker room.

10. Buffalo – Tre’Davious White (CB) LSU: Like Adams and Hooker, I think White and Lattimore are very close. The Bills were awful against the pass last year and White makes a lot of sense.

11. New Orleans – Kevin King (CB) Washington: The third corner off the board, King was part of a loaded Washington secondary last year as the Huskies reached the College Football Playoff. He could start right away for a Saints team that has been historically bad against the pass the past two years.

12. Cleveland – Leonard Fournette (RB) LSU: WHAT!! No Mitch Trubisky? Build the rest of the roster, than get the QB (which aren’t great in this draft anyway). The Browns probably will take a QB here, but in Fournette, they would get a workhorse running back that will help ease the transition when they do get that young franchise QB.

13. Arizona – Patrick Mahomes (QB) Texas Tech: This is a bit of a reach for any quarterback in this draft, but it makes sense for the Cardinals. Mahomes has the best arm and I think he is the best overall QB in this draft, but he is not ready to play right away. Sitting behind Carson Palmer will be a perfect situation for him and the Cardinals.

14. Philadelphia – Corey Davis (WR) Western Michigan: Like Mariota, young quarterback Carson Wentz needs playmakers. They get that here in Davis, the most complete receiver in this draft.

15. Indianapolis – Forrest Lamp (OL) Western Kentucky: The Colts need to protect their franchise, Andrew Luck. Here they get the best offensive lineman on the board, who can play both tackle and guard.

16. Baltimore – Mike Williams (WR) Clemson: Linebacker also makes sense here, but here the Ravens get a dynamic deep threat for one of the league’s best deep-ball quarterbacks.

17. Washington – Dalvin Cook (RB) Florida State: Did you see who the Redskins were using at running back last year? Cook has some durability issues, but he will immediately make their offense better.

18. Tennessee – John Ross (WR) Washington: See pick No. 5, as the Titans bring in Ross, the fastest player ever tested at the combine, to join what is all of a sudden a dynamic stable of offensive weapons.

19. Tampa Bay – Budda Baker (S) Washington: The Bucs could also go D-line here, but Baker makes the most sense in a division with Matt Ryan, Drew Brees and Cam Newton.

20. Denver – Ryan Ramczyk (OL) Wisconsin: The Broncos need to upgrade their offensive line, and Ramczyk gives them a pure tackle that can play on the right or left side.

21. Detroit – Charles Harris (DL) Missouri: The Lions’ pass rush was woeful last season and Harris can get to the quarterback as well as anyone in this draft outside of Garrett.

22. Miami – Hassan Reddick (LB) Temple: From walk-on defensive back to first round pick, Reddick will make the middle of the Dolphins’ defense much better.

23. N.Y. Giants – Cam Robinson (OL) Alabama: While the time may be getting near to looking for Eli Manning’s replacement, the Giants need to protect him in the interim.

24. Oakland – Jarrad Davis (LB) Florida: The Raiders need help on defense. Davis, an athletic linebacker who was incredibly productive at Florida and makes a ton of sense here.

25. Houston – DeShaun Watson (QB) Clemson: I think Bill O’Brien would prefer Mahomes, but they need a quarterback and Watson has proven himself at the highest level in college. He doesn’t possess the arm strength of Mahomes, but checks off every other box you are looking for in a franchise quarterback.

26. Seattle – Adoree’ Jackson (CB) USC: Did you watch the Rose Bowl? If so, then you will surely remember Jackson, who was making plays all over the field both on defense, offense and as a returner. With Richard Sherman nearing the end of his time in Seattle, this makes a ton of sense.

27. Kansas City – Taco Charlton (DL) Michigan: The Chiefs could also look for Alex Smith’s replacement here, but Charlton is just too good to pass up at No. 27.

28. Dallas – Marlon Humphrey (CB) Alabama: The Cowboys need help in their secondary and could go corner or safety here. Humphrey is a physical corner who will give Dallas an attitude in their back four.

29. Green Bay – Sidney Jones (CB) Washington: The third Washington Huskie defensive back off the board in the first round, some feel Jones is the best of the bunch, but an Achilles injury pushes him to the back end of Round 1. If you listen to Jones, he says he is the best corner in the draft. Could be a steal for the Packers.

30. Pittsburgh – David Njoku (TE) Miami: LaDarius Green may never be 100 percent and Jesse James has his limitations. Why not add a dynamic, playmaking tight end who can push the already explosive Steelers offense to greater heights? The time is getting close to look for Big Ben’s eventual replacement, but with Njoku in the fold and Martavis Bryant back from suspension, they can make another run with No. 7 under center this season

31. Atlanta – Jordan Willis (DE) Kansas State: A pure pass rusher, Willis is a guy that scout’s love and could make an immediate impact in Dan Quinn’s defense.

32. New Orleans – Chris Godwin (WR) Penn State: There are likely other receiver who will go before Godwin, but he will end up being one of the most productive in this draft class. He gives Drew Brees another weapon to work with after losing Brandin Cooks.

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